Having the right blend of spices is crucial to the outcome of a dish. I learned this lesson the hard way, with a few flops at our Thanksgiving dinner. (Not sure if there’s a worse time to have a dish flop than on Thanksgiving Day?!)
Stuffing is the star of the show at our house. Everyone looks forward to it, including me. But a few years ago, while preparing our meal, I made a horrible discovery: I was out of sage. I only use a small amount, so I convinced myself it wouldn’t matter. I added extra salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, hoping to cover my tracks. Big mistake.
After the first bite, the verdict was unanimous. The stuffing just didn’t taste right. Big mounds were left on everyone’s plates. And, as if that weren’t enough, I was also out of cinnamon for the pumpkin pie. It was too late to run to the store, so after a brief meltdown in the kitchen (possibly involving some tears and a slammed cupboard door), I decided to improvise. I sprinkled in nutmeg and cloves, hoped for the best, and slid the pie into the oven. Wrong again. Very wrong.
That pie went down in family history as The Pumpkin Pie Epic Fail of All Time!
That Thanksgiving meal taught me something I’ll never forget. Some spices simply cannot be substituted or omitted. Now, I carefully check my spice cabinet before the holidays, making sure I’m stocked and ready to go. Last year, as I was taking inventory, the Lord brought a verse to mind that stopped me in my tracks:
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt.
Colossians 4:6 ESV
I was struck by the contrast of my effort to prepare my food to be palatable. How much thought was I giving to my words, which also need to be carefully seasoned? The honest answer: not always a whole lot.
The holidays have a way of drawing out the best in us, and sometimes the worst. We’re surrounded by people we love dearly, but those same people can also push our buttons. Add stress, fatigue, and an endless to-do list, and careless words can slip out before we even realize it.
Paul’s reminder is both convicting and encouraging. Our words should be full of grace and communicate kindness, patience, and love. And here’s the key: seasoning our words isn’t about putting on a fake smile or sugarcoating the truth. As Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
In other words, what is in my heart will spill out in my words. The real issue isn’t my vocabulary. It’s my heart. The goal isn’t perfect performance. It’s a heart postured to love God more than anything else. That is, after all, the greatest command. And the second is to love others as ourselves. Love God. Love others.
When I posture my heart this way, grace will overflow naturally into my words. During the holiday season, we’d be wise to remember, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).
So, as you prepare your pantry and stock up on spices, don’t forget to pray and ask the Lord to prepare your heart, too. Whether it’s our food or our words, the right seasoning makes all the difference. After all, it’s not just the food that leaves a lasting taste. It’s the words we share.
Lord, let your words, your wisdom, and your love fill my heart and flow through me to those I love and those around me.
Thank you for this encouragement, Jen..
Amen.
It’s truly my honor, Gail. Much love to you.
Dear Jen……This is a very nice and interesting devotion. The holidays for me always a very emotional time for me. I am 78 years old and when we were living in our house, I was always the one to make the dinners for Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve with the help of my husband than as he is Italian and we always have “The Feast of the 7 Fishes”. It was special as my mother-in-law lived with us for 17 years and was Italian as well. My husbands whole family was Italian through and through. There was always things I HAD to make or someone would be disappointed. I always took the week of Thanksgiving off from work as I did everything myself and enjoyed it so much. The past 5 years have changed my life tremendously, my then husband has dementia and would not follow doctor’s instructions of what to do, my son called me and told me he did not consider me his mother anymore and I was banned from seeing my one Grandchild or even talking to him and he was 11 at the time. He is 15 now and still no communication from my only family. We had to sell the house as we both needed money and live in separate Senior Living Facilities. It is hard to move from a home you lived in for 40 years to a 1 bedroom apartment with no help. It is amazing how many things you collect in all those years. I donated $1,000’s of dollars of all kinds of things to places for the homeless and church where they gathered things to give to Missions with financial problems. The man who was selling our house said we could get an auctioneer to sell many of these things, but I said no as I did not want to make money off of these sentimental items that I thought people who struggled could like them and help them. This made me feel good about myself. So where I live we do not have kitchens so I can’t even make Thanksgiving dinner and my son and his wife never invited me. So last year, a friend I met at of all places a grocery store got together and went to a church that made the food for everyone who wished to come. Did not cost anything and you could leave a donation if you wanted. It was nice, but not like I was used to. The food here where I live is toxic food and really most of it is inedible and my friends here all had relatives or friends that came and took them to their homes for family dinners, so loneliness affects me every time a holiday comes along. I loved your wise words and it did make me smile. I will open my Bible and read the scriptures you noted. Thank you Jen and I send you my love and ask God to give you and your family a Blessed Thanksgiving………………..Betsy Basile
Betsy, my heart aches for you as I’ve read of the heart wrenching changes you’ve experienced over the past five years. Im praying for you and your family right now… I’m asking the Lord to comfort you as only He can, and reveal Himself to you in a personal and powerful way. I’m also praying for healing and restoration in your relationship with your son and grandson. Much love to you.
Great advise! I’ve had plenty of epic fails in the kitchen!
I’m glad I’m not the only one!
At least they make for great stories (and laughs) down the road!
Hope this Thanksgiving is full of blessings for you and your family (and no kitchen mishaps )!
Thanks Jen. I have had more than my share of epic kitchen failures; it always amazes me how my family remembers those meals (burnt steak) but never mention the hundreds of good meals I have made .
It’s good to share these stories-they keep us humble, right?
You’re right — our families seems to have a mental inventory with all our food flops!
And yes, they definitely keep us humble. And for that, we can be thankful.
Jen,
I feel people put a lot of stress & pressure on themselves trying to make the “perfect” holiday meal. They actually forget the real reason for the holiday. Thanksgiving is a day to thank God for the abundant harvest. Some years ago it was my parents & I. We decided to get a meal from grocery store. The food was cooked & we all enjoyed a nice meal. It was a day filled with love.
Christmas is a time to celebrate Christ’s birth. Society has forgotten that. It is all about what gifts to buy for whom. Stores have already put up Christmas displays trying to lure customers. We would do well to remember why we are celebrating & have a heart ready to love God & others. After all that is what God wants from us!!
Blessings 🙂
Well said, Beth. I wholeheartedly agree with you.