What is on the menu today?
Let the Garden decide.When you have a garden whether it be large or small, the blessings of the fresh produce that soon grace your table never get tiring. There is something so miraculous in it.A Season to Plant…
You have this tiny seed sitting in your hand. You place it in the dirt, the lowliest of places. Watching the tender green stem appear out of nowhere thrills you. As it blooms and produces a hundred-fold, we stand in awe. We plant. God waters with the rain. His glorious sun beats down on it’s little leaves and LIFE wins.
We were hit with a flash flood that took half our garden but treasures popped up this past week in spite of it all. A few ripe vegetables were harvested. Some ripe zucchinis and squash. A little cabbage, onion, and a few red tomatoes. What a blessing. The golden, shining jewels of the garden.
A Season to Reap…
As I held them in my hands, I thanked the Lord for them. I wanted those few treasures to feed my family.
A Season for Beans and Rice…
The winter had been a time of beans and rice. With all the moving we had done this past couple years, we ate through all the canned goods and finally we started plowing through the dried goods. Times have been slim, but we have always had plenty to eat. The Lord always provides and we have never gone hungry. Plus it forced me be more creative! Being creative is what I love best!!!
No more meat in the jars or freezer. Our meat is walking around on four legs, just growing in the fields until it becomes time for all of them to start giving back. We give them all they need to eat as well as turning them out to all the Lord provides in the pastures. When they are grown and have lived a full and happy life here on the farm, it will be their time to give back to us.
A Season to Eat Meat…
I finally was able to buy a 5 pound roll of hamburger meat at the local grocery store. Not organic or grass fed, but meat, non the less. Boy, meat is high right now! It was like a prize to me. Meat. Glorious meat!!! I peeled off about one cup worth of meat so as to stretch it for many meals. The little meat pieces sizzled in with the freshly cut vegetables.
Megan came in the kitchen and she said, “It smells like meat!!!! Wow. Wow!! We get meat again!!!”
We jumped up and down in excitement. The pot was steaming and we all, every one of us, held hands and thanked the Lord for that Garden Delight-ful Dinner.
What’s even more exciting is that through these times I am learning how to stretch meals and work on small budgets. I know I can help others. I hope to share ways of extending meals so that people can eat even when times are hard. God always has a purpose and time for everything…Ecclesiates 3
To Everything There is a Season…
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
I love this verse because it reminds me that every season in life is important. God uses each one of them in our lives to learn and grow from. I endeavor to learn, grow, and then share what I have learned with others.
The Full Season…
There was a FULL season in life when my children were small. They needed every ounce of me. I poured love, attention, smiles, training, reading, teaching, diapering, wiping tears, tucking in, and holding them in my arms. Stilling their cries with soft lullabies. Holding their hand when they crossed the street. Every piece of my heart is woven into each of these moments that will always be evident with each smile sent my way.
What is really beautiful to me is seeing my girls by the stove, enjoying cooking a meal alongside me. Even better, they APPRECIATE the fellowship we have together. We are the best of friends. Investing into your children will always be worth it! It is the only thing we have worth anything in eternity.
And then there are other Seasons. The kind that give our food flavor.
So, back to the kitchen we go! I have a tendency to take the time to smell the roses, or so to speak. Here is how I made this wonderful meal…
Dice your tomatoes. Slice your squash and zucchini. Slice one onion. Shred your cabbage. Add 1 cup of raw meat in chunks. Toss together on Medium-High heat over the stove top. No oil needed. The meat offers some grease to cook with.
Simmer until the meat is fully cooked and veggies are tender. Serve with noodles or rice. Enjoy!
6 thoughts on “Seasons for Everything”
O Erin. We have moved a bit our selves. There was a time when we lived on a nine acer ground. We planted some veggies, most of my vegetables didn’t come up, but the tomatoes bloomed. I had tomatoes for months. I could make so many different dishes with tomatoes, I wish I recorded some of the recipes, but at that time it was for surviving. I made stews with it, pasta sauces ,salads, sandwiches, snacks… It is amazing how much one can do with tomatoes.
God bless us often in times of need with seeking, praying, believing and creativity and receiving.
Thank you for your heart felt blog.
Dearest Erin,
I recently discovered your website, and I’m hooked! I cried and laughed reading your entries, and they inspire me to choose the straight and narrow path. I thank God for you and your ministry. I love your humble honesty, and seeing how you fumble a lot and still get back up:) encourages me to do the same.
Out of my sincere desire to help, I would like to point out a grammatical error. It keeps popping up in different places:) The word “it’s” should be “its” when used as a possessive case. For example, in your second paragraph, the last sentence should read “… beats down on its little leaves…” The way you have it now, you are using the word as a contraction, which means “it is”. I’m sure you already know, but I just wanted to help. Thank you again!
Erin,
I didn’t get a chance to comment on your last post (on cleaning) but I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your blog. I’m sure it is very difficult to “put yourself out there” and then get criticism. I for one really appreciate all the work that must go into taking the photos and writing such an encouraging posts. I wish I had had this blog when I was a younger mom! Thank you so much — and God bless you and your precious family! Dana
Your daughters are beautiful, Erin! I love the innocence in the eyes of children raised in the ways of the Lord. Your dinner looks yummy. I love lots of vegies.
Looks good. Reminds me of a summer recipe I like to make…sauteed garlic, zucchini, and tomatoes with chicken a lone or over noodles. Most times the simpler the better.