TWO BLACK CAST IRON SKILLETS

TWO BLACK CAST IRON SKILLETS

We had a fire on Father’s Day. To be more specific, we had a major grill fire on Father’s Day which involved 3 fire extinguishers, several pounds of flour, and a siren-less visit from the local fire department. The road to this destination was paved with good intentions and some bad decisions.

Four fathers, four mothers, and six children gathered to celebrate with a surf and turf dinner. What could go wrong? Grease and an open flame. As responsible, risk averse adults, we took all the necessary precautions (in my opinion) to fry fish (loved by all the fathers) safely. Our original plan didn’t involve the grill or my two cherished black skillets but became the solution for frying the fish when the turkey fryer refused to cooperate. We fried the fish – turned off the grill or so we thought and sat down to the dinner table to enjoy the delayed meal. And then someone yelled, “We have a fire!!!” Enter fire extinguishers, flour, and fire department. No real harm done - just two bruised egos.

After a week of cleaning, the brushed stainless-steel grill now has a nice patina finish, and it works just fine. The surrounding area was a mess but that cleaned up well. Without photos of the mess, you wouldn’t believe that we had a fire.

There are a lot of storylines that I could follow but, in this episode, I will focus on the two black skillets.

These two skillets are woven into the cooking and eating tapestry of my village. They have been used to prepare every kind of food imaginable except grits. Since the fire, they have been in the utility sink in the laundry room. I haven’t had the heart to tackle restoration. It seems like such a daunting task. I awoke on day eighteen post fire and knew it was time to start the cleaning process .

It is far easier to clean and restore the outside of our façade, our bodies, our temple after they have been through something. They may not be restored to the original finish, but they work as well as ever. It is often harder to clean and restore the inner parts of our being. Anyone who has experienced grief know the validity of this truth. Grief may be worn on the outside for a week or years but at some point, one scrubs themselves and cleans up for the world. Inwardly they are still grieving until they wake up and decide it is time for restoration.

I don’t know what the skillets will look like when they are cleaned. I suspect the same as before the fire. I decided to start restoration and for today that is enough.

1 Peter 5:10

PONDER THIS THOUGHT—There can be no restoration without a start.