Close your eyes and see...

Do you remember the first time you ate at McDonalds?  I don’t.  I mean, I remember some of the first times I went.  There was that time when the family went to the McDs on 86^th street in Des Moines in the 80s and watching all the pre-made burgers in the different colored Styrofoam containers slide into the warmer.  I think I had a cheeseburger and fries.  I remember once when I went to Indiana to visit some of my mom’s cousins and the happy meal for that time had these plastic link tube connectors.  Pretty sure that was back in the day when the toys for McDonalds seemed epic.

For many of us, we would not consider going to McDonalds as a savory upscale place to eat.  Today I saw it differently.

I had to go into the capital to get our passports back after completing the extension to allow the family to stay past the 90 days allowed when you visit/tour Guatemala.  I went there two weeks ago with a buddy and remembered the way.  I was going to go today to pick them up, head to Price Smart (Costco) for some supplies for the Timateo Seminario conference this weekend, and take Miya with me.  Yet, the new staffer, Jacqueline wanted to come with.  I said sure (but not completely sure why until on the way home we were asked to pull into a police check point and her Spanish saved the day).  We got to the office, got the passports and left.  Since we parked in McDonalds (yeah for free parking!!!!) and it was 12:25pm, we said, lets eat here.  Miya was cool with that, I was okay with that….but Jackie….she just beamed and said “okay”.

As we sat to eat, Miya with her cheeseburger, me with my quarter pounder and Jackie with hers, we prayed and then I saw a first: Jackie just melted as she took a bite of the burger. 

She. Had. Never. Eaten. At. McDonalds. Before.

            She took her time with each bite, allowing the flavor (sabor) to dwell within her mouth as long as she could.  This 21 year olds eyes closed and a smile formed on her mouth.  She enjoyed the experience.  She savored the experience.  She lived in the experience.  I found myself (trying not to stare too awkwardly since this was only her second day), happy for her and in the process I began thinking about my burger.  How it was cooked, the sweetness of the Salsa Dulce (Ketchup), how the onions had a slight crunch to them and how the cheese just oozed as I consumed it.

            Let me ask you this: When was the first time that you savored the presence of Jesus?  When was the last time you did?  When was the last time you lived in the experience of Jesus?  When have you stopped to allow the flavor of what Christ brings to our lives to dwell within you?  To stop and focus on the little parts that makes up the whole.  Allowing the Sabor of Jesus to take control of your mind and refresh you, is a joy AND is possible.  Many of us have “come to Jesus” too often.  Every Sunday.  At Bible Studies, (I personally like Bible doings better). When we worship….hmmm…what would it look like if we worship Jesus with the intensity of that first encounter EVERY time? 

            You know what?  When we start to remember Jesus and how He impacted us with our first time, we might just get a little more joy back and say: I’m loving it…..once more.

Dios te bendiga mis hermanos en Jesus Christo.  Con mucho amor, yo deci, Buenos noche.