Thursday, March 14, 2013

{day twenty five} at the foot of the cross I lay down social etiquette....

I attended a luncheon today in Columbia.  Several of the people that went with us had never had the pleasure of dining with me, so I felt the need to explain that I eat my dessert first.  Always have.

After attending my fair share of business functions and receiving the awkward glances as I dove straight into my dessert and after having to explain to those wandering eyes, no doubt with chocolate on my mouth, that I do in fact eat my dessert first all the time.  It was necessary to avoid the glances this go 'round and just start off with the explanation.

You see, my philosophy is, and has always been, what happens if I don't make it through this meal?  Do I really want my last bite of something to be salad?  Or green beans?  Or for goodness sake, rice pilaf? 

Oh no I do not.  Nosireebob!!

I want my last bite of something to be of the good stuff, ya know?

When I am greeted at the Pearly Gates, I'd rather have my belly full of chocolate cake {or any other choice of scrumptious desserts}.  Not salad.  That has likely been sitting on the table for a couple of hours.  Uncovered, no less.  Yeah, no thank you.  Pass the cake, please.

I entered the professional work force at the ripe old age of twenty one.  A mere babe who spent way too much time worrying over what everyone else was doing.  Obsessing over whether I was making the 'right' social etiquette decisions.   Pondering whether or not I fit in to the world of professionals.

After all, I had just spent my last semester of college dining with second graders at a table with round seats, where my knees hit the top of the table, and lunch consisted of goldfish and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  If a Lunchable was served it was categorized as fine dining, for sure.

I'm older now {notice I did not say wiser} and I've spent just a few years in social settings.  And here's what I've concluded.  Life is way too precious to take it so seriously.  And in the grand scheme of things, it will never matter which fork you used for which portion.  It will not matter if you placed your napkin in your lap at the precise moment deemed appropriate.  Nor will it matter which order you eat your courses. 

I'd rather eat dessert first.

Just like I'd rather share a Bible verse as my Facebook status rather than my thoughts on reality TV or what made me angry that day.

I prefer to indulge in the good stuff.

Stuff that builds me up and encourages me.  Stuff that has eternal value.  {Granted the cake doesn't have eternal value, but it makes my heart happy.}  Stuff that shines Light and doesn't cast darkness into an already dark world.  Stuff that makes me smile, not the things that cause heartache. 

I'm no longer worrying over whether someone thinks it weird that I eat dessert first.  And I'm certainly not going to worry over the fact that I prefer to eat dessert over salad.  I'm going to indulge in the good stuff that life has to offer for the short amount of time I've been given.

Because I know you are dying to know...those that dined with me actually saw my point of view and decided to enjoy their dessert first, too.  Now they fear it may become a habit. 

See?!  Spreading sunlight at every turn....that's what I aim to do :)

'Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. 
It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work 
under the sun during the short life God has given them, 
and to accept their lot in life.'
Ecclesiastes 5:18



What about you?  What social faux pas gets you every time?





1 comment:

  1. You share great information about house raising and thanks for highlighting basic factors for house.
    Long Island House Raising

    ReplyDelete