Savoring the Last Bite

My husband viewed his eating as a form of art. Family members will tell you hilarious stories of how he’d use dining times to teach us the ways to enjoy our meals more. He’d show our grandchildren the proper way to hold the knife in one hand and the fork in the other, and how to shovel the food into the fork with the knife. He’d show us the finest way to eat cereal -- putting the milk in the bowl before we put the cereal in. He’d make us try his favorite Mexican food dessert -- sugar on tortilla chips. He’d encourage us to separate our food on our plate so we could savor each distinct flavor. AND, he’d always save one bite of his favorite food item to be his last bite.

I thought about him yesterday morning and all his mealtime quirks, and it brought a big smile to my face – especially when I had saved my final breakfast bite to be the English muffin with apricot preserves on it. Indeed, that was my favorite bite and I wanted to savor it a little while longer. He'd be proud of me!

God amuses me, because the next thoughts I had was how I would use these thoughts in my post for today. Sweet memories plus sweet last bites, equals a post for today. LOL! Psalm 119:103 says “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

What about the last bite – rather, the last words we spoke in conversation with a friend or loved one? What do we want them to savor – the loving, kind and gratitude-filled words we left them with, or bitter, angry, complaining words? Were they words of sweetness or were they distasteful words? Proverbs 18:20-21 says “A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

The fruit of our mouths – death or life. That’s pretty heavy thinking, but in reality, like my husband was endeavoring to teach us the best ways to enjoy our food, God is teaching us the best ways to live our lives that brings others joy and comfort.

I’m so glad the last words I spoke to my Sweetheart before his graduation to heaven were “Push, Baby, push. I’ll be okay, so go ahead and go home. I love you forever and I’ll see you soon.” I’m so glad God forgave me for the times my words weren’t so sweet and how, now, He continually reminds me that my last words with a friend or loved one should be LIFE, not death; PEACE, not fear; LOVE, not hate; JOY, not sorrow. We have the opportunity, every day, to leave those sweet words for those around us to savor. Proverbs 16:24 says "Pleasant words are honey from a honeycomb— sweet to the soul and healing for the body." .

Whether our days run smooth as glass or are rocky and bumpy, may God’s messages of truth have such an impact on us that our hearts and our mouths produce "soft and sweet words.....so that if we have to eat them, we'll be eating yummy, delectable treats. What was your last bite today? What were the last words you spoke to someone? What are they savoring?