CORNBREAD WAFFLES

You’ll know that I’m a country boy when I tell you my idea of fine cuisine is a steaming hot slice of cornbread right out of the oven, generously buttered and washed down by a cold glass of milk.  Mmmmm, nothing better!

 

The problem with cornbread, however, is that a whole skillet is too much for a two-person household, and cold leftover cornbread just isn’t as good.  And it simply isn’t practical to make cornbread when you’re pressed for time, because you have to mix the batter, heat the skillet, pour the batter and then wait for it to cook in the oven. 

 

Not long ago, however, a friend of my wife informed Gina of a new approach to an old favorite:  cornbread waffles.  Mix up the batter, pour it into the waffle maker, and presto!  Instant hot cornbread, in individual portions, ready for buttering.  Now we can cook as much or as little as we want, and can even have cornbread on our lunch break. 

 

I regularly find myself surprised, humbled, and thankful for the opportunity to learn new things.  Surprised at how obvious the innovation seems once I get used to it.  Humbled because I invariably ask myself, “Why haven’t I tried that before now?”  And thankful because all of us can slide into a comfortable routine, which then becomes a confining rut, and once we experience a fresh perspective we realize how liberating it can be.

 

Just between us, as we get older the temptation to stay in those ruts becomes stronger and stronger.  There is nothing wrong with the comfort of the familiar, but it needs to be balanced by the stimulation of the new. 

 

I recently heard a speaker tell of a time when he had to “stretch” himself in order to participate in an unfamiliar ministry.  He was initially reluctant to try something new, until a friend confronted him with the question, “Steve, when is the last time you did something for the first time for the sake of Christ?”

 

That is a challenging question for all of us, no matter what our age!  So, how about it:  When is the last time you did something for the first time for the sake of Christ?”

 

Dan Williams