12.14.08 Benediction- An Advent Benediction

The benediction I wrote last week. It's ok, not great but ok. The running theme through the messages has carried over into my benedictions (this is a good thing) but they are starting to sound the same to me. Not that that's a bad thing, it is a theme that bears repeating.

In secret, gifts are given
Not wrapped to draw attention
Simple needs met in Compassion's glance
Love exhaled with weighty purpose
Joy poured forth
For the broken hearted
Hungry
Thirsty
And lost to dispair
Virgin womb
Now ripe with Divinity incarnate
Birth's pierced hands, feet, flowing side
This is not empty promises living
This is Emmanuel, God with us.

Justice seekers growing daily
To know God more completely
Love sacrificially
For adoration requires giving your all
Life abundant to be lived fully
See as children and saints before you
Conspire to love
As your liberating Lord

Advent Benediction

I wrote this December 2, 2007, I think it was the first Sunday in Advent but I could be mistaken. This is a very special benediction to me, written during the season of Advent and me very pregnant with Evangeline Claire, her very name meaning clear good news or gospel. Today, the second Sunday of Advent a year later I reflect and share this benediction with you here no longer pregnant and wondering what happened to the waiting as another year has flown by.

Benediction 12.02.07

Ripe expectation
In chaos ignored
Joyful suffering forgotten
For temporal desires
Hording stifles compassion's cries
Afraid to lose what we can never keep
Apathy, our subtle friend
Blinds us to complacency's clutch

Mary, full waiting
Longing for pain
For midst the lingering groans
And washing waves
The vision of promise sweet
Is for a moment lost
Consumed by the work
Of love to be born
But from wrenching pain and stinging sweat
Each determined grip
Births creation's Maker
The Word in Flesh

Release breath
Listen now
Love's cries awaken new
Eternal wealth
Living to be shared
Like pure water
Life-giving for all

Go out and share the wealth
Divine love has come

Cabbage and Sausage Stew

I'm going to write about dinner again. It was a good dinner, deserves a blog post. I'm even going to attempt to write the recipe out.

Since our trip we've been rather scarce on groceries and I've been putting it off but push came to shove and I had to go yesterday. Picked up a few things with the crew and planned a couple of meals. This one was in my head and I decided to give it a try today.

Ingredients:

Half a head of cabbage (I used the other half for col-slaw)
3 medium/large potatoes
4 carrots
1 turkey kielbasa style sausage, sliced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
4 bay leaves
2 tsp oregano
2 cups vegetable broth

I had decided we were having a vegetarian week to kind of cleanse ourselves from the trip, obviously fell off that wagon.

So I threw all the veggies in the crockpot first. Tip: put potatoes in first- cabbage doesn't need to be on the bottom but potatoes and carrots sure do. Throw those veggies in and then the sausage and remaining ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. I did high for 4 hours because I started late but it worked perfectly though I really had to resist the urge to open the lid and stir but it was worth it.

This was a hit, I mean a really, really big hit. The girls devoured it, Evangeline ate everything but the sausage but only because I didn't give her any, Jessi said it was really good and added her hot sauce (the girl likes her hot sauce) and the real sign was when Jeremy said we could have it once a week. I will be making this again though I doubt it will be next week. However, I do love my crockpot. Which reminds me, I need to make a breakfast casserole in it before heading to bed. I love my crock-pot. I want another one, or two, or 4.