Dancing Angels

The breeze through the open kitchen window made the angels dance and sing. And each random melody reminded me of the angels in my life - both past and present.

The angel windchimes are a fairly recent addition to my kitchen. When my grandparents' home was torn down in May, my Dad rescued them from their perch between the dining room and living room. I had given the windchimes to my Grandma for a long-ago birthday. I brought them home and hung them in my kitchen window. And while I certainly thought about Grandma as I worked in the kitchen, I soon became used to their presence. So often, we no longer truly see the everyday, familiar things around us.

But last month, with the windows flung open to celebrate fall after a summer of record-breaking, 100-degree-plus days, the wind chimes began to dance. I heard them all throughout the house. Even from my downstairs office, I could hear the music of the angels.

And I remembered.

I remembered all the people who have left this life, but who left a legacy of love for me and my family.

And I was thankful.

But as I listened to the angels sing, I was also reminded of the "angels" still in my life.

I love Josh Groban's song, Thankful.



It says, in part:

Some days we forget
To look around us
Some days we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

This past month, there were plenty of people who were "the change" for me. They danced into my life and made a difference.

• My Mom made a crib dust ruffle for our granddaughter-to-be. My sewing skills aren't the best, and it was a blessing for her to do that for Jill and the baby.

• Mary, one of my Bible study friends, brought me an angel that my late mother-in-law made as a gift for her years ago. She asked that I give the angel to my daughter, knowing that the handmade treasure would mean more to our family. (Marie, my mother-in-law, passed away 15 years ago in October.)

• Vi, one of my Facebook friends, offered to sell me a toddler-sized K-State cheerleading outfit before putting it in her garage sale pile. Before I know it, our little granddaughter, who is due in January, will be cheering for our family's alma mater in a little outfit that has never even been worn.

Those three ladies were among many people who blessed me with love, care and special kindness throughout the month.

Read the words of the song once again:

Some days we forget
To look around us
Some days we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

During this month of Thanksgiving, look around you. Stand awestruck at God's creation in every sunrise and sunset and all the moments in between. Truly see the little kindnesses that come your way through family, friends and even strangers.

And then give it back. Give it back to the person who made a difference for you. Or pass it further along with a random act of kindness to someone else.

Like the song says, "It's up to us to be the change." It's what God calls us to do in Colossians 3: 12-17:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

**

It's Thanksgiving Month. So there has to be a food part to this Food for Thought!

Herbed Turkey Breast

Maybe you don't need a full-sized turkey for your Thanksgiving celebration. A turkey breast may be just right for a small family gathering. Actually, this Crockpot meal is good anytime of the year. Click here for the recipe.

**

Stovetop Ham Casserole

Stovetop Ham Casserole is the perfect way to use ham leftover from your holiday table. Click here for the recipe.

Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless You!

Who's Flying the Plane?

I'm a homebody. There. I said it.

So what's a homebody to do when the theme for the month is "EXPLORE?" Let's be honest here: I don't think I would have been the first to sign up for a berth on the Santa Maria. Ol' Chris Columbus would have pulled away from the dock without me when "in 1492 he sailed the ocean blue."

It's not that I don't enjoy seeing new places and experiencing new things. Once my husband drags me away from my well-oiled routine, I always enjoy the journey.

So what's the hitch? Maybe it's that I don't know what lies around that twist in the road.

It just might not fit into my to-do list. And we Type A personalities all know how satisfying it is to firmly draw a line through the next item on the list. (True confessions: Sometimes we write an item on the list after it's done just for the satisfaction of crossing it off! Come on now ... I know I'm not the only one!)

But here's the thing. No one can tell you exactly what's around the bend. Only one thing is sure: God is already there for you.

This summer, one of my forays outside my normal realm was a trip with my sister and brother to help our Chicago sister celebrate a milestone birthday. As we flew back home, I had a window seat on the airplane.

At times, the clouds obscured the scene below. I certainly couldn't "see" where we were going. And even if I could have picked out the landmarks, I don't have the skill or training to fly the plane.

I once saw a quote that said:

If God is your co-pilot, switch seats.

Hmm ... That's pretty powerful for someone who craves control.

When we go through the security line at an airport, we certainly don't intend to walk up the breezeway and into the pilot's seat - or even the co-pilot's seat. We leave the navigating to the experts. We settle into our seats. We make sure our seatbelts are fastened. We assure that our tray tables are in a locked and upright position. We good girls make sure we pay close attention to the safety message. Then we settle back in the seat and open our book until it's time to crack open the Diet Coke and pretzels.

Is there sometimes turbulence? Yes.

Does the plane sometimes have to make an unscheduled detour around stormy weather? Yes again.

Are there sometimes delays? Most assuredly.

But we trust the pilot to get us there, even if it's unfamiliar territory to us.

So maybe there's a lesson there. My Pilot longs to guide me on the journey He has planned for me. It's a matter of giving up control and letting Him lead me through the turbulence and rough patches of my life. He wants to lead me outside my comfort zone. He wants to challenge me. He wants to be No. 1 on my all-important list.

One of my Facebook friends periodically has a status report titled, "Message from God." Sometimes those posts seem like they are directed right at me. My friend, Keva, who blogs at Hope in Jesus on Lovely Branches' Ministries Vine Press might call it a "God Wink."

One of those Messages from God has stayed with me. It was on change:

On this day, God wants you to know that change is the very nature of life. Welcome it!

No glass ever became sand again.


No bread ever became wheat.

No ripened fruit ever became a flower.

Welcome change.
Let God choose what kind of glass you create,
what kind of bread you bake,
what kind of fruit you harvest.

Sounds like a good plan, doesn't it? Especially for we sisters who love our to-do lists. It's a reminder to turn the pen over to our life's Author and Pilot and let him fly the plane.

***

And since we're talking about twists and turns, I have the perfect recipe for you this month that will leave you fit to be tied.

As the weather gets cooler, making soft homemade pretzels is a great activity to do with your children or grandchildren. Just click here for the recipe. Enjoy!

The Lord Is My Shepherd: A Photo Essay

The 23rd Psalm is more about living than dying.

Though it's probably the most quoted Scripture at funerals, shouldn't this Psalm of David be our guidepost for how we live our lives daily? It's a psalm many of us learned as children. Has it become something we say by rote or is it something we can take to heart and live each and every day?

It's only around 118 words, depending upon the translation. For me, it paints a word picture of PEACE, our Lovely Branches theme this month. It's full of imagery that gives me comfort: The Lord will take care of me. He'll give me rest when I need it. He'll lead me along the paths I should take. He gives me everything I need for daily living. Even when I face hard times, He's there beside me. And best of all, this relationship isn't just temporary: It's forever.

Psalm 23 shows us a caring shepherd, secure sheep, and a tranquil scene of quiet meadows and still waters. But it is Jesus who gives us peace, not the green grass or the flowing stream or the abundant table.

I love seeing our Creator God all around me as I go throughout my day. He's in the sunrises and the sunsets. He's in the touch of a loved one's hand. He's in the phone call from a friend. He's in the cool breeze as I walk. He's in a table filled with food and a house that shelters me. He's in the big moments ... and in the small little blessings, too. I just need to keep my eyes - and my heart - open to Him.

As you look through the images, I hope you'll listen to the words and melody of Christian artist Laura Story's Perfect Peace (Just click on the underlined song title to listen. )

Wishing you the peace that you find only in the Good Shepherd.

Psalm 23: A Psalm of David

¹ The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.


² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;


He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;


He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.


⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;


For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.


⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;


My cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

***

It may be a stretch to translate PEACE to PIECE.

But for the food part of Food for Thought this month, try a PIECE of homemade Banana Bread. (Click on the underlined title to go to the recipe.) It's a recipe from a cookbook compiled by the ladies of my childhood church, which just closed its doors in June.

Or make this easy Texas Sheet Cake. It makes a big cake, so you'll be able to share a PIECE with friends and family!

The recipe is similar to the chocolate sheet cake recipe everyone seems to have. It was one of the cakes we served this summer at a church baby shower.

My daughter made it for a very special announcement for our family this summer. Click here to read about the Best Cake EVER!

Me and My Shadow

Me and my shadow
My shadow and me
We're always together
As close as can be.

As I walk our country roads on a sunshiny day, I often think about the song, "Me and My Shadow" from the musical, Peter Pan.

I heard that song dozens of times when Brent was little guy. We had a VHS tape of Mary Martin starring as Peter Pan on Broadway. It was Brent's absolute favorite movie. He watched it so much that the tape actually wore out in one spot. His Grandma Marie made him a Peter Pan outfit for Christmas.

As I walk, a shadow is my constant companion. Most days, it's my only companion, unless you count my four-legged friends who sometimes make the four-mile trek, too.

As I move, the shadow moves. It's connected to me. It's impossible to separate myself from it.

It got me to thinking about God.

The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand. Psalm 121:5
How would my day change if I remembered that God is as close to me as my shadow? Would it change how I act? Would it change what I say? Would it change what I do?

God sent us His Holy Spirit so that we would have a constant companion. You don't have to "friend" Him on Facebook. You don't have to dial a telephone number to reach Him. We don't need to send Him a Hallmark card to commemorate National Friendship Day this August.

He's as close and as constant as a shadow on a sunshiny day.

Proverbs 18:24 - New Living Translation (NLT)
²⁴ There are “friends” who destroy each other,
but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

The Holy Spirit can be a holy model for our earthly friendships. It is a gift to have a friend to call when we're happy or grieving, mad or glad.

Thanks be to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. And thanks be to God for the gift of human friendship!

If you want to celebrate Friendship Day with a special friend or group of friends, try this recipe for a Friendship Torte. Dark chocolate, nuts, white chocolate drizzle ... They'll be your friends for life!

The recipe is from Artfully Done Across the Generations: Recipes of Carlene Banks and Friends with Art from the Wichita Art Museum. Besides tasty recipes, there are lots of photos of the artwork on display at the museum. One of my friends surprised me with this beautiful book several years ago, and I've enjoyed using it ever since.

Decadent Glazed Chocolate Torte

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (you may substitute pecans, if you prefer)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
White chocolate or almond bark (opt.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and corn syrup in the microwave. Stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth (If you need to, you can heat in the microwave again at 70 percent power, taking care not to burn the chocolate.)

Add sugar and eggs to chocolate mixture, and stir until well blended. Stir in flour, nuts and vanilla, mixing well.

Bake in a 9-inch buttered, floured, wax paper-lined cake pan for 35 to 40 minutes or until center springs back to touch. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen and turn out onto wire rack.

Glaze: Prepare glaze by melting all ingredients in the microwave, heating at 70 percent power at 1-minute intervals until it's melted. Take care not to burn the chocolate.

Place a piece of waxed paper under the wire rack. Pour the warm glaze over the cake and spread with a spatula. Chill about 1 hour before transferring to serving dish. Torte freezes well glazed.

If desired, melt white chocolate or almond bark and drizzle over glazed torte with a decorator's tube.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

***

Some recipe notes, complete with photos:

When I'm making a layer-type cake like this one, I always line the bottom of the cake pan with waxed paper cut to fit. This is a step I added to the original recipe.

I often use a heart-shaped pan to make it unique.

I tore off a piece of waxed paper and then used a pen to trace around the cake pan. Then I used scissors to cut it out.

I put the heart-shaped waxed paper on the bottom of the cake pan before pouring the batter in. I had sprayed the pan with cooking spray before putting the waxed paper in.


This is how it looked in the pan after baking. It is supposed to cool 10 minutes before attempting to remove it.
Even with the waxed paper and going around the outside of the cake pan with a knife, I had a little trouble getting the cake to release. I ended up sticking a small spatula underneath the corner of the cake. That finally did the trick.

But I probably should have dusted the pan with cocoa powder as well (I prefer that over flour if I'm making a chocolate cake.)

After you get the cake out of the pan, simply peel the waxed paper off the bottom.

I put the torte over a waxed paper-covered cookie sheet to catch the drips from the glaze.

After it cooled, I used a decorator tube to make the design. I should have tried harder at the sides so that it would look neater.

But, then again, no one complained about the sides that were less than perfect after they got a taste of the torte.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee and a friend!

Dependence Day

Independence is something this first-born, Type A personality has down pat. As a kid, I could have been the poster child for the dictionary's definition of "strong-willed child." My middle-born sister - always the peacemaker - would continually tell me, "If you'd just keep your mouth shut, you'd get in less trouble."

Oh, so true. But oh, so hard to do.

I am a take-charge kind of person. Give me a job, and I'll figure out a way to get it done. I was raised with the Midwestern mentality that I'm supposed to pull myself up by my bootstraps and persevere.

There's a lot of good in having that kind of work ethic and determination.

But maybe, instead of adopting the theme of independence this month, I should look at dependence.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3: 3-5

I've been reading a book, Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food by Lysa Terkeurst, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Even though the focus of this particular book is on food, you can fill in the blank with whatever you struggle with - "satisfying your deepest desire with God, not alcohol ... gossip ... judging others ... lust ...money ... shopping ... being prideful ... The list is as individual as the people reading this.

Made to Crave has been an eye-opening read on a subject that has been a struggle my entire life. Unfortunately, I've lost - and found - the same 50 or even 100 pounds. More than once.Me at almost age 8

This is hard for me to admit. This is hard for me to write. But it's also part of the journey. We all have our struggles. My struggles with food are admittedly hard to hide. Much as I'd like to keep it a secret, it's easy for people to see my failings in this area.

Lysa writes:

"Too many times, we try to muster up the gumption to make changes in our lives on our own. And it doesn't take long for the dark feelings of discouragement, disillusionment and defeat to fill our hearts.

"It is crucial to have a hope and power beyond ourselves. We are made for the same hope and power that raised Christ from the dead:

"That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realms."

Ephesians 1: 19-20

That's a lot of power. It's certainly more power than my pitiful attempts at personal willpower can muster.

So instead of celebrating Independence Day this month, I think I'll choose, with God's help, Dependence Day (and Dependence Week, Dependence Month and Dependence Year ...)

A song by Jeremy Camp, "Beyond Measure," has a line that really speaks to this theme of dependence:

"I come alive when I've broken down and given You control."

That should be my anthem. Should it be yours, too?

***

Are you on your own quest to eat more healthfully? Try these salads.

Summertime Main Dish Salad

The fruits of summer can help you make better decisions about mealtime. I don't really have a recipe for this salad.

• I start with a generous base of romaine lettuce or spinach leaves (or mix them both).


• Choose your own fruits. This time, I added canned mandarin oranges (you can also cut up a naval orange), strawberries, blueberries and green grapes. (Other options might be cutting up nectarines, plums, apricots - whatever is on sale in the produce aisle for the week. In the winter, when there are fewer options, I cut up an apple.)


• Feta cheese (just a sprinkle)


• Walnuts (again, just a few. Or you can choose another favorite nut. I like walnuts because of the Omega 3.)


• A sprinkle of dried cranberries or other dried fruit (opt.) Again, watch the amount added because of the calories.
  


• Grilled chicken, grilled steak or salmon (only use about 3 ounces for 1 serving. That's about the size of a deck of playing cards.)


• Light raspberry vinaigrette dressing. If you need to watch calories, measure the dressing instead of just pouring it on.

***

Taco Salad

Again, I really don't have a recipe for this. I photographed my husband's salad instead of mine. I put some extras on his that I don't use because I don't need the extra calories. So choose all or just some of these ingredients to build your own Taco Salad:

• Start with a generous bed of romaine lettuce.


• Add veggies like diced cucumbers, colored peppers, tomatoes, green onion, radishes, carrots, sugar snap peas, etc. Be generous here: The veggies don't have many calories, so you can fill up on them!
  


• Brown hamburger and add taco seasoning (I buy taco seasoning at a bulk food store, but you can make your own or add a taco seasoning packet you purchase at the grocery store. Prepare as it says on the package directions.) Top your salad with about 1/2 cup of the prepared taco meat.


• For dressing: Combine 1 bottle of fat free Catalina dressing with 1 can of chili beans. Refrigerate before serving. You won't use it all for one meal, but it stores well in the fridge. I use much less of the dressing than my husband does. Again, if it helps, measure the dressing so you know how much you are adding to your salad.
  

Other add-ins (depending on whether or not you are watching calorie consumption):

• Shredded cheese


• Olives


• Guacamole


• Sour cream


• Crushed tortilla chips

***
Another Idea

• You can make a lettuce and veggie salad like above.


• Add 3 ounces of your protein of choice - grilled steak, grilled chicken, etc.


• Use 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese on the salad and a small amount of light or fat-free ranch dressing. The cottage cheese helps me "stretch" the dressing so I don't use as much and provides some calcium and protein at the same time. Bonus!


• If you don't care for cottage cheese, you can also stretch your dressing with salsa - as mild or as hot as you like!

***

This Marinated Vegetable Salad is a side-dish salad that's great for a 4th of July picnic or just for family meals.

***

This Southwest Beef and Pepper Skillet recipe has lots of bell peppers, plus the added fiber of brown rice. To reduce calories, leave off the cheese; however, the cheese does provide some calcium for your diet. Serve it with a green salad or some freshly-grilled garden veggies like zucchini.

When the Wind Blows

When a day is still, I don't notice flags. Do you?

But when a strong wind buffets a flag, it immediately draws your eyes to it. We watch its ripple and hear the snap of canvas as the wind tosses it to and fro.

Racers start their engines and put their foot on the gas when the flag man waves the green flag. At a race, do we pay attention to the checkered flag until it's waved wildly to signal the end of a race? We're probably not looking for the flag that's just sitting idly in the flag man's hands.

I guess it's human nature to float along when things are going well for us. Believe me, I much prefer calm seas in life. I am a list maker who likes things to go a certain way. My Type A personality is much happier when my life is ticking along in a predictable pattern.

However, I broke my toe in a farming accident last month. Believe you me, that wasn't on my to-do list. I had just recommitted to watching what I eat and trying to lose the pounds that have crept back on during the winter.

Even though I wasn't as careful with my eating as I should have been, I was still exercising six days a week. And suddenly, a doctor was telling me that it is going to take 6 weeks to heal my toe. Walking my 4 miles a day is not an option at the moment.

That is not in my plan, Lord! But, I look around me, and I realize that a broken toe is not that big a deal in the scheme of things in life. It is a minor inconvenience. Others have much bigger obstacles to navigate than a stupid broken toe.

I've been enjoying the song, "Blessings," by Laura Story. I've heard it on K-LOVE numerous times, but the words are really sinking home with me these days:

What if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
And what if the trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

Definitely something to think about, right?

I read a Guideposts devotional not long ago. It was based on Matthew 8: 23-27:

Jesus Calms the Storm

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

The devotional said:

The test of our Christian commitment is not our ability to lounge at the tiller of our lives while events are sailing along smoothly. Rather the test is our response when the tempests blow. Jesus' disciples had spent many hours in boats. When they recognized the dangers presented by the elements, they turned to Jesus, and He did not fail them.

The capacity for knowing God enlarges as we are brought by Him into circumstances which oblige us to exercise faith; so, when difficulties beset our path, let us thank God that He is taking trouble with us, and lean hard upon Him.

Are you experiencing calm seas right now? Or is life buffeting you with as much force as a stiff Kansas wind?

No matter your circumstances in life - trial or celebration - Christ can be your banner. God is with us and has the power to calm the storm. Pick up the banner of Christ! He will carry you through.

As you listen to Laura Story's song, scroll down and check out some fun ideas for Flag Day June 14 or for your 4th of July celebration! Enjoy!

***

June 14 is Flag Day. Try these fun recipes from Family Fun.

For a healthy finale to your Flag Day celebration, serve this red, white, and blue treat.

Star-Spangled Dessert
Recipe and photo
from Family Fun magazine

Ingredients

• Strawberries
• Whipped cream cheese

• Sugar (optional)
• Blueberries

Instructions

1. Clean and hull five strawberries, then add dollops of whipped cream cheese to the top of each one. Sprinkle sugar on the cream cheese (optional), then top each strawberry with a blueberry and arrange them as shown.

***

Patriotic Drink

Recipe and photo
from Family Fun (www.familyfun.go.com/recipes)

With a steady hand and some colorful drinks, you can create a tasty, multi-layered concoction. The secret is in selecting liquids with varying amounts of sugar, since those that contain more (such as soda) are denser than those with less (such as diet drinks). And that makes it possible to actually stack one on top of another (for a little while, anyway -- then they'll start to blend). Here's how to serve up a thirst quencher with two, three, or even more layers. This recipe is for a red, white, and blue version for your patriotic celebrations.

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• Cranberry juice

• Wild Berry flavor Gatorade Fierce
• Diet 7-Up

Instructions

1. Fill a clear glass with ice cubes. Pour the drink with the most sugar (check the nutrition label) into the glass. For our red, white, and blue recipe, start with the cranberry juice.



2. Very slowly add a beverage that contains less sugar -- in this case, Wild Berry flavor Gatorade Fierce. Be careful to pour it onto an ice cube -- not directly into the other drink -- to keep them from mixing.



3. Use the same technique to add a layer of Diet 7-Up

There are lots of other fun patriotic recipes on the Family Fun website. Have fun searching through the ideas and pick one that will suit your family.

***

Kim's County Line Photo

Or, if you're feeling ambitious, what's more all-American than a blueberry pie? Click here to see step-by-step photos, a recipe and instructions for creating your own pie.

Victory's Frontlines

Singing songs at 2010 VBS

Sunday School songs have been part of my repertoire for as long as I can remember. As a child, we gathered in the basement of the Byers United Methodist Church and sang tunes like "Deep and Wide," "Wide As the Ocean" and "Do Lord!" We dropped our coins through the little slot in the top of the white plastic church and then sang some more before we went into our Sunday School classrooms.

But somehow, we missed the children's song, "I'm in the Lord's Army." I didn't hear that song or learn those actions until we partnered with another church for a Vacation Bible School years ago.

I may never march in the infantry,
Ride in the cavalry,
Shoot the artillery.
I may never fly o'er the enemy,
But I'm in the Lord's army!
Yes Sir!

May is the time when we honor our military heroes - past and present. Saturday, May 21, is Armed Forces Day. Our church bulletin lists military men and women with Stafford connections. There are 24 names on the list, which seems like a lot for our small town of about 1,100 people. After looking at a wall of military personnel at school, I think there are even more than that.

I heard on the radio the other day that there's a disproportionate number of enlistees from rural areas because they have been raised to honor America and to serve their country. It seems to be true for my little part of the world.

Like the song says, I've never marched in the infantry, ridden in the cavalry or shot the artillery. But I am deeply appreciative of the sacrifice our armed forces and their families make for me, my family and my country. We list our service men and women in the church bulletin each week and have their pictures on the wall at school so we are reminded to pray for them and for the other brave military personnel who keep us safe.

I do believe we are all called to take different paths and serve God in the ways that best use the time and talent that He grants us.

From I Corinthians 12:
⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. ... ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. ¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

I don't fight on the frontlines of a battlefield. But I can honor the men and women who currently serve. And I can make sure that Memorial Day on May 30 is more than a day at the lake or a family barbecue. It is a time to honor our service personnel, past and present. And it's a time to honor family members who have gone on before us.

When we were cleaning out my grandparents' house, I found an old cookbook. It was dated 1942 and was compiled by the Ladies of the W.S.C.S. of the Byers Methodist Church. As I looked through the cookbook, I found recipes from both my grandmothers, as well as childhood neighbors.

The cookbook was produced during World War II. Children collected scrap metal. Families did without sugar and other staples. Women in some parts of the country had to go to work in factories and other jobs outside the home to fill the void left by men who were serving overseas.


In Victory Hints, found at the front of the cookbook, it says, in part:

Victory is more than just another word. It is a challenge to the ingenuity of womanhood. Victory means taking care of and making the most of what we have. It means saving time and strength as well as material things.

Those are valuable ideas, even today.

A friend shared another cookbook published in 1943, also during World War II. In the preface of The Connecticut Cookbook, the writer included a section called Cooking in War Time:

Today, when sacrifice is demanded of us, we have learned the true value of each and every comfort. ... Meat and bread, vegetables and fruits, coffee and milk have become symbols. They are no longer merely the sustenance of physical being, but the strength of the will to win. It has been said many times and cannot be said too often, that this is a war to maintain spiritual ideals. It is a war of progress against savagery, of the power of right over the rule of evil.

During World War II, Americans were called upon to sacrifice.

Food used to be an accepted necessity instead of a luxury. We gave little or no thought to our good fortune in having enough to eat, just as we thought not at all of giving thanks for warm blankets on cold nights or enough fuel to keep from freezing.

Makes you think, doesn't it? Today, military personnel and their families are making a sacrifice, but the rest of us go on our merry way. We give little or no thought to our good fortune in having enough to eat, a roof over our heads and gasoline in our cars (albeit more expensive than we'd like!)

So maybe this is our call to arms. Be that prayer warrior that you are called to be. Be that "service" person who is serving their neighbor or their church or their community. Figure out what gifts you have been given and then endeavor to serve the Lord through those special gifts. Be the Lord's hands and feet in the world today.

Join the Lord's Army ... Yes sir!

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Want to make a patriotic treat to celebrate Armed Forces Day or Memorial Day? Try these bar cookie recipes.