mashedpotatoday

  

Have you ever been as full as a “tick”? A friend of mine says this after they have eaten too much. Have you thought about how a good meal just sticks with you? It lingers. It is all consuming. For awhile, it is the only thing we can think, feel and talk about. It is overwhelming. We are so full we feel as if we will just explode. It’s just like that with God. He wants to shower us with so much goodness and mercy that we could just explode – explode with JOY. In fact, He pursues us – with goodness and mercy. He chases us to gives us goodness. He has mercy running after us.  I discovered (and much smarter people than I could explain it better) this wonderful Hebrew word for follow called radaph. – If I have this right, it means, “to pursue, run after, to chase”. How beautiful is that?! Chase in the English language sounds good, but Radaph! Radaph!! Say it. It has such a beautiful tone! It’s not easy to say without a feeling of power and excitement to it. 

God says in Psalms that: Surely goodness and mercy shall pursue me all the days of my life. Psalm23:6a.  Goodness and mercy – they do not just follow you but they pursue you! They chase after you- full force! There is nothing wimpy about them! They are in it to win it! Radaph!!  To be chased by mercy- to be chased by love. Look at Abraham, David, Peter, Paul, all throughout the Bible they know what it was like to be pursued and to pursue. Look at the story of Matthew, Jesus’ disciple. His calling to be a disciple. Most people think of Matthew as the disciple who was a tax collector, but the other more important point about Matthew is this-  Jesus chose him! He was in his tax booth and Jesus pursued him! Pursued! Radaph! (Matthew 9.) How amazing! What love,  mercy and grace! Then Matthew goes out and pursues others to bring them to Jesus. 

Jesus pursues us with abandon.  He loves with His arms open wide.  He doesn’t hold back. The bar has been set.  It’s easy to love our friends, family and even our closest neighbors, but what about the ones you don’t know?  The ones who cut you off in line, slow down traffic or take too long to take your order?Have you brought someone to the Table or even just gave them an offering from it for no other reason than just because? God’s Table is always full and plenty to share as long as we honor Him in what we do.  

So, come to the Table. There is plenty to share. Mashed potatoes can go a long way. Add extra milk and a cup of mercy and kindness.  Just try to step a little bit out of your comfort zone and see what happens. You will be amazed. May you feel His love as you sit at the Table this week and remember- Radaph! Chased by the One who loves you – truly.

 

Hugs,

kjs

☀️

 

 

 

Imagine why I would want to talk about a napkin. Can’t even fathom why?! Most of us have just finished wonderful meals this Easter (Resurrection) Sunday. They were beyond amazing. However, what about the events leading up to the celebration of Easter? The sacrifice, the discipline, the loss, the steadfast belief beyond all human ability to understand to believe a man would rise from the dead. (We know He was no ordinary man!) This is what happened that Resurrection Sunday. 

 

The boulder rolled – it rolled and rolled. Not to let Him out, but to let us in! Then what did we find? According to various accounts, the tomb was empty. It was empty of His body. But He left something behind. Something for us to notice. The accounts tell us that Peter and John ran to the tomb. More accurately, John outran Peter. John looked in, but Peter went into the tomb. This is what he found. John 20:7 says: “The wrapping that had been on His head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself.” The cloth was folded neatly by itself, somewhat, if you will forgive me here, like a napkin. Let’s digest this moment.

 

This is important. Have you ever thought about what you do with your napkin? On the table, on your lap, in your hand waded up? What do you do with it? Well, this particular cloth and what was done with it is significant. As our pastor says, “And here’s the reason why….”

 

We have to look behind the significance of the folded napkin. We have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. 

 

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, ‘I’m done’. But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because……….The folded napkin meant, ‘I’m coming back!’ 

 

This should have been a sign to the disciples. So significant! It must have bewildered them. They knew He had died. Some watched Him die. Yet, here He left a cloth to let them know through tradition that He will be coming back just as He said.  How could they have missed it? It’s easy on this side of the table to ask. 

 

He invites all to come to the banquet table. He will be coming back. The napkin is folded and ready. Are we ready? The Table will be set, but will the Table be filled?

Hugs,

kjs☀️

When was the last time you had an answer to prayer just fall in your lap? No matter how big or small? Well, there is a young girl that can attest that answers to prayers can fall  right down from the sky! There is a story told about a pastor, a kitten and God having a plan. The pastor had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard, and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc. The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and grasp the kitten. (Nothing could possibly go wrong here…)

He did all this, kept getting out to check, then figured if he went just a little bit farther, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved a little farther forward… you know what happens next right?! Yep, the rope broke!

The tree snapped and the kitten instantly sailed through the air- out of sight. The pastor felt very bad. He walked all over the neighborhood, asking people if they’d seen a little kitten. No. Nobody had seen a kitten. So he prayed, “Lord, I just commit this kitten to Your keeping,” and all he could was to go on about his business.

A few days later, he was at the grocery store, and he met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart, and he was amazed to see cat food. Knowing she hated cats, he asked her, “Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?” She replied, “You won’t believe this,” and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the girl begged again, and so the Mom finally told her little girl, “Well, if God gives you a cat from heaven, I’ll let you keep it.”

She told the pastor, “I watched my little girl go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won’t believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws spread out, and landed right in front of her.” 

God works in mysterious ways!  That little girl had all the faith that God was going to answer her prayer. The other beauty is God used the pastor to be part of the blessing.  (Maybe not quite the way he would have like to have been, but still a quiet contributor nonetheless.)

What would you do if a blessing fell right out of the sky? How about those moments when something lost has been found?! God’s word tells us about finding a lost sheep and joyfully putting it on their shoulders. Then rejoicing with their friends. (Luke 15:4-6) 

When blessings come, we cannot wait to share them with others. However, may we not forget to thank from whom the blessings flow! 😉   When we gather around The Table, we offer thanks and then we talk about the blessings.  It’s like all the fixings’ with mashed potatoes.    It’s all so good together! So grab a bowl of blessings and share.

Hugs-

kjs☀️

I want to share this little story with you: A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole which, he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, but the other pot was perfect, and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, while the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was very ashamed of its imperfection, and was miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do — or so it thought.

The cracked pot, after two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am very ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the water bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“For the past two years, I have only been able to deliver half of my real capacity, because this crack in my side allows water to leak out all the way back to the master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the cracked pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and compassionately said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

As they went up the hill, the old cracked pot did notice the sun shining on the beautiful wild flowers growing along his side of the path, and this cheered it some. However, at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had again leaked out half its load, and so it apologized to the water bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and put it to good use. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path (for the return trip), and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For over two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. If you weren’t the way you are, he wouldn’t have the flowers for his house.”

Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness your strength is made perfect.  (2 Corinthians 12:9)

When we or others cannot see past our flaws, God does. He loves them. He knows that we need to see with His eyes. Each of us has our own unique attributes.  He also knows we need to lean on Him. Essentially, We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow Him, the Lord will use us, in spite of our flaws, to grace His Father’s table in His way.

We are all invited to The Table and there is plenty of room. So beautiful, so accepting- what better place could there be. Accepted for who you are – you are among friends.  As always, plenty of mashed potatoes go around. 

Hugs-

ks☀️

   

 

Have you ever had those moments when something came at just the right time? You cannot explain it but you received what you needed right within the moment you needed it. Like a parking place right as you are searching for it; finding just the right amount of money, a song to bring comfort on the radio or a bathroom? One of the stories I like sharing is when I used to pick up the mail for the office I previously worked.  My great uncle had just passed and I was really thinking a lot about him. He was such a great character.  Well, as I walked to pick up the mail, the load was two mail baskets full.  I did not wear my red riding hood cape that day and no woodsman in sight to help. I couldn’t play the damsel in distress card. So, onward I went. Instead of using the ramp out the door at the far end of the building, I decided to take the stairs closest to where I pick the mail up. As I headed out the door, I realized I could not get the cart full of mail down the stairs without dropping it all.  Talk about a damsel in distress. As I stood for a moment, this kind, old gentleman came and helped me take the cart down the stairs.  Before I could thank him, he was gone.  As I walked back to work, thanking God for the help, I realized he looked like my uncle.  Isn’t God like that? Sending us help, comfort, love, anything right when we need it?  He knows what we need.  Matthew 6:32-33: “Your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”  God knew I not only needed help but sent someone who looked like my uncle to give me comfort. God meets our needs. He has perfect timing. He will be there for every need.  He knows when we are hurting, hungry, sad. He knows and He cares. He will meet your needs.  Just trust Him.  Come to The Table.  Bring your cares and burdens to Him. He will sit at The Table with you for how ever long you want and talk.  There is always enough mashed potatoes to go around. 

Hugs-

ks☀️

I was sitting here thinking about an old story I just love. Do you remember the story about Button Soup? A man comes to a town famished and asks if there is food to eat. Everyone basically says no. They state that they all are hungry and have nothing to share. He says that is ok. He says he has all he needs. He has a button but he does need a big soup pot, water and wood. The townspeople are able to get him those items and they just stand back. He drops the button into the pot and talks about how wonderful it is going to be. As the story unfolds, a wonderful pot of soup has emerged. What happened? They got excited about the wonderful soup.  As the anticipation started to build, they all were wanting to be a part of it. Everyone had something to give. Some gave vegetables they found. Some found spices. Some found some meat. Everyone made the difference. They did so without even realizing how they had given of themselves. Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. When we give, blessings just start pouring out. That’s how love is. When it is shared, the ones you share it with are filled. You are filled and it just keeps spilling over. Other people are touched. God is like that. He just loves to love. When you meet Him and others at the table, you have so much fun. Laughter, joy, stories, hearts are full and it is all around the table -together with no other distractions except just Him, you and anyone else that came along. The Table always has plenty of room. There is always plenty of mashed potatoes. My question to you is this. Who are you going to share some mashed potatoes with? I wonder if mashed potatoes go with button soup??? 🍲🍚

Hugs-
ks☀️

Another reason why I like mashed potatoes? They remind me of how God has changed me and has made me into someone new. Yes, like a potato. We all are like potatoes. You know- hard on the inside. We haven’t always been like that. However, we have become so hard toward life, friends, family, work, church or what have you that we are like the inside of a potato. That potato can get pretty hard. Yet, when God (the true Master Chef) gets a hold of that potato- He has a way of peeling through that outer layer and reaching to that core. In some cases, He may just leave that peeling on. Just depends on the recipe. However He decides to fix the potatoes, we need to remember this. Trust the Chef. Potatoes are worked on the same way as people… from the inside out. Just like a potato, we have to go through some transformations – no matter the recipe. Even as we go through the boiling time, we are always under His watchful eye. He never leaves us alone. We just become more pliable and useable for Him. On those days when we feel like we will get mashed up by it all, we need to take heart. Not only are these troubles temporary, but we have a future too! 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 
We don’t always know the “why” or what the true issues are that we are going through. What we can know is to fix our eyes on Him and know He is waiting to walk with us.  He beckons for you to come and sit at His Table. He would like to sit and talk awhile with you. He will listen for as long as you need Him to AND He will be there for you the whole time

I know I said I would tell you the story behind Mashed Potato Day and it’s coming, but until then… Pass the mashed potatoes! 😊

Hugs-
ks☀️

Have you come hungry? I did. You will begin to see I have something for mashed potatoes. It really comes from my mom. She makes incredible mashed potatoes. As this blog unfolds, I hope you will come to taste why. However, for now… Just wanted to share some thoughts about being invited to The Table…. His Table. Have you heard about the party where everyone was invited and no one came? The Master wanted to fill his house with friends and food. The best of the best were asked and also the best was being served. Yet, no one came. Ouch! So the Master said to his staff to go and ask anyone and everyone else to come. Basically, beat the bushes. The Master said to compel them to come. Free food and drink!! What an offer! Would you come for free food? Would you be picky or would you pass it up? There are those who would just come. No questions asked. They wouldn’t ask how was the food prepared or what kind of beverages were being served. When God calls us to His table, what do we do? We question. We check over the menu and make sure everything on it is to our liking. Our Father – the one who created us- knows what we like and what we need. He prepares the table. He does not leave it to anyone else. He, out of the love He has for us, prepares the feast. What a Father! What a Savior!. He’s waiting to prepare a feast – we just need to be willing to receive Him – to show up. He has those mashed potatoes waiting. The mashed potatoes are so good. Let’s not miss them any longer and bring others along. There’s plenty of room!

Luke 14:23- Then the Master told his servant, “Go out to the roads and country and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.”

I hope we can meet around The Table again soon!
Have a blessed day!

Hugs-
ks☀️