Family Mealtime: Part 1

We’ve been on vacation this week. Nothing big—just some family time in Branson, hanging out with the kids and grandkids. We love spending time together, cooking meals, playing games, and splashing in the pool.  While dining in one of our favorite restaurants, I observed a family at a table not far from ours. What caught my attention was the mother on her cell phone, totally detached from her family. The Mom! It wasn’t the first time to see such a sight. I notice it all the time…adults and children alike self-absorbed in their own little techy worlds, all the while failing to interact with those in their very presence.  Ok, I’m on my soapbox! But I think there is validity in my soapbox (of course I would, it’s my soapbox), especially in the home of the pastor where life’s demands and expectations are already high.  

This month the focus of Refresh will be the minister’s family.  Because I grew up in a pastor’s home and have now raised a pastor’s family, I have come to believe that one of the most important elements of the family is mealtime. Mealtime has always been one of my favorite times of the day. I love to come together after our paths have taken us different directions. We retreat from the hectic day and savor the sweetness of life given by God. It’s a time to acknowledge one another and share the events of the day. It’s a time to recognize efforts and encourage the heart that is downcast. I don’t mean to imply that dinner time should look like a TV series from the ‘60’s, but I do believe that it should be a meaningful time. And yes, it takes effort. Here are some ideas that might help you establish this important time in your family.

1. Establish a dinner tradition with your family by first discussing what that should look like to your family.
   
   
2. Turn off the TV. Period.
   
   
3. Turn off cell phones and place away from the table. When we were pastors, our congregation was taught that dinnertime was family time and calls would be returned later.
   
   
4. Stay positive. Use the time to uplift and encourage each other rather than talking about things our children didn’t do or should have done. Ask open-ended questions—questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” response.
   
   
5. Pray for a missionary. Keep missionary prayer cards in a decorative container and include a missionary in your prayer.
   
   
6. Don’t rush. It’s been proven that eating more slowly aids in digestion. Check out this site: http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/a/eat_slow.htm  
   
   
7. Use good manners. It’s so important for children to learn how to pass food, say, “Please” and “Thank you”. And it doesn’t hurt us adults either.
   
   
8. Ask to be excused. When children are finished eating, it’s polite for them to ask to be excused.  Teach them to take their plates with them, properly dispose of any leftovers, and place in the sink or dishwasher.

By all means this list is not exhaustive, but hopefully it gives you an idea of ways you can make mealtime an important part of the minister’s home. If you have family traditions that make dinner special, I would love to hear about it. In the meantime, bon appetite!

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