Heard it through the (grape) Vine

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If you are wondering why a little wrinkled brown thing clutching a microphone is pictured atop this blog post, you, my dear child, are obviously not of a certain age. Or else you are of a certain age, but have led a very sheltered life. That's a California Raisin, and he's singing that he "Heard it through the Grapevine". Because that is the song (exquisitely sung by the late great Marvin Gaye) that I cannot get out of my mind this morning. And, unfortunately, the ad agencies of America also burned an image of little California Raisins singing this song into my mind as well.

(Actually, the image I really prefer to remember is the one of the actors in the movie, The Big Chill, cleaning up the kitchen after the funeral of one of their friends. One of them puts that song on to play. The characters gradually begin to dance, a dance that turns into a kind of joyous celebration. To misquote the book of common prayer, "in the midst of death, we are in life".)

But what does ANY of this have to do with today's psalm? Well, I've been meditating on the phrase: " a fruitful vine" that is found in Psalm 128. (vine...grapes...grapevine...fruitful... it all fits... well, all but the raisins...)

(In case you are just now tuning in to my blog, here's a brief recap. I have been posting based on a Bible study I am involved in: "Stepping Up: a Journey through the Psalms of Ascent.". Beth Moore is the author of the workbook we are using, and the lecturer on the DVD we watch once a week when we meet. Beth asks us to study and meditate on the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) and at the end of our study of a particular psalm, to write our own version of that psalm, applicable to our own life situation.)

Here's the text of Psalm 128:

"Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in his ways.
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your sons will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Thus is the man blessed
who fears the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
and may you live to see your children's children.

Peace be upon Israel."


Wow! There's so much packed into that first verse alone, that really, perhaps I should be posting only on that.

"Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in his ways".

Many years ago I participated in a study called "The Life and Teachings of Moses", and the principle that came up again and again throughout that study was that "blessing follows obedience". When Moses and the Israelites were careful to revere and obey God, (during the 10 plagues, during the Passover, during their escape from Egypt, as they traveled through the wilderness, by building the tabernacle following His directions, as they prepared to enter Canaan), God blessed their obedience. And when they chose to NOT revere God (to worship the golden calf, to grumble and complain, to doubt His ability to lead them into the promised land) there were consequences - sometimes dire consequences.

The lesson I have carried into my own life from that study is that when I hear the voice of God calling me into obedience on a particular matter, and I put Him first and obey Him, blessing follows. It may not be immediate. In fact the timing may seem distantly removed, but I have found it to be true in my own life as well: that revering God, and behaving in ways that reflect His character ultimately brings blessing into my own life.

For example, when I choose to forgive, and love my enemies - I am released from carrying around the hatred that actually holds ME captive. When I choose to behave generously, I myself am the one who ends up being infinitely richer by having made the sacrifice. As I choose to love my dear husband and keep myself to him only, it is I who find sweet contentment, and my children who live in a loving, stable home. Obedience to God brings GREAT blessing and reward.

Beth took that third verse:

"Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your sons will be like olive shoots
around your table."

and really gave it a bit of an unexpected twist as she talked about it, but it was for me the most meaningful part of the psalm.



She reminded us of the unity of the Bible in its one theme: the theme of redemption. The theme of God pursuing fallen man in order to have a restored relationship with him, and of His willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice - the giving of His own life - that we might be reconciled to Him. In the Old Testament, Israel is pictured as God's straying, unfaithful spouse. In the New Testament, believers in Jesus are the Bride of Christ. Same covenant relationship.

In this psalm, the wife is pictured as a fruitful vine. In the New Testament, Jesus calls Himself the True Vine, and we are the branches, chosen to bear much fruit as we remain in Him. It is my heart's desire to be a fruitful branch, fully connected to Him at all times, with the channel between us wide open. I want His sap, His Life-Giving Spirit flowing into me, completely unobstructed. I want to be producing fruit by His power. I want to be a fruitful little branch, bringing joy and pleasure to His heart.

Don't you?



Anyway, here's my own personal little Psalm 128:


It is a blessing to revere God and reflect His ways with my life!
God's blessing follows my obedience.
God promises my work will be productive and I will find satisfaction in it.
My marriage and family will be blessed because of it.
These are the ways God blesses those who fear and honor Him.
May God bless you from heaven so that you may see the growth of His kingdom here on earth,
and even live to enjoy your grandchildren -
both biological, and spiritual grandchildren.
Peace be with His people.



To contort the lyrics that Marvin Gaye sang just a bit, I want to be able to say that I'm living the way I'm living, because I heard it through the Vine.

Labor in Vain

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How would you like to move in to the cabin pictured here?

What? No takers????

Once, many years ago, I had the pleasure of visiting a cabin that was originally built in the 1800's. (NOT the one pictured here.) The owner of that cabin had lovingly restored it, detail by painstaking detail. He had also added all the modern conveniences that would make it a paradise in which to live for a person of this century. It was filled with beautiful period antiques and quilts, and situated in a pastoral setting, far enough off the beaten path that it was its own little world. I drove away knowing I"d had a true privilege to visit such an enchanting place.

The owner had even named his cabin. And what was that name?

"Labor in Vain".

That name has stuck with me for over 20 years. Why in the world would you pour your time, talents and energies into a work like that and name it "Labor in Vain"? I have no answer to that question, by the way, but that is what has been bouncing around in the back of my mind as I have contemplated today's psalm, Psalm 127. (Well, that and the song that Keith Green wrote over 25 years ago: Unless the Lord Builds the House.)

Here's the text of this psalm of ascent, which by the way, was written by Solomon, the son of King David and the builder of God's house, the temple in Jerusalem:

"Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat -
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Sons are a heritage from the Lord,
children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate."

In this psalm, I see God pictured as the Builder, the Watchman, the Giver of the gift of sleep, and the One who grants rewards and blessing.

"Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor in vain."

I find it just fascinating that the man who built God's house had these thoughts swirling around inside his head. After all, what could be more meaningful than being assigned the job of building the house where God would come and dwell among his people? But I guess even the most glorious monument in the world is a labor in vain, unless it's done for all the right reasons, with the right Source of strength. And Solomon, with the wisdom that God Himself had poured out on him, was just wise enough to have figured that out.

So I ask myself, if God gave Solomon the task of building the temple, what is the work that He has put in front of me for me to do? I think each of us has been given work to do. Adam was given work to do in the Garden of Eden even before the fall, because God knows that work is GOOD for us. When done well, it brings us satisfaction and fulfillment. Each person's work is as individual as is that person, but for me, for this season of my life, I realized that the answer to my question is that my work is to raise these children that the Lord has blessed me with to the very best of my ability.

But here was my head-slapping "Doing! I coulda hadda V-8!" moment. I've really been trying lately to do it in my own strength. And failing miserably. And if Solomon realized that doing something in his own strength was meaningless, and a labor in vain, maybe I, too, should get a clue. Parenting and homeschooling IS my (at present) divinely appointed work, and without God, everything I am attempting to do on my own is vain, worthless frustration.

And the whole sleep thing?

"In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat -
for he grants sleep to those he loves."

God is not asking us to work till we drop. Sleep is a blessing for us from God. So go to bed, already.

In Beth Moore's words:

"Godless labor + little sleep = a futile expenditure of energy."

Well and succinctly put, I think.

"Sons are a heritage from the Lord,
children a reward from him."

Well, yes, indeed, children are a reward from the Lord. But they are not the ONLY reward the Lord gives out, thankfully - they are just one of His lovely rewards. His greatest reward is His very own presence. Like He told Abraham back in Genesis 15:1 when Abraham was still childless, "I am your shield, your very great reward". So, if you don't have kids, you should never consider yourself unrewarded. In fact, I'm pretty sure that some of us who at present are parenting teenagers have considered returning our rewards to the Giver a time or two. ; )

But I am so very thankful that I do view my children as beautiful gifts from God. They are likened to arrows in the hands of a warrior in this psalm, and what is an arrow in the hands of a warrior but the tool that makes him even more effective at his job?

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending a brunch that my son's tutorial put on for the church that allows the program to be held in its building. It so happens that this is a congregation of believers that largely consists of senior citizens, quite a few over the age of 75. So as I served, and then as I sat down to eat with these folks, I looked at the stark contrast of the fresh faced junior high and high school aged students and the white-haired elderly believers they were eating with. I saw those students conversing and smiling with radiant faces as they interacted with their elders, who seemed to be obviously enjoying the experience as well. And then the pastor of the congregation stood up and talked about how much their congregation enjoyed and was blessed by these fine Christian young people, and my heart just welled up with joy to be a part of such a group of people. (And my son wasn't even there!) But it was obvious that these children were a blessing to these folks. And when our kids ARE trying to serve the Lord with their lives, that day I saw that they ARE like an arrow that we are sending out into the world, and they do extend our ministry to the world.

So, anyway, if anyone is still reading this, I just want to encourage you to examine the work that God has put in front of you to do, and to ask Him if perhaps it has gone off course and in any way become a "labor in vain". And then ask Him to help you take any steps you might need to take to correct your course.

Here's my version of the psalm, for what it's worth:

Lord, You are the Divine Builder,
and if You don't build my house,
I might as well be homeless.

Lord, You are the Divine Watchman,
and if You don't watch over my family,
I might as well take the doors off
and invite the wolves in.

All this staying up late and getting up too early
profits nothing.
You've designed sleep to be a blessing
for the ones you love.

My children are indeed a heritage
and a reward from You, Lord!

Our children are a most effective tool
to extend our impact on the world -
and I am blessed to have a full toolbox.
May they never put me to shame -
and may I never put them to shame!


At the end of the day, may my life NOT be like the run down shack pictured above. May it NOT be found to have been a "Labor in Vain".

I wish the same for you, as well.

Constant Comment

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Does anyone remember that tea?

It used to be one of my Mom's favorites treats: a cup of Constant Comment tea. All orange and cinnamon-y. Lovely. I can still smell it in my memory's olfactory system - the nose of my mind.

Today, dear reader, it's up to you.

I know you're out there. Reading. Many of you leave me nice comments, and thank you, thank you , from the heart of my bottom, I mean the bottom of my heart. I sincerely thank you! Many of you lurk, and that's just fine with me, too. Some of you have been so kind as to follow my posts with some regularity, and many of you I know. But some of you, I have yet to figure out your secret identity! Perhaps I know you, but I just haven't made the connection yet. Or, perhaps I don't know you, but somehow, you found me on this great big cyberworld we surf together.



So, today, it's up to you. If you'd be so kind as to leave me a little comment today, you would fill up my little cup (of Constant Comment of course ; ) ) to overflowing. And, please, tell me anything you'd like for me to know.

Tell me if you've had a favorite post on this blog. Or tell me why you occasionally pop over here. You can tell me where you know me from, if you do know me. Or how you found this blog. Or, if anything you've read here has had any kind of impact on you personally.





I promise to sip and savor each and every comment.

Have at it, gentle readers.

Glory Days

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Have you ever felt like you've been put out to pasture for a season?

Well, I have. My user name, Susan in the Boonies, wasn't chosen as lightly as you might think.

For 14 years of my life, I attended a class called Bible Study Fellowship. It is a wonderful organization that served as a vehicle for me to keep myself accountable to other women to stay in God's Word. I love the Bible. And I love the way God's Holy Spirit teaches me about God when I study the Bible.

But, I'll be honest here, it's not always easy for me to keep on renewing my mind through studying God's Word. And BSF was a great way to help me do that regularly. As a result, my relationship with God grew by leaps and bounds. My children have come to know God through studying His word through that fine program.

After I had been in BSF for a few years, they asked me to serve as an adult discussion group leader. And it was through the intensity of that experience that I found some of the deepest satisfaction I have ever enjoyed in my life. I loved the challenge of deeper study that being a leader presented to me. I loved shepherding my little group of 15 women each year - of watching them apply God's Word to their lives, of having the privilege of knowing them, and loving them, and praying for them. I think the thing I loved the most was getting on my knees every Monday morning in a room full of 50 other leaders who were also on their knees, and pouring out our hearts to the Lord in praise, and then making our requests known to Him too. It truly was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. It made my joy meter go, "Bing! Bing! Bing!!!"

I am a homeschooling Mom, and by the time my second child, my daughter, was ready to enter the first grade, I could no longer give up two mornings a week to BSF (one morning was for leadership training, and one morning was for the actual study itself). And so, somewhat regretfully, I said goodbye to that study, at least for the foreseeable future, And shortly after that, we moved out here to the Boonies, away from most of my familiar haunts and friends. And then we changed churches.

So, a lot of my props got knocked out from underneath me.

Don't get me wrong: I love living in the Boonies. It's beautiful and peaceful here in the woods, and we have lots of lovely neighbors.

But every once in a while, I do feel as if I've been put out to pasture.

Why am I telling you all this?

Well, today's psalm, Psalm 126 reminded me a bit of my own situation.

The psalmist talks about the Glory Days of the past, when the Lord first brought the exiled Jews back to their homeland, and then expresses his hope for the future, even though it sounds like they're walking through a bit of a dry time, at present. Here's the text of the original:

When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for them."
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him.

Things weren't all peachy in Jerusalem when they got back, and a lot of hard work lay in front of them..

So, I guess I kind of relate in my own way, my Glory Days in BSF, when I saw myself as a part of a group that God was using powerfully in His kingdom. And I wonder how He can possibly use a Boonie Woman.

As a part of my assignment for the Beth Moore study that I am presently participating in, I am supposed to rewrite this psalm in such a way that it is applicable to my own life. So here's my own little version of Psalm 126,

When the Lord was using me strongly in former days
I felt so deeply fulfilled.
I laughed with those dear friends
and celebrated the goodness of God with them.
And it was said within our community,
"The Lord is doing great things through them."
The Lord HAD done great things through us,
and we were joyful.

Restore my usefulness, Lord
Let Your Spirit well up within me like a life-giving spring in the desert.
If I plant Your Word in tears,
Let me reap a harvest of righteousness in joy.
Though I struggle along now,
dragging my bag of seed behind me,
Let me return from my harvest with overwhelming joy,
my arms filled with fruit that will last for eternity.


In one of the comments on my last post, my pal Val, who was one of my roomates in Switzerland, reminded me of a story I was a part of, but had forgotten, over 25 years ago.

When I first arrived in Switzerland, my sweet roomies kept telling me every day about the beautiful French Alps that lay just across the lake from Lausanne, Les Dents du Midi. Each day on our walk to the University, they would say, "Oh, you should see those mountains. They're just right over there." And every day, for weeks and weeks, they were covered by fog and clouds, and mist, and all I could see was white. (I arrived in January, and this is pretty normal for Lausanne in January.) And then one day, miracle of miracles, we had a clear day. The mists parted, and there across the lake stood those gargantuan, breathtakingly lovely mountains. They had been there all along, only we truly couldn't see them.







So, my hope is, that even put out to pasture for the moment as I am, that behind those clouds, God is still using me in ways that aren't easily apparent to me at present. That I am a useful servant to Him, a part of what He is doing in the grand scheme of His kingdom.

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful

Pin It There is an old commercial, for shampoo, perhaps, where the gorgeous model looks at the camera and says in a sultry voice, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful". An obnoxious commercial, but remarkable in its staying power in my mind. Sadly for the advertisers, I DON'T remember what product they were advertising. I sure remember that pretty girl, though..., or at least what she said. Because jealousy, like hope, springs eternal. Yes?

Well, after eating that last big slab of humble pie in front of y'all, you'd think I'd be past bragging, wouldn't you? Wouldn't you?





In the immortal words of Tweety Bird, "He don't know me vewee well, do he?"

Once again, I will blame it all on poor Beth Moore, that perky little Texas gal who wrote the Bible study I am currently engaged in, which is called "Stepping Up: A Journey through the Psalms of Ascent". In case you've not been following along, she has us read, ponder and re-write these psalms so that they become very personally applicable. Not that we can improve upon the Word of God, but just for the exercise of hearing how the Holy Spirit might be speaking a word to us as individuals.

So, this morning, I was searching for how to make this particular psalm apply to my life experience. The psalm is Psalm 125. Here's the text:

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and forevermore

The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land alloted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
their hands to do evil.

Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
to those who are upright in heart.
But those who turn to crooked ways
the Lord will banish with the evildoers.

Peace be upon Israel.



So how does all this relate to the title of my post and my first paragraph?

Well, it's not that I think that I'm beautiful. But, I have had the very great blessing of getting to live for a short time in one of the world's most beautiful places. And it ain't braggin if it's the truth. For a year and a half I lived in this beautiful place: Lausanne, Switzerland.



And my roommates and I did quite a few excursions into the mountains to do hikes, and to just explore this amazingly beautiful country. And so when I think of the mountains surrounding Jerusalem (and yes, I got to travel there, too) I think, "You call those mountains???"



(This is a picture of mountains near Lausanne, just across the lake, called Les Dents du Midi)

Being as the Israelite who wrote this psalm was lacking El Al (Israel's national airline) to fly him over to Switzerland so he could see some REAL mountains, I should probably cut him a break, right? But I have had that glorious experience. And really, glorious is not too big an adjective here. Spectacular, breathtaking - all these apply.

So, please, don't hate me because I've lived someplace beautiful.

Just bear with me. And try to imagine if you haven't been there (and to remember if you have ) the icy Alpine winds, the almost eerie quiet as you listen to the wind blowing through the valley, and then the twitter of the song birds, and the orchestral clang of distant cow bells. They really DO wear those bells, those lovely bovine ladies. Have a seat on a boulder, and take a nibble off your Swiss chocolate bar to regain a little energy after your long hike through the mountains, and think of how absolutely calm and serene and secure these mountain chalets feel. They are hemmed in behind and before by mountains. And Switzerland is a neutral nation besides. What peace! What beauty! What security! You are in a mountain fortress, equipped with the world's best cheese and chocolate and some lovely white wines, too. Who would ever want to leave this?




Well, that is the image that I carry with me in my mind as I attempted to write my own version of this psalm.

Those who trust in the Lord
are as secure as the mighty mountains of Switzerland -
they seem to be unshakeable -
like they've always been here, and always will be here.

And just as the Swiss Alps surround
one of her tiny mountain villages
so the Lord Himself surrounds His people,
both now and forever.

Our enemy will not rule over
the life of the one who belongs to God.
Our lives are not to serve him.

Do what is good, Lord, to those You have made righteous in Christ.
But as for those who truly turn back to follow the enemy,
Banish them with those who are already avowedly his.

May those who belong to You experience true peace.




If I belong to God, Scripture says that God Himself surrounds me. This doesn' t mean (sadly) that nothing bad will ever happen to me or to those I love. But what it does mean is that I am secure in Him, no matter what trials may come, and that His love will sustain, strengthen and support me every step of the way. That He is 100% for me, even when life throws situations at me that leave me feeling shaken to the core, and gasping for air.

So, for this moment, I just want to thank God for surrounding me, and for the security that those who belong to Him have in Him. He is my mighty Rock, my fortress.

Belonging to Him: I am His, and He is mine. This is what brings true peace, in a very uncertain world.

Humble Pie

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Slab o' Humble Pie, Anyone?

I think you'll find the Crow is excellent, today, Madame.

After all my bragging about good food, I think I better take myself down a peg or two, in the interests of God not doing it for me.

You know Scripture says that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. And I'm all about grabbing with gusto for all the grace I can get!

One of my very favorite teachings from my beloved former pastor of "Old Church" was what he used to teach about I Peter 5:6. That verse says:

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand,
that He may lift you up in due time."

My pastor taught us that in that verse, there are two people being discussed: God and me. And there are two jobs being discussed: humbling and lifting up. According to this verse, it's my job to humble myself. And It's God's job to lift me up. If I walk around doing HIS job (lifting myself up), he's going to have to do MY job (humbling me). And you know, that is just someplace I SO do NOT want to go!

So, I was reminded today of one of the more humiliating experiences of my life, that is a tale that some of my friends have actually rather relished, and I thought some of you might get a kick out of it.

It is a bit of a cautionary tale. As in, please, do not sink to my level of self-absorption, or you, too, may become a victim of your own pride.I think the sad truth that will be revealed in the telling is the really almost unfathomable depth of my vanity, but since I pretty much get what I deserve in the end, you'll probably be really glad you stuck around for the payoff.

Our story begins 21 and a half years ago. I was young, I was foolish, I needed the money...Oh, no, wait, that's another story....In this story, I was about to marry the man of my dreams, my Prince Charming, none other than the Big Bison himself. I was working for the local school district so we planned an August wedding so that I could have all summer long to do last minute wedding preparations. So thorough was my planning (and so simple was my wedding), that I built a week of vacation for myself into my schedule prior to the wedding.

You see, my dear friend and maid of honor, Alison, used to go to the Eastern Shore (that's in Maryland) with her family every year about that time, and we thought, "Wouldn't it be fun and relaxing to go to the beach together and be rested and relaxed for the wedding?" The BB wasn't going - this was just a last trip with my gal pal and her family.

I had picked (as do most brides) a lovely white wedding gown. My gown had a low V-neck back. This was 21 years ago, and most people I knew cared NOTHING about skin cancer (no one MENTIONED that as a risk back then) but all my friends certainly DID care EVERYTHING about having a good tan. I had been working on my tan all summer long. What would people be seeing during the ceremony? My back! I NEEDED to have a nice tan. With no visible tan line.

And so that's why, on this particular day, Alison and I strolled to the beach, staked out our real estate, spread out our towels, and I unhooked the back of my swimsuit as we lay down on our tummies. Uh oh. Do you just hear the "uh oh" that's coming?

It's a shame I didn't.

I fell asleep in the sun's warming rays, and then, (cue the ominous music) out of nowhere, a monsoonal wave of epic proportions began its inexorable journey up the beach making a bee line for Alison and me. Eight million gallons of ICY Atlantic water were suddenly and unceremoniously dumped all over my body, as well as the bodies of everyone near us.

And what did Sleeping Beauty do?

Why I sat up, shocked and sputtering, of course.

And looked down and screamed.

And watched as the Wave That Ate Ocean City carried my bathing suit top back into the pounding surf.

Happily for me, Alison had her wits about her as well as her bathing suit, and she has really fast reflexes, too. so she tore down to the water's now receded edge and managed to snag my top out of the roiling undertow. Thank God for a maid of honor who was also a great outfielder.

Anyway, she staggered back to me, carrying her dripping prize and laughing her fool head off, while I sat back there with my towel clutched to my chest, my lips purple, my teeth chattering.

I got myself strapped back in, and we kept laughing, and tried to comfort ourselves with the knowledge that everyone else had all their stuff washed away too, and they were too busy recapturing their own paraphernalia to have ever noticed my debacle. Right? It was all good. One for the books, for sure, but no one had really noticed, anyway. And Alison smiled at me in a pitying, consoling, best friend kind of way (as soon as she had finished squashing down wave after wave of hilarity at my expense).

And then, say, five minutes later, these two guys come walking down the beach. They catch our eyes, smiling in a friendly fashion. And then one of them winks at me and says,

"Nice suit."

And they continue their little stroll down the beach.

Laughing and elbowing each other.


Have I mentioned how smooth and even was my tan at the wedding? Had no tan line on my back whatsoever. (she said, straightening her spine and holding her head high in the most determined of fashions).

"How 'bout another slice of that Humble Pie, Hon?"

Love Potion #9

Pin It Now, really, I just don't know how to sing the excellencies of this concoction highly enough.

All I can say is: share it with someone you love. Could turn out to be YOUR Love Potion #9.

On the other hand, in the (slightly altered for this occasion) words of our friend Steve, "When it comes to hot fudge sauce, 'What friends? I have no friends.' "

Oh, for a thousand tongues with which to taste this lovely sauce....

I got the recipe from my Gourmet cookbook, but you can also find it on epicurious.com.


Hot Fudge Sauce
Gourmet | February 2004

This thick, glossy sauce makes chocolate syrup taste ho-hum.
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
Active Time: 10 min
Total Time: 30 min

2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa, salt, and half of chocolate to a boil in a 1 to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted. Reduce heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla, and remaining chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool sauce to warm before serving.

Cooks' note:
Sauce can be made 1 week ahead and cooled completely, then chilled in an airtight container or jar. Reheat before using.


Susan's note: This is a VERY intense dark chocolate. If you think it might be a bit too intense for you, you can try using semi-sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet. I used Ghirardelli bars in mine.

The Big Night

Pin It Today's title is a reference to a movie I enjoyed many years ago about two brothers who own an Italian restaurant that is sadly about to go out of business. In order to keep from having to close the restaurant, they decide that a little publicity is in order. They invite the famous jazz musician, Louis Prima, to their restaurant to play, and to partake of their food, and hope thus to bring in the crowds. Much of the movie shows the preparations that the brothers go through in order to be ready for The Big Night. One of the brothers is an amazing chef, and one of the reasons I love this movie so much is the beautiful photography of food. The chef slices and dices and chops and stirs, and I remember saliva pooling in my mouth and longing welling up in my heart as I watched the amazing culinary cinematography. (One caveat: I also seem to remember a sleazy moment or two in the film, so I'm not recommending the movie wholeheartedly because of that. Still, I'll say, it's a movie I just adored for the aforementioned reasons.)

So, anyway, in yesterday's post, I promised you some recipes from OUR "Big Night" the other night, and I will promise you today that each recipe I'll share with you here is a tried and true winner. Following these, you could definitely have your own "Big Night".

First Course: a mixed antipasto. This recipe I found on the Epicurious website (epicurious.com). It was originally published in Gourmet magazine in 1991. The only change I made to the recipe was to first lay everything out on the platter separately, and then pour the marinade over the whole shebang, and marinate it right there on the platter. The upside to this was a lovely presentation. The down side was that the stuff on top of the platter was not as thoroughly immersed as the stuff on the bottom of the platter. Still, I think the "wow factor" of the presentation made it totally worth it, and I would do it that way again. (Alternatively, you could also make a double batch of the marinade, and marinate everything separately in its own little ziplock bags, and that way you could have the best of both worlds. I just think you'd need more marinade to do it that way, but it could be easily done.)




Mixed Antipasto
Gourmet | November 1991

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

For the marinade
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried orégano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

3 large carrots, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 small fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3 cups)
2 red bell peppers, roasted and cut into strips
2 yellow bell peppers, roasted and cut into strips
a 12-ounce jar peperoncini (pickled Tuscan peppers), rinsed and drained well
3/4 pound black or green brine-cured olives or a combination
1/4 pound sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and cut into strips
3/4 pound marinated or plain bocconcini (small mozzarella balls, available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets)
1/2 pound pepperoni or soppressata (hard Italian sausage, available at Italian markets, some butcher shops, and, some specialty foods shops), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and the slices quartered

two 7-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained well
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves plus, if desired, parsley sprigs for garnish

Preparation
Make the marinade:

In a small bowl whisk together the garlic, the vinegars, the rosemary, the basil, the orégano, the red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the marinade until it is emulsified.

In a large saucepan of boiling water blanch the carrots and the fennel for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, drain them, and plunge them into a bowl of ice and cold water. Let the vegetables cool and drain them well. In a large bowl toss together the carrots, the fennel, the roasted peppers, the peperoncini, the olives, the sun-dried tomatoes, the bocconcini, the pepperoni, the artichoke hearts, the marinade, the minced parsley until the antipasto is combined well and chill the antipasto, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Transfer the antipasto to a platter, garnish it with the parsley sprigs, and serve it at room temperature.


In a large saucepan of boiling water blanch the carrots and the fennel for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, drain them, and plunge them into a bowl of ice and cold water. Let the vegetables cool and drain them well. In a large bowl toss together the carrots, the fennel, the roasted peppers, the peperoncini, the olives, the sun-dried tomatoes, the bocconcini, the pepperoni, the artichoke hearts, the marinade, the minced parsley until the antipasto is combined well and chill the antipasto, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Transfer the antipasto to a platter, garnish it with the parsley sprigs, and serve it at room temperature.






Next, the lasagna.

I use the recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook, a cookbook I purchased around 25 years ago that is now stained and split in half, it has been so well used and loved. Of course, I have modified it over the years to suit my taste. The Big Bison says that this is one of the recipes that made him know for sure I was a keeper. So, if you know anyone who is looking to trap 'em a good man, you can pass along this recipe, but I warn you to use its power wisely: you REALLY don't want to trap just ANY man. Only use it if you know for sure that this is the guy you want around for life. Otherwise, you could end up with a porch full of Mr. Wrongs camped out outside your door, and THEN where would you be?

So, here's my version of Mollie Katzen's recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook:


Lasagna


Have ready:

1) Tomato sauce (I use a super big jar and a half of Prego - are you shocked? Tried it with homemade. I LIKE Prego,better, and it's faster, too. It's probably the sweetness of Prego that I like) to which I add 1 lb. browned Italian Sausage

2) 15 Lasagna noodles: I'm finding the no-boil lasagna noodles from Barilla or Trader Joe's work great - and it saves me a step.

3) Filling: 2 c. ricotta cheese plus 2 beaten eggs, salt & pepper, 1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley, and some freshly grated nutmeg - maybe 1/4 teaspoon.

4) 1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese

5) 1 cup freshly grated Pamagiano Reggiano cheese

6) A 9x13 pan


Proceedings:

1) Spread a little sauce over bottom of pan.
2) Cover with a layer of noodles (1/3 of the noodles)
3) Put a blotch of filling here and there. Use 1/2 of the filling
4) Sauce (1/3 the remaining sauce)
5) 1/2 the mozzarella, hither and thither
6) Another 1/3 of the noodles
7) Remaining filling, followed by
8) Sauce - another 1/3 - which gets followed by
9) Remaining mozzarella
10) Every last noodle
11) Ultimate dosage of sauce
12) The parmesan

Bake 45 minutes covered by foil at 375º; uncover for last 10 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.




OK, I'm just exhausted from typing all that. Stay tuned to future blog entries for the hot fudge sauce of your dreams. Really.

Come to the Table

Pin It When you've been on the planet as long as I have, certain puzzle pieces begin to start clicking into place. One piece that has recently slipped into place for me is that life is full of green pastures where we get to lie down and quiet waters where we are led, as well as times of walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. But you never get to stay in one place for too very long. Life keeps happening, and things keep changing, and the journey goes on. But if Jesus continues to tarry in regard to his second coming, there ain't a one of us who's getting off this planet alive. So, in the meantime, as our Good Shepherd continues to lead us in paths of righteousness, why not celebrate our life, our journey on the little blue ball called Earth? The twenty third psalm says that in the midst of David's life, the Lord prepared a table for him. Is there anyone you'd rather have prepare you a table?

The Big Bison and I have some friends in this area that we have known for over twenty years. That number astounds us. Flabbergasts us. How did this HAPPEN??? When we met in the 80's, our hearts were young, our eyeliner was dark (those of us of the female persuasion), and our hair was BIG (either gender qualifies here). But the core things that drew us together initially have remained the same: our love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and our love of music.

So the Big Bison got this grand and glorious idea that we should invite some of our dear friends from "the early years" for a reunion of sorts. To celebrate life. The four guys met when they all worked at the same music production house. At that time, we were all newleyweds. Only one of us had a baby. The rest of us were hoping that maybe someday that might happen for us, too. Since that time, five babies have been added to our numbers, two of those adopted. We have lost babies to miscarriages, and parents to disease. One of us has survived breast cancer, and one of us is missing a gall bladder. One of us has lost all hair, only to have it grow back in, and one of us has lost all hair for good, may it rest in peace. Some of us have lovely salt and pepper hair, and some of us are fighting the good fight with chemicals to deny the presence of our gray hair. Most of us are sporting a few more pounds, and a few more wrinkles. Over all, I'd say we have lost quite a few inches in hair height and hair length (the guys, especially). But praise God, the love for the Lord yet remains, and the marriages are intact. And you know what? In this day and age, that alone is worth celebrating!

What, oh, what to cook for these honored guests? My dear husband likes my lasagna, and he suggested that it would make a nice dinner, so with a loaf of rosemary bread and a green salad, that should put us in business, yes?

Well, not so fast. We have a family of four, so I'm not used to cooking in quantity, and we would be having a total of 11 mouths to feed, mostly adults, and I began to think that one pan of lasagna might not be sufficient (it barely was). What to do? Kill off a little of that appetite with an appetizer. So then, I asked myself, what would a nice Italian girl serve with her lasagna? An antipasto! Hmmm... never made one of those before.... No matter! I have epicurious.com as my trusty friend and culinary advisor.

And what for dessert? Well, one of my guests has a strong passion for chocolate, and the darker and richer, the better, so just some ice cream with homemade hot fudge sauce should seal the deal nicely.

I took a picture of the antipasto before the guests arrived, so I can offer you that visual aid. But with the joy of the arrival of our guests, food pictures were forgotten, so I can't show you a picture of the lasagna or the ice cream sundaes. You'll just have to trust me when I tell you that they were delicious.



I'll try to give you recipes in my next post.

Just wanted to ask you if the Lord might be nudging you gently to prepare a table for some precious ones you love? Offering what you've got - even if it's a pot luck where everyone throws in - coming together for a meal - is one of the most beautiful ways that we can share and celebrate the life that we've been given.

Drift Away

Pin It Whatever is going on in my life always causes a song to pop into my brain. If you've hung around me in real life, you know I will spontaneously burst into song all day long. There's a song for every situation, and as I was pondering what I wanted to write about today, the song that popped unbidden into my mind, was an old '70's Dobie Gray classic:

"Gimme the beat boys, and free my soul,
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll
And drift away..."

(Insider trivia: once, in the 80's, the Big Bison got to play guitar for Dobie Gray on this very song, on Wolfman Jack's cable TV show in Baltimore, playing the very cool signature opening guitar hook. If you know this song, can you hear it playing in your mind right now?)

BOY, oh boy, have I ever digressed...

Anyway, today's psalm for the Beth Moore study "Stepping Up" was Psalm 124.

Here's the text:

If the LORD had not been on our side -
let Israel say -
if the LORD had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;
the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
the raging waters
would have swept us away.

Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
out of the fowler's snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

So, Beth emphasizes the first part of the psalm, "If the LORD had not been on our side" and encourages her readers to stop and think for a moment: Where would I have been had it not been for the Lord?

If you are a Christian, have you ever just stopped to think about that for a minute?
"How different would my life have been were it not for the Lord?"

For some of us, our story of giving our hearts to the Lord is a true darkness to light conversion story. We were on a path leading rapidly to our own self destruction, and were it not for the Lord, we WOULD have crashed and burned.

For others of us, our story of coming into relationship with the Lord is a little less clearly defined, and it can be harder to tell when and where we actually came into a state of defining ourselves as "His".

I think I fall into the second camp: brought up going to church. Raised by two fine upstanding human beings who taught me right from wrong and loved me unconditionally, and who had me at church every time the church building's doors were open. It's not quite as easy for me to trace how I came into this relationship that I have with Him. It's hard for me to imagine my life without Him.

And yet, this much I do know: were it not for the Lord, I would certainly have drifted away from this fine moral upbringing I was given.

Drift away..... as Dobie Gray would say.

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love....as the hymn writer Robert Robinson would say...

You know, I have felt the enemy trying to convince me that I COULD drift away. It is a lie that is very easy for me to believe. Because I feel the coldness of my heart sometimes. I know the selfish apathy that at times grips my heart like an icy fist.

A long time ago, I attended a church full of dead people. If they weren't dead, a lot of them were doing a mighty good imitation. And I felt my own passion for the Lord just shriveling up and dying on the vine. I had no nourishment going in, and I was slipping fast. I could almost see myself, striving with every remaining ounce of dwindling strength that remained, trying my best to hang on to the Lord, and yet beginning to listen to the voice in my mind that was whispering to me: "It's all been a lie. It's all a fake. You're a fake. You don't really believe this stuff, anyway...."

In my mind's eye, I could see myself: I was dangling off the edge of a cliff, held only by an unraveling rope, and I was "this close" to losing my grip.

Now I want you to know that that was not the truth of my situation. But that was how it was looking to me. Grim and more grim.

I called a friend who gently reminded me of John 10:28 (why that was not firmly implanted in my memory banks, I don't know, but it wasn't there at the time), where Jesus is talking about his sheep, and says that "no one can snatch them out of my hand." Well, those words were LIFE to me! My fear that I would give in to the enemy's whisperings? Totally unnecessary! What mattered here was NOT my ability to hang on to the rope! What mattered here was HIS ability to hold onto me. No matter what! And He is fully able!!!

The enemy of my soul still comes around and whispers his slanderous accusations against me and against the God I love. My enemy knows he can't snatch me away from the One I love, so instead he tries to steal my peace, my hope, and my joy. And sometimes I still succumb to that. But more and more and more, I want to LIVE this abundant life Christ died for me to live. I want to enjoy the peace and hope and joy that are mine in Him. I want to rejoice in the One who holds me securely in his hand.

Since Beth Moore told me to, here's my version of Psalm 124.

If the Lord had not been on my side -
Let all God's people say -
If the One with whom I am in covenant had NOT been on my side
when my enemy came after me
I would have been swallowed alive
by my enemy's burning anger against me.
Then the waters of doubt swirled around me.
The waves of despair would have washed over me.
The undertow of uncertainty would have sucked me under.

I praise the Keeper of my soul
who has not let my spirit be shredded
by slanderous accusations.
I have escaped the trap that was laid
by the enemy of my soul's peace, hope and joy.
The net is torn,
and my spirit springs up and soars above it.
My help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.


Sorry, Dobie, but you're gonna have to drift away without me, Dude.
I'm anchored to the Rock.

Betrayal By My Own Body

Pin It Have you ever felt like your own body had it in for you?

I am not going to turn this into a whine about my list of afflictions, but let's just say that my latest issue is just about to eat my mental, emotional and spiritual lunch. And I've just about had it with my body's betrayal.

My mind is vibrant and young, and I'm really starting to find my groove, spiritually speaking. Most days, I know who I am in Christ, and am humbly excited about living this abundant life He gave His life to provide for me.

But my physical body has issues that keep popping up like a Whack-A-Mole game, and I'm just about sick of it. I'm sick of it robbing my joy. I've had enough. More than enough.

Can anybody else relate to this? Can anybody say, "Amen"?

(By the way, I know that some of my problems don't even compare to some of YOUR problems. Some of you are battling cancer and heart disease and chronic debilitating pain and even terminal illness right now. And my struggles don't EVEN BEGIN TO COMPARE to your struggles. But patiently bear with me, because even though I'm being a bit of a whiner right now, maybe you can relate at least on some level to the emotions I'm expressing.)

After reading the last two chapters of Beth Moore's "Stepping Up" (these two focused on Psalm 123), I was having a bit of a difficult time relating to where she seemed to want us to go. The psalmist talks about "contempt" and beseeches God to show favor to him, even though he has suffered at the hands of someone who is showing him contempt.

Here's the text:

I lift up my eyes to you,
to you whose throne is in heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
for we have endured much contempt.
We have endured much ridicule from the proud,
much contempt from the arrogant.

I could completely relate to the psalmist in the first half of the psalm. As a Christian, I know that after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, I know that His position is that He is seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. That's what Hebrews 1:3 tells me. I know that one of the things He is doing there right now is interceding for me (and for you) - that's in Hebrews 7:25. So it's not a stretch at all for me to remind myself that in the midst of whatever fiery or tumultuous circumstances I find myself, that all I have to do is lift my eyes to the One who is seated, enthroned, in heaven. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him, all things were created...all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together. And that's from the first chapter of Colossians. Remembering that in the midst of the whirlwind helps me calm down. Raising my eyes to that throne and absolutely fixing my entire mind, the eyes of my heart, on Him: when I do that, I feel the love that radiates from His eyes, and His peace comes over my heart. Because He really does have all my spinning plates under His control. In Him, all things hold together.

It was the second part of the psalm where I wasn't relating so much. With the exception of a loving adolescent with whom I live and with whom I occasionally engage in a skirmish or two, contempt is not high on my list of laments.

But as I mulled it over a little more, I thought, "You know, my body is just SO not cooperating with my endeavors toward living the abundant life. In fact, it is thumbing its proverbial nose at me. Snickering up its sleeve at me. Downright plaguing me at times. Yeah, OK, my body is showing my mind some contempt."

Have you ever felt that way? Betrayed by your own body?

So today, as I crank out yet another inferior version of one of God's Divine psalms from the Book of Psalms, I hope you will forgive (or perhaps even relate to) the poetic license I have taken with turning the ones who show contempt into the betrayal of my body not getting with the program and behaving in the way I wish it would.

My Psalm 123

I lift my eyes to You, to my King
seated on the throne of heaven.
I fix my eyes on the One
who commands my destiny.
I fasten my gaze on the One
who holds all things together,
So my eyes are on the Lord my God
until He shows me favor.

Show me grace, Lord,
Show me mercy and loving kindness
for I've had more than enough hard knocks.
I've had more than enough of a lack of cooperation
and betrayal from my body.

Happy Birthday to Me

Pin It Wow!

Friday was a big day for me!

First, it was my birthday

I celebrated it by going to my wonderful Ladies Bible Study group where we are doing the Beth Moore study on the Psalms of Ascent, called Stepping Up. What a sweet group of ladies!!! I even took my dear daughter with me, so that she could sell some Girl Scout cookies.

Then we met another friend and her daughter for lunch at a local dive that has a world class reputation for BISCUITS. And we indulged in the same.

Then, we got home in time to watch the two fellows we had hired to re-install our cooktop and dishwasher, as well as put in the garbage disposal and water filter. And so, after two weeks of torn apart kitchen (the worst part was having no kitchen sink and doing our dishes in the bathroom sink and draining them in the bathtub), I now have a beautiful new kitchen counter.

I received several "Happy Birthday" phone calls from my nearest and dearest. Thanks to each of you! And tons of warm birthday wishes from my friends over on the homeschooling forum that I frequent.

So, Happy Birthday to me!!!

It was a happy day indeed!

Would you like to see some pictures?