Leftovers

As a kid I was always fascinated by the comic strip called "Blondie."  I never understood what the point of the comic was (still don't) but the main character, Dagwood, has this thing with food that is unbelievable.  Rail thin, Dagwood creates and then consumes massive sandwiches made out of all sorts of meats, cheeses, and heaven knows what else.  I knew, and know, that it is a cartoon, but what this guy did with food is just amazing (and antithetical to every known healthy eating plan in the universe).  These sandwich creations that border on works of art (okay, maybe not art, but definitively pop culture icons) have spilled over into the real world.  You and I can pile up whatever we want (the more layers the better) and create our very own Dagwood.  And who said Western culture was in decline!

Dagwood's are attached in my imagination with leftovers.  Yes, most people make sandwiches out of processed meats, but for my money nothing compares with raiding the fridge after a big meal and seeing what gastronomical tour de force you can create.  This is one of the great joys of Thanksgiving.  The actual meal is great, but there are "rules" to eating it.  Not so with the leftovers.  You are free to create an endless array of sandwiches, casseroles, soups, stews and deserts.  Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce with whipped cream on rye might seem uncouth on Thursday, but by Friday the gloves are off.  As long as it does not kill you or send you to the ER, it is fair game.  Creativity is highly valued when it comes to leftovers.  The more original the creation the better, and the more leftovers you can use at one time is equally important.  Anyone can take some turkey and mashed potatoes and make a meal.  But how about turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, relish, cheese cubes, and apple crisp and combine them all into one dish?  That, dear reader, requires a lot of moxy and no small about of talent.

Leftovers are not only important from a culinary standpoint, but also from a theological one.  Leftovers remind us of God for God is a God not just of the main meal but also the leftovers.  Our lives are filled with bits and pieces of good and bad things.  Very little in life has a neat beginning or ending.  Rather, old relationships, successes, mistakes, and unexplored opportunities are always resurfacing, working their way back into our world.  Sometimes we might see this as a good thing (the chance to connect with a long lost friend) but every once in a while we might not be so thrilled at being reminded of that job we lost or the relationship that ended in a really bad way.  Yet there it is, staring us right in the face, demanding our attention. 

Life is not, in my opinion, what we make of it.  It is what God makes of it.  And God is really, really good at taking the leftover and creating something new and life giving.  Not to long ago I was watching a program about two men who traveled around to schools talking to kids about love and forgiveness.  One of the men's grandson had killed the other man's son.  Out of the guilt, anger, fear, and sense of loss God was able to create reconciliation, respect, love, and healing.  Not just for these two men, but for countless young people.  That, to me, is the greatest thing about how God uses our leftovers.  The new creation is meant for others as much as for us.  Our leftovers feed so many people, some of whom we may never meet face-to-face. 

Welcome with open arms the leftovers in your life, even the not so positive ones.  Take heart that your pain, in the hands of God, will be transformed into joy, your loss into gain, and missed opportunities into new futures.  And celebrate that all of this will be shared with others.  Because that is something else that is so great about leftovers - they are meant to be enjoyed by everybody.