A Sweet Reminisce
If you were to look in my kitchen cabinets, you are sure to find quite a few skillets, pots, pans and a plethora of small kitchen appliances. I truly enjoy cooking and baking. I love to create new recipes for my family to taste. I have a certain blue glass Pyrex dish and an old metal cake pan that only come out for special occasions. Two standard items with tons of meaning but limited usage. If you ask me these dishes are solely for baking brownies in the Pyrex dish and baking cornbread in the metal pan. In my mind, absolutely nothing else should be made in them. Not because they are too big or too small for certain foods, but because those dishes symbolize some of life’s’ most precious moments for me. At this current time in life, my granny is of older age and at 90 years old things are not what they used to be, as expected. When I find myself missing the simpler things of life and missing her, I make my way to the kitchen, take out one of those pans and cook or bake. The action does not change life’s current circumstances and it definitely does not permanently heal the hurt but it allows me to take a step back. I have the opportunity to slow down the fast-paced beating in my heart as my mind and emotions run rampant and take a moment to reflect. I find pure joy in the smell of fresh baked brownies. There is nothing better than cutting the first corner out of that hot blue pan. For me, in that moment, life is at a peaceful stand still and all is well. Even though the entire pan of brownies were made from the same batter, there is something special about the corner.
Psalm 143:11(KJV) says,
“Revive me, O lord, for your name’s sake! For your righteousness sake bring my soul out of trouble”.
Much like the scripture, there are times, moments in time, when I feel myself going down a path of sadness and grief. My granny is my heart, my prayer warrior and my secret keeper. To think of her not being here literally makes my heart ache. I thank God for the realization of where those sad thoughts can take me if I allow myself to dwell. In addition, I am even more grateful of the solace I have in having a physical coping mechanism for those moments to counteract those emotions.
By definition, Webster’s says the heart is the central or innermost part of something. In addition, the Hebrew biblical definition says the heart is where we feel and think thoughts. When we consider or think of someone who is the heart or center of the family we generally think of the matriarch or patriarch of the family. This mantle is handed down from generation to generation. This is the source where we get our core values. This is the birthing place of sacred recipes and family traditions. What happens when the shining light of your core begins to dim? What happens when your source of advice and listening ear and shoulder to cry on is not what he or she once was?
Psalm 121:1-2 (KJV) “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth”.
This is where being connected to God and making Him, your true Lord and Savior come in to play. The ability to tap in and cast all your cares on Him like it says in 1 Peter 5:7 takes much practice but it is so worth it. The refreshing wind that comes in, seemingly relaxes me, and brings me joy in the moment. Will this act of surrender change your right now? Absolutely! Will it change the thing, the source that is causing the sadness or pain? Maybe, maybe not. Knowing the inevitable and remembering God’s promises go hand in hand. However, God’s word says in Jeremiah 31:13 He will turn our mourning into Joy. That is God’s promise to us. With that comes blissful moments. The ability to know what is to come and continue to create memories and moments with my granny to this day are blessings not just for me but for her as well. The very mentioning of various foods creates a laughter, which has no meaning to
most people, but to us we laugh until we cry! For us, it wipes the sad tears and brings unspeakable joy. If I could share a corner piece with her each day, I would.
Scripture tells us in Psalm 147:3 (KJV)
“ He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
When you bind something, it is tied up, closed or fastened. The promise is not for our hearts to never experience brokenness, pain or sorrow but to know a plan has been put in place for healing and God is the answer. He will do the healing. Let God heal the broken places in your life. Your ultimate healing might begin with enjoying nature, reading books, listening to music, or creating art. My journey to joy and healing starts with brownies.
Rochelle is a native to Las Vegas, Nevada and has been married to her high school sweetheart, Bryan for 20 years. They have three children Daviontae-21, Jordan-19 and Saria-4 years old.
Rochelle’s passion for writing started as a young girl when she used journaling as a way to voice her emotions. Over the years, God has taken something that was solely therapeutic, gave it a voice and is now using it to encourage and uplift women and people from state to state.
Rochelle has worked in healthcare for over 15 years. In her “free” time, she enjoys writing, cooking/baking, creating new recipes and spending time with her family. Having a strong inner circle as well as nurturing the lives of others is very important to her. Rochelle has a passion for encouraging women and helping them to see the value in knowing their self-worth.