Day 71 - Wild Thymes but Never enough Time

Is it just me or is time moving faster?   It's natural for me to wonder if I'm using my time as best I can or not.... just have to remember to take time to refuel every once in a while :)   Spent some time in Esther today and reading a good book called Just Do Something.  More about that another - time.

What's got me thinking about time?  It's, well... thyme - the lovely herb and a gourmet company called Wild Thymes.  I will have to share a picture or two of some of the goodies that arrived today - On the left is Roasted Apple Shallot Viniagrette and on the right - vinegar free  Mango Salad Refresher: Besides smooth not-too-sweet mango flavor, this dressing is 100% natural, kosher, trans fat free, gluten free, cholesterol free and low salt!  Check out the website and see all the yummy flavors - I think I bought every salad refresher.  www.wildthymes.com

I love trying out new ingredients and am happy to "martyr" myself on your behalf!  I'll be having some wild thymes eating for some time to come.

As I read through the final chapters of Esther I couldn't help but see God's timing in all of her challenges - as well as how long everything took.  When the king and Vashti clashed it was the 3rd year of his reign. Four years later, he missed her and sent his men hunting for a new queen.  So Esther became queen in the 7th year and 5 years later, she probably felt God's timing couldn't be worse and made the famous statement that she would go before the king and 'If I perish, I perish."  Read those chapters - or see the summary in my Examiner articles -(click my picture on the right and look for the Purim articles) there is so much about timing in the fasting, approaching the king, the dinners, naming the betrayer and the numerous examples of 'it just so happened' that the hand of God is evident.  Isn't it often like that in our lives?  We feel like we have been waiting for the longest time and sometimes even wonder if God actually didn't like the plan we 'suggested' in prayer so many times.  Afterward it seems, with the victory comes clear vision and we see all over the pages of that long haul that God was there, and His timing was impeccable.

That is Jehovah Mephalti - The LORD my deliverer.  Psalm 18:2 says "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer [Mephalti] ; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."   The God of perfect timing is my rock - my firm immovable witness and defender.  He not only saves and delivers me, but also brings me to a place of safety and protects me with impregnable (impossible to capture by force) and unassailable (not liable to doubt, attack or question) walls of security.  Like a baby totally at peace and trust on it's daddy's chest... safe, protected, loved.

A good thyme cooking today:
Breakfast Fritatta - Beet greens, ham, 3 eggs, tomato, 1/8 cup garbanzo flour, almond milk, a sprinkling of baking powder, Italian green beans, chopped Roma tomato, celery salt and thyme.  Made 3 servings.

Lunch: "Dessert first" - Carrot-nut, cranberry bread with whipping cream - and 1/3 of a Michigan pasty - Three wedges like the one in the picture made me very happy.  Ken ate a whole one but still likes my homemade ones better. Awww.

Dinner: Ham rollups - I put the pineapple sliver inside the ham with  3 slices of cucumber and rolled it up. Very refreshing.  Side salad: Romaine, strawberries, baked pecan crusted cheese and Marionberry dressing from Cranberry Sweets.  (see link on right).  You can use any cheese about the consistency of goat cheese - I used 6 oz. potted cheese and 3 oz. cream cheese mashed together.  Form into patties, set on top of chopped pecans in cereal bowl, turn over and coat both sides with pecans.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until nuts are golden and toasted.