October 27
who is sheltered by her from the heat, and dwells in the midst of her glory. Sirach 14:27
My grandchildren, especially the boys are into jokes and riddles! So on the Halloween card for my youngest grandchild Mattie, I put the riddle: What do you call a ghost who gets too close to the fireplace? Answer: A toasty ghostie! Well, it got me thinking back to toasting marshmallows as a kid. What sticky, ooey, gooey fun . . . sometimes. There were times however, when too close to the flame, that marshmallow became an inferno of sizzling, charred, dripping mess that landed on the ground! We kids though, would usually just reach for another and try again, until we cooked it to our liking, pulling it away from the flame over and over in our effort to not overcook it again. Yet, how can I even talk about comfort food such as marshmallows, with so much going on in the world; so many hot topics that seem to be creating a mess around us?
Well, out to dinner at a friend’s house the other night, my dear friend made a side dish of sweet potato casserole - my favorite! The smooth, whipped, buttery, sweet potato, covered with mini marshmallows baked to crispy, gooey, melting perfection was like a dessert! And as we ate the delicious meal she prepared, clustered around the table, we chatted all of us about so many things as the room echoed with laughter and conversation; all the while comfort and caring and a feeling of togetherness and love surrounded us. And that is what it’s all about. No matter what news is swirling about us, making it seem like the good things that are essential to our lives are melting in this heat and falling to the ground, our time together with family and friends is what brings meaning to our lives and comfort to our spirits. It gives us hope and reenergizes our passion to continue with our efforts. Like warm, melting marshmallow, let your sweetness cover all. Let your love and caring bring together something good even from those situations that may seem too hot to handle. Don’t stop trying.
In the heat of the moment, Lord, we can miss out on something right in front of us. Help us to discern what we need to do. Abba! Father! We are yours!
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
who is sheltered by her from the heat, and dwells in the midst of her glory. Sirach 14:27
My grandchildren, especially the boys are into jokes and riddles! So on the Halloween card for my youngest grandchild Mattie, I put the riddle: What do you call a ghost who gets too close to the fireplace? Answer: A toasty ghostie! Well, it got me thinking back to toasting marshmallows as a kid. What sticky, ooey, gooey fun . . . sometimes. There were times however, when too close to the flame, that marshmallow became an inferno of sizzling, charred, dripping mess that landed on the ground! We kids though, would usually just reach for another and try again, until we cooked it to our liking, pulling it away from the flame over and over in our effort to not overcook it again. Yet, how can I even talk about comfort food such as marshmallows, with so much going on in the world; so many hot topics that seem to be creating a mess around us?
Well, out to dinner at a friend’s house the other night, my dear friend made a side dish of sweet potato casserole - my favorite! The smooth, whipped, buttery, sweet potato, covered with mini marshmallows baked to crispy, gooey, melting perfection was like a dessert! And as we ate the delicious meal she prepared, clustered around the table, we chatted all of us about so many things as the room echoed with laughter and conversation; all the while comfort and caring and a feeling of togetherness and love surrounded us. And that is what it’s all about. No matter what news is swirling about us, making it seem like the good things that are essential to our lives are melting in this heat and falling to the ground, our time together with family and friends is what brings meaning to our lives and comfort to our spirits. It gives us hope and reenergizes our passion to continue with our efforts. Like warm, melting marshmallow, let your sweetness cover all. Let your love and caring bring together something good even from those situations that may seem too hot to handle. Don’t stop trying.
In the heat of the moment, Lord, we can miss out on something right in front of us. Help us to discern what we need to do. Abba! Father! We are yours!
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson