I thought I was going to slip out of winter this year without being hit by one of the inevitable viruses that seem to affect most who reside in the wet and cold Willamette Valley. But not to be left out, I developed a persistent cough two days before “spring” arrived and began the downward spiral toward a full-blown cold. So much for sneaking by.
I’m the chief cook and bottle washer at my house. That fact alone makes me extra vigilant when risking the health of others around me. A nasty virus could potentially affect many people. My 94-year-old neighbor takes supper with us. Our son, who lives nearby, prefers the company of his nutty parents rather than a lifeless computer screen. Finish the list with my daughter and husband and the potential to infect four additional people exists. A great responsibility.
My son, though, is an excellent cook. When he learned of my plight, he took over in the kitchen. He is familiar with most of the recipes I had included on my menu planner and assembled them for me. He also is great on cleanup detail. I slept through two nights of meals, secure in the knowledge my people were being cared for.
The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:2-3: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” I wonder if when God spoke those words He meant a son would step in and cook for his mother when she is ill. I’m not a commentator nor a Bible scholar, but from my perspective what my son volunteered to do certainly bore my burden. He blessed me with a simple kindness, but the act multiplied in the numbers of people he fed.
Who is looking to you today for help carrying their load? The need might be as close as your neighbor’s kitchen sink.