rolling pins

It is Canadian Thanksgiving Eve.  Here, in my kitchen, that means one thing and one thing only.  It is time to bake my Grandma Brubacher’s Pumpkin Pie.   I just finished baking the pie and my house is filled with the aroma and my mind with happy memories.

Isaac begged to eat the pie now.  But I declined with every ounce of self-control I have.

As I worked on the pie crust earlier this afternoon, I pulled out a few very important tools.  I have two rolling pins that I love to use.  I know, I know, it is a little unorthodox to use two pins for one pie crust, but I do it.  You see my rolling pins are very special and fulfill very specific rolls in my baking world.

The first rolling pin was a Christmas gift from the hubs a few Christmases ago.  It is a Vic Firth rolling pin.  If you know anything from the percussionists’ world, you know that Vic Firth primarily makes maple drum sticks.  But, they also make maple, heavy as lead rolling pins.  I use it first on my pie crust, especially if the dough is chilled, to wear the dough out with minimal effort and bring it into submission.

The second is a hand-me-down.  And I’m not talking about a Goodwill find. This one was given to me by my mum, who received it a long time ago from her mum.  How I scored it for my kitchen, I’m not sure, but I love it.  It is a lovely pin, and rolls very lightly and gently.  I use this rolling pin to coax my crust into the desired shape and thickness.

My pie duties and these utensils reminded me of God’s Word, and how it works on my own heart.  There are all kinds of Scripture verses that the Holy Spirit uses for my benefit, kinda like a rolling pin, in order for me to become what He chooses.

Sometimes (actually often) my heart is cold and indifferent to my sin, or full of pride. But He consistently uses His word to penetrate deeply, bringing the warmth and shape He desires.  Often it is difficult work and my heart requires many many passes before the work is accomplished. I am a very slow learner.

Sometimes my heart is full of hurt, fear or maybe even shame.  In these times, when I feel bruised and painful to the touch, He offers gentleness and compassion with words that forgive, heal and restore me.    How beautiful those times are when He tends to my soul the way no one else can.

As the Thanksgiving season begins tomorrow, I’m thankful for many things.  But I’m especially grateful for a Heavenly Father who has given His Word, and His Holy Spirit in order to shape my life, and transform me.  It may be more than uncomfortable at times, but there is nothing more wonderful than realizing My Heavenly Father has a plan and He loves me enough to be at work in my heart.

And I am thankful for these words from Ephesians 2:

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.