A Grandchildren Mystery! (a lot of fun!)

It wasn't a mystery in that I didn't know who my grandchildren were!  Rather, it was something we did together that was "mysterious".  Over the Christmas holidays Eli (7), Liliana (9), Noe (12), Miriam (then almost 8), and Micah (10) and I  collaborated to perpetrate this experience on their parents!

In the photo you see us in a "council of war", planning and plotting.
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On the designated day, the two moms and two dads came into the house to find a sign saying "Rheinolds' Mystery Cafe".  They were ushered to their seats at the table and, following an introductory explanation, were handed menus...the likes of which they had probably never seen before!  Therein lay the mystery!

The name of every item on the menu was disguised. (I had prepared the food earlier in the day.) The names contained clues, but still had to be pondered.  After giving them some time, we asked them to fill out their order, dividing everything into three parts.  Each "course" would be served as ordered...But...before the next course arrived, everything from the previous one would be removed.  We informed them that the menu included silverware, so if they didn't figure out the codes (for example, "spoon" was "dish lover" = "and the dish ran away with the spoon") they would have to eat with their fingers!  (*Below I've given you a few other clue examples.)

The kids, as the waiters, had great fun running back to the kitchen to tell me "They think ___ is ___!", when their folks got something wrong!  Of course, once it was all over, we let everyone come to the kitchen and fill up on everything that was left...otherwise, they might have starved! (Actually, the parents did a great job of deciphering quite a few of the items.)

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I've been reading a lot about mysteries in the Bible lately, and found some analogies in our mystery dinner.  The Word of God seems to have a LOT of things we don't understand, but there are clues to the mysteries...and though it's interesting to see how people try to figure them out, in the end, if we don't understand everything...it won't matter all that much, because once it's all over, God will take those who follow Him to the heavenly banqueting halls.  We won't have to "figure things out", and we'll never go hungry again!

Until then...keep these thoughts in your heart:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."  (James 1:5)

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you {who are willing to learn} with my eye upon you."  (Psalm 32:8)

"Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."  (Jeremiah 33:3)
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               "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, 
                             may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,
                                          so that you may know Him better."    (Ephesians 1:17)

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*(Examples of mystery menu: extra Cinderella friend = a spare Gus;  Boot cushions = ravioli;  cow gold = butter;  anagram opus = soup)