Comfort Food (02/23/2024)

Last evening, my husband’s brother and sister-in-law arrived for a three-day visit. There was the usual preparation of readying their guest quarters and tidying up overall. And then there were the meals to plan. My husband took it upon himself to set the menu for us, which I appreciated. He chose his favorite “comfort foods.” And I did the shopping. Last evening, as they sat and visited at the kitchen table and I joined in when I could, I made southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and black-eyed peas. As I sat down at the table, my brother-in-law said, “I love the basics, meat and potatoes. But when you add gravy, it’s great.”

I knew my brother-in-law loved gravy. I recall a long time ago when he came to me for my help. He wanted to learn how to make gravy. So, I taught him how to make what we called “clear gravy” with corn starch slurry and “milk gravy” with flour and milk.

We all have those things in life that bring us “comfort.” For my husband, it is bread pudding. Just the smell of it in the air can lower his blood pressure. For me, it is time outside, breathing in the fresh air and taking in the wonders of creation. My favorite outside place is my porch; however, if you offered me a picnic table by the lake so I could look, listen, and journal, I’d feel like I won the lottery.

My husband’s reason for bread pudding was that it was a childhood memory. No matter what, there was milk and bread on the farm; his mother would make bread pudding. For me, those times that I spend in the sanctuary of the LORD’s creation, I realize over and over again how very small I am in the grand scheme of things and yet the LORD loves me. It brings me humble gratitude.

What brings you comfort?

This day, as we continue our journeys of faith, buoyed by the hope in the promise of the LORD, and fueled by love, let us take time to allow the LORD to comfort us. Let us recognize that we are called to know, love and serve the LORD and to love and serve one another, but we are also called to a deep and transformative loving relationship with our LORD. Let us set aside time or seek ways to open ourselves to the comfort for the journeyer that only the LORD can provide. Let us seek times to just rest in the LORD and allow the LORD to renew us and refresh us.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.

Thoughts? Questions? Request? = katewiskus@gmail.com