"Soul food, just not YOUR soul"

We found a new favorite show, Somebody Feed Phil. Phil was the producer of Everybody Loves Raymond. He travels the world - eating food! What a job, right?!  I think what we love is the connection he has with the people!  He was with this guy and the guy says "what's this place?"  Phil says "Soul food, just not your soul".  Haha  Phil has Jewish heritage so his comfort food was quite different than the gentleman who was with him.

Last night, Team Thomas (ALL FOUR OF US!!!!! did a momma's heart so good!!!!) sat down to a table full of "soul food".  What our family calls comfort food! You know the type where your fork is halfway to your mouth by the time you hear the word "Amen"?  We had 2 Peruvian dishes - Papa A La Huancaina and Arroz Con Pollo. Here's where the miracle comes in.  At one point during the meal a man-child proclaims "mom, I think you did it!!!!" 

Ya see... for 20 yrs I've tried to master Arroz con pollo. I'm not exaggerating! My sweet mother-in-love just throws it all in a pot and POOF - YUMMINESS!!!!!  Somehow my rice would be extremely mushy OR crunchy. There was no in between.  You can imagine my delight with that first bite; it was not crunchy OR mushy... JUST RIGHT!!!!   Now, I may never get it right again but we sure enjoyed this pot haha

Like most things in life, this just made me think.  Ya know how this food speaks to our soul??? We connect with it on a deep level! It brings the people and culture to the forefront of our mind and makes us smile!!!!!

That's how we should feel with God! His word, thinking about Him, remembering His love... we should connect on a deep level, we should EAT IT UP!!!!!!!  Soul food!!!!!!!!  Savoring every character trait He reveals to us!!!!

That is the kind of food all God's chill'ns have in common!!!!  It feeds our souls!!!!!! 

Then there's coffee......... but I digress because apparently there are SOME people who don't like coffee, I just don't get it...... :) 

Memember when...

For some reason, a season of change or reaching a big milestone brings about remembering - or as my boys used to say "memembuurrr".  I can go back as far as graduating high school, at that point we gathered pictures and went over all the school years with almost all fondness :)  Then engagement, marriage, kids, moving, kids birthdays, kids graduations.....  each change comes with its own set of remembering.

This new adventure we are on has proven to be the same. How in the world did we get here???  I mean, not in a bad way at all. Just simply, wow! we are here... look at all that transpired to get - HERE.  Depends on which version of the Bible you have but it's safe to say the Bible mentions the word/concept "remember" over 150 times.

Remembering the past is a funny thing, it can be the chains that hold you tightly in one spot, full of fear OR it can be the freedom that catapults you to the very person God intends you to be. 

Today, we were blessed to visit a place full of memories! We went back to the church building my family attending WAY back in the 70s. Wow! Just saying that out loud reassures me... I'm getting old. That's ok... I mean, look at the memories and stories!!! It's fantastic!!!!  My family attending Shiloh Baptist Church on Virginia Boulevard here in Huntsville Alabama. We also lived just down the street.  One thing I've noticed about childhood memories - things always seemed BIGGER. I walked into this church and thought "wow, I sure do remember this being bigger".  HAHA  This sweet little church has a community of believers meeting there on a regular basis.  It was such a blessing!!!! 
Sang my first solo there - The crayon song
Fell and bit my tongue in two on that playground
Remember hearing my first missionary come speak

And now... here we are, YEARS later.
Memembering.
These memories serve as a sweet reminder, God is writing our story! He pens every chapter. He artistically draws every illustrated picture.  I'm SO EXCITED!!!!! 

This next chapter is going to be EPIC!!!!!!!!!