In a Jam

This season of the year one thing we enjoy doing at our house is to make jams and jellies. We enjoy making jam as a family project. We often go places we can pick our own or buy good fruit for our jams. It is especially satisfying when we can use fruit we grow ourselves. In the winter we all enjoy the fruits of our summer labors.

This summer we decided to try some new recipes that just sounded good. One recipe we found was for Habanera Mint Jelly.  We had some fresh mint in the garden that we did not know how we were going to use. We bought some fresh habaneras. We like things spicy and thought it would make a good sauce for meats, to add some heat and spice things up.

I picked the mint and sliced the habaneras while Joyce and Carra cooked and stirred and cooked the mixture, added the remaining ingredients, and processed the jelly.

When it was all done we tasted it. Since it was an experiment we did not have too high hopes. To our surprise it turned out to be a mild flavor. The coolness of the mint combined with the heat of the habanera produced just the right amount of spice and flavor. The jelly on cream cheese with a cracker turned out to be perfect! This jam turned out to be an unexpected pleasant surprise.

Many times something happens in our lives that turn out to be an unexpected surprise. Sometimes the surprise is good and sometimes it is not so good. A fresh perspective can temper every experience. If we fret over every little detail we can worry ourselves to death. But if we see them all as part of a bigger picture the good and the bad can mellow each other out.

We may think that we have it all figured out but unexpected surprises can change our plans. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.” God is not surprised by the extremes that happen to us. It is all part of his recipe for Jam. He takes the mint and habanera that we experience and makes it all surprisingly good.

Bro. Robin

Worth Repeating

“Again!” said the little girl in the back.

“What do we say?” said the mom in the front.

“Pweease!” said the girl.

“OK.” Said mom as she punched some buttons and the song we have heard so many times we have forgotten how many started playing again.

That was a familiar conversation between my daughter and granddaughter on our recent vacation trip together. After we got to our condo in Denver a similar conversation involved which princess movie we would all enjoy watching. By the end of the week the songs from “Little Mermaid” and “Tangled” were rolling happily around in my head.

At one point I was on my way out to take out the trash and stopped to watch the end of “Mermaid.” Joyce looked at me and asked, “How many times have you seen this?” “Oh, a half a dozen,” I said as I turned toward the door with the trash. “This week alone,” I said to myself.

A really good story, like a good song, is worth repeating. We all want to hear a story with a good Hero, a good Heroine, a conflict to overcome, a villain who is defeated, and a happily ever after ending. After all, it is the story we all hope will be our story. It evokes emotion and gives us hope in a happy ending in spite of all the struggles we all go through. We want to be the Hero or Heroine of our own story.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a story worth repeating. Our personal testimony is a story like all epic stories. Through Jesus we experience the rescue from disaster and rise above circumstances. Jesus makes us all heroes and promises a happily ever after.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Bro. Robin