A Whatty-what?!!

"You have options", I explained to Matt when he asked what's for supper.

 

"You can do your meal in a wrap or a power-plate. 

"A whatty-what?! he asked looking confused (justifiably) 

"Well, you know how some restaurants have power-bowls on the menu...

its like that but we're using plates!"

I chose the plate option, he chose the wraps.

Tonight's supper was inspired by a picture of a power-bowl 

and the sudden remembrance that it's Thursday and 4:00 

and I don't have anything planned for supper!

So with the help of some veggies in the fridge 

and the power-bowl ad from Red Lobster

this happened...

 Thinly sliced/chopped veggies (rutabagas, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, red onion)

light drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of kosher salt (optional) and freshly-ground black pepper...

steam till tender...

For the power plate I topped a huge serving of veggies with black beans,
 browned ground beef seasoned to taste (I used salt and taco seasoning)

 (instead of shrimp, like the Red Lobster picture;-)

and a light garnish of shredded old cheddar and goat cheese.

Some things I wished I had on hand to add; chick peas, red pepper and quinoa!

That would have made it perfect!

Sometimes summer almost seems to spill through winter’s whitewashed gates

Catch of August through October thrilling, filling supper plates

Making us feel like the gardens are not sleeping after all

While the chill wind shakes the ramparts from which star-shaped flowers fall

Sometimes we are humbly honoured because we have eyes to see

...see where beauty spills its colours in a world of artistry

And that we can smell and taste and hear, what marvels are these things

Suddenly a simple supper seems a favour fit for kings

…now the culinary artist dons a sort of sacred air

 Peeling, slicing, dicing, stirring turns into a tender prayer

Where the perfect words escape us so we praise Him while we cook

Thanking God for bount’ous blessings we too often overlook

Sometimes, when we lose sight of love's countless, somewhat common range
It is time to look longer at what is apt and bound to change
Then as we begin to ponder Mercy and wonder's buffet
Suddenly, something like supper feels like a fine holiday

© Janet Martin

Two gorgeous versions of the doxology...
a great blessing before a meal hymn
but also a great any time of day tune
to the One who, each day grants mercy renewed
behooving us to serve Him with a heart of gratitude!

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 107:1


Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 136:1


Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 118:1

Daily Duel of Dreamer and Duty...What Will It Be?!

Duty and Dreamer seem to clash on a regular basis, as soon as feet hit the floor...

What will it be she sighs as she eyes an empty page 

then turns to heed cries of Master Laundry, Major Lunch-box, Sergeant Fire-starting etc...

Before Sweetest of all Sweet Little Girl arrives...

When the day gleams like a page poem-heady

Star-studded tarp falls from tresses, blue-pink

Unveiling worlds slumber revived and ready

Propped like a bottomless well filled with ink

Fueling duels twixt Dreamer and Duty

Teasing the rivals of prudence and art

Blurring intention where unhurried beauty

Tangles the tether twixt hands, head and heart

What will it be, Duty cries, demand-driven

Seizing the tool that fits her for the fight

What will it be, sighs the Dreamer, star-smitten

Grasping at shimmers of shadow and light

What will become the sum of today’s tally

Will it be to-do lists tackled and checked

Will it be sparkles that glimmer and sally

Snared from the air where whispers intersect

What will be left when dusk gathers its plunder

Who will be victor of soon-to-be spoils

Will page be filled with the thrill of sheer wonder

Or smudged with tokens of love’s urgent toils

What will remain to retain strains of beauty

Felled by the faithful fellow, Father Time

Will the souvenirs of both Dreamer and Duty

Tenderly tangle in keepsakes of rhyme

© Janet Martin

 ...on that note it's off to the races graces!

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, 

do it all for the glory of God.

1 Cor.10:13

Heart of a Woman, Oops, I Mean Parts of a Poem...

Pressed like the petals of last summer’s pansies

Tucked between pages soft-weathered with wear

Lost to the world like a young woman’s fancies

Learning to grapple with fortunes of air

Touching her where she can never quite quell it

Rushing through her like an ocean, salt-starred

Parts of a poem too tender to tell it

Left to the hunger of some younger bard

Almost she hears the blue twilight come stealing

Snuffing the shadows that clung to the hill

Something akin to distant church-bells pealing

Tugs at heartstrings that her hand cannot still

Virile vibrato of fight and submission

Trembles in tempos of over-and-done

Melodies played by a master musician

Lyrics unwritten yet second to none

Time is a ticket to holes in her pockets

Places worn through that no seamstress can mend

Life lends her pictures to tender to lockets

Lost while she had other treasures to tend

Merchant of moments, sweet-dealing untwists her

Barter she must with a foe born to win

While she is learning to turn seasoned whispers

Into a poem that plays ‘neath her skin

© Janet Martin

Enough Is The Stuff That Today Is Made Of...

 When confronted with gloomy forecasts for the future,

what should we do?!

We are not made to carry Maybe’s cares

Waiting to undo its When

Enough is the stuff that today is made of

Let’s leave tomorrow till then

Enough is the trouble today seems to find

Without adding extra stress

Let’s concentrate on what can no longer wait

Today’s almost-happiness

We are not made to bear fear's promenade

Down streets our feet cannot reach

But through prayer-shaped hope we'll be able to cope

With what today has to teach

© Janet Martin

 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, 

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

 Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matt.6:34

Lyrics for this hymn...

Dark and stormy is the desert, 

Through which pilgrims make their way; 

Yet beyond this vale of sorrows 

Lie the fields of endless day.

 O, young soldier, are you weary 

Of the roughness of the way? 

Does your strength begin to fail you, 

And your vigor to decay? 

Jesus, Jesus, will go with you, 

He will lead you to his throne; 

He whose thunder shakes creation,

 He who bids the planets roll.

 'Round him are ten thousand angels, 

Ready to obey command; 

They'll all be there to hover round you, 

Till you reach the heavenly land.

There, on flowery hills of pleasure, 

Lie the fields of endless rest,

 Love, and joy, and peace forever, 

Reign and triumph in your breast.

Our Desperate Need...

Forgive, chastise, oh loving God

The pitfall of man's errant laud

Feeble, the grasp of carnal creed

To comprehend man's desp'rate need

Or the cost of the sacrifice

That paid, once and for all, sin's price

Where He who knew no sin became

The scapegoat for its gruesome shame

And bore on the behalf of we

Our punishment to set us free

Where He who owed us nothing, gave

His Son to overcome the grave

The cross, hope's glorious crux unfurled

To bring life to a dying world

Where we deserve Hades abyss

If we reject such love as this

Where Jesus Christ, through His death freed

And satisfied man's desperate need

© Janet Martin

If we reject God

we under-estimate

the grossness of our sinful state 

and that which word cannot tell

or both Heaven and hell...

Recently I heard a preacher suggest that if every single person received one glimpse

of either heaven or hell, hell would be empty.
so great the glory of heaven, so awful the horror of hell!

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God

 but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them 

because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

1 Cor.2:14

1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

 but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Living Gratitude

The LORD your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

 He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zeph.3:17 NKJV

Will we, through what we do and say

Show God our gratitude today?

He, who braved evil’s vilest blow

To save us from death’s awful woe

Who did not spare Himself with words

Though King of kings and Lord of lords

He suffered Heaven’s greatest loss

Even to death, death on a cross

Before He proved His deity

And rose again in victory

And thus fulfilled love’s plan designed

To bring salvation to mankind

And still, as ages onward roll

Only His blood can cleanse the soul

If we repent, if we believe

We then, God’s gift of grace receive

So, in this place where passions war

Where longing and contentment spar

Where darkness cannot stave the flood

Of morning and mercy renewed

Where bud with blossom is instilled

And heart is often wonder-thrilled

As earth’s four-season quadrille grants

The compositions for the dance

That vexes this doubt-harassed dust

With opportunities to trust

And to relinquish our grip

Into Hands that will never slip

But will quiet us with His love

And tame the rebel in Want’s glove

So then, as we consider He

Who keeps watch over you and me

Will we, through what we do and say

Show Him our gratitude today?

© Janet Martin