A while ago at dinner time I told Aaron, "This dinner is a miracle!" and he looked at me funny and said, "It's just macaroni and cheese." Ok, it was, but it was homemade mac and cheese so it took some effort. All the kids were eating with joy and giving me the "this is delicious" and "thanks mom" comments. So I told Aaron "Oh no, this really is a miracle." I didn't explain to him just what that meant because I wanted to save it for another day. Today is the day. This is for Aaron and everyone else out there.
I find great satisfaction in providing a meal for my family. I think it is very important to eat dinner together as a family every night. I also think it is important to provide my family with healthy food- actually I find it a great responsibility to keep the family healthy. With that said, I'd like to explain all the opposition there is in accomplishing this task and then you'll have to agree what a miracle it is.
First, getting the food. Actually before getting the food you have to decide what to buy and where to buy it. You have to consider prices and discounts and short and long term needs. Then when you decide on a store you have to time it right so you can go when the kids are at school so you have less chaos. That's a whole other story, isn't it? While you're at the store you're doing the math and making sure you can afford the food. Some times you feel the pinch a little bit when you see that the price of so many things have gone up. Then you wonder how you're going to make it work. Then of course there's all the goodies staring at you in the face. Goodies you know your family likes, but you just can't buy because that would be like poisoning them, right? :) Oh, and you have to make sure your wallet is actually in your purse so you can pay for the groceries. If the baby is still in a good mood on your way out to the car you are in great shape! After all is said I have to tell you that there are so many times that I've pulled away from the grocery store feeling so grateful for all the bags of food I'm bringing home. I have felt so rich with all my food. Thanks Aaron!!!!!!!
Moving on, meal planning. That actually happens before shopping. If it doesn't, then you'll be going back a second and third time... Ok, I had to plan out some meals and find out what ingredients I needed for the meals. In planning the meals I had to decide which nights we would be home and which nights we wouldn't. On the nights we would be home I could cook a meal that took more time. And, who likes what? Is the majority of the family going to like the meal? Is there something in the meal that the picky eaters will eat? Is it healthy? IS IT HEALTHY????? That's another subject for another day. Because if it isn't healthy, but the family likes it then we have a good meal, but not without guilt on my part anyway.
I could go on forever. Meal planning takes time and thought and effort. The fact that I sat down and used my time to plan the meals is a miracle in itself. With all the things that a mother and wife is needing/wanting to do- laundry, house cleaning, paying bills, worrying about kids, reading scriptures, taking care of kids/babies/toddlers, serving others, keeping up with friends, blogging, etc etc.- spending the time to prepare and plan a meal especially when it's really not your favorite thing to do, is tough!
Now, actually preparing the meal is another side of the story. You've got to think about it when you wake up because there might be something you need to do ahead of time such as thaw meat. Maybe you need to pick a different meal because something just came up and you need to change plans. Later when you are ready to cook it's tricky figuring out the timing for everything. I've learned over the years that you can't start cooking everything at once because some things cook faster than others. Then there is the zoo of kids that swarm you when you're trying to concentrate on cooking. Babies crawling on the counter dumping out salt and getting ever closer to the burner. Then there are kids who are pulling on your sleeve telling you how hungry they are and still others who ask what's for dinner and then make the barfing motion because they don't like that.
I'm almost out of breath, but I'm not done, I'm not done! What about when you forgot an ingredient at the store? Do you call a neighbor or substitute with something else or forget about the whole meal? What if you burn something or the new recipe just doesn't look like the picture from the internet? You hear me? And what if you have guests coming. Oh, the stress!
This all sounds like a big complaint so I'm going to bring it back to the beginning. I REALLY enjoy sitting at the table eating with my family. I find GREAT SATISFACTION in the fact that I cooked the meal that they're eating. It's a complete MIRACLE every time. No guts, no glory, eh?
I'm going to keep cooking and the miracles will keep happening. That's what happens when you give it your best- even if your best doesn't always taste that good- sorry grandma!
Thank you for listening.
5 comments:
I mostly hate cooking, but I like this post, and I can see the miracles.
I thought I was reading Priscila's blog for a second. She and I talk about this a lot but I usually end up talking about the part of the miracle that comes before you even buy the food. It's a miracle that to eat all we have to do is buy and prepare (though, as you perfectly point out, preparing food is a miracle itself). Every once in awhile I try to give thanks for every part of the dinner-table miracle when I bless the food but I know that I will never be able to appreciate it fully. I can give thanks for the rain, the farmer, the warehouse, the government regulations (to keep food, water, etc. safe), the electricity, the timber (that provided for the wood of the table, or the wood for the house that keeps us warm while we eat, etc.), and my body, etc. but I still sense that my tiny mind can't comprehend the complexity that goes toward making a meal a simple, beautiful miracle.
Yes, this! You put into words so much of how I feel about the whole thing. Sometimes it's tough to feed your family and to do it well, but the effort is worth it!!
I just wish you could borrow eggs from me. . . =) We miss you! When can we hang out?
Nikki, That is exactly how I feel. I was actually talking to Mac about everything you just wrote about without knowing that you wrote about it. Then Mac said to me: Did you read Nikki's blog? and I said: no. He then said: then you should read it because it is exactly what you are talking about. I should just copy and paste what you wrote and put it in my journal. And I do go to my neighbors and they come to me as well.
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