I pulled out my 1-teaspoon measuring spoon this morning to measure out my tea leaves for my morning’s cup of tea. I was struck with how I have been using this exact same set of measuring spoons for the last 30 years.
They aren’t fancy. They aren’t the highest quality.
This set of simple plastic measuring spoons came as part of a kitchen utensil set, which was a wedding gift when hubby and I were first married. There was a blue plastic soup ladle … which I still use to this day. I have used this ladle extensively over the years to ladle pancake batter onto my hot griddle.
There was a set of blue kitchen scissors … which I still use to this day. Hubby and my two kids find them to be annoying because they are dull. But they work great for me whenever I need to cut open a bag of cereal or trim off the top from a bag of chips. (I’m rather fond of my old blue dull scissors.)
There was a set of blue plastic measuring cups as part of this kitchen utensil set. You can see them here, along with the measuring spoons.
For 30 years I have used these simple plastic measuring cups and measuring spoons to cook for my family.
In the early years of our marriage our finances were extremely tight! I discovered that by making baked goods I could stretch our grocery budget. I baked pancakes, muffins, and cinnamon rolls for us to have for dinner (along with eggs & bacon) … a healthy, filling dinner meal with minimal expense.
I baked all of our sandwich bread … I baked fresh rolls to supplement our dinners … I baked cookies for us to have for lunches (instead of potato chips – which are crazy expensive!).
It was these simple, plastic measuring cups and measuring spoons which I used for all of it.
These measuring cups and measuring spoons were the standard. Thanks to them, I was able to succeed in the kitchen. Thanks to them I was able to stretch our grocery budget. Thanks to them I was able to feed my family delicious meals.
The standard has not changed.
Times have changed. I started out using these simple plastic measuring cups and measuring spoons in a small one-bedroom apartment just across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon … the standard worked there. A year later hubby and I moved … the standard worked there.
Two years later we moved again, to Seattle … and the standard continue to work. We moved 3 more times over the next 10 years … and the standard continued to work.
We moved to the east coast … and the standard worked there.
We moved back to the PNW once again, moving 3 different times until winding up in our current home in the forest. The standard has not changed. The standard has continued to work.
In every place we have ever lived, I have used these same simple plastic measuring cups and measuring spoons to prepare food for my family. The standard has never failed.
Both my kids have grown up and left home to launch out on their own.
The ingredients I am now using have changed … but the standard had never failed. The standard still works. Just this week I made pancakes for my daughter as an “I love you” Surprise. I made the pancakes with Oat flour, Almond flour, Millet flour, and Hazelnut flour. The ingredients are radically different than the flour I used 20 years ago … but the standard still works! These measuring cups and measuring spoons worked for delicious pancakes in the past … and they still work for delicious pancakes even now! The standard still works!
The standard hasn’t changed.
When it comes to life itself we have a standard – the Bible. Just like my trusty measuring cups and measuring spoons have worked for the past 30 years without fail … so also, the standard of the Bible has worked from the beginning! Without fail!
Times have changed. But the standard has not changed. The standard – the Bible – still works!
The way life is done has changed. But the standard has not changed. The standard – the Bible – still works!
The “ingredients” of each of our lives are radically different than the “ingredients” of people’s lives years ago … but the standard has not changed. If we want the “recipe” of our life to turn out, the standard – the Bible – still works!
Forgiveness – still works!
Faithfulness in marriage – still works!
Holiness – still works!
Love – still works!
Compassion – still works!
Kindness – still works!
Purity – still works!
Repentance – still works!
Righteousness – still works!
God’s standard has been given to us to help us “measure” our life by. God’s standard works! God’s standard has not changed. God’s standard will always work!
