The recipe of life…

I love cooking. A little because it’s a creative outlet, which I believe is good for all of us.  But there’s more to it than that.  I love food and I love eating.  I also love cooking for, and with, people I love. 

Yet again, there’s more to it than that.  The idea of grabbing all sorts of ingredients: some from the shops and some from the garden.  A recent epiphany was establishing my own home grown herb garden!  And then there’s the recipes!  Such an extraordinary blessing to dive into the internet to discover worlds and cultures and so many recipes.

Recipes are important.  Following the ‘method, as closely as you can.  And measuring!  Unlike my wife who is a splash’n’dash ‘that’ll do’ specialist I think measuring is critical.  Perhaps there is only one thing more important than measuring: not forgetting any of the ingredients.  I’m sure I’m not the only one to sample the finished meal and think, “This doesn’t taste right!”  Oops.  I forgot just one thing.  Sometimes that one thing might be cooking with love, rather than cooking out of duty.

Cooking and life are similar.  They both need love.  Is there a recipe for life?  Yep.  There’s heaps.  In fact, more than we could possibly count or imagine.  So many ingredients to forget!  Is there a critical ingredient?  Yep.  The best recipe book I’ve ever read says “Love never fails” (1Corinthians 13:8).  Without this ingredient the recipe of life will never taste right.  Can I buy it in Coles?  No.  Can I grow it in my herb garden? No.  Is it hard to find?  No.  God is love, and he’s always available.