{pg. 186}

My boss, Jay, has become enthralled with a book, a man, and a business model. The book is "Setting the Table"; the man is the author and famous restauranteur, Danny Meyer; the business model is hospitality, hospitality, hospitality. After reading the book and visiting a few of Danny Meyers' restaurants in New York City, Jay bought an entire box full of his books and started handing them out left and right. Yes, I am now the proud owner of my own copy of Setting the Table. But Jay didn't just want this book to sit on my bookshelf. No, he wanted us to read the book, talk about the book, and implement Danny's approach to hospitality.

With my recent post apologizing for not writing a blog post in three months, you can probably guess that reading an entire book was not at the top of my priority list.. and I won't lie.. I really just didn't want to do it. At all. I had a pile of about five other books I wanted to start or finish and I can promise you, Danny Meyer was not in that pile. But finally the guilt got to me and I opened the book and started turning the pages. Thankfully, God has begun to bless me with a more open mind over the past 6 months, so when I started reading, I did so with that openness... and it has paid off. Take this quote for example, and the way the Holy Spirit took my heart and mind to truth in God's word:

"Just remember: you're never as good as the best things they'll say,

and never as bad as the negative ones. Just keep centered, know what you stand for,

strive for new goals, and always be decent."

-"Setting the Table," Danny Meyer {pg. 186}

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,

because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

1 Corinthians 15:58

"He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor."

Proverbs 21:21

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7

"I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind,

to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

Jeremiah 17:10

God is good. and He is found everywhere, in everything. Big and small. Whether we expect it or not. And we will find him whether we are seeking him or not.

"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.'

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord,

but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper."

1 Kings 19:11-12

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature-

have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

Romans 1:20

Thanks for bearing with me on that tangent. Sometimes I get going and there is no telling where I'll end up! But to make a long story short, it encourages me that my time and efforts are not fruitless if my hearts' desire is to honor the Lord. He can take just about anything {even a book I don't want to read} and teach me more about who He is.

To Him be the glory,

B