Gunk and Grease

Dean Miller, a drummer/percussionist/etc of phenomenal ability, and I first met when our paths crossed through the National Youth Ministry Organization of the United Methodist Church (NYMO and UMC respectively). He recently wrote this and graciously gave me his expressed permission to share it with you here. Enjoy! —

After my father passed away several years ago, my brothers came over and gave me these two cast iron skillets that Dad had.

They were caked with grease and gunk. I put them up on a shelf in the garage and they’ve been sitting out there for years now.

So, as I look for new small projects in my retirement, I decided to bake all the old gunk and grease off them and re-season them for use again. Well, I did that and as I started to do some investigating I learned that the biggest of these two skillets was made pre-1940.

Which means they belonged to my grandmother (Mimi/Mama Simmons). I was flooded with emotions remembering watching my grandmothers, my mother, aunts and uncles, use this cooking device – and my cousins and other special friends who gathered at our tables over the years for a meal, good prayers, great stories, lessons of life, news of the day, tears and laughter.

Just thinking of the love and attention that went into this pan…the hundreds of thousands of meals prepared…the love around those tables with my family and friends…oh my…. It just took my breath away!

I thank God for this powerful moment in my life today…Wow, just Wow!

I wish I could clean up as well as these skillets did!

— And so what all do you have lying around like that?

Let Matthew 25:14-30 prime your pump before you answer.