Something Old, Something New, Something Inspired, Something True

I cannot even imagine how God decided to put the thought of making banana bread in my head tonight...but I am glad he did. It has been many months since I've whipped up the tested and tried recipe for walnut banana bread that I love. Especially just for my own family. It's been not so many months, though, since my cookbooks, along with most of my belongings and my home were destroyed in a raging house fire.

The fire brought many unwelcome realities into our lives. Homelessness, fear, illness, frustration,
depression.  Some of these we are still working through. Despite hard times though, God is good. How humbling it has been to have had to accept groceries, clothing, basic toiletries, furniture, even housing and means to have Christmas gifts for our child.

We have seen kindness without limits, love without condition. It is overwhelming. So much has happened since I have last posted on this blog. Even since I have last made that banana bread. But by the grace of God, here I type.

A few weeks ago, another kind soul from my workplace had an abundance of bananas, brown and overripe. She asked if I could use any of them. I gratefully snagged six, with every intent to bake up several loaves of bread. But in the midst of insurance calls, restoration orders, and sorting through the mess of our destroyed home, the bananas remained freezer-bound.

Finally, this evening, I felt compelled with hunger a sudden motivation to make that banana bread. I still don't know if the recipe was in my recipe box, which we think survived the fire and is with the restoration company, or if it is a pile of ash in a dumpster. Thankfully, the internet exists and thankfully, I started this random blog three years ago to record my favorite recipes. I stumbled back upon this website, and found an unexpected joy in creating something beautiful. As weird as it
may sound, God knew that banana bread recipe was just the thing I needed to put life and joy back into my day.

The recipe is my Mom's; we call it the A-Z Loaf. You can find it here. I love it because you can substitute the bananas and walnuts for just about anything (from Apples to Zucchini) that strikes your fancy. And I love it because it is my Mom's. It's funny that in the midst of chaos, a simple recipe and a silly blog site helped restore order.

Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Lord.