Mealtime Matters

"There is no occasion when meals should become totally unimportant. Meals can be very small indeed, very inexpensive, short times taken in the midst of a big push of work, but they should be always more than just food." Edith Schaeffer

I've been trying to be more consistent in making mealtime special. With Mountain Man's late hours and my simply being so tired by the end of the day, making dinner special isn't always effortless. However, the message of a beautifully set table speaks volumes and reaps many blessings. Here is our dining room table just waiting for decoration.

Minutes later the table is transformed into a beautiful and inviting setting.
The children especially delight in these rose-colored glasses.
This past Saturday night we enjoyed a delicious meal of baked ravioli, salad, garlic-cheese biscuits, and sparkling raspberry lemonade.

Just as we were about to eat, our power went out. Thankfully, the biscuits were almost done and we were able to truly enjoy a relaxed time around the table. We ate our dinner by oil lamp (we enjoy candlelight several nights a week), enjoyed talking and sharing with each other, read a sermon by J.C. Ryle, and then closed with singing a few hymns. This is my idea of a "perfect" dinner. Of course, this isn't how dinner happens every night, but I'm working toward making such a meal the standard and not the exception. There's something about such an atmosphere that encourages lingering and sharing, and when life is so temptingly busy, that's a beautiful thing. I'll post next one of the most wonderful benefits of taking a little more time to make dinner special--happy children.

Love,

Queen Mom