Ben Wilson, LPC

The following is from Sabbath by Wayne Muller

A simple way to begin Sabbath is with a meal, alone or shared with those we love. One of my favorite meals was always the one we shared after church on Sundays when I was in college. A good friend had been ordained as a Presbyterian minister, and a dozen of us would tumble into her house after church, put on some rock and roll, make sandwiches, pile up snacks and drinks, and eat around a big table. We ate and talked and laughed and played all day long into the night. It was my first real introduction to a joyful Sabbath. 

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Julie is a secretary in a big city. She lives in an apartment, and misses the country. "I started walking to the a market downtown every week to get fresh flowers, and a few items a week to make a Sabbath meal, to grind the spices by hand, separate the beans, wash the vegetables. As easy as it is in the city to get food already prepared, I chose to make a few meals by hand, often inviting friends to join me. It is time away from work and responsibility. It becomes almost sacred, sacremental, the way food and hands and friendship all work together in the warmth of the kitchen."

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Prepare a Sabbath meal, alone or with friends or family. Shop for the ingredients, choosing those that bring you the most pleasure. This food is not so much for survival as for sheer, savory delight. Put on some music, turn off the phone. Take as much time as you like to feel, taste, smell each ingredient, every spice, bread, and vegetable. Decorate the table with flowers, colorful placemats, and candles. Say a prayer. Give thanks, remembering all the people who grew, harvested, packed, shipped, and sold them for you. Give thanks for the bounty of the earth. Enjoy.