Tip of My Iceberg

While they’re young, children who are interested in cooking, baking, and any type of food preparation should be encouraged in learning the skills. As we get older, cooking often becomes boring because we too often fall into patterns that are easy and will work for whoever the meal is being prepared for.

At ten, Brooklyn is an avid learner. New thoughts, ideas, practices, and crafts fascinate her. So we gave her a subscription to a cooking class that combines food preparation with the science behind it.

There are reasons bread and cakes rise, why meats must be cooked to a certain temperature, and why cookies need certain ingredients to taste good. Particular elements are required for food to not only be healthy, but also be good enough to tantalize our taste buds.

Her first attempt, which was quite successful, was making rainbow bagels. Not round ones, but ones that actually have the shape of a rainbow. Following the instructions gave her beautiful–and tasty–results.

I’m not always good at following directions. There are times when I throw things together because I have no recipe or don’t want to take the time to look for one. But I’ve had enough experience with cooking to understand quite a bit of the science behind what’s needed for a successful dish.

Recipes do make a difference.

Sometimes it’s easier to just do what seems right in the moment. It’s often called “flying by the seat of your pants”, a term coined during early aviation experiences where pilots had fewer instruments and often had to rely on the sensations felt on their backsides to determine the speed and performance of the plane. Now it means doing something without preparing, relying on instinct and intuition to drive the process.

Sometimes that works. Not always.

Naaman was a respected Syrian army commander who was greatly respected by his king and his command. However, he had leprosy. As well-loved as he was, his condition presented a social stigma; people with leprosy were often seen as unclean and were separated from others, living in isolation.

The Syrians had captured a young Israeli girl who served Naaman’s wife. She suggested that he go to the prophet in Samaria, believing he could cure the commander.

Naaman traveled to the prophet, Elisha, bringing money to pay for his cure. Elisha didn’t even speak to him directly; he sent a messenger to tell him he needed to bathe in the Jordan River seven times, a river much dirtier than those found in Damascus. Naaman, angry at the message which didn’t sound like a cure, went away angry.

Naaman’s servants wouldn’t give up on him. They encouraged him to follow the directions specifically as Elisha had given them, so he relented and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan River. His skin was cleansed, like that of a child. He went back to Elisha to thank him. “He stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel…” 2 Kings 5:15. Naaman was overwhelmed with gratitude.

Naaman had thought that what had been told him was too simple. It couldn’t possibly be a cure. What he learned were the ingredients of obedience, faith, and patience are what are needed to create a plan that works. They provide a recipe for success.

Brooklyn followed a recipe that created a delightful dish for her family. She didn’t adjust it at all, and it was successful.

To find the way to successfully connect with the Lord, we need obedience, faith, and patience to discover the wonderful delights He has for us.

Flying by the seat of your pants is risky business.