The View From Here

Forgot to post this when it happened. But one day I decided to make chicken n’ dumplings…Nana style! My grandmother used to make chicken n’ dumplings all the time for me growing up. When she got cancer and lost her eyesight, she couldn’t make things like she used to. I realized that we didn’t even have some of her recipes written down. She just made them from memory and whenever she would pass away, so would her recipes.  So one weekend I had her sit in the kitchen with me so she could tell me how to make chicken n’ dumplings. God was gracious enough to allow her to remember how to make them with out actually making them. I had such a blast just cooking in my kitchen. I love that I have an island to roll out the dumplings on. I was able to drink out of her old mason jars. Everyone always raved about her chicken n' dumplings. I hope one day someone might rave about my chicken n' dumplings.

 The more time that passes after Nana’s death, the more I wish she were around. There have been several occasions where I wish I could call her up and tell her about my life. Leaving Channel 4 for Flagler. Buying a house. Sewing my first skirt. Getting engaged. And now making chicken n’ dumplings. I didn’t realize that this is what loss is. Never being able to call her, never being able to hear her voice or get one of her letters in the mail. All I’m left with are memories. But praise be to God who paid my debt so I could see her again. My family doesn’t really know where we came from. Seriously. We’ve researched it and all we have is Georgia. No lie. We’ve gone back at least 10 generations and all roads lead to Georgia. But even though my physical heritage is clouded, my spiritual heritage is well documented. Nana was the first person in our family tree to become a Christian. She gave her life to Christ when she was married to Papa, and through her example she was able to lead him to Christ when my mom was born. As they raised my mom and Uncle Robert they were able to share the Gospel with them. Then, when I was born, they were faithful to pass that on to me, and Rich and I will insure our children know about the saving grace of Christ. As 1 Peter 1:24-25 says, “For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." Even though recipes like chicken n’ dumplings will fade away, I’m comforted by the fact that I serve a God who doesn’t change and will never fade away.