A Story About Mother’s Day
When my husband told me that he was taking care of Mother’s Day dinner, I felt like I was in heaven! I think most women enjoy a day off from cooking and this was going to be my lucky day! In my mind I was planning all of the ways I would be relaxing while my husband slaved away in the kitchen. It was going to be great!
We traveled to Barry’s brother’s house on Saturday and I was already salivating in anticipation of the food that would be prepared the next day. I was picturing the dinner table in my mind. However, when I closed my eyes, all I could see was grilled chicken and potato chips. I imagined a beautiful table set with placemats, nice dishes, chicken and chips.
Why did this picture keep coming to mind? Maybe it’s because reality had sunk in. It’s a known fact that my husband doesn’t like to cook. He is great at grilling, but he doesn’t cook. The only things I’ve seen him make are frozen pizza’s and grilled cheese.
I started to panic. Maybe I wasn’t going to have my lavish Mother’s Day dinner after all.
My fears were confirmed on Saturday night as my husband and brother-in-law prepared the grocery list. My sister-in-law and I were telling them we’d like to have grilled chicken and baked potatoes. We suggested they should buy a five-pound bag of white potatoes. “Do you know where to find them?” she asked. “Yeah, we’ll just buy baked potatoes,” answered my husband (who only bakes frozen pizzas).
This is where the panic really set in.
After a trip to two grocery stores and the Dairy Queen (to get me a Blizzard), they returned home.
Before we turned in for bed, we asked my brother-in-law how he was going to prepare the baked potatoes. “We’re going to grill them,” he replied. My sister-in-law explained there wouldn’t be room on the grill with all the chicken. “Then we’ll put them in the microwave,” he said.
More panic.
Just then Barry walked in the room and we asked him if he knew how to cook a baked potato. He seemed very sure of himself as he answered, “You chop them up and cook them in a pot.” Hilarious laughter ensued as we asked them what part of baked potato they weren’t understanding! So far they were going to grill, microwave and boil our baked potatoes! When Barry asked if he should peel the potatoes before he boiled them, I was laughing so hard I almost lost it.
I’m not a fortune teller, but I could see a trip to McDonald’s in our future!
In the end we didn’t make a fast food run, and our meal was great. Barry cleaned the potatoes and my sister-in-law wrapped them in foil and baked them.
After dinner it was time for a dessert of angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream. We snuck in the kitchen to find Barry frosting the angel food cake with the whipped cream. He had the whole cake almost covered by the time we got there. I guess it all gets mixed up in your stomach regardless of how it’s presented!
As I thought about the events of this weekend, the words of Ephesians 5:25 came to mind. It says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” My husband showed he loved me by making an effort to do something that’s out of his comfort zone. The man who only cooks pizza and grilled cheese did his best to make me a special Mother’s Day lunch.
We dined on grilled chicken, baked potatoes, dill pickle chips and Cool Whip-frosted angel food cake. My husband set the table with the good dishes (and some dusty water glasses he didn’t know he was supposed to rinse out). The point is that he tried very hard to make it a special day.
When I close my eyes I can still picture the beautifully-set table. I can still taste the lemon-pepper chicken. I can hear the unmistakable laughter of family. The memories of this Mother’s Day will last forever, thanks to my husband, the stud who dared to cook a spud!
If you want to know more, read Ephesians 5.
Questions: What have you done lately to bless someone else? Is there something the Holy Spirit is telling you to do that you know will stretch your faith? Pray that the Lord will give you strength and courage to follow His will.
