It Hasn't Always Been This Way

When Philip and I married, all I could cook was the fruit cobbler my grandmother had taught me. Beyond that, I was clueless. I had, however, married into a family of home ec majors, so there was no getting around some remedial kitchen work. The first year of our marriage my reward to myself for completing Greek assignments was time to read Southern Living magazine in the campus library. Made me feel nice and homey and there were some good recipes to try. Considering yesterday I was grinding wheat for brownies, cooking pumpkin for bread, heating milk for yogurt, and throwing together a casserole and cake for today's potluck, it's obvious God has been faithfully training me with each passing year. I had to laugh yesterday, though, when I remembered the first time I saw a recipe for brownies. A recipe for brownies? What? I knew better than that...brownies come from a box! I thought Betty Crocker invented brownies and it blew my mind that there was such a thing as "from scratch" brownies.

Only a few years ago, when we moved to Texas, a friend gave me a large bag as a going away gift. When I finally looked in it, I discovered it was jars and jars of food she had canned. A thoughtful gift to help us settle into our new home. I am embarrassed to say, though, I threw the whole thing away. Home canned food was beyond my comfort level. It's funny, just four years later, I spent most of my free time this summer learning to can and preserve foods (and am already looking forward to learning more next year)! (pictured are my summer projects)

It just goes to show that God's ways are greater than our ways. Seems like if He wanted me in the kitchen, he would have put me there from the time I was a little girl. Seems like (with the family I grew up in), he'd have me serving him in a career instead trying to make a home. But he doesn't, he has me here. He's given me the grace to understand different lifestyles by training me in several. Best of all, He is being glorified because, though it is my weakness, He is teaching me day by day to love my family and to make this house a home.