a liturgy
I’ve been thinking a lot about feasting and fasting this year—two gifts that God gives his people. Fasting fuels our lament. Feasting fuels our hope. Both are meant to be corporate. Both are weapons for spiritual warfare against the Enemy who wants to steal our joy. Last weekend kicked off the Christmas celebrations. With drinks in hand, my CG declared this prayer together:
To gather joyfully is indeed a serious affair, for feasting and all enjoyments gratefully taken are, at their heart, acts of war.
In celebrating this feast we declare that evil and death, suffering and loss, sorrow and tears, will not have the final word. But the joy of fellowship, and the welcome and comfort of friends new and old, and the celebration of these blessings of food and drink and conversation and laughter are the true evidences of things eternal, and are the first fruits of that great glad joy that is to come and that will be unending.
So let our feast this day be joined to those sure victories secured by Christ.
All will be well.
Nothing good and right and true will be lost forever.
All good things will be restored.
a recipe
Speaking of feasting. Here’s a yummy festive side dish I like making (and eating) every year.
a song
I love when friends include me in their kid’s bedtime routines. Baby Asa gets a rousing rendition of Lost Is Found. Simple truths that everyone needs. Especially us adults.
There was a boy who left his father’s home
But found himself with pigs and mud
He came back sure that he had been disowned
Though he was sad for what he’d done
But as in shame he hung his head
His father ran to him and said:
“What once was lost is found
Raise up a joyful sound
Come now and celebrate
This one is home and safe!
What once was lost is found
It’s time to jump around
Let happiness abound
For the lost is found!”
feast well, friends! toddlers sometimes confuse when to spit or swallow. so i’ve been teaching smol nephew to associate drinking with a theatrically dramatic gulp. his audition tape:
love,
reb