We had the funeral for my great aunt last Tuesday and since then I’ve been wanting to go over to her house and peruse her massive recipe collection. Aunt Catherine was a consummate cook and one of the most hospitable people I’ve ever known. How she could entertain! Interspersed with her recipes I found notes of thanks from her friends and duplicate recipes so she could share the wealth.

This spirit of hospitality was one of the primary things I thanked her for on one of our last visits together. Since summer I’ve been helping out at a residential community and study center—a shelter—for people who are wondering whether Christianity is true or have recently gone through crises in their lives or who are just plain weary. One of the great joys of all this is cooking meals for strangers, spreading the food out on a large dining room table multiple times a week just like Aunt Catherine did when I was a small child. I would not find such incredible joy in doing this if it weren’t for her showing me how fun it could be. I’ve never spent time in the kitchen without thinking of her somewhere in the process.

I love the place setting map, which is clearly meticulously drawn with ruler in hand. Few people would even think to do this now with the power of Google close at hand. Going through Aunt Catherine’s collection today encourages me to keep these tactile traditions alive.

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