Cooking

I wrote part of the following post to Facebook this afternoon.  I thought it would fit here as well.

“The kitchen at our house has had no chance to cool down or get cleaned up in this past week.  Randy, my beloved,  must have baked five “sunken apple cakes” for this cause or that and wherever and whenever he delivers this cake,  people are more than  happy and effusive about the gift.

I have made a peach and cherry cake this week (for the ladies at my church who took the week off from sewing), an Alsatian apple tart, two German fruit tarts, whipped cream topping, and potato salad for our church picnic.  Randy and I together made Indian Chicken Biryani (best recipe in the world) for a stewardship dinner at Tree-of-Life Lutheran.  And we haven’t even talked about what was served for supper/dinner at our own house this week which included a Cajun night, an Italian night and one German night for starters.  The dishwasher ran at least twice a day, sometimes three.  We are so blessed  ( I think the word should really be stinking rich and lucky) to be able to do this and to share.    We get to have the opportunity to know the cooking cultures of other peoples because we do not have to worry about our own next meal.  We get to play and experiment and discover. And every time I cook, bake and prepare something, I offer prayers and am so mindful  (since coming back from Africa), really,  so mindful, of what I have and what I get to do”.

My abundance, my over-abundance makes me mindful.  I am not always sure what to do with the mindfulness or even accept it without shame or embarrassment.  What I know is  that it is not really about cooking this dish or that or exploring different cultures.  It’s about connecting with people…always connecting with people.  It’s about hearing anyone and everyone exclaim with joy when some thing  happens that is good or Godly or even just (in my case) really,  REALLY tasty and feels like home.

When God cooks for us it will always taste like home.  I know it will.  and we will shout for joy.  You can count on that.

The potato bar at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.