It
had NOT been a good weekend! Maybe slave will feel better after a
walk. Tomorrow it will be Autumn. Today is not too hot, nice breeze.
In fact slave was starting to enjoy the sunshine. It wondered how
many more we would get this year. Then it hit me hard. 5 O'clock and
nothing was planed for dinner. I hurried to the kitchen to check what
my heart already knew. The refrigerator was empty. Nothing in the
cupboard. “SHIT, now what do I do? How could this happen? What am
I gonna fix?” “Why me? “I'm always in this kitchen alone.”
What am I going to do? “I can't handle it! “I just can't do it.”
Yeah,
it reads a bit dramatic, but when I didn't see it coming I did kinda
freak out. Often I sit in the kitchen figuring out what am I gonna
fix. However this time I was near a panic. “Why don't I plan
better?, “How am I going to fix anything?” The walls seemed to
be closing in on me. “How could I be so careless with my job for
Master?”
“Master”
Just
as that word formed in my mind, it brought a presence into my being,
a calmness. “What have you learned?”
I
pulled the chair up so that it completely supported my weight. My
arms laid out on the table with my hands folded, my eyes closed and I
tried to relax my breathing. “What have you learned?” His voice
in my mind began clearing away the cobwebs and letting in the light.
His
voice – my voice, the voice, like a steady hand on my shoulder,
helped my mind focus on what was real. I have learned that I am a
slave. I have learned that I need to serve. -Want to serve. I am
His slave. “Stay focused slave”. I serve. “Repeat it” I
serve. “again” I serve. “Now serve!”
I
released my breath with a sigh. My mind was a bit clearer now. What
do I need to do first, right now. This is the best way of conquering
any problem, find out what step you need to do first. You will be
surprised at what you CAN do with this simple trick: what do I do
first?
OK
there was some zucchini left over from the English Tea wasn't there?
Yes, and some squash, maybe a bit of red onion too. OK that's a
start! I can cut up that up, mix it with a tablespoon of oil and
roast it at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Now get that started.
I
also had a big beautiful yellow onion, I can cut that up and cook it
with a couple of frozen beef patties.
OK,
keep thinking. I got the patties out and sliced into the onion only
to find it was rotten on the insides. My heart fell, I almost
collapsed again. Was my resolve that fragile? Well, into the trash it
went and my mind was back to repeating: I am a slave, I serve. I
knew that simple truth. It was a wonderful thing. I enjoyed the
feeling it brought me.
I
am a slave, I serve.
I
just seemed to flow in my mind, lighten my load and supplying
strength for my service.
I
found an almost empty box of penne rigate pasta left over from last
week. So the pasta pot came out and filled with water to heat. What
am I going to put with that? I'll think of something, but it has to
go on the heat now.
I
was finding a few things but not many. Out came the hamburger patties
for a quick thaw in the microwave. Just enough to pry them apart and
get in the skillet. I can brown the sides, then put in some kind of
sauce or gravy and let simmer to finish cooking.
What
kind of sauce? Slow down slave.
“Slave”
how and why that word wrapped me in love I do not know. It is the
kind of thing that either is or it is not.
A
tune popped into my mind and soon I was humming it under my breath.
Without really thinking about it, I was making a white sauce with
extra garlic powder, more white pepper, a touch of nutmeg, why not?
Soon the patties were simmering under a glass domed lid.
Well
really, I could mix the pasta with the roasted vegetables and that
would taste good or for that matter I could dump it into the sauce
and serve that on the side of these impromptu Salisbury steaks.
That
is what I ended up doing. I took a picture for you, then sat down to
eat. I thought about the dinner and what I had done.
It
was a satisfying meal, not my best but again it could have been
worse. I can not expect praise for failing to plan. No kudos for not
thinking ahead. But somehow Master was not angry. In fact really
not that displeased at all. Why?
It
was because of the process. I used what I had learned from Him.
What I had learned about myself and who and what I was. That truth
was all the strength I needed to survive. All I needed to serve. And
more than need, I wanted to serve.
So
my title: “The Meal I don't want You to make!”? I don't want you
to ever get caught empty handed in the kitchen. I would like to ask
to to consider, when that happens – and it does happen to all of us
at one time or another! When it happens: slow down and remember what
you are and what you do. Find your strength, it is there.
Master
knows it. He wants you to be the best you possible. That's His job.
Of course He knew you had forgotten to plan. He knew you had nothing
set for dinner, that you had forgotten your duties. But what was
important was what you did next. How you handled it. He knew that
you would serve, that is who you are.
So
I guess what I'm saying is to remember to have some of the same faith
in yourself that your Master has in you.
…..Oh
and by the way, just what are you fixing tonight?
socialslave
To
satisfy and restore.
To
nourish, support and maintain.
To
gratify, spoil,
comfort
and please,
to
nurture, assist, and sustain
…..I
cook!
Actually cooking chicken for tonight dinner :)
ReplyDeleteGreat! Me too, I've got 4 drumsticks marinading in buttermilk and yogurt. How are you preparing yours?
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