Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
(click here to listen to or read todayās scriptures)
Party
Because of Godās mercy he saved us so that we might be justified in his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. The Lord is my shepherd.
Gatherings with in-laws arenāt guaranteed to bring joy and happiness. Psalm 23 does talk about enemies hovering in the midst of peace and plenty, threatening mayhem. This does not ever seem to happen when we get together in Austin, and I am, when I think about it, grateful to God and to each other.
Iām thinking about it today because on the Sunday before Veteransā Day we had a party, a birthday party for all the November babies, beginning with Aki (November 6), then Miles (November 11), and me (November 17). Isnāt that just something? We wonāt be in Austin for Thanksgiving, so I brought some Trader Joeās remarkable Thanksgiving stuffing flavored popcorn in an orange bag. Let the party begin!
The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want. He makes us lie down in green pastures, he leads us beside still waters for his nameās sake.
We got there half an hour early to do some last minute cooking. Miles and Jasper opened the door, bursting. āPut the presents there!ā Jasper shouted, running back and forth from the living room to the door as fast as a speeding bullet. āPut the food in the kitchen! Take off your shoes! Jump up and down like me!ā Big smile, big hug from a 41 Ā½ inch boy. Couldnāt get enough.
I cut up zucchini and onions and added maggi seasoning after sauteing then for awhile. Machiko and Ken came soon after and brought inari, coconut shrimp, Japanese candied sweet potatoes and Japanese apple fruit salad in a bowl lined with butter lettuce leaves. Aki made ribeye steaks on his slow ān sear grill. We brought deviled eggs, celery with cream cheese, party mashed potatoes (those are the ones with sour cream, cream cheese, half and half, and butter mixed in with the potatoes – you know, rich food for a party), that unusual (and for now untasted) popcorn, and vanilla ice cream.
Andi, Miles and Jasper made a brown football cake, celebrating our three family teams: the Fighting Illini, Longhorns and Buffalo Bills. Miles put three set of birthday candles on top. āTry to only blow out your candles, Grandpa.ā OK, Iāll try. Narrow my lips and point my breath.
You prepare a table for us, you anoint our heads with oil, our cup overflows.
Giving thanks, being born, readying ourselves for Advent which readies us for Jesusā birthday, we are rolling with the current and celebrating with all our might. Aki prayed. The boys waited. We filled our plates and as usual, I was the last one to finish. Iāve been losing weight (8 pounds), probably because the Mounjaro Iām shooting up with is designed to reduce my appetite (a chemical band around my belly, Dr. Deem called it). Tonight it didnāt dent my appetite.
Andi filled up ten take home containers with the leftovers and we lit the candles, sang the song, and blew the candles out. Oldest first, on stage, everyone watching, holding their breath while I blew with mine. Carefully, Milesā eyes glistening, I blew. Only my candles. I had to blow twice, so no secret wish (which I forgot to make anyway).
Aki blew out his candles. Only his. And Miles blew out his #8, the only one left. Whew! Get the ice cream, eat the cake.
Miles and Jasper couldnāt wait for the presents, so we didnāt wait either. Aki got a set of Vanguard binoculars. Miles got two beautiful outfits for fall and winter, light sabers and a bank and money to start filling it. I got a ā¦ well, how do I say it? I had seen one of these in Melissa and Chris’ downstairs closet and put it on my list. With anticipation. With trepidation.
An assault weapon. A salt gun. Assault … get it?
It will be D-day soon enough for this salt gun, but first I have to figure out how to use it. Fill it with salt, aim it at the fly and watch it die. It sounds simple enough. But I havenāt shot a gun much, only a Red Ryder at squirrels when they ate up all our bird seed.
My friend Neal also has a BB gun, and he asked me to pray for the cardinal pecking without ceasing at his window. Hammering that woke them up without the benefit of birdsong. Neal and Miriam were in agreement, the cardinal had to go. But then one recent day the cardinal quit pecking, and now he just eats his bird seed like the other birds. Thank you, Jesus.
Neal put his gun away, just as Iām getting mine out. Only a few days left in the hunting season, before winter sets in and the flies pass away on their own.
When we left the boys were moving along to bed, holding a light saber in each hand. Aki and his parent cleaned the kitchen spic and span. We had gone around the table talking about the first birthday we could remember. The eight of us felt closer than before the party. Thatās the idea, even if it doesnāt always happen. Iām so glad that this time it did.
Surely your goodness and love will follow us all the days of our life, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
(Titus 3, Psalm 23, 1 Thessalonians 5, Luke 17)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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