The Parable of the Cheese Grater

I was grating some cheese the other day for a meal and I started looking at the cracks along its edges while I was grating and thinking about how long it has looked that way, and yes marvelling that it was still very usuable.   Some people would have thrown it away a long time ago, but I just keep using it.

Its my favourite grater.  I use it for everything. Its easy to hold and has little rubber grips on the bottom that hold onto the bowl if I am grating into a bowl, and it feels right in my hand when I am grating it just up and down.   Its not to heavy or too large.  It grates things just the right size for what I want most of the time.  It works very well.  Other than those cracks along the side it is the perfect cheese grater, and does exactly what its purpose is for it to do.



A cheese grater is not supposed to look good really is it?  Its just supposed to grate cheese.  Those fancy bits along the side . . .  they don't really serve any purpose other than making it look good.  They are the "decoration" as it were.  They could all fall off and you would still have a perfectly usuable cheese grater.  Oh sure . . .  it might be a tiny tad bit more awkward to use, but it could still do the job for which it was entended.  The decoration is handy, but it is not what the cheese grater is all about is it.   Its about grating cheese . . .

I strongly suspect that those cracks got there because I like to give it a good bang on the side of the sink when I am done,  or the side of the bowl, etc.   just to make sure I have dislodged any spare bits of whatever it is I am grating.  Oh yes, I do grate other things with it, but I grate mostly cheese . . .

So it gets banged about . . . a lot . . .  and it grates . . .  a lot.  We like cheese.



So I was standing there grating the cheese and thinking about the cracks and thinking about how that is kind of like life.  As we go along in life we all get banged up a bit.  Stuff happens.  People disappoint us.   We fail at some things and we succeed at others.  We face challenges and hopefully overcome them.  We get knocked down and we get back up.  We keep on trying.   Yes . . .  its sometimes very hard and also very sad, but its also mostly very beautiful, with all of its ups and downs, and to's and fro's.

We get chipped along the edges and broken and banged up a bit, but so long as our core remains solid and intact we are okay.  We can still do what we were intended to do.  The core for me is my faith in my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ . . .  my love of family and friends. . . my church.  For someone else it might be something else.  These are the things which keep me balanced and in harmony with my world.  These are the things that help me to fulfil my purpose in being here.  The pretty things along the edges might be the window dressings in my life, such as a job, my blogging, my artwork, etc.

The main thing is that I am connected to that inner core, that rod of steel, that strength which upbraids and upholds me . . .  supports me . . . sustains me.

And it is the same with the cheese grater . . .  without that centre bit with the holes and the steel . . .  its just a few bits of plastic, cracked and not fit for purpose.

Just my thoughts . . . on cheese graters and life.

 

A big to-do on the telly yesterday off and on all day about these so called creepy clowns.    I found myself wondering what is it that motivates people to act this way.  My oldest daughter in Canada, the one with challenges, is really quite frightened about these, so much so that she is afraid to go out after dark.  I don't really like her going out after dark anyways, but thats not the point.  She shouldn't have to feel afraid like that.  Nobody should.   These people that are caught doing this sort of thing should be charged with terrorism, because they are terrorizing people.

The people of Allepo . . .  my heart breaks.  Something needs to be done, and soon.  Get the Russians out of there.  They are just killing innocent people.  There was a suggestion that they create a "no fly" zone, but in order to do that everyone has to agree.   Otherwise you are just escalating an already impossible situation.  My two cents worth.

Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton.  What the heck?  Is this the best that America has to offer its people?  That is just sad.  Mitt Romney should have run again.  And yes, I know I am a tad bit biased but so far as I know there have never been any scandals attached to him and he is a good and honest man.   Don't burst my bubble.

 

Subway . . .  Berry Cheesecake White Chocolate Cookies.  OH  MY  GOODNESS!   A bite of one of these and you have died and gone to heaven.  I don't want to know how many calories is in one or how much sugar.  I shared one yesterday with Todd and it was pure and utter bliss.

Naughty me.

I had a very productive day yesterday.   We were going to go to the Temple, but Todd ended up not having slept all night and so we stayed at home.  I did two loads of laundry, picked up some groceries,  made granola, made yogurt (banana flavoured) and taught myself how to print on freezer paper for some little felt ornaments I am making.  Todd was snozzing away when I got up this morning so today it will be back in the Missionary seat for us.

A thought to carry with you  . . .

⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰
You can tell the greatness of a man
by what makes him angry.
~Abraham Lincoln
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Spiritual Enlightenment 




In The English Kitchen today  . . . Thai Chicken Tacos!  Tres delish!

Whatever you get up to today, don't forget . . . 


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And I do too!!