I got out an old box of recipes to share with my cousin, that once belonged to our grandma. Our grandma was a wonderful cook and baker! Inside this beautifully decorated box, contained many types of recipes. Some sounding good, others sounding questionable in the taste department. Like potato pancakes and mayonnaise, inside of a cake? My cousin is convinced however, that both are delicious. Despite even the odd ones; I loved all the recipes that this small box contained. For many of these recipes were written by my grandma, while some having had been written by her friends. My cousin enjoyed rediscovering recipes that our grandma made for her when she was young. I, in turn, found a few, that I cannot wait to try with my family. It will be as though eating with her again. I wonder if grandma knew how much that little box would be treasured. I know that recipes were treasured during her time. For there were many recipes that were shared to my grandma with love. As I know my grandma shared hers as well. How lovely it would be if more of us took the time to share our favorite recipes with others. For though it is about the recipes, yes, it is also about the love attached to them. For even little gifts of love, can echo long after we are gone. My grandma loved recipes, as she loved to make great meals for her family and friends. Many of her friends had similar hearts. May we always share gifts of love with each other. I sit here thinking of all the love that went in to all these recipes. That this little box of recipes, has now become a memory box; containing not just recipes for our stomachs, but love for our hearts. May we love like that. Friend, I think about how all these recipes lovingly got carried on through time and it reminds me of how God’s love for us does too. That God’s love stays etched inside of our hearts through the ages; like these ink-stained notecards in my grandmother’s old box of recipes.

Erin Fitts-Brower

Psalms 136:26 NIV

Give thanks to the God of heaven, His love endures forever.