Love Costa Mesa Day: And still there were leftovers
“We have here only five loaves & two fish…” Matthew 14:17
“And they picked up what was left over of broken pieces, twelve baskets full.” Matthew 14:20
We added a third human being to our family five months ago. Maeve (the new one) is cool, but I’ll be honest, I’ve always eyed with suspicion, families with more than two kids. It's a resourcing problem. There is just not enough to go around. Time, money, energy, you name it. I guess you could say those are my loaves and fish. I often feel like the disciples did that day in that remote place. The crowds of hungry people gathering - pressing in, late in the day. My instinct is to send them all away, to fend for themselves because I only have enough for myself.
The other weekend, against my better judgment I thought, we committed to serving at a food drive down the street from our house at Christ Lutheran Church. Even Maeve was coming. It was Love Costa Mesa Day, and the idea that the whole city would be out serving on a Saturday, spurred our family into action. For context, Saturdays to me are like fresh buttery rolls with grilled salmon over risotto, Tuscan Style from Eat Chow. I want to enjoy it in peace and quiet, all to myself, as I recharge my batteries. If you ask Courtney, she’ll tell you, I don’t like to share, especially my food.
But I guess Jesus does move in mysterious ways, because there I was- Bouncing Maeve, watching Courtney help our 4 and 6 year old spill rice and beans all over the floor, as part of a very cute and inefficient assembly line at the food drive. I thought we’d be there for an hour tops before either of the kids melted down, or I did. To me it was just a matter of who was going to get there first. But Maeve napped in the stroller, we had lulls of down time to meet other volunteers and catch up with our community group, we handed out all the food we organized, and then instead of going home - we went to City Hall for the lunch after party! Now my wife will also tell you, right up there on my list of things I don't like doing, next to sharing food, is being at big public gatherings.
It was amazing though, to see all the organizations and people that had come together that day to help out - it really was a city wide effort. For the first time, I took pride in my city and soaked in the crowd and noise. I couldn’t believe it, based on all my calculations I should've been tapped out, grumpy to the max and ready to hole up in my house to recoup. But I wanted more! Poppy Beamish, who was at the food drive that morning with us, had her final soccer game of the season - so we went over to the park to cheer her on. After that, we were hot and tired so we jumped in Erica and Joey Nargizian’s pool on Bay street before ending the day.
As our family sat down for dinner that evening, I couldn't help but feel somewhat amazed like those disciples did, holding twelve baskets full.
— Aaron Harrell