The kitchen plaque was given to me by a friend who really gets who I am. She understands the messy kitchen.

I enjoy cooking for my family. And, with that, sometimes there is a mess. There are pans, skillets, utensils, dishes, stained towels and potholders. There are crumbs on the counter. There are drips of sticky jam on the stove after canning. There are spurts from spaghetti sauce when I walked away from the stove.

My son has a cheesy potato soup he likes to make for the family. He totally understands the messy kitchen. He also enjoys that he has a created a meal for the family. There are cheese shreds, remnants of the chopped veggies, measuring cups, a cutting board, along with spoons and a ladle. And, total satisfaction!

I will say I think there is a happiness that comes from the kitchen. It is a room where great things are prepared for the family. It is the room where everyone gathers to set the table and do the dishes. It is the room where school lunches are packed. It is the first room we enter when returning home and where we ask, “How was your day?” It is basically the hub of the home.

At the end of the day, a messy kitchen means:

I have fed my family.

We are blessed to have food to eat.

We have gathered around the table together.