Biscuits

Biscuits

Thomas Paine published The American Crisis during the course of the American Revolution. He penned the words “these are times that try men’s souls.” He was trying to bolster the morale of American colonists in their fight against a despotic king. Those words have meaning today while sickness, unrest and uncertainty are in the air. We are living in a time that is tearing the fabric of our country’s soul.

While surfing through social media I found a story that a friend posted. It was a tonic to my soul. I hope it does the same for you:

A while back I read a story of a visiting pastor who attended a men’s breakfast in the middle of a rural farming area of the country. The group had asked an older farmer, decked out in bib overalls, to say grace for the morning breakfast.

“Lord, I hate buttermilk,” the farmer began. The visiting pastor opened one eye to glance at the farmer and wonder where this was going. The farmer loudly proclaimed, “Lord, I hate lard.” Now the pastor was growing concerned. Without missing a beat, the farmer continued, “And Lord, you know I don’t much care for raw white flour.” The pastor once again opened an eye to glance around the room and saw that he wasn’t the only one to feel uncomfortable.

Then the farmer added, “But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love warm fresh biscuits. So, Lord, when things come up that we don’t like, when life gets hard, when we don’t understand what you’re saying to us, help us to just relax and wait until you are done mixing. It will probably be even better than biscuits. Amen.”

Within that prayer there is great wisdom for all when it comes to complicated situations like we are experiencing in the world today.

It was said that Paine’s writing gave the distraught colonists hope and comfort at a time when panic, fear and confusion robbed them of their peace. I pray that a little humor in the story quoted above does the same for all who read it.

What about those blessed biscuits?