Joy is defined as: “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” I realized the other day that food has been at the center of most joyful occasions for me. Whether it was during one of our family holiday parties, celebrating a birthday, or just a casual Friday evening, food remained a constant at all of it.
When I moved into my apartment in college I knew I enjoyed cooking, but it was quite far down on the priority list of college classes, work, and social life. Once I moved to Montana to be with my then boyfriend (now husband) I quickly realized how much I not only liked eating food, but how much I loved cooking it. Fast forward to present day and I look forward to creating my own delicious recipes week by week to share with all of you on my blog. I like to say “food is how I spread joy” in this world.
Food is how I spread joy because of the fellowship food allows me to create amongst myself and others. I’m a firm believer food can be a driving force in connection, healing, and genuine joy. I can’t quite explain the warm feeling I get when people compliment my food, but even more so, when they tell me how much they enjoyed themselves while eating the food. It’s as if food finds a way to show people love and connect us even when we aren’t seeking connection. This is why we buy and/or make food for people when they’ve just had a baby, need to vent, or have lost a loved one. It’s our way of saying “I care.”
Once upon a time I wanted to work in corporate America. I used to envision myself driving up to a big fancy building, in my nice car, and push papers all day long. I dreamed of this for years. Even during my first pregnancy I couldn’t have imagined the thought of not working. I mean, I spent all my money on that fancy sociology degree from that private Jesuit university, right? (Shout out to the Loyola University Chicago ramblers)
But something switched inside of me when I gave birth to my oldest daughter. I knew from the moment I held her in my arms I never wanted to leave her side. Especially not to go back to a desk job. A job that until that very moment I hadn’t realized I didn’t care for. I had always envisioned myself in corporate America. But not because I wanted to be there, but because it’s what made sense, and deemed the “right” path.
I started my stay at home mom journey in November 2014, but I decided the month prior to I would start a blog. I started this blog to keep our families updated on Jordyn. You know, just a fun personal hobby. I never in a million years thought I would make money from blogging, let alone fall in love with cooking, and sharing recipes as my main content. I always tell people Jordyn was the best surprise I never knew I needed. Her life helped me find what genuinely makes me happy on so many personal and spiritual levels. One of those being how much I love blogging and cooking.
To some, this elaborate story all surrounding food may sound a little crazy. But to me it’s one of the many callings God has put on my life. Every year I look forward to hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve dinner for our family and friends. I look forward to cooking huge pans of food for everyone to eat multiple heaping servings. And of course providing enough food for to go containers too. Seeing everyone conversing and smiling as they eat a variety of foods that I carefully made with so much love brings me internal joy.
It really is the simple things in life that bring us the most joy. Every day I get to provide home cooked meals for my family brings me more joy than the last. I hope you’re all walking in your purpose and able to feel what I feel. My prayer for everyone reading this is to find what brings you joy and spread it to those around you.
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