A friend from church just had her first baby, so I made a chicken pot pie to bring to her for dinner. This is a joyful season in my friend group and in our church. There are so many new babies, foster placements, and family celebrations. I love to cook, and I have to cook dinner anyway, so why not double the recipe and bring dinner to a friend? As I go through the motions of dinner prep, I’m praying for my friend and her brand new family of three.
I remember when my oldest was a newborn. I remember when her newborn baby foot was shorter than my pointer finger. I remember her wearing my favorite pink newborn sleeper with tiny princess castles and ruffles near the buttons. I remember her downy baby hair, fluffy after a bath. She was impossibly small, and pink, and gorgeous. She was a brand new person, and she was the spitting image of her Daddy at the same time. I was in awe.
So as I chop the carrots and onions, I pray that my friend will be awestruck today. God, give her precious moments that will live forever in her memory. Let her revel in this precious new life, and in your masterful creativity and care. Let her notice every detail, savor every sensation, and thank you for your loving kindness to her family.
But I also remember the tough days, too. I remember the nights when I couldn’t string together 60 minutes of sleep. I remember when my daughter was jaundiced and colicky. I remember the panicked feeling that she might be sick or underfed. I remember learning for the first time what ‘being touched out’ meant. How I’d go for hours, sometimes whole days with my baby attached to me. I remember being desperate for a shower, or a nap, or a minute’s peace. I remember being starved for a real meal, but too exhausted to stumble into the kitchen, settling for a handful of trail mix.
So as I season the pan with rosemary and thyme, I pray that my friend will be comforted today. God, encourage her in the hard moments. As she learns new expressions of love and selflessness, remind her of your love for her. Remind her that she is worthy, and valued, and treasured even when she can’t manage a shower. As her routines and rhythms change, root her even deeper in your peace. And show her that her care for her baby is a mere glimpse of your care for her.
God let this chicken pot pie be more than a meal. Let it be an extension of the celebration of a new baby’s arrival. Let it be permission to delay meal prep for extra snuggles and kisses. Let it be a tangible expression of the love and care that surrounds her family in their new season. Let it point to the hands and feet of Jesus as he provides for his bride, the church. That’s a lot to ask of a chicken pot pie. So if nothing else, God, thank you for this opportunity to serve. Thank you for the chance to feed my family and friends, and to be in prayer even during meal prep.
