You want to know what I’m good at? Cooking.
You know why I’m good at it? Tons of time in the kitchen since I was about 12 years old watching my Momma, my Granny, and my Memaw roll dough, sort beans, and peel taters. Hours of perusing recipes, trying them out, then tweaking them to suit my taste. It’s just my thing. And my girls know it. When Momma is happy, she’s in the kitchen. When Momma is sad, she’s in the kitchen. When Momma is angry, frustrated, grumpy, or excited, she’s in the kitchen.
They know my favorite things to cook & they love to jump in and help me. My girls can tell you the special ingredient that I use in my lasagna & where I store the Cream of Tartar. They probably cannot tell you how old Jesus was when He disappeared from scripture for a while, how old He was when He returned, how many disciples He had, or who betrayed Him. So what am I getting at here? My kids are sponges – they see all I do in life and they soak it in. They can’t soak in what they can’t see.
My kids have seen me more in my kitchen than they have in my Bible. I have invited them in numerous times to sit at my feet and embrace my love for homemade dough and freshly grated cheeses. I don’t really recall many times that I have called them in to my bedroom and opened one of their many devotional or Bible Story books and fed them the Word of God the way I have fed them from my kitchen. Here I am, shoveling in my special Saucy Spaghetti yet starving them of the Holy Spirit. Feeding their body is a necessity and it keeps them alive on this Earth but feeding their souls can lead them down a path to experience eternal life – I have to do both. Its time I focused on nourishing their love for the Lord and understanding that He is the only way they can be completely satisfied.
I was sitting with my youngest, Courtlyn the other night and began to ask her questions about some Bible stories that I was studying in my online Bible Study. I was shocked by her answers – that she was able to tell me some details that I knew I had never taught her. And I knew she had learned those things in Sunday School. Which I was truly thankful for but it also felt like a giant knife in my heart. I didn’t know that my baby girl knew those things because I had never asked her. It was a bright and glaring reminder that we rarely discuss the Bible outside of the typical “How was Sunday School today?” question that comes out of my mouth every Sunday as we get in the car leaving church. I was so blown away by the knowledge she had and I couldn’t help but think that she could be a Bible Scholar if I just took time each night to FEED HER the Word – right here at home.
Both of my girls have gone to church their entire lives. There have been moments of transition where we don’t always attend regularly but in the grand scheme of things, they have been in a church building more often than not – and while that nourishes their souls – it’s really just like snack time. Sitting in a church pew or in a Sunday School class is just a little “spiritual snack”. And it only happens once a week! If I applied that same concept to their nutrition and only fed them one snack, once a week, they’d starve. I have been spiritually starving my babies. I should be spreading out a buffet of the Word all over our house for them to feast from every day of the week!
When they are happy, I bake them a cake. I should also be teaching them to praise the giver of their happiness! When they are sad and feeling broken, I make them Chicken and Dumplings. I should also be teaching them to seek Him, the ultimate healer. No matter what they are experiencing, I always try to solve it with some down home cooking. My natural instinct is to take care of my girls. I show love with food. Let’s not even talk about how detrimental that can be to their health – that’s a different blog for a different day.
The point I am trying to make here – priorities. We all have them. We all make them. But what order are they in? I truly do want my girls to know the secret ingredients in my recipes but my priority has to be that they know the secret ingredients for a happy, service centered, Christ first life – first. My oldest, Taylor who is a teenager is starting with the Seamless: Student Edition that we are currently wrapping up.
My youngest, Courtlyn who is in elementary school is beginning another book by Seamless author, Angie Smith entitled For Such a Time as This: Stories of Women from the Bible, Retold for Girls. I cannot recommend either one of them enough for those age groups. It brings the Bible and the stories to life. I have to provide my daughters with the nourishment they need. I am responsible for their nutrition. Both physical and spiritual. Now, pardon us while we go curl up with a big ol’ bowl of Jesus soup. He’s been waiting on us……
Denise Dallenbach says
This right here ? is why I thank God that he brought you into my life! I cannot thank you enough for just being Jamie and being so giving of your time for so many. You are truly a vessel of Gods’s beautiful design. ? I love you love you love you!!!
Ashley Shepherd says
I love you and so thankful for our friendship!!!
KJ Strong says
Oh, this is so good! I have starved my 19 yr old son Spiritually as well. It weighs on my mind. I’ve been praying about, yet after reading your heart I am renewed about exactly what I should be praying about. Thank you!
Jamie Young says
God is going to help us make up for where we fell short! I’m giving it to Him and asking him to guide me from here forward. I can’t go back and fix the past but I can write the future! Thank you Kimberly!
The How to Guru says
This is an excellent word, Sister. Wow, how it pierced my heart. I’m guilty have been guilty as well.
I’ve noticed with my two that the older they become, the less we have “talked” about scripture. I’ve realized that I have to make it a daily priority. My oldest was a public school kiddo so we made a commitment to make bedtime a special time for bible reading and discussions. My youngest is home educated so we start the day with this commitment.
Do not weary of doing good because God’s word is never returned void.
blessings,
Shan Walker
Katy Tate says
Jamie, you have been brave enough to write about what I also struggle with. As a mom of two girls of my own, I can totally relate to this. It hits home with me and it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for your honesty, transparency, and for blessing me with the “nourishment” I needed today. You are a treasure.
Malisa says
Absolutely beautiful! Thank you!