We’re Cooking Now!!!

Do you remember how old you were when you were allowed to use the stove on your own? I vividly remember. I was 10. I had been chomping at the bit for ages. I wanted to be unleashed and let loose in the kitchen. After years of helping around with meals, I was ready to set out on my own. LET ME LOOSE PEOPLE!

Of course, my grandma is the person that let me off the leash. My summers with her were epic and include some of my favorite memories. My first solo cooking adventure was a classic meal. I was making hamburgers. And she was my sous chef. And by sous chef, I mean she seasoned them, but she let me shape the patties and put them in the frying pan.

I flipped the patties while they were in the pan, and she gave me guidance on knowing when a burger was done. We sailed through my first tutorial. Cooking was a breeze and a joy. I do not remember having to wash pans.  But I do remember the thrill of eating a meal that I cooked all “on my own.” The summer flew by, and Bible Study Brother and I were back home before I knew it. Only I came back with my handy new skill set.

Bible Study Mama was on board with my cooking. She had several jobs and was often working. Which meant my stepdad cooked dinner. He rotated out 2 meals: tuna or breakfast for dinner. Now his tuna was not just regular tuna. Nope, he wanted to find all the possible ways that he could find to spice up our tuna experience. I remember one day he decided to mix some kiwi in. At that moment, I knew that I had to take cooking into my own hands. Hence, my excitement to come back with a new meal under my belt…lol.

I do not remember making a ton of hamburgers, but I do remember my focus shifting to baking. I became a cookie/cupcake/muffin queen. There was an old recipe book in the microwave cart in our kitchen. I would find a recipe and ask for permission to cook what I found. Bible Study Mama would get me ingredients, and I would be off on my next cooking adventure. My stepdad’s experimental spirit rubbed off on me, and I begin to play around with the recipes and add my own flair. In time, I was able to whip up meals truly on my own.

Cooking was fun as a kid because I could do it when I chose to do it. I was not responsible for every meal. If I did not cook, I would still have something to eat. But as I got older, cooking moved from a nice activity to a necessity. Cooking transitioned from recreation to responsibility. Yuck! The very thing I longed to do independently as a child became more of a chore.

My passion for cooking as a child parallels my relationship with Christ. In the beginning, I could not get enough of Him. I was eager to sit and listen to sound doctrine. Then I reached a point where I sought out direction on my own. I picked up the Bible, studied, and asked for insight from more experienced saints. After a while, I reached a point where I felt freer. I studied on my own and listened to various teachings…mixed it up if you will. If I wasn’t studying on my own time, it was no big deal. My mama was going to make sure that I got enough spiritual food. Until one day, I realized that my relationship with Christ would fizzle to nothing if I did not take the steps necessary to keep myself fed.

It is a continual process. The truth of the matter is that Christians have to continually eat the word of God to grow strong spiritually. There is no other way around it. If the Lord lets us live enough, every Christian reaches the point that they have to take a more active role in their own personal spiritual development. My prayer for you today is that you still experience joy as you prepare your spiritual meal. God has the best recipes. #wepreach