After church yesterday I cooked a nice lunch - did something different to chicken breasts that I hadn't done before - garlic salt, mayonnaise (yeah - can you believe it?), panko crumbs - and fried it. Oh my goodness, the mayonnaise must have made it so tender you could cut it with a fork! And no, it didn't change the taste of the chicken. And broccoli! I put in a skillet, added the white part of green onions, a little water, some salt/pepper, steamed a bit, then poured an orange sauce on top and mixed it up. Sprinkled peanuts on top. So good.
I'm getting pretty good at these Home Chef meals and we are enjoying them! I am really enjoying actually cooking again instead of just doing what I've always done and cook the same things the same way. I've cooked three of the Home Chef meals and enjoyed cooking each one - and they are so good. What I like as well is that they send the recipes for how to fix these dishes - so that whenever I stop receiving these meal plans, I can still make the dishes if I choose. The problem is, I have dozens (literally!) of cookbooks on the shelves and I rarely take any down to make something. So it is about the same thing, right? But, for the moment, I'm enjoying having all the ingredients together and being able to make a dish I hadn't made before. We get three more tomorrow. I'll continue this for a few months before I cancel. These first four weeks I get 50% off so it's only costing $40/week for three nice meals. Cheaper than going out to eat - and I enjoy the cooking!
I have been wanting to change up my quiet time here in the mornings. I've gotten in to a rut of doing the same thing every day. I decided yesterday to put away a couple of the books I was including in my readings in the morning - only because I have read both before (devotionals) and enjoyed them, which is why I was reading them again. But my sister had sent me a new devotional so I'm reading it... I really only need to read one devotional - not three. So put the other two back on the shelf. I'm wanting to clear time where I can just sit (and not fall back asleep) and listen for God to speak to me. I actually long for the days that I first fell in love with Jesus because I always had time for Him.
Then I allowed my reading of devotionals and other books, this blog, and sleep, to rob me of my time with God so that when I did have the time, it was rushed and with one eye on the clock for work... I was only going through the motions. I need my 1:1 time with God; it's part of my DNA now that I have done it for nearly 40 years. Every.single.morning. It is that important to me. But I was robbing my time with Him by filling it with other good things. Like reading my Bible longer. Or an extra devotional. Or deciding that I need a nap. So I have been working on a new 'schedule' for myself in here. I still want to write my blog, although that totally takes me away from my quiet time. If I don't do it here after I do my readings, it may not get done. Definitely not on a daily basis. But once I am finished with this, I can totally give God my mind and attention until I absolutely have to get to work. I love the weekends when I stay in here an hour longer. Or more.
I'm reading a book titled Confessions of a Prayer Warrior by Diane Moody and it has really captured my interest. I like the ideas she throws out on how she changed her time with God in the mornings - pretty much for the same reasons I want to. I'm interested in how she has organized her 'prayer notebook'. Like me, she spent so much time writing out her prayers, or just giving a sentence or two, that time spent on the knees was almost non-existent. I've been there. And I'm trying to get more time on my knees and focused on God rather than rushing through my prayers to get them out before starting my day.
So how are you doing your morning devotions? Do you pray on your knees? Do you write out your prayers? Do you even pray? Are you spending time with God and listening to hear His voice? Oh the times that one hears the voice of God are a treasure! Yes, I have heard the voice of God speak to me in the past, when I took time to listen. I let myself get busy with other things and God can't get my undivided attention when I do that. He is the most important person to me. I want - and need - to give Him my undivided attention. And that is what I am trying to do. I want to hear God's voice. I want to feel His Presence. When you have experienced that, you don't want anything else. I encourage you to take a pause this morning and turn your thoughts to Him. Seek His face.
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV): Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well.
What things will be added? The things that you ask for that are in His will for you. Our God wants to give you the desires of your heart. He wants to give you all you ask for. But what are you asking for? Oh the goodness of God is His faithfulness to us each and every day! Yes, I fall on my face frequently, but God will pick me up, dust me off, and set my feet on solid ground. I would rather be standing on a firm foundation in my faith, and remain standing when struggles and trials come, than on the sandy shore and when the waves hit and threaten to overcome me, I fall down and am wiped out. God is our Firm Foundation, the Rock on which we stand. When all around us is shaken, you will find you will be glad you put your faith in Jesus. He will never let you down. He is faithful through all generations. Why would He fail you when your faith is in Him? He won't. He just won't fail you - now or ever. He will walk with you through any struggle, any journey you are on. That's why I trust Him! He has walked through my life with me - the good, the bad, the ugly. I can not do life without Him. Can you?
Something to think about.
Blessings!
