The two most important items in my kitchen are ketchup and a toaster oven. Ben knows I wish he wouldn’t use ketchup on everything I cook. Sometimes I think he does it to poke fun at me. I can deal with it when I see a twinkle or sheer joy in his eyes. Life’s simple pleasures. But, temperature is a different story altogether.
The Peel
He likes it hot. Anything less is not acceptable. He wants his drinks to be brain-freeze cold but his food must be sizzling hot. In fact, the plate must also be hot in order to keep the food hot as long as possible. Who would have guessed that I would be microwaving peanut butter and honey sandwiches!?
This can be a challenge when “coming to eat” involves a number of preliminary steps for him: getting a drink, going to get his hearing aids, going to the bathroom, taking something back to his room, washing his hands, taking something else back up to his room, letting the cat outside, etc. Any or all of these steps can happen after the meal has been announced. It can take anywhere from 1-10 minutes.
After 9 months, we have perfected the process of keeping his food and his plate hot! (Note, the microwave does not heat up the plate.) It’s like line dancing when the whole family is in the kitchen ... but slightly more chaotic. Different meals have different moves, but the finish is the same. The plate always ends up in the toaster oven before being served. Thank God for our oversized toaster oven!
The Fruit
When we first bought it, I didn’t like this toaster oven. It was sized to fit a frozen pizza so it took up too much counter space. I regretted our purchase and grumped about it constantly. Now, I’m so thankful that it is big enough to fit a whole dinner plate with all its contents. I don’t know what I would do without its spacious interior!
Next time I grump about something, I hope I will remember that I may very well be thankful for that very thing someday.
Lord, sometimes I feel grumpy about things - like having Ben live with us. Yet, even as I write this blog, I feel grateful, too. It is not where I would choose to be in life right now, but I have seen your provisions. Thank you for those. May it be that I will look back on this time without regret.
James 1:19-20 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
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