A New Start

Sunrise on the County Line

A new year dawns. It's a blank slate.

It's like the excitement we felt as little kids, when we opened that big 64-crayon box at the beginning of the school year. There was a whole carton of possibilities. No blemishes. No broken crayons. All the colors were there, just ready for us to create.

It's another chance to begin again. We tell ourselves we will make better choices. After six weeks of holiday eating, we will choose more healthful foods. We will commit to exercise each and every day. We will vow to develop a spiritual discipline - read our Bibles more, pray without ceasing, find God all around us.

Ready, set, go! OK, I'm ready! Like the little kid with brand new tennis shoes, I'll run head-long into the new year. And I'll run really fast ... because I have those new shoes, you know.

And then the Lovely Branches Ministries leadership team gave us the January blog theme:

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:19

Hey, wait a minute! Don't they know that when I took my personal gifts inventory from "Serving from the Heart" that evangelism wasn't anywhere to be found in my Top 5?

Couldn't they have chosen something more in my comfort zone, I wondered?

How about the great commandment found in Luke 10:27?

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

That would be much better, I decided. Then I could stay in my comfort zone. After all, the handy, dandy guide told me I was much better at Assistance-Helps, Faith, Mercy-Compassion and Leadership-Administration.

But, maybe, just maybe I'm supposed to find my way outside the confines of my comfortable little box this year.

That's a scary thought. I'm not the best when it comes to change. So maybe I'll just forget about that message. It will be good enough to practice the great commandment, right?

And then I went to my church's charge conference, a time when we talk about the past year and make plans for the coming one. And wouldn't you know it! The very first bullet point my global church wants to emphasize was this:

"We believe in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

Hmmm .... It sounded rather familiar. Was there a theme developing?

Then our minister issued a challenge in the church's January newsletter.

"If you know of someone who hasn’t come to church in awhile that could use a little nudge, offer to give them a ride to church. Just knowing that someone cares could be all that a person needs to start a church-going habit."

OK, God, I get it. I'm supposed to step outside my comfort zone. I'm supposed to find new ways to love and serve you. What better time could there be than at this beginning of a brand new year?

We humans like the comfort of our "ruts." We like the familiarity of a path we've already taken - no GPS required. But sometimes God has different ideas.

So, ready or not! Here's the new year.

Dear Lord, help me to run head-long into the new year and be the hands and feet that will transform this world by drawing people closer to You. Lord, I can only do it through You. Amen.

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A New Start in the Kitchen

OK, that was the "Thought" part of "Food for Thought." And now to the "Food" part.

Speaking of ruts, I can get into them in the kitchen. Don't we all? We have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table, so we turn to the most familiar ... the recipes we can do without pulling a cookbook off the shelf.

So, this new year, I hope to add new recipes to my repertoire. If you're looking for something new, here are a few tried-and-true meals from my County Line kitchen to help you break outside your mealtime box. Hey, while we're breaking out of our spiritual comfort zone, we might as well add adventure to other areas of our lives, too, right?

Enjoy!

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Bruschetta 'n' Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

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Impossibly Easy Lasagna Pie

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Sloppy Jose Supper

R-E-S-T

Rest? You've got to be kidding.

There is no such thing as REST this time of year. There are presents to buy. There are candies and cookies to make. There are programs to attend. There are Christmas cards to mail. Those ornaments won't hang themselves on the Christmas tree, and the house must be adorned with twinkling lights so everyone will see we have the holiday spirit at our house.

REST?! You must be joking.

But, maybe that's exactly what we do need. At a Bible study before Thanksgiving, Carrie (one of the Young Hearts blog co-authors) gave us a timely reminder. She had each of us write down this acronym on an index card:

R enew yourself in God's goodness.

E njoy the life God has given you.

S implify your life to magnify God.

T rust God with your everyday life.

Hmmm ... REST, not STRESS!

Is it any wonder that women need a reminder as we enter this Advent season?

With a to-do list that seems to multiply exponentially at this time of year, REST may be the best gift I can give myself and my family - and the best way I can honor the blessed arrival of Baby Jesus.

But there are expectations, right? How can I simplify when everyone has a different favorite food? (Maybe I'm the one who has these high expectations ... not my family members. Probably another idea to ponder ...)

While all of the acronym resonated with me, the "S" really stood out during this Advent season. I really do enjoy holiday baking, but it can also seem overwhelming at times. What's a practical way I could celebrate the Christmas season and still simplify?

A few years ago, one of my friends hosted a holiday cookie exchange. It might be time to brush off that idea. Depending on how many friends or family members you invite, you can end up with a variety of cookies - without spending days upon end in the kitchen.

Here's how:

1. Choose a date and time that is most convenient for people's busy schedules - either weekdays evenings or a Saturday morning usually work well. If you're having the exchange at work, holding it during the lunch hour would probably be most convenient. Plan early. People are more likely to attend if you give as much advance notice as possible early in the season.

2. Invite 8 - 12 friends. You need enough people to have a variety of cookies, but too many people means too much baking for everyone.

3. Instruct each person to make a dozen cookies for every person attending the exchange. (If 8 people are coming to the cookie exchange, each person needs to bake 8 dozen cookies). This is a must so that each person gets to take home the same amount of cookies.

4. When your guests RSVP, be sure to ask them what kind of cookie they are bringing so you can have the best variety possible. You might want to suggest that people make something other than chocolate chip! Also remind them to bring extra containers for the goodies they will be picking up.

5. Have each guest bring enough copies of her recipe so that each guest (and you!) get a copy of the recipe. That way, each guest goes home with new recipes to go along with those cookies!6. Set the mood with holiday music and light a seasonal candle for a little atmosphere.

7. Prepare some simple snacks for your guests to enjoy while they're at the party. If you'd like, you can ask each person to bring an extra half dozen cookies for a communal plate so everyone can sample the cookies at the party. Add a few savory snacks and some beverages - spiced cider, hot chocolate or even milk - and you have a party!

8. Turn your cookie exchange into a cookie gifting party. Set out gift tags, decorative treat bags and pretty ribbon. This will give your guests the chance to assemble gift bags for co-workers, neighbors, teacher and anyone else they'd like to give a delicious, homemade treat.

9. Supply extra plastic bags or containers for guests to transport their cookies home. There are sure to be some who forget to bring their own.

10. Stash the cookies in the freezer until your holiday celebration.

11. Spend the time you saved with your family ... reading the Christmas story, playing board games, playing in the snow ... whatever brings you together as a family!

You can even take a shortcut with the cookies you make for your cookie exchange contribution. No one will be able to tell these tasty cookies started with a cake mix.Jiffy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1 cup chunk-style peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 2-layer yellow cake mix
2 eggs
2 tbsp. water
Reece's mini Peanut Butter Cups

In large mixer bowl, cut peanut butter and shortening into dry cake mix using low speed of electric mixer. Add eggs and water. Mix well to form dough. Using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie, shape into balls.

Place each ball into a mini-muffin cup. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until cookie is lightly browned. Remove pan to cooling rack. Press unwrapped mini Peanut Butter Cup into each cookie.

After about 15 minutes of cooling, use a knife to remove each cookie from the muffin tins. Cool completely.

Need other ideas? Try these tried-and-true recipes from my kitchen. Just click on the links (the highlighted words) for each recipe:

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Chocolate Toffee Delights

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Fudgy Mocha Brownies

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Coconut Macaroons

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Dressed Up Basic Cookies

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You can also look back in the Food for Thought February post or even last month's Cranberry Pecan Bars. And I'm sure you have plenty of family favorites you could make for a cookie exchange. Enjoy!

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Wishing you REST this holiday season as we look forward to celebrating, yet again, the best gift of all - our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Saying Grace

For all we eat
For all we wear
For all we have everywhere
Father, we thank Thee.
Amen

This was the prayer I grew up saying before meals as a child. As we move toward Thanksgiving later this month, I thought about table graces and the tradition they represent for families.

I called my Mom and asked if this was the prayer she said as a child. She thought it was used by both her family and my Dad’s family when they were children. (They grew up in the same community).

I’m the oldest of four children in my family. My mom said that we three girls got to saying the prayer so quickly that it lost its meaning. So when my brother – who is 10 years younger - came along and he started saying “Frall wheat, Frall wear, Frall everywhere and so on, we switched to:

God is great.
God is good.
Let us thank Him.
For this food.
Amen.

Many people seem to use this prayer or variations on it. Randy had grown up saying, "God is great," and I ended my childhood with it, so we used that prayer when Jill and Brent were little.

Even though the Thanksgiving holiday makes many of us think of early pilgrims, the idea of thanksgiving is actually rooted in ancient Judaism. The early pilgrims likely looked to the Bible to find means to give thanks to God for their survival. In it, they found the celebrated Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Ingathering. The Israelites, having been delivered from the desert of Sinai, celebrated their harvest with this feast and is still the most joyous of all Jewish feasts today (Leviticus 23).

The idea of giving thanks is also prominent in the New Testament. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, says, “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

All early celebrations had one common theme -- God. Thanksgiving was directed toward God, their Creator, Protector, and Provider. They believed that all good things ultimately came from Him as they do today.

A 1998 Gallup Poll showed that 64 percent of U.S. residents pray before eating meals, so prayers at dinner time haven’t become obsolete. Saying grace isn’t just for the times the good china comes out of the cupboard. Religious leaders agree that a prayer before dinner is just as appropriate over paper plates, fast food wrappers and those everyday dishes that are beginning to show their age.

People who otherwise aren’t used to saying grace are often more of a mind to count blessings - along with calories - on Thanksgiving Day.

Grace is the name for any of a number of short prayers said or an unvoiced intention held prior to eating a meal. In the English language tradition, reciting a prayer prior to eating is traditionally referred to as "saying grace".

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did a story on table prayers and asked readers to submit prayers. Among the most popular ones submitted was: "God is great ..."

One family who responded to the Post-Gazette’s request added a different tradition after their “God is great” prayer was complete. In a tradition passed down by their grandmother, they squeeze each others' hands three times to signify "I love you.

Another popular response to the newspaper's survey was:

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.

May this food to us be blessed.
Amen.

In "Bless This Food: Ancient and Contemporary Graces from Around the World," author Adrian Butash wrote: "Food blessings provide a common thread - mankind's need to connect to the Almighty." He said that the older prayers have such power because they came from the heart. "Starvation was a real possibility, so people were truly grateful for food.”

This idea is often lost in modern American culture, but many families still use prayer time to teach children.

There are four principal types of thanksgiving grace: the silent grace, the spoken grace, the sung grace and the signed grace.

This photo of a man saying grace was taken in 1918, but it still decorates many dining rooms, churches and restaurants across the U.S.

It was taken by Minnesota photographer Eric Enstrom. The bearded old man was Charles Wilden, a peddler who came to Enstrom's studio to sell foot scrapers. Enstrom placed a family Bible, spectacles, a bowl of gruel, a loaf of bread and a knife on the table and had Wilden pose in an attitude of prayer.

The photographer said:

"I wanted to take a picture that would show people that even though they had to do without many things because of the war, they still had much to be thankful for. This man doesn't have much of earthly goods, but he has more than most people because he has a thankful heart."

Isn't that a message we can all take to heart as we approach this Thanksgiving season! As you say grace around the family table this Thanksgiving, may your heart be filled with thanks for your many blessings.

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I'd love to hear from YOU! What table graces did you say as a child? What table graces have you taught your own children or grandchildren? Send me a comment and share them with me and other readers.

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I'm beginning to see fresh cranberries in the produce aisles of the grocery store these days. Try this yummy bar cookie recipe. It's a great snack to have on hand for Thanksgiving guests and will also make an attractive addition to any holiday cookie tray. Enjoy!

Cranberry-Pecan Bars

1 cup flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 cup finely-chopped pecans
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tbsp. flour
2 beaten eggs
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. finely-shredded orange peel
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped cranberries (I use food processor to chop)
1/2 cup coconut

In medium mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour and 2 tablespoons sugar. With pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Press flour mixture into the bottom of a greased 13- by 9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons flour. Stir in eggs, milk, orange peel and vanilla. Fold in cranberries, coconut and the remaining chopped pecans. Spread over partially baked crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars while warm. Cool completely before removing from pan.

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If you are having guests at your home this Thanksgiving, you might consider using the Prayer Mix I shared in February. You can decorate the bags with Thanksgiving stickers or use a business card template on your computer to make a Thanksgiving-themed card to attach to each bag. You could use them as place cards on your Thanksgiving table.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Taste and See

One thing I love about being a Kansas farm wife is having a front-row seat to the changing seasons.

Only a few days ago, we officially said goodbye to summer and hello to fall - at least on the calendar.

I have loved the brilliant colors and visitors of summer.


But I am equally looking forward to the oranges and yellows of fall when the evenings bring a slight chill to the air and you get that snuggly feeling from pulling on a sweatshirt at a football game.



I know the chill of fall will make way for the colder days of winter. Though the ice and snow can sometimes cause hardships for travel or for work here on the farm, there is also great beauty in the season.


And after ice and snow and cold, we will be ready again for the birth of spring.


Isn't it amazing how God has created such a miraculous world, so full of visual beauty and reminders of His majesty and power?

Change is unavoidable. Days begin, days end. Weeks start, weeks end. We pull another month off the calendar and before we know it, it's time for a new calendar.

The years pass. The activities change. But the busyness remains. And I think we sometimes wish away the moment, anticipating the next moment.

I believe God wants us to appreciate the moments He gives us. God sets our lives into different times and seasons because He has a purpose for each one of us. There is no question that there will be times of storms and times of rejoicing.

"To everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1.

As I was writing this, the children's song, "This Is the Day," kept drifting through my mind. It's a song in which the leader sings, "This is the day," and the followers repeat, "This is the day." The pattern continues with the leader leading the way and the followers echoing the phrase:

This is the day (This is the day)
That the Lord has made (That the Lord has made)
Let us rejoice (Let us rejoice)
And be glad in it (And be glad in it.)

What would happen if I imagined the Lord leading that song every day? What if in the midst of my storms (usually of my own making), I realized that my Lord was there to walk through the day with me? I know it sounds simplistic, but what would happen if we relished every moment and every season?

Every stage of life brings fruits to remind us of God's presence and to make us thankful. These gifts remind us that God loves each of us with an unmatched, unrivaled intensity ... every day ... every season.

Every season gives us reminders of God's bounty and providence for us. Is there anything that tastes better than summer's first tomato, picked straight from the vine? Is there a better meal for the first cool day of fall than a steaming bowl of chili and homemade cornbread? Is there anything more tasty than a hot cup of cocoa after a day of sledding?

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8

Taste and savor each season of your life. It's what we are called to do.

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If you want to savor the taste of fall in your own kitchen, try this recipe for Apple Butter Coffee Cake. Each year at our church, the Stafford United Methodist Women make apple butter to sell during a bazaar. (This year's bazaar is Saturday, November 13, and you're all invited from 9 AM to 2 PM!)

When I make this recipe, I use the UMW Apple Butter. The red hot cinnamon candies in the recipe give our version the distinctive pink color. But you may use any apple butter. It just might not look exactly like my version pictured here.

Apple Butter Coffee Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup apple butter
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Topping (see below)

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Mix dry ingredients together, and add alternately with sour cream. Add vanilla and apple butter. Put half the batter into a greased 13- by 9-inch pan. Sprinkle with topping. Place other half on batter on top and sprinkle with rest of the topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Topping

1/3 cup flour
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and sprinkle over batter.

If you want a "fancier" presentation, you may put this is a Bundt pan. I usually put half the batter into the pan and sprinkle with half the topping. Then I use the rest of the batter and sprinkle on the remaining topping. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing onto a pretty serving platter.

I usually glaze the coffee cake with a thin frosting made of melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and a little milk. Spread on the cake while it's still warm. If you're making a Bundt cake, drizzle the frosting in "swags," creating a decorative pattern. For the Bundt cake, you may want to wait for it to cool a little before frosting, so the frosting stays in place and doesn't puddle on the plate.

The Bread of Life

Learning by doing: It's the foundation for so many things in life.

When do I learn more? Is it when I am reading an article about photography or is it when my finger presses the button and the shutter captures the moment in time? Is it perfectly captured with that very first click? Or will I have better results when I change the angle, change the shutter speed and try again and again?

When do I learn more? Is it when I'm sitting in a chair, reading a cookbook? Or is it when I am up to my elbows in bread dough?


We all learn in different ways. Some experts say there are as many as seven different ways to learn. Others say learning styles fall somewhere in three broad brush strokes - listening, seeing and experiencing. Maybe the best learning takes place when there's a little bit of all of those things involved in our educational experience. I think it's that way for me.

When my son Brent was interested in 4-H photography, I added photography leader to my "resume." I am the first to admit I don't know everything there is to know about photography. I took one photography class in college. When I first started my job as a reporter at The Hutchinson News, I often had to be my own photographer when a "real" photographer wasn't available to go with me to cover a feature story I was writing. I learned by doing.

As a 4-H parent, I probably learned as much or more than my kids did. I learned from other parents, leaders, extension agents and from workshops. I also learned by doing activities with Jill and Brent.

I began serving as a 4-H foods leader when our daughter, Jill, was a 7-year-old 4-Her.

As a 4-H cook myself (many, many years ago), I wasn't a successful bread baker. I didn't do it often enough to get proficient at it. Baking once a year for fair competition is not the way to get better at something.

I didn't get better at baking bread until Jill and her friend, Holly, began exploring bread baking in 4-H. We all learned together. We started with homemade pretzels. We put together a demonstration called "Fit To Be Tied." Their pretzel-making expanded to a little enterprise during our Stafford community's Oktoberfest one year. Believe you me: When two girls and two moms are making hundreds of pretzels, there's plenty of learning going on.

It continued when Jill & Holly did another demonstration on shaping rolls. I don't think I'd ever shaped a dinner roll in my life before that endeavor. We all learned together.

I became the leader because I wanted Jill to benefit from 4-H cooking, just like I had years before as a child in Pratt County. An adult spent time with me and my friends. We learned by doing. We learned by being together. I wanted to pass on that gift.

I think that's why I am still a 4-H foods leader, even though my own children are grown up and I'm no longer doing it for my own family.

But am I under any illusion that I know it all? Absolutely not. That's why it's so important to ask for help.

This summer, I asked a fellow Stafford homemaker and farm wife to lead a 4-H cooking meeting and show my older 4-H foods members how to shape bread loaves.

When I make yeast dough, it's usually shaped into dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls.

But Sharon makes bread for her family every single week. And she is a shining example of what I have been telling my 4-H cooking kids for the past 15-plus years.

You only get better with practice.

The three girls who were at the cooking meeting in June took that to heart. All three of them practiced and all three of them did well in the 4-H foods division during the Stafford County Fair.

But if they wait until next July to start baking bread again, they will lose any proficiency that they gained this summer.

And I will personally never get any better at shaping bread loaves if I don't do it myself. It won't be without obstacles. It doesn't just happen because I want it to happen. There will be disasters and mistakes along the way. But there will also be rewards.

It takes practice and perseverance. I know I won't get better at bread baking unless I practice it. The same goes for my Christian walk.

God's Word - the Bible - gives us an instruction manual. If I want to make a quality loaf of bread, I will start with a quality recipe and quality ingredients.

If I want to live life as Christ would want me to, I can't just leave God's Word sitting on the book shelf. I will have to open it up and find direction.

But just like I asked for help from a more experienced bread baker, I don't have to make this Christian journey alone either.

I frequently hear people say, "Well, I don't need to go to church. I can worship on the golf course. I can worship while fishing at the lake. I never feel closer to God than when I'm tending my garden."

I have no doubt that we can worship at any time, at any of life's intersections. I personally do some of my best praying and thinking and listening for God's voice while walking down our country roads.

But I also know that I can learn and I can grow by being with others. I teach an adult Sunday School class at my church. I learn when I'm preparing for the lesson each Sunday. But I learn just as much as I interact with the other people in the class. The message God wants me to learn may be revealed through what someone else says during a class discussion.

I learn from our minister's message every week. I am blessed by the lyrics and melodies of the worship service, whether the songs are the old hymns from 200 years ago or more contemporary praise songs.

I can study my Bible at home, and I will grow in my knowledge and faith. But I can also learn from the insights and interaction with other women in a Lovely Branches Ministries Bible study. This fall, the Bible study will be titled, "Get a Grip," and we'll be studying a book called "Manage Your Moods" by Women of Faith. The study will give us Scriptural reinforcement for focusing on our heart, or our emotional well being. All women in the area are invited to participate in this study. If you're not in this area, you can find a Bible study at a church near you.

In the Bible, Jesus used everyday items, familiar to his disciples, to teach the lessons he wanted them (and us) to learn. For the disciples, bread was central to every meal. It was literally the staff of life, one of the things that gave them their daily sustenance.

Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread of heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

Then 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: 32-35)

There's nothing more fragrant than the aroma of homemade bread baking in the oven. There's nothing that adds more depth and dimension and fragrance to our lives than the Bread of Life - Jesus Christ.

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If you click on the colored words in the text above, it will link you to recipes. On the Fit to be Tied link, there is a recipe and step-by-step photos of making pretzels. The other link gives you two tasty bread loaf recipes - along with the knowledge that not everything coming out of my kitchen is perfect!

Tending the Garden

I probably will have to turn in my Kansas farm wife title, but here's a confession: I'm not much of a gardener. I am an indoor girl and always have been.

While my little sister had a worm collection, I had a collection of Trixie Belden mysteries. Give me a choice between curling up with a good book and getting covered with sweat and dirt? I'll choose the book every time.

But that's not to say I don't love fresh garden produce. There is nothing like fresh tomatoes lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper ... unless it's the perfectly ripened cantaloupe ... or a raw cucumber sliced into a sweetened vinegar mixture. It's the very taste of summertime! Is your mouth watering yet?

Yes, I love the garden produce. I just don't want to do the work.

Isn't that true of most everything in life? I want to lose a few pounds, but I'd sure like to be able to do it without giving up anything I love to eat or adding something different to my hour-a-day exercise routine.

I want to declutter my house, but I can't ever seem to move it off the TO-do list and actually DO it. (Check out Suzanne's blog Home Matters here on the Vine Press. She has lots of practical advice for doing this. Just click on the red words, and it will take you right there - after you're reading this, of course!!)

I want closer friendships. But do I call someone up and invite them over for coffee or supper? Do I make a date to go for an out-of-town window shopping excursion? Or do I instead log into Facebook or send someone an email? There's nothing wrong with cyberspace friendships, and it's been a great way to reconnect with people. But do those "relationships" take the place of true, face-to-face connections?

I say I want to grow in my Christian walk. I want to be a "lovely branch of righteousness." But do I really invest the time I should? Do I do more than read my daily email devotional? Do I commit time and effort to Bible study? Do I spend time in prayer? When I say I'll pray for someone, do I do more than just "throw" a prayer upwards and call it good?

Just like gardening, all these things require work. They require an investment of time and effort. They may require us to get a little sweaty and dirty.

"Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law, they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper." Psalm 1: 2-3

It takes time, commitment and "weeding" for our garden to grow, whether we're talking about a summertime plot in the backyard, housekeeping, a friendship or Bible study. We can't expect to grow "fruit" overnight or without water, nourishment and cultivation.

Fruit grows when we spend time doing the hard work, getting out in the hot sun and hoeing the weeds, watering the plants, tying up tomato vines so they can grow.

It also takes some work to build friendships with others. I think it's more than "commenting" on someone's Facebook status.

It takes effort to truly grow on this Christian journey. Fruit grows as we spend time in Bible study, prayer, devotional reading, worship and fellowship with other Christians. It grows as we work at living our faith in service to others, becoming the hands and the feet of Jesus.

And it's OK that I'm not a gardener, despite the stereotypical image of the farm wife bringing bushel baskets of fruit and vegetables to the kitchen for canning. We all bring our special God-given talents and gifts to the table.

I love the imagery of I Corinthians 12.
"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." I Corinthians 12: 4-6.

It illustrates the different gifts given by comparing the body of Christ to our human body, something we are all intimately familiar with.

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ." I Corinthians 12: 12

(I encourage you to click on the link above to Bible Gateway and read the whole chapter. This is just a "taste.")

Yes, to be a gardener I have to do the work. To be a friend, I have to do the work. To have a clean house, I have to do the work. To be a Christian growing in my faith, I have to do the work.

Find the work you are called to do. And then do it well and abundantly.

And you can always enjoy the fruit of the other laborers in God's world. I didn't grow all the vegetables I used in the illustration at the top of this post (I do have a few tomatoes this year, but that is the extent of my gardening.)

But I do enjoy visiting farmers' markets when I have a chance or even choosing from the array of produce in the grocery store this time of year.

And, despite the joke about avoiding your gardening friends this time of year when they are pawning off sacks of zucchini "gone wild," I never turn down fresh produce from my green-thumb-blessed friends (hint, hint!)

I asked one of those friends for some recipes she and her family enjoy as they celebrate the bounty of their large garden. Of course, fresh garden produce is wonderful prepared simply as well - in a fresh salad or cooked crisp-tender in a nonstick skillet (with or without a little olive oil!)

But if you're looking for a little variety, here are some favorite ways Kim Volker and her family enjoy their abundance of squash at this time of year. I tried them all, and they are yummy! Enjoy!

***

Squash Casserole

2 lbs. squash, peeled and cut up (yellow or zucchini: I used yellow)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sour cream
1 8-oz. pkg. seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Cook squash and onion in salt water for 3 minutes. Drain. Combine chicken soup and sour cream. Stir in shredded carrots, squash and onions. Mix well and add salt to taste.

Combine stuffing mix with butter. Spread half of stuffing in bottom of 12- by 7-inch baking dish. Spoon vegetable mixture on top. Then put rest of stuffing on top of vegetable mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serves 6 (generously!)

***

Baked Chicken and Zucchini

1 egg
1 tbsp. water
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
5 medium zucchini, sliced
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
1cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tsp. fresh minced basil

In shallow bowl, beat egg, water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons of bread or cracker crumbs. Place the remaining crumbs in a large resealable plastic bag. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then place in bag and shake to coat.

In a skillet, cook chicken in 2 tablespoons of oil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown; remove and set aside. In the same skillet, saute zucchini in remaining oil until crisp-tender; drain. Transfer to a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved bread crumbs over the zucchini. Top with tomato slices; sprinkle with 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, basil and remaining salt. Top with chicken.

Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

***

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

1 pkg. (18 oz.) carrot cake mix
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In large bowl, combine the cake mix, applesauce, oil and egg for 30 seconds. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in zucchini, raisins and pecans.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: About 16 muffins (I got 18).

A Different Kind of Freedom

(Photo by Brent Fritzemeier)

I'm a little afraid of coming across as sacrilegious with my message this month. I definitely don't want to give you that impression. I am proud to be an American. I am thankful our country was founded on Christian principles. I am grateful to the men and women who have served and protected our country since it began. I add my prayers to those of many others for the military men and women who are still fighting that good fight today. I thank the families of those brave service people who have an empty place at their table this 4th of July because their son or daughter is serving our country somewhere far from home.

As I pondered this topic and how it might relate to food or the kitchen, I kept coming back around to freedom from heat. I know it may sound trite when compared to meditating on our country's freedom or our religious freedom.

But I also know it's 101 degrees outside as I write this. The south wind is blowing like a blast furnace.

It is hot.

So the last thing your kitchen needs is more heat.

Yet our families still think they need to have three meals a day, with a few snacks thrown into the mix. While there are plenty of summertime fresh fruits and vegetables to enjoy at mealtime, my husband still likes hearty main dishes.

Your slow cooker can come to the rescue! I know you have one. Maybe you use yours all the time. Maybe it's gathering dust in some upper cabinet. Dig it out, and try some of these tried-and-true recipes for your summertime meals.

GOOP

GOOP is a recipe from Cook of the Week days, a feature I did back when I worked at The Hutchinson News. I'd forgotten about this recipe, but I found it again in Recipes and Remembrances from the Pratt First United Methodist Church: 1884-2004.

You can cook the mixture on the top of the stove (which is also quick and easy). But on a summer day or on a day you're away from home, the slow cooker does the work. I serve the GOOP on baked potatoes, though the recipe has different options. During the summer, when I prefer not to heat up the kitchen, I often bake potatoes in a different Crock Pot.

I further streamline this meal by browning extra hamburger earlier in the week. Then I just have to dump everything into the Crock Pot.

I serve the GOOP with a romaine salad with lots of cut-up veggies. Enjoy!

GOOP

3/4 lb. ground beef, browned and drained (I always throw a little minced onion in when browning hamburger)
17 oz. white kernel corn, drained (I usually just use regular corn or fiesta corn)
14 oz. stewed tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped (I don't always use this)
1 tbsp. chili powder
Baked potatoes (can also use rice or cooked noodles, if you prefer)

Garnishes:
Sour cream (I usually use fat free)
Shredded cheese
Green onion (if desired)

Brown the ground beef; drain. Add the corn, tomatoes, ketchup, green pepper and chili powder. Either heat through in the skillet or put in a Crock Pot.

Use about 1 cup on a baked potato (or alternative). Top with sour cream, cheese and onion to taste.

***

Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

(From the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook)

Prick desired number of potatoes with a fork, and wrap in foil. Cover. DO NOT add water. Cook on High for 2.5 to 4 hours or Low for 8-10 hours.

***

Christy's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Maybe you don't think about soup being a summertime meal. But I like soup any time of the year. My son-in-law's mom, Christy, had this soup in a Crock Pot when we all helped Jill and Eric move from their apartment into their home earlier this year. Jill had told me about this super-easy soup before. Once I tasted the soup, it was a must-add to my recipe box.

If you can open cans, you can make this soup. Again, it is a recipe you can cook on top of the stove or put into a Crock Pot.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can corn
1 can chicken broth
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 cup salsa (anything from mild to hot - suit your taste!)
1 can refried beans (I used fat-free beans)
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese

Combine black beans, corn, chicken broth, salsa, refried beans and chicken. Heat until heated through, on the stove or in a Crock Pot. To serve, top with shredded cheese and slightly crushed tortilla chips (You can also use soft taco shells if you prefer). Jill & I just cook chicken breasts in the microwave and then chop them. You could also use a can of chicken meat, if you prefer.

I have also used hamburger with this soup since that's what we beef producers have in our freezer.

I served with a fruit salad, but you can also round it out with a green salad, baby carrots or another side dish. Christy served it with a homemade cheese ball that was also delicious.

***
Easy Roast Beef

As I said last month, I like getting multiple meals out of one cooking effort. I just think it's smart to factor in "planned overs," a fancy name for leftovers.

We just completed harvest on our Kansas farm, so this plan of action came in handy on busy days when I might have to go to the field to drive the truck or when I was sent on an emergency run for parts.

But it's also great to have "planned overs" when you're part of a busy family with 4-H meetings to attend, ballgames to get to and summertime fun to have!

I never make pot roast in the oven anymore. I think it's so much easier and gives a more tender product to slow cook the meat in the Crock Pot.

To make planned overs, I usually use two small roasts (whatever you can fit in your Crock Pot). I have a fairly large Crock Pot that I use for these occasions. For the first meal, I serve the traditional pot roast with potatoes and carrots.

Then I can use the leftover meat to make beef and noodles over mashed potatoes for another meal. I use additional "planned over" meat to make BBQ sandwiches to take to the field.

If you don't want to use the beef all at once, you can package the leftovers in freezer bags and pop them in the freezer. Measure the amount you'll need for the recipe, label it well and then freeze. Then you're ready in a snap for a last-minute meal.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

3 to 3.5 lb. beef pot roast (or what fits in your cooker)
4 carrots, chunked (I often use baby carrots these days)
4 medium potatoes, cut in large pieces
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3/4 cup water

True confessions: I don't measure this stuff usually. But I found this recipe and it's a good guide to use. I purchase the dry onion soup mix at a bulk food store.

Since our larger meal is usually at noon, I usually cook my roasts overnight. Just before bedtime, I put the roasts, dry onion soup mix and water in the slow cooker and turn it on low. In the morning, I add the carrots and potatoes. The veggies are tender by lunchtime.

But if you're cooking it for your evening meal, here are the "proper" directions:

In slow cooker, arrange vegetables; top with roast. Combine soup mix with water and add to slow cooker. Cook, covered, on Low 8 to 10 hours or on High 4 to 6 hours. Remove roast and vegetables.

I always serve the broth "as is" to top the potatoes. But if you prefer a gravy, here's how: To thicken gravy, stir in 1/4 cup water blended with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (make sure those are well blended before you add to the slower cooker.) Cook on High until thickened.

***

I hope these recipes will give you "freedom" from kitchen heat. Use these as a jumping off point. There are lots of cookbooks especially designed for your slow cooker. Your Crock Pot probably came with a booklet with recipes. Or search for recipes online. One blog focusing on slow cooker recipes is: www.crockpot365.blogspot.com. In 2008, the author made a New Year's resolution to use her Crock Pot every day of the year. There are even recipes for spoon bread and cakes made in the slow cooker.

If you try one and like it, be sure to comment here, so others can try it, too.

***

Blessings to you and yours as we approach the birthday of our great nation. I pray you are able to celebrate the great freedoms our country enjoys AND a little freedom from heat in your kitchen!

Time Well Spent

June's topic for the Vine Press made this Kansas farm wife chuckle. While I know many see summer as a time of rest and rejuvenation, June is just about the busiest month in the calendar year on a Kansas wheat farm.

Putting "June" and "vacation" in the same sentence simply does not compute! June brings harvest time. Combines make their way through fields laden with a crop nine months in the making. Harvest involves the inevitable breakdowns of machinery, slow truck rides to take the grain to the elevator, meals delivered to the field, a race against the weather and long hours. It means shortened tempers when the process hits inevitable snags.

And before we ever get to harvest, there's Vacation Bible School at our church earlier in the month. Rest and relaxation, bah humbug!

What could I possibly have to say about rest, relaxation and vacation during this month, I wondered?

But the answer soon appeared in my computer email in-box. A recent daily devotional used the following scripture from Luke 10: 38-42 (NRSV)

Now as they went on their way, He entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what He was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to Him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me!" But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

Uh oh, I thought. There I was being Martha again. I was thinking about all the work and not realizing the importance of Sabbath. Even in the midst of this dizzying time of year, with all the things that must get done, I need to remember to take time for God.

So where does God fit in during this busy month? I know I need to find time for structured time spent in the Scriptures and in prayer. But I also know I can have an attitude of worship, even in the midst of a busy time. As I prepare snacks for active VBS students, I am called to feed their souls at the same time I offer a tasty tidbit. As I watch the grain pouring into the truck and wait to drive the filled truck to the elevator, and I can thank God for His providence and bounty.

I can really notice the beauty of God's creation around me. Driving a harvest truck forces me to slow down. We don't have fancy semi-trucks to haul the wheat to the elevator. I chug along to town at 30 miles per hour, and I see things I never see at 55 MPH or beyond. If the wind's not blowing too strongly, I can hear the birds and see the wildflowers blooming along the ditches and thank God for the beauty.

And I can be well prepared before the heaviest onslaught of activity appears. I don't know how Martha and Mary spent their time preparing for the Lord's visit. But maybe I will have more time "to sit at the Lord's feet" if I work ahead and am well prepared with a freezer stocked with extra meals.

Another way I can simplify meal-making is with "planned overs." We all know about "leftovers." Sometimes leftovers have a less-than-glamorous connotation. But planned overs? That is just good management, if you ask me.


For example, you can make several meals out of one day's work on the grill. One side benefit? If you are grilling, you're not heating up your kitchen either: All right! An electric bill bonus, too!

Here's an idea for "planned overs."

I marinated steaks and the chicken breasts before grilling (You can use a grill seasoning packet, use prepared Italian or balsamic vinegar dressing. Or you can make your own with oil, vinegar and seasonings. Because I am always concerned about calories, I usually don't use all the oil called for in a marinade - whether I'm using a packet or it's homemade. But if you do use oil, use olive or canola oil.)

On the day I grilled, I served my husband a steak and baked potato, along with a salad. (I made extra baked potatoes. I can also use those in a variety of ways: For example, I can use them for homemade potato salad or use them for pan-fried potatoes later in the week. You could also rewarm baked potatoes and make a main dish by topping with leftover steak or chicken and other toppings. If you are counting calories, use low-fat or no-fat sour cream, a light ranch salad dressing, salsa and lower fat cheeses for toppings.)

My husband also likes when I make him what some restaurants call a "skillet." I slice extra baked potatoes and fry them in a little olive oil in a skillet. You can also throw in some chopped onions, peppers and other veggies, if you'd like. When they are about done, add the cut-up "planned over" steak and top with cheese. Cook it until the meat is heated through and the cheese is melted.

Or you can use the leftover meat to make fajitas. Just slice it thinly. Use a non-stick skillet and cook together thinly sliced onion and green/red peppers until they are caramelized (I never use oil in this process. It works fine just to lightly spray the pan with cooking spray. If it begins to stick, simply add a small amount of water.) Then, just like a restaurant, serve the fajitas with tortillas, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole and similar toppings.

For myself the first day, I made a dinner salad with romaine lettuce and several different fruits. I then topped it with part of a grilled chicken breast. I used a prepared light raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

The next day, I made a recipe that my daughter, Jill, highly recommended: Southwest Chicken Salad. Then this mixture can be used in a myriad of ways.


Here's the recipe:

Southwest Chicken Salad

4 cups cubed chicken (since I used grilled, it's got a great flavor)
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup chopped red or green peppers
1 cup chopped red, sweet or green onion
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

Dressing:
3 tbsp. lime juice
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Optional: Fresh avocado

Combine all the chicken salad ingredients. Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk together until well blended. Pour over the chicken salad and mix well.

You can then use the prepared chicken salad in a bunch of different ways, too. Wow - MORE "planned overs!"

The first day, I used the chicken salad on top of a romaine and vegetable salad. I topped it with low-fat cottage cheese and light ranch dressing. I often use low-fat cottage cheese on my salads. It helps me get more calcium in my diet: Since I don't drink milk, I need to find ways to incorporate other milk products. Also, I find that I don't use nearly as much dressing when I have the moisture of the cottage cheese.

Another day, I used the mixture in low-fat tortillas and made sandwich wraps.


Spread a little low-fat ranch dressing or light salad dressing/mayonnaise on the tortilla and sprinkle with shredded cheese. (You can use a whole wheat tortilla for extra nutrition!)

Then top that with about 1/2 cup of the chicken salad. If desired, top with lettuce, tomato, thin avocado slices, etc. Then roll up and serve.


They really taste like a sandwich you would get for lunch at a fancy little cafe. Best of all, it's at a fraction of the cost! Serve it with some of the fresh fruits of the season. For crunch, you can also serve with fresh veggies or with whole-grain chips or rice cakes on the side.

Jill has also used the recipe in pita pockets:

In lettuce cups:


In a quesadilla:


She also developed Jill's Chicken Enchiladas:

Spray baking dish with cooking spray and lightly cover bottom of pan with your favorite canned enchilada sauce.

Warm up tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds and dip each tortilla individually in warm enchilada sauce. Place 1/2 cup SW chicken salad and some shredded cheese in the tortilla, roll up and place, seam down, in baking dish.

Top with cheese, extra cilantro and green onions.



I realize you probably won't be able to use all these recipes in succession AND keep your family happy. But you can intersperse some of the meals you've tucked in the freezer in between the Southwest Chicken Salad variations or other ideas I've suggested.

The main idea is to look for ways to incorporate "planned overs" into your family meal planning.

Then, you WILL have time to sit at the feet of Jesus, just like Mary did.

Wishing you times of Sabbath - whether you are enjoying a leisurely vacation or in the midst of harvest!