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Stephanie J Thompson

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Front Porch Conversations: When Did You Eat Food Outside your Geographical Comfort Zone?

July 10, 2019 by Stephanie Leave a Comment

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Food fills our stomachs and our souls. It doesn’t have to be much but the connection that happens around a table is sacred. This is especially so when we step out of culinary comfort zones.

A few weeks ago, a friend invited me to her home for a graduation party. She happened to mention that they would also be having a crawfish boil. Having never even heard of such a thing until a few years ago, I was intrigued. This Great Lakes raised girl has a taste for seafood but crawfish have never touched my lips. In addition, I have never traveled to the southern states. Much of our culinary experiences are tied to the cultural narratives that are written as we gather around the table.

I have to confess that the idea of eating something that had been living only a half hour before was hard to digest. But, I do eat meat and I have strived to acknowledge what that means. How does my theology inform my diet? How do I live in the wrestling of caring for creation while also giving thanks for that which is provided locally for food? Having a daughter in culinary school and engaging in some of the conversations around her assignments has opened up paths for reflecting on cultural impact on diet. I’ve been challenged to pause, when tempted to say, “That’s disgusting!” Instead, I think about how my biases may be informing my views of stewardship.

Back to the party. I first heard about crawfish boils a few years ago. After a few references, I became curious but they are not a common event in Illinois. However, my friend’s husband’s roots in geography and culinary preferences originate in Louisiana. Sharing those literal life shaping experiences around the table with others is love. So I felt honored to be invited. The presentation amazed me. A beautiful, colorful bounty of corn, crawfish, mushrooms, and potatoes spread across a table. And everyone feasting from the same “plate.” After the gracious offer of having it peeled for me, I tasted the crawfish. A bit fishy tasting but that’s coming from someone whose tastes have not been raised on it. The mushrooms and potatoes though? I confess to eating more than my share.

What about you?

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When my first child was born 20 plus years ago, I envisioned taking just a few years off from my role as Pastor of Youth and Family. While that didn’t exactly unfold as expected, God used my gifts and skills in other ways. Read More…

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s2thomp

Oh my goodness! I made red lobster biscuits as a l Oh my goodness! I made red lobster biscuits as a loaf! So good!
Lena ( who is vegan) prepared an herbed butter roa Lena ( who is vegan) prepared an herbed butter roasted turkey. We collaborated on vegan side dishes including rolls (amazing!), sauteed green beans with shallots, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and of course dessert. Thankful for her culinary coaching and help today. How is your Thansgiving?
My recent reads. Three female authors who expanded My recent reads. Three female authors who expanded my recognition of the character of God and what it means to belong to the bold sisterhood of image bearers. I long to have their words coursing through my veins at all times.
“Are these good for baking?” asked the man sha “Are these good for baking?” asked the man sharing space in front of the bin of potatoes. I had navigated around the maze of vegetable stands in the produce department of the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon, and arrived here at this moment. As I looked up, he continued, “I’m new to this.”

 I answered his question, my mind reeling with the scenarios playing out in his life right now. He appeared in his 60’s. Did his spouse recently die? Divorce? “Sure. These are what I use. There is another bin over with more,” I replied as I pointed away from where we stood. 

My answer felt inadequate to what was conveyed seconds before. But it is what he needed. Humanity. A recognition that we see and hear each others as companions in this place wrought with both beauty and pain.

As he parted, he thanked me and I remembered: I have encountered this situation before. Another time in a different store, an elderly man asked me where to find an item and commented that he had never done the grocery shopping before. I walked away wishing I could do more than identify an aisle.

These encounters remind me that “we are all walking each other home.” At anytime, any one of us is harboring invisible struggles. None of us is immune to the realities that we live in a place this side of Heaven. 

But we have the opportunity to offer grace and love in the most ordinary of moments. We share out of what has been given to us. It’s not ours to hoard.

Read more: https://stephaniejthompson.com/2020/10/27/seeking-gods-transformation-of-our-interactions-with-others/  #graceupongrace #sacredconnections. #loveyourneighbor
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s2thomp

Oh my goodness! I made red lobster biscuits as a l Oh my goodness! I made red lobster biscuits as a loaf! So good!
Lena ( who is vegan) prepared an herbed butter roa Lena ( who is vegan) prepared an herbed butter roasted turkey. We collaborated on vegan side dishes including rolls (amazing!), sauteed green beans with shallots, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and of course dessert. Thankful for her culinary coaching and help today. How is your Thansgiving?
My recent reads. Three female authors who expanded My recent reads. Three female authors who expanded my recognition of the character of God and what it means to belong to the bold sisterhood of image bearers. I long to have their words coursing through my veins at all times.
“Are these good for baking?” asked the man sha “Are these good for baking?” asked the man sharing space in front of the bin of potatoes. I had navigated around the maze of vegetable stands in the produce department of the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon, and arrived here at this moment. As I looked up, he continued, “I’m new to this.”

 I answered his question, my mind reeling with the scenarios playing out in his life right now. He appeared in his 60’s. Did his spouse recently die? Divorce? “Sure. These are what I use. There is another bin over with more,” I replied as I pointed away from where we stood. 

My answer felt inadequate to what was conveyed seconds before. But it is what he needed. Humanity. A recognition that we see and hear each others as companions in this place wrought with both beauty and pain.

As he parted, he thanked me and I remembered: I have encountered this situation before. Another time in a different store, an elderly man asked me where to find an item and commented that he had never done the grocery shopping before. I walked away wishing I could do more than identify an aisle.

These encounters remind me that “we are all walking each other home.” At anytime, any one of us is harboring invisible struggles. None of us is immune to the realities that we live in a place this side of Heaven. 

But we have the opportunity to offer grace and love in the most ordinary of moments. We share out of what has been given to us. It’s not ours to hoard.

Read more: https://stephaniejthompson.com/2020/10/27/seeking-gods-transformation-of-our-interactions-with-others/  #graceupongrace #sacredconnections. #loveyourneighbor
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  • Advent
  • Easter
  • five minute friday
  • Help! This was not in the book!
  • Sacred Connections

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