FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT--My Father in Heaven

I love soup! Can you tell by the last few recipes I've posted? Growing up, my mom was FAMOUS for her soups. She made THE best beef stew, taco soup, chowder, vegetable soups, ham and bean, chicken noodle. . . you name it! I loved watching (and smelling) her prepare it, too. None of this canned convenience stuff. Her soup was truly a work of art and a labor of love. A good pot of soup would take her at least an hour to make, often more. She was expert at turning a fridge-full of leftovers into a tasty, masterpiece of a meal. This week I've made soup three times, in anticipation of Fall and to better utilize the bounty of my garden. And each time, I was so grateful for the lessons my mother gave me. As I served up these bowls of love, I felt closer to my mommy.

Thinking along these same lines, I wondered what my own Heavenly parents are like. I wonder what they have passed down to me. I wonder what things they long to teach me. I know that some might feel that thinking this way could be considered sacrilegious, but our church teaches that our Heavenly Father loves us tenderly and intimately, which is doctrine I cherish.

In college, I sang in the institute choir and served in its leadership program. Our director, Brother Castleton was an amazing man. He loved each of us so much. He had white hair, a round belly, and twinkling eyes. He was so kind to us as he taught us not only about music, but about life. I remember once after we finished singing "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing," in rehearsal, the spirit was so evident. Many of us actually had tears running down our cheeks that day. He stopped and waited for a minute or so, respectful of that moment, then quietly and reverently said: "Brothers and Sisters, that is the Spirit of God. Remember how you feel right now and never do anything that will offend the Holy Ghost."

I imagine my Heavenly Father to be a lot like Brother Castleton. In fact, sometimes when I pray, I imagine his face. I love the quote by Ezra Taft Benson:

"Nothing will startle us more when we pass through the veil than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar His face is to us."

I look forward to that day! I love him so, and it means worlds to me to know that He loves me even more dearly.