Heritage...

Heritage...

This is an excerpt from an email a relative sent me:
Sunday Dinner for Italians:

Sunday Dinner is at 1 o'clock.
It is and unwritten law that no one is ever to attempt to eat Chef Boy-are-dee, Franco American, Ragu, Prego or anything else in a jar or can (tomato puree & paste is the exception).
Meatballs are made with pork, veal and beef. We are Italians; we don't care about cholesterol.
Turkey is served on Thanksgiving, AFTER the manicotti, gnocchi, lasagna and soup. (not all, but at least one).
If anyone EVER says ES-CAROLE, they're wrong - it's "SHCAROLE."
When you came home from church, you stuck half a loaf of bread in the gravy pot and sneaked out a fried meatball.
The meal went like this...
Table is set with everyday dishes...doesn't matter if they don't match...they're clean, what more do you want?
First course, antipasto...change plates.
Next, macaroni (all forms of pasta are called macaroni)...change plates.
After that, roasted meats, roasted potatoes...change plates.
THEN and only then (NEVER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEAL) would you eat the salad. (extra virgin olive oil & vinegar dressing ONLY)...do not change plates...it is better all together.
Next, fruit and nuts in the shell.
Coffee or espresso, with hard cookies (biscotti) to dip in the coffee, or Italian pastries.
The kids go play... the men go lie down (they sleep so soundly you could perform brain surgery on them without anesthesia)...the women clean the kitchen.
If you share an Italian heritage you know exactly why I had to laugh when I read this. It is so true!
Tradition is a funny thing isn't it? You do what your mom did, she does what her mom did and so on it goes...
But it's good to remember and feel a part of something way bigger than just you.

God's word is full of memorials and heritage. The Lord wanted us to remember the things he was doing and teach the heritage of His ways to the children He gives us. When we are adopted into the family of God we inherit the heritage of a lifetime and of eternity. Amen?
Ladies let's make sure we're passing down more than the lasagna recipe!

For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. (Psalm 61:5)

Dina