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I'm having trouble settling on one title for this post- Quiche Me, Labor of Love and Proof That There's a God are all good contenders.

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All three of us were exhausted when we gathered in the kitchen to prepare the Meal Train dishes I'd signed up for early last week.   

Michael had been going since 4:45 a.m., had worked 8 hrs at his full-time job, followed by another 1.5 hrs taking senior photos. When he arrived at home I greeted him at the door with a kiss, followed by a, "remember you said you could make the French Toast dish Tuesday night???"   

Josie and I had been running around all day too. We left our driveway at 7:37 a.m. and pulled back in at 4:11 p.m.  During that 8 + hours I'd dropped Noah and Emilie off late for an early meeting at school, taxi'd Josie down the hill to two classes, made stops at Target, Panera, Costco, Sprouts, Save Mart, Marshalls, Old Navy, World Market, and Trader Joe's. Josie and I also visited a sweet friend who'd just had surgery, then barely made it back up the hill in time to retrieve our highschoolers after school.   Needless to say, when we arrived at home we were wiped! 

Where was I? Oh yeah, the Meal Train.  So we emptied shopping bags, made a quick dinner (Lindsey's Yumm Bowls. Only we were missing some of the ingredients, so we ended up eating what we called "Umm bowls"), then got to work on our promised meal. 

When I sign up to take a meal to a family, I often bring a filling breakfast instead of a dinner.  I recall having received so many dinners that we could hardly eat them all.  And breakfast IS "the most important delicious meal of the day!" 

Michael got to work on a delicious French Toast dish, while Josie prepared a homemade pie crust for the hearty ham and veggie quiche fillings I was dicing. 

At one point while we were each slicing, mixing, and dicing I began to whistle. Josie commented that Emilie's whistle sounds like mine. Who knew a whistle could be inherited? ;)  We all had a good giggle, and I thought about how sweet it was that though we were all so exhausted, this labor of love, had become an enjoyable time together. 

I wish I'd taken a photo of the quiches (we made two) before they went in the oven.In the history of quiche there were never two that were more beautiful. In fact, Michael, Josie, and I had named ours "Quiche Me," because we couldn't wait to get our lips on it! 

Josie and I had some things to do, so we left Michael to preheat the oven, and keep on eye an the Quiche Me's while they baked. 

And then...

2.5 hours later a shriek, "the quiche!!"  
Followed by the three of us jumping to our feet, and running for the oven, while already knowing the outcome...

the Quiche Me's were charred.  

Michael had forgotten to set the timer. 

This is when the real labor of love began... also folks, this is where the title "Proof That There's a God," comes into play. 

So there we were standing over the burnt meal we were suppose to deliver the next day, feeling all kinds of disappointed, when miracle #1 happened- I didn't yell.  I typically fly off the handle and lay into my husband. Yep! I'll yell a million times and in a dozen ways, "HOW COULD YOU NOT SET THE TIMER!?!" 

Instead, I heard AND listened to God's Spirit talking me down; imploring me to choose self-control.   

Then miracle #2 occurred- You see usually while I'm yelling, I'll kick it up a thousand notches and attack my husband's character with "you never..." and "you always..." and "I always have to..." blah blah blah. 

But the Holy Spirit nudged me to "give it grace, Denise.... Denise, give. it. grace." And with His help, I responded to that too! ("give it grace" is something the LORD has been for years nudging me to recite and receive myself).

And then as if miracles #1 and #2 weren't enough, a third miracle took place- I didn't freakout about the loss of food, funds, and time invested. 

We've struggled so financially in the past that wasted food is hard for me. But I heard the Spirit reminding me to lean into Peace; to not let the loss of a few bucks take my God given Peace (security and sanity) from me. 
 

My first impulse is yelling, attacking, freaking out! If you don't believe me then go right ahead and ask my husband and children. They have seen my many dark sides- poor things (they've seen a few bright sides too- phew!). They KNOW it takes a miracle of GOD ALMIGHTY to change this mama.   

And this, this is proof that there is a God people- evidence that He exists, and lives in people, and shapes and makes them into what they could never ever ever be on their own!   

 

In John 14:15-17, Jesus says this- 

If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to HELP YOU and BE WITH YOU forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

A few verses later John 14: 26-27 says this- 

..the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you."

 

I know this, I'd make a charred mess out of things without Jesus' Spirit coaching me to labor through my typical nasty responses and instead press into self-control, grace, and peace. 

 

In the end we had a good laugh over the scorched Quiche Me. Michael delivered the French Toast dish, and some last minute egg muffins to go with it. He got to cuddle a new little guy, and I'm sure the kitchen fiasco was forgotten then.

Ironically, while typing this I received another Meal Train invite (for a single mother who was recently hit by a drunk driver. Please pray for that family. If you're local and would like to help this family email me at jonesidosio@sti.net)... I'm thinking I'll keep it safe, and order Pizza this time around ;) 

 

 

 Live in Peace,