Lois Roggow witnessed the miracle of over 40 people receiving large servings of lasagna (and even seconds and leftovers) from a single 9×13 pan. Photo by Christina Obsborn.
Yesterday I ate the last piece of the miracle lasagna. Let me explain.
For my friend Evelyn English’s funeral dinner I had been told other people were bringing lasagna and additional items and I was to bring only cookies. Of course I double-checked with my husband, Pastor Nicholas Osborn, and he confirmed—only cookies.
When we arrived at the church I found three other ladies in the kitchen: Jean Shaver, Valena Stulzman and Lois Roggow. Lois had made three 9×13 pans of lasagna, plus one 9×9 pan. There were plenty of desserts and some bread, but that was it. It didn’t take long to realize there had been a miscommunication.
Quickly two ladies left to buy juice and salad. The two of us staying behind started buttering bread to brown in the oven. Then I slipped out to do a headcount of guests—80, 90, 100 and I quit counting. We clearly did not have enough lasagna, even if only half of them stayed to eat.
When the other two ladies returned I told them we needed a miracle like the multiplying of the loaves and fishes. We formed a prayer huddle and pleaded with the Lord to do just that for the lasagna.
When the service ended people start filing into the dining area. Before long all 87 chairs set around the tables were filled. The blessing was said and we started serving. The portions on the plates going by looked huge, so I whispered that the servers needed to make smaller portions. They complied—and yet the plates still seemed heaped with lasagna.
When we were at the end of the last pan we looked from the hungry people standing in line to the empty pans, and one lady said she was going to make a last check in the kitchen. To our amazement she came back with a full 9×13 pan of lasagna!
I pointed out that we still had about 35 people left to feed, not counting those of us who’d decided not to eat at all. Once again the four of us sent up prayers for the Lord to please multiply the lasagna.
From that last pan, plate after plate went by with huge portions of lasagna. Then all of a sudden everyone was seated and eating. I peeked at the pan and was amazed to see a full third still left. How on earth? Oh, me of little faith! I was in shock over what I had just witnessed—a bona fide miracle!
When everyone had eaten their fill, one of the ladies asked if I wanted to take the leftover lasagna home. Leftover lasagna? Of course I said yes.
Later a group of us circled once again in the kitchen, joined hands, said a prayer of thanks and sang Praise God from whom all Blessings Flow! We were all beaming. And I have to admit, I was a little choked up.
So that brings me to yesterday. I was in a hurry, ran into the house and realized I was so hungry I felt faint. I opened the fridge and what was sitting right in front? The miracle lasagna—touched by the hands of God Himself and multiplied so much that we had leftovers to bring home.
This article originally appeared in the September 2014 issue of OUTLOOK.. It was written by Christina (Potter) Osborn, wife of Pastor Nicholas Osborn. They serve the Hurley, Mitchell, Platte and Yankton churches, the largest district in the Dakota Conference.
