Friday, October 9, 2009

Eat This Soup

Last night was busy.  I drove Jakob's football trip (yay! they defeated an undefeated team!  woot woot!).  I kept in touch with Adam's soccer game via text messaging (Adam allowed more goals in this game than in any other, but he also stopped more than his fair share -- remember, my boy is ranked FIRST in the STATE! and it's okay for  me to say so, because I worked SO VERY HARD to say positive things to him in the early soccer days when he SUCKED big time!). 

When we finally returned from my bus driving job,  I had just enough time to take Jake home and return to the office for practice with SALT.  At the end of practice, we SALTINES spent a little time laughing at our history (we've had some SERIOUS bloopers).  Though I consider practice work -- albeit the LORD's work -- last night was the most fun we've had in a Very Long Time.

Hanging over my head -- and NOT in a bad way -- was today.  Today I need to have a pot of soup to give to a friend.  I had the ingredients at home and in my car.  I just needed to be home to work some magic.

I started my soup at 11:55 pm. 

Starting entailed cleaning the kitchen.  I live with lots of boys -- not only mine, but the ones they connect with.  I also live with a darling daughter who loves to bake.  I am not a baker, and have never discovered the MESSINESS of flour until this darling daughter showed me.  Seriously, her treats are worth the mess.  Still -- do the math! -- I had to start by cleaning.

Then I turned on the burner and placed my beloved and well-seasoned cast-iron skillet on the burner.  I poured in a little EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (EVOO to Rachel Ray fans).  As the oil heated, I cut potatoes and tossed them in the oil.  Adding a little butter, I cut the rest of the veggies:  a few more potatoes and some carrots, onions, zucchini, and mushrooms.

With each layer of vegetables, I add my own unique, creative, and HEARTFELT prayer.  Read:

Potatoes:  Each person who will eat this soup is conscious of her weight and well-being.  Consider her needs and help her know how very much You (AND i) love her and want her to love You AND herself.

Carrots:  Each person who will eat this soup is an amazing and talented wife or mother or daughter.  Help her be strong and steadfast in her role and give her the glimmer of a hint about how much those around her love her.

Onions:  Each person who will eat this soup has many, many, MANY layers of being.  Help her while considering all her strengths:  She is wife.  She is mother.  She is daughter.  She is friend.  She is employer.  She is employee.  She is beloved.  Help her be thankful of her many, many layers.

Zucchini:  Each person who will eat this soup is a surprising, refreshing, and BELOVED flavor to someone. Help her recognize her own ability to surprise and refresh those around her.

Mushrooms:  Each person who will eat this soup is of the earth and THANKFUL for the earth.  Help her share her love and dedication to Mother Earth with others.

There are other ingredients in soup.  My ingredients change with each pot, so I cannot name them here.  All I can say is that my prayers are heartfelt, my ingredients are ALWAYS fresh, and my consumers are always beloved.

I might mention something else:  the soup is incredible. 

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