I Know Whom I Have Believed...


Friday, March 12, 2010

A Tale of Two Colanders

As the mom of three grown boys, comfort foods have always had a place at my table. A childhood favorite that is still craved by the guys, their wives, and the grandkids is macaroni and cheese.



mac-cheese


Rich and creamy, and loaded with cheese, this dish rarely sticks around long enough to be a leftover. We do try to use nonfat milk, low-fat cheese, and whole grain pasta, so this comfort food won’t get too comfortable around our waistlines.

One evening, my baby boy offered to cook supper for us. I calmly said “YES! YES!” “Why thank you son. I would appreciate that.”

Mac and cheese was a part of his menu. After cooking the macaroni and draining it in a colander, my youngest proceeded to add the milk and cheese to the pasta...

While it was still in the colander...



colander1



To his credit, I would never have known about this without him telling me. The kitchen was clean and spotless by the time we came to the table.

Bless his heart...

There have been times when I was like this colander.

My gracious Lord would pour His spirit inside me. Fullness of joy and peace would spill over onto every facet of my life.

Then, my eyes would glance away from God...linger...and the still, small voice I had grown to recognize in a heartbeat would grow fainter and fainter...until...

Holes appeared...

Holes that would multiply...

Allowing the Holy Spirit to slowly leak out...

"Spiritual leakage"

"I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision."

Acts 26:19 KJV

Oswald Chambers wrote...”If we lose the vision, we alone are responsible, and the way we lose the vision is by spiritual leakage.”

Indifference...

Bitterness...

Discontentment...

That spiritual oil seeps out and I become a dried up Christian that is not able to do what I was created to do...

Serve the Lord...



Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.



Ephesians 5:18-20 NIV








14 thoughts:

Carrie said...

Wow, you are so clever with these comparisons!!! awesome!

Peggy said...

Blessings Karen...Ya' see this is what and why I miss you so much and also love you so!!! You are so ingenious! I love how you take the simple and spill out a deep, thought provoking comparison. I feel like a colander many times! Love your scriptures! May the Holy Spirit flow from us rather than leak out of us!

Thanks for the sweet story of your son's servant heart and mishap. (I have to admit I did laugh...a little...but than I felt so bad followed by so glad that he not only cleaned it up but admitted the
silly mishap. Praise God!

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

Yes this is a good one, seems like that has happened to us all. We get too many holes in our spirit. Like your new blog colors, etc.
kim

Andysbethy said...

I love how you take a real story, and turn it into a lesson. I will have to tease your "youngest son" next time I see him... although finding something to tease him about is usually not hard to find!
Seriously though, I feel like I have been so full of questions lately that leakage has been a regular thing. Thanks for the reminder that our job is simply to fill up, and pour back out with praise. No slow leaks allowed.

Just Be Real said...

Oswald Chambers always a good one for devotionals. Great post. Thank you.

Deborah Ann said...

Awesome analogy!!! And BTW, Mac and Cheese is the number one hit around here!

Anonymous said...

Trying to keep my macaroni in the right pot. This is a good comparison. I am leaky. I am fortunate to have a job I can't do on my own. It keeps me on my knees and in His Presence. :)

Blessings,
Tammy

Anonymous :) said...

I'll remember this. Great post.

Cathy said...

You always write such great posts, Karen. And I love that verse so much. Blessings ~ Cathy

Unknown said...

Thanks, Karen...

For the reminder to stay full of Jesus and to not allow leaks.

What a great visual!

Blessings to you...
Melanie

karen said...

Yes, karen, you always write such thought provoking, and great posts.. I wish I had you for a next door neighbor - we'd always have something awesome to talk about... Until our heavenly homes are side by side, I guess blogging land will suffice - because I know I come back here, and walk about encouraged, and blessed to call you my friend.. Love you lady.. thank you.

Debbie Petras said...

What a great illustration of this truth! We can all learn from your son. Way too often I leak the Holy Spirit when I give in to what Debbie wants and when Debbie wants it. I pray that I would be so filled with the Holy Spirit that others would see Jesus in me and not Debbie.

Denise said...

Awesome post.

christy rose said...

wow! spiritual leakage! so true!! I do not want to live like a colander! :) Help us all Lord!

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