Why have we not had these before?

There I was standing in the kitchen wondering what to do with the mound of dough rolled out on the table. I had only wanted to practice before serving the team. I had promised to make sopapillas for everyone to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and now had a double batch of practice dough on my kitchen table the day before the big day.

It all began two weeks ago with a simple comment, "We're thinking of making sopapillas for the next team meeting."

"What's a sopapilla?" "I've never heard of a sopapilla before. What is it?"

"Are you kidding me? You've never heard of a sopapilla." I began to feel a little crazy as the only one informed of sopapilla goodness. I quickly checked with the remaining teammates to ensure that I was in fact living on a team deprived of sopapilla knowledge. I guess it was understandable (we are the only Texans on the team), but really? Never had a sopapilla? Never even heard of one? I thought sopapillas were everywhere. They certainly are in Texas. They're a staple at any Tex-Mex restaurant across the state.

So there I was staring back at the dough knowing full well that I could eat all 30 sopapillas covered in cinnamon sugar dripping with honey by myself. While that would be great, I would regret it for days. Instead, I decided to share with everyone a day early and they were glad I did.

"Why have we not had these before?"

I wasn't holding out, I just thought you knew about the golden fried sopapillas covered in honey. It seems I would learn. Assume nothing. Three years ago we debated Chicken Fried Steaks (see stories here and here). And today it's sopapillas. Now teammates have a more complete experience of Tex-Mex food, heaven on earth.

As I write, I'm reminded of so many who have never heard about the Father. "Why have we never heard about this before?" or "Why have we never experienced this before?" All the while I could be sitting back assuming they have heard, "I thought you knew about the Father's goodness." I hope that is not the case. I hope I will speak of the Father's love to all, even if I think they know because He is worthy of all praise, all the time, to all people. I hope that the Father will be real to all our friends here allowing them to experience His love for themselves, allowing them to experience heaven on earth.