Our family has a fun mealtime activity called “Speed Friendship.”  

We ask a question and quickly find out more about whoever is at the table.  

Examples of questions we might ask are: 

· Favorite color to wear? 

· Go-to road trip snack? 

· Favorite Ice cream flavor? 

· Skill you would love to have? 

· Deep sea diving or plane parachuting? 

· Coveted superpower? 

· Go-to dance move (with demo)? 

There is an endless possibility of fun questions to ask. My daughter Bella had a group of friends over to the house this summer. Some are not Christian kids. As we ate dinner, we said a prayer. You could feel a bit of wariness in the air. Then, we had a round of speed friendship. All the kids were fully engaged and remarked later how much fun it was. When we ate again later, there was a spirit of gratitude as we bowed to pray. Those who were previously wary were reverent. We had our typical Ferch conversational question and spotlight time. Everyone fully participated and lingered at the table long into the night. We talked about God and love, light, and salvation. What a glorious time it was.  

These magical mealtimes came from my parents. They both made meals a time of joy, connection, and deep friendship. Many young people who visited our home expressed they had never experienced conversations like these with adults. My Dad never treated kids like their point of view was beneath him. He loved to hear what they said, he listened as a friend rather than a distant, authoritarian figure. I bless Mom and Dad for creating relationships of love and welcome.  

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17

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