PEN ART - EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT

A Morning Poem by Sheila Gail Landgraf

This morning I cried.

I cried about everything,

Everything  I’m losing and 

Everything I’m gaining

As I continue on with the day-to-day of life.

I thought about every minute ticking by,

And every moment that has not yet arrived.

About the power of existing in and with each moment.

I am not totally happy, I am not totally sad,

I just am.

It is good some days just to be.

Always learning, always changing, always growing,

Always discovering new miracles.

I’m just alive in a constantly changing world,

And this morning the thought of the miracle of life amidst it all grabbed me unexpectedly.

As I watched the sun peak the sky 

Life  formed a knot in my throat,

and I cried.

I cried mostly  because of how it all comes together,

piece by amazing wonderful piece

like an artist brushing on stroke on top of surprising stroke

then finishing with His signature.

Every lifetime exactly as it should be,

Original, unique and oh so beautiful.

I am thankful for life and all the unannounced arrivals of life.

My moments are my moments and my minutes are my minutes,

None of them can be wasted!

I pull them closer to my heart

As I hear time ticking on and I sense the things that really matter.

They all mesh together with this unending love 

That extends itself through past, present and all the tomorrows.

For a few minutes in the early morning light my heart was wide awake and fully grasping

The total wonder of life,

Of blessings and constant surprises.

Suddenly I found it so overwhelming.

So; this morning I cried.

But please don’t worry about me,

I felt God hug me very tight.

I know; He said.

Everything will be alright.

Keep moving!

MONDAY MENUS; GOOD FOOD AND MENUS FOR A HEALTHY WEEKNIGHT MEAL

THE SECRET OF DISCOVERING HEALTHY SOUPS IN THE WINTER MONTHS

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

We all know that a fresh salad is the healthiest thing we can consume in the spring and summer months; but when winter comes the produce aisles can look pretty foreboding; and the only thing available fresh are the root vegetables; which can make for a few good side dishes; but then what?

S-O-U-P!!!!!!  

It is good and tasty and warm and delicious on these cold winter days.  You can’t go wrong with a fresh serving of homemade soup.  We try to alternate a regular meal and a meal of soup on the weeknights at our house in the winter months.  There are more than health benefits in this; it is also easy and less time consuming to cook when you get home from a long hard day at work.  

If you take the time to prepare homemade soups ahead on the weekends; you can just heat and serve, add a few crackers; maybe a sandwich and a beverage and …….

“Whahla!  Delicious and nutritious dinner is served!”

If you own a freezer, a good plan would be to spend a weekend canning and/or freezing some of your favorite soups before the winter months arrive.  Then you will be all ready when that first winter blizzard hits; no running to the grocery store in the midst of a crazed crowd of frantic shoppers!  More peace and tranquility for your winter season!  While everyone else is out there; you can be enjoying the fireside with your warm meal!

I’ve already shared my Christmas Eve Soup recipe (a bean soup) with you at Christmas time, and my Turnip Green Soup for New Years; but here are some good old every day soup recipes that you can add to your weekly menus:

CHICKEN AVOCADO LIME SOUP

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts*
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions (including whites, mince the whites)
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced (leave seeds if you want soup spicy, omit if you don't like heat)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 medium avocados, peeled, cored and diced
Tortilla chips, Monterrey jack cheese, sour cream for serving (optional)

Preparation

In a large pot heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add green onions and jalapenos and saute until tender, about 2 minutes, adding garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, cumin, season with salt and pepper to taste and add chicken breasts. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken has cooked through 10 - 15 minutes (cook time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts). Reduce burner to warm heat, remove chicken from pan and let rest on a cutting board 5 minutes, then shred chicken and return to soup. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Add avocados to soup just before serving (if you don't plan on serving the soup right away, I would recommend adding the avocados to each bowl individually, about 1/2 an avocado per serving). Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream if desired.

TORTELLINI AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients

3 medium carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) vegetable broth
2 medium zucchini, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cups refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/3 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preparation

In a Dutch oven, saute carrots and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.  Stir in the broth, zucchini, tomatoes, tortellini, spinach, rosemary and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until tortellini are tender. Just before serving, stir in vinegar. Yield: 7 servings.

Look forward to a lot more good soup recipes in this column during this long, cold stretch of winter!

Stay warm and enjoy your soup!

PEN ART - CLEANING UP AFTER EPIPHANY

An Epiphany Poem 

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

 Pick up the tinsel and put it away, 

Epiphany has ended, and this is clean up day.

The ornaments must all go back into their cases.  

The wise men have arrived and left without traces.

So gather up the ribbons, the boxes, the bows, 

Oh dear;whatever will we do with all of those?

The cookies are all eaten, the candy is gone.  

The candles have all been burned, 

And we’ve sang the last song. 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day passed by

 just as quick as a wink!  

Now it is several days later and the tree lights still blink!

The star on the top really made us all think.

But Joseph, Mary and Jesus have now journeyed on,

The babe is now a child 

And the wise men have gone.

And the Santas, the elves, and the dark red sleigh, must go back into storage for another day.

Throw out those leftovers; surely they spoil by now.

Move Frosty from the lawn, and gather the wreaths and pack them away some how.

Use boxes and boxes and packing and tape,

And pack and pack.

It is getting so late!

But another Epiphany will happen for sure: 

When the boxes run out, and the bubble wrap too,

The surprise after all the surprises,

That happens each year all anew - 

Is the fact that Christmas won’t fit in a box is so true!!!!!!

AN APPLE A DAY – 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE - EXERCISE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BORING

DAY 119 OF 365 DAYS TO A BETTER LIFESTYLE

HOW TO MAKE YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE INTERESTING AND FUN INSTEAD OF BORING

 (Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

When it comes to exercise, or anything for that matter; don’t let yourself get stuck in a rut.   You will enjoy your physical activities so much more if you follow just a few simple suggestions for adding a little variety into your routine workouts.  

CHANGE THE SCENERY OFTEN:  If you go walking or running or exercising in the same place every day, you will eventually begin to tire of the same old scenery.

I grabbed a hint about this from my daughter.  When it comes time for her jog, she just takes advantage of whereever or whatever place she finds herself in at the moment.  If she is at a friend's house; she asks her friend to walk around the neighborhood with her while they talk.  If she is at the office, she goes outside and explores the city on her walk.  If she is driving and she sees a nice little park; she stops and takes advantage of the good timing!  You don't have to exercise in the same place every day!  Duh!

Nature never gets boring, chose outside over the gym whenever you can, that way when you CAN’T go outside, the gym will feel novel to you.

EXERCISE YOUR SENSES AS YOU EXERCISE YOUR BODY:  Do you listen to headphones whenever you walk? That is a great way to incorporate your sense of hearing into your exercise routine; but don’t do it every day. Make phone calls, or just enjoy the sound of silence in your ears. Listen for water lapping in the creek or birds chirping in the trees. Become sound aware as you walk, it will keep your mind occupied and make the walking fun instead of a chore. 

Incorporate your sense of sight by noticing your surroundings.  Instead of focusing on how fast you are going or how many times your pulse is beating; try looking around as you walk or run or exercise.  What do you see?  Develop a keen sense of noticing the beauty of nature, the novelty of your cityscape, or the peacefulness of the countryside.  Let your eyes feast on the places that you love to encounter as you exercise.  You will begin to feel and think like an artist and your exercise will be enhanced because you will have more enthusiasm for the journey.  Pay attention to abstracts that you see in the landscape.  Do those shadows look like they have a message?  Let your eyes sharpen your imagination as you pound the pavement and move. 

Use your sense of touch as an inspiration to keep moving.  After so many miles; allow yourself to stop and stroke the mane of the waiting horse at your gate; or inspire yourself to go a mile further in order to pick a bouquet of lovely flowers from a garden for your dinner table tonight.  Take a moment to pet your dog or your cat and you can even invite them to exercise with you. 

Be inspired by the different tastes and smells along your journey.  Walk to a local coffee shop occasionally instead of following a trail.  Bask in the goodness of a cup of Joe, and then continue your exercise.  Breathe in the smells of bakeries and restaurants along your street.  Try to guess what they are serving today as you jog past them.  You might just become a more regular customer!  You will have to stop in occasionally to see if your guesses are accurate.  Not every day, but occasionally reward yourself with a yogurt from a local shop.  Be refreshed and continue to exercise afterward.

INCORPORATE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBY INTO YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE WHENEVER POSSIBLE.  My favorite thing to do when I walk is to take photographs of nature and all of its novel surroundings. You actually wind up walking further and you don’t even notice how the time passes. You are too busy looking for that perfect camera shot.

If you are a writer, try composing stories or poetry as you get your exercise.  It will still be fresh on your mind when you return to your desk after the exercise.  You will have longer to think before putting it down on paper and you may come up with better ideas this way.  There is nothing like healthy lungs full of fresh air to inspire words of wisdom and joy.

Do you love to sing?  No one would mind hearing you make a joyful noise as you are jogging down the lane.  Let your song overflow into your exercise routine.  Those voice muscles need exercising too. 

Do you paint or draw?  Keep a lookout as you walk or jog for objects and scenery for your next project.  You will be amazed at the ideas that might pop into your head if you just stay focused on your hobby while you exercise. 

Or maybe the exercise you enjoy most IS you favorite hobby. Do you love riding your bike or working in your garden?   Do you like rafting down a river, hiking, ice skating, bowling, rollerblading or snowboarding?  Are you an avid tennis player?  Do you enjoy horsebackriding? Enjoy your hobby and get your exercise all in one time period.  What could be better?

CHANGE UP YOUR ROUTINES EVERY DAY; IT MAKES LIFE MUCH MORE INTERESTING:  If you walk every day of the week, change your trails daily. Go to the park one day and the mall the next.  Take a stroll through the city sometimes; but look for country roads to jog on too.  

If you find you are still tired of walking EVERY day, you really don’t have to walk all the time - try swimming one day, biking one day and walking one day.  Alternate your activities and keep mixing them up.  Gather the neighborhood together around your basketball goal and have a friendly little neighborhood game instead of pacing around the block every now and then. You might make some new friends, you never know!   Inviting other interesting people to participate in your exercise routines with you makes things a lot more interesting and you are more likely to continue the activity with a partner by your side.  Don’t be a hermit all the time – invite a friend to join you.

Staying healthy is just about living better, not at all about being bored. A little imagination goes a long way toward your eventual greater happiness. 

Ponder how you exercise and keep thinking of ways that you can make positive refreshing changes that will keep you out there moving and inspired about life.

COME AS A CHILD LESSON 151 – THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEYING THE LAW

IN A FAIR WORLD JUSTICE MUST BE CARRIED OUT

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

We have spent a lot of time with Moses up on Mt. Sinai getting the ten commandments from God.  God has now given Moses the laws that He wants the people to follow in order to have the best life possible.  

Moses listens carefully while God stresses and re-emphasizes the importance of each commandment and especially the fact that he wants the people to have no other gods.  They are to put God first in all that they do as they travel through the wilderness.  They are to worship the way God desires, building their altars of worship as they go and carefully following God’s perfect instructions.  

Altars are still necessary and sacrifices are required to cover their sins.  Christ had not yet come to pay the ransom for our souls at this point in history; so life in those days was not full of grace and mercy.  There was wrong and there was right.  You must do right or suffer the consequences.  These were the days of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”  

These laws that God gave from the holy mountain were intended to make the people happier, healthier and more civilized.  They were to lay the foundations for a better world from which we all could come to live.

 

How odd it was in looking at the laws for a better way to find the subject of slavery defined as if it were a normal thing.  At first when you read those words you think, surely there is something wrong here; maybe I've just misunderstood the words?

Actually, there have been many wrong translations here for the Hebrew word that means "servant."  "Servant" has been erroneously translated as “slave" in many versions of the bible.  

A servant and a slave are two totally different animals.  

Let’s explore that a bit.  God had just delivered the Israelites from slavery.  They were in actual human bondage and held against their will and commanded to perform tasks all day long that they did not choose, for a spoiled and pagan king.  This was wrong!  God declared it wrong! 

These Israelites who had escaped slavery had escaped a form of human bondage where one man owns other men.  God clearly forbids this; yet we find God talking to Moses and instructing the people how they should handle situations that might arise from their servants.  

Let it be noted that because of great poverty the Israelites sometimes sold themselves or their children into a type of service for a set time.  Work would be exchanged for food and shelter until the person who became a servant could save enough to redeem themselves, or a certain time period ran out that deemed the debt paid.  Sometimes this happened to criminals in a form of public punishment.   Those who had committed crimes repaid others by becoming their servants for a period of time, until the time rendered in service was considered enough for the crime to be forgiven and repayed.  

Whenever a creditor could not collect a debt the creditor was allowed to sell the person in debt's  services to someone in repayment for their debt.  This was a type of indentured servitude; but not official slavery.  There is a huge difference.  The difference being that servants were honored and respected as people.  Their services were appreciated and they were rewarded by obtaining food and shelter and sometimes pay for what they rendered to the household where they were in service.  

This is definitely not to be confused with the type of slavery the Egyptians brought upon the Israelites.  People were not forced into this role against their own will for no reason at all.  They offered themselves as temporary servants in order to right a wrong, such as taking on more debt than they could handle, or paying for a crime they had committed.  It was an act that could eventually reverse the charges against them and make restitution. 

In such cases of service, the masters were strongly advised to be considerate of their servant's welfare and well being while they were in their service.  The fine for repayment of any debt was to be limited to no longer than seven years.  With this indentured service there was an opportunity for freedom and redemption involved.  Unlike slavery, there was a huge element of hope.

In the modern world today, believe it or not, we actually live in comparable situations.  It is a lesson that human beings seem to have trouble grasping.   We too sometimes take on too much debt, and we too spend the money we can't repay; thus making it necessary for us to work long periods of time to earn money in order to be able to repay our debts.  

All debt is a type of servant hood.  The borrower is subservient to the lender.  

At least if an Israelite was too foolish to estimate how much debt he would be able to survive; relief was only seven years away.  Today some of us are in debt for our life time, and thus slaves to the almighty dollar forever. This is a sad state that seems to grow and multiply in our current culture.  We go off to do our jobs because we have become slaves to our own desires and we can't seem to get past that point.  We can't do more than just get by when we live this way.  That isn't living; that is a type of bondage!  It is a never ending cycle.

If a servant had served his master for six years and he found himself in a happy situation; perhaps he had married happily into the master’s household, much like Joseph and Jacob did, or perhaps he just greatly respected his master and had been so blessed and treated so well and rewarded for his hard work so graciously that he simply desired to stay a servant to this man rather than try to struggle through life and make his fortune his own way. 

If this servant truly desired to continue his life as such a servant, the servant and the master would go to a public place and the master would agree to this arrangement by piercing the servant’s ear in the presence of several witnesses.  The servant would then become the master’s bond-servant for the rest of his life.  The master would always be responsible for his servant's welfare.

 

This is the type of servitude that Jesus desired with all of His heart to give to God the Father.  It was called becoming a “bond-servant.”  

The Disciples of Christ desired to be bond-servants to Jesus. 

In this type of relationship the person submitting and committing to a lifetime of service is described as a “friend” rather than a servant.  It is a relationship that has developed over time and grown deeper than a mere employer/employee relationship.  It is a loyal and dedicated friendship where both parties have the best interest of the other at heart.

A good Old Testament example that we have already studied would be the relationship of Abraham and Eliezer.  Eliezer was treated like an honored son.  Abraham trusted him with everything that he owned and Eliezer spent a lifetime in Abraham’s service.  If Isaac had not been born, Eliezer would have inherited all of Abraham’s wealth, yet Eliezer remained faithful and true to Abraham and provided Isaac with all of his inheritance, even finding him the perfect wife.  Eliezer and Abraham's relationship have often been compared to that of God and The Holy Spirit.    

This type of servant was as close as you could get to a blood relative.  Many of us are fortunate enough to have such people in our lives, people who though they are not related would be willing to die for us and people who make great sacrifices in order for us to be happy and blessed simply because they love us.  We in turn reward them with all that we are able to do for them simply because we love them back.  This is a very deep, deep friendship, and it is very rare; but such relationships CAN and do exist even on a human level.

There was much discussion on the mountain between God and Moses as to how female servants were to be treated.  This too has often been misinterpreted by those not understanding the times and the culture of the Israelites and/or the Hebrew language translations.

In those days, in all of the known cultures of the earth, females were bought for a price.  It was called a dowry.  They were not actually purchased as servants; but to become the wives of the master or the master’s son.  

It is very interesting that God addressed servant’s roles and the fair and just treatment of other human beings as the very first clarification after He gave the commandments.   He put much importance on the fair and just treatment of individuals, especially that of women who were living helpless lives in many cultures of the day. God expressed to Moses that a woman’s rights were to be honored in all circumstances.  They were to be treated with love and respect and honor.

 

The rest of the conversations that God had with Moses after giving the basic laws were to clarify what punishments were fair to those who decided to break the now freshly established laws.

God went into the punishment for breaking each one, starting with murder.  It seemed that God placed crimes of passion or neglect on a different level than premeditated murder and deliberate treachery.  He showed no mercy for first-degree murder.  God decreed that it must be punished.  

A person could only flee to a place of refuge in the case of accidental manslaughter.

Kidnapping was also spelled out as a capital offense right along with premeditated murder.  

Next the respect for parents from their children and children from their parents was heavily emphasized.  The consequences of disrespect were severe.  God did not allow this.  

God was laying the ground work for molding the people of Israel into a highly civilized society.  He felt there must be no conflicts between family members.  There were strict punishments according to the severity of the crime when this happened.  

Provisions were set for punishments that provided compensation for personal injuries.  

Most of these principles spelled out to Moses for prosecuting the sins of the people became the patterns for our modern-day laws and criminal justice system.  Most of these crimes and punishments still stand in our courts today.

 

The laws  of retribution were spelled out; “a life for a life and an eye for an eye.”  These laws were actually intended to block the human desire for vengeance, and they were NOT given to be used as a vehicle for revenge.  Only the actual loss was to be compensated for – no more; no less.   

If a servant was killed by someone’s animal the price of restitution was thirty shekels of silver.   This was the very same price Jesus was sold for when Judas betrayed him.

 

Other laws of restitution and neglect seemed to say “If something is broken by your careless neglect (for example someone’s animal falls into your open pit), you must pay the owner the value lost which was caused by your lack of attention. 

This clarification of all that can happen whenever people decide to break the commandments and the spelling out of how justice should be served in each different situation goes on all the way through Exodus Chapter 23.  The whole time God is being very specific and detailed. 

All of these chapters where Moses and God are discussing the punishments for broken commandments seem to be summed up in just four little words:  DO WHAT IS FAIR.  

If you pay attention and do what is fair in this life; you will never have to worry about breaking commandments.  

Fortunately those of us living today find ourselves on the other side of the law; even when we break them; Jesus has paid our ransom and we can receive atonement when we repent with a pure heart and come clean before God.   It was a much weightier matter for these people on the other side of the cross.  God had to be very, very specific.  Their sins required a sacrifice.  They needed to know what to do when they repented.  

Always, whether in modern days or in ancient days; when people begin to love and observe God’s laws with obedience; God looks after them. 

After explaining the details of the laws of the Sabbath; God reminds Moses that there are three times a year that all of the men of Israel must come before Him each year;

EXODUS 23:14-19:”Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.  Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you.  Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.  No one is to appear before me empty –handed.  Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the first fruits of the crops you sow in your field.  Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.  Three times a year all the men are to appear before the sovereign LORD.” 

So here God clearly spells out that he desires that His holy feasts and festivals are to be kept by the people and the head of each household should always come before God to represent his family each Passover, Pentecost and Sukkot.  This seems to be commanded just like the commandments that we read about earlier.  It specifies the men of Israel; but those who have been saved by Jesus Christ have been adopted into that great family; and I’m sure God was addressing every generation with this; as He has clarified in many scriptures that these are to be kept before Him forever. These days are high Sabbaths.  The commandment of keeping Sabbath should not be broken; the weekly Sabbaths and the Annual Sabbaths; they are all sacred times before God.  Right in the middle of all of the lawkeeping; God gives us times of joy and recreation and refreshment.  Our heavenly Father balances out our days in order to give us just what we need just when we need it.  He is good through every given season.

After all of these long, detailed discussions, God tells Israel that He is sending His Angel before them, to guard them along the way and to bring them to the promised land.  God advises them to listen and follow the Angel’s advice in all that they do.  God says His name is in this Angel and if they do all that the Angel says God will protect them and bless them and give them health and fullness.   He doesn't say they will not have tests and trials and troubles; but He does say He will be with them and bless them.  God says He will confuse their enemies and fight their battles for them.  He will little by little drive the other people out of the land that He has promised to Israel.  

In this passage at the end of Exodus 23, God promises to establish Israel's borders in the promised land from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River.  This is a very debated topic in our current world, but God decided it way back in ancient times.  The bible clearly spells out the borders that God has declared for Israel and Joel 3 explains what will happen to those who defy God's word on this.  

I'm always amazed how people just skip over these little chapters of Exodus because they don't dig deep enough to get the meanings lurking underneath the surface. They don't study the passages and they find them boring on the surface.  There is so much meat in these few words.  These scriptures are full of God's instructions, commandments and promises for the life of those people who decide to follow him willingly.  

People of God, look up and trust Him.  He will gladly supply your needs and He will lead you through this wilderness of life if you will only listen to His word and obey His commandments.   These pages of law after law were written in love and for our own protection from a Father who adores us and gave His only Son to die for us.  Be like Moses on that mountain; take notes and keep walking.  Follow the One God has set before you.  He will not lead you in the wrong direction.