Blessing of a Kitchen

Writing always starts with a desire for knowledge about a subject, and then the need to share it with others. At least that is why I enjoy writing!

I chuckle now when I think that my first idea for this blog was to write about the history of kitchens in America.  In my research, I was overwhelmed with the depth and variety of our history.  Even the understanding of what a kitchen is and has become, is foreign to the nature and beginning of food preparation, cooking spaces, and family life.

We, in the 21st Century, in the United States, cannot even begin to know just how fortunate, even the humblest home is, compared to the way some areas of the world live and cook food to survive and thrive.

I was curious about just how many people in the world still have to cook over an open fire. And I don’t mean camping by choice. I was astounded to know that the number is in the billions.

Many here in our American world, make decisions such as what kind of countertop surface we prefer, whether we want a push-in style stove, or an installed stovetop, with venting out for exhaust.  Even the humblest of us are often more fortunate than many in parts of the world. Their wonderings are if they will have a stove at all, wood, or fuel to burn in a stove, or whether the stove they have will poison their family.

Rather than sighing over our very privileged lives, I would rather inquire if you’ve ever thought of asking God to bless your kitchen for what it means in your life?

The kitchen truly is for most of us, the center and the very heart of our homes.  

When I was growing up we had a small, possibly a 3’x4’ sized, kitchen table, that all 8 children would crowd around in groups for breakfast. Mom would feed us in shifts, churning out french toast, or dip eggs, toast and bacon for us for what seemed like hours.  Conversation, shared commiseration, and of course eating was done around that little metal table.

I never felt anything but safe, secure, and loved in that tiny space.

I laugh when I look at the luxury of my new kitchen.  A sea of quartz for people to gather around, a double oven, and induction cooktop. A coffee serving space on one end and pantry in the center next to a side-by-side refrigerator, with water and ice in the door.  I really have a rather average kitchen space compared to many.  My living space could be tucked into some beautiful large kitchens of today.

We prepare food in our kitchens, yes,  but we do so much more in this space.

We love, we plan, we do homework, and counsel, and bake, and share chores. We can hold up the counter with chat for hours in our kitchens. Our vast surfaces can handle an array of trays for a pot-luck.  And have you ever tried to get everyone out of the kitchen at a party, or family gathering?

We just love being in this very important space in our homes.

Thank you Lord for my kitchen. Bless all of our kitchens.

Make them truly earn their title, “Heart of the Home,” May our kitchens reflect our hearts,  loving and serving others.