The Rejoicing Feast

We had quite the grand celebration this past Saturday in recognition of God's many mercies and blessings during Luke's recent illness.  It's the first time we've done such a thing, and I don't know why we waited so long!

I got the idea from listening to Doug Phillips speak of the expensive dinners his Dad used to bless him with and how his Dad taught him of the Jews' "rejoicing tithe." 

This consumed our entire day, but it was so worth it, and I pray it made an indelible memory in the hearts of our children.  We're told throughout Scripture to remember His faithfulness and to speak constantly of it to our children.  This is just one of the many ways our family strives to do that, and I'm looking forward to the many more rejoicing feasts we'll be having and hope to extend the celebration to friends.

I started the day by making our favorite cream cheese pound cake (recipe to follow), and Little Bit was so kind to help me clean up.

Boo came to the rescue by dancing with Claire.

Luke and Claire helped prepare the potatoes.  You know we have to have mashed potatoes!

We made a royal-looking banner, but it was so hard to pick just one verse of praise to our Heavenly Father.  So many to choose from, but this reflected our desire to sing of His goodness to all generations.

Learn from us....don't buy those BIG glitter markers.  Stick with the small ones.  You can see the transition, and how much nicer the later writing is. 

Here's the menu.

Scribe selected a praise verse for each of us to read at dinner, and then made the markers quite fancy!

There were beautiful balloons.

Whistler made these lovely place cards.

We set a fine table.  Do you see Whistler's fancy napkin fold?

Here was the order of the celebration...

~Mountain Man said the opening prayer of Thanksgiving

~We all sang, "How Good It is to Thank the Lord"

~We read a Psalter selection from the hymnal

~We served the appetizers

~We then each read our praise Scriptures

~We toasted to God's goodness

~We enjoyed the main dishes

~crescent rolls in the bread machine for the first time!

~buttery mashed potatoes

~steak

~corn on the cob

~salad

I then presented each person with a blessing.  How wonderful the children handled this "crisis," chipping in, having cheerful spirits, not giving in to disappointment, making sure my Mom and Aunt were happy and fed. :

Our lives would have been pure insanity had they not stepped up and done what God would have wanted them to do.  And Mountain Man....what a comfort it was to have him stay with Luke the entire time.  I know he was exhausted and weary, but he never complained.

~cute boxes for the girls

~the Patriot soundtrack for Scribe

~a copy of J.C. Ryle's Holiness for Little Big Man

~a bug kit for Luke

After the blessings presentation, we listened to Emma read a poem of Thanks-Giving.

We even splurged on an ice cream maker and were able to enjoy homemade vanilla ice cream with our cake.

We closed with prayer....with very full stomachs and hearts full of gratitude!

Since this post, with all of its pictures, took me over 3 hours, I'll save the recipes for later. :)

Love,