Friday, October 23, 2015

The Joy of Cooking and Then Some


Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

During my most recent stay with my mother, I note there are some ripening bananas on the kitchen island just begging to be transformed into banana bread.  Mom has a plethora of cookbooks, but as I peruse some of them, I'm at a loss as to finding a reliable recipe.  As my husband, Danny, doesn't care for banana bread, it's been years since I've made any.

"Mom," I say, "I'd like to make you some banana bread before I leave, but I can't find a recipe.  Can you look through your cookbooks for one?"

"No problem," says Mom as she retrieves her reliable Joy of Cooking from the shelf.  "I'm sure it's here; it's the one I always used."


She searches the contents and flips through the pages.  "It's right there," Mom confirms within a matter of moments, leaving the cookbook open to the sought-after recipe.  "Now can you heat me up some coffee?"

I do just that, but pause to take a look at the cookbook page.


It sports the evidence of many years of  wear and tear, stains and blemishes.

Much loved.  Much used.  I think I can't go wrong with this one!

But I get a bit discombobulated because I'm trying to bake the bread at the same time as I am nurturing a beef-vegetable soup on the stove.  Mom's oven/kitchen timers don't know the difference from one another, so I'm left to guess the time remaining for the banana bread to be done.

Whew!  Here's hoping I don't burn it!

Much to my surprise and delight, not only does the beef-veggie soup come up to snuff, but the banana bread does, too!



Mom and I indulge in some most satisfactory slices from this, thankfully, successful endeavor.



And I am left to ponder the wisdom of "old" recipes, the oldest of which for our hands to grasp being the Holy Bible.  God's recipes for our lives never age.  His Word is the same today as yesterday, and will remain so for all the tomorrows yet to come.  His ingredients of love, grace, forgiveness, and faithfulness will never end.

God is the Joy in all our lives' cooking, and then some!

~

Do you have a tried and true recipe to share?  Please feel free to post in the comments!

Prayer:  Father, we thank You for the unending and everlasting truth You give us in the Bible.  May Your words simmer and bake in our lives so that we might serve the world the food and nourishment of Your Spirit.  Let us be content in knowing that in Your time, all will be accomplished through Christ Jesus.  It is in His name, we pray.  Amen.

11 comments:

  1. Love it that you took the time to snap the photos of your adventure too. and love the look of that well used recipe book - May our bible look that way to our children too. You've made me hungry. lol

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    1. Yes, Jean, I wish my Bible already looked that worn and frayed and love as it has been, but I have a problem with marking it up, unlike many of the faithful. Maybe I need to change my ways! Sorry I made you hungry. :)
      Love and blessings!

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  2. 'God's recipes for our lives never change.'- So apt and true! Oh, how you impart life to even mundane subjects!

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    1. I try, Portia, with God's help, I try. There are miracles in the mundane, available to each and every one of us every day.
      Love and blessings!

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  3. Martha, I love how you use everything things like baking and apply them to our spiritual lives. Your banana bread looked amazing! Meditating on the Word of God is important.

    Love and blessings!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Kim, meditating upon God's Word is essential! The banana bread's success was a surprise even to me, but then again, God works in marvelous and unexpected ways. :)
      Love and blessings!

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  4. Hi Martha! You are such a good daughter! I bet that kitchen smelled DIVINE between the soup and the bread. And I LOVE banana bread (fortunately, everyone else here does too, so I don't end up eating it all!)

    God is ever the same, just like your Mom's cookbook. Just because His call is ancient, doesn't mean it's not good. Actually, it's the best! Just like your mom's recipe. I hope she praised you up and down for your efforts :)
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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    1. Ceil, Mom truly did praise me up and down, and that was wonderful knowing I'd made her happy.
      And yes, God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. What great comfort we can take in that knowledge! Gives me hope and a future plan, that's for sure.
      Love and blessings!

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  5. My cooking tends to be quick and easy on prep and clean up. The kitchen is not my favorite place. I love my crock pot and often wonder if we'd eat if we didn't have one. I loved reading about the way you blessed your mom. Thanks for sharing this. It blessed me with a warm smile!!

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    1. At our house, Danny does most of the cooking, so preparing dishes and treats for my Mom, while fun, really put me out of my comfort zone. Like you, though, I adore my crock pot and very often, when giving Danny a break from the kitchen, I'll do a meal in it. So easy!
      Love and blessings!

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