September 7 – “Cinnamon spooning”

Chris had made some of those big cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Not the small ones that come eight to the package.  These only have room for five of them.  And they come with lots of icing.  Can’t get too much icing.  Just saying.  You can smell them all over the house as they get closer and closer to being ready.  And they are scrumptious when they first come out of the oven.  Warm, just a little bit crunchy around the edges and soft in the middle.  Oozing with cinnamon and dripping with icing. 

By the time Cailyn arrived, I had long since savored every last bite of mine.  Not wanting her to miss out on the experience (even though they had cooled off quite a bit and had lost some of that initial fresh-out-of-the-oven appeal), I handed Cailyn one.  Eagerly she ran over to the silverware drawer, obviously anxious to begin a culinary experience of her own.  She reached in and first emerged with a fork, but suddenly that “look” came across her face.  The look that says, “Ooh, I have an idea.”  The look that parents usually dread, but grandparents like me live for because you never know what’s coming next.  She dropped the fork in favor of a spoon.

I had to ask.  “Why a spoon?  Wouldn’t a fork be easier?”

Without hesitation she blurted, “No, DadDad.  Watch this.”  She carried her plate over to the table.  Glancing at me to make sure I was paying close attention, she took the spoon in her hand.  She whispered one last time, “Watch, it, DadDad.”  And finally she began.  She proceeded to eat the center out of the roll, bite by bite, using the spoon to scoop it out.  And the best part of it all?  She flashed a smile at me with every bite, like we were the only two humans on the face of the earth privy to this secret knowledge that would surely change the course of history were it to get out.  Watching Cailyn made me wish I had another one so I could try it that way, too.  That’s one way to get around eating the crusty part.  She continued until the only thing left was a … well, it was a donut, actually.  And that revelation made her laugh.  She decided to save the donut so she could show it Nani. 

Hmm.  Maybe we can try it with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich next.

Psalms 27:7-8 says, “Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.  My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"  Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

Father, help me to recognize you face when you show it.  Amen.