Sunday, January 11, 2009

Christians shouldn't call it "Pot Luck"

Today, at Memorial Rd., I was mentally right square in the middle of another really good sermon from Mark Taylor, about the qualifications of elders, when my stomach started talking to me....I was really hungry because we got up late and did not have time for breakfast. Don't tell the preacher, but, for a minute or two, I got really sidetracked, thinking about food. I don't take orders from my stomach, (not that you'd know that by looking at me...I, like my Dad and my siblings always have looked like we were ready for market!), but, for just a minute or two, I was slopping around in a mental world of caloric indulgence!

I then carried the food thought to tonight, when our Brother's Keepers group will get together and I thought of how much I always look forward to that event! Then I thought of what they call the randomness of the food selections that are always brought to these wonderful fellowship events. They call the food part of the get-together, a "Pot Luck". Tongue-in-cheek, I smiled at the thought that Christians are not about 'luck', and perhaps we should have another name for it. I instantly settled on the name: "Pot Providence", since I firmly believe that God is in control of this world. Whether or not God has anything to do with the apparent randomness of our selection of food dishes for Brothers Keepers, I do like the new name much better, and, think we should immediately adopt this new descriptive name for our fellowship events. Naturally, I want full credit for the name, and would appreciate all of you honoring my ownership of this name. Accordingly, I expect an immediate and continued influx of royalty payments, as you pick up on and begin using this new name-- a name that is more reflective of our true sentiments regarding God's interest in and direction of our lives as Christians. I realize that 'Pot Providence' is a mouthful...and it might be simpler to just abbreviate it and call it 'P-P', but....on second thought, that might not be a great name. Let's just stick with the game change and call it 'Pot Providence'...agreed?

Let the royalties begin!

P.S. Mark smiled at me as he and his family walked by where Paula and I were sitting. Mark is a wonderful preacher, and he always speaks to my heart. I've asked God to forgive me for my inattention for a couple of minutes. If I knew their names, I would apologize to the people sitting in the first five rows nearest where we were sitting, who had to listen to the yearnings of my stomach. Sorry! (I hope that Mark wasn't smiling as he walked by because he heard me all the way up front to the pulpit! I'm almost paranoid enough to believe just that!).

4 comments:

Gena said...

Just please don't write a blog about your lazy sue-ling phrase. No one needs to use that one.

Gene said...

Gena! Funny you should mention 'Sue Ling'....for all of you our there in the land of the culinary-challenged, it is well-known in Asian countries that the Chinese first invented what we call the 'Lazy Susan'...a condiment or food carousel that is placed in the center of the table so one can spin it until the desired condiment or food item is nearest you. The Lazy Susan has been around in this country for decades, but, as is often common with great inventions, sometimes people pull an 'Al Gore', and claim credit for something that someone invented much earlier. In this case, the Chinese beat us to the punch.

The Chinese have always called this remarkable, and very utilitarian device by the simple name of....you guessed it: The Lazy Sue-Ling!

Don't take my word for it...google Martha Stewart and ask her...she'll tell you the truth...she always tells the truth!

The Shoemakes said...

I love the new name, but I will say this...I've been to some of those so called 'pot providences' and every now and again I run across a dish that has no place in God's plan! Some of the women get TOO creative when choosing the ingredients for their 'blue ribbon' experiments. Not everything tastes good in jello! : )

-Jeff

Gene said...

Jeff, don't say things about food dishes women bring to church...I commented once on some green beans that I didn't care for...and the lady who brought them was Anna Wilson, Jim Wilson's wife...standing right next to me!
She gave me one of those looks. I tried to make light of my comment, but it didn't work, and she was a little cool to me for several years.

After awhile, I thought to myself:
'Oh well, she's not going to speak to me anyway," so I started to stand in line, close to Anna, at church fellowship dinners, and when I got to the 'green bean' section, I always asked, in a voice that Anna could hear: 'Oh..! Who brought the green beans?!! (read exaggerated excitement here!).

I just thought -- 'if you can't win 'em over, then just go down with the ship!' :)