I received one of the most meaningful gifts this Christmas that I have ever received. My mother has spent the past two years gathering recipes and photographs from the women in our family — aunts, nieces, cousins, daughters, and sisters from all sides of our family — and has published not just a cookbook, but a family keepsake.
There are pictures of recipe cards in my grandmother’s handwriting. There are photographs of my great-grandmother as well as my cousin’s newest baby and everyone in between. There are recipe cards from my deceased aunt and recipes from my newly-married cousin.
But it is not the recipes themselves that set this book apart. Most of the recipes could probably be found in another cookbook or even online. What makes this book so special is that it represents at least four generations of woman who have loved life and their families well. The title of the book is Let’s Be Seated. The tribute explains why. My mother would always make my brother and me wait until my dad was home so that we could all sit down to dinner together. It was a non-negotiable, standing rule that I often questioned and complained about. But it reflects the priority that "family time" took. My mother insisted on this time together. But as I read the cookbook, I realize that she came from a long line of women who prioritized family. I am so grateful for the heritage of women who have loved their families well. My prayer is that I will take what I have been given and pass it down so that my daughters, nieces, and granddaughters will also love life and their families well.
But regardless of the heritage any of us have received from our earthly families, if you are in Christ, you have received the best heritage of all. John reminds us to “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (I John 3:1 ESV) And, as the back of the book says, "His faithfulness continues through all generations" (Psalm 100:5). May we be women who take our rich heritage and love those around us well!