Pam, your sharing of the difference between the two services reminds me of something (seemingly off-track, but somewhat related) that I only just discovered this past week.

My two teenage nieces were here for the week. They've been coming 3-4 times a year for 7-10 days at a time for many years. I had long thought that the main attraction for my 16-year-old niece were the culinary adventures she and I get into. She loves trying new foods, and so we've always had fun trying out new recipes.

But after much late-night sharing with her this last visit, I discovered that as fun as the cooking adventures are, it's the "being together" and the "family table fellowship" that means so very much to her. She too profoundly loves the family stories. With her parents still in the midst of a bitter separation (and still not talking with each other after splitting over two years ago), this sweet, gentle niece has not had too many family meals lately, and in fact has been doing most of the cooking for herself and her 13-year-old sister. Very sad.

So it's the whole family sitting around the table telling stories that she craves and drinks into her deepest being while here. The food has always just been a way to get to that table.