Food is Love

While reading Peter Sagal’s book “The Incomplete Book of Running” I ran across this wonderful quote:

Here’s the other thing I’ve learned, which is something everyone used to knowsomething I knew even while manning the hamburger grillfood is love. To cook for yourself, rather than merely feed yourself, is to show yourself love, especially important when there us a sudden and marked lack of others willing to do that. To cook for others is not only a form of caring, it’s a form of connection. The transformation of raw ingredients into cuisine is often called alchemy, but the true alchemy is what happens to you, the people you cook for, and the relationship between all of you.

Peter Sagal, The Incomplete Book of Running, p. 93-4.

This is so right. Today I spent the morning cooking jambalaya for one of the companies for which I chaplain. I love these ladies and gents and I am thankful for the privilege of being their chaplain. Cooking for them this morning was a way of displaying that love. This past Saturday was the Haycreek Christmas party and Pam and I attended for the 3rd year. At the party they gave me a shirt that says “I’m Just Here For the Jambalaya” because I typically make jambalaya for them a once or twice a year. Naturally, I wore the shirt today when I cooked for them.

This is why I encourage Tapestry to regularly cook for each other and others. We have two opportunities coming up soon. Thursday, January 31st we are doing the meal for the Place of Peace meal and Sunday, February 3rd we will watch the Super Bowl and potluck it together. I hope you take advantage of these opportunities to share the love.