Have you ever enjoyed a gæstebud? The answer should be a resounding YES, as gæstebud means feast in Danish. I first learned this word while watching the foreign film, “Babette’s Feast.” It won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988. Once you get past the subtitles, you will be richly blessed by this simple, yet profound movie.

To give you a quick synopsis, “Babette’s Feast” expresses the biblical principle of joy in this present life – joy that comes when we relish in our Father’s good creation. I encourage you to make a gæstebud with your family next week and embrace the full joy of life that you are given! Speaking of joy, many families enjoy various traditions for Thanksgiving. For us, we spent many years hosting the teachers from our school who did not have family nearby. As their families grew, so did our annual Thanksgiving feast!

Many years ago, I asked our children and our neighborhood children to describe the word feast. Here is their collective, childlike definition:

FEAST /fēast/ (noun) – a great big meal that we enjoy with family and friends that includes food like turkey, ham, vegetables, dressings, tasty drinks, and delicious desserts like pumpkin pie, dirt cake, Oreo pie, cookies, and whipped cream, and also includes games before and after, and fine brightly colored glass plates, fancy cloth napkins, many forks, spoons, fancy glasses, big tables, lit candles, and a feeling of being happy with everyone around the table.

 
This year, Angie and I are heading to New York to enjoy our daughter’s first time of hosting the Thanksgiving Feast – a Gilbert gæstebud – for our family. We are so excited! As you sit down with your family and friends this holiday, take a moment to savor the joy and thank our Father for all He has created. Blessings to you and your family. We will see you after the break!