In Russia, there are a handful of things of the mechanical/appliance nature that are notoriously temperamental...they work in various stages of efficiency- ranging from fairly efficient to not working at all...these include elevators, cars of the older Lada persuasion, and ovens- I was tempted to add on metro station doors and hot water- but I felt those may push the mechanical/technical classification. Besides- the oven is the star of this post. Approaching an unfamiliar gas oven in Russia has to be done with great caution and care- as though approaching a tiger that you aren't sure whether is asleep or dead. My friends' have a wonderfully retro Soviet gas oven...i.e. a piece of antiquity that operates on a system of logic unknown to this generation. I'll explain- to light the oven you must not only turn the gas knob to the desired temperature, but you must also hold a red button for 5 minutes...and not a second less. If you hold the button for 4 minutes and 53 seconds, you will be sorely disappointed to realize that upon releasing the button, your flame has gone out- and thus you must hold the button again for an additional 5 minutes. TRUST me- 5 minutes, no less. It took me about 23 minutes (yes, you can do the math to estimate how many times I went through this ritual) before I realized the magic 5 minute mark. This was definitely a moment when it would have been good to have the homeowners..well, home.
Actual Oven and Actual Red Button
Holding a red button for 5 minutes is an interesting situation as you can really do little else at the same time. I was greatly relieved when the oven was good and lit and the chicken cooking. After we ate dinner, we had some late comers arrive. I realized that while I had enough pasta and chicken, I needed more garlic toast. A thought that didn't cause me the slightest concern until I reached the kitchen and saw it- the Red Button. I momentarily stood there in disbelief- what? seriously? would I have to stand and hold the red button for another 5 minutes? Really? I mean I held it for a solid 5 minutes earlier when I finally got the oven lit for the chicken...the oven should like me by now, right? We should be old friends by now, right? Aren't we past the whole "hold for 5 minutes" thing?
The Red Button mockingly glared at my naivete. Of course, I would have to hold the button again- for there was no other way to keep flame going long enough for the oven to be actually "lit."
As I stood there- I was amused at myself and began to think of how often in life- I've felt that same exasperated feeling of having to do something once "again." We have this tendency to feel that if we just put enough time into something- then we'll be done with it once and for all. If we held the Red Button for 5 minutes the first time...we shouldn't have to hold it for another 5 minutes the next time we want to use it. "If I just get into shape once- I'll never have to worry about my health again"...."If I just work the 18 hour days for the first two years- I'll not have to worry about my job performance and security again"....the list goes on and on...It's as though we think if we put the time in and check it off our list, we can move on and never look back except to note that we've been there, done that and got the shirt. It is easier to go through difficult and unpleasant experiences when we think once it's over, we'll never have to do it again.
Later in the week, God brought the Red Button to mind again during the meeting for all the ministry directors in Moscow. Yuri shared his thoughts on how we are called to "present our bodies a living sacrifice" and how that correlates with Leviticus 6:12, where instruction was given concerning the altar on which sacrifices were to be offered in the temple "The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood.."
Maintaining the fire that was required for sacrifices was a continual and ongoing process. If we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice- it requires continual attention. We must not let the fire go out. As Yuri shared, I found my thoughts once again going back to the Red Button. While what God gave me Sunday night was insight in to my own reluctance to revisit something I thought I was finished with, on Tuesday it was a reminder of the importance of not letting the fire go out. For once the fire goes out, you will have to press "the Red Button" once again for 5 minutes...for there is no other way to get the flame lit again.
2 comments:
in all my ovensw in Russia,k I've never dealt with gas...and no red button. I like your story, and even more the deeper insight!
I meant to write this when I first read this about the red button. I told Jim...and he remembered that when he was in Kiev and had a funny story. I like your blog!!
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