Best By Today

This weekend we started going through our pantry. The plan was to find the items we weren’t eating and donate them to the food pantry at church.

What we discovered is that we have plenty of soy sauce, Greek dressing, and granola. We also have an astonishing amount of expired food.

Some packages expired not long ago. Some went out of date so long ago that I wonder whether the food was already ancient when we bought it.

Now, I recognize that some expired food is still safe to eat. But I have a niece who’s younger than some of these canned goods—and she’s reading chapter books. You have to know when it’s to say goodbye to the breadcrumbs that were best by February 2021.

Going through our pantry made me think about what we buy and eat, and what we buy and think we might eat someday—and then never do.

There were fun discoveries, too. In the midst of all the boxes and packages and cans, we found a box of brownie mix. It was best by Jan. 12, 2025—the very day we were cleaning out the pantry.

I know a sign when I see one.

Did we need brownies? Did we want brownies? Were there better things to eat than brownies?

It didn’t matter. Sometimes it’s not a matter of whether we are choosing the brownies. The brownies have chosen us. And they are asking to be eaten today.

So, while I was making dinner, I mixed up the brownies and slid them into the oven. Soon enough, the house was full of the lovely aroma of warm chocolate brownies.

There’s no special occasion. It’s not even a snow day. It just happens to be the day to enjoy brownies—and this particular box of brownies.

We bought that box who knows when. We’ve stored it for many, many months. I’ve looked for brownies in the cupboard and failed to find this box, hidden behind much-more-expired cake mix, several times. So, today, for no particular reason, we are having brownies.

As I sliced the brownies, I found myself thinking that it’s the first day in Ordinary Time. There is, of course, nothing ordinary about Ordinary Time. This is when we move into the stories of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth.

We learn so much about Jesus through Ordinary Time. We also have the chance to learn more about ourselves, what we are called to do, who we are called to be. Jesus had limited time on earth, and so do we.

We don’t know how long we have on earth or what we are meant to accomplish for God, for humanity, for the world, during the limited slice of time we have.

But perhaps this is our year. Perhaps this is our day. Maybe we have been sitting on the shelf waiting for an opportunity, thinking something might change.

This might be our chance. Because the truth is that we don’t have a “best by” date. Let’s make the most of it—for God, for those we love. After all, we are all “best by” today.

And while you’re at it, have a brownie.

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