The Eternal Potential of Leftovers

One of my trademarks in the kitchen is my unique creations. When living in Moscow as a missionary, I lived in a house with 5 other Elders. We always went grocery shopping on Wednesdays, making Tuesday the last day to have leftovers before our new yummy food. It soon became Chili Tuesday, as every Tuesday we would make a large pot of "chili" using all the leftovers in the fridge to make room for the new. The best was after thanksgiving when we had everything from spaghetti sauce and two-week old turkey to eggs and sour cream. Awful, I know - but the beautiful thing is - it always comes out so wonderful! 

In the picture above I'm demonstrating how a soup one day can evaporate overnight into a nice pasta slush type casserole. Just last week we took scraps of ham and nasty frozen veggies that were mostly ice and cut and friend them all up into a wonderful ham-potato-veggie stir-fry. I 

consider it a successful meal if we're able to get rid of any packages or containers - finishing off the last bit of anything. More room for the new! In this picture are 3 different sculptures we made out of old ice cream (and then still ate them...)

Over the years we've made pies and cakes and cookies and soups and casseroles and omelets and pastas and smoothies and a host of Microwave Miracles and One-Pot-Wonders. (and maybe even combined them all together!)  For me, cooking is an art and a hobby. You take raw materials and combine them in such a way that the result is always spectacular. Some see leftover ham scraps and think: trash. I see them and think: yum. I think I've been blessed with the gift to see a "second life" in most foods, using them in ways never thought possible. 

The joy of creation and the deliciousness thereof are simply to die for (which of course is the risk I take using old food...ha). 

But on a more spiritual note, aren't we all just old leftover food? We're all tired and worn out in one way or another. So many times we've thought - in whatever situation - that's it - I can't go any further! And then somehow, with some Extra Help From Above we just keep going and going. That's because a loving Father in Heaven sees in us an eternal potential. God does not see us for who we are or what we've done, but rather who we can - and will! - become. He knows our true potential, and despite all odds, will help us obtain our divine inheritance. 

Food was meant to be eaten, not thrown away! I always try to do my best in helping all foods - regardless of origin or color - reach their fullest potential (how's that for political overtones?). When we throw leftovers away, we in essence say "you are worthless." How grateful I am that The Lord will never tell us that we no longer have any worth in his eyes. We are all His precious sons and daughters here on earth en route our epic journey to return once again into His presence. A chick is hatched to one day become hen and lay eggs of her own. A pup is born to become a full-grown dog with a family - his own sons and daughters. And we, being spiritual children of our Heavenly Father - The God and Creator of all the universe, likewise have the potential to one day become perfect and inherit all Godly attributes and powers that are naturally born in each one of us! THIS is our Eternal Potential!

In my creative little mind, I can look at a plate of cold leftovers and see a glorious meal just a few minutes away, pending a little work on my part. In God's merciful and and almighty powers, He looks at each one of us and sees a Glorious and Perfected Heavenly Being, once again pending a little work on MY part.  Let us all do our part in remembering our own Eternal Potential and Live our lives as true sons and daughters of the Almighty God!

...and be a little more creative with leftovers next time!