Making Multiple Meals 

I love providing meals as blessings to others in need. I have not always been a good cook, but I feel over the years, through trial and error, the Lord has blessed me with the ability to turn out some tasty dishes. I want to pass on the fruit of this gift to others, especially those who need cheering or are unable to cook a meal for themselves. I have been that mother who was struggling after childbirth and was too harried to cook. I have been that person who just moved and was so busy unpacking and wished someone would show up with a hot meal. I know full well the blessing of a meal can be!

My issue is that though I have good intentions, I oftentimes desire to cook a meal, but I am so busy or tired from my own family responsibilities that I struggle to make my good intentions a reality. I am a 43 year old homeschooling mother of 6 children, from ages 13 down to an infant. The question is how do I provide for others amidst the schoolwork, daily life, and cooking meals for my family? I have many responsibilities and am not in the physical shape I should be in, so therefore cooking for others can be a real challenge. It plain tires me out and sometimes there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. There are several options I have found to solving this dilemma that I would like to share for those with busy lives or ailing health that still want to serve others in this capacity.

First the easiest is this: I cook the family in need a meal, and we eat out or have a simple meal. Often if I am cooking for someone else, that becomes our take out pizza night. I like to tell my children we are blessing someone, so we are going to treat ourselves to a special treat. This way I am taking the energy I would normally use cooking for my family and spend it on others. However sometimes we have already eaten out too much that month so our budget or health doesn't allow that option. In that case, I prepare a simple meal for us like oatmeal and eggs, sandwiches, or my husband will take over cooking duties and grill something or make pancakes (his specialties).

The next option, which works least often for me because I am just not a plan ahead person, is to have one frozen main dish in the freezer that I can bless a family with. In this method, pretty much all I have to do is thaw or thaw and bake. Then I can easily and quickly throw together a few side dishes and a dessert and not have to expend the time and energy for an entire meal. This also works great for last minute meal opportunities of new babies, sudden illnesses or any unexpected opportunity to bless others in a time of need.

The last option I discovered by accident when I wanted to provide more than one meal to a friend who is adopting. I wanted to bless this dear family who will be involved in an international adoption of an older child . They will be exhausted from time changes and the stress of a new person to add to their routine, and a child who is making many major adjustments. They live over an hour away from us and we happened to be visiting a month before they will bring their son home. The plan is to keep these meals in their freezer for the next month and bring things out as needed once they are back home. And many times adoption is not something many people consider taking a meal for, so I wanted to make sure they had more than one, because they may not be getting meals from other sources. The challenge was how to do this and still provide for my family???? This type of meal needed several days of mini-cooking sessions blended in with my own family's needs.

Day one had me making a spaghetti pie for my own family. I make my own sauce and I accidentally made a little too much. I realized this was a great opportunity to add a little more tomato sauce and viola, I had my first meal with only about 5% extra energy expended. I made our spaghetti pie, put the rest of the sauce in a bag and froze it. I gave directions to serve as usual over pasta or turn it into spaghetti pie with the recipe included which will be just a little extra work for them if they desire.

Day two was the day I usually cook a big meal for our family. I purposely chose a recipe that I could easily double without too much effort, so that I could cook for us and put meal two in the freezer for them. I chose a chicken pot pie casserole. All I did was double the chicken, vegetables and sauce (or you could use canned soup) for this meal. I made ours as usual, but theirs I put in a freezer bag with instructions for them to make the crust later. The crust is simple, takes 5 minutes to make, and only calls for 3 ingredients, so all they will have to do is thaw, put in a casserole dish, mix up the crust ingredients and bake. One reason I chose this is that with making several meals, I wanted most of them to be in freezer bags so they didn't take up too much room for the next month in their freezer.

Day three was our day of rest so during the day I cooked nothing and we ate leftovers. I did thaw some meat for a meatloaf though. After the sun went down, I threw together and baked a meatloaf which took only about 15 minutes of hands on work from me. Thankfully my husband actually cooked this one since this was one of the dishes he learned to prepare so that he could help cook after we had our last child.

Day four I cooked two dishes and made one mix. The first was chicken broccoli Alfredo. This is a simple dish of cooked chicken and a sauce. I made it, put it in a bag and labeled. The next thing I made was homemade macaroni and cheese that will go with the meatloaf that I made the night before. This is the one and only dish that is in a bigger container which is a 9 x 13 disposable pan. The last and final thing I did was prepare a breakfast item --baked oatmeal mix. This is one of our family's favorites, but I am not a morning cooking person. This recipe is easy but calls for a lot of ingredients. I have simplified it by putting all the dry ingredients in a zip lock bag the night before and simply adding 4 wet ingredients the next day and baking. I thought this would be a fun and easy breakfast for them some morning when they need a little extra something besides cold cereal. This was probably my biggest day of cooking, but it wasn't too bad and it was the night my husband was making hamburgers on the grill, so I could devote my full attention to just cooking for others.

Now lest you think this entire time went smoothly, our daily life still continued, schoolwork, chores, errands, a few bumps and bruises that needed hugs, and even our cat being viciously attacked by a wandering dog. However, because I worked in small areas of time, incorporating and dividing it up, it never seemed like a huge burden. We plan to visit my friend today because she is having a BBQ and we will drive down and happily present her with 5 meals for her upcoming time of need! Cooking for others can be done with limited time and energy. The keys are to plan ahead as much as you can, and have ideas for simple, delicious recipes written down somewhere so you don't have to think too much. Keep staples, including freezer bags and disposable pans on hand in your pantry. Eat out when you are doing extra work. Work in small intervals of time over several days if you can, and when you cook for your family double the recipe so you have less dishes to wash at the end. Making meals, even several meals at a time, can be done even in the busiest families.

The Third Man

In the story of the Good Samaritan three men pass a severely injured man. Two do nothing, but the third stops and helps the dying man. In the story of the Good Samaritan we see parallels in orphan care. The bible says the first thing the Good Samaritan does is “see him” . The Samaritan saw the injured man. We all know orphans exist, but do we “see them”? In order to see, we have to stop in our hectic tracks and see outside of ourselves, our family, and our situations and activities to see that these little ones exist too and have needs. Seeing comes from our heart, and it is the first step. It all begins and flows from here.

The second thing he did was “had compassion for him”. What does that mean? We often feel sorry for numerous people, but was does it mean to “take pity or have compassion”. I believe it means that for an instant we can put ourselves in that person's shoes, feel their pain and loneliness, own it, and make it a part of our soul. That is very different than being sad about something; it takes exchanging a bit of our soul for theirs. Many people stop here, some because they want to avoid the uncomfortableness, and some because they are truly unable to do something. This is where prayer warriors and financial contributors can do great work for the orphans. BUT, you need to truly search your heart in prayer, to hear God clearly that He is not calling you to do something else. Do not let fear of finances or not having a big enough house rule in this area. If you are doing what He has called you to do, He will provide every time for every need.

Thirdly, it says “he went to him and bandaged his wounds”. This is the point of action. He went to where the person was. People that go on orphanage mission trips, host orphans in their home for a few weeks, start up long term ministries with orphans or adopt, come into play here. We meet them, speak with them, get to know them individually, bend down to their level, whisper words of love and hope, heal their wounds, get dirty with our own two hands, and maybe even wash their feet. All workers among the fatherless are crucial, but this level is where the blessings are multiplied. When you share space with those God calls His children, your soul cannot come away without being magnified and overflowing with the Lord's presence.

Next, we read that “he put the man on his own donkey”. If the Samaritan put him on his own donkey that means the Samaritan is stuck walking the rest of the way. He is uncomfortable now. He has given up some physical comfort for this stranger who is in need. His bones are tired and his feet dusty. Hosting an orphan is a wonderful experience, but you do have to give up a small amount of physical comfort. There is one more person in the house to clean up after and tend. At first they seem like an on-going house guest, though at the end, they have become like family. There are activities to take them to. And while these are fun, we may be giving up our Saturday to take a child who has seen nothing but gray orphanage walls and treeless broken playground equipment, to fish, learn to ride a bike, go swimming or to a zoo, roller skate or have a birthday party—all for the first time. But this is such a short walk for us, a trifling thing—just a few weeks of our lives and a few extra outings. For them though, it can have such an amazing impact of seeing how a family operates, feeling loved and wanted, doing and seeing things they have never done before, and perhaps hearing the gospel for the first time from loving friends.

Lastly we read that the Samaritan had to leave for a short time, but he made sure the injured man was tended by the inn keeper while he was away by giving the inn keeper silver coins. The interesting part for me was that he did not just give the inn keeper the bare minimum to make sure the man stayed alive; he gave extravagantly. He gave with his whole heart and treated the man as he would want to be treated, not begrudgingly or stingily, but with a heart overflowing with love, compassion and comfort. He didn't want to just do enough to get by, he wanted this man to feel at home, and be well taken care of and have all his physical needs met. One of the greatest blessings of hosting is to be able to give the host children NEW clothes, NEW toys, NEW shoes, something they have never had before in a life of getting by and hand-me-downs. We are able to tuck them in and pray with them, wipe their eyes, kiss their heads and bandage their scrapes. You don't just give them a home or a vacation, you give to them from the abundance of your heart. They learn that they have value and are loveable. You are able to tell them of a Heavenly Father who came so that they might have life and have it abundantly.

“Who is your neighbor?” Is God calling you to hosting or adoption or a mission trip? Is God calling you to pray or give to His children so they may understand what a family is and feel His love in a tangible way? Compassion and action begin by knowing and seeing with our hearts. The fields are white, the needs are great and the time is short. The question is “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor?” The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."

Jesus told him,

"Go and do likewise."

I am thankful for the last butterflies of the year. Ilove to see the Yellow Sulfers flitting around against a bright blue Fall sky. Sad to think their days are numbered. Teach Me to number My days, aright.

Sabbath Musings

Many Christians wonder why the Jews don't recognize Jesus as the Messiah (after all there are hundreds of prophecies that he fulfilled), yet the church which began teaching that the "law" was bad in the 3rd century, continues to do so to this day. Out of one side Christians say that Jesus is the Word (Bible/Torah/commands/laws/ God's teachings and ways) become flesh and out of the other side most Christians teach that "Jesus was the end of the law and that He came to set us free from the law".

David said of the law (Torah, "Old Testament", teachings, commands): The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. (Psalm 19). Jesus himself said: "I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished". The last time I looked out my window, heaven nor earth have passed away. In the "New Testament" in Timothy it is written: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" at the time this letter was penned, the "New Testament" had not been written down or canonized, so this is referring to the only scripture that existed at that time--the "Old Testament"/Torah/Law.

Christians keep telling the Jews the law is bad and does not have to be followed any more. Even Jewish converts to Christianity are discouraged from "keeping the law", as if it is some affront to Jesus for them to continue to keep the same commands that He did as He walked the earth, the same commands He gave as a sign between the Jews and God, a marriage contract, so that they would be a light to the Gentiles (non-believers in the one true God).

All Christians accept the "Ten Commandments", so that "law" is okay. So what "law" do we have a problem with? As far as I can see it boils down primarily to the "food laws" and keeping (observing, treating it as different) the seventh day as the Sabbath and/or the desire to be distinct and separate from "the Jews". The rest of the laws are benign enough, although largely ignored (things such as write God's word on your doorpost, wear fringes to remind you and others of God's laws, do not take a mother bird AND her eggs from a nest, etc.).

So back in Deut. the Jews have been given a directive from God to ignore any prophet who desires to pull them away from "the Law" (the law that God said would bring them life blessings if they obeyed). The Church has turned Jesus into this false prophet since the 3rd century Constantine adopted Christianity as the state religion, (morphing pagan religion and practices). The Church says the Law is done away with (which is found no where in scripture, except for a few mistranslated verses or verses plucked out of context and twisted to support pre-conceived church tradition). As long as the church is preaching and teaching this, we are a stumbling block to Jews recognizing Jesus as the Messiah sent from God. Just as Joseph's brothers could not recognize him because he looked so much like an Egyptian (non-believer), so Christians throughout history have scrubbed Jesus of any trace of His Jewishness/Torahness so that even His family cannot recognize Him. Do we recognize that there is One God, One bible, One people, One Law, One Savior? As Paul says, we have been grafted into the Jewish family. In "Old Testament" it is stated that there is one "law" (teaching) for the Jew and for the Stranger/Foreigner/Ger (those that have joined themselves to the Jews and recognized the one true God--Ruth is but one example). She left her pagan gods and worship and followed the one true God, taking on all the commands from the Lord and counting it as a blessing. She did not obey because she sought her salvation...she obeyed because she loved the Lord, and like her grandson David, would later pen, she loved the loved the Law, because it was given to her by her God to be a blessing and because they were words of Life from a loving and wise creator.

So I'm wondering why is "the Law" seen today as bad? And what are we saying to our Jewish breathen when we say "Christ abolished the Law"? What are we saying to non-believers when we insinuate that God gave us a set of rules to follow, and then a few thousand years later insinuate the rules are bad and a curse, and then we tell them that God is perfect and is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow? Confusing?

Splashes of Color, Splashes of Love and Joy
I received 4 big pieces of clean, white packing paper in my order. Perfect for homemade Christmas wrapping paper I thought. I gave them to my children to paint reds and greens with splashes of yellow and blue, here and there. Imaginings of Martha Stewart, magazine beauty that my children would create from this homespun craft filled my mind.

What really happened were smudges of brown, pools of black, globs of blue, a hodge podge of signed names, splatted and sploched. But they loved it, loved the fun of being together and creating something of their own, of feeling the paint, of casting pools of color on snow white fields. And what once lacked beauty of it's own is now infused with beauty of love. Plain paper received to be cast aside, now holds theological lessons of my heavenly Father taking the brown and black stains of my life and loving me, and because of His love, I am infused with love and beauty, though truly I hold none of my own. Putting aside expectations and putting on love, becoming lovely because I am loved by the Father these are my lessons of Christmas-time expectations.

The beauty in nothingness. The beauty in perceived barrenness. The beauty in less.