I’m going to take a few days off from the blog and work on one of my books. I’ll be back on Sunday. It’s been a great week around here and I wanted to cap it off with a video blog.
But, first, a recipe for Danny. I’d tried very hard to get a release for Famous Dave’s recipes so that I could print one for the Fourth of July. Unfortunately I could not secure the release in time for the holiday. Instead, you get my recipe for crock-pot chicken.
What! Not barbecue? Nope, because this bad-boy you can start in the morning, head to the lake, enjoy the day on the deck, and then stroll in out of the sun to a succulent meal. Not everything goes on the barbecue all the time. This one keeps you from working too hard.
So, grab a crock pot/slow cooker liner and start there – I hate scrubbing ceramic crock pots. Less cleanup. Take a large packet of drumsticks (approx 16) and powder them with sweet curry powder. Slice two large lemons into thin wedges and spread them throughout the drumsticks. Chuck them into the crock pot liner and drizzle about 1/2 cup of hot water mixed with honey over the top of the mix.
Cook on low for eight hours. Drain the moisture from the bottom of the liner and use 1 cup of it in making 2 cups of instant rice. (The rest of the liquid is just straight water.)
You now have citrus chicken and curried rice with a nice flavor. And a cool kitchen. So, Danny, hope that does it!
I had breakfast this morning with my friends Michael Stoebner, Jeffrey Gacek, and Curt Dixon at the Daily Diner in Frogtown.
A perfectly wonderful piece of my cinnamon roll french toast was almost ruined when you, my readers, provoked a wave of quiet praise and sobbing at my table. And I thank you most heartily for doing so on this very blessed day.
Cinnamon Roll French Toast at the Daily Diner Frogtown
I met Jeff and Michael on a mission trip to Haiti via Healing Haiti. Jeff is one of the founders of the organization. We had breakfast this morning for no real reason at all. Turns out it’s Michael’s birthday so that was a great reason to celebrate.
I asked Jeff if there was a positive impact from Sponsorship Sundays. And that’s when my eyes welled up and I had to stop and pray for a few moments. He told me that you, the amazing readers of this blog, had been sponsoring children at Grace Village Orphanage.
I am profoundly blessed to have such wonderful readers. I love you all and cannot express my gratitude in any sufficient way for your act of love and kindness in sponsoring those children.
I am literally going to go and pray now for all of you. And thank God for the blessing of this platform. You have brought me such joy and hope today with that news.
I extend my condolences to the families and friends of the Fire Fighters who died in Arizona.
The Granite Mountain Hotshots
I have known many brave people in my life, and many Fire Fighters. My Father-in-Law is a retired Fire Fighter from Gary, Indiana. I am in awe of his life and his bravery.
I can honestly say that the bravery and sacrifice of these men and women in the fire fighting profession humbles me. Taking a gun or knife away from somebody doesn’t scare some people but going in to burning buildings scares most of us beyond comprehension.
I’ve been around just enough fires to understand the vicious nature of the beast. Fire is almost alive, and it certainly can turn toward evil in a hurry. The worst disasters in our modern era seem to revolve around fires. Wild fires, fires in night clubs, fires in homes and apartments. Fires never turn out for the best – somebody loses something or someone every time.
And those crazy, brave, wonderful fire fighters run in to the buildings while the rest of us run out to safety. And they die on occasion. And they are mourned, loved, honored, and missed for the rest of the lives of their friends and families.
Today I think about those families. Most of the people who fight fires are family people. There are undoubtedly many children headed to bed tonight without their dad (It appears it was an all male crew). The Granite Mountain Hotshots are lamented today.
Please take a few minutes and pray for their families. And the next time you see a fire rig, stop and throw them a salute. Better yet, honor them by getting out of their way every time you see a rig coming – they’d appreciate that even more.
I spent 3 blissful hours there with my good friends and my wife. I shuffled off to work, did 10 hours in “the tank” and drove right back to church for another 1.5 hours of worship.
Totality of my day bracketed by worship at Shiloh. I loved it. I even shot some of my patented “shaky-cam” video on Saturday night just to share with you. This is the Shiloh Choir. It does focus after a few seconds. Have a blessed day. That’s what it did for me. I hope it does the same for you.
If you were wondering “Why does he have so many different youtube.com channels?” The answer is that I’m a moron and I set the one on the phone up and then couldn’t find it so I built a second one. I’ll fix that some day. Like now. But I already burned the bandwidth to upload this so there it is.
We’re nine weeks into Sponsorship Sunday and it’s time to open a little segment of my heart on this topic. It’s awfully easy to become jaded to the needs of others when you are bombarded with requests for donations day after day. I know that I’ve been that way all my life. Still am, for the most part. Here’s a hint to charities – Once I send you some money, back off for a while. I have a rule that I never donate to a charity that nags me. Fortunately for most of them, my wife screens the mail. I’m a bit of a Scrooge when I find too many requests for help. Use the postage money to support the cause!
I hope this weekly column doesn’t have that impact on anyone in the audience. It would be a shame if it did, as I think it’s pretty low key. You can read it or not, I keep it on the same day each week, it’s never snuck in under the tent’s edge.
Today I’d like to tell you what those kids mean to me at Grace Village. I deal with thousands of little ones every year as Santa. And I can spot a phony about 2 blocks away. I met not a one of them at Grace Village.
They are the most remarkably gentle, polite, nice children you will ever deal with in your life. All of them are so grateful for the love and care they get from the teachers and missionaries at that center. God truly works with them and their staff. Just typing the words I am awestruck by the kindness and love that abounds in that place.
Orphanage is a bad word in the United States. It is in many parts of Haiti as well. But Grace Village is an oasis of Christ’s love in a troubled country. I love those kids. I love the staff. If I wasn’t married with a job and responsibilities I’d ask to be sent there as a staff member today. I could easily spend all of my days there until God calls me home.
Yes, it’s that annointed. Please take a few minutes and pray about your ability to help these beautiful kids. I’ve met most of them you read about here and I’d consider it a personal blessing to hear from Jeff Gacek that they’ve been getting sponsors from this blog. I know my audience is a good group. Your emails touch me greatly every day. I will never use my lists or influence to nag for funds. I appreciate the voluntary nature of our relationship and will continue to respect that gift you give to me.
Be blessed and consider sponsoring Isaac and his extended “family” at Grace Village. I know my sponsorship of two little girls is a huge plus in my life. I wish the same joy for you.
Isaac once had the opportunity to learn to ride a bike and says it’s his favorite thing to do. Isaac came to Grace Village with his brother Romual and they both remain close to one another. Isaac would like to be an engineer some day so he puts a lot of effort into his studies, especially math. Isaac’s prayer request is for his family.
Isaac came to Healing Haiti in September, 2008. Isaac and his brother Romual are orphans, both or their parents are deceased.
Birth Info
Birthdate: September 26, 1999
Place of Birth: Cap-Hatien, Haiti
It is my hope that one of you will find your heart touched by this child and take up a bit of Christ’s work by sponsoring them for an extended period. My wife and I are sponsoring a pair of sisters and I look at it this way – I only gave up a fast-food dinner each day to change the life of a child. Healing Haiti will do the right things for these children and I have full confidence in their work. I am not affiliated with them, they don’t endorse this blog, nothing like that at all. I just love kids (can’t be Santa and not love children) and know that Grace Village is the difference between life and death for many of these children. Please open your heart and prayerfully reflect on the opportunity God’s giving us to sponsor these children. Some of them have come out of slavery and have some of the toughest lives you could imagine prior to Grace Village.
