The Recipe (08/04/2026)

This morning I am trying to write down a recipe for Spaghetti for a friend. She’s having special company, and she remembers my spaghetti because I took to her and her family once when they were all together. I’m happy to share. Problem is I don’t have it written down; I don’t cook that way. I cook by sight and smell and texture and taste. I’ve written it out, and I’m going over it to make sure I haven’t inadvertently left out something. I don’t want my friend to think I’ve gone "southern" on her and intentionally omitted the mystery secret ingredient that makes it special.

I learned to make this particular spaghetti by making it with Tony, my son-in-law. He taught me how to make his family’s signature dish. Like I said, I never wrote it down. My amounts are “eyeball measurements”; I circle the pan twice with extra virgin olive oil running but not gurgling out of the bottle. See what I mean? How do I write that on a recipe card?

This reminds me of last night as I was with a group of friends at bible study, trying to digest Paul's Letter to the Romans and how to live a righteous life. We learn to live well like I learned to cook. Experience tells us much. That's why we say children can't really sin before they form a conscience because they don't understand the "ingredients". And the ingredients are love of the Lord and love for one another.

As we live, we must ask ourselves if we were asked to "taste" or put another way, to experience, what we've just done, would we find it pleasing or bitter?

As we continue our journeys in faith, hope and love, let us commit to being people who live our dependence on the LORD out loud. Let us be people of joy who recognize the LORD’s power and presence at work in the world and in us. Let us do all we can whenever we can and with whatever we can to serve the LORD well and in the process serve one another, our sisters and brothers, with love. Let us promise to be present to the moment (the sights and smells and textures and tastes) and remember the secret ingredient of life in Christ: Remain in me as I remain in You. Let us companion one another lovingly recalling that Jesus commanded us to love one another as He has loved us.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.