The "More Than You Can Handle" Buffet

In a phone conversation with my mother this past week, we discussed the recent developments in my life. Some of them are good. Some are not. Most of them are stressful in one way or another. One of them, although stressful, has brought some measure of relief to one area of my family’s life as well. So far, every change has been something ADDED to my already busy world, instead of something taken away. In my conversation with my mother I said, “Yeah! Let’s just add one more item to the plate, right? Shoot! Plate?! I don’t have a plate, I have a whole buffet!...*sigh*…I need room for cobbler!”

 So…with this little snippet of our conversation topic, a theme came to mind, along with this blog post that I certainly hope you all will find….worth reading?

“Come one, come all! Come to the ‘More Than You Can Handle Buffet!’ Where it’s no big deal if your eyes are bigger than your stomach! We don’t care! Pile it all on your plate! One plate?! Heck, No! We have more than enough to spare! Over one this side we have all your worries and concerns in life. On this bar we have financial issues…some self-inflicted and others that come by surprise! There’s a wide variety of drama situations on the buffet bar to this side, including family drama, friends, school, work, even church! Medical issues? Why yes! Right over here! We have personal health, family health, health of other loved ones, and the inability to support them due to your already full plate.

Please, take a seat, and feel free to come back again and again to add more heaping piles of more than you can bear from our abundance that has been placed here Just. For. You!”

As the throngs of people flock to this amazing establishment, drawn to the charismatic invitation, they just cannot help themselves as they go through the lines, taking in the sight of the bountiful buffet bars before them. Seemingly unable to turn away, even as their first plates became heavy with burden and care, they found their table, and after placing said plates down, went back to pick up more. Heavy laden with what began as “a little here and a little there” it became difficult for the patrons to lift themselves under the pressure and strain of… more than they could handle.

Off to the side from the glamorous display of buffet bars sat a small table. Simple. Plain. And it wasn’t even advertised by the establishment. Above the table was a single word: Dessert. Why was this table so small? Thought one patron to himself, as he wiped the sweat from his brow with one of the many towels that the staff of the buffet handed out to their customers. He inquired. “Well, sir, with every plate comes a burden, and most patrons find themselves, too full of all these things, unable to partake of the dessert table, so it has been placed near the back and quite forgotten.” The lone dessert at the table looked curious indeed to the man, and he decided he would fight through the worry and care that he had heaped upon himself in such a short time, and take a closer look.

Placing the towel beside his tower of plates, the man turned in his chair and proceeded to rise. Slowly, with shaky knees, he was unsure of himself as he realized this was the first time he had attempted getting up so soon after encumbering himself with such a load. Curiosity won over shaky knees, and step by heavy step the man inched his way to the dark corner where stood the simple table. As he neared the small table he noticed a little sign in front of the platter where there sat twelve simple loaves. It read: “Cobbler. Flavors include peach, apple, blackberry, cherry, and whatever your favorite may be. Simply choose a loaf and enjoy.” The man was skeptical. Cobbler?! These were loaves of what looked like almost fresh, white bread. There was no way this was right. Again, curiosity won. He picked up a loaf.

Upon raising the small loaf to his nose to inhale what he assumed would be yeast and flour with a little sugar and steam, the man found it was light indeed. Lighter than when he lifted his hands with nothing in them. How could this be? Taking a breath to contemplate this curious situation he caught it. The smell of fresh peaches, picked from the orchards in the valley by the waterside. Suddenly the weight that held his head down wasn’t so heavy anymore. In its place was comfort, and other joyous feelings he couldn’t explain. He lifted his head and looked around. There were so many people! Surely there would not be enough of this wonderful smelling dessert to go around! But as he glanced down again he saw that where he had chosen his loaf was another in its place. Astonished at this phenomenon, the man turned back to his table to show his family what he had found. Each step he took, as he ate his small cobbler, was lighter and lighter. He felt free!

When the man reached the family table, there were merely a few, small bites left of the loaf. His family looked quizzically at him and the simple loaf in his hand. The man began to tell of the burdensome walk to the table, back in that far side of the buffet, alone and forgotten, and what he found there to be not only amazing but a relief beyond anything he had ever felt before! Skeptical, the family beheld the little loaf in his hands. He offered it to them to try, to smell, to taste, but nobody could tell the difference that he had. This confused the man and he inquired yet again of the staff. “It is simply this, sir. Those who would experience that which you have experienced must go themselves to do so. You can tell them and show them your dessert, but they have to taste their own loaf and see.”

Now, I have left it hanging somewhat, and for good reason. There are two things to consider here.

 One: Don’t take on so much that you are too burdened to enjoy the real valuable things in life. The desserts, if you will. And the dessert is a great representation of the most important thing in life ever. It is easily mistaken to be the main meal…but it is not. The main meal is what we carry every day, all day. Cast off the cares of this world and enjoy the dessert offered freely, and too often left behind. But the joy in life cannot be the “same” for everyone, and I cannot enjoy yours just as you cannot enjoy mine. If you want to enjoy the sweetness of this amazing thing, stand up and shove those plates of “more than you can bear” off that table! Walk to that dessert table, pick your flavor, and enjoy yourself some cobbler!