This weekend at church one of my friends asked if I planned on making my recent “foodie” posts a regular feature (see, “food, travel, & faith,” and “a theology of good food.”).

It’s a great idea, but any answer in the affirmative would necessarily involve planning ahead – which is not my strong suit. However, my “2015 weekly new recipe initiative” is definitely on track, and great food experiences are invariably theologically apropos.

Come to think of it, bad food experiences can be teachable moments too. But isn’t that the entire point of these daily posts? The idea that God is speaking in and through every experience we have? The principle that all we have to do is to keep our eyes open and our ears attuned?

Jesus said, “Why are you arguing about bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all?” – Mark 8:17-18

Every day I wake up in the morning full with expectation. What is God going to teach me today? What new truths am I going to learn? What fresh apprehensions of grace will be mine to share?

I may have no idea exactly what is going to happen on any given day (like I said, planning ahead is not my strong suit), but I do know with assurance that God is faithful, and that God will meet me there.

SURPRISE OR SERENDIPITY? One story that always seems to move away from predictability and into adventure is that of the lives of our children, Andrew (and Alicia) and Naomi (and Craig).

Andrew and Alicia are the travel adventurers. Even the story of their first “date” is an epic travelogue (read “How sweet it is: international love story covers three continents“), and now their marriage is moving from Italy and into a future that leaves us both excited (for them) and a little unnerved (that would be us).

Here’s the short story: Andrew and Alicia are moving to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where Alicia will be teaching music at the international school. Andrew will concentrate on his masters degree from Penn State, support Alicia in her calling to teach, and possibly hook up with some local opportunities that fit his skill-set.

However, I’ll let them tell the complete story in their own words. Click on “Our Time is Now,” and read their excellent and informative blog post.

GRACE: Like I have already said in many different ways, each day and each opportunity is about living like we mean it; because God certainly meant it – and meant something special – when each one of us – including you – were created.

Peace – DEREK