It's ALL Good...

The land of the abundance. The horn of plenty. The cup that runneth over.

That's life in our culture. We have so much - so much to do, so many opportunities, so many choices. And "it's ALL good!"  Well, maybe not every single thing, but a lot really is...good.   But does that mean we need to partake of it all? Or even try? And does more activity mean more fortuity in the long run. Maybe....not.

A busy life is, or at least can be, a full life. Do you agree? It's challenging to make choices, to discern how family time and individual time is best spent, to articulate what will truly make a difference in your life, to consider what you really need right now versus what you might want? It's even more challenging when your choices seem to be different from the masses. After all, who wants to journey alone? But these are questions worth considering and questions only YOU can answer with God's help. Your unique set of circumstances inform your choices and reveal the path that is right for you. Moreover, only you can discern what truly is God's vision for you and your family. Yes, you can seek input and counsel and insight from others. But it really is your unique life. One can live a lifetime, and yet miss a life well-lived.

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.  (Proverbs 2:1-5 ESV)

Girl's Day 2014

My 9 year old daughter has been lobbying heavily for months for a Girl's Day when we would venture into town sans boys and go wherever our hearts desired. I finally cleared the space on the calendar, made the time and suggested she make her list of stopping points  - Target, Barnes and Noble, lunch at Chick-Fil-A, a ride on the mall train, a visit to Claire's for accessories and a stop by Build-A-Bear. She told me she had been saving her money and had a few items she wanted to look for.  I offered to pick up the tab for lunch. She was delighted! She even invited her little sister to join us. And off we went. It was a marvel. A big smile. Lots of giggles and two joyous little girls. But the magical moment was at lunch. The two girls seated side by side eating their nuggets and french fries, drinking lemonade when the 3-year-old in the midst of nibbling on a fry looked at her big sister, leaned close and casually whispered in her ear, "You're beautiful."  And then she got back to her fries.

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. I Peter 3:3-4 ESV

Be kind

Just a gentle reminder (to myself) that we are blessed with more opportunities to serve each day than we will ever fully realize...

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile. ~ Mother Teresa

Why not make a difference in the lives of others today?  Be kind.

A bowl of soup

A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.  

Proverbs 15:17 (NLT) 

I've been crazy busy in the kitchen these days.  Trying to get ahead of the appetites in our household is part of what is spurring me on, but the other piece of motivation is my own innate desire to be creative.  In truth this desire keeps my heart literally overwhelmed with ideas and opportunities from knitting to embroidery, gardening, storytelling, decorating, journaling, teaching, singing, writing, seeing friends and the list is endless.  In recent weeks as I've been attempting to gain a little focus with all my ideas, the thought occurred to me that perhaps I could apply my creative desires to a need.  And our household is in a season where the need for food is at an all time high. But not just any food mind you - good, wholesome, nourishing food prepared with care and thought, delight and love.  Here's today's creation, with my adaptations.  In a word - satisfying.   You might find you need some too.

Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

from Keep it Seasonal by Anne Wayte

1 T olive oil
1/2 lb high quality well seasoned pork, beef or lamb sausage (I used Aidells Italian Style Chicken Sausage - oh, my!! - good stuff.)
1 large white onion, cut into 1/2" dice
1 clove garlic (I used 3 cloves.)
3/4 lb baking potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
1 T chopped fresh sage, rosemary or thyme (I used 1/3 tsp. dried sage.)
4 C chicken or vegetable stock (I made a batch of stock a couple of days ago. I didn't think it was up to par with my usual stock, but it worked for this soup and after I added the kale I decided to add 2 more cups of stock for a total of 6 cups.)
salt and fresh ground black pepper
large handful of kale, trimmed and sliced into thin strips ( I used 2 large handfuls of kale.)

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over med heat. Add the sausage and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside. Discard all but 1 generous tablespoon of the fat remaining in the pan.

Place the pan back on the heat and add the onions. Stir well and saute' until translucent, approzimately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add the potatoes stir well and then add the sage and stock. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Slice the sausages into bite-size pieces and add them to the soup. Continue to simmer until the potatoes are cooked through and have started to collapse, approximately 10 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until cooked through. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Serve piping hot and with lots of love.

A Word

I thought it might be inspiring if our family had a word for the new year, something that might define us, guide us, challenge us in our choices and our journey.  So, I offered the idea to my clan.  I explained the  intent and their minds began to ponder the possibilities.  I threw some words of my own on the table to get us started - freedom, caring, love, friendship, generosity, hospitality.  They were not impressed.  After careful thought the boys seemed to catch on and offered their best idea.  The 15 year old led the charge - food. The 13 year old had a better idea - feast.  Someone said something about - eating.  They finally agreed on - buffet. They were pleased, buoyed in fact, by their insights. I'm re-thinking this idea. Maybe we don't need a word after all?

Aroma

Just outside my family room window is a wonderfully fragrant shrub. It blooms in early spring and its potent scent can catch you by surprise when you walk up to my front door. You find yourself wondering - where is that aroma coming from? But it doesn't take a curious person long to discover the source.

When people see you, hear you, watch you do they wonder - where is that coming from? What is the source of your thoughts, actions, and daily pursuits? How long would it take someone to discover Whose you are?

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." 2 Corinthians 2:15

Mountaintops

A dear friend of mine, recently moved from the gentle, low-lying land of the Tidewater Region to the rugged landscape of the Alleghenies. The words of the Psalmist speak to her in this place, "I lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from?" Reminding her, "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)

How blessed she is to have such a poignant reminder that the Lord is close at hand! How is the Lord speaking to you today? Can you see Him?

Story time

A few Fridays a month my daughters and I attend story time at our local library.  It's a brief twenty minute experience that includes a couple of songs, a finger-play, several stories and a craft.  But what is really interesting about story time are the people who come. There's Shane who brings a bag of Duplos and dumps them on the floor, so he can throw them around while he listens.  There's the twin sisters who sit quietly snuggled on their mother's lap.  And there's soon-to-be three-year old Sophie who tells everyone where to sit and if you are lucky, she'll hold your hand.

But the one who really intrigues me is Sophie's grandmother.  She's 71 and looks as if she's in her fifties.  This past Friday we were sitting together working on our Dr. Seuss puppets to commemorate the Seuss fellows birthday when Sophie's grandmother began to admire my daughter's long, brown hair.   "I want to tell you a story,"  she said softly.  And then she began.

When Sophie's grandmother was 9 years old she had long hair -  hair so long she could sit on it.  Her father had died when she was only twenty-eight months old leaving her mother to care for two young daughters.  Over the years her mother had made ends meet by doing bead work and sewing projects for people.  But this particular year as Christmas drew close, the family's resources were quite low.  One day her mother sat her young daughter -  with hair so long you could sit on it -  down on a stool, braided that beautiful long hair and then cut it off just behind her ears.  When she was done she wrapped that braid in tissue paper and took it to down-town Richmond to the doll shop where she sold it for $58.  "It was premium hair," said Sophie's grandmother.  "My mother was able to pay the electric bill, buy my sister a coat, a pair of shoes for me, a coat for herself, get 2 Christmas presents for each of us, and a turkey...all with the money she made from my hair."  
 
Sometimes love requires so much of us.  What is love requiring of you today? 

"Love each other as I have loved you."  John 15:12

Bread

She journeyed 1,000 miles to visit me in the peak of summer when the tomatoes were ripe and full, butter beans popping their hulls, and corn fresh and sweet.  I had learned so much from her as a child -  how to use my hands, how to sew, cook, wash a dish and set a table.  It was a special treat having her for a meal.  And every thought had been given to its preparation - homemade chicken pot pie, fresh cucumber pickle, locally grown tomatoes, butter beans, corn.  I checked the table one last time and then I called her, "Grandmother, dinner is ready." 

She came slowly - her 80 plus years adjusting her pace.  When she was finally situated at the table she took one long look at the feast set before her.  Without hesitating she turned her eyes toward me and said, "Where's the bread?"

"The bread?"  I responded.  "But, Grandmother there's crust on the chicken pie and starch in the beans and the corn..." 

She cut me off.  And with a steady eye she looked at me and stated, "You always should have bread."  Bread?  Yes, bread.  I knew that.  How could I have forgotten?  Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35)

Rejoice!

It's a simple thing.  Really.  Most nights before we climb the stairs for an evening's rest we gather together as a family and share our joys.  We've been doing this for as long as I can remember.  And most nights the joys are quite demure -  chocolate chip pancakes, a game won, a good test grade,  a friend to play.  I'm thankful for this moment.  It's simply one more way we rejoice in this gift called life.  I hope you are finding ways to rejoice, to celebrate the oh-so-extraordinary journey God has given you.