Jesus Rocks!

Today was an absolutely awesome day.  Work was busy.. super busy.  I’m not sure why I’m so blessed, but I am thankful I get to do what I do for a living.  I help people, I get to know them, we become friends, and somehow this provides a roof over my head, and food on my table.  However; today was super special.  After I left the office, I came home, got Linda, and then went to see my Grandmother.  It may not sound like much, but today was her 92nd birthday.  Is that cool, or what?  She told some stories (some we’d heard, some we hadn’t), we sat, we listened, we hugged, we left. Did I mention she turned NINETY-TWO.   Happy Birthday Grandmother.. I love you!

I did it again.  It’s amazing how easily I become distracted.  Not just when I’m cooking, not just when I’m working, even when I’m goofing off, I get distracted from.. goofing off.  I digress.

Last night my wife & I had some friends over to the house for some food, fun, and frivolity.  It’s the second time this family has come over that I planned, prepared, and presented a feast fit for royalty.  The first time was one of my famous smoked ribs/brisket/brats/bologna extravaganza’s.  However; it was uncharacteristically dry, and over done.  Not sure how that happened, but it did.  We all ate.. and ate well. However; it was far from my best effort.  Last night, I thought I might go with a slightly healthier approach.  I kbob’d some steak, pork, chicken, shrimp, and all sorts of veggies.  I planned ahead, I thought it out, I used my brain.  I don’t like my chicken undercooked, I like my steak medium rare.  So I said to myself,  ”Self” why don’t you cut the chicken up into smaller pieces than the steak, and the pork, so you won’t end up with undercooked chicken.

This was a GREAT plan.  With one very large flaw.  That flaw, was me.  I got distracted.  In all the talking, and cutting up, and having fun, I let the meat get overdone.  It wasn’t awful (assuming you like blackened chicken.. but not in the good Caribbean way).   It wasn’t great.  I ended up not eating any of the chicken, but my wife told me later it was dry… very dry.  (well yeah.. it was BURNT) Ugh.  The steak was pretty good… but over-cooked for my liking. The pork, was actually not too bad.  Oh well.  The veggies, turned out great.  Firm, fresh, flavorful, not soft and mushy.  Oh.. I also attempted some shrimp.  Normally I buy the already cooked shrimp.  This time, I was talked into getting the raw stuff.  Not wanting to eat raw shrimp, it too was overcooked.  Great flavor though.

Burnt… (smh)  I can’t believe it.  Actually I can, and I blame it all on the company.  Talking, fellowshipping, having fun?  These things should not be allowed.  I’m easily distracted!!

Well… they say the third time is a charm.  Let’s see what kind of burnt offering I can conjure up next time.

Do you ever think back to a simpler time.  A time when all your thoughts were pure, and your intentions were always true. Back to a time when no one questioned your morals, or doubted your motives.  Yeah… those were great times weren’t they? Of course not.  Those times don’t exist.  Think back to when you were a younger version of who you are now.  Back to the age of 4 when your thoughts may have been pure, however; they were purely about yourself.  True, you had intentions, but they weren’t always the most honest.  Nope, instead you were scamming how to get into the cookie jar without getting caught.  Or even better, you had a plan to leave behind evidence, evidence that would incriminate your sibling, and keep the blame off you.  Don’t you get it?  We were never 100% good.  From the instant we were born, we were evil.  Maybe not serial killer evil, but we still had evil in us.  We can’t help it, it’s not our fault.  It’s a curse that was brought onto us thousands of years ago in the Garden.  There is good news though, we do have a chance to overcome.  It’s not easy, it’s not without consequences.  It is, however; free.

In the meantime, as we live out our  days on this earth, we must  make a choice every day hour minute of our existence.  Will we choose to do good, or will we choose evil.  I daresay there has been only One that can truthfully say He was good 100% of the time.  Even thought that should be our ultimate goal , let’s be realistic.  It’s just not going to happen. Instead, take this moment… and choose to do good.  Then, in the next, again make the choice to do good.  If you , and I will make this choice more often, then others will follow.  Before we know it, the world could be changed… for the good.