My grandmother, who is now in a nursing home, turns ninety this weekend.  It has been just over a year since we nearly lost her.  That was quite a story.  You can read about it here.

Our efforts to encourage some distant family to come and celebrate this weekend were moderately successful.  I have four distant family members in my home now, two of whom I have never met until this event.  I have been doing what every normal person does when they have company over that they don’t really know very well — cooking and cleaning.

I wonder why it is that whenever I’m a little uncomfortable and don’t know what to say, I feel the need to feed people.  I guess it gives me something to focus on, a justifiable busyness that will hopefully be a good excuse to avoid thinking of things to say.

Birthdays and family celebrations always seem to revolve around food for us.  I am praying for the strength to avoid gluttony.  I pray that God will fill me with the comfort that I sometimes seek through food and artificial busyness.  And may the good Lord bless my Grandmother, who has worked so hard throughout her days, and is most deserving of his unending love.