Poison in the Pot

Poison in the PotPhoto Credit: Kai Stachowiak, via Pixabay

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Last night, after we ate dinner, I gathered together the ingredients for a hearty stew and plugged in the crock pot.Β Β  (My unending thanks to whoever invented this lovely appliance.)Β  In just a few minutes, the whole house smelled so yummy.

We left the stroganoff percolating as we headed to bed, and I drifted off to sleep smiling as a vision of a perfectly delightful meal captured my imagination.

In the morning, I was running late, so I left my husband in charge of the culinary creation by saying, “Change the setting to warm, please.”Β  My day was non-stop busy with paperwork, e-mails, phone calls, and research.Β  I had a quick microwave meal at midday as I worked at my desk.Β  As I gobbled down lunch, my mind traveled back to my the aroma of the stew.

Tonight, I will feast, I thought.

I spent the late afternoon trying to catch up on pending projects, and I headed home later than usual.Β  I called ahead and spoke to my husband about our meal plan.Β  He offered to prepare the table and have the stew ready to serve.Β  Score!

When I got home, I walked through the door, and my nose immediately caught a whiff of the goodness in a bowl.Β  My pace quickened, and I turned the corner to enter our kitchen.

That’s when I saw two bowls of take-out pasta on the counter.

What’s up with the pasta?

My husband is all grace.Β  He ever so gently explained that the stew was not edible.Β  In my rush to put it together, I apparently poured more than the meat into the pot.Β  I added the silicone liner at the bottom of the butcher’s package.

The meal looked perfect.Β  It smelled delightful.Β  But, when the pot was stirred, the poison rose to the surface.

Friends, I must tell you that I did not take this well.Β  I longed to savor that stew.

I don’t know if you’ve ever had this experience.Β  For me, it happens often.Β  It happens not just in my kitchen, but in my heart.Β Β  I often set my affection on food that looks appetizing, but proves to be poisonous.

I was reminded this evening that earthly fare doesn’t satisfy.Β  A quick fix meal isn’t spiritually nourishing.Β  More than anything, I pray for God to help me cultivate an appetite for the manna that will truly sustain me.

Every word You give me is a miracle wordβ€”
Β Β Β Β how could I help but obey?
Break open Your words, let the light shine out,
Β Β Β Β let ordinary people see the meaning.
Mouth open and panting,
Β Β Β Β I wanted Your commands more than anything.
Turn my way, look kindly on me,
Β Β Β Β as You always do to those who personally love You.
Steady my steps with Your Word of promise
Β Β Β Β so nothing malign gets the better of me.

Psalms 119:129-133, MSG

Something to think about…

20 Comments

  1. Thank you for hosting Lyli! I’m now the co-host for two link ups each week! One on Mondays and another on Fridays. I hope you’ll stop by and link up with us! <3 and hugs!

  2. I must admit this reminded me of myself. The very first chicken I roasted, I left the gizzards & other pieces which are wrapped, inside the cavity πŸ™‚ Yeah, surprise, surprise! But you brought out such a wonderful truth – may we not settle for what will not satisfy. Wonderful post!

  3. Oh, Lyli! I love how God speaks to you and you speak to us through the ordinary. It turns into extraordinary when touched by God’s hand. I’m sorry about your stew πŸ™ have a blessed week! (next time, stir the pot, lol!)

  4. Oh man, the sorrow of that lost stew. You have a real gift for taking real life stories and applying Biblical truth. Way to go sista! Love, your wacky FB friend!

  5. Ah! I love this story- not that you ruined your precious stew (good LORD NO!!) but I love how you wove through the scripture and beautiful truth in your faith perspective. <3

  6. Hi Lyli! I did something similar as a young person. I was away from home for the first time at a holiday, and wanted to cook a turkey. It turned out great, smelled great. Then I noticed…I cooked the giblet bag (plastic) in the cavity! Oh man…what a let-down!
    I didn’t get a lesson from it like you did, except to inspect the cavity next time. I like what you learned better!
    Blessings,
    Ceil

  7. I enjoyed this post and how beautiful you are. To be honest though you made me laugh out loud (and I needed a good laugh) when I learned what you did with the roast. That is something I would do. Thanks. Your post is just what I needed.

  8. I had a sense of dread as I was reading this. ha. I knew something bad was going to happen. I relate to getting my expectations up like that too (and especially around food). Sigh. But yes, it is always a lesson to desire something more eternal and nourishing. Thanks for the reminder, Lyli.

  9. So sorry about that stew! Ed and I have been thinking about crock pot of late. We enjoy quick salads and fruits – lighter fare in the summer months. Looking forward to stew and soup weather – just for the food, really. I’ll take mid-70’s weather year round.

    Great life lesson drawn from it, though – God had a plan for it all along. And, cheers to hubby to have pasta waiting in the wings.
    Joy!
    Kathy

  10. Wisdom abounds in this note of truth, Lyli. I appreciate you, your open honest heart, and your willingness to be real with those who God has lined up to connect with you. I am always blessed with I fellowship here and I can identify, in so many ways, with the practical meal mishaps (yesterday was my day to do that), and the heart-woes. I am so thankful that He, in his mercy, always gently pulls me back to His heart and shows me a better, even more abundant, way than what I can set my heart upon.
    Bless you,
    Dawn

  11. Lyli, a wonderful post! Although I know it really wasn’t a fun experience, I couldn’t help but smile a bit about the stew fiasco! I think we’ve all done something like this. If not in the kitchen, then somewhere else. I can still taste the time that I used my brother’s hair cream instead of toothpaste.

    What a great lesson you taught through this. Sometimes the bad stuff can look so *good* – and we are sorely tempted to “eat our fill.” But poisonous sins will always make us sick at heart, and could potentially deaden our spirits.

    No sir, it’s the Bread of Life for me!

    GOD BLESS!

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