FAITH:
As many of you know, my grandson, Jeffery, is serving in the Army and is now is Kuwait. This brings much concern to our family, about his safety. For me personally, there is an added measure of fear and emotion having had a child die. I pray that my son and daughter-in-law will be spared that pain. Also for myself, I do not want to have to go through that again.
I have been quite fearful and tear-full even though I have prayed.
God is so good. I have been able to have chat's with Jeffery because of modern technology. This is a wonderful thing for his parents and for me and others that love him. It is reassuring to us to hear his almost day by day recounting of his life as it is right now. So what looked awful to me in the beginning, is now manageable. I have talked more to Jeffery since he has been in Iraq than I did before he left. I now have some peace in all of this. So when we think something is going to be unbearable, often God makes it bearable. Here is a devotional that says that also.
Phillipians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
As the war continues in Israel, I’m finding believers throughout the land filled with peace in spite of the conflict. How is that possible, one may wonder? Could it be these believers are going deep?
When a storm swarms across the ocean surface, the fish know where the water is still — deep down under. While, on the surface, the winds and the waves rage, fathoms below lies water completely at peace. Perhaps we should learn something from fish.
In a shallow relationship with God we will find ourselves being tossed to and fro by stormy waves of circumstance. James describes such a person as “double-minded” and unstable. In his trials, he cannot exercise faith because he hasn’t gone deep with the Lord.
However, when we seek that deeper relationship with Him, we can enter another perspective on what’s happening at the surface. Seeking and abiding in the depths of God, our Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace) will bring a peace that passes understanding, even in the midst of great storms. The double minded man has not yet sought or found this place — since not everyone is willing to spend the time or effort for a deep relationship, however it is available for all who truly desire and take the time for it.
Are you distressed or worried? It’s time to press in… seek that deeper relationship with God and let Him lead you to the still water. He so wants to fill you with a “Peace” that passes all understanding!
FRIENDS:
Father, We pray today for peace in our country, our homes, our schools, our workplaces and the world. We pray for the safety of those serving in the military. We know You have the answer. We thank You for the answer, Your Son , Jesus. In His name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
11. LUKE 22:47-53; HEBREWS 7:1-10; PROVERBS 23:19-35; ISAIAH 29-30
12. LUKE 22:54-62; HEBREWS 7:11-28; PROVERBS 24:1-22; ISAIAH 31-33
13. LUKE 22:63-71; HEBREWS 8:1-6; PROVERBS 24:23-34; ISAIAH 34-36
FOOD:
This is for those of you that have so many tomatoes from your gardens that you don't know what to do with them all.
Smoked Tomato Salsa
Once we have eaten a case of tomatoes with sea salt over the sink, we do start thinking of other ways to eat them, in combination with other summer foods. We've been eating lots of salsa around here, and we thought you might want to eat this too.
5 large tomatoes, at the height of ripeness
1 medium Anaheim chile
1 medium red onion, peeled and fine-diced
1 tablespoon fine-chopped garlic
1/4 cup fine-chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fine-chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Smoking the tomatoes. Get your smoker ready, with a good amount of smoke going. Cut 4 tomatoes in half, and leave 1 of the halves on the kitchen counter. Put the tomatoes, skin side down, onto the smoker's rack. Cover. Let the tomatoes smoke for 30 minutes. Remove them from the smoker and let them cool. Remove the skins from the tomatoes. Chop them up. Save as much of the juice as possible. It's an important ingredient.
And if you don't have a smoker... You will need to add smoked paprika (about 2 tablespoons) or a dried chipotle pepper that has been hydrated and de-seeded. This will give you a smoky taste, different than the smoked tomatoes, but equally delicious.
Roasting the pepper. Rub a little oil on the Anaheim pepper. (This is a mild pepper. If you want more heat in the salsa, use a different chile. But be careful.) Throw it in a 425° oven and roast it until the skin begins to blister. Put the pepper in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it sit until is cool to the touch. Peel the skin and de-seed. Chop it up with some care.
Blanching the other tomatoes. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil, using enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean. Mark a small x on the bottom of the tomato with a paring knife. Add the tomatoes into the salted water and cook until the skin starts to slip off, about 5 to 10 seconds. (Don’t let the tomatoes stay in the water for much longer, or you will start to cook them.) Transferthe tomatoes in a bowl of ice water to cool quickly. Remove the skins from the tomatoes, which should slip off fairly easily. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Chop the tomatoes.
Making the salsa. Combine the tomatoes, the roasted pepper, the onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, and sherry vinegar. Stir.
Scoop up 1/4 of the salsa and put it in the food processor. Pulse the processor until the chunky salsa is pureed. Add this back into the salsa.
Squeeze in the lemon and lime juice. Taste. Add more if you wish. Season with salt and pepper.
Let the salsa sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before eating it. (I know. It's hard.) It will be even better the next day.
FUN:
Bumper Stickers
If You Can Read This, I Can Slam On My Brakes And Sue You
Forget World Peace -- Visualize Turning Off Your Turn Signal!
HANG UP AND DRIVE!
Where There's A Will...I Want To Be In It!
Ever Stop To Think, And Forget To Start Again?
This Would Be Really Funny If It Weren't Happening To Me
If We Quit Voting Will They All Go Away?
This Bumper Sticker Exploits Illiterates
I Haven't Lost My Mind - It's Backed Up On Disk Somewhere
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