A Boundary-Breaking God

May 9, 2021

Summary

“What is patriotism but the love of the food you ate as a child?” so asked a 20th-century Chinese philosopher named Lin Yutang. If patriotism is love of the foods I ate as a child, then I’m very patriotic: shoo-fly pie, chocolate shakes, meatloaf, graham cracker pudding, egg and olive salad, chocolate chip cookies, potato or macaroni salad, corn on the cob, corn fritters, my grandmother’s vanilla pie, fried eggplant, etc. There are a lot of sweets in this list, and other unhealthy foods. No wonder I developed cardiac disease before I was 50 years old.

By their foods you shall know them! I had an out-of-town friend ask me where the ethnic restaurants are in Goshen. I named my favorite Mexican restaurant. I suggested the Indian restaurant downtown, the Japanese restaurant across from Everence, the Vietnamese restaurant on College Avenue. I forgot the Chinese restaurant in Linway Plaza. Fifty years ago an ethnic restaurant in the Goshen area would have meant Amish or Mennonite food, which is the same. No longer. That’s progress.

Bible References

  • Acts 10:1 - 48

Topics