Dad and Travis after an afternoon at Playa Mia resort.

Happy Thursday and Happy Birthday Geni!

We had a wonderful day together. I made a delicious coffee cake this morning and scrambled eggs for a birthday brunch for us. Bruce went to work, Travis went to the gym to work out and Geni and I went for girl day stuff. While we were gone Jackson, one of our two basset hounds reached up on the stove and pulled the coffee cake, plate and all, down and helped himself. We came home to the plate, foil and just a bit of cake left on the floor. So to make up for the lost cake we had cheesecake tonight at the Cheesecake Factory. We did not save any for Jackson!

1 Kings 19:8 “[Elijah] went in the strength of that food.”

Before I had lapband surgery I had to go for a psych evaluation to meet the insurance requirements. The doctor was a wonderful woman who asked me a very important question. She asked, “Gaylene, what do you think the cause of your weight gain is or has been?” My simple answer was, “Doc, I like to eat.” If you are like me and enjoy eating then you probably have your own comfort foods. My favorite comfort food is biscuits with scrambled eggs on top, covered in bacon gravy and bacon. I don’t just love the flavor of all of those foods mixed together; I love the wonderful smell of bacon frying and biscuits baking. It reminds me of home and love and Sunday mornings. As a lapband patient, part of that meal is on my permanently “given up for Lent” list. I can no longer have biscuits. To quote Geni: “sad day”.

Each week we come to the altar during worship to receive communion. Communion has always been precious to me because of the table. The table of our Lord can be a place to receive forgiveness. The body and blood of Jesus is shared freely for all of us offering us forgiveness for our sins and reminding us of how much God loves us through His Son. And yes, there are times I go to the altar to plead with Christ for forgiveness and receive His tender mercies. But there are also times I go there to be comforted and strengthened. The table has always been a place where my family gathered daily to reconnect with each other. The table is a place of love and laughter. The table is a place for thanksgiving to be offered and grace to be received. The food on the table is not nearly as important as the people around the table and still not as important as the One who has been invited to be present with us during the meal.

Jesus invites each of us to His table weekly during worship and He provides the elements of bread and wine. We gather as His children around His table and receive His blessing of forgiveness, comfort and His tender mercies. This heavenly food is the ultimate in comfort food and I/we can have all I/we want!!!

Take joy in the journey and bring a fork. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.