It was my last hurrah to remind my children that their childhood didn’t suck.
Over the years as they were growing up, with both parents working, mealtimes were often a challenge. Our night meetings mixed with their sporting commitments and church things for children/youth, as many of you know/remember, it was crazy busy. If we were all four at a table at for a meal, it was a rarity.
On those unique nights, it was my personal goal to fix memorable meals. It was my hope that when they were out on their own, they’d remember, “My mom really cooked blah blah blah so great . . . I loved it when . . .”
Part of achieving that goal meant I needed to learn some new recipes.
“Sausage Rice Bake”
It sounded amazing. All Smiths (minus me) loved sausage, cheese, and Cream of Celery soup so the recipe should be a no-brainer.
As we sat around the table, it was deathly quiet.
Other than a lot of crunching.
Finally, someone had the courage to ask, “Are you sure it’s done?”
I had no idea since I wasn’t eating it . . . but honestly, I figured we couldn’t go wrong by putting it back in the oven for a few minutes.
A few minutes turned into an hour and a half. That’s how much longer it took for the dish to cook because I missed a vital step. Apparently, you are supposed to COOK the rice before you put it in the dish.
It was a memorable moment. And apparently, one my children like to share when they have a new audience. “Remember when mom cooked this new thing . . .?”
Remembering when brings hope and joy.
The same is true as the Israelites remembered when God provided for them when it seemed they were forgotten or alone.
Part of understanding the power of the message of Christ is understanding the history of promises kept.
“Remember when . . . ?”
Exodus 14:
9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his chariot drivers and his army; they overtook them camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, “Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians”? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.’ 13 But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’