House of Feasting
“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.”
Proverbs 17:1
When Ken and I first married, I was so excited about planning the best Thanksgiving meal ever. I really wanted to impress my new mother and father-in-law. I announced to Ken that I would be using a traditional East Coast turkey stuffing recipe that included oysters.
“Oyster stuffing,” I told him with a big smile, “is the best. The Earecksons have been serving it for Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember.”
What a look he gave me! My new husband was going to have none of it. Thanksgiving wasn’t a proper holiday without his mother’s stuffing. Naturally, I wanted to know what made Mom Tada’s stuffing so special.
With a deadpan expression, he told me: Oscar Mayer bologna. No other bologna would do. It had to be Oscar Mayer because of all the salt and grease.
Just imagine. I was a newlywed. It was my first Thanksgiving as part of the Tada family, and I really wanted to make a good impression with my menu. But Proverbs reminded me that even a dry crust eaten in peace is better than a feast with conflict, so that week when I got groceries, I was comparing packages of bologna for their salt and fat content.
That Thanksgiving, when Mom Tada’s bologna stuffing was dished out next to the turkey and potatoes, everyone raved about it. And that tradition about oysters? For anyone who was interested that day, I served up oyster stew. And even though there weren’t many takers, still, it was a memorable feast with hearts filled with gratitude and peace.
Bologna stuffing has become a predictable part of each Thanksgiving meal at our home, and I have learned to actually enjoy it! I am so glad that 40 years ago, I chose peace over conflict that first Thanksgiving. This week if you sense conflicts looming, head them off early on; keep the relationships around your table healthy by choosing peace over conflict. It might be the beginning of a new tradition.
Pray with me: Thank you, Lord, for this season of gratitude and the feasts you provide for us. May the unity of Christ rule in our hearts as we gather for Thanksgiving, and bless you for speaking peace to us so that we can extend your love to others.
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