This year Nicole & I were once again blessed to spend Easter with our family of friends in LA. We had a total of 12 people for dinner this year. (Our smallest holiday dinner since our first Thanksgiving of 10. Last Easter & Thanksgiving were around 20.) It was the perfect number of people and was actually one of the more relaxed holiday dinners I've ever cooked. Now don't get me wrong I always love cooking for others particularly on the holidays, but this was the calmest one I think we've had yet. Quite a surprise and a blessing considering this weekend was also Nicole's birthday weekend and prep time for Easter dinner was minimally available. I think that ended up working out for the best. I didn't spend tons of time planning and prepping as I usually do. I just had to let things go and turn out as the willed. I love my lists and meticulous preparations that usually surround such gatherings, but it was nice to just sort of go with the flow this year & not pour over every detail I could think of. The tablecloths weren't washed. We didn't have the extra table set up before everyone got there. Tea lights were not arranged & lit about the apartment. No centerpieces adorned the table. And yet somehow this Easter was perfect in its imperfection. I didn't intend it when I started writing this, but I think there's a great metaphor in there. Christ doesn't ask for us to know everything or be the best at everything. I am blessed by that because as much as I try and as much as I want to be the smartest and best at EVERYTHING, I know I fall short. But short is just right for God. It gives Him room to work. I like that. So here are my friends enjoying Easter dinner at tables lacking their usual decor & pizazz, and you know what? I think they enjoyed the food & each others' company just the same without those things. :)
Hope you all had a blessed Easter as well!
(The picture at the top I took of the tulips we bought for our coffee table.)
Comments
Thank you for this post. I found it funny how, though you may not have had the time to see all of the details through, you definately thought of them. I appreciate the fact that this post was one of thanksgiving and not one of frustration. It made me smile.
I can't begin to explain to you how much your description of dinner party preparations reminds me of myself. I love all the prep. time and I always spend way more time prepping than necessary. It's half the fun. Maybe nobody else notices that everything is homemade, that the decorations are carefully planned, and that all the menu items compliment one another and come out just on time, but we do. I wish we were close enough to invite one another to dinner parties:) It is nice when we only have a limited time, and we are forced to learn that it's okay to entertain even if everything isn't perfect!
Kuddos for the the impressive blog action, as of late!
Happy belated Easter.
Keith, thank you for your comment. :) A part of me has this propensity toward obsessive perfectionism, but I am learning to quiet that voice and enjoy my sanity (and sleep) over pulling off the picture perfect party. It's okay if I ask for help and if the candles aren't lit and if Pillsbury made the biscuits. (Though I have yet to accept that a pie does not have to be homemade, I just can't let go of that one.) I'm glad this made you smile. I'm happy with it. :)
Sherry, how delightful it would be to live close to one another & have each other over for our dinner parties! I think this is the first time that an event has not included trips to Michael's, Target, and the grocery store more than once. And somehow everything turned out just fine. It's fun aiming for perfection, but it is good to be able to accept that our friends will still love us and enjoy our dinner parties even if the smallest of details have been left by the wayside. Any time you find yourself down in this part of CA I hope you will let me know and we will definitely have to do our best to get together. :)