This story begins over 25 years ago. Jill and Christine teamed up to give my wife a cup of their sourdough starter, a special glass jar, instructions  on how to care for and nurture this living liquid and, if I’m not mistaken, a recipe or two.  When we moved to Minnesota we packed the starter as carefully as the children, dog and fine china for the long drive. 

For 20 (+) years that same starter has leavened  loaves of bread, dinner rolls, caramel rolls, raisin cinnamon bread to feed four hungry boys. Those young men are now grown and starting lives of their own but nothing grabs their attention when they visit like some sourdough bread. The dinner rolls have become sort of Debbie’s trademark. This year I was told no admittance to deer camp without some baked goods. Same for muskie camp. You get the picture. A gift of love from good friends, passed on to Debbie, and from Debbie to my hunting and fishing buddies.   

A week ago I was getting ready to lead a men’s breakfast when Debbie asked if she could make some sourdough caramel rolls for the men. She stayed up late mixing and shaping. 

What happened the next morning was great fun to see. Men went down the serving line and had the usual eggs, ham, biscuits, gravy (no grits) and then they would stop and say “wow, who made these?”  I was at the end of the table serving coffee and juice and I dutifully replied, “Debbie made them just for you.” It was true because she was giving a gift that she knew would delight. Some men stopped by with a smile on their face to tell me about memories of their mother’s baked goods.  Several men, who passed on the sticky pastry the first time past the table, loudly proclaiming their dietary restraint, could be seen passing through the line a second or third time “for just this one” in absolute, self-indulgent, glee. 

One young man, Mike, told me the perfect caramelization reminded him of his sister.  She is a chef out west somewhere and he only sees her once a year. When they get together she bakes him a pan of caramel rolls, full of love, just for him. He asked if he could take seconds (“sure”) and when the time came to offer a door prize it was the largest,  stickiest, sweetest and loveliest roll of the morning and he won it by knowing a piece of cultural Christmas trivia. He was delighted.  

When I got home I couldn’t wait to tell Debbie, who is a wonderful gift giver, about the sparkling eyes, warm smiles and licked fingers. She was hoping her gift would delight and it did. She made the rolls just for these men to feed their hearts and memories.

While you might not have a fondness for sourdough caramel rolls you have experienced something far greater. The Christ-child is a gift of great wonder – and God did it just for you. That sunset that was extra golden was a gift from God, just for you. That lingering cup of coffee with a good friend was a gift from God – and God did it just for you. 

The heavenly father delights in giving good gifts. He creates experiences, arts, people, conversations, music, animals, rainbows and soft breezes that delight us, if we will pay attention.  It is worship, don’t  you know, to delight in God’s gifts to you. So go ahead, enjoy a hug, share a joke, admire a flower, sing a hymn, or better yet, in this advent season thank God for sending his son to this earth – after all, he gave his son just for you.

In Christ,

Phil

*Thanks to Max Lucado for helping me make the connection.