Marinating a Relationship

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup     November 26, 2010

1 Kings 6:38 NIV

"In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it."

Solomon took seven years to build the temple just the way he wanted it, but I don't have seven years to build a relationship with my exchange student, Teona. She returns to the Republic of Georgia in June. I only have seven months to get to know her.

We have had difficulty building a relationship due to our schedules. She is a full time student in one school system, and I teach in another. However, Thanksgiving break has given us the perfect opportunity to collaborate together on a joint project. Today, she and I made vegetable beef soup.

First, we had to prepare the marinade for the beef.

"Teona, take those bottles of barbeque sauce and pour them into the pan while I chop up the garlic and onion."

"How much sauce?"

"All of it"

She worked on her side of the kitchen, coming for help as needed.  Then I showed her how to slice the beef into smaller portions to add to the marinade.

As the beef mixture reduced, we sampled it. Teona's face lit up in joy. "Oh, I didn't know this would taste so awesome!"

"You didn't think I was a good cook?" I laugh.

I keep an eye on the beef as it simmers with mushrooms, onions, garlic, sauces, and local honey for sweetening, while Teona tackles the job I hate: peeling and chopping the turnips and potatoes. We add additional fresh and frozen vegetables to the soup.

As we work, she tells me about her mother, her home, her friends, and a boy from her exchange organization. We get closer to each other today.

Building our relationship has been like making this soup. It has taken effort, but if we work together, we can create something we will be proud of by June.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Lord, help me make the most of my time with those around me.