February 14 – “A new word”

I learned a new word at our Ash Wednesday service last night.  I’m actually planning to do some more research on it to make sure I get a full understanding of it.  It is a foreign word.  Polish, actually, according to the couple who was visiting.  Their last name was Ruzanski, so I have no reason to doubt them.  They were here from Chicago staying at the RV park near Jamaica Beach.  They were wondering how they could find a service to go to for Ash Wednesday when they saw our marquee.  Divine coincidence, I guess.

Now back to the new term.  It is a religious word, I guess you could say.  Specifically related to preparations for Lent.  That would make it closely associated with Mardi Gras.  Now Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday.  When they first said this new word I thought maybe it was just their version of the same thing.  But no.  This word has a whole meaning all its own, and the more I think about it the more I am once again inspired to seek it out …

OK.  So the Polish word is “paczki.”  Try to pronounce that on your own and I can almost guarantee you won’t come anywhere close.  I had to write it out phonetically: “poonch-key.”  Anybody ever heard of it?  I sure hadn’t.  Apparently it is very common in Polish communities, and shows up only once a year, the day before Ash Wednesday.  It is … drumroll here … some kind of massive pastry.  Like a huge, oversized stuffed donut with cream or jelly inside and covered with powdered sugar on the outside.  Those are their words, not mine.  To get a real paczki you have to make an order at a Polish bakery way in advance, because, as you can imagine, they sell out as fast as they can make them.  Anybody hungry yet?  Now that’s the way to celebrate Mardi Gras.  I don’t know any Polish bakeries in Galveston, though.  I wonder if three or four regular sized cream-filled donuts would equal one paczki?  I’m certainly willing to give it a try. 

Well, I’m off to get Chris’ Valentine ready before she wakes up.  We have a houseful coming over today.  Cailyn will be here for her Mom’s test day.  Kel’s boys will be here for their Mom’s latest ultrasound picture of their little sister.  Then some time today or tonight Josh and Christi and their boys will be here for a few days.  It’ll be a madhouse of fun and excitement around here, that’s for sure.  Maybe I could get over to the donut shop for my first paczki trial before they arrive …

Psalms 66:8-9 says, “Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.”

Father, thank you for new words and new friends and potential new experiences.  Amen.