Comfort Food

Last night, Jason and I had the chance to go out on a double date with some new friends.  We had a great time and found ourselves lingering still talking and laughing at the table after we'd already paid the bill, not wanting to end our time together.  I love those kind of nights!
We had decided to try out an Italian restaurant that none of us had been to before.  Risky, for sure, but we hadn't been able to find a good Italian place since moving here two years ago, so it was worth the risk.  After a leisurely stroll through a couple of art galleries, we headed to the restaurant for dinner.  Our interest was piqued when we sat down at the table and let our eyes feast on a menu full of handmade pastas and sauces, seafood, and unique and sophisticated Italian dishes.  So far so good!  When the food came out, we were not disappointed.  Light, crispy calamari; sumptuous cheese ravioli; spicy Fra Diavlo sauce, tender scallops, everything was Excellent!  
What is it about wonderful food that elevates a great night out with friends into a true celebration?  It reminds me of the story of the Prodigal Son.  The father was THRILLED that his son was home, but the party didn't start until they "killed the fattened calf."  There is something about a delectable feast that awakens all the senses and brings joy and contentment to the surface.  These verses from Isaiah remind me that any joy and pleasure we experience on earth is a mere shadow of the what God has planned for our future with Him:

Isaiah 25:6-9  "On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine--the best of meats and the finest of wines.  On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."  NIV