My daughter, Kelsey, and I had been planning on doing some cooking tomorrow afternoon but I haven't been able to find this one cookbook that has all of our family recipes, but more importantly––all of Mom's handwritten recipes in it. It's a cookbook/scrapbook that Kels made for me after Mom passed away last year.
All of my cookbooks are still boxed up from when we moved in May. I know, I know... I've been on deadline and have been wingin' it in the kitchen. But with the holidays approaching and the Girls Bake Off Kels and I have planned for tomorrow, I've spent a chunk of the day just looking for that one cookbook. Wouldn't you know it, I've found every other stinkin' box of books in this house, but that one.
Just a few minutes ago, I came upstairs and looked one last time in my closet, thinking the box might be in there. No go. I stood there, knowing I needed to be writing (another deadline approaching) and whispered, "Lord, this is so inconsequential in comparison to everything else going on in the world right now. This is not even a problem, it's just a request. And a small one. But if you could help me find that cookbook, I'd so appreciate it. Because I'd love to make Mom's recipes with Kels tomorrow, and to taste Mom's fabulous cakes and goodies again."
As I left the closet, I felt a nudge. I kid you not.
I went straight down to the garage, over to the 'tool side' (where I had not been looking because only tools are over there). I followed that nudge inside me over to a cabinet, opened up the door, and saw a box on the shelf next to the bottom, shoved all the way to the back. I had to move a boat load of tools and junk to get to it, but guess what the label on the box said: Cookbooks/Laundry Room.
I opened up the box and...
There it was. Near the bottom. The cookbook! Shoved full of Mom's recipes and notes and pictures that Kelsey has added for me.
One more thing... The picture below was on top of the cookbooks when I opened the box. It's special to me because Mom had a plaque in her kitchen saying very much the same thing (Live, Laugh, Love).
I don't know how all these things work, but I have a feeling that Mom had a little something to do with my finding this cookbook tonight too. As I opened that box and realized what it contained, I felt a thread from Heaven tugging on my heart. And I just know Mom was at the other end.
Thank you, Jesus, for caring about the little things. And for giving me a greater longing than ever for my forever home.
Now...let the Girls Bake Off begin!
