Feed my sheep
John 21:15 (NIV)
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Good morning!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the whole year. I love to see happy people sharing love and life with their family, friends and neighbors. It is great fun listening to my coworkers as they share their plans to visit loved ones, the house-cleaning marathons they undertake, and the special meal preparations, observing a time-honored, annual tradition. Do you share a special Thanksgiving tradition with your family? What does Thanksgiving mean to you?
It is a true joy to participate in a very special Thanksgiving tradition at our church. For the last twenty years, the people of Faith Church gather together early Thanksgiving morning to prepare and serve free Thanksgiving dinners to families in Saint Charles County, Missouri. Lots of turkeys are cooked in advance of the meal preparation. Homemade rolls and pumpkin pies are baked and stand ready to be sliced and packaged. We become potato peeling people. Many of us come armed with our favorite potato peelers in hand. Sitting together in large circles, we peel ten-pound bags of potatoes in chorus, allowing the peelings to drop on the newspaper in the center of the floor. Others are waiting to take the buckets of peeled potatoes to the kitchen sink for scrubbing and cleaning. Large pots filled with boiling water stand ready to cook the potatoes. When they are finished, the potatoes are placed in the hands of our expert potato masher, who is armed and ready with electric mixer and spatula in hand.
All the while, large pots of green beans are cooking on the stove. Dressing and sweet potato casseroles are baking in the oven. Cans of cranberry sauce are being sliced and packaged in delivery containers. We even have a host of honorary can smashers – those people who love to remove the lids from the green bean and cranberry sauce cans, preparing them for recycling.
The men and women who make the gravy and maneuver the heavy pots from stove to counter are my all-time favorite heros. They stand behind the hot stove, using their muscle to assist in food preparation. I can hardly lift a turkey out of the oven, much less pick up a large pot of green beans from the burner by myself. Without the help of everyone, this meal would be impossible to prepare. Within a few short hours, all of the food has been cooked, packaged, boxed, and stands waiting to be delivered.
Families come together to deliver the food to their ultimate destinations. Thank goodness for our computer geeks, who understand how to get up-to-date directions online. A list is prepared with the names of recipients, and a map to their homes. This year, Faith Church will be delivering 640 meals all over Saint Charles County. It is a blessing to share our abundance with the people of our community.
Our Lord Jesus asked Simon Peter if he loved Him. When Peter answered, Jesus commanded him to “feed my sheep.” As we gather together with family and friends this Thanksgiving, let us remember Christ’s instruction. Won’t you make time to share your love with others by feeding His sheep? We have so much to give. Let us feed each other with grateful hearts, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with our world.
Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
Pray for: help from above, as you seek share the love of Christ with your family, friends and neighbors this Thanksgiving. Will you feed His sheep?
____________________
© Copyright 2006, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.
