The Potluck Life

Sunday felt like a potluck. 
- Worshiping in church with a focus on Jesus’ grand entry to Jerusalem.
- Watching a man transform from a conman to a community-builder in The Music Man.
- Wishing another “happy” at a birthday party.

The foodless potluck of a day’s main events served a variety of casseroles that, when brought to the same table, provided a hearty meal.  A meal of joy. 

- We tasted joy as we recalled the 2000-year-old story of the Messiah’s Hosanna-filled ride.
-We sang (softly or in our heads) along with Seventy-Six Trombones and Marian the Librarian.
- We ate pizza (actual food) and voiced with gusto blessings on the one who aged once again.

The truth of Jesus’s story, the fiction of Meredith Willson’s musical, and the reality of a friend's gift of another birthday mixed well.  We ate well.
Other potlucks take a different turn.  Unidentified fruit-infused Jell-O sits next to meatloaf, which rests at room temperature next to green marshmallow salad.  Life’s less fortunate items gather together. 
- Headaches join runny noses and sneezes. 
- A higher-than-expected electric bill sits on a desk which holds the laptop upon which one reads a dissatisfied review or an angry rant.
- “You didn’t make the team” and “No, I will not let you retake that exam” are heard on the same day.    

Life tastes great sometimes; other times it is nearly impossible to swallow.  How, then, are we to live it with any semblance of consistency?  Scripture holds the answer.

Hear Jesus.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

Hear Paul.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

Taste the words of Psalms.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 
Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

#ordinarylives