“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51: 7 & 11
We eat a lot of pancakes at my house. Multiple varieties depending on who is visiting. One grandson prefers chocolate chip pancakes, one Swedish pancakes. Pecan pancakes were a big hit last week and often my husband begs for blueberry pancakes. Different pancakes, one common denominator: syrup.
I suppose it won’t surprise you to hear that we have multiple varieties of syrup on the table, too. Coming from western New York state I am something of a syrup snob and will only eat pure maple syrup created when the sap runs in the spring. Alas, I am forced to place the bottle of fake syrup on the table as well, along with a bottle of some novelty fruit syrup. Different syrups, one common denominator: sticky messes.
A few weeks ago one of my granddaughters spent the night. I offered to make her pancakes for breakfast and her joy could not be contained. She is only three, so when the pancakes had been consumed I helped her wash her hands. Or I thought I had washed her hands. As the morning progressed everywhere we went I got sticky. Maple syrup seemed to be emanating from toys and books and chairs all over the house. No amount of hand washing curbed the stealthy stick of syrup trailing us.
Exasperated, I did a thorough investigation of the child and discovered maple syrup on the bottom of one foot. It never occurred to me to wash feet at the end of breakfast! But a quick foot washing left us clean for the rest of the day.
This week, even without the three-year-old around, my life has become sticky again. Not sticky with syrup, sticky with sin. Like the delicious, pure maple syrup I hadn’t even noticed on the bottom of my granddaughter’s foot, sin caught me unaware. Hardly noticeable at first, just a bad attitude here, an ugly thought crossing my mind there. Pride puffing myself up when people complimented me on this or that, yes, I guess I am an amazing person. Others should not disturb me, plans should be made around me. I have a right to fuss and fret when things don’t go my way.
I was sticky all over, not just the bottom of my foot, when God sent a friend to help clean me up. Like a child not wanting a bath I was a bit resistant at first, who wants to acknowledge that they are covered in syrup? I had become accustomed to the stickiness, the sweetness, the selfishness. Even though it weighed me down, I was comfortable with it; sin was familiar.
But God in his infinite wisdom and compassion helped this child into the tub and cleaned me up. Again. His mercies are new every morning, great is his faithfulness. And life that is not sticky offers such freedom. No words to retract, no people to avoid, no lies to remember, no ants or vermin following you around. No regrets, no rebuttals, no excuses for why . . . just clean, honest life.
I would love to say that my sticky, sin problem is over, but that would not be true. God saves us for eternal life in him, but only Jesus was sinless. Everyday I have a choice to make, multiple choices to make and those choices involve more than pancake and syrup flavors. I am wiser now, knowing I must check feet as well as hands after pancakes, but most likely the next syrup incident will arise from a different source. I pray that God will create a clean heart in me and renew my spirit to be aware of any syrup spills in my life.
Swedish Pancakes
- 2 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 cup + 2-3 Tbsp Gold Medal Flour
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract
Melt butter and cool for a few minutes. Pour milk into a blender. Crack eggs into the milk and blend until mixed. Add butter and vanilla, blend until mixed. While blender is running on a low speed, add flour. This is a crepe like pancake so the batter will be thin and the flour needs to mix in well.
Heat a griddle until butter placed on it melts and pops. Pour well blended batter onto hot griddle in circles about 6″ in diameter. Cook until pancake is set, then flip. Each thin pancake will only take a couple minutes to cook. Do not overcook.
These crepe-like pancakes can be served in multiple ways, both savory and sweet. Traditional Swedish pancakes are served with lingonberry jam or fresh berries, fresh whipped cream or a sprinkle of confectionary sugar. Maple Syrup is my topper of choice!
As a savory crepe, these can be filled with cheese and ham or salmon or your choice of a seafood filling. My girls have made entire meals of Swedish pancakes, with the first course being pancakes topped with syrup, the second course pancakes stuffed with ham and fondue cheese, and the final course pancakes filled with vanilla custard and strawberries and topped with hot fudge sauce and whipped cream. Be creative, this recipe will flex with your imagination.
Finally, I learned this recipe from my dad, a true Viking. I am blessed to come from a Scandinavian heritage and a family that loves to cook and share meals together. My dad has a limited repertoire of recipes, but I cherish this one.