two years ago
Two years ago, March 9th was a Sunday. It was a beautiful, sunny morning sandwiched between two Sundays that were snowy and cold. I was ten days away from moving to Kansas, and I was planning to go home after church and eat leftover french onion soup by myself.
This particular Sunday was an "After Bite" Sunday at my church. This meant that they would pick several restaurants and everyone would go out to eat together. It was a way to engage in intentional community with the body of Christ.
I want you to know that I believe in gathering around a table with people. Sitting down to eat a meal with friends, family, and strangers - who are just friends waiting to be made - is one of my favorite expressions of being the body of Christ.
When Jesus wanted to connect with people He sat down and ate a meal with them. On the night He was betrayed, He told His disciples that He had been eagerly longing to share this meal with them. Something special and beautiful happens when people gather to share a meal. Barriers melt away and connection happens.
However, I was not planning to participate in this "After Bite" because I was emotionally worn out from preparing to move, and I was tired of being vulnerable with people who I wasn't going to be around for much longer. This is the curse of an introvert. Instead, I was planning to take my emotionally worn out self home to enjoy peace and quiet and homemade french onion soup.
I will be forever grateful to John for oversleeping that morning.
John had been planning to go out to eat lunch with his friend that day. Because he overslept, he ended up arriving at the church to meet his friend at the time I was leaving to go home. I walked out to the parking lot to say goodbye, and I ended up going to lunch with them.
Today, two years later, as I sit in Western Maryland and write this blog post, that friend of John's is my husband. You see, something beautiful happened when I went to lunch with John and his friend, Matt. We talked. We laughed. We shared stories. And a stranger became a friend. My emotionally worn out self dropped my barriers, and I found connection with these friends.
That day two years ago was the day that taught me the value of gathering around a table, and I am grateful for the lesson.
This particular Sunday was an "After Bite" Sunday at my church. This meant that they would pick several restaurants and everyone would go out to eat together. It was a way to engage in intentional community with the body of Christ.
I want you to know that I believe in gathering around a table with people. Sitting down to eat a meal with friends, family, and strangers - who are just friends waiting to be made - is one of my favorite expressions of being the body of Christ.
When Jesus wanted to connect with people He sat down and ate a meal with them. On the night He was betrayed, He told His disciples that He had been eagerly longing to share this meal with them. Something special and beautiful happens when people gather to share a meal. Barriers melt away and connection happens.
However, I was not planning to participate in this "After Bite" because I was emotionally worn out from preparing to move, and I was tired of being vulnerable with people who I wasn't going to be around for much longer. This is the curse of an introvert. Instead, I was planning to take my emotionally worn out self home to enjoy peace and quiet and homemade french onion soup.
I will be forever grateful to John for oversleeping that morning.
John had been planning to go out to eat lunch with his friend that day. Because he overslept, he ended up arriving at the church to meet his friend at the time I was leaving to go home. I walked out to the parking lot to say goodbye, and I ended up going to lunch with them.
Today, two years later, as I sit in Western Maryland and write this blog post, that friend of John's is my husband. You see, something beautiful happened when I went to lunch with John and his friend, Matt. We talked. We laughed. We shared stories. And a stranger became a friend. My emotionally worn out self dropped my barriers, and I found connection with these friends.
That day two years ago was the day that taught me the value of gathering around a table, and I am grateful for the lesson.
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