Kitchen Komfort

Proverbs 31:15: "She riseth also while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household."

Kitchen: a gathering place for family and friends. A place where memories are homemade and seasoned with love.

My kitchen is the place where I invest alot of time, energy and money.  I identify with the Proverbs 31 woman. She apparently did the same. There is a whole lot more to it than just opening the frig, the pantry, or having a microwave.

The kitchen has always been a gathering place. Even when people lived in tents, the outside fire for cooking was the point of interest. During pioneer days, the hearth was the centerpiece of the cabin. Eventually, the kitchen evolved into a place where you invested the most money if you were building a home.

My family indulged me years ago when we travelled in an RV. I insisted on my tiny box of table decor to be packed. When we settled in,  the first thing I did was to unpack a plaque, some flowers and some placemats!  I I had to have my "homey" feeling with the boxed meals! And we still ate on paper plates as a family!

Later, we travelled, using hotels suites for long term lodging. Always packed was a wreath for the door, classical music, and a candle. The first thing I purchased was fresh flowers! That complimented the crock pot dinners that I cooked in the tiny  kitchens! Gathered around those impossibly small tables still invoke funny but great memories!

My son works with a kitchen designer. I have toured some of these  "state of the art" kitchens. It is overwhelming at the genius and expense that is invested into these beautiful kitchens. Though very little time is spent in them, there is a desire within all to have some comfort and satisfaction eminating from the kitchen.

Department stores designate a good bit of floor space to kitchen wares.  The appliance section of the store is stuffed with handy kitchen gadgets. The mall now  has high end kitchen stores. There are numerous, popular cooking shows that can be accessed.

We are a society consumed with our appetite. We have glamourized the kitchen into a place where food is overexagerated and overindulged.  Yet something is still missing in the picture.  A beautiful kitchen, a well stocked pantry and refrigerator: it should be the perfect combination. But it's often minus  the most important factor: the family unit.The modern family lives on the run. There is very little bonding and togetherness.  I personally believe there is a desire in all of us for satisfaction and fulfillment to be derived from food shared with family and friends. The satisfaction comes not only from our appetites being sated but from the warm atmosphere of being surrounded by those we love. This all happens around the table.

You cannot get this from "eating out".  That should be a treat. The home kitchen should still be the hub of the home. It should be a source of healthy satisfaction with food, company and conversation.

A table sufficient for all family members needs to be a priority. Most of the time, family has designated seating.  A scheduled meal time is very important. Statistics prove that the family unit is much stronger when all are present at mealtime. Try to do this at least once a day. Another good thing: even a family face to face for 10 morning minutes is positive. A prayer offered over a simple breakfast can bring a sense of connection into a home. It's also the duty of the mom to insure that the husband and children have nutritious lunches prepared if needed.

I'm a mom. I know the responsibility of the home is a big weight on our shoulders. That's why our priority, when we are raising a family, should be about the home. I also know all the shortcuts available out there. I just want to say: there is no replacement for a healthy, attractive and fulfilling environment in your kitchen that is created by time and effort.

I realize we don't spend the long hours in the kitchen that our grandmothers did. That's not necessary. The beauty of our kitchen is much easier created now than in those early days. If you don't do "homemade", there is a pie crust or biscuit out there to help you out. There are innumerable 30 minute recipes available that are delicious and nourishing. If you don't consider yourself creative in setting a table,  visit Walmart. Pick a simple centerpiece and some serviceable placemats that will enhance your table. If you service an all male household,  add enough flair to make meals an " occasion". Insist on proper table manners. Set a table as much as possible. Always use napkins.  Use attractive and appropriate dinnerware and glassware.  Require all to be present.  Say a meaningful prayer.  There you have it.  Security. Found at the kitchen table.

All this cannot be done without forethought.  A certain degree of planning has to be done.  Menu planning can be done by the day, week or month.The important thing is that your kitchen is clean, organized, attractive and stocked.  The thing to avoid is obvious. Chaos in the kitchen.  This invites a lack of harmony in the home. Positive vibes coming from the kitchen are security.Thats why the "cookie jar" is a forever childhood memory.  Thats why family recipes are treasured. That's why even doing dishes can be a positive flashback.

Keep it up Moms! I know planning menus, shopping thriftily and then putting it all together gets to be wearisome.  Keeping the food healthy and filling and doing this on a budget seems impossible.  It seems like keeping your kitchen organized is a work of art.  And who has the time?!  I did  volunteer work at the Christian school where my children attended when they  were at home. It was an effort to be a homemaker as well. Here's where I found that training the children was necessary. They lightened the load considerably with kitchen duty.

The effort is worth it! When I hear my children reminisce about our family dinners, especially the Sunday table settings, I am warmed! I put a lot of time into making memories around the kitchen table. I dont regret a minute of it.

Today,  I am privileged to still do some larger scale cooking and planning.  I enjoy it when I do.  But my husband and I find ourselves often sitting at a table for two. It's still fulfilling. One small table, two colorful napkins, the glow of a candle.  It's the perfect setting after a hectic day. It speaks calmness and invites conversation.  We feel secure and we are filled!

A Marching Band

Proverbs 30:27 "The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands."

I have been introduced to the world of "marching bands" through my 16 year old grandson. He has definitely found his niche in  high school by his participation in the band. He loves the challenge it is providing in every way.

I'm a big fan of band music but admittedly, I didn't know all the intricacies involved in marching in a band. I have always been impressed with a performance,  but never realized the time devoted to the practice and memorization needed for the perfect presentation.

Neither did I realize that there is a theme to the marching.There has to be numerous performances,  all incomplete,  building towards that grand final presentation. If you see one of those incomplete performances (which is what I catch each fall season), it doesn't always make sense. Yet I can tell the band is working towards the beauty of when it all comes together in the future.

A band participant needs to attend band camp and spend evenings of many weeks practicing. An incredible amount of time is invested in this endeavor. I hear my grandson humming his band music most all of the time.. he's totally committed to being a successful part of his band.

This year, I was privileged to hear his first performance. He is glad to get through it so he can work on improvement.  He's pleased that he has this first opportunity for his band teacher to critique it. He feels pretty nervous about it all.  But by that final one, he's feeling confident because he knows how hard he and his teammates have worked. And they always do a grand job! It is a magnificent accomplishment!

The scripture referral today is about locusts.  In truth, they aren't well liked because they do destructive work but the success of what they do is because they work together as a band. I am impressed at the major job they get accomplished as they work together. Apparently they don't have any leader but they are simply driven by the need to be nourished. They will travel together cross country to complete their mission.

God put us here on this earth to work in units. We can accomplish things singly,  but there is scripture about "one chasing a thousand and two ten thousand."  So much more can be done as a team and when we have a common goal.

We don't have to all play the same instrument to march together. What I love about a marching band is the beautiful sound coming from the varied instruments.  The important thing is that each member play their instrument perfectly in time with the music, in feeling with the theme and in sinc with the marching pattern.To observe a band marching and playing in harmony below on a field is overwhelming!

When my grandson started band, I thought he might be confused with what could be chaos in maneuvering people on the field and trying to blend with so many other instruments. But he wasn't. His concern was that he learn, as an individual, what his part was in the band. He chose his instrument and started to work. He now knows that he practices much and when he comes together with the group, who also has done much practicing, they can get the job done. I also note that he has great respect for the teacher. And I see that the uniformity of a band uniform for each participant gives a much more accomplished effect to the presentation.

It is vital that we know our gifting (our instrument) in life. It is also important that we totally respect God's orchestration in our lives.  We must apply ourselves to letting God make us productive as an individual and feel confident, through Him, in what we are doing. We needn't be so concerned about whether our neighbor is learning his instrument. And we need to be only concerned with the part of the march we are learning for today's presentation. Our goal is not to try to make our instrument the loudest or most noticeable. It is for all of us to march to God's will, His written uniformity in the Word, and to march together. The music is written. The Director is always ready. As we  come together,  we are viewed by the onlooking world as a beautiful presentation. The picture is so much more interesting and lovely when everyone is marching together for a common cause.  I challenge all of us to stay in the band!

Cherished Relationships

"Cherish your human connections-your relationships
with friends and family."  ~Barbara Bush

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loveth at all times.  And a brother is born for adversity."

I just returned from a great weekend retreat with a lot of family and friends. We visited over food and had some sweet fellowship with singing, praying and sharing the Word. There were lots of hugs, warm conversations and recollections of memories.

Most of these people have been lifelong friends. They know me well. I know a good bit about the details of their life. I have interacted with them through childhood.  We laughed at our antics as teenagers on these same grounds where we were reuniting. We have attended each other's weddings, congratulated the births of our children, and celebrated anniversary and birthday parties together. 

I get tearful when I recall the times these friends have been there through the rough times as well.  Their calls, cards, hugs and prayers have kept me going when I felt I was hanging on by a thread. They have loved me "at all times."

I also spent some memorable moments reminiscing with immediate and extended family.  I embraced and loved every moment of our precious time together.  We shared stories and had moments of laughing uproariously late into the night. And I remember that this sweet family shared my tears not so long ago.  This is the family that supports me when times are hard. That family circle is dear to me.  They have been loyal and true and I feel their devotion. Truly they were born to support me in "adversity".

What was particularly inviting about this special weekend is that it wasn't gender, age or specially designated. It was open to anyone. It was so fun to to romp with the young ones. I captured a moment when my husband was pushing our two year old grandson and his little friends in a wheelbarrow! I hope they sit together 50 years from now and talk about it. Last night, we enjoyed a group of youth, the posterity of my friends and my parent's friends, singing a modern rendition of an old hymn. I loved it! Today I comfortably joked with a sweet teenage girl who is the granddaughter of my mother's old friend. Somehow a tight friendship that originated  60 or more years ago spanned several states and generations and affected us today.

I was so impressed that the special time this weekend was made possible because our parents and grandparents cherished and nurtured family and  friends for a lifetime. It was a priority.They all experienced fun times and adversity together. They stood by each other through decades, thus giving us this beautiful chance of sharing friendship, fun and fellowship.

Tonight I am peaceful with having experienced a connection again with people who mean the world to me. It wasn't just an experience for the weekend.  It is a strong bond born of "loving at all times"; the good and the bad. It's the way relationships were designed by God to be. I feel loved and I am blessed.