Feasting on my Heart's Joy

"All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast." Proverbs 15:15

Good morning, dear friends,

I hate grocery shopping.

I know I shouldn't complain about this, since all I have to do is go to the store with my buggy, throw things in, and wheel my chosen items up to the register.  It's not like my grandparents' time, where people had to grow, can, kill and barter for what they needed.  

Grocery shopping in France takes on a life of its own.  Think Walmart, two days before Christmas, before going into the store on a Saturday.  I feel some days like I need a crash helmet and a driver's license on those days.  You can be standing in front of a selection of canned goods, reaching out for what you want, to have three other people reach right in front of you for the same thing.  (Am I not standing here?)  Nope.  I've learned to dodge and weave and squeeze past and keep going, without feeling like I need to apologize to the person I just breezed past.  

All that being said, I try to limit my forays to the grocery store.  I stock up once, maybe twice in the month for all the basics, and only go out for fresh items like salads and fruits.  (And send my hubby for those forgotten items in the store!)

How does that work?  We have a large chest freezer (courtesy of my mother-in-love when they moved to the US) and a small pantry in the basement.  All the canned goods, cereals, pastas and long-shelf life milk make it down to the basement.  My kids laugh at me as during the month, I can pretty much tell them what's left in there, at any given moment.  I have a wonderful storehouse, graciously provided by our sending churches that can feed us and our guests for the month.  

I was thinking about yesterday's heart verse as I was going about my day:

"A good man out of the good treasures of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Luke 6:45

As I mentioned, I can only get out of my heart, what I put into it.  Just like my basement pantry, if I store up correctly only "good things" in my heart, only good things will come out of it.  

And then I read today's heart verse:

"All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast." Proverbs 15:15

When I think of feasting, I think of International Dinners and Missions Banquets, of Homecoming Dinners and Fifth Sunday Fellowships.  You know the ones:  the fellowship hall or church basement with the tables spread out with every starchy goodness available, where every dish looks more tempting than the last.  Oh, my.  I think I gained weight just thinking about it.

That is how Solomon describes those that have a merry heart.  There is always a reason for rejoicing.  There is always a new blessing to be shared.  There is always something better than the last that the Lord has said or done.  There is always a new reason to be merry....

...if I take the time to store up the necessary ingredients in my heart.

A merry heart nourishes first and foremost...myself!  My burdens will be lighter, my heart strengthened, my step a little happier, if I will remember to rejoice in the Lord.  There are so many reasons to be happy in the Lord today, if I will take the time to remember them!  

It would be a shame to have a pantry full of food, and to eat leftovers for the month.  Or...Ramen noodles.

But having a merry heart does not only nourish me in my walk.  It affects everyone around me.

My family and friends and neighbors will eat well at my house this month, because of faithful supporters who give, and for my time spent in the grocery store.  My cabinets will bless my family with feasting, because of the good things stored up in my pantry.  I have been blessed, and now I can rejoice!

Rejoicing is contageous!  Just like good food, everyone wants to sample.  Everyone wants a taste, to see how good the feast is!

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Psalm 34:8

May the Lord help me to remember...to rejoice!  May I remember to feast on the knowledge of all He has done for me, and let my praise be the fitting "thank you" for His blessings!

Let's all feast today on God's goodness to us!