NANNY AND THE BLESSED KNEADING BOWL

by Tammy Phillips
November 26, 2020

“Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.” (Deuteronomy 28:5 NKJV)

Nanny is the name that I called my grandmothers, Nanny Lowe and Nanny Abney. What a perfect name for each of them. I found that a nanny in the Bible was like a nurse to children. One Hebrew word for nurse/nanny is ‘aman. This word perfectly describes both of my Nanny’s:

To believe in
To be faithful
To carry
To support
To uphold
To build up
To prop up
To bring up
To be established
To be made firm, unshaken
To verify
To foster as a mother
To nourish

They believed in me. They supported me. They nourished my life in so many different ways. I am who I am today because of the loving, unfailing devotion of these two women to God and to me. They gave their lives to God and family. They taught me how to love unconditionally; give without reserve, and how to bless my family. Both of them were superb cook’s and could make a phone book taste good. I am missing them both today, but I am confident that I will see them in heaven some day.

My mouth waters as I fondly remember Thanksgiving dinner at each of their homes. Nanny Lowe made light, fluffy, buttery-crusted, mayonnaise biscuits. I still make them today because they are yummy and super easy. Deuteronomy 28:5, specifically, reminds of Nanny Abney. She had a wooden kneading bowl that I am blessed to have in my home today. (“I am not sure if my Mom or my Aunt Kay know that I have it, but I do.”) I would love to know how many biscuits she made out of that bowl. I might ask God that question one day. (“I mean, we do have eternity.”) Nanny obeyed the voice of the Lord and followed his command to love. Hence, her wooden kneading bowl was blessed and delivered perfect biscuits time after time. Her little pillows of perfectly formed perfection were an expression of her love. She blessed people from her modest kneading bowl, daily. More importantly, she blessed from the kneading bowl of her life. She shared the Love and the Bread of Life, Jesus, with all who crossed her path.

I enCOURAGE each of you to cherish the memories of Thanksgiving’s past and family that are celebrating with Jesus in heaven. Treasure every moment with the family and friends that remain. (Truthfully, I need to work on this one.) Most importantly, bless others from your kneading bowl, freely share the Bread of life and His love with ALL.

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. (John 6:35 NKJV)