Food, Football and Fellowship!

There are three things that always go together: men, football and food!  It's almost been conditioned in them, hasn't it?  If game is on, the men in my life want to munch on something.  Super Bowl Sunday is a celebration of all things men.  I know that a lot of ladies get into it just as much, but around here, it's a man thing.  The aspects of Super Bowl Sunday that I truly enjoy are the food and fellowship that go along with the game. 

Last year, we spent the evening at a friend's house who has a theater down on the first floor.  The guys were thrilled to be able to kick back in reclining leather theater seating, eating the feast that we gals had produced for them, all in the lap of luxury.  We had things on the table that very rarely surface--things like hot wing dig, chili cheese dip, dozens of actual hot wings, loaded nachos, loaded potato skins....  The list goes on, but every item tends to be a heart-stopper when it comes to the game of football.  We go all out and throw caution to the wind!

Women tend to get together to hang out more frequently than men.  We have our ladies nights out, we go for coffee, we meet for lunch.  Men don't do that as much.  I wonder why.  Eating together is always fun, but it's the fellowship that means so much, and that fellowship truly is easier for women.  We can get to the heart of a matter in the first five minutes that we're together.  From what I understand, my husband and the guys can hang out all night and only enter the real stuff on the way home. 

Last year, our family and three others were involved in an intense time of prayer for each other.  In these beautiful months of support, the ladies went to one room to pray, and the men went to another.  In the end, we would get together to eat and laugh about the things in life.  But it was the times of prayer that built us up and held us all together during very difficult seasons.  We ladies could have done that at any time, and we frequently had, anyway, but this was the first time that these men had been able to get together like this on a regular basis, praying for each other.  Sure, we could have all stayed in the same room and prayed, but we wanted the guys to be comfortable with being vulnerable in prayer.  The scheduling of it was challenging, but it was altogether fulfilling.  And, as expected, the men went from glory to glory as it were in the fellowship of one another and the Lord.

Philippians 2:1-2 says, "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."  This is the purpose of our fellowship.  We get so busy with our everyday lives that we don't schedule this time to be with others in the Body of Christ.  We should make every effort to be available to each other with our fellowship. 

Enjoy your Super Bowl!  Eat your crazy food!  But make time to get together otherwise, as well.  You will benefit greatly when you invite the Holy Spirit into your time with your friends.  So much ministry and growth occur when we lift each other up and commit to be faithful in prayer for our friends. 

Super Bowl Appetizer suggestion: Hot Wing Dip:  1 pkg. cream cheese, 1/2 c. crumbled bleu cheese (can substitute shredded mozzarella), 1/2 c. bleu cheese dressing (can substitute Ranch), 2-3 c. chopped chicken, 1/2 c. hot wing sauce.  Mix all the ingredients together (you may want to blend cr. cheese with went ingredients before adding chicken).  Put in a dish about the size of a pie plate.  Bake at 350 for about 20 mins.  Serve with crispy veggies and chips for dipping.  Yum!