Old Fashioned custom

I am a good Methodist girl. I bought into and believe with my heart and soul that making food, baking food, donating to pot lucks and taking said food to those who are ill or hurting, helps most situations.

No, it is not some magical recipe for a loaf of pumpkin bread or a secret recipe for a casserole. I go through phases really. While living in Oklahoma it was about a year that I made and froze and took and donated Spaghetti Chicken Casserole. It was cheap, it was easy and the recipe made tons. I could always serve my family that for dinner when I had to take a casserole to a family, there was plenty.

I am still not back to baking 100%. So my offering today was home baked Chocolate Chip cookies and a fruit basket. I tied it all up in a basket with a sweet fall ribbon and big silk sunflower.

Let's be honest, the food doesn't really help or fix anything. No matter how great a cook or baker you are, the food is not a miracle. What it does do is: while baking it gives you time to think about and pray for your friend in trouble. It allows you time to come up with a nice presentation that could be shared and enjoyed. It gives you a reason to visit them (to take the food, silly). It gives you something to hold and give when that awkward moment that the door opens and you don't really know the right words to say.

Buying taking an offering to someone, you don't have to say much. Your actions speak louder than words. You can say, no thanks, I can't come in, I was just dropping this off for you and your family. OR, it gives you a reason to stay for a short time and visit and catch up and somehow lighten your friend's burden.

Sometimes, it feels comfortable and nice to lean back on old fashioned customs and traditions. You don't have to say much. Actually, you can't really mess it up. You just show up. You just give of yourself.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.