I wasn’t much into cooking until I became an adult. Not necessarily because I couldn’t learn how, but just because I didn’t really need to cook in college, and even in seminary, I was more than content with the simplest meals like soups or various versions of eggs and toast. That has changed a good bit since getting married, and even just moving here, a little over four years ago, since I now have a nice enough kitchen to explore more culinary creations. (Kamryn, my wife, would also kill me if I made eggs every night that I do the cooking!)

For the past few years or so, I have been attending a cookbook club in Charles City. The members make a dish from a cookbook found in the library, and we share the dishes with each other once a month. And the theme changes each month so that we don’t do the same thing each month. During our last cookbook club meeting before the summer break, I decided to make some bananas foster. It ended up quite delicious! I also got to set on fire some of the rum that it called for in the dish, which always makes me feel like a cool chef. Amazingly, people can sometimes find the most interesting or bizarre things to try. I’m currently missing this club as we are taking our break for the summer. I wonder what gifts people will share when we get back to our club activities in fall.

In our daily lives, we often share gifts with one another that makes life just a little sweeter, much like bananas foster. Our Lord has bestowed on us gifts with which we can bless each other and make life just a little sweeter. Have fun sharing that sweetness with one another.

The Lord bless you and keep you, friends!

Pastor Evan Meester, August 2026