Cooking 101

Recently, I hope you’ve enjoyed walking into a kitchen and admiring the various assortments of food, probably which you experienced at Thanksgiving. The sweet and pleasant aromas fill your senses and then you begin thinking about the taste. This continues, and maybe becomes even more so, until the first bite into the meal. Then an exceptional feasting and conversation follows, all the while creating fond memories.

The preparation of meal, I would say, was quite the undertaking. It required me to be fully focused and dedicated to the operation. Even the mere choice of what to make seemed, in some sense, challenging. The time it took to cook the food was essential for a quality meal. Selection of specific spices, cheese and bread were vital to mission success. However, these are just some of the things I learned.

Wednesday night, I had the opportunity to serve my sister in making a meal for her. The previous paragraph describes some of my first experience cooking a meal. During which, I became more thankful for people who do prepare food, whatever the occasion. Even so, it was fun, especially with my sister adding tidbits of coaching and guiding along the way. The dish was alfredo with steamed broccoli, chicken and baguette bread with spices and Italian cheese, along with some peach tea. And thankfully, it turned out quite well for a first-timer.

Through the experience, this is what I found to be true: the taste and flavor of the food seemed to be more satisfying by preparing it, rather than not having done so. Was it more enjoyable and flavorful since I had to cook it? I believe so. This led me to wonder…

Do we enjoy Christ and heaven as much since we are prepared through life with Him? A complete answer may not be given, but quite possibly we do. The preparation through life may make the end product, heaven, taste better. The enjoyment of a relationship with Christ grows as we do. So, just as food was more enjoyable through making it, I treasure the relationship with Christ more through the journey of life.  

Time with the sis and finding God in the little things.

That’s legit.

Definitional Issues

It was a pleasure to sit amongst friends today and share in joy and laughter with them. The conversation started casually, and then it found its close where it had begun. Circles are essentially what we drew with our conversation today. Within these however, many different topics were covered: rabbits, roommates, trophies and traveling the world.

The word legit also came up in the conversation today. Of course, you may notice that is, essentially, the title of my blog. Someone said something that was the opposite of legit, thus rendering people’s thoughts on many different names for the word…

un-legit

il-legit

mis-legit

dis-legit
de-legit
ex-legit

…

Then, Lis summoned the master of the word: legittery.

What’s also interesting: this year marks the 113^th anniversary (theater version) of the word, “legit.” Throw a party? I think so.

That’s something of legit.

Beyond Food

Thanksgiving Eve proved to be more of an interesting time than expected. My friend and I were wrapping venison and I joked about grilling some-at that very moment. Outside, the temperature was wonderful, about 65 degrees. The smell of rain had pierced through the other smells of the dark, damp night, while lightning lit the sky at different moments. A funny sight for my friend and his mom was my use of a flashlight-while grilling. Grilling deer is maybe not my specialty, since that was, the first time doing it. The grilled meat turned out decently well, however. I’m thankful for the experience and laughter that came with the time.

Thanksgiving. What an amazing time of the year. Not so as much because of the food, but rather it really is a time to reflect on experiences, things, and people that we are truly thankful for. And, I think by pondering about these things can bring even more joy and excitement to the day. So, here is a list of 10 things I’m thankful for, in no particular order (obviously there’s more, but for the sake of time):

1. the gracious Father (well, the Son and Holy Spirit too)

2. family

3. friends

4. the sound of a guitar

5. books

6. reese’s (and all other food, of course)

7. Colorado

8. Mizzou

9. falling snow

10. love

Thanksgiving.

it’s legit.

The Garbage Man

Growing up, most of us see and gain from society that a garbage man has quite the dirty job. Along with this understanding comes the portrayal of the man on the job, cast in the same light. When I was growing up, it was those Monday nights that the garbage had to be set out. When a moment is taken to think about it, there are a lot of interesting things thrown in the garbage. And garbage contains good, new and pleasant things, along with the items beyond sickly imagination (rotten, sticky, foul smelling). This, however unpleasant or pleasing this garbage may be, is a game every day of our lives we participate in order to rid our lives and homes of such.

It is interesting to see the word usage Paul expresses in Philippians 3:8, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ...” We throw garbage away daily, because living in it doesn’t make sense, it is, nasty, or something simply doesn’t work. However, I believe Paul goes much deeper than the “normal” sense of garbage here. Consider our accomplishments and other defining qualities (education, money, status) that reside within our lives are exactly what we must have the garbage man pick up. In my own life sometimes, refuge and comfort are found in these ‘treasures.’ But (a topic for a later time) these securities are wrong to even call mine.

A reversal Paul calls us to: Let our confidence reside in the beauty and resurrection of Christ. This reversal stems from the values our society places on such accomplishments. We tend to treasure these than considering them Tuesday mornings. In saying this however, it’s not negate the glory one is able to bring Christ through our lives and accomplishments, but more so to not take stock, or investment, in such.

Paul’s emotion in the next section seems to declare an extreme pain, or deep sadness, at the fact that many live as enemies of the cross, in a sense: their garbage. His tears present to us what our reaction is to be. This heart of emotion, love and hope is one in which to imitate. We shall rejoice that our citizenship is in heaven, however. Take hope and refuge in Christ and see the rest (accomplishments) as gifts.

Think about it: Christ is The Garbage Man.

God can take and transform your landfill into beauty.

That’s Legit.