Yes, I have caught the culinary bug, as I’ve realized that I am leaving the nest of adolescence and venturing into the beautiful chaos of adulthood. Within that chaos, preparing meals serves as a palpable reminder of our roles and capacities as creators–who are wonderfully and fearfully made in image of the Creator.
I wonder though, what does “create” really mean, anyway? As I’m getting older–and not that I’m very old to speak with much authority–I’m realizing that the simpler questions are the most important ones to pose and poke at, over and over again. Even after probing and re-probing, these questions remain slippery in our hands. So, back to the question on our hands right now: what does “create” mean? I checked the etymology of “creation” and came up with an awesome Old English word: frumsceaft. The word breaks down into fruma and sceaft, which mean “beginning” and “created (shaped) thing,” respectively. Maybe we can say, then, that to “create” something is to shape a thing from its beginning, whether that beginning is a diagram, an instruction manual, or a recipe.
I’ll stick to food, since it kick-started my thought stream here. As you might have read in my previous entry, I recently prepared this yummy, cheesey bread. I took great joy in making it, as I realized how gratifying it is to mix ingredients with your hands, to feel them course in and around your fingers (wet batter is best for this). I would dare say that every act of creation, especially food creation, can be a form of worship. After all, we make food for the express purpose of it being enjoyed in community (Who wants to cook and eat alone?!).
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that God, as Trinity, represents a beautiful picture of joyful communion, and Who invites us to partake in an eternal love feast. I wonder what will be on the menu…
