A Celebration

They have come to celebrate their joint anniversaries – 6 couples married the same year, going to the same church and socializing together. Every 5 years they celebrate their wedding anniversary together and this weekend is year 35.

Celebrations, rituals, invitations, preparations.
Jesus invites us to
· Come and change your life
· Come and taste godliness by being salt
· Come and see the God colours of the world by being light
· Come looking for Him and then find Him
· Come and “be” and in that being or stillness know God
Many more invitations to be found from Jesus.

Today I am preparing the meal for this celebration. In this preparation and then presentation I long for them to see “those unforced rhythms of grace” – another invitation from Yeshua.

It started as I read about being here “to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?”
Then “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world.”

Sitting down to dinner, they will start with a simple salad. The dressing has been marinating for the afternoon so the flavours will be subtle but smooth. Then before them will be placed the platter that is heaped with food, steaming, fragrant and invites them to partake, to eat what they desire, to savour. The aroma will reach them before they come to dinner. Then they will take the prawns in their hands and feel their warmth, remove the shells and taste the melded flavours of the sea, of salt, of onions and garlic. Chicken and spicy sausage that will add yet more taste sensations as the herbs and spices meet and are recognized by their taste buds. The rich deep saffron rice with spices from far off lands, is the underlying bed to this dish. Yet another texture. All seasoned with salt, all full of colours created by the Divine Maestro. There will be laughter, maybe some tears, joy, sharing, community and blessing.

Preparing paella I think about being salt seasoning hidden away in the kitchen. As I passionately pour love into this dish I want the God colours to open their eyes to new things. And most of all at this celebration and informal evening may the unforced rhythms of grace be felt as they partake of a common dish, each taking what they need or desire. My Divine Maestro knows well that preparing paella is a place where I celebrate my artist hand with food, where I celebrate the depth of communication that He meant a dinner invitation to be. All the joy and wonder of my life in Italy and my love of watching hearts open as people linger together around a table. Where He reminds me that one day, one day, I will no longer be in the kitchen but be His guest, at His table, and enjoy a banquet that is out of this world. I will taste, I will touch, I will see, I will hear and I will smell the aroma of Heaven as I never will on earth. Hope is knowing the invitation is there and that I have RSVP’d – I will come. Perhaps the aroma of Heaven is more fragrant now that I had ever realized.