I had planned on doing our menu plan last week, even though we had a vacation, because we were still going to be cooking several of the nights. However, on Saturday we received the news that my friend Kim died, surrounded by her family. Her funeral was set for the following Saturday, so we added another trip to our week. On top of that, we had a lot of schedule shifts and changes in meals, and I just scrapped posting anything. In the middle of our trip, the weather turned bitterly cold rather quickly, so we came home to some frozen produce that we had to deal with as much as we could before turning around again. This was a rough weekend for us. Kim's funeral was on the anniversary of us losing Rayan. We also found out a couple days before that some friends of ours lost one of their twins to a sub-chorionic bleed. When you are part of the lost children club you truly have compassion and feel it with those who go through the loss, almost like going through your own loss again. We are praying for the other baby to remain safe within the womb.

Kim's funeral was so beautiful. Since we've had the opportunity to go to many memorials and funerals over the past few years, especially this year, Rich and I were struck by the beauty and faith of this one especially. One of her daughters did the first reading and her husband did the second reading. The Psalm was sung by two seminarians, beautiful men with beautiful voices, and the music was all played by a string quartet. The recessional was a piece I had played as my senior violin solo, and was so appropriate and lovely. Kim and her family chose the Scripture passages* carefully, and it was such a powerful statement of their faith and hope in such a hard time. The church was a rather large church, and it was packed. There wasn't even room at the reception to fit all of us, and it was standing room only. Kim's life touched so many people, and I was so glad for Brian that so many were there to show their sorrow and love.

Losing a dear friend is always hard, but so much more so when she is young (Kim had just turned 48) and has a young family. Her children are all so beautiful, and I couldn't believe how grown up her son looked, though Rich pointed out that being in a suit will do that, anyway. I am praying for all of her four children and her husband that they would be comforted and given grace to continue the work that Kim had done in their family and in the world. Please pray for the repose of her soul, though I have to agree with the priest that her suffering on this earth as she died, and receiving extreme unction probably helped cleanse her from the effects of her sins. She suffered beautifully, caring for those who loved her more than she cared for herself. Memory eternal Kim! May light perpetual shine upon you!

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Hamburger and Vegetable Gravy
• Monday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Toast, Persimmons, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Indian Summer Gratin, Baked Apples
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Strata with Bacon, Peppers and Onions, Persimmons, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Lamb Stew, Sweet Potato Rolls
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Walnuts, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Butternut Squash Bread Pudding, Sliced Apples
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Ful, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Chilaquiles with Chorizo, Zucchini, Peppers, Onions, and Black Beans, Served with Salsa and Sour Cream
• Friday
  Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Borani Kadoo (using vegetable broth), Slow Sautéed Green Beans, Jasmine Rice
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Bacon, Toast, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pasta with The Best Meat Sauce Ever, Garlic Bread, Pomegranates

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

*"But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest. For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by number of years; but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe old age. There was one who pleased God and was loved by Him, and while living among sinners he was taken up. He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile deceive his soul. For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving desire perverts the innocent mind. Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years; for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore He took him quickly from the midst of wickedness. Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing to heart, that God's grace and mercy are with His elect, and He watches over His holy ones." - Wisdom 4:7-15

"The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever." - Psalm 23

"But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body." - Romans 8:9-23

"Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!" Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down." And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away-for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him." - Mark 15:33-41, 16:1-6

Labels: Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen