This season, I’ve had this craving for fragrance. Scents that sing of thankfulness and merry and run like a silver river thread up and over and through evergreen hills of time.
On, past tragic, detouring at worry. Paging through memory photos of Christmas joy till I reach the ones that savor the feel of… home.
That’s one reason I chose Mom’s Gingerbread cake as my contribution to this Thanksgiving’s meal. For the warming scents of molasses and nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves wafting throughout my little bungalow and lingering there a few days. Perfume waking me in the morning after baking…like remnants of a visit from mom. Still faintly greeting me a few days later, whenever I came in from the cold… and tingling of Christmas, more than brass bells.
It’s why I stirred up a batch of Grandma’s rolls…and reveled in the aroma of rising yeast dough floating room to room all day and night, wrapping comfort and joy round my shoulders like one of her fluffy crocheted shawls.
And why after Christmas I then decided to make my own version of our traditional family holiday dinner – for one — dusting Jennie O’s Turkey tenderloins in seasoning and flour and putting on to simmer in broth turned gravy, instead of a whole bird. Toasting sourdough bread slices, sautéing with butter and onions and celery, mixing in chicken broth and eggs and browned ground chicken (sorry mom, no giblets!) with plenteous sage and thyme and rosemary for unstuffed stuffing. Slicing potatoes and whipping ‘em up mashed. And breathing in all those savory scents bubbling on my stove…
I didn’t put up my tree this year, still favoring my healing wrist. Instead, I hung an ornament here, there and over the holly lit garland in my window. Never did clear my dining room table of artwork underway or set up my usual merry decor. But somehow… Christmas came in razzleberry trimming on the sacred scent of beloved.
Warming me with the cup of remember, entwining past and present in embrace… reminding how He makes those we love stay with us even when they have gone on ahead.
A song, a scent…equally transporting… A more than raconteur of home’s gold-spun stories…
And a wondering, whispering thought for the New Year…
In the same way, I crave the fragrance I have uniquely made of you…and you…and you. Do not leave Me to just remembering, to waiting alone…
Come away, let us sit…just be… together. Warmed, infused with the aroma of Heaven.
Your heart, your prayers come before and around My Throne on signature ribbons of made-solely-for-you perfume that calls out, “This, this is My Beloved!” And I enfold you in My own, to pour out again…
© Pam Depoyan
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For we are the aroma of Christ to God…
~ 2 Corinthians 2:15 ESV
Sharing with: 
http://raysofgraceandjoy.blogspot.com
Joining Holley for her Wednesday Coffee… 
Come back each Wed for more encouragement spurred on by this encouragement challenge… and make sure to stop by Holley’s blog for her terrific posts and for links to other great bloggers taking part in this challenge.
Writing... Apples of Gold 
Beautiful Pam, just beautiful. I sometimes envy those like you who can write with some beauty that stirs my heart. My mind thinks like a realist…sometimes a little too real even for myself. I am going back to read again since your words carry a calming affect. One has to have tasted the calming love of the Father to write such words. Happy New Year.
Thank you, Betty. You mist my eyes… I’ve been praying for Him to put that kind of feeling into what I write… Blessings to your year too 🙂
Mmm, I can almost smell this! Ahhh! And that light (or is it fragrance?) pouring through that cathedral window…! So glad I stopped over here. I hate to leave!
Yes, isn’t that cathedral photo lovely? Happened on it “by chance.” 🙂 It seemed to say so much of what I wanted my words to convey too. Thank you, Sylvia. I think I left out some of the thoughts about fragrance He’s been bringing to mind in this that I meant to put in this piece, so I may have to continue with another post 🙂
Such loveliness, Pam. You have me drooling for those sweet aromas. It sounds like a beautiful Christmas. Many blessings to you and your loved ones in 2014, friend.
Blessings to you, Laura…and a lifting of your heart to shine in all the ways you’ve just written about 🙂 Your words always shine. You inspire me.
Hi Pam- sorry I haven’t yet replied to your email- life has been happening.
I love this post- sitting and waiting for the aroma of Christ- and I love this phrase: Warming me with the cup of remember, entwining past and present in embrace… reminding how He makes those we love stay with us even when they have gone on ahead.
Lovely.
I sit with a prayer partner at our favourite coffee shop in the middle of a mall- and thee are times when one after another after another fragrance will waft past us- and we know God is with us, blessing us with His fragrance.
I find the verse about this quite informative- WE are the fragrance of Christ to those who are being saved- and the stench of hell to those who are perishing. [ !!!! ] Because certain people seem to love being around me, I believe they are those who are being saved, even if they are not yet.
I hope this is not too big of a tangent from your lovely post?
May the fragrance of Christ waft gently through the air as you wait on Him, and may your wrist be totally healed very soon.
Love,
Mary, New Zealand.
Thank you, Mary. Yes…that verse goes on to say all that and so true. No, not a tangent at all 🙂 Part of something I meant to say was how God intends to use our fragrance of Him to shine in this world…and you and your prayer partner right there in the mall, who knows the Light shining forth there! Thanks for your lovely words and thoughts on this.
All the smells you write about have me salivating and thinking about smells the evoke traditions. Lovely words from a lovely heart. Hope this year brings you your hearts desire. Happy New Year Pam!
Funny how many food scents punctuate our traditions and that just the whiff of them brings back the comforting and love of those times. I know you must have many with your H., son and daughter…
I pray the same for your New Year, Shelly!
Such a beautiful post, Pam. Yours always are…….and this one is heaven-scent! Truly, God uses fragrances, perhaps more than anything, to evoke fond remembrances. I can still smell my mother’s sage stuffing, my grandmother’s homemade fudge…….flavoral and fragrant, and each were scented with great love. Love’s the best spice of all, isn’t it? My friend, author and speaker, Emilie Barnes, used to sell little red-and-white spice cans labeled “Love,” because she said that she sprinkled love over all she baked and did. I believe it. She is one loving lady. So are you, and God has gifted you to write in a uniquely beautiful, sensual (in the best and real sense of the word–evoking the senses) way. You bring beauty to all you do, and we can always picture ourselves in the midst of it. I’m glad that Christmas with your Beloved was so special for you. I wish you the most beautiful of New Year’s as you revel in the fragrance of your sweet Rose of Sharon.
Love
Lynn
Thank you for your always beautiful words, Lynn. Yes, Love is the spice over all. 🙂 I pray the same kind of New Year for you. And may all those fragrances from your own remembrance bring you joy each time you think of them… I pray your Christmas had its own joy for you, Mike and Sheridan…
Hi Pam~~I have been away from the blogging world–wish it was something FUN but not the case! Rough bout with some heavy duty Pain in my neck, shoulders and arms! Thinking of the warming fragrances you spoke of brought pleasant thoughts for me at a moment when I need to “drift back” allowing the aroma of homemade Bread float by me. Your post comes at a time when I needed something to help take my mind off this Pain–I am having FOUR MRI exams done starting at 9:00am… Reason for so many is to hopefully get a very clear image of my Neck and see what is going on since my Neck Pain has changed…
I wish for you to have a healthy, and happy 2014 and will continue enjoying your beautiful images and writing. The Lord is so pleased with your loving heart….. love, martha
Martha, may He surround you with His holy fragrance today in all your tests, give wisdom to doctors and peace to you and to your body. I pray health and joy over you for 2014 in ways you have not yet dreamed. He is holding you today and always. I’m so glad He used this word about fragrance to bless you with some measure of peace today…
Pam, your line: “infused with the aroma of heaven” caught my attention here this morning. Ahh.
Re your comment at my post “Quick! Right Now Before the New Year,” oh, those lazy moments, and times to sneak away to read are so refreshing, aren’t they?
And hearing Him whisper prayer… good idea. May you sense his heart and will for you today. (May I too.)
Smiling,
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Thank you, Jennifer… yes, let us steep in His love and the aroma of the Lord. 🙂 Blessings! I appreciate you words!
Hi Pam.
Your post was pure beauty. I felt our Lord’s warm embrace with warming scents rising from my various scented candles dotted around my home. I love how our Lord knows just what we need. I hope and pray that your wrist completely heals soon.
God bless
Isn’t it wonderful how He does that? Thank you, Anita. Blessings to you too!
Lovely post. I could smell the fragrances. I see you do artwork. I do too. I am following you from Playdates. Great to meet you.
Blessings,
Janis http://www.janiscox.com
Yes, I love your colorful, playful watercolors, Janis! And seeing Tadeo at the top every Sunday when I link…I used to do some oil painting but never could get the knack with watercolor… I’m glad you stopped by and that you enjoyed this post! Happy New Year…
Such rich, beautiful words, Pam. Simply lovely. Thank you for sharing!
Oh, thank you, Shannon. You are one of the word artists whose own rich words inspire me! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!
Your post not only made me visualize all my favorite things about the holidays season I could also almost smell it. Thank you for linking up with Salt & Light today and sharing this post with us!!
Thank you, Bridget! The scents of Thanksgiving and Christmas bring it all back, don’t they? 🙂
Thanks so much for linking up today with Coffee for Your Heart, friend! XOXO
Always love encouraging! 🙂 I thank Him for your encouraging heart, Holley, and words He writes thru you – looking forward to your posts on this theme…
Yes, I love the thought of smells of family and home. Most especially so the scent of the beloved, to linger on even after Christmas and forever.
I love this, Pam. So so poignant. Thanks.
Blessings to you and yours, Lolita… may your heart and home be filled with that scent in fresh joy after the storms… Thank you for telling me that it touched you too. I have a second post on this theme in mind for soon.
I think of you and pray for you each night…
Pingback: Scent of Beloved, Part Two: Divinely You | Writing… Apples of Gold
Pingback: Salt & Light Link Up #2 « Becoming A Godly Wife