The Joy of Mondays
“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” - Acts 2:46-47
Mondays are one of the most joy-filled days of the week because we partake in Fellows’ Family Dinners! Each Monday, we have dinner at the Burkhalter’s Home, and we are so grateful for their abundant generosity in providing us with a space to commune and fellowship. There is a sweetness that surrounds sharing a meal with friends and family, and when we have meals with one another, we begin to connect in more meaningful ways. Each week, I look forward to this intentional time spent around the table, and I could not imagine starting my week any other way. Monday evenings at the Burkhalter’s Home are filled with stories, intriguing questions, laughter, delicious food, encouraging remarks, “buffaloes,” yummy desserts, and prayer.
The intentional time around the table is not wonderful because of our gourmet meals (those are an added bonus), but because we are existing within our community apart from classes, work, phones, and all other worldly distractions that steal our dedicated space. When we are around the table, we are present and engaged in our conversations with everyone. When we are eating a meal, we do not have to worry or distract ourselves with our next task because the goodness and sacredness of meal time is abundantly rich. God intended for us to feast together, and He provides everything (place, food, time) we need to partake in a family meal. All good gifts come from God, and Fellows’ Family Dinner is a very good and gracious gift: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).
I experience an overwhelming sense of joy and belonging at every Fellows’ Family Dinner, and I know this is because meals together reveal God’s attributes and our loving-kindness towards others. We know God is gracious and glorious through the delightful food we receive each week. We know He is love through the hugs, smiles, words of encouragement, and quality time we share. We know God is patient and gentle through our attentiveness to individual stories, which include exciting and challenging moments. We know He is hospitable through the families and individuals that prepare our weekly meals. We know God is Immanuel through the senses of comfortability and peace and belonging we experience at Family Dinners. We were made to be in relationships with one another, and through God, we build these relationships around tables.
Before Fellows, I would have never considered Mondays to be one of the most enjoyable days of the week, but when it is paired with Fellows’ Family Dinner, it is a most enjoyable day! The feeling surrounding dinner together is truly indescribable, but if this is a glimpse of what meals will be like in the New Heavens and the New Earth, we are in for a glorious treat. Beyond our meal at the table, we take time to discuss our highs, lows, buffaloes, and ways we have seen God’s presence in our lives, and we always finish with Evening Prayer (or Family Prayer). What a gift it is to dwell with one another through feasting. Praise be to God.
Many blessings,
Olivia Allen