His Banner Over Me…

 

 “He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.” *

On the way home from church Sunday morning, Al and I stopped at a store to get some bananas, Al’s “go to” food! Fairly new, the medium-sized market is situated off a major  thoroughfare and is adjacent to the main hospital in our area.

It is affiliated with a chain of supermarkets that boasts 123 stores in Michigan; however, it is more upscale, with a café and sushi bar where people can sit down and connect their devices to wi-fi. That feature has attracted staff from the hospital, as well as people from the community.

 The market has been very convenient for Al and me when we can’t get to the superstore. In addition to the generic brand used by that chain, local merchants often display their wares, giving out free samples. We find it hard to pass up the aisle with specialty pies!

Although things are priced higher than at other places, there is a ten percent senior discount on Thursdays, providing we remember to ask for it! Friendly employees and special events draw in people too.

 Business was especially brisk when we pulled up to the curb and parked on Sunday.

 Several large canopies bordered the front and side of the market. Happy kids walked along the sidewalk, some carrying colorful balloon animals, others wearing balloon headbands and bracelets.

“You go in and get the groceries, while I walk around and look at the displays.” I volunteered. But Al wasn’t falling for that. 

“I’ll go with you,” he said, as we got out of the car and headed for the row of canopies.

Maybe we should have both gone in to get the groceries! We quickly discovered that a harvest festival was in full swing. A booth offering donuts and apple cider combined with ice-cream from a popular local ice cream shop called our names! How could we pass it by?

 “Here, take a donut and have an apple cider float,” exclaimed the vendor as he handed us a cinnamon sugar donut.

“How much?” asked Al.

“Nothing. It’s all free,” he said, gesturing to the entire row of booths.

 All free? Wow! Folks who got out of their vehicles hurriedly, made their purchases inside and then went on their way without stopping were missing out on the festival!

A mini-churro with caramel filling, hot from the toaster oven and a sampling of a cheesy Polish dumpling, called pierogi, rounded out our “lunch.” While munching on the pierogi, we stopped to listen to the “Guitar Lady” sitting under a canopy. She was singing “She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain,” and in between songs, visiting with people who gathered round her.

“What a beautiful day for this,” I commented. “Thanks for sharing your gift and the joy of music with us.”

“That’s what I do!” she said enthusiastically between strums.

Al went inside, while I went back to the car deliberately avoiding the hot sauce booth, pastry kitchen, and other vendors around the corner. No sense in getting a stomach ache! Good smells, along with sounds from the guitar lady’s voice over the microphone came wafting through the open windows of the car. People walking by seemed happy, enjoying the fabulous weather and the royal treatment.

            After purchasing a few items, Al reported back to me.

“There was more inside,” he said with a chuckle. “They’re even offering cups of hard cider.” No thanks!

Sunday turned out to be a joy-filled day. It began with a wonderful worship service at church that included a message from the Bible on God’s promise to always provide for His people, communion, and a time of prayer afterwards, followed by the surprise of the harvest festival at the market.

Sometimes God goes overboard…like providing donuts and apple cider floats when all we want is bananas! God is lavish in His love, not sparing anything, not even His own Son, so that we might enjoy a full and abundant life now… and forever. The choice is ours.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

“His Banner Over Me is Love” (traditional Worship song 1979)

“I am my Beloved’s and He is Mine,

His banner over me is love…

He brought me to His banqueting table

His banner over me is love…”