My musings on risotto and God's lovingkindness in suffering and hardship.
I love making risotto--it is warm, creamy, and I find it very calming to make. It is not calming to the poor rice kernels however.
In it's transformation from plain old rice to creamy deliciousness, it must first be toasted, stirred, and beaten...quite the process, but a necessary one.
First, the rice, accompanied by an onion and a garlic clove, must be toasted in hot oil. This process 'plumps' the rice which results in the toothy texture of a proper risotto.
Secondly, hot stock is added to the toasted kernels. This step is key--the stock must be added one ladle at a time, and only once the previous ladle has been absorbed by the rice. This step requires patience and constant stirring and cannot be rushed!
Thirdly, once the rice is cooked (when you can drag a spoon through the middle of the pot and the rice does not run back), a pat of cold butter is beaten in. It is important that you beat vigorously--this creates the glossy sheen and velvety consistency of risotto. This step is also where you can add anything you want to (tonight I added snow peas and parmesan cheese).
Risotto takes a few steps to make and a lot of time and attention, but the results are stellar. Taking a humble grain of rice and transforming it into a beautiful, creamy risotto can only be accomplished by putting it through this strenuous, time-consuming process--there is no other way.
Oftentimes, I feel like a grain of rice being toasted, stirred up, or beaten down by sin, circumstances, or unrealized expectations.
God is in the risotto-making business. He takes humble little grains of rice and makes them into beautiful, God-glorifying, winsome, Christ-like 'risottos.'
Sin, death, pain, suffering, disappointments, abandonment, despair--my loving Father has used many difficult circumstances to transform me into the image of His Son. This process will not end while I am still 'in the pot' (on this earth).
Seeing God working all things in my life for my eternal joy is overwhelming. Who am I? I am just a grain of rice. God is the Master-Chef Who prepares, seasons, and finishes PERFECTLY every risotto He sets out to make.
1 comments:
As the person who gets to enjoy the risotto without having done any of the work, I think it's neat that there's a place for me in your parable, too. As God grows us and matures us, makes us sweet or savoury, the people around us benefit with a common pattern of "enjoying the risotto and praising the Chef."
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