Baking soda faith

Baking soda is a wonderful leavening agent.  When combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient, its power is unleashed and baked products rise.  When combined only with moisture…not a lot happens.  When combined with just an acid, not much happens either.  It has to be a combination of all these factors.  For the most part, when I am baking, I don’t have to wonder if the baking soda will do its job.  If I present the right conditions, it will work.  If I don’t bake much and the baking soda gets stale, it loses its effectiveness.  I can still use it though.  I can go into the fridge to absorb odors.  Not a very glamorous job, but as a secondary use, it can still be effective.

Baking soda and our Christian walk have a lot of similarities.  First, it is important to keep things fresh and add the right ingredients.  This may take the form of an active prayer life, time studying the Bible, and attending church. Just like adding baking soda to some flour and an egg or two won’t produce the results that you want, having a faith that is devoid of the things that will make it grow won’t produce good results. With the right approach to faith, we don’t have hope that things will work out.  We can have the confidence that comes with knowing that God is directing our steps.

Baking soda that is left on the shelf goes stale.  Likewise, faith that is put on the shelf goes stale.  If it is not used, it loses its effectiveness.  That doesn’t mean that God can’t still use you, but the primary purpose that He had planned for you, may not become a reality.  Think about the people and situations that may not have God’s blessing because you are just sitting on the shelf.  If you choose later to get off the shelf, you may find yourself being used in a way that you know isn’t as effective  as a result of choices that you made when God wanted you to follow His plan for your life.

Take your faith off of the shelf.  Add the things that are needed to make it vital and alive.  Use your life for the purpose that God intended.  

There’s nothing like the real thing

During a conversation with one of my Baking classes last week, a student asked if we could make the muffins that they sell in gas stations, because they were sooooo good.  I had to explain a couple of things to the class. Number one, those muffins have the texture and flavor of cake more than muffins.  Number two, those muffins are mass produced and would be very difficult to duplicate in a classroom situation.  After the discussion, I started to feel sad for my students.  I don’t think many of them had ever tasted a muffin that was made from scratch. They had been led to believe that gas station muffins were the real thing.  I wondered if they had ever tasted a biscuit that didn’t come out of a tube.  Had they ever experienced bread, hot from the oven?  Had they ever had the intoxicating smell of baked goods wafting through their home? It saddened me that as a society, our tastes have been so diluted that we accept things like gas station muffins, Ramen noodles, and instant pudding as haute cuisine.

We have also done that in other areas of life.  What presents itself as a  loving relationship is in actuality just a poor imitation of the intimacy that a true, deep relationship should be.  Why then do we lower our standards to accept poor imitations?  Are we so desperate for anything that we settle?  Have we been so misguided that we can’t even recognize what the real thing is?

Our relationship with God is no different at times.  We settle for a poor imitation of a relationship with Him. We base our faith on whether or not we are “feeling” it.  In reality, faith has God as the focus, not our feelings.  Sure, a moving song, a well worded prayer, or an inspiring sermon can be beneficial and can produce those feelings that we want, but they are a poor substitute for a real, honest, and thriving relationship with God.  The kind of relationship that allows for faith when the feelings aren’t there.  The kind of relationship that causes us to fall on our face before Him and cry when there are no words.  The kind of relationship that is quiet and hears His voice gently telling us trust Him.  The kind of faith that requires us to do His will when we don’t feel it, when we don’t understand it, and when it’s not convenient. 

Don’t settle for poor imitations.  Whether it’s food, love, or faith, refine your tastes so that you aren’t satisfied unless it’s the real thing.

Contemplating Cornstarch

Cornstarch is a wonderfully useful ingredient for thickening things like gravy, puddings, etc.  However, if not used correctly, it can result in an inferior product.  To work properly, cornstarch needs to be mixed with a cold liquid to make a slurry.  It is then added to the hot liquid where the starch molecules swell and thicken the mixture.  If cornstarch is added directly to the hot mixture, it causes lumps. Some of the lumps can be eliminated with some work, but it’s much easier to do it right to begin with.

Our relationship with God is like that sometimes.  It seems like we wait until we’re in hot water to call on Him for help.  Then we wonder why it’s still tough. He has to work on us more “vigorously” to get us to the point where we need to be. But, if we worship and commune with Him when life seems cool and easy, when the tough times come…and they will…it can result in an even better relationship with Him.  Don’t wait until things get rough to establish a relationship with God. Start when things are a little calmer.  The results will be much better.

Waiting

I’m not a very patient person at times. I should pause here to allow those who know and love me to nod their heads in agreement. Now don’t get me wrong, when it comes to working with people I have patience, at least I think and hope so, but when there is something that I want to happen, I become very impatient. To quote my favorite movie, The Princess Bride, “I hate waiting.” 

This became more apparent as I demonstrated making pancakes to one of my classes. These were no “out of the box” pancakes. No, these were pumpkin pancakes. Pumpkin is one of those foods that can conjure up a plethora of memories and take me to times, places, and people that have brought me joy. To wait for these pancakes to be ready to eat is pure torture. My impatient nature sometimes results in a less than perfect pancake. 

One step in the making of pumpkin pancakes is beating egg whites to a stiff peak. The heaviness of the pumpkin requires the lightness of beaten egg whites to make a good texture. A culinary fact is that eggs separate best when they are cold, but beat best when they are room temperature. So the process goes like this. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator, separate the yolks from the whites, cover them, and you guessed it; wait. It’s only for about 20 minutes, but it’s still waiting. 


Once the waiting is over, it’s time to turn the somewhat useless egg whites into something that makes all the difference in the pancake. Making sure not to use anything plastic, (it’s a petroleum product and will result in the egg whites not reaching full volume) start beating the egg whites. You can use a variety of tools, but I have found that a wire whisk works the best. Keep beating, and beating and beating. It’s not ready until when you lift the whisk out of the bowl the egg whites are peaks that do not bend over at the tip. It may seem like your arm is going to fall off before you get to this stage, but trust me, it’s worth the effort and the wait. Rushing this part of the process, results in less than desirable pumpkin pancake and it would be a shame to not strive for perfection in something so amazing. 


There are times that the only way for God to accomplish His work in us is to separate us from things. They may be comforts, people, or situations. These don’t necessarily have to be negative things in our lives, but in God’s wisdom He can see exactly what we need and where we need to grow. It may be painful and it may make us reevaluate what our life is about, but if we allow God to completely transform us, we will reach our full ”volume” which results in something that can make the difference in a world filled with heaviness. 

In my impatience with flipping pancakes, I tend to end up with at least a few pancakes that can’t be eaten. They’re pale and doughy in the middle. As a young cook, I learned the hard way that turning up the heat doesn’t help. It just results in the right doneness on the outside, but still doughy in the middle. From the outside it appears that everything is as it should be, but when you get to the heart of the matter, there’s still work to be done. 

I get impatient with God at times. I think I know what should be happening and it boggles my mind why God chooses not to snap His all-powerful fingers and make it happen. I once shared my questioning of God’s timing with a friend and he responded with, “The only thing I can say is I expect God is wanting you to learn something from Him.” That wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear at the time, but in retrospect, he was probably right. The problem is that I even get impatient with my impatience. If God is trying to teach me something, let’s get on with it and go on to better things. Fortunately, He knows how things should go so I don’t end up “doughy in the middle”. He knows the exact moment that His will should be revealed and when we take our lives into our own hands or become reluctant to wait for what He has for us, we usually mess things up and end up not having what He wanted for us from the beginning. God always answers our prayers. Sometimes, He says, ”Yes.” Sometimes, He says, “No.” Sometimes, He says, “Wait.” I hate that part, but I am learning that it’s necessary. 

God’s timing and our timing are rarely the same. He sees the big picture and knows that sometimes, it is only through waiting that we can become what He wants us to be. It is sometimes only through waiting that we can have what He wants for us; the very best. When it gets hard to wait, remember that God doesn’t want heavy, dense pancakes that are doughy in the middle. He wants pancakes that are pleasing in texture and flavor that comes only from waiting.

You are invited

You are invited to a sumptuous feast. The menu has been planned specifically for your benefit and enjoyment. Your host will see to your every need and will dine with you as long as you wish.” Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Now imagine that you arrive at the feast with your own flatware. It’s no ordinary flatware. You grabbed the best that you had. It’s neatly packaged and comes complete with its own napkin and possibly a hand-wipe. Upon your arrival, your host questions why you felt it necessary to provide your own utensils. You are quick to explain that while you were sure that they could provide an excellent meal, you doubted their ability to see to the details and took it upon yourself to take charge of the situation. You proudly show them the multi-use utensil that is a combination of a fork and spoon. Surely, this is better than anything the host could provide. Your host respects your choice and watches as you struggle to eat the food that has been so carefully prepared. There are some foods that you can’t eat because you refuse to use what your host has for you. After all, you know what you’re doing.
While this situation may seem ridiculous, it is essentially what we do with God all too often. God has invited us to take part in a glorious life. Everything has been carefully planned and while we may not know or understand everything that happens, we can be assured that He has everything under control. Even with that assurance, we mistakenly show up thinking that we need to help God out. We profess to know that God can take care of the big issues in our lives, but fail to recognize that He has every detail taken care of also. We show up with our less than ideal notions of how things should be and end up missing some of the greatest blessings that He has waiting for us. We say that we give Him complete control and then turn around and put limitations on how He can accomplish His plan. Whether it’s a dollar, a mile, or a minute, every time we take it upon ourselves to stipulate how God can bless us, we rob ourselves of what is waiting for us.
You are invited to a sumptuous feast, but don’t worry. He’ll provide flatware

Dirty Dishes

I don’t like doing dishes.  I was married to someone who did.  I guess we made a good match.  I never understood how my husband could like doing dishes…until tonight.

 For the past few days, all of my kids and grandkids have been home. Everyone, except for Justin and Allison, has stayed at my house.  That means 5 kids, 4 daughters-in-law, 1 son’s girlfriend, 6 grandchildren and myself are all under one roof.  That translates into a lot of food and a lot of dishes.  Today, after opening presents, my children spent the day with other family members.  I spent the afternoon cleaning up and catching up on dishes.  As I washed, my mind went back to a sign that always hung in my grandma’s kitchen. It said, “Thank God for dirty dishes.  They have a tale to tell.  While other folks go hungry, we’re eating very well.”  Even though I have to admit I wasn’t thinking about people who may be wondering where their next meal was coming from, I was thinking about the blessing that the dishes represented.  I had a house full of people that I love and the sound of children’s laughter filling the air.  I got to watch my children work together, play together, laugh together and love each other.  My granddaughter prayed for me to feel better when I fell victim to the bug that was being passed around the family.  The untouched snow that once filled my yard now shows evidence of children, big and small, playing.  There are toys everywhere you look, a mountain of towels that are waiting to be washed, a package of baby wipes waiting for the next diaper change, fingerprints and hidden crackers that I’m sure will be discovered for weeks to come. 

Yes, the dishes have a tale to tell.  They tell me that my family is home and that’s the best tale that I can think of.  Maybe my husband was on to something.  Maybe he knew the story that dirty dishes told.

Candy Cane Cookies

It’s that time of the year.  It’s time for us to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  There are many different ways that people choose to recognize the significance of this time of year.  It may be giving gifts to those they care about.  It may be putting up a tree that may symbolize us reaching to heaven or life’s triumph over death.  The common traditions are observed by people all over the world. However, each family often develops its own traditions that bring the holiday new meaning.   One of the traditions that has been a part of my children’s lives and now mine, is making candy cane cookies.  These cookies feature a sugar cookie dough that been divided into 2 parts.  One part is flavored and the other is colored red and flavored.  Small ropes of the dough are twisted into the candy cane form and baked.  The candy cane has a history of religious symbolism.  The color, the shape, and the stripes all served to remind people of the true meaning of Christmas… the gift of Jesus.

I have to admit that the cookies are quite tasty, but they are so much more.  The candy cane cookies represent the life that my children had before they knew me.  I believe that making the candy cane cookies was an activity that my children shared with their mother throughout their childhood.  Now, for my children, the candy cane cookies take them to a time and place when their mother was with them and what a wonderful person she was.  A cookie serves to ground them in the rich heritage of knowing God personally.  The cookie certainly represents the gift of Jesus Christ, but it also represents the gift that Kathy gave to me…her children.  Yeah, it’s just a cookie, but every time I taste one, I say a silent  ”Thank you” to God for the gift of Jesus Christ and “Thank you” to Kathy for the gifts of Bob, Jeramy, Andy, Corey, and Crystal.

Lessons from a cow

In a couple of days, my Foods classes will finish up their unit on beef.  One of the things that I impress on the students is that it is important to know what part of the animal  a cut comes from and what those muscles do. A basic rule is that pieces of meat from the loin and the rib are tender and everything else is not so tender.  The reason that the rib and loin are tender is that they are muscles of suspension.  They pretty much just hang around.  Other muscles are muscles of locomotion and do the work which makes them tougher.  During the cooking process, muscles of suspension can handle a dry heat and a higher temperature without getting tough.  Locomotion muscles need either a precooking process such as marinating, grinding, pounding, or cubing in order to handle dry heat.  Otherwise, they require a moist heat method of cooking such as braising or stewing.

As we walk with God, the more we “hang around” Him, the more we remain tender.  When the heat is applied, we can handle it and become more usable.  When we start trying to do things our own way or run from the things that God wants for us, we become tough and it takes more work and longer time to make us usable again.

Hang out with God.  Be tender to how He wants to use you.  Avoid the pain that often occurs in the tenderizing process.

Marinating

 I went to church some time ago and heard a single word used in a prayer that caught my attention. The word was, “marinate.” Being a Foods teacher, this word piqued my interest. I have to admit that I had trouble concentrating on the sermon as I rolled this word around in my mind.

The word was used as a young lady prayed. She had shared some thoughts about God’s promises. She was very nervous about speaking in front of people, but was obedient and shared what God laid on her heart. As she closed her thoughts, she prayed that our hearts would marinate in the word of God.

I thought about the word, marinate. It’s a vocabulary word in my class and more than likely you would find it on a test about kitchen basics. This leads me to my first thought. Marinating is not a complex process. It involves a mixture of seasoning, liquids, some of which contain some sort of acid, and a piece of meat. In this process, the cook and the marinade do all the work. All the meat has to do is sit there. What can we learn from that? There are times when God just wants to overwhelm us with His presence. All we need to do is allow it to happen. When I marinade, I usually use a plastic bag. This allows me to eliminate most of the air that would interfere with the process. When we marinate in God, we need to shut out those things that would interfere with the process. I told a friend recently that perhaps they needed a DAWG. (Day Alone With God) Removing the distractions and concentrating solely on God can do wonders to accomplish the marinating process.

What is the purpose of marinating? It is used to improve the flavor and tenderize a piece of meat that might otherwise be somewhat tough and lacking flavor. When we marinate in God, He improves our flavor and tenderizes our hearts. The improved flavor makes us usable by God to reach those around us. It was the tenderizing aspect that really made me stop and think. There are so many things that toughen our hearts. Life throws us curve balls. People hurt us. Our schedules get too busy. We forget to immerse ourselves in God’s word. We want our own way. All these things toughen us and can make us unusable by God. The only way for us to return to a point of usefulness is to allow God to marinate our hearts. This is not always an enjoyable process. In the culinary world, the acid in the marinade breaks down the connective tissues in the meat over a period of time. Marinating in God takes time and may result in the painful breaking down of those things that make us tough. It’s not going to happen with a 5 minute devotional at the end of the day when you’re so exhausted that you can’t concentrate on what God is trying to say. It’s not going to be a result of reading the Bible out of a sense of duty. It means immersing yourself in prayer and allowing God to lead your reading of His Word. It means allowing God to talk to your heart and letting go of those things that toughen you. It’s not easy. We like to hang on to those things. Even those things that are painful. We try to find security in painful experiences, just because they are familiar. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting them. It means no longer letting them define who we are and who we can become. Marinating in God means letting go of the power and control that we have fooled ourselves in thinking that we have.

The end result of marinating is a product that can be used to nourish those we come in contact with. There are a couple of individuals, in addition to myself, that I am praying God will begin a marinating process on. Out of fairness to them and those around them, I won’t give any specifics. If you are led by God, I ask that you pray about these situations. First I pray that they will allow themselves to be marinated. The hurts from the past and need for power and control have toughened their hearts. This has resulted in some very toxic situations. I also ask that you pray for me as I continue to allow myself to me marinated. It is my hope that God can somehow allow me to “share” my marinade with these individuals.

Well, there’s your “cooking” lesson for today. Next time you get out the marinade in an effort to season and tenderize a piece of meat, I hope this comes to your mind and you will remind yourself to immerse yourself in God and allow your heart to be marinated.