“Jelly and beans?”
Just the mention of it still brings laughter around our table. It sounds ridiculous, I know—but behind those two simple words is a chapter of our story we’ll never forget. A chapter filled with stretching, praying, and somehow still finding joy tucked into the simplest things.
It was during the years I was a single mom—working around the clock, doing everything I could to make ends meet. I leaned hard 
on Mom and Dad for help, and they showed up in more ways than I could count. The days were long. The pantry often felt empty. And one night, when I needed to figure out dinner, all that was left on the shelf was jelly… and beans.
Yes—jelly and beans.
Not exactly a recipe you’d find on Pinterest. But it turned into something more than a meal. It became a rhythm. A memory. A reminder that love, laughter, and a little bit of creativity could carry us through. Jordan even wrote a little song about it, played with his little ukulele—“Jelly and Beans.” It was silly and sweet, and it still makes us laugh to this day.
Because the truth is, it wasn’t just about the food. It was about being together. Laughing through the hard. Surviving with love. Living fully, even with very little.
Those were the years when life felt thin in a lot of places. And yet… those are some of the best memories we still talk about.
My kids didn’t see lack. They saw adventure.
And God? He met us right there—between the jelly and the beans.
That season taught me a lesson I carry with me always:
Sometimes the most extraordinary moments are wrapped in the most ordinary things.
A strange little meal.
A made-up song. A quiet night at home with the people you love most.
We still say “jelly and beans” every now and then—and not with shame, but with gratitude. One year, it was even given as a birthday gift! It’s our little phrase that reminds us: We made it. God provided. And joy found us—even there.
So maybe you’re in a season like that now.
Maybe things feel tight. Maybe you’re stretching what you have and praying it’s enough. Maybe, if you’re a single parent, you wonder if you’re measuring up—if you’re making memories your kids will actually want to remember. Can I gently remind you? Even jelly and beans can become holy ground. Because when love is present… When faith is holding you together… When laughter refuses to leave the room…
There is abundance in that.
So go ahead—open that can of beans. Say the prayer. Sing the silly song.
And trust that the same God who met us in jelly and beans…
is still in the business of turning ordinary moments into sacred memories.
Because He is.
He always has been.
0 Comments