Thanks for the Spices
by Cowboy Bob Sorensen
Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States (Canada has one the second Monday in October), and many people are happy for the day off from work, feasting, slumbering, and watching our version of football. Some actually pause and consider the things they're thankful for, such as the food, family, friends, salvation in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:9-9, Acts 4:12, John 14:6), having a job, and other big things. I want to talk about something small that I'm thankful for: spices.
"Spices are the variety of life, Cowboy Bob!"
Uh... something like that.
Don't tell anyone, but cinnamon is my second greatest weakness. That stuff is versatile, you can add some to coffee, donuts, pies, make it into candy, and so on. Nutmeg is a frequent companion of cinnamon. Bay leaf adds flavor to legume soups. The misnamed allspice is certainly not a combination of spices, but comes from the pimenta tree, and is said to taste like a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove. Ginger livens many things up as well. Salt is not a spice, but technically, it's a mineral; we just use it like a spice, as well as a preservative. (Actual spices are basically dried seeds and herbs.) If salt loses its saltiness, it's not good for much, and spices can lose their spiciness over time. There's a passel of spices listed at this encyclopedia.
When reading or hearing evolutionary material, it's easy to get the impression that everything evolved for a purpose, as if the puny god of evolution had a plan. Some spices have health benefits, but many have little or no nutritional value. They sure do liven up foods, though. Interesting that some foods are difficult on the palate, but important for health. (On a 12th season episode of The Simpsons, Dr. Hibbard said of broccoli, "One of the deadliest plants on Earth. Why, it tries to warn you itself with its terrible taste." Fortunately, most of us don't rely on doctors in animated comedy shows for advice.) Evolutionists can't explain why spices taste so good to many people, but I think it's obvious: our Creator cares about us, and gives us many things for our benefit, and even our pleasure. This includes the little things like spices.
Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States (Canada has one the second Monday in October), and many people are happy for the day off from work, feasting, slumbering, and watching our version of football. Some actually pause and consider the things they're thankful for, such as the food, family, friends, salvation in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:9-9, Acts 4:12, John 14:6), having a job, and other big things. I want to talk about something small that I'm thankful for: spices.
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| Image credit: Freeimages / Kyle Edwards |
Uh... something like that.
Don't tell anyone, but cinnamon is my second greatest weakness. That stuff is versatile, you can add some to coffee, donuts, pies, make it into candy, and so on. Nutmeg is a frequent companion of cinnamon. Bay leaf adds flavor to legume soups. The misnamed allspice is certainly not a combination of spices, but comes from the pimenta tree, and is said to taste like a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove. Ginger livens many things up as well. Salt is not a spice, but technically, it's a mineral; we just use it like a spice, as well as a preservative. (Actual spices are basically dried seeds and herbs.) If salt loses its saltiness, it's not good for much, and spices can lose their spiciness over time. There's a passel of spices listed at this encyclopedia.
When reading or hearing evolutionary material, it's easy to get the impression that everything evolved for a purpose, as if the puny god of evolution had a plan. Some spices have health benefits, but many have little or no nutritional value. They sure do liven up foods, though. Interesting that some foods are difficult on the palate, but important for health. (On a 12th season episode of The Simpsons, Dr. Hibbard said of broccoli, "One of the deadliest plants on Earth. Why, it tries to warn you itself with its terrible taste." Fortunately, most of us don't rely on doctors in animated comedy shows for advice.) Evolutionists can't explain why spices taste so good to many people, but I think it's obvious: our Creator cares about us, and gives us many things for our benefit, and even our pleasure. This includes the little things like spices.