Chicken Soup & What's Really Good for the Soul

So many things in my week are tasks I do basically over and over again.  

Laundry, obviously.  I'm just glad that instead of constantly pulling clean laundry out of a permanent pile on the couch like we did when the kids were little, it's actually folded and put away several times a day now.

I seem to be correcting children for the same things every week.  I'm pretty sure I give the same reminders about verbs and nouns and exponents every week.

Today I was scraping the gelatin-like leftovers of cold chicken soup from the instant pot insert we had stashed in the refrigerator after shabbat, and I realized I'm just going to cook another whole chicken this week and make soup... again.

Many of our meals are on repeat because it's what works.

And as I thought about making chicken soup again, I had this really depressing feeling come over me... I began to think I don't want to make chicken soup again... it's just another thing to take up my time... I complained in my head I've done this so many times before.  I began to ask myself what's the point?  

But as quickly as those thoughts and feelings rose up, I remembered: every time I make chicken soup, my family is nourished.  They love it; they are filled and comforted. They're happy.  They go back for more.

I'm going to make challah again this Friday, just like most Fridays... and no one is going to sit around the table Friday evening when we break bread and groan ugh... challah again?! 

Because that soft, warm, slightly sweet bread brings us joy.

"And let me bring a little bread and refresh your hearts..." 

-Abraham to the Lord

Sometimes as believers we think the same thing about reading the Bible.  We know we should spend time reading it, ... probably should make it a priority to really digest it, but we're tempted to think I don't really feel like it... I don't have time...  We may silently complain I've already read this - in fact I've heard this many times before... which could lead us to ask ourselves what's the point?

Or worse, we think we already know what it says, so we don't actually need to spend time reading it.

Right now in our Bible reading, we're in Job (Christy, if you're reading this, yes, we're behind in the reading! I know, I know... moving on...)

So we're in Job, and let me tell you, it's the feel-good book of the year.  I'm kidding, obviously.  And let me also tell you - we read this already last year... the whole book of Job... the whole Bible, actually.    But here we are again, and just like every book we've re-read this year, I'm... amazed!

Every word of the Bible is alive and speaks to us.  Even Job.  Even Numbers... and the prophets... and Deuteronomy - all of it.  Even if we read it over and over - there is something new there the Father wants to show us.  There is more to learn about him and his ways.  More opportunity to walk more closely with Him.  

When Jeff and I were writing emails back and forth when he was in China and I was in New Orleans, I printed out a lot of those emails.  Of course I'd already read them over and over on screen of my little laptop.  But I printed them out anyway because I wanted to keep reading them... over and over.  Even though I had basically memorized them, I still wanted to read his words again... and it was like I could hear his voice in my head.  His words were a balm to my heart.  Because I loved him, and he loved me.

This week I will make chicken soup and soft bread... and my family will be nourished.

I'll wash clothes and make another meal plan that looks a lot like last week's meal plan... and my family will be cared for.

I'll give reminders about nouns and verbs and exponents... and my children will continue learning.

And each evening we will sit down as a family and open the ancient scriptures to read them again... and our souls will be refreshed.

"And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not grow weary." - Galations 6:9