Little known facts about ketchup- it was originally a Chinese fish sauce- made from the brine of pickled fish. It migrated to England where the main ingredient became mushrooms- Later in the American colonies, tomato ketchup became the in thing. Recipes until the 1850s included anchovies.Ugh!
Of all things- I have to say anything even remotely fish is kryptonite to me.
Fortunately for me and my fries, ketchup is now blissfully fish free. But this does answer of my old questions as to why some packaging says "tomato ketchup" as if there were another kind of ketchup.
How very American of me.
To the point---
My church asked that we bring some nonperishable foods to service today to share with a family in which both parents had recently lost their jobs. I was looking in the pantry this morning to see what I could share that wasn't too weird, or out of date. The "New England Clam Chowder" from 2012- nope. Saurkraut- nope. Keylime jelly? Probably not.
I pushed the ketchup aside. I picked out some green beans, some pineapple, moved the ketchup out of the way again. I asked myself-"should I put that ketchup in?"
Then I answered myself with, "No, I need that ketchup, I'll find something else for them." I put in some macaroni noodles, pushed the ketchup aside, a few cans of soup, pushed the ketchup aside.
Then I looked at the ketchup again. It was looking back at me, as if to say, "I think I should go."
I said, "No, you're my ketchup. I need you. I'm almost out!"
It said, "You don't need me, you need to learn to give away more than what you don't want. You need to give things that others need."
I'm all, "Ugh! Fine! Get in the bag, ketchup!"
Did that family NEED ketchup? I'm going to tell myself yes.
More importantly, I NEEDED to be reminded to do what I tell my children to do daily. LISTEN and OBEY. I know that if I had a strong, inexplicable urge to do/not do something- it's not really inexplicable. It's God saying- LISTEN and OBEY.
Even when it's "just" ketchup.
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