Pecans, flour, yogurt, brown sugar, butter … the basics of buns …
I gathered the ingredients for our family’s pecan sticky buns, a tradition as sweet as the aroma wafting through my kitchen.
As I measured flour and melted butter, memories flooded back—my mother’s laughter as we listened to Bing Crosby crooning carols and flour dusting the table like snow. Baking sticky buns is simple, but it carries the weight of years of love kneaded into dough. Those golden spirals speak of hope!
Reflecting …
Waiting for the dough to rise, I wondered how this ritual mirrors our spiritual lives. The process is slow, deliberate, and sometimes messy. It requires patience—waiting for the yeast to activate and the dough to double in size. There’s an inherent trust in the process, believing that the ingredients will work together to create something beautiful and nourishing. Isn’t that how God works in our lives?
Philippians 1:6 reminds us, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Like the dough rising in the quiet, unseen places, God is at work in us—shaping, stretching, and growing us into His likeness. Sometimes, the growth feels imperceptible, like we’re stuck in the waiting. But God is faithful. He knows when we’re ready to move to the next stage, to face the oven’s heat and emerge transformed.
I smiled as I pulled the sticky buns from the oven. Sharing this almost lifelong tradition of creating edible works of art is so enjoyable. I remember that God also experiences joy when He looks at us, His beloved. My favorite verse says, “God rejoices over me with singing.. Amazing!
It’s Christmas Day! As you celebrate old and new traditions, consider inviting God into their midst. Even the simplest activities can point us to the Creator, who delights in the details of our lives.
Savor His sweetness today!
Also posted in Substack.
