Opa!

One of the first restaurants that I visited when I moved to Omaha was the Greek Islands.  To this day, it is my favorite restaurant of all time with a close 2nd of Daddy D'z BBQ in Atlanta, GA.  Was it the Greek murals on the walls that were so inviting, the Greek music playing, or the enthusiastic  server lighting up my flaming cheese (saganaki) and declaring, “Opa!”?   The patrons are always mesmerized by the mile high flame doused with the juice of a lemon, followed by laughter at the excitement.  Not only is the food DEElicious, but the ambience makes it all the more fun as if you are being transported to Greece for your dining experience.   

For my birthday, I decided that I needed a little bit of “Opa!”  I wanted to make my own baklava, never before attempted in the Jones’ household.  It was a first for everything but mostly dealing with phyllo.  Every recipe said,  “Make sure to follow the instructions.  It can get sticky, quickly become brittle, and can become a complete disaster.”  Yikes! Thanking my k-12 school teachers, I followed the instructions, and the baklava stole my heart.  Geoffrey and I just stood in front of the golden pan and looked upon flakey beauty.  After a moment of adulation, I said, “Opa!” with all of the enthusiasm the word deserved.  

I’d like to think that we experience a little bit of “Opa” every time we come to worship--not because we are energized just by the music at Christmas or Easter, but energized because we find the joy and laughter (sometimes sadness) in the music and liturgy that we share together each week.  What is important is that we can find “Opa” even if we are sitting in complete silence. I like that we can find joy and laughter during worship.  I like that we can meditate.  I like that we can accept each other and celebrate someone else’s “Opa!”     

In conclusion, you should know that I am having the Gyro Platter with fries, salad with feta, olives, and house dressing, and sweet tea for my birthday.  THEN, we are having homemade baklava with a big cheer of “Opa” around the table!  

Musically Yours,
Becky Jones she/her
Worship & Music Coordinator