Last night my sister and I attended the Madrigal Banquet and I have been pondering it all day. It was held at a castle nestled back against the foothills, which belonged to one of the founders of the city. It had many technologically advanced features for the time such as an elevator and a steam shower. Over the years, a Christian group acquired the property and held conferences there. This year was the 35th year that the Madrigals Banquet was held. Our neighbors have been volunteering there for several years. This year, they gifted my sister and I tickets to the banquet. When my sister and I arrived, we were greeted by a bagpipe player and others who were dressed in 1600’s attire. The outside of the castle was beautifully lit. We were ushered into the main gathering area, which was adorned with Christmas decorations. As we snacked on hors d’oeuvres, a group of 4 singers came in and entertained the crowd. My sister and I tried to take selfies by the Christmas tree, but they didn’t turn out too well. A couple came over and tried the same thing, so I offered to take their photo. I complimented the woman as to how stunning she looked and we chatted a bit. Then the “Lord and Lady” welcomed everyone and we were escorted upstairs to the main dining hall. There were several long tables that held the 150 guests. It just happened that the couple we met by the Christmas tree were seated right next to us. We got to talking more as we waited for everyone to get settled. We told them that we were gifted the tickets by our generous neighbor. The woman said that they were gifted the tickets as a wedding present – they just got married this past July, which was probably part of why she looked so stunning. When I pointed out our neighbor who was there volunteering, the woman knew him. They were friends from church and he was the one who gave them the tickets. We got talking with the people on the other side of us as well. Come to find out, they used to attend the same church as the other couple and knew the man who introduced the newlyweds. It was all just an amazing connection. The food was served in courses – soup, salad, main dish, dessert. Everything was interesting, beautifully presented, and delicious. Between courses there was music, singing, and dancing. At one point the meal was “interrupted” by a disgruntled man demanding to know why there could be any festivities when the world is in such shambles. The “Steward” explained that there is hope especially at Christmas time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior who came to set us free from the sorrows and difficulties of this life. Then, several individuals gave a brief example of their current struggles. The first person said that her mother had recently died. I wasn’t prepared for that and my eyes welled with tears. The “Steward” continued explaining that even though we live in a broken world, Jesus Christ can provide peace. The man who burst in softened and apologized as he left to contemplate further. That was also more than I anticipated. I knew there was a spiritual piece to the evening, but didn’t really know what to expect. The whole experience was quite moving as God showed His hand in so many ways.

I Found God today experiencing a God led Madrigals Banquet.