Mealtime at the Mahaneys
Filed under {!-- ra:0000000029c6e1e500000000735b35ae --}{if 'Mealtime at the Mahaneys' == '52home' && category_name == '52home'} Homemaking | Family Meals {if:else} Homemaking | Family Meals {/if}
My “two men” love to eat crab legs! Though it is not everyday fare at our house, it was Valentine’s Day, so I splurged. Adding coleslaw and garlic bread to the main course and then serving up ice cream for dessert (a must-have after crab legs!) made it an easy cooking night for me.
And yes the beautiful roses on the table are a Valentine’s gift to me from my dear husband. Would you believe that another dozen are up on my bedroom table? I don’t deserve this man’s extravagant love, for almost thirty-two years now. Yet my Valentine’s card to him best captures my heart: “After all this time together, I’m still smitten!”
But we’re talking about mealtime, aren’t we?
While last night’s menu was not standard cuisine, the goal and purpose of our dinner hour remains the same each evening. CJ always seeks to ask questions that provoke God-glorifying conversation and model biblical fellowship for our son.
Recently my husband has asked two questions that have generated meaningful interaction: What was the happiest moment of your day? What was the most discouraging moment of your day?
The other night, I was able to share with Chad that the most discouraging moment of my day was when I responded in sinful anger to his father. And the happiest moment was when CJ graciously forgave me. By dinnertime, CJ and I were laughing about this little conflict. Hopefully it was an illustration to Chad of the effect of the gospel on our marriage! And it was thoughtful dinnertime questions that made this conversation—and many others, possible.
But Mahaney dinners aren’t all serious. We love to make memories and have fun. Recently we have been reading from Calvin and Hobbes and Letters from a Nut—both of which have provoked much laughter.
Even though there are only three of us now, dinnertime still retains the essential qualities of fellowship and fun we enjoyed when the girls lived at home. And I hope by the grace of God that will never change.