Summer is winding down and we are preparing for another school year. For many households this fall will be different than any other, at least temporarily due to Covid-19. School, work, extracurriculars, and church are all potentially different than we previously knew it. It has been a trying time and as with any major changes, growing pains are sure to follow. Despite the challenges, many families are making the most of their time at home together. One major change and unforeseen blessing is that many families have reconnected around the dinner table more frequently.
According to a recent survey, over 54% of households are cooking more during this pandemic. These home-cooked meals shared around the family dinner table provide an opportunity for families to connect in new ways, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.
Mealtime is a common time for families to pray together or “say grace” before they dig in. This summer we have been featuring various Saint Luke families and how they say grace together. We will also have the chance to get to know them better and hear about some of their household mealtime traditions. Earlier this summer we heard from the Wahler family and the Schulz. Let’s dive in and hear from today’s featured family, the Reeds!
MEET THE REED FAMILY
Tell us about your household/family: Our household is Me (Sarah), my husband Brian (who is not a "member" of Saint Luke, but does come with us to services when it is important to me, like Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, near my birthday - and he has also been in the room most weeks when we are doing at home worship, so he has probably heard more services since staying at home than in the past few years combined!) and my son Caleb, age 8.
How long have you been a part of Saint Luke?: I first came to Saint Luke Christmas Eve 2007. I joined a few months later. Caleb was baptized at Saint Luke in 2012.
How did you find Saint Luke? We had gotten married that fall and were living in Wayne. I had tried a few churches since moving to the area that summer but hadn't found a church "home." I was raised Lutheran but thought I would try some other denominations when church "shopping". When I went to Saint Luke that Christmas Eve it just felt right. That Christmas Eve we had actually tried to go to another church earlier in the evening. It was a popular church, and we got there closer to the start of the service than we probably should have. So when we got there, the main sanctuary was full and we were directed in to an overflow room. There was only one other family in the overflow room. A few minutes after sitting down, an usher came in and went up to the other family. He told them he found room for them up in the main Sanctuary and escorted them out, leaving Brian and I all alone in this room full of chairs pretty cut off from where the service was actually going on (there wasn't a video monitor, only audio being pumped in). So sitting in a large room all alone on Christmas Eve made me really sad. Christmas Eve was a HUGE deal in my family growing up. We always had a huge party with a ton of families coming, and then we would all go together to church so it was already hard for me being on Christmas Eve just the two of us without family or friends. Then being in this room alone was just too much for me. I told Brian we were leaving. No one even acknowledged that we walked out. When I got back to our apartment I was really upset and said that I absolutely had to find a place to go to church that evening or I wouldn't feel right, but it was already late. Saint Luke had the 11:30 service and it turned out it was a 2 minute drive from our apartment, but I had just never checked it out. When we went to the service that night it was so welcoming!
What is your favorite thing about Saint Luke? I love being part of the music ministry at Saint Luke, playing in the handbell choir, playing flute a few times a year, and joining in with the choir when I can. It has been great getting to be a part of the music ministry even while worshiping at home. We have been so lucky to have John Rea and his editing talents during this! I also love the children's ministry at Saint Luke. I know Caleb has learned a lot over the years in Sunday School and with VBS. Having the 2 year old Parent and Child class taught by the amazing Mrs. Seaton was such a blessing during a time when parenting can be a challenge (2-3 year olds are not easy) and I am glad Caleb has grown with the program over the years, having wonderful Sunday School teachers every year
Favorite way to spend time as a family during the pandemic: Pre-pandemic, Caleb and I went on a lot of "adventures" as we would call them. Lots of day trips to museums and playgrounds and other interesting places, or overnight to places like DC and NYC. In the past few years we have been to over 125 different playgrounds, and last year we went to 25 museums. We were off to a good start with 10 museums and 20 playgrounds from January through the beginning of March and then everything changed. So, once it felt safe enough, we shifted to visiting outdoor places other than playgrounds. We've made it to 25 different local places with trails to explore. Caleb's favorites by far are the ones with creeks to get in. My favorites are the ones that are empty enough that I don't have to feel like I need to worry each minute about social distancing. I love it when we go somewhere and there are no other cars in the parking lot.
Favorite memory as a family during this season: Exploring the outdoors has been so wonderful. We spent a lot of time outside before all of this, but there is certainly a difference between being on a playground and being in nature and really seeing all of the beauty that God has created. Not that I don't still love playgrounds, but I have been so happy that this helped us get out an explore so many of the really awesome preserves and parks that are nearby.
What is something you have been learning during this season?: My husband has always been a bit more content to spend time at home, but Caleb and I have always been very go go go when it comes to "adventures." Some days we went to more than one museum in a day! Or we may explore three different playgrounds in one day. We have definitely learned to appreciate slowing down a bit and finding ways to have fun at home. Caleb has been doing a lot of drawing (he follows tutorials on youtube and loves it) and I have cooked and baked more in the last few months than in the rest of my life combined. I never thought I liked doing much in the kitchen, but it has actually been relaxing for me.
Any family mealtime traditions: Since Caleb was about 4 we have played card games during meals a few times a week. It started with just Caleb and I as something to pass the time during lunch on days I wasn't working, and it bled in to dinners with all three of us playing. We don't play every meal, but probably at least 50% of the time. Uno and "Monopoly Deal" are two of our favorites. Right now we have a Harry Potter version of Uno that is in high rotation. We also have a tradition of "Friday Pizza Movie Night" which is pretty much just like it sounds by the name. We eat Pizza (take out or frozen) and get to sit in front of the tv and watch a movie while eating. Caleb says it is something he looks forward to every week
Favorite family meal: Our Friday night pizza is certainly a favorite for Caleb. Other than that, homemade meatballs is probably the meal that is most enjoyed by all three of us. Sometimes we will have them with pasta, sometimes with rice, and sometimes just meatballs with a side of veggie and no sauce. I tend to not have a specific recipe I use every time. I am the type to just google "baked meatballs" and see which recipe currently has the highest star rating.
Share one or two of your favorite mealtime prayers: Most nights we say "God is Great, Good is Good. Now we thank Him for our food. By His hands we all are fed. Give us Lord our daily bread. Amen." This is the meal prayer I learned growing up, and it was easy to teach to Caleb when he was young. When I was growing up there was a point in time when we transitioned away from that to doing more "free form" prayers at meal time. I always started with "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful food…" and went on from there. I don't know if we will move to that now that Caleb is getting older. When we have Holiday meals with my extended family, usually a longer blessing will be given that isn't a memorized prayer.
Thanks for sharing, Reed family! Use the special printable coloring sheet as a way to learn one of their family mealtime prayers. Give it a whirl at your next family meal.