Food for Thought:

2011’s Top 10 Food Experience Countdown

In these early days of the New Year, people feel compelled to “turn over a new leaf,” make resolutions, or try to start off on the “right foot.”  We look ahead for good reasons.  With faith in God, we can hope for good things to come.  But authentic faith also requires that believers look back with a discerning eye.  In fact, the memory of God’s saving power is what makes up the Psalms.

The Eucharistic Liturgy incorporates an anamnesis – a remembrance of the Paschal Mystery.  Each night, as part of a healthy spiritual practice, a person can benefit by looking back on the day to recall the sin that needs forgiveness, and also to reflect on the ways God revealed Himself in the good times and bad times.  Motivated by the great ways God has blessed our Grace Before Meals movement in 2011, I begin 2012’s e-mail Blasts by looking back at the past.

Currently, my family and I are in the Philippines celebrating a family vacation, so I hope to update everyone on my Facebook and Twitter pages.  Click here to join the fun!  Also, during the month of January we will send some reflections from previous years, and our team will include exciting updates for up-and-coming projects and events this year, too.

For now, I offer you some of my top 10 favorite foodie experiences of last year.  In this reflection, I definitely saw God’s wonderful and generous hand in every experience.  Every Grace Before Meals presentation, visit, or cooking demonstration was a great blessing.  I hope these top 10 picks help you celebrate with us.  And, hopefully, you’ll remember to keep our movement in your prayers in this new year!

10. Family “tailgating” – a great opportunity for food and discussing important values, such as sportsmanship.

9. Serving up “inspiration” with a Grace Before Meals’ feature of my mom’s pancit recipe on Guideposts magazine.

8. Teaching my young cousin Bernadette how to cook a meal for my family in Canada, assisted by her friend (and now mine), Michael.

7. My first meal cooked in my new residence – which actually has its own kitchen!  This first meal was definitely a special moment for me.  Bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin, oven roasted root veggies, and grilled lime and chili shrimp.

7. A TIE!

I realize these are loose rules, so please forgive me.  But home-cooked meals are even more fun when the nieces and the nephews go spatula-to-spatula in a cooking competition.  Each group had to compose a main course and a dessert.  While the girls won overall, the guys had bold flavors – and left a lot of mess!

6. Young students from St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Bismark, North Dakota.  These young students embraced the Grace Before Meals message and cooked with me in preparation of serving a couple hundred people for an event to celebrate Catholic School’s week.  It snowed several inches during my visit, and I wondered if the event would be cancelled.  I obviously forgot where I was.  In North Dakota, they don’t stop school unless the air is so thick with snow that you can’t see your hand in front of your face!  They all came, some even wearing shorts!

To be continued…

Next week I’ll share with you my top 5 picks!  I gotta keep people in suspense.  That’s how God has kept things for me – always waiting and wondering!

Let us pray:  Father, in Heaven, as we begin this new year of Grace with our families and before our meals, we pray that You will help us to prayerfully look back in this past year through the lens of Your mercy, and to help us look forward with joyful expectation of how You bless those who put their trust in You.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DINNER DISCUSSIONS:

What was your favorite celebration last year?

What was your favorite meal that you ate or your favorite dining experience from 2011?

Share your story, especially if you have any recipes that will be worth repeating in 2012!

Your comments, questions, and even expressed concerns help our movement grow.  Please encourage your family, friends, and parishioners to sign up for our free weekly E-blasts!

AND WITH FURTHER NEWS ABOUT 2012, WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW!

Posted in Food for the Body, Food for the Soul, Food for Thought, Grace Before Meals, Holiday, New Year, Prayers, Video | 1 Comment