Breaking Bread

our dinner hours look nothing like this!

When I was growing up my father noticed that the craziness of three active kiddos, work and all other obligations were encroaching on a very important family ritual. So, a new rule was made: dinner is served at 5:30pm, all members of the family are to be present. I am so thankful that this important and formational tradition was instilled in me. Because of it, I have continued the tradition with my daughter. Phone is silenced, TV is off and for anywhere between 10-60 minutes we still around our little table – it is not all “Leave it to Beaver” perfect, there are arguments and whining and bad cooking abounds...but we're trying! Because of this tradition the princess has pretty wicked conversational skills, is aware of (although does not always utilize) table manners and has a pretty sophisticated palate (because we can talk about food, instead of food being shoved in front of her with no explanation or introduction)!

It is so important! When in your day is quality time protected? How often do you and your family have eye-ball to eye-ball style conversation? I realize this may be a little preachy, but I give all props to my father! Here is a great article explaining in much more depth the positive pay offs of breaking bread together. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200760,00.html

This is cool too: http://thefamilydinnerproject.org/

Here a few other tables we've gathered around this month:

Communion: the Lutheran and Methodists came together to break bread and install the intern-pastor! It was a beautiful service set in a park with picnickers, walkers and disc golf players everywhere. Seeing the whole community together at the table was inspiring.

Community Meal: we joined with four church members to feed about 40 homeless and hungry people. That kitchen time may be just as powerful as the table time, it was a great time of service and conversation. The princess was very proud to be handing out the dinner rolls, she brought a smile to many faces!

Confirmation: 15 loud, loud confirmations students inhale their food and share openly with one another. It was great to just sit back and watch.

Let us break bread together...