STEP ONE: BREATHE

Take a deep, cleansing breath. Allow the air to fill your lungs and expand your body. Exhale and empty yourself into the room. Repeat three times - once for the one who Created you, once for the Incarnate One who walks beside you, and once for the Spirit whose life fills your being.

STEP TWO: DWELL IN WORD

The Parable of the Grill :

Early in the day, a man invited his friends to an evening BBQ. It was a last-minute, informal invitation. His friends said they could come and offered to bring a side salad. The man went to the store and bought charcoal, steaks, asparagus, corn, and baby potatoes.

A half hour before his guests arrived, he started his charcoal fire. It took some effort. First, he opened the twenty-pound bag of briquettes and emptied it into a plastic bin. Then, he filled a small chimney with the charcoal. With a match, he lit the old newspaper that he stuffed into the bottom.

He then went to the kitchen and prepared the meal. It only took a few minutes to dust the steaks with seasoning. He put the vegetables in a salad dressing marinade and oiled the baby potatoes with a buttery spray. Patiently, he waited for the coals to turn an ashen orange and glow with heat.

When his friends arrived, it was time to put the meat and vegetables on the grill. Sizzle. Sizzle. The intense heat seared the juices within the steak. Tsh. Tsh. The vegetables made their own pleasing sounds and smells.

The friends gathered around the spectacle of roasting meat and vegetables. Conversations opened and bounced around. Friendships were nurtured and grew as dinner was cooked.

How do you think the man would respond to the question: was it worth the effort?

A Question to Ponder:

When was the last time that you made time to be with friends and family?

STEP THREE: PRAY

Gracious God,

you created community and friendships. Thank you for those we care about and with whom we share our lives. Help us to find and make the time to be with them. Strengthen us in the power of hospitality and forgiveness so that we might be generous with our love, companionship, and patience. In the midst of our busy lives, open our circle to include more people in the group that we count as “friends.”

Through Christ, Amen.