In Preparation for Easter

Despite the freezing weather Easter is almost upon us. I know I should be in deep prayerful thought during this holy week and I am, just probably not about what I should be praying for. Currently my prayers are about what meals I am going to need to prepare and what food will I need to have on hand for the four-day weekend.

Normally Easter is a breeze. My parents come for church and then the five of us go to the club for the Easter buffet. What could be easier? No one has to cook and everyone has plenty of yummy choices that make the holiday seem special. There are even some not too fattening choices for me, so in the end people are happy, and then everyone goes home. No leftover ham or leg of lamb to try and coax my non-leftover eating child to consume later.

This year we have the special treat of my father-in-law coming for the four-day holiday. He is a very easy guest and not a picky eater, but his visit is going to change the dynamics of our families eating.   First we are going to have to actually eat together and second we are going to have to try and eat the same thing at the same time.

Our family has fallen into the routine of eating different things at different times. I know that it is not good, but between school and work schedules not everyone is around or can wait in order to eat at the same time. Top it off with the situation of my trying not to eat too much in the evening and Carter wanting a different meal tonight than she had last night or the night before and we have a real kettle of fish. Russ is the easiest person to feed because he will eat any old leftover and is perfectly happy to make himself a plate of whatever he can find.

Since I was a caterer in a past life I have no trouble making food, but what I like to make and what I like to eat are not really what my father-in-law would choose. He is of the plain food era. It is just hard for me to come up with menus that are going to please more than two of the four of us.

I don’t know about your family, but for us when we have guests, cooking and eating are a major part of what we have to do together. Even discussing what and where we will eat are paramount conversations. It causes me a little fear because I have my family at a fairly self sufficient point so I don’t have to be around a lot of foods I love, but are trying to avoid. Even though my father-in-law does not eat much I still feel the need to provide nice meals for him and ensure that his granddaughter will be at the table too.

So this is my prayer, “Please God, let’s have everyone get along at Easter. Please help me provide the right things, so there are no fights, hurt feelings or complaints. Please let everyone be thankful for all that they have and remember those who have less.”