Feeding thousands...or maybe just a couple...

OK - so, have you ever read about Jesus feeding the five thousand with only five loaves of bread and two fish ((and ending up with twelve baskets of leftovers)) and then later - they are faced with four thousand more hungry people and Jesus has compassion on these people & wants to feed them too - but the disciples ask "How can one satisfy these people with bread...?"...and you think - HELLO!!! Guys! Are you paying attention?!??! It was JUST 2 chapters ago that He fed a thousand MORE than this group!! How can you doubt so quickly that He can provide for your needs when He just DID it?!?!? Sheeesh!! Or as my Jewish friend might say, "Oy Vey!" :/ :p :)

Anywho - I have to admit, I'm feeling a bit like these guys probably did when things started to click as they brought the seven loaves & some fish to Jesus - and if not then - certainly it must have reminded them as they were filling seven large baskets of leftovers..."DUH - why did I ever doubt?"

Well, that's how I felt last night as I was cleaning up the dinner dishes.

As I posted on the 15th, the Lord provided in a marvelous way for prayer night. Monday, my friend, Dana helped me sort through the hundreds of studies we have on tape for the church library ((Hmmm, maybe I should have sat and LISTENED to Mark 6-8 instead of just filed it, eh?))

Anywho - Dana decided to come back later that evening with her children to join us for dinner. It's always a blessing to enjoy fellowship with friends...and both Mike & I delight in having kids around us...so I was looking forward to the evening in that respect. However - as the apostles struggled only 2 chapters later - I struggled just 24 hours apart.

We were blessed with a small turkey just before the holidays, and I had put it in the oven earlier in the day...but we had little else to offer our guests for a full meal. When I picked Mike up from work, I shared my concern with him. We wrestled with maybe postponing the family-dinner-night...but both felt that the Lord, if He were physically here with us, would have us open our home & welcome them in. So - that's what we decided to do.

As I drove home, my mind wandered through every cupboard and every shelf - trying to get creative about what I could make. I could have sworn I had a biscuit mix in the basket - I just hoped it didn't require margarine - cause I had just used the last of it on Sunday. I was fairly certain it wouldn't ((I don't usually use biscuit mixes))
I remembered having a box of popsicles in the freezer...at least we'd have something fun to offer the kids for dessert. "Oh, I hope they aren't all old and goopy" I thought. :/

Dana had mentioned that she would bring over something for a side dish...so, it sounded like we would have the makings of a decent meal...meat, veggie, bread & dessert. Better than many eat, to be honest. How could I complain...oh me of little faith.

Well - soon, I would come to know how little my faith really was.

When Dana arrived, she went straight to the kitchen to finish putting dinner together ((cause she's just cool like that)) - Mike & I worked feverishly to try to get the rest of the tapes packaged in some organized fashion & ferry them off to the car for storage til we could get them to the church on Thursday.

When Dana called out that dinner was ready ((and I realized I had forgotten to even MAKE the biscuits...flashbacks of a comedian talking about his mother at Thanksgiving - how she always forgot the cranberries just made me shake my head and roll my eyes...I AM so forgetful these days)) Anywho - it turned out Thanksgiving wasn't only present in my memory of the comedian...it LITERALLY looked like it was late November right in my kitchen!!! Dana had made green beans, glazed carrots, stuffing, beets and gravy! It was AMAZING!!! AND - as if it weren't enough to be humbled by...she even made sugar free cheesecake flavored pudding for dessert!!!!!

Once again, the Bible came alive to me...right there in my own kitchen...just 24 hours later...and the reality of my weak faith broke my heart. Though, the taste of the pudding sure helped to heal it a bit quicker...just kidding. ;)

It was, however, another precious evening with my Lord.