Family Reunions

What shall I cook? We are headed off to Alabama for a family reunion.  As usual, someone will fry the chicken, etc, and we are to bring sides and desserts.  It sounds pretty easy, but I always wonder what in the world I should fix that would reflect who I am to the family that I only ever seen once in several years.  Should I make a more metropolitan dish with worldly spices? or something super healthy that nudges the larger members to make wise choices? or should I keep it real and make the home cooking that my grandmother would have done? I haven't been to this particular reunion in about 12 years, so these are the things that have crossed my mind on a superficial level.  But at the heart of things, I still miss my grandmother who passed away 24 years ago.  Many of my aunts and uncles are gone, as well.  And I worry about many of my cousins who had not previously made their faith known.  Do they know Jesus now?  Family reunions always bring up the many thoughts that lie dormant for most of the time. 

In truth, every Sunday at church is a family reunion, of sorts.  If we think about it, the Bible tells us that we are all joint heirs with Jesus...which basically means that we are adopted as daughters and sons of God, the Father.  With this in mind, we all get together for fellowship and the food of the Word - a family reunion!  When my family gets together, which is only once a year, everyone laughs and tells old stories and dreams of the future.  Not one minute is wasted arguing about what kind of background music we should hear...or when we should take up the donation for next year's paper goods.  No time is wasted thinking about why my dad may have prayed 30 seconds too long or why my dish is not the favored choice.  We don't worry about the trivial things; instead, we fellowship.  I just bet that this is what God is looking for when we gather together under His family name. 

1 Corinthians 1:10 say,s "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."  Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of our church family reunions were so orderly and godly?  And wouldn't it be perfect if our biological families could be so agreeable all the time?  This is our goal.  Instead of the continual problems between us, we should be growing up in our walk with God to a point where we can behave ourselves and get along.  This would please the Father. 

 I still don't know what to bring.  Since it will be in south Alabama, I'll probably just have to stop by a store and pick up fruit and dip.  I can't really make anything fabulous and ride in the car for 10 hours...so my dish will reflect my favorite food:  fruit! 

I hope your Memorial Day get together will be fun and agreeable!