Frightening Food and Fellowship

It seems we are living in a world where families rarely share a meal with other families. Unless it is a fundraiser or sporting event. Yet, I crave the simple social occasion where there is no expectation or demand.

My husband and I recently discussed this and decided to open our driveway for a neighborhood movie with light refreshments. It was well received by the children. However, only one parent attended. She was excited and mentioned during the twilight easter egg hunt that she would love to help plan the next event.

The next event found her swamped with end of the year school requirements so she walked to our driveway to express her regrets. No parents attended the last event. It leaves us to ponder why it is that neighbors no longer leave time or interest in their lives to share the occasional meal or light refreshment with each other.

My next door neighbor allowed her son to attend but she explained they were having steaks in their backyard. I've had to get very creative in my hunger to share meals with friends and acquaintances. A few weeks ago I agreed to cater refreshments for a local art center. It was a celebratory event. So, I tried to make it beautiful and artistic. Poured my whole self into it. It was fun and I met a few people who were interested in taking a class at the art center on creative cooking.

In the process of making agreements and arrangements to offer the class I explained that the class would be a family class---open to all ages. This was discouraged by the co-director. Perhaps, I did not go about presenting my plan in the best way. Perhaps I forgot to pray before speaking on the matter. Actually that is even probable.

So, here I am, still trying to find a way to establish simple fellowship involving wholesome food and family. Presently the plan is to open our dining room and invite total strangers to bring a dish to share along with breaking the true Bread of Life. I am still pondering how to present this. Maybe a flier in the neighborhood? I'm thinking that it will need to be a large territory that we cover with the fliers if we expect to receive even a few guests.

I pray that God will show us the way.

Comment by Vanessa Bordlee on June 8, 2012 at 10:48am: ...Well, to be fair, I should count the recent blessings that God has sent my way. We attended an event a few hours from our home and the host at the primitive campsite demonstrated a beautiful brunch there on the riverbank. He and his wife shared baskets of apples, bananas and strawberries along with hot breakfast beverages. This weekend the idea occurred to me (after much meditation and private prayer) to emulate the host by inviting the public to join us on the creek bank prior to a local family float day in Prattville, Alabama. I hope that we meet some others who are interested in meeting on a weekly basis to fellowship with wholesome food and family. I could share some invitations there as well.

Comment by Marshall Diakon on June 9, 2012 at 12:13pm: possibly some persistence may yield more fruit? There's been a long-term shift in western culture that's pressing families to an excess of busy (if I'm busy doing stuff, I'm less likely to be thinking about the overall condition of life). Also, many modern family options are of things for the children, rather than with the children. Block parties and neighborhood community have become somewhat counter-cultural, even along the countryside of America. If God has graced you to do it, He will show you the way and the power to press on.

Comment by Vanessa Bordlee on June 10, 2012 at 3:29am: Thank you. Yesterday the fresh fruit was graciously accepted by a few in attendance at the following event. The ones who did not accept had already eaten breakdast and seemed pleasantly surprised. The event was a family event. And we enjoyed the company of other parents With their children. I will keep planning little refreshments prior to events like this and pray with my family for more 'workers'.

Comment by Vanessa Bordlee on June 10, 2012 at 3:44am: This seems to be a viable way to meet people who are still family oriented...like on camping trips and while gerting the floats and kayaks ready for 'family float'. Yesterday, I met a woman who I had contacted last week about her new campground in the area not far from where we kayak. Seems last year I had tried without success to find a decent place to camp as this is a community about 40 minutes from where we live and with my health conditions, I needed to be able to rest before driving home.

It occurred to me yesterday as she was telling us how they moved there from Nevada to buy this property which they are turning into a campground---God surely sent her. I blurted it out to my friend...."she moved here because I was praying for a safe place to camp." Now my friend who is vice-president of the creek improvement committee (several years ago I had been praying for a suitable place to take my kids kayaking...) my friend knows the whole history of how we had tried to camp at trail's end park and a young man had waked us up at 1am with varying stories about why he needed gasoline....

I can see God doing his part. Me, I have floundered a lot...confused with the dynamics. It is a walk of pure faith. What an adventure!

Frightening Food and Fellowship

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