Wow, it is cold here and I am not surprised that my choice of coats was the warmest one I own. My coffee this morning is Door County Pumpkin Spice.
I really like to cook and what I enjoy most is food with real flavor. I am one of those collectors of spices. I am very particular about the spices I purchase. As much as I would like to save money and purchase in bulk, I don't. I like to keep my spice supply as fresh as possible. Too much of any spice will just sit there and no matter how hard I try it weakens with time and loses it's flavor.
Last night we had buttered vegetables for supper. The spice blend I used had some saffron in it. The spice blend also needed to be ground. I believe that the grinding of the spices gets to the purest of flavors and should be done as needed. Once all the vegetables were cooked and had finished simmering I noticed the aroma of the dish. I had just returned from the outdoors and my nose was cold and runny. I could really take in that aroma. It was so pleasing. Rene remarked that she noticed the aroma and that it was very enticing. She usually doesn't say too much about any of our meals, but last night she mentioned a couple of times that she was ready to get her plate and please her palette.
Christians are a lot like spices. We represent Jesus and from time to time we get encompassed by the world and it's ideas. Deep inside the Christian still exists, but the sweet aroma just isn't there. The world has polluted what everyone sees. The skin of the world needs to be ground off to get to the real Christian so that the sweet aroma of Jesus can be presented to others.
John 15 New King James Version (NKJV)
The True Vine
15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
This can be painful at times, but Jesus is very clear that He expects us to be fruitful and in order to do so the Father continues to address issues in our lives and correct them. He does this that we might be more effective in our daily walk with the Lord.
How does it smell around you today? Flat and stale, or vibrant and alive?
God bless,
Marty
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