Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: In The Kitchen - deadline 7-19-12 @ 9:59 AM NY Time (07/12/12)
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TITLE: Humble Pie | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jeff Houdyshelt
07/17/12 -
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As a family, we did not have many family meals. They have become a thing of the past. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the exceptions. We go all out on those two days. As a young teen, I got indoctrinated into kitchen etiquette.
The rules were simple you had to prepare a dish. Once you were done you got released to go about your way. Sometimes our “kitchen experiment” as I called it did not turn out well. Everybody would at least take a bite then look at you and say “good job’, I could tell they were lying. I can’t cook anything at all, especially back then.
I always looked forward to those meals, but what I really enjoyed, was the after meal conversations. As soon as we cleaned up the mess and got the all the dishes washed, the men would congregate in the kitchen. You had to be a certain age before you were allowed in, but I used to stand at the door and listen in.
The topics were of the many blessings that God bestowed on our family with throughout the year. The grownups would tell bible stories to the younger men (16-20), and give them the” talk.” The talk was a defining point in becoming a man, and the responsibilities that men face under God’s direction.
It was 1981 when I got my talk. It was Christmas day, and I followed my holiday duties as always and after everything was done the men headed toward the kitchen. Suddenly, I heard my name and I was told to come join them. We went in and everyone started talking about what God had done for them. I had been part of the youth ministry at church, and I actually had delivered a couple sermons in front of the whole church, so I mentioned that. Everyone just smiled and said that was great. I felt a great sense of pride by being a part of this holiday tradition.
Little did I know that this would be the last holiday talk with my grandfather. He died just before Christmas that next year. We still had our Christmas meal together, and we all followed our holiday traditions. After the meal, we headed to the kitchen for the after meal talk. It was different this time. It seemed strange to be there without my Grandfather. That day, we laughed, we cried, and we thanked God for all of his many blessings.
You see, it was in those Christmas talks that I learned about how to be a man of God. I received a wealth of knowledge about life, and how to be a Christian. It was in my Grandparent’s kitchen that I learned about how to respect others. In that kitchen I received life changing testimonies of God’s many blessings. It was in that kitchen where I learned that my grandfather had died. Most of all it is where I learned to be humble in my walk with Christ. My grandfather once told me that being a Christian required you to eat a “big slice” of humble pie.
I miss those days and the talks in the kitchen.
God chooses the time and place that Jesus is placed into your heart and soul. We all have a place that is significant to us, for me it was on Christmas day in my grandparent’s kitchen. My grandfather was a God fearing man of God. I dedicate this article to him. Miss you granddaddy.
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Just a small suggestion to watch your punctuation; comma usage.
Nice:)
God bless~