One of the benefits of travelling with work is that I sometimes get taken out to eat. A few of those occasions have been memorable. I remember the best steak I have ever tasted was at a restaurant in Caracas in Venezuela back in 1995. Portugal and Turkey compete for the title of the best seafood I have ever had. More recently I enjoyed Austrian Tapas for the first time, and was treated to a wonderful Kosovan meal in Priština.
Fantastic eating experiences are great, but that is all they are. While I can remember the experiences, I cannot remember or replicate the taste of the food from any of them. I just remember that they were good. Even if I went back to the same restaurants I might be disappointed. They may not exist anymore, or they may have changed ownership, and chefs may have come and gone.
This is the trouble with things of earth. They are temporary experiences only. Here one minute, gone the next. They may leave memories, but memories can never replicate the experience. Even precious possessions wear out with time. I can look back on fifty-six years of life and remember many great tastes, experiences and possessions, but I cannot hold onto anything forever because time erodes both memories and possessions. What I can hold onto forever is the Living Word of God and the promises it contains. I can hold onto my faith in God and the knowledge that He created me for a purpose, and that he watches my every step in this life. I can hold onto the fact that God loves me so much that He gave what was most precious to Him so that I could enter into a Father and child relationship with Him. I can truly say that I have tasted God and that He is so good. So good that I am hungry for more of Him.
I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. (Psalm 34:1-9 NIV)
Ebs and Flows... 
Out of Eden Ministries said:
Thank you David. I needed this reminder this morning. Great post!!
David said:
Thank you Karla. I needed it as well as I managed to customise the side of a fairly new car while parking in a narrow road this morning. Saw a space and nipped into it out of the way of the other traffic. Should have reverse parked but there wasn’t the space so went in forwards and turned to straighten too quickly catching my car on the corner of the one parked behind. The couple who were sitting in the car were very gracious about it but it served as a reminder of how easily possessions are damaged and devalued. Unlike the grace, mercy and love of God. Two week wait to get into the repair shop so I get a daily reminder of my negligence for the next 14 days!
Out of Eden Ministries said:
Ouch! I’m sure that hurt more than your car. So glad you are able to be reminded of God through it!
David said:
You are very perceptive Karla!! Yes it did. I can’t remember when I last had a knock that was my fault. I just couldn’t get over the attitude of the couple in the car. They had just got in and were about to go. They were concerned about me than their car. A good example for us all I think. I learnt something!
snowgood said:
I like my food, and you’ve triggered a few memories.
On a business trip to Slovakia my suppliers suggested we go out for an evening meal in Kosice. They’d obviously thought about if before hand, and knowing of my faith took me to “The Twelve Apostles”. It was wonderful, with 12 secluded, and I vividly remember eating my first pretzels.
Biggest surprise for quality came in a tumble down shack on Jeju (S Korea) where six of eat like kings for around £18.
Best steak Calgary.
Topping all these meals is a humble cheese and tomato sandwich washed down with a bottle of water whilst sitting on any cliff top on the Cornish Coast Path. Usually a tremendous reward after several hours toil.
My longest “temporary experience” was a 24 hour period of “second helpings” after eating airline food on the way to Hong Kong. I stick to bread rolls and water on flights now.
David said:
I forgot about airline food. I wonder why!
I also forgot about eating proper food for the first time in a month. We crossed the Pacific in early 1974 with a cargo of US grain for discharge in Nakhodka the Soviet Far East. When we arrived after a month a sea we were low on supplies, but alas there was very little to purchase. Quite how the chief steward managed menus out of what we had I don’t know. After a month in Russia ten of us paid off in a little place called Otaru in Japan. I think most of us had two main courses in the hotel that night!