James and a bonus soup recipe...just for you

Well I am posting late because I ended up starting a soup and muddled over what to post here while I made up the recipe. I am sitting here eating a small bowl for breakfast and it is delicious. So I am going to pass the way I made it along at the bottom.

This is not a cooking/food site. This is a “Hey, friend. Thanks for stopping by today” site. But since it is Fall and I love soup and this ended up being easy and yummy…well…that’s what you would hear about if you stopped by here for coffee today.

You would also get my thoughts on James 3: 14-18 as we continue our little mini-visit to these passages. So before we try to recover how I made the soup (because I was totally winging it), here is the thought for today.

We talked a bit yesterday about the worldly ‘wisdom’ that we encounter that brings chaos and confusion and evil into our lives. If we jump back to verse 13, James speaks about godly wisdom and how it is characterized by meekness. Rather than being self-seeking or envious, godly wisdom is meek.

Perhaps you have heard different teachings on what the word “meek” means. I am turning to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology (whoosh…that was a lot to type…) and reading about how our modern Western culture does not at all grasp the concept of “meekness” as used in Scriptures written in another time and culture.

According to this author, Meekness in the Bible was displayed when someone encountered conflict because of circumstances he or she was unable to influence or control. Well, as 21st Century Americans we may not have a grasp of the true essence of “meekness” but we certainly can relate to encountering conflict because of circumstances we are unable to influence or control. I am all ears, how about you?

“Typical human responses in such circumstances include frustration, bitterness, or anger, but the one who is guided by God’s spirit accepts God’s ability to direct events.”
Samuel A. Meier, Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology; biblestudytools.com

The author goes on to say that meekness is “an active and deliberate acceptance of undesirable circumstances that are wisely seen by the individual as only part of a larger picture. Meekness is not a resignation to a fate, a passive and reluctant submission to events, for there is little virtue in such a response.”

He continues with the explanation that we have, in our culture equated “meekness” with “resignation” because to the untrained eye, they are indistinguishable. I would have to agree. There are those who are exhibiting “meekness” that are being charged by the crowds as being “resigned” to the status quo.

“The patient and hopeful endurance of undesirable circumstances identifies the person as externally vulnerable and weak, but inwardly resilient and strong. Meekness does not identify the weak but more precisely the strong who have been placed in a position of weakness where they persevere without giving up.”
Samuel A. Meier, Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology; biblestudytools.com

Applying this I would say that we would do well to begin to identify when our responses to situations beyond our control or influence are characterized by frustration, bitterness, or anger.

Now let me be clear here – we will become frustrated, bitter and angry when things that are going on are outside our control. But instead of acting on the emotion of that, we can “tame” the emotion by letting it lead us to the actual truth of the situation that is getting us riled up.

In prayer and in seeking God’s heart and mind regarding the issue, we can begin to build up a hopeful endurance and hear more clearly OUR ROLE in this. Some will be called to speak up, some will be called to act, some will be called to enter into the debate in a way that helps bring change and some will be driven to their prayer closet to wait with patience for God to move in the situation through the people He has assigned.

Ok.

These are my thoughts. Ponder the Scripture. Quiet your heart. What is God speaking to YOU? That’s the only thing you need to deal with right now. Don’t let the world tell you how to respond to anything. Seek God first and foremost.

Now for that soup recipe:

I knew I had read a recipe that used squash, cheese tortellini and sausage. When I tired to find it, I found several that used one of more ingredient so I just took the gist of all of them and made up my own.

Fall Soup by Lola

1 bag organic cubed butternut squash steamed in microwave

1 package of ground sausage (I used the kind from the butcher and it didn’t have much seasoning so I added a sprinkle of Italian herbs while browning) browned and drained

Half a bag of frozen cheese tortellini boiled til they floated

Dump the steamed squash into food processor you requested for your birthday and have never used. Pulse a few times. Slowly add the last remnants of half and half in fridge (about 1/2 a cup) and pulse.

Slowly add one can of evaporated milk (I apparently didn’t shake it super well because there was gunk in the bottom of can that I didn’t use) and process at low speed until smooth.

Drain the sausage and tortellini. Add squash puree, tortellini, sausage and about a cup of frozen spinach leaves to a stock pot and warm. Add pepper and thyme to taste.

Eat for breakfast.

Delicious <3

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