Our waiter every week was named Amanda, which was strange because he was definitely a dude. He was from Indonesia, always had our sweet teas ready for us (one with lemon, one without), and was very friendly.
The buffet line was usually well-stocked, even at that hour. My wife-to-be was safer, sticking with sweet and sour chicken and sesame chicken. While normally I would belittle someone for not trying new things and being more adventurous, their S&S sauce was delish and the sesame was great also. Plus, we weren't married yet, so I didn't want to screw it up!
I would try just about anything. So my plate had basically 12 bite-size portions on my plate. I would then figure out which I was in the mood for, and get my real plate with 2-3 of my faves. One such item was called "beef with scallions." I have wrestled with why it was not called Mongolian Beef. It was a brown sauce with the main ingredients being beef, green onions, and white onions. Sounds like Mongolian to me! But it was BETTER! It had crushed red pepper in it to give it a nice kick...not too much, but just right!
Over time, I became less of a dabbler, and stuck to my big gun, the Beef with Scallions. I would pull into the parking lot and my mouth would begin to water thinking about it. When we walked through the door, I would pick out the aroma of that one item, despite all of the other fragrances wafting about. I was hooked. I knew it. My wife knew it. Amanda knew it...and I didn't care! I usually had 2 plates with white rice every week. So good. I am tearing up thinking about it now.
One particular Wednesday, there was a church group there eating. We actually had to stand in line to get started. We worked our way to where my feast as awaiting me, but there digging into my square metal pan of tastiness, was a lady who appeared to be in her 60s. Not saying there is anything wrong with 60 year olds, just painting a picture...anyway, she was taking a long time. This made me wonder what the dealio was, so I watched her.
She had the spoon and was shoving the onions around from one side to the other, flipping them over, then tossing it all around again...she was picking every piece of beefy goodness out. EVERY PIECE. I watched in horror as she tediously, methodically extracted any meat particle and left just the poor onions. Once, an onion actually made it to her plate and she hurriedly removed it with the spoon, so it wouldn't taint her meat-laden plate.
When she FINALLY moved on, I was standing there aghast (is that a word?). I had my pile of steamed rice ready, with the little cup formed at the top, ready to receive the normal dinner. It didn't happen.
So, I became a more-than-conqueror, and just decided to eat other stuff. No big deal.
I AM GLAD GOD IS NOT A 60 YEAR OLD LADY AT A CHINESE BUFFET!
If He were, He wouldn't have chosen me. If you were going to pick and choose, and nitpick, and evaluate, and weed out, etc. from the human race, you wouldn't choose me. There are smarter, funnier, better looking, less flawed, more gifted people than me every where you turn. If God were a 60 year old lady, He would have surely pushed me aside to choose the best and brightest. But despite my deep onion-ness, He chose me!!!
The BIBLE is FULL of Onions! People who would've been left off the team, if we as humans were picking...
Just look at the disciples! What a hodge-podge of negative traits and shortcomings.
Paul calls himself the "chief" of sinners!
David wasn't even invited to the party when they were picking the next king!!
Moses was a murderer!!!
The list goes on and on and on...even through today.
I am so glad that God hasn't pushed me aside. I am thankful that God chose me to be His friend. An heir. His child.
Anyone up for some Chinese???
Great post! It made me hungry and grateful for God's grace at the same time. "Aghast" is definitely a word and you spelled it correctly too! I really liked the glimpse into your pre-married life and the descriptions of Amanda, the old lady and the food.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the analogy, I think it was good; but if we were being technical, I think we'd all be considered onions when compared to God. No one would make the trip to the plate w/o total grace. However, I definitely get your point that God's election was not biased by the quality of the onions. However, if we were to take it even further, I think we are all bad rotten onions not even worthy to make the buffet line. From our onion level perspective, we might think there are some better and worse onions out there, but the ground before the cross is level and we are all doomed apart from the total unmerited, unsolicited favor of God. Sorry if I seemed over analytical regarding the analogy, but that's just me.
Once again, great post! I would like to see more food-based spiritual metaphors. If you come up with enough of them you could put them into a book and sell it in both the cooking and sermon helps sections.
However, if we were to take it even further, I think we are all bad rotten onions not even worthy to make the buffet line. From our onion level perspective, we might think there are some better and worse onions out there, but the ground before the cross is level and we are all doomed apart from the total unmerited, unsolicited favor of God.--- You made my point for me! That's what I was saying, that I am thank ful GOD isn't human! We are all onions...But to Humans, there would be favoritism and selection based on superficial criteria, to which I would never measure up!
ReplyDeleteI need a guest post...wonder who I could ask....