Amateur Hour

I recently stumbled across this article comparing life as a stay-at-home-mom to life in a monastery. It made me look at my everyday tasks in a whole new light. Here’s an excerpt:

Hence, a mother raising children, perhaps in a more privileged way even than a professional contemplative, is forced, almost against her will, to constantly stretch her heart. For years, while raising children, her time is never her own, her own needs have to be kept in second place, and every time she turns around a hand is reaching out and demanding something. She hears the monastic bell many times during the day and she has to drop things in mid-sentence and respond, not because she wants to, but because it’s time for that activity and time isn’t her time, but God’s time.

…never send to know for whom the monastic bell tolls; it tolls for me!

This recipe was posted on a forum that I visit. I thought it was a really neat way to teach kids about Easter. Charlie’s too young yet, but hopefully we’ll be able to do this when he gets older.

Easter Story Cookies
(To be made the evening before Easter)

You need:
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. Vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar
Zipper baggie
Wooden spoon
Tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important – don’t wait till you’re half done with the recipe)
Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19: 1-3.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11. Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isa 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matt 27: 57-60.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matt 27:65-66.
GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
On Easter Morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9.

Now, I have never made these, but I heard that it helps to chill the bowl that you use to beat the eggs. For moms like me who are amateurs in the kitchen as well, there’s a simpler way to make “empty tombs.” Take those ready-made biscuits that come in a can, and wrap each one around a big marshmallow, pinching the seam closed. Bake according to the directions. When they’re done, they will be hollow.

This is how I know for sure that my kid is a gift from God: He was designed to challenge any and all selfish impulses that I have, either by nature or habit. He is physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting. While being difficult to deal with much of the time he also represents the single greatest joy in my life. He is a teaching tool for holiness (these are never fun), wrapped up in the sweetest packaging and bringing with it all kinds of goodness. Very sneaky, God, but I’m on to you.