TODAY THE WORD is POTLUCK.
With all of the holiday eating going on in the world, my mind went to the tradition of potluck. pot·luck (p
t
l
k)
tlk)n.
1. Whatever food happens to be available for a meal, especially when offered to a guest: Having arrived unannounced for supper, we had to take potluck.
2. A meal at which each guest brings food that is then shared by all. Also called potluck supper.
3. Whatever is available at a particular time: The scheduled flight was canceled and passengers had to take potluck on the other airlines.
With this thought in mind, my mind went past the usual potluck meal with us looking into the refrigerator and gathering leftover food and coming up with our own concoction. Sometimes, it is a great hit and sometimes not so much. My mind gathered itself into how life is really potluck. As we move through life, it is sometimes a great hit and sometimes not so much. I looked at everyone’s New Year messages and I saw how it was mixed with thankfulness for the good, thankfulness for overcoming the bad, and a general mix of all different situations. We grab on to the best tasting moments of our lives and we try to throw away the bad moments. We flavor with love; we season with laughter, and we savor with compassion. In reality, life has its way of combining the unlikely ingredients. We throw in a few herbs of superstition as we even plan meals to encompass the old wives tales of greens for money, rice for our good fortune to multiply, and event the pork for the version of “living high on the hog”. The black eyed peas may stand for counting a lot of money, but everyone seems to have a different version. It is a potluck life and we are used to throwing it all in a pot and stirring until done. My deep thoughts on my potluck theory….God furnishes us the pot and expects us to figure out what will taste good together. God will add the seasoning such as laughter, and we have to decide how much salt and sugar to get the perfect blend. God also decides the length of time needed to get the ingredients (us) to the right consistency and blend. But when life’s meal is finished, it is God who turns off the heat, allows us to rest in peace and then on to eternity. I want to wish everyone a healthy potluck life and A Very Happy New Year!
DAILY FEATURED BIBLE VERSE:
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
(c) copyright 2014 Arline Lott Miller. The material here copyrighted, use only by permission.
