Wednesday Is More Than Hump Day

I love Jesus Christ more than anything. I love His people. I love to fellowship with them, pray with them, study with them. But, although I can't speak for everybody, it seems in southeastern churches, God's people REALLY love to eat.

There's an old joke:

The first grade class had show and tell to teach a multicultural lesson about religion. First was little Ed. He brought a Koran. "I'm Muslim", he said. Next was little Mary. She brought prayer beads. "I'm Catholic", she said. Next came little Johnny. "This is a casserole dish", he said. "I'm a Methodist".

The joke rings true, especially amongst southern Protestant denominations. My church has a Wednesday night supper almost every week, with a schedule roughly following the school year. Of course, being a church with "Belle Meade" in the name, it is prepared by a team of our members who are professional caterers.

Needless to say, Wednesdays are the valley of the shadow of death every week for my diet. This past week was the first one this year that I ate sensibly (one serving, leaving food on my plate, more salad than entree). Not surprisingly, it was the first week I lost weight.

I decided it's better if I go and resist temptation, rather that remove myself completely from it and remain as weak as ever. (Come to think of it, isn't this the main difference between Chistianity and Islam over sexuality?). I'm doing better, but I've got a long way to go.

X-Alt plays a lot of Baptist churches, and they love to feed us. They always serve the absolute best, but most fattening food possible.

Except for what I'm facing this weekend. We are playing "Soul Food Sunday" at Telent's Coffeehouse in Springfield. The owner is also a prominent member of a local church which is comprised primarily of African Americans. Oh, my Lord! The Food! There is so much, and it is SOOOOO good! And they always insist that we eat. Hoo-boy...

If I make it through this week without gaining any weight, I'll be lucky.

G.K. Chesterton said, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried". Little did I know, the "difficult" part was constant fried-chicken temptation.