From scratch

February 3rd

It was one of those days where I had to be in three different places at the same time. Not sure of who to let down, not sure of the welcome available after that. Unsure of how to get to the three locations, here, twenty miles away and eight miles respectively, do what needed to be done without appearing rushed to get to the next task.
Added to that is the constant pressure of the new house food rules, which I have to say put my draconian diet of rice and peas in the shade, tackling the first outbreak of gout and the continued outbreak of H.S. We have decided to remove nightshades from the diet and also yeast extract, anchovies, alcohol, fizzy anything, meat extract, stock among many ingredients. Nightshade vegetables, for those of you who are saying, ” that’s not too bad I can do without Marmite!” Nightshade vegetables are potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum and chillies.
So my mind recipe file has been thrown out, no tomato-based sauces so no pasta and Bolognaise, lasagne, Chilli con Carne, pizzas. Bah humbug, but then take out every Indian and Far East dish I make, all the spicy African and Mexican food and I can’t even start doing bland Irish food.
Today, like I alluded to earlier was ‘one of those days’ and have you seen the rain, I can’t even take Lorelei for a run (Irish rain kills you know!)
I have two of the tasks done, Milton bath – check, meeting with D – check, am now at home waiting to take Smudge to see Sarah and so I ended up with free time.
Well, when I say free time, I have three services to prepare for: one on lovingkindness, one of doom, gloom and hope and one on extra mile living, three Bible studies to write, two on parables of Jesus and rewrite one on Jude so it finishes on Friday and doesn’t hang in the middle. So there is stuff to be done.
But instead, I made puff pastry, turned that into vol-au-vents and made three different mixtures to go in them, did I mention my faddy eaters! There is a tea brack baking in the oven (God bless Ballingrane’s Phil) and I have time to write the Bible study tonight on Lost and Found.
All good, I was particularly pleased that the D meeting went so well, good things to come I am sure.
So I turned to my devotional and the verse that caught me was: 1 Corinthians 6:19 which took me back to another time and another place and the delightfully witty Hilary. A good dose of laughter reminded me of the joy found in everyday life, in the small things. A wise guy coined the phrase, “don’t sweat the small stuff” I think he should do a sequel, “Delight in the small stuff”
Sometimes we need to get our hand in dough, handling butter incorporation with care, sometimes we need to do a bit of manual labour, weeding, knitting whatever to just still our minds and focus on He who is worthy of all praise. Small stuff comes and goes, but jumping in puddles with a muddy dog – priceless. Making stuff from scratch – timeless. Being made into a new creation – forevermore.