Kim Wilbanks

My husband and I started a new tradition during these months of pandemic — Pancake Saturday.  I don’t remember exactly when we started it, probably in May.  I’m sure we were growing weary of the lockdown and wanted to do something different.  The following Saturday, I made pancakes again.  After the third Saturday morning, we had a tradition.

Pancakes For Two

One of the problems of making pancakes for two people is the quantity.  Another is the quality.  If this was going to be a tradition, I wanted it be a good one.  I went online and found a great recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes (made from scratch) for Two.  

After a few weeks of making the pancakes, dragging out the canisters of flour and sugar and collecting the baking soda, baking powder and salt, I decided to streamline the process.  I made batches of the dry ingredients and put the individual batches in baggies.  Instead of making a big mess every week, I would make a big mess once a month or so.  I stored my homemade baggies of pancake mix in the cabinet.

On most Saturday mornings, all I have to do is grab a bag of mix and add an egg, some buttermilk, butter and vanilla.  In a few, short minutes, we have six thick, fluffy, delicious pancakes.

This morning was like most Saturday mornings.  I got the baggie of mix from the cabinet.  I measured the buttermilk and vanilla extract.  I melted the butter and added it to the liquid ingredients.  I cracked the egg, separating the yolk from the white.  I poured the dry ingredients into the liquid ones. I whipped up the egg whites and folded them in.  When the griddle was hot, I scooped the thick batter onto it.  

Something wasn’t quite right, though.  The pancakes didn’t look as thick and fluffy as usual.  I was sure they would taste good even if they didn’t look quite the same.

I plated our pancakes, spread butter on them and poured syrup on top.  

My husband took a few bites but didn’t say anything.  He was being kind. I took a bite and immediately spit it out.  The pancakes tasted horrible!  What happened?

Something’s Missing

I retrieved the empty baggie and was dismayed when I read the faint print — flour.  I had made my pancakes with flour; no sugar to make them sweet or powder and soda to make them fluffy and thick.  They were missing some very important ingredients.  The pancakes looked good on the outside but they tasted terrible because of what was lacking on the inside.

It’s kind of like us.  We can look great on the outside.  We can do the right things and say the right things but if what is on the inside is not right, it doesn’t matter.  If we are missing what is most important on the inside, we are not who we say we are and we will be distasteful to those around us.  

What, or better yet, who is the most important ingredient in our lives?  Jesus.  He is the one who makes everything matter.  A life without Him is like, well, pancakes without sugar.