In His Likeness w/ AntTBri

Usually I’m the caregiver, the one expending effort, energy and enthusiasm about the time I spend with my family (especially my nieces and nephews). This pandemic has forced me to find ways to stay connected, productive and apart of my their lives. So I thought this is the perfect time to teach them how to cook, bake, plan menus etc. only stipulation being they’ll learn how to do it all from scratch. So our weekly phone call, has morphed into a Face Time or Zoom cooking lesson, if they opt to I make myself available for step by step preparations, some weeks take longer than others but we get it done. It feels purposeful, despite the miles between us, our inability to travel and see each other right now and it affords me the opportunity to help them develop skills and grow in their faith.

Surprisingly, we’ve tackled quite a bit in a short amount of time, ranging from appetizers, main course options, classic soul food dishes, Chinese, Jamaican and Spanish staple dishes, an assortment of pies, cobblers and cakes. To offset wasting food and avoid excessive left overs (not a fan) I’ve been making to go containers. One of the persons privy to a home cooked meal every week asked if I wanted her to help me buy anything. Immediately I said no, but then a conversation my niece and I had a few years ago came to mind. She told me “she didn’t want to eat up my life”. Puzzled by it, I asked her what does that even mean? She then proceeded to explain “that’s when someone reaps all the benefits of being in your life and never gives back”. While explaining she started to wash the dinner dishes. It touched me so but even more got me to thinking “I don’t want to eat nobody’s life or love either “. Maybe that was what my friend was thinking or trying to avoid.

For life and love to be beneficial, a blessing to all parties involved more than just us have to be able to eat, prepare or add to the meal. There needs to be a mutual dining experience…reciprocal exchanges of what nourishes our existence. Givers tire of giving all the time. Sometimes we need to be reminded how to accept gifts. Reciprocity of relationship. Not a new concept just a repackaging of a biblical concept that often gets lost in translation. We are called (kaleo) to be a blessing. Titus admonished the older women to teach what is good, younger women should glean from our example how to love, practice self control and extend themselves to others.

The objective of every believer should be to live and love up to the name by which we are called. We are to render what we are a recipient of. Forgiveness! Grace! Goodness! Kindness! Love! Because I am blessed I inturn bless others likewise. It originates and is sustainable by the sacrificial gift of Jesus Christ. A life for a life. A love for a love. A mutual and beneficial exchange of blessing will safeguard us from eating each others life and love. Definitely something to ponder and pray over if you want to grow up into this life and love of faith. Instead of keeping people dependent on what we do for them, it could very well be advantageous to teach or show them how to procure it for themselves. I want my nieces to know the heart of God towards them, know how to plan, prepare and present gifts of kindness to their husbands, children and friends. I want them to reach beyond the box preparations and know how to put a meal together. Better yet to maintain a pantry, so at any given time they’re able to warm hearts and summons smiles without depending on outside venues for subsistence. Best cases scenario the two that are married will become better wives, mothers, the three that are currently single will be able to eat what they want until they’re blessed to share life with another.

You’re growing up into the things of God when you are no longer comfortable living and loving just considering you, what you want and need. Maturing love won’t allow you to keep eating or taking without finding ways to give back. Ask the Lord to make and keep you a blessing. I pray God’s favor, protection for the welfare and happiness of everyone that touches my life and love. May each and everyone find their purpose and fulfillment in God and may you order your lives according to His Word as you are forgiven and restored. Thank you for being a blessing and it is my desire that my life and love blesses you right back. Lord knows I, like my niece don’t want to eat your life. Loves responsibility is met in the being. ~AntTBri