In It Together Eats

I love to cook.
I love to cook for people.
I love to cook for people that enjoy eating.
I love to cook for people that enjoy eating and sharing their lives.


That is why I included sharing a meal in my monthly gathering of friends that we call, In It Together.


In It Together is a random gathering of women interested in knowing how to deepen their faith.  We meet once a month to go over the chapter of a book relating to our faith.  Currently, we are perusing Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  The scriptural truths and biblical admonitions that Mr. Chan presents to us chapter by chapter, keeps us searching, delving and discussing how we accomplish this thing called a spiritual life focused on Jesus Christ.


This is not as easy as you may think.
It involves confronting the sin in your life and in many cases, altering your life to an unrecognizable picture of a former self.  It involves humbling yourself before a holy God and asking Him for His direction and guidance.  It involves putting down your own agendas and recognizing a sovereign God. 


Sheew.  Heavy, life changing stuff.


Enough to build up an appetite, I'd say.


So that is why on another once a month, we get together to just sit down and share a meal.  We reflect on our weeks since we last gathered in study mode and sometimes update on the current hot spot in our lives.  But mostly, we just enjoy the meal, chat about our lives and laugh and laugh and laugh.
There is something about the intimacy of eating a meal together that manages to put down  barriers and  share more openly with one another. Conversations can more easily be made over a meal than any other time.  Hence, the Business Lunch.  However, I find a great deal of satisfaction in cooking for others, especially those that I have a special affinity for, that I would not want to relegate this treat to a restaurant.  


This past Monday, Lovely Liza became so excited about the food arriving at the table that she just got giddy.  This young woman, who admitted that she did not own a garlic press, took a great deal of joy in the anticipation of a home cooked meal.  You cannot imagine how happy that kind of response means to me!  I was ready to sign on as her personal chef just for the reaction that she gave me that evening.


I have to thank Sweet Sharon for the recipe that I cooked Monday night.  It is a simple slap dash thing that has served me well for many occasions.  It is a flexible, fun thing and apparently, a BIG hit Monday night.


Sweet Sharon's Slap Dash


Saute crushed garlic (to taste) in heated olive oil.
Add chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts.  Your choice.
Toss in vegetables - broccoli, snow peas, grated carrots, zucchini, summer squash, red peppers, onions; your choice.  (I had the ladies bring a vegetable that they had hanging around to add to the mix.  That was fun.)
Serve sauteed veggies over cooked linguine or fettuccine noodles.
Serve that over fresh spinach.
Grate fresh Parmesan over that along with grated feta cheese.


(I sometimes saute or grill boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in strips, to serve on the side)



In these days of uncertainty, it is best to cling on to what is true, solid, absolute and yummy.  Make it a point to cook for someone or someones just because you wanna.
Make it a point to gather like minded, like goaled people in  your life for good discussion and biblical challenges.
Serve one another in love...
The payback is extraordinary...

In It Together

It has been quite awhile.

It's time had come.

And the blessing in the doing of it has been beyond what I could have expected.

After a bit of a ban on socializing, fellowshipping and otherwise interacting with most people outside of my family and close personals, I have resurfaced.   Sometimes things like that happen. Sometimes you have to be knocked on your keister to straighten up your inner life, your personal viewpoint, your direction and redefine and retool  your life.

Fortunately for me, I have several Close Personals that have kept me sane and cool.  Faithful Friend has been an excellent mentor, though she is nearly two decades younger.  She has been the one that I could grumble and moan and ...complain.  She would let me do all that then she would do that smile that told me, 'Are you done?'  And then with a gentle admonition, she would help me ferret truths from distortions and help to cope to see another day.

And then there is Sweet Sharon, my confidant and prayer warrior.  This lady can hear about anything I have to give her and make sense out of it.  I know that she is praying, praying for my different needs in my life and different times.  She is there for me even though we are geographically distant and not terribly communicative with each other on a regular basis.  We just 'get' each other and know that we have each other's back.

This is a rare and amazing blessing.  In my dark years, it has been my light.  In my confused and overwhelming distractions, they have been a lifeline.  

So when a time came several months ago when I was able to spend a generous amount of time with SS, I announced to her that indeed, the time had come.  I was ready again to be a part of a group designed for the personal spiritual development of my life.  She was glad to hear it and promised to pray for just the right group for me.   

It took quite a few dog walking prayer times to realize that if I had the resources, that if I had the need, that if I had the desire to grow spiritually, perhaps there were others out there that would benefit as well.   Most of you know from this blabbery space,that I love to have guests in my home.  I love sharing all what I have been blessed with and I love knowing that the gift of hospitality has been given me.  So it was with that revelation (duh!) that I decided that my new group shall be one of my own creation.  Faithful Friend was notified quickly so that she could give me her input and suggestions and advice.  Wouldn't do too much without it.

It was with  great satisfaction after some fine tuning and ideas that came from response to this blog that helped formulate my latest adventure.  

I have fought Facebook off for many years.  Friends would encourage me to join but I would vehemently protest saying, 'I do not want to communicate with anyone let alone people in my past'!  My Closed Door Policy did not fly with the openness of Facebook.  But then my little business started developing and Eldest/Admin convinced me that I could have just my business page without having a personal page.  She reassured me time and time again that I could closely monitor and limit any or all interaction.  So I gave in.

I still struggle with the day to day of Facebook, but it certainly has enabled me to reach many  people that I would not have had the privilege to meet.  Facebook's event invite seemed the perfect venue to announce my decision to share my quest.

Wow.

Was I surprised by the response!  Grateful, humbled, exuberant, excited and well pleased, I eagerly studied, prayed, read, prayed and sought wise counsel.  I eagerly checked the event status for those signing on and needing info.  The invitation has brought together the most unlikely group of women with one goal in mind: To know in an intimate way, the God of the Bible.  Participants have come from vast and varied backgrounds.  Participants are in various stages of their spiritual journeys.  Some are just beginning; some have been ham strung by difficult questions or complicated church past issues.  Whatever.  All that is very irrelevant.  The focus, the point of the whole gathering is starting at Square One, from this day forward, perspective of God and Who He is and what He wants us to do with that.

This eclectic group of searching women gathered last night.

Sixteen women gathered for a common purpose.

Sixteen women willing to share fractions of their lives and interests.

Sixteen women willing to leave their comfort zone, go out on a limb and see where God takes us.....

Thank you Lord for this adventure.....

.www.crazylovebook.com