Though I love to eat out and try out new restaurants, I could not do that all the time. Roger liked to run, so he ate when (and what) he wanted to eat. I don't like to sweat, so I have to eat lettuce, and not too much of it.
But often enough, he would suggest lunch out. I guess that was one of his favorite things since 2011 when I stopped working. He loved having lunch out. And we did plenty of it in the last three years.
I introduced him to Jason's Deli a few years ago. There is just something about a deli that got him all excited. Actually, maybe it was just the corned beef sandwich, piled high, with all the stuff he liked on it. But Jason's has soft serve ice cream to top it off - no extra charge. And he loved the sundaes I could make with soft serve and syrup!
And then again, it was probably because one of our first dates was at Ronnie's - that quite famous Jewish Deli / Restaurant that used to be at the old Colonial Plaza. It had its quirks, but it has never been replicated in Orlando. I'm sure he loved Deli's because of those dates!
The corned beef sandwich that he loved is formally called a Reuben and there are a number of stories about how that name originated. Corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing on Rye. Piled high. That is the key! And grilled. As much as Roger liked eating these sandwiches out, he was always good about telling me that mine were better than any other. Wise man!
He always liked to talk about Reuben of Bible fame when he ate a Reuben. He could tie almost anything back to a Bible story or trivia or principle. You really have to know your stuff to be able to do that, and the randomness of how he tied things together was always fascinating.
Just for memory's sake, in case there is a memory lapse, Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob. Jacob of Jacob and Esau fame. Jacob/Esau, twin sons of Isaac of Isaac and Ishmael fame, sons of Abraham - as in Father Abraham, (had many sons, are you singing along?) Jacob who stole the birthright from Esau. Jacob, father of 12 sons, the 12 tribes of Judah, father of Joseph as in Joseph and the coat of many colors fame. (And don't trust the broadway edition.)
Roger would always review the lineage and talk about God's promise to Abraham - as many children as stars in the sky. And about God's faithfulness. He loved to review these Bible lessons and did it almost every time we watched the news. Or ate a Reuben sandwich.
Abraham had sons, Isaac and Ishmael -
Abraham and wife Sarah, old, impatient, wanted an heir. Took matters into their own hands even though God had promised an heir. Sarah's handmaid had Abraham's firstborn son, Ishmael.
True as God promised, Sarah finally had a son, Isaac. Second son, but the son of husband and wife. The promised Son.
Ah, the conflict. God's promise flowed through Isaac, but Ishmael was not left out. God promised Hagar, the Egyptian handmaiden mother of Ishmael that Ishmael would be the father of what is known as the Arab nations. Most of these throughout history have been Muslim.
Abraham messed up and did not initially wait on God, but God's will prevails even though we humans are a mess.
God's promise for Abraham (Abrham) did come to pass. Isaac was born and the covenant between God and Abrham was to last for generation after generation. And as Roger would say...like it or not, God has not changed his position. No matter what the modern day world thinks.
And the conflict of the entire world began with two boys. Ishamael, who was born of the flesh. Isaac, who was born of the promise (Promise of God to a father aged 100 and mother aged 90 - impossible, right?!)
Roger just loved reading the passages related to this conflict and how the Ancient promises of God regarding Israel related to the world we live in today. He loved studying ancient Israel and pondering the way the USA so parallels so much of the history as if it were a modern Israel. Even more, he considered things that would change this dangerous feeling path we are now on, yet realizing all along that God's plan never ever involved life on earth lasting forever and forever into eternity, but for this to be a season and a time for all of God's prophecy to be fulfilled. He watched for signs of this coming battle, the final one, which is not at all about people, or countries or as the Bible states as "flesh and blood." It is all about the Spirit - and not the spirit in this eerie/TV entertainment kind of way - but the struggle between God and satan - one which has been going on for centuries, since the beginning of time. Since the Garden of Eden and the fall of man, actually.
And he so often reflected on how much we miss all of this with the silly conversations and dealings of day to day life. And entertainment, and yes, even too much time online. I guess that I only realize now that all of those times when he was sitting in the swing or just sitting and seeming to drift off somewhere, that this is what he was thinking about - what he was sorting out. Where his mind was.
He never seemed to mind waiting on anyone - it gave him thinking time. Go to the mall? Sure - I'll sit and wait for you! etc. etc. etc. I wonder now if that is what he liked about fishing. You get away from it all and can just think. While I just thought he had hermit blood, in fact, he just liked to reflect on what he read in the Bible and how it applied to life today.
One thing I have most definitely discovered lately is that even when it is quiet in the house, if I am 'too busy" then my mind does not reflect like I wish it would. It really is only possible to listen to what God is trying to teach when everything else is shut down and shut out.
I've come to embrace the quiet in a way that I never have before.
It is a sad thing actually, that in our culture, we are all about staying busy. There is no time to just sit and gaze into the clouds and think - or to try to 'see God' in it all. I find that I am becoming quite possessive of my quiet and the silence around me.
I had great wisdom around me for many many years and boy, I hope that I absorbed a lot of it....but I am afraid that I did not appreciate what I had. It really is more about being and less about doing.
As the world seems to be imploding around us, I find myself more and more thinking that God actually quite rewarded Roger by allowing him to see from above what the big picture of this final battle would look like.
Roger's Lesson: I know he would say that the stuff in the Bible is not just silly old stuff to read. It is not just ancient manuscripts. No matter what the world tells you, it is important, and far more important than you would think. Your entire eternal destiny depends upon it. "Don't gain the world and lose your soul" he would say all the time. (Not his original words though)
And he's right. And thanks Reuben - eldest son of Jacob - for some life lessons. You were one who could mess things up terribly, yet also reign in the brothers when they wanted to kill Joseph.
Even in his conflict, he could make wise decisions. We all do dumb stuff along the way, but one thing is for sure - God never goes back on His promises or his plan. He adjusts due to our dumb choices, but He always has His plan as the final destination. Unfortunately for Reuben, because he did not control his fleshly desires, he never received the blessings of God that a firstborn would have received. His tribe never had anyone of renown come from it. He was part of the nation of Israel, yet never really contributed. Sins forgiven, but not without scars. We forget that scars some with sin.
God promised Ishmael many descendants (The Bible and Islamic tradition both agree that Ishmael became the leader of all of the desert people of the Middle East) and He delivered. Count the Arabs/Muslims who live today.
He also promised Abraham, through Isaac, descendants like the stars in the sky. And He has delivered. (Though we kind of feel like most Jews fly under the radar these days - where are the American Jews anyway right now?)
It seems simple enough to say - well, that is the Jews and the Arabs and since I am not either, this does not involve me. Hmmm. Nope. God does not have gray area now, does He? That would be kind of like walking the fence - not being committed to either.
Who owns the land we call Israel has been the center of conflict between Arabs and Jews for thousands of years, and continues today. God made a promise. Jewish people = Israel. Pretty simple.
And as Roger would say as he was smiling from ear to ear....
"Just read the end of Revelation. God wins. Pick a team. You can't sit out of the game."
This is an exciting time to be living.
And unless you know your eternal destiny, a very scary time as well.
Who knew you could get all of this out of a sandwich?
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