The Egg and I

This article, I will freely admit, is a little bit out there. But please don’t let that stop you from reading!

The title does not reflect a book written in 1945 because well, I have never read it. That doesn’t mean I have "egg on my face" either.

The title does not reflect a restaurant in Minneapolis or any other restaurant of that name. I found so many that it would be a "hard egg to break" with just one article.

The title is merely a statement that I had a ‘moment’ with an egg this week. 

A side note before I begin in earnest, please. Before writing, I usually look to see if I have written on the subject before. You’ll never guess.  This is the sixth time I have written about eggs in this venue. Does that make me an "eggbeater"?  Maybe not but something weird is going on.

I am now getting to the point, and I thank you for your patience.

I made hard-boiled eggs this week. I like them with salt. I like them in egg salad. I like them in regular salads!

I am generally successful with the timing and the process of making good, yellow-only, hard-boiled eggs. It’s the de-shelling process that could use some attention.  I read there are several tricks to making sure that one can remove the shell without damage to the egg itself. A few are listed below.

• Use only older eggs
• Don’t put the eggs in the water before it’s boiling.
• When the eggs are done, immediately remove them from the water, put them back in the pan, and shake them around a bit which will lightly crack the shells. Then add cold water with ice cubes.
• Pell them underwater.

I am in the confession stage today apparently as I am now admitting that this was the first time that I have ever researched how to remove eggshells. 

Anyway, here’s my moment with the egg.

I was in a good mood. Yes, there were a few incidents during the morning hours at work – like usual. But I felt okay. 

I did my thing with the boiling water, the eggs, and the cooling off period for preparation for a lunchtime toasted egg salad sandwich. 

I started the removal process. The first five or six went smoothly. They were prize-winning hard-boiled eggs, there is no doubt.  Perfectly shaped, perfectly smooth ovals greeted the bowl – just as they should.

But then, a stubborn one. And this little eggie was at once followed by an ornery cousin or something. Neither of those made it into the bowl as they were mostly destroyed in separating the egg and shell. 

Then, I heard it. It was like the egg spoke to me. It asked quietly, “Why are you so angry?”

Well, I’m telling you now, that I do not talk to eggs. I concede some insanity but not that much.

But I did listen to the egg – or perhaps to the spirit that was clearly convicting me at that moment. 

I didn’t even realize that there was a layer below the surface of my own consciousness that was apparently seething. I wondered how often that happens to me. I speculated about others that may be walking around thinking that they are doing okay while underneath the surface, a small stream of lava-like unrest and rage is just waiting to be released.

The solution.

• I don’t think helps to ignore it and I don’t think we can just walk it off. 
• I don’t think we can constantly test our mood by making hardboiled eggs.
• I don’t think we can ask anyone for verification, either.

Once upon a time, people wore mood rings. Do you think those work? Well, even if they do, they will only let us know that there’s something we should pay attention to. That’s the fix of a band-aid, but the sub-title says, "Solution!"

For that, I think we need to keep our eyes and hearts on all good things, starting with God Himself. 

Perhaps this is one reason I look forward to writing each week. It’s part of looking for Jesus in everything around me. It’s a physical exercise of accountability to you as I write about what I see and hear. It’s about returning to a point where I can absorb the words of Jesus more concretely because I look to experience Him in daily life.

I pray that I will continue to grow as God intended.

I pray that all of us find a way to seek God and His grace in everything and everyone around us.

This is because, in my heart of hearts, I believe that Jesus is the solution.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8

Two things, then.

1. Let's encourage each other to be "good eggs".
2. Let's remember to be patient with those who have yet to hear this message from a hard-boiled egg.

NOTICE

Since I do not want you to feel as if you are 'walking on eggshells' when reading these enormously informative posts, I promise to offer no more 'eggspanatory' articles for the rest of this year.