Hoppin' John Salad with Molasses Dressing and A Year of Grace & Perspective
I was a good Southern girl and ate my black-eyed peas, pork, & greens for luck yesterday on New Year's Day. My mom found a great new recipe for these ingredients, which are not necessarily my fave (cooked greens = ick; black-eyeds are low on my legume list; although I do ♥♥♥ pork!) that was delicious: Hoppin' John Salad with Molasses Dressing. We used bacon instead of andouille (b/c we already had it) and put the salad in a bowl of baby spinach for greens: mmmmmm - winter salad! [What are you crazy Southerners talking about re: pork, greens, & black-eyed peas for New Year's luck??? My friend, Brandie, put it well simply: black-eyed peas = good luck; greens = prosperity & money in the future; pork = looking forward to the future (pigs can't bend their necks to look backwards)]
Quotes touching my heart for this new year from Ann Voskamp...
Contentment isn’t a state of organization, a weight on the scale, a state of better: better kids, better marriage, better health, better house. Contentment is never a matter of circumstances; contentment is always a state of communion — a daily embracing of God. A thankfulness for all the gifts – and moments and life, just as He gives it. Trying harder may only bring harder trials and contentment, it won’t be be found in the resolutions, but in the revolutions – in the turning round to God.
January:
“Joy is always a function of gratitude — and gratitude is always a function of perspective.
If we are going to change our lives, what we’re going to have to change is the way we see.”
February:
“God isn’t asking us to earn His love.
He’s simply asking us to turn towards His love.”
March:
“Holy joy lies in the habit of murmuring thanks to God for the smallest of graces.”
April:
“Paying attention to our lives is a way to pay thanks to our Lord.”
May:
“God doesn’t drive us to achieve.
He simply asks us to come receive.
All great things are an overflow of His grace.”
June:
“No one receives the Grace of God without giving thanks to God.
Thankfulness is the deep, contented breath of peacefulness.”
July:
“When grief and grace both kindle in the us the same flame of gratitude towards God —
it’s only then that our love for God ignites int a pure blaze of glory.”
August:
“Praise, not Perfection.
What God seeks is not my perfection, but my praise.”
September:
“If God really works in everything, why don’t we thank Him in everything?
Why be afraid of anything — when God is using everything?”
October:
“To bring the sacrifice of thanksgiving is to sacrifice our understanding of what’s beneficial
and thank God for everything — because He is benevolent.
A sacrifice of thanks lays down our perspective and raises hands in praise anyways — always.”
November:
“If gratitude is an antidote for anxiety, and giving thanks is a real cure for stress,
we don’t have to relegate thanksgiving to a holiday,
for giving thanks to God revolutionizes all of our days.”
December:
“No one gets to joy by trying to make everything perfect.
One only arrives there by seeing in every imperfection all that is joy.”
Quotes touching my heart for this new year from Ann Voskamp...
Contentment isn’t a state of organization, a weight on the scale, a state of better: better kids, better marriage, better health, better house. Contentment is never a matter of circumstances; contentment is always a state of communion — a daily embracing of God. A thankfulness for all the gifts – and moments and life, just as He gives it. Trying harder may only bring harder trials and contentment, it won’t be be found in the resolutions, but in the revolutions – in the turning round to God.
January:
“Joy is always a function of gratitude — and gratitude is always a function of perspective.
If we are going to change our lives, what we’re going to have to change is the way we see.”
February:
“God isn’t asking us to earn His love.
He’s simply asking us to turn towards His love.”
March:
“Holy joy lies in the habit of murmuring thanks to God for the smallest of graces.”
April:
“Paying attention to our lives is a way to pay thanks to our Lord.”
May:
“God doesn’t drive us to achieve.
He simply asks us to come receive.
All great things are an overflow of His grace.”
June:
“No one receives the Grace of God without giving thanks to God.
Thankfulness is the deep, contented breath of peacefulness.”
July:
“When grief and grace both kindle in the us the same flame of gratitude towards God —
it’s only then that our love for God ignites int a pure blaze of glory.”
August:
“Praise, not Perfection.
What God seeks is not my perfection, but my praise.”
September:
“If God really works in everything, why don’t we thank Him in everything?
Why be afraid of anything — when God is using everything?”
October:
“To bring the sacrifice of thanksgiving is to sacrifice our understanding of what’s beneficial
and thank God for everything — because He is benevolent.
A sacrifice of thanks lays down our perspective and raises hands in praise anyways — always.”
November:
“If gratitude is an antidote for anxiety, and giving thanks is a real cure for stress,
we don’t have to relegate thanksgiving to a holiday,
for giving thanks to God revolutionizes all of our days.”
December:
“No one gets to joy by trying to make everything perfect.
One only arrives there by seeing in every imperfection all that is joy.”
Can you believe it? We didn't eat the traditional black eyed peas & greens or pork on New Years! It is a 1st in many ways that we skipped on tradition. Hopefully my fish & chips can bring me good stuff (???)
ReplyDeleteThank you, sweet friend, for your prayers and support as we have gone through such a hard time with our little man lately! You are the best!
You've got enough prayer to cover the missed food for SURE!!!!! :-D ALWAYS sending you grace & peace, dear friend!!!
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