Delicious Bowl of I Would Never

The chicken tortilla soup is simmering on the stove and I'm waiting for the husband to come home. There was a time when I would scoff at anything "domesticated." It was some sort of sign of weakness, and I planned to be an independent woman, too busy for the kitchen.

Cooking was at first a skill only acquired for survival. My mom's parting gift to me was a Chinese cookbook. It was just something she grabbed out of the cupboard as we walked out the door with my life in boxes, loaded into a minivan and my Ford Escort. A long drive awaited me and Joel. The cookbook was stuffed into the nearest open box. I forgot about it until weeks later, as I unpacked and organized the last of our belongings.

The first dish I made out of the book was Mapo Tofu, a spicy tofu dish made with black bean paste and ground pork (I used turkey). I can't describe it very well, but Joel calls it a "delicious bowl of goo." That doesn't make it sound very appetizing, but everyone who has tried it likes it and understands when I call it "comfort food." You just have to take my word for it until I have the chance to make it for you someday.

I was terribly homesick, but creating those dishes from the cookbook made me feel better. It affirmed who I am and taught me that I am capable of creating a home. Ironically, it made me feel independent. There is something rather calming about something as mundane as peeling potatoes and mincing garlic. The more I cook the more I am at awe at how creative God is. I am reading through the book of Genesis and often wonder how food tasted in the Garden.



Change is OK, especially when you've got Mapo Tofu, tortilla soup and cream cheese swirled brownies with toffee pieces and pecans along the way. I've once heard it said that God is in the business of changing plans. I couldn't agree more. I wonder what other unexpected things I will find myself doing five years from now. God must just chuckle and shake his head when I utter the words, "I would never...."