Life's Salad Bowl

When you’ve got fixin’s for a salad

Life is fine

Bitty kiss and cuddle, darlin’

Little sip o’ wine

Splash o’ laughter, dash o’ tear

Hint o’ things to come, my dear

Tug o‘ heart and cup o’ cheer

Begs the soul to dine

When you got fixin’s for a salad

Life is grand

Bitty heartache, hope and hunger

Sifting through love’s hand

Pinch o’ prudence, second chance

A whole heart full o’ romance

Invites life’s taste buds to dance

All across the land

When you got fixin’s for a salad

Life is good

This and that and thus, my darling

Makes soul-food

Smidge o’ sunshine on the face

Slice o’ somethin’ nice to taste

Overflow the bowl with grace

M-m-m-m, m-m-m-m, good

© Janet Martin

Life is a little like salad, isn't it?

a lot of this and that mixed together to create something surprisingly nice!

Imagine if the phone never rang, if no one ever needed your help, if nobody came and went in your home leaving behind a trace of their presence...

I pinched off a big HUFF as I looked into my son's bedroom. Definitely someone living there!!

...then I looked into Melissa's room where everything stays exactly the same unless she drops in for a visit.

I think I prefer the clothes-salad in Matt's room;-) 

Speaking of salad(my very favorite food in the world, in case I've never mentioned it)

I 'invented' one the other day that was so delish...I want you to enjoy it too!

With gardens spilling over with fresh produce its fun to experiment.

Janet's Summer Salad

Break up lettuce, any variety will do.

I used ice-berg and butter-crunch(a home-grown variety)

Slice some cabbage on top(amount depends on how large you want the serving)

Add sliced onion rings(I like red onion but any will do)

diced cucumber,

green pepper(or red) chopped

a diced tomato(optional)
some broccoli flowerets

black beans

shredded mozzerella cheese

and sprinkle with toasted sunflower and flax seeds 

I added chicken but it is also great without
 (you can pick and choose which items to use or omit as well)

Dressing
(large batch; leftovers can be stored in refrigerator)

place in blender;

3/4 cup wh. sugar(less is you prefer less sweet)

1/2 cup vinegar

1/8 to 1/4 cup soy sauce(I prefer it less salty)

healthy pinch of black pepper

blend then slowly add;

3/4 cup olive oil (or 1/2 olive and 1/2 canola)

blend again

then drizzle lightly on salad

A One Time Thing!

   

"Never mind that everyone else was gold and bronze. 

She was born pink so her very best pink she was going to be!"

We should bloom where we’re planted

And to our Maker be true

Because, my love, He'll never make

Another me or you

We might stick out like a sore thumb

Or an odd-ball, ‘tis true

But. my dear, there will never be,

Another me or you

So we should stand up brave and tall

Do all that we can do

To be the very best of all

One, only me and you

© Janet Martin

...it seems somehow a zinnia seed mixed in with marigolds.
Did she decide to become a marigold after being surrounded by them; nearly drowned out by them?!
Nope! Tall and pink and bold she stands.

Praise God From Whom Hope Flows

Praise God from Whom all blessing flows

He breaks the bud that holds the rose

He tends the fallow where the grain

Is nurtured by His sun and rain

Praise God from Whom Time’s blessing pours

He cups its sea twixt eon’s shores

And curls the vine bent low with fruit

Where Nature obeys His statute

Praise God from Whom earth’s tray is spread

With little loaves of daily bread

Where man depends upon His grace

And no one else can take His place

Praise God from Whom the dawn is lent

Thus to fulfill His covenant

Of summer, winter, fall and spring

Let all the mouths of mortal sing

Praise God in Whom man puts His trust 

He places merit in his dust

Praise God Who, when this life grows dim

Has purchased a Way back to Him

© Janet Martin

Ah, Kind, Immortal Presence

Ah, kind Immortal Presence

Cheering our mortal stay

Guiding our right and left hands

Lest we should go astray

Ah, gentle, faithful Father

When loss and fear besiege

Still, to Your breast You gather

Our cry and grant our needs

Compassionate companion

The longings of the soul

Subside in the communion

That makes the spirit whole

Ah, kind, Immortal Presence

Tending our mortal groan

A solid Rock and Defense

To hold each stepping-stone

© Janet Martin

It's a bad-news world, isn't it?
But through it all God is good and faithful still.
I'm praying for a friend's husband who was diagnosed with cancer last week in the midst of preparing their daughter's wedding and enjoying being grandparents for the first time.
Will you pray too?

 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; Lam.3:25


The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Ps. 145:18


The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, 
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. 
Ps.9:9-10

Preference or Principle

The ploys of preference seeks to

Drown out Old Principle

Greed sees no need to think Choice through

To the Invisible

Preference grabs at instant ease

Ignoring wisdom’s voice

Where consequence cannot appease

The aftermath of Choice

But Principle, unwavering

Does not alter its stance

It scans the span beyond the wing

Of present Circumstance

And looks to One higher than man

Whose precept was ordained

To give us something Truer than

The whims of Want unchained

Ah, Principal or Preference

We have it All to lose

Where morrow’s Awesome dividends

Depend on what we choose

© Janet Martin

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8