come and eat

it is so very rewarding to be a part of this world and to notice all that is around me. to notice the beauty, the creativity and the profundity. this ALL includes: the composting worms in the basement as they eat up our garbage and produce the richest of compost, the blurb in The Week (a magazine) that revealed that scientists have found that dirt may contain bacteria that help fight depression - encouraging us to play in the dirt more, laughter with a customer who frequents the coffee shop where i work, a new way to eat Cauliflower (as mock mashed potatoes) so that i get more nutrients in my body (boy are they yummy!), and the mental and soul processes that help in the choosing of the "good life".
and yet,
i find that at times in the depths of my mind and soul- i carry more fear than i realize, or want to admit.
recently (at least to my conscious mind) i have been thinking about my commitment to learn to know and love the earth, to strive to live in a way that is sustainable, to open myself to the mystery of God within these and to find the thread of community woven throughout. in thinking about these and living day to day: hearing the news about the american economy, the war in iraq, and climate change; stepping into the transition from single hood to marriage, and weighing the concept of career with the concept of making a living while trying to figure out what all these things really mean, i look and find that fear (of failure, of getting lost, of the dark) walks right along side the rest.
two weeks ago i picked up a book that i have had sitting on my desk and began to read it with the intention of discovery. within reading the first paragraph, i knew that this book was capturing my attention and that in reading it and engaging in the process along the way that i would maybe be able to make sense of a little piece of life, and discover new ways to lessen the fear and deepen the living.
this past week i have started a practice. each Sunday i will be cooking dinner, creating an atmosphere of beauty and providing a space for the Divine to surprise and delight - and sharing this with whoever comes to the table. i'm utilizing the book "Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for connection." by Jessica Prentice as my main resource. with each Sunday dinner my prayer is that I'll find myself dropping a little fear so that i can embrace a little more life. and that those who share in this practice find that they have swallowed a little bit of magic: love, beauty, gratitude, and grace.
food served this week: butternut squash soup with yogurt and scallions, three cheese bread, and cheese.
the prayer that was present at our table this past week came from "Full Moon Feast". Jessica Prentice prays,
"May we celebrate wildness in all its forms, including the presence in our own souls. As we look carefully at the natural environments that we depend upon for our survival, may we make wise choices about how to use the precious gifts the Earth offers us. May we begin to rebuild the village, to create community, and to nurture a place in our hearts for all the creatures of God's green Earth. May we be blessed with the great fruitfulness that comes with true frugality, and may it serve us well for many - many, many, many-generations to come."
Amen.