By the Rev. Tony Marciano
Growing up in the North in a very Italian community, I learned that we eat macaroni (not pasta) three times a week. We only bought Ronzoni brand macaroni. The red stuff that went on top of the macaroni was called gravy and not sauce. My mother never bought a jar of Ragu in her life. The meal included meatballs and sausage. I had never eaten fried chicken until I came to the South. I never saw a collard green in my life while living in New Jersey. I thought a sweet potato was eaten like a baked potato.
Fast forward and my middle child married a wonderful Southern gal. She is a delight and a joy to the family. She also had to educate us on Southern living.
At her first Thanksgiving meal with us, she brought a sweet potato casserole. Trying to be nice, we thanked her and told her we would put it with the other desserts. In true Southern style, she explained that sweet potato casserole was a side similar to string beans or mashed potatoes. We were confused because she also brought a sweet potato pie. Why would you bring two of the same? Should my son really marry her? We were concerned. Once again, she explained you do not eat sweet potato pie as a side. It’s a dessert. You also do not eat sweet potato casserole as a dessert. It is a side. The difference is that sweet potato casserole can either have a toasted marshmallow top or a crunchy brown sugar/nut top and is made with brown sugar in the casserole. Sweet potato pie is made with white sugar, has nothing on top, but can be served with whipped topping.
Needless to say, we were confused. Our brains began to hurt. We silently wished for the familiar foods of the North where no one ever saw a sweet potato anything on Thanksgiving. Those were simpler times. But we didn’t live in New Jersey any longer.
Let me ask you a question. What’s the difference between god and God? That’s easy; one is spelled with a capital “G” and the other with a lower case “G.” What else?
When I think of “god,” I think of a “good orderly direction.” When I think of “God,” I think of what we, as Christ-followers celebrate at Christmas, God made flesh. One is about morality and the other is an encounter with the living God.
So, I need your help. Can I eat sweet potato casserole as a dessert or is it only to be eaten with the turkey?
I’ll be back soon. Until then, live well my friend.
The Rev. Tony Marciano is the president/CEO of the Charlotte Rescue Mission. Visit www.charlotterescuemission.org for details.
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