Supper

Some people call it dinner. I grew up calling lunch dinner and dinner supper. I would be out playing and I would hear my mother calling out from the front door, "Matt, come home. It's time for supper." Reluctantly I would break off a game of football, baseball, or riding bikes to come eat. We always ate at the table. I cannot even remember seeing a tv tray until I was in college.

We always ate home cooked food such as stuffed bell peppers, roast, stew, dumplings, goulash and fried chicken. We ate fresh vegetables like tomatoes, new potatoes, green beans, turnip greens, squash, green onions, fried green tomatoes, corn, and beans. Yum yum!

I never even saw a taco from Taco Bell or even laid eyes on a burrito until I was in high school at a friend's house. Supper was a delightful experience growing up.

For the past two years my family has not gotten to enjoy supper together. We have eaten off tv trays for Brenda and me, Tucker at the corner of a make shift bar, and the other three around a cheap table we bought. Tanner ate standing up because one of the bar stools collapsed on him months ago. For two long years the only time we sat down to eat at a table together was when we went out to eat.

Tanner asked me yesterday if we could eat our first cooked meal at the table in our new house in the dining room. Finally life slowed down enough tonight where we were able to cook a home cooked meal. Baked pork chops, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and corn. It is the best meal I have eaten in a long time. We sat around the dining room table and gave thanks for the meal, the house, getting to eat together as a family, and for the blessing of family. It was a true supper.

I am sure many of you reading this take sitting around a table sharing a meal together with family for granted. I hope I never take sharing supper with Brenda and the boys for granted again. Eating at a table, surrounded by my family, and enjoying delicious home cooked food sets my heart deep in contentment. What a blessing. Even more so knowing Taylor is entering into his senior year. We will have at home for much longer. This is something I asked God for. I asked God to bless us with a house Taylor could enjoy and make memories in before going off to college.

We at different times make comments like, "We can't believe God lets us live in this house. I can't believe this is our home." Today I am thankful for supper. Supper with my family. Supper at our dining table. Supper filled with memories. I don't ever want to forget this night and the supper we shared together.