I was recently taping a cooking segment that airs on the News I Anchor. The guest chef and I were talking in between takes. He said he loves to see people get beyond the fear of cooking and it most often happens when they realize the recipe is just the starting point. Have fun with it!
Later that day I had the almost daily request of, “Let’s make cookies, Mama.” As I pulled out the ingredients and started to double-check the mental list of everything it takes to make their favorite – chocolate chip, I felt myself wondering if we would end up with the state of frustration that often comes with these efforts. But God gave me a subtle reminder – so subtle that I didn’t even realize it until now, long after the cookies have cooled. He sent me the gift of patience and peace. I have recently been praying for God to give me these gracious gifts so I can be a better Mother to my precious children. They are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3) and would you treat a gift from THE One and Only God of the Universe as anything but precious?
So often us busy Moms get going on auto-pilot. We get caught up following the steps, measuring everything precisely. That’s what the recipe says. But we miss the fun of the flour going all over the kitchen, the eggshells falling into the batter, the stirring that whips the gooey dough all over the place. I’ve never been so excited to see such a crazy mess, did we remember the vanilla? Because it came at the priceless experience of a crooked smile closing in for a sugary sweet kiss.
- “Let’s make cookies, Mama.”
These were far from perfect, but they tasted great.
Don’t be in a rush to get the kids out of the way because it is easier to just do it yourself. Thank God for making me realize the Recipe is Just a Starting Point.
