Chicken Salad Revival

When I was young my mom made egg salad all the time. She made egg salad, chicken salad, that random salad with marshmallows in it; all kinds of salads! But, if you really think about it, we should be questioning exactly what a salad even is! What constitutes a salad? I have no idea, but I’ve never been convinced that egg salad is an actual salad. Think about it.

Needless to say, I’ve been off those kinds of salads for years. But, saints! I’ve had a chicken salad revival! Here’s how it went: My girl Chelsea made me Chicken Curry Salad for lunch for a play date a while back. Side note, chicken salad is a game changer! It’s delicious and super easy to make! The perfect lunch! I had no idea. I’m still not convinced on the labels here, but oh my word, I am a chicken curry fool now. Chelsea was proud to say that this Chicken Curry Salad was her granny’s recipe: “It’s a family favorite!” Her mom made it, her sister makes it, she makes it, etc. This warmed my heart to hear. I also realized that I never asked my mom to teach me any of her chicken salad recipes before she passed away. The truth is I never asked her to teach me how to cook anything.

Chelsea shared some stories about her mom’s cooking and classic family food memories. You know, the Rolodex stories that your whole family knows by heart. I couldn’t help but grieve in that moment, remembering that both Chelsea and I lost our moms to cancer. It’s a terrible bond that we share. The loss of a good mother is a terrible, terrible thing.  We both feel that loss now more than ever as young mothers ourselves. Only a veteran mother knows best how to serve a young mom. And the truth is, no one can replace your mom.

I’m deeply saddened by the fact that my mom never taught me how to cook. It’s a long story to unpack, but the bottom line is I never cared to learn and she didn’t push me on that topic. So, my sister became the cook and I became the master table-setter. I miss her black bean soup with sour cream and this special cake she would make for my dad’s birthday with pineapples in it. After she died my sister and I thumbed through all her cookbooks, recipe cards and all over the Internet to find that cake recipe but no dice. The recipe was in her heart and mind. Later in life, my mom also did a ton of research into food and nutrition because she had to dramatically change her diet to help her body fight cancer. She knew so much about food and I’m sad how unimportant I thought food was at the time.

I’ll just cut to the chase here friends: Ask your mom while you can. Ask her anything. Ask her everything. I’m so grieved that I don’t know my mom’s salvation story. How did I never think to ask that? I’m so sad that I don’t know my birth story. I don’t know a whole lot about her youth growing up without her biological mother. That story is all wrapped up in mystery and second hand stories. I wanted to hear more about what made her fall in love with my dad and stay married for 30+ years! And it just seems so silly, but I would love her chicken salad recipe so that when I make it for my friends I can say, “It’s good right? It’s my mom’s recipe.” It’s like that cake or the black bean soup; it’s a part of her. I can’t have her back, but it sure would be wonderful for her cooking to live on in my kitchen. It’s sadness for sure. Thankfully her legacy lives on in many other ways. My daughter is one of those ways. And I am so deeply grateful that my mom lives on in my girl.

Thank you, God that generation after generation you use family to reveal your amazing love! Thank you for children. Thank you for the opportunity to be a mother. I had no idea how deeply meaningful motherhood and this family season would be.

Final thoughts…

If you don’t have a mother, I grieve with you. The Lord can bless you with a mother figure, a spiritual mentor to encourage your heart along this journey. Ask God for that good gift if you want it! He wants to give you good gifts.

Older generation, we younger women need you. We need your wisdom. We need your help. We need your recipes! I’m tired of googling stuff! We need you. Please pray and consider who you can reach out to and invite into your life.

Are you single without children? I walked that road for many years.  I pray you will be satisfied in the Lord and overflow to love someone who needs a mother figure in their life. You have purpose and calling.     

Do you have an unbelieving mother? Pray that she would be saved. I will pray with you. Keep praying for her salvation. Until that day, I hope you can appreciate her for all she has done for you.

Is there a young mom you know who does not have a mom to rely on, or a widower with children? You could be the answer to their prayer this week by simply offering to serve and help spiritually and practically: prayer, offering to babysit, or drop a meal off is always appreciated in my book.

The Lord bless you and keep you this Mothers Day.