Grace

This happens to me all the time. The feeling of being "off" some days.

What an awesome thing to have someone do this for you even when you were the one that dropped it. There are angels everywhere.

 

I hope you are blessed today with one.

 

Grace
by Sandi Patty

It was an interesting day. I hadn't felt "on my game" if you know what I mean; I felt clumsy and out of sorts.

I left home in Oklahoma City to travel to Women of Faith. It seems like wherever I am traveling I have to go through Atlanta. Bill Gaither used to tell this joke: "When you die and go to heaven, you'll have to go through Atlanta first."

I arrived at the Atlanta airport and searched the screens for my next flight's gate. Realizing I had a bit of extra time, I decided to stop and get some coffee at Seattle's Best. Perhaps this would wake me up and help me feel a little less "off."

I placed my order and as I waited, I reached for a coffee cup sleeve only to knock all 100+ of them onto the airport floor. I bent over to begin to gather them up. The nice lady handed me my coffee―at which time I dropped it and it exploded all over the same floor. I felt horrible and began to get napkins to sop up the mess. One of the workers came out with a mop and bucket and began to clean up BOTH my messes.

I quietly slithered away and began to head to my gate thinking to myself, "Just get to the gate and sit down. Just don't touch anything else".

As I was trying to sneak away, I heard a voice behind me saying, "Ma'am? Ma'am?" I didn't want to think he was talking to me because honestly, I thought if he was talking to me he would probably scold me for being so careless. Finally I couldn't ignore him any longer since he was right behind me.

He was out of breath from running and said to me, "Ma'am? Why don't you come on back . . . come back and have one on us." I almost cried right there in Atlanta airport. I followed him back and they fixed me another mocha "on them" and he quietly said to me, "Ma'am, believe me, this happens all the time. It's no problem. Just enjoy your drink and have a nice day."

I've been thinking all day about that phrase "Come on back and have one on us." That's really how grace should feel. When we mess up and make mistakes, when we are having an off day, God isn't standing by ready to shake his finger at us in rebuke. He chases after us and probably says, "Believe me; I see this all the time. Come on back and have one on me."

I love that about our God.

Come to me, all who are weary (and having a bad day) and rest….on me! —Matthew 11:28

 

 

"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº  

 

Zucchini Recipe

 From Leanne Ely - Love her.

Zucchini - The Ultimate Summer Squash

by Leanne Ely, C.N.C

Today's Focus is on ZUCCHINI

I am lucky enough to have some zucchini planted in my garden and it's going crazy. I've had about 4 zucchini so far and YUM, delish! Here are some things you need to know about zucchini:

 

1) massively low in calories-one large zucchini is only 16 calories!

2) plenty of phyto nutrients including beta-carotene, B vitamins, a little vitamin C and plenty o' potassium!

Here's Today's TRICK:

To change things up, I grate my zucchini, sauteing it in garlic and olive oil, topping it with a little freshly grated Romano cheese and fresh ground pepper. Nice side dish and almost rice-like or pasta-like in texture.

Here's a TIP:

Small to medium sized zucchinis are most tasty. Look for a smooth, unblemished skin and nice dark green color. Tasty zucchs skin should feel soft, but the zucchini itself should be hard and not squishy (that means its past its prime, yuck!).

And Your RECIPE (from Saving Dinner the Vegetarian Way):

Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Serves 6

2 1/4 cups orzo
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
15 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, seeded and cubed
1 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Prepare orzo according to package directions; Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again very thoroughly. Place in a large bowl. Stir in the zucchini, olives, green onions, celery, tomato, and green bell pepper. In a small bowl, beat together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, dill, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to coat well. Sprinkle on the feta cheese and toss again. Add the mayonnaise and toss gently. Chill at least for 2 hours and bring to room temperature before serving.

Per Serving: 546 Calories; 30g Fat; 14g Protein; 57g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 2

8mg Cholesterol; 553mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates. Points: 15

SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with a simple caprese salad: sliced ripe tomatoes, layered with fresh basil leaves, sliced mozzarella and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Fresh ground pepper over the top finishes it beautifully.

Want more recipes for zucchini and other fresh veggies? Check out our Vegetarian Ebooks.

 

 

"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº  

 

Patiently Waiting

Patiently Waiting

by Charles R. Swindoll

Read 1 Samuel 25:29–34

My, oh my, did David learn a lesson! "Blessed be God. He kept me from murdering this man—from doing evil. I don't have to fight that kind of battle, that's God's job. If vengeance is required, it is God's to do."

Three things strike me as I think about this incident in the life of David and our lives today.

Whatever you do when conflicts arise, be wise. If you're not careful, you will handle conflicts in the energy of the flesh. And then . . . you'll be sorry. What do I mean by being wise? Well, look at the whole picture. Fight against jumping to quick conclusions and seeing only your side. Look both ways. Weigh the differences. There are always two sides on the streets of conflict. Weigh the differences. The other part of being wise is to pray. Get God's perspective. He gives us the wisdom we need when we ask Him for it.

Take each conflict as it comes . . . and handle it separately. You may have won a battle yesterday, but that doesn't count when today's skirmish comes. You may have a great measure of patience today, but it makes no difference tomorrow when the attack comes again. God doesn't give you patience on credit. Every day is a new day.

Whenever you realize that there's nothing you can do, wait. Wait patiently. Impossible impasses call for a firm application of brakes. Don't keep going. Restrain yourself from anything hasty. Whenever possible, apply the brakes! Slow down. I've seldom made wise decisions in a hurry. Furthermore, I've seldom felt sorry for things I didn't say. David obviously learned this lesson well, for he writes in Psalm 40,

I waited patiently for the LORD; 
And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. 
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; 
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. (Psalm 40:1–2)

Psalm 40 never says that David's situation changed. It says David changed. When you wait, your situation may not change, but you will. In fact, you may discover that the reason for waiting was all for your benefit, because you're the one who needed to change.

Sent from my iMickey! 8(; - )
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