Homebodies - Things I hold dear that I may have to rethink
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- Published on Sunday, April 12, 2015
By Rita Friesen
When our first family was young the writings of Corrie Ten Boom were popular. “The Hiding Place”, the story of a young woman and her family aiding people of the Jewish faith during the Nazi regime, was made into a movie. “God does not have problems. Only plans,” proclaimed Corrie Ten Boom when a clerical error allowed her to be released from a Nazi concentration camp one week before all women prisoners her age were executed. Amid the horrors of the time, faith shone.
The conditions were deplorable and the food inadequate and horrible. Corrie determined to give thanks for each and every morsel she received. A simple, “Thank you, Jesus, for this good food.” She sensed that her change in attitude improved the quality of the food.
Scientific studies are now exploring every aspect of daily life and sometimes the results are practical and sometimes astounding. The one that set me back to thinking shows that “praying over food changes the chemical properties.” So my beloved was really onto something deep. When presented with my cooking he often simply bowed his head and prayed, “Thank you Jesus for this good food.” I thought he was going for an attitude adjustment and he was really changing the content! “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of,” Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
The jury isn’t in on this one, but my observation indicates the old adage, “three snows on a crow’s back,” may be incorrect. I have long cherished this promise. Once the crows have returned, according to folk lore, we will only have to endure three more snow falls. Now it isn’t defined what constitutes a snow. Does a skiff suffice? Does it mean the earth is once again completely covered with the white stuff? All I know is that I count each “snowfall” as a snow. And if my counting is correct, as of today, we have had the three! Enough.
Seriously though, there are times in life when one must take thoughts and ideas that have been held dear, and hold them up to the harsh light of reality. Each day, life offers us a tipping point, an opportunity to change the way we think and act. A young homemaker is preparing a roast for the oven and her partner watches her laboriously cut the top two inches off and place the meat alongside the roast in the pan. Asked why, she replies, “That’s how my mother does it.” A little more questioning and it comes to light that is also how grandma does it. Why? She didn’t have a big enough roaster and had to cut the meat down to size.
How much of what we do and believe is simply rote? Set aside that which hinders or slows you down!
