When I was a lad, occasionally Mother would make breakfast food for supper. One evening, after a long and hard day of work at the local cotton mill, she placed a plate of eggs and sausage and a pan of “quite” burned biscuits on the table. We waited to see if Dad would notice.
After Dad said the blessing, he reached for a biscuit, gave Mother a grin and asked me how my day was at school. I have no memory of my response to his question, but do remember watching as he divided a biscuit, and spread homemade mustang grape jelly on both sides of that burned biscuit. He ate every bite and never changed his expression nor uttered a word.
After supper I heard Mother apologize for burning the biscuits and heard Dad say, “Sweetie, I like burned biscuits now and then.”
Later. I asked him if he really liked burned biscuits. He gave me a little hug and said, “Your mother put in a hard day today and she’s really tired. Besides, a biscuit burned a little never hurt anyone.”
Decades later, in our home, we have an alternative interpretation for the word “burned”, we say it is “Chocolate”. To break the bonds of “routine” I like change. Upon infrequent occasions I find myself admitting that, “I like Chocolate chicken, Chocolate toast, Chocolate Meatloaf” and whatever else, that of it’s own accord, and through no fault of the “chef”, just happened to remain over the heat a bit long and became Chocolate.
After 56 years of marriage to the same “chef”, I have learned that “discussing Chocolate biscuits does not Un-Chocolate them” and remember how many starving people-of-the-world would like to have a “Chocolate biscuit”.
“Consideration and kindness” are traits of Christ. He was mocked, falsely accused, physically abused, blasphemed and crucified, yet He never failed the “Consideration and Kindness Test”. Kindness and consideration are not measurable commodities; therefore, their supplies cannot be depleted. The more you give, (in most cases) the more is returned.
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church (1st Corinthians 13:4), “Charity (love) suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not, charity vaunteth not itself (does not brag), is not puffed up (arrogant).” After careful deliberation, I conclude that “Consideration and kindness” are synonymous with “Chocolate biscuits”.
