Monday, August 11, 2008

Good Monday morning friends! How many of you have one of these cast iron skillets in your kitchen? I have two skillets and a griddle. What else is there to cook in when you're from Kentucky or anywhere south of here? I like these sturdy pans because if you take care of them, they'll last you a life-time and if you want to, you can leave them to someone in your will. Where I'm from you'd have to stipulate just who gets them 'cause most everyone in my family covets old cast-iron cookware and there might be a teensy war among those who want them. And if the cookware is old enough, they're even worth $$. As if anyone I know would sell theirs. Well, some might, money speaks loudly these days.

I remember my Granny cooking with them, my Mom & my Mother-in-law still do; my Dad always used cast iron; and many others in my family also use them. You've gotta have at least one good cast iron skillet to make cornbread in and another to fry potatoes. That's just how it is.

How grand it would be if we, as Christians, could be as durable, lasting and sturdy as cast iron. Could be? I think we are! Just think back to where the precious Lord has brought you from ... the times you maybe wanted to give up and give in but you didn't ... you kept on going, trusting and believing God was true to His promises.

My old cast iron cookware didn't become "seasoned" in one or two uses ... it took weeks and months and years to get them to where they are today. Just right for baking cornbread and just right for frying potatoes or green tomatoes or corn. The griddle is perfect for pancakes or french toast or toasted cheese sandwiches for the grand-girls. It's taken years for these old skillets and the same holds true for us ... we aren't 'seasoned' for the Master's use in just a week or two ... it takes years ... and the precious truth is ... He has held us over the fire when we didn't know it was Him ... He knew what He was doing with us way back then and He knows what He is doing now. We may sometimes seem worse for the wear, maybe don't look as new and modern as others out there, but boy do we have stories to tell of God's graciousness and mercy. And the great thing is our Father isn't gonna trade us in for newer models. He keeps us forever.

What an awesome, mighty Shepherd we have! What a gracious King we serve!
May your day be blessed and your heart lifted this day. May the King of all Glory come in to where you are right now and tell you how much He cares for you.

3 comments:

  1. Yes, we Southerners have to have cast iron skillets. My Mama, Gramma's and GreatGranmma's all used them! I need to haul mine out for cornbread cause nothing sticks to those skillets...after years of seasoning! Hmmm! Kind of like after years of serving the Lord [being seasoned]
    We might make mistakes but nothing sticks, the Lord just wipes the crumbs from us and we are ready to go on being used! [serving Him]
    Great lesson Weezy!!!
    I made corn bread just last week,
    if i make soups or chili, Tom expects it!
    Love you!

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  2. I have two big skillets, a tiny one (for that lone egg), and a corn pone pan. All of them are hand-me-downs from my Granny or my mother-in-law, both sweetly with the Lord.

    Being young(er) and unfamilar with cast-iron, I overwashed them at first and couldn't understand why they were sticking. I had to search for information on their care to be able to bring them back where they should be.

    We can't live on the coattails of someone else's faith either. We've got to get into the "instructions" and live it for ourselves. Its a terrible mess if we try it any other way.

    Oh, I do love real-life analogies! What a great post.
    Love, Teresa

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  3. a few days after this post, i was helping my dad clean out my grandma's basement when we came across a few old cast iron skillets. i don't know what i'd have done a month ago but your post made me immediately ask for one. as he gave it to me my dad told me that he believes it is my great grandma's from west virginia. later we talked about making bannak, a bread he used to make when we camped in an iron skillet. i'm going to make some bannak in my skillet and keep that skillet doing what it was made to do. thanks lou-eeth for whispering in my ear so i'd spot a treasure.

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