"Soups by Kay"

Anyone who knows me knows that I love love LOVE good food in all its different forms, shapes, sizes. I enjoy trying out new and interesting flavours, always pushing the pushing the boundaries of adventurism.  Aside from enjoying partaking in the activity of actually eating, I also love cooking. I can’t bake to save my life, but give me a few saucepans and some peace and quiet in the kitchen I can whip up something memorable. I sometimes laugh at myself that my interest in cooking does get extreme. I can decide on Monday what I would like to eat on Friday and spend the entire week making the necessary preparations. I once remember my dad thinking I had gone mad one night when I managed to cook dinner, plus prepare a chicken curry which we were going to eat 2 nights later (curry is best served after at least 24hrs after it’s been cooked, becomes more flavoursome)... But yeah you get the picture, I love food, and I love cooking it!

In recent weeks I’ve started to expand my scope of culinary skills by venturing into making soups from scratch. For most of my life I’ve enjoyed “instant” soup from the packet by just adding boiling water and the occasional canned goodies from Woolies (when available, supply in Swaziland is not very consistent). At our restaurant at work, the kitchen prides itself on its homemade soups. I figured surely it can’t be that difficult. After spending a few hours on Google, I downloaded an arsenal of recipes to add to my newly formed “Soups” file to add to my recipe book collection. With winter now stretching its icy tentacles the timing could not be perfect. There’s no better way to warm up than with a steaming mug of hearty goodness.

 I started out with a relatively easy butternut and sweet potato soup, followed by a potato, leek & bacon number (yes I love potatoes).  After those successful attempts, I have decided to cook one different soup per week for the next two months June/July. The plan is to cook and freeze in portions so that when the local “Christmas in July Winter Fete” comes along, I may have some wares to sell, and share my newfound passion. The stall will be called “Soups by Kay”. My parents and sister are willing guinea pigs, and have proven to offer interesting feedback and pointers (influenced by too much Masterchef and Food Network Challenge )  Since most soups are vegetarian, ingredients are not difficult to come by. I was pleasantly surprised that my local Pick ‘n Pay does stock a very wide range of vegetables some which were making their debut on my kitchen shopping list (leeks).

Aside from the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that cannot be substituted, the 45mins or so of “prep” in the kitchen has become a great way to de-stress; it’s my time to reflect on my day. The entire act of soup-making has become therapeutic in some ways. The end result is always worth the effort, and gets me excited to do all over again with a new recipe.

Tonight I shall enjoy the fruit of my labour and enjoy a creamy chicken and mushroom soup!

Sowing an Eternal Seed

Ephesians 2: 10 speaks about how we are God’s workmanship, created to perform good deeds which he ordained for us in advance.  I’ve read this verse many times, but for the first time this past Sunday I caught the revelation. The Pastor was challenging us to ask God every morning; to show us opportunities during the day to do the good that He has already ordained us to do as His workmanship. So I decided to put that into action yesterday morning...a simple sentence really is all it was.

At around lunch time whilst chatting to a friend at The Gables in Ezulwini, a rather panicked,  and crazed looking guy came up to us and started telling us how he forgot his bag on a kombi, and that this bag was his life, blah blah blah. He was just so distraught, but at the same time his story did sound a bit surreal. My friend Thabiso eagerly offered MY help, since I had a car and was going in the same direction. The plan was to chase down this white kombi (yes there are a few thousand white kombis in Swaziland) and try to get his bag back.  Since my help was volunteered, I had to go along. As we walked to the car, my friend Thabiso changed his mind as he wasn’t sure about this random guy, who looked a bit scruffy to say the least. He decided that he should come along to make sure that this guy’s story checked out.

In my mind I was like “Oh Boy” there goes the rest of my day, my fuel, and my time. I also have pressing problems; I got issues that need my attention. Despite my reservations, as well as my annoyance at having my time and car commandeered, I decided to help. We set out from The Gables in Ezuwini towards the direction of Mbabane. Thabiso decided to interrogate this guy, and his story was just a bit shady, and inconsistent. I thought to myself that this guy had just scored a free ride back to Mbabane. On our 14km drive to Mbabane we waved down 4 white kombis, each time the guy frantically jumped out of the car to try and find out if it was the correct kombi. On all four stops we were unsuccessful in finding this mystery bag. It became clear that we would need to do a search of white kombis at the Mbabane bus rank, and who knew how long this would take. Being the realist I began telling my new friend that though it was possible we would locate his bag (if there really was one), he should also prepare himself for the alternative happening. He then started telling me that his ticket back to the US was in that bag, his passport, cash, as well as a laptop which held 8 months worth of research that he had been conducting in 14 different African countries, the reason why he was in Swaziland as his last stop. For the first time since this fiasco started I started to feel for the guy. I secretly prayed that we would find the elusive white kombi and this guy’s stuff.  After about a 20min search, Thabiso and our new friend (who later introduced himself as David) were able to find the kombi, AND the bag.

It was such a relief, I was genuinely happy, and forgot my initial misgivings. As we returned to The Gables in Ezulwini, (yes David was still with us) I remembered my little prayer earlier in the day. A short simple sentence. I realised that there are always opportunities for us to do good, because God has already ordained it. He has already equipped me to be His agent of change. All He requires of me is to be open, ready and willing to be used by him. David was incredibly grateful that we would take time out of our day, and help him, a complete stranger to the extent that we did. He said that his faith mankind had just been restored.

I was touched, and realised that I also needed to repent of my initial attitude to helping him out. It was a lesson learnt – Always be willing to HELP! It’s an eternal seed that you sow, whose rewards you cannot even begin to fathom.

Feelings vs Truth

Two Sundays ago, one of the Pastors at church shared with us that the way we feel, will not always align with the truth of the word of God. That we may be going through pain and hardships that really make us FEEL awful, be it physically, mentally or emotionally. The trick he said was that at some point we will need to decide that the TRUTH is more important than how we may be feeling in that moment. The Truth is established, it is eternal, it is a sure foundation, and we should base our responses to life’s curve-balls on the truth.

A popular song by Don Moen from way back in the 90’s really lifted my spirits today. Whilst i was singing along, i realised that i was in effect professing the truth, and what i was feeling became inconsequential.

Chorus:
God is Good all the time, He put a song of praise in this heart of mine;
God is good all the time, through the darkest night His light will shine;
God is good, God is good, All the time.

Verse 1
If you’re walking through the valley, there are shadows all around:
Do not fear, He will guide you; He will keep you safe and sound;
He has promised to never leave you, nor forsake you;
And His word is true.

Chorus

Verse 2
We were sinners and so unworthy, still for us he chose to die,
Filled us with His Holy Spirit, now we can stand and testify;
That His love is everlasting, and His mercies;
They will never end.

Chorus

Bridge
Though i may not understand, all the plans that you have for me
My life is i your hands, and through the eyes of Faith i can clearly see

Chorus

I heard it said somewhere that "Our problems can never equal God's promises". I believe that this is true, because i could probably go on for an indefinite amount of time listing every promise that is contained in the word, and my problems will definitely pale in comparison.

So just like David said in Psalm 77, though he did not feel like it, i will also say:

“This is my anguish;
But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.”¹¹ I will remember the works of the Lord;Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.¹² I will also meditate on all Your work,And talk of Your deeds.¹³ Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;Who is so great a God as our God?¹⁴ You are the God who does wonders;You have declared Your strength among the peoples.¹⁵ You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph." Selah

“Faith Makes Things Possible – It Does not Make Them EASY”

A dear friend of mine had this on his BBM status a few days ago, and the truth of this simple statement has resonated with me since.

I was visiting friends last night who are facing an impossible situation as a family. It’s something that as an outsider i can see has pushed them and everything they know and believe to the limits; their relationship, their friendships and their faith. My heart was breaking for them because i can totally empathise (i have got my own impossible challenges at the moment) with the emotional and mental strain that we sometimes have to endure because circumstances and situations in our lives have become hard, sometimes so much so that you wonder where you get the strength to get up in the morning and keep going. You’ve done all that you know to do, you’ve fasted, you’ve prayed and sometimes that prayer is nothing more than a silent one, marked by warm tears running down your face because the words elude you. Yet after all the earnest “performance” of having faith and believing, the difficulties relent, and just when you thought it could not get any worse, it does!

 It’s hit me, that God never said that by having faith, that things would be easy. But somehow, it’s been a theology that i have believed. I have equated my having/standing in faith with things/situations becoming easier. And when instead things get tougher, i somehow then believe that i don’t have enough faith! I’m sure many of us can identify with this feeling. So i decided to pray and ask God “What is your truth regarding faith and ease? I have faith, i believe that all things are possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23); but why is it so hard? Why don’t i see the changes coming, why don’t i see even a moment of relief from the pressure, even if it is for just a day?”  I then remembered something that our Senior Pastor is always saying to us – “His Grace is enough for whatever the situation/circumstance we’re facing. It is there to empower us to push THROUGH the strenuous, stretching and sometimes breaking times that we’re facing in our lives”. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 speaks of how Paul was pleading with God for a swift resolution to a problem he was facing. Instead God tells him “My grace is sufficient for you; for my strength is made perfect in weakness”.

My friends’ outlook and attitude are a testament to me that despite all the drama that they in the middle of right now, they know that there will come a time when they will look back and say, “you know we once faced something that threatened to break us, and destroy our faith, but yet we pulled through...” James 1:2- 4 says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”

Having faith keeps us in the realm of hope, believing and knowing that we will emerge from the storm better for it. In the meantime, God’s grace will sustain us through the storm. He has promised that He does not give us more than we can bear.

His grace allows/enables us to continue standing in the face of the impossible.