Yesterday, my sons dealt with their summer doldrums by making Oreo sushi. Perhaps you, too, have heard of this internet craze, even attempted the recipe. If not, I assure you that no raw fish is involved. Basically, you create the appearance of sushi by separating the cream from the cookies, crushing the cookies, flattening them into a crust, and finally adding the cream as the crust is rolled up. It tastes just like Oreos, but there’s an appearance of a sushi-like swirl after the roll is cut into pieces. My sons were proud of the result. They were also generous, serving extra portions to their little sister.
This summer, my kids have enjoyed camps and a vacation to the beach. I’m glad, however, that my wife and I have also scheduled down time, meaning that we haven’t scheduled activities for them every week. Sure, they play video games, but we also limit the screen time. They complain of boredom, but if you are bored, you might try something new, like Oreo sushi, or discover a climbing tree in the woods. You might learn the sounds of backyard birds or watch a hawk stare back at you with his iron gaze.
Boredom is beneficial for all ages. A dear friend once told me that she enjoys letting her mind wander during my sermons, saying, “I do some of my best thinking when you are talking.” I suspect that’s true of many parishioners. Our church has big, clear sanctuary windows that afford views of the trees waving in the wind and songbirds flying back and forth. During worship, she silently composes haikus. I suggested writing limericks:
There once was a woman in church,
half-listening to what the pastor urged,
when she saw through the window,
a gorgeous red cardinal,
preach good news for all he was worth.
“Not bad,” she said, “but you should keep your day job.”
As much effort as I put into each Sunday service, I know that not every sermon is great, just like not every summer day is a thrilling adventure. And that even presents an opportunity: I bet the person who invented Oreo sushi was bored of dunking the cookies in milk.
Andrew Taylor-Troutman is the author of the book with Wipf and Stock Publishers titled This Is the Day: A Year of Observing Unofficial Holidays about Ampersands, Bobbleheads, Buttons, Cousins, Hairball Awareness, Humbugs, Serendipity, Star Wars, Teenagers, Tenderness, Walking to School, Yo-Yos, and More. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina where he is a student of joy.
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