This last week I had an epiphany! It all started around
Tuesday morning when I was cooking breakfast. There often times will be a
little bit of leftover oatmeal, which consequently gets added to the next
morning’s fresh oatmeal. It seemed like the oatmeal was becoming a sourdough
starter: no matter how many times you use it, you always still have a little
bit of the original. This particular morning, we really seemed to overdo the
amount needed for breakfast. With thoughts of the next breakfast, Phoebe put
the remains in the fridge.
Lunches tend to have a similar
outlook. If there are leftovers that need to be used, use them however seems
fit. The split peas from the previous day were not enough alone, but the black
beans were almost enough. We mixed those and threw in some two-day-old rice for
good measure. (Now you need to understand that the guys here at the property
are not very picky eaters. My menu options are “take it or leave it.” I cannot
recollect a time when they chose the latter.) I thought we could finally finish
that bean concoction and clear out the fridge a bit. However, much to my
dismay, there was excess at the end of the meal. So once again, I put it in a
container and threw it into the fridge.
By suppertime, I was getting tired
of seeing those same old beans. That was when I had one of my first great
ideas: Why not make black bean burgers! It was a great way to get rid of the
beans and still follow the menu of hamburgers. DOUBLE BONUS! I could use the
beans and the leftover oatmeal to make the patties. I started mixing and flavoring
and frying all proud of what I was doing with the survivors. We all enjoyed a
supper of something that seemed brand new. But once again, the terror hit when
I found that there were a plethora of burgers after all had consumed to
satisfaction. AYE AYE AYE! Back to the cold casket they went.
Oatmeal breakfast was no longer
making the cut. Us girls had a wild spell by cooking biscuits and gravy without
any oatmeal in the mix! Preparing food for fourteen people is much different
than preparing for six. Since we recently had a significant drop in the number
of herbivorous homo sapiens, we have been making a bit too much at mealtimes. The
gravy was good, but there was too much goodness for breakfast. So (you guessed
it) it became leftovers.
The culmination of the hodgepodge
of scraps was about to go down. This was when I had my potluck epiphany! We
used the gravy from breakfast to smother the burgers from two nights previous
which were compiled of day old oatmeal mixed with reused rice and recycled
beans leaving me with leftovers to the eighth power, plus or minus two days. This
was an exact replica of the mystery gravy and patties dishes that so often
plague the potluck table. The only thing Ray could say was, “You girls are
creative!”
Are you stuck in a spiritual
slough? Do you find yourself eating “plain oatmeal” everyday without any
satisfaction? Ever thought about trying it out for more than just a breakfast.
What about letting Jesus be your oatmeal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Just
because you read your Bible for one hour every morning does not mean that you
are tight with Jesus. Try and make Him real in your life today. Spice things up
a bit by trying new ideas in your devotions. Share your ideas with a friend,
because by sharing you will gain another blessing.
