Well, a couple of weeks ago I was listening to a morning sports talk radio show and to my surprise they were interviewing Doris Roberts, the overbearing, busy-body mother-in-law of “Everybody Loves Raymond.”  They asked her what new projects she was working on now that the show was over.  Her response made me begin to think.  She answered that she had teamed up with KFC to bring back the family meal.  She went on and said, “It is sad, in America today 92% of families don’t have a regular family meal.”  I thought, “That has to be wrong.”  She went on and said that studies had been done and statistical data compiled that proved that families who eat together are better connected and more stable members of society.  Divorces rates are lower, children’s grades were higher and respect for one another was more the norm than in homes where no regular family meal took place. 

These claims made me curious, so I did a little research of my own from studies conducted at the University of Iowa and Colorado.  The Iowa studies said that children in families with a regular family meal had better table manners, social skills, family values, and provide the setting for moral, spiritual and intellectual discussion and teaching.  Plus the added benefit of better nutrition.  This next statement from the Iowa study really got me going; listen to this: “When you are too busy for a family meal, you may be TOO busy.”  Ouch!

Stayed tuned to the KFCUSA e-devotions in the future for a devotional on this subject fairly soon.  There is definitely a spiritual application to this concept.--Bob