Daily Bread for Today

and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

1 Corinthians 11:24

This past Friday morning, as I was slicing strawberries with sweet grandma Linda, she randomly puts her arm around me, gives me a kiss on the cheek and gives me the biggest smile. My heart was full in that moment. Sweet grandma Linda’s smallest act of love made some of the challenges I had to overcome at the beginning of this trip, not feel so low anymore. My mom back home said to me after my time in South Africa, “once you overcome your hard lows, those lows will soon not feel as low anymore.” Being with sweet grandma Linda for that one moment made some of my past lows not feel quite so low anymore.

This past week I’ve experienced and seen with my own eyes the love of Jesus through my host family. From seeing their smiles every morning when I walk into the kitchen, to laughing with them on the rooftop of their home, to the evening card games we play, and to cooking with my host mom and sweet grandma Linda. These are the moments we experience in life where I believe God gives us a glimpse of what someday Heaven will be like.

At the end of each day when my host dad comes home, I like to ask him how his day was and he always responds saying, “Good, thanks to God.” I think about my own life and how I’ve always gone with the “normal” vague response of, it was “good” or “fine.” I wonder how my life could be lived fuller if I just change my response to this simple and yet meaningful question and say, “Thanks to God.” Giving Him all the glory for my day. I believe I could experience more joy in my life. The abundant joy my host dad has when he comes home to his family every evening.

I love the aspect of how food brings people together. Not just in the importance of communion around a table but as well as in the importance of preparing a meal. Every day God gives us exactly the right amount of daily bread that we need, even if we don’t ask Him. He gives us just the right amount of grace that we need to just live for today. So I ask myself this question, why wouldn’t I say, “thanks to God” every time people ask me how was my day?

I wonder how we can have the humility to change and see that each day God gives us just the right amount of daily bread that we need… and then therefore go and be with others so that we may experience God’s daily bread in communion with each other. Just as I was Friday morning slicing strawberries with sweet grandma Linda.

Caili