Just a roll of sausage for the scrapple...

Not sure that I ever imagined I would use the title above for a blog post in a million years, but there it is.  Scrapple - do you know what it is?  I didn't, until joining the Wilder family.  Before you google a recipe, let me offer a warning... pig trotters (that's pig feet), liver, and other sundry ingredients are included in many lists.

I prefer the "city-girl' version.  Scrapple was apparently a family favorite humbly prepared by my husband's grandmother.  During a recent visit with my mother and father in law, the memory of how delicious this delicacy was culminated in the question from Frank - my husband and Frank - my father-in-law as to why we, their wives, hadn't added that to our culinary repertoire.  And so the mission began...  Honestly, scrapple is a sausage/cornmeal pancake... with a bit of process to get there.

We searched my recipe books, the internet and found what seemed reasonable to us on allrecipes.com   - http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/21720/scrapple/?mxt=t06rda

Stay with me... I promise this connects!  Thankfully, we had all the ingredients on hand... except a roll of pork sausage, so we sent Frank, Sr. on the mission.  After failing at a local gas station/market and a convenient store, he headed toward the sure thing - the grocery store.  But wait... on his way, he glanced to the left, and saw the biggest roll of sausage ever...  You see, located in the heart of our little town... a famous sausage factor.

As he entered the factory, he was met by a kind gentleman offering to give him the official tour of the facility.... 

Well, I really just need a pound of sausage...

The kind gentleman realized his dilemma, so his best option was then to walk him through the interesting history of the company.
Well, I really just need a pound of sausage...

The kind gentleman called a group together in the factory for discussion and to welcome my father-in-law to the factory.
Well, I really just need a pound of sausage.

Realizing his search was coming up empty, he thanked the kind gentleman and was given exact directions to the closest place to find his quest.

As Frank, Sr. headed for the door, the kind gentleman halted his exit with a loud  WAIT JUST A MINUTE and a motion to stop!!

He disappeared through a door returning moments later with ...did you guess... yes, a freshly packaged ...pound of sausage.... just a pound of sausage.

It was all that he needed.  Just sausage.  He thanked the kind gentleman for the very good news!

(This really did happen, and the kind gentleman would not take the offered payment.  I did add a little of my own perceived detail. ;) )

As I watch Jesus through the gospels, most often his message is simple.   Same for Peter and Paul as they led the early churches.  Just Jesus.   Just grace.

Jesus' words to hurting people... "follow Me - your sins are forgiven - don't be afraid - get up and walk - just believe in Me.. and of the children, HE said... bring them to me."

The gospel is simply GOOD NEWS to a world of people who need a Savior... we all need a Savior!

This week I pray that I am willing and available to share the simple news that Jesus is ... "the way, the truth and the life."

Just Jesus...

Friends, we don't have to have all the answers to all the questions to share what Jesus has done for us.  Most people aren't looking for the full history of the line from Adam to David to Jesus; most aren't begging for the tour of the strong programs of our churches.  Just share your story...

Jesus' chosen disciples didn't know the books of law from memory, nor could they likely recite the genealogy of Jesus..

They just walked with Jesus and told others... that's all He asked.    

For God so loved the world that 

He gave His only Son that whoever 

believes in Him shall not perish

 but have eternal life. 

John 3:16

front porch sitting......

Just Frank and me... sitting on our front porch... trying to figure it all out.

 "We just have to keep praying",  he whispered, "God will figure it all out."

Many of you heard my story... hit in the head with a softball... on my way to first base... oh yeah, a concussion, a fractured hand..its been 4 weeks already.. yesterday, actually. 

Hmmm... not quite 100% yet... maybe holding at 50%... a little less at times... a little more at times.

On the porch sharing my heart with my guy - he knew before I spoke it's... "I'm a little bit scared."

Now girls... we can all agree that when our strong, take-charge, "I'll take care of  it" men ask us what we are afraid of, we KNOW that before they even hear the actual "what", they are formulating the answer of how they will alleviate the thing, whatever it is.

The list of "whats" was long, I won't  ever feel right again; I won't be able to think clearly for more than 10 minutes at a time; my head will always hurt; my head will occasionally hurt so bad that I can't stand it; I will never feel rested again; I will never feel rested even after sleeping 17 hours straight (like Friday night/Saturday); I won't be able to study and read for more than 5 minutes ...

Guessing I was in the middle of quite the pity party, huh?  

We just have to keep praying... God will figure it all out!

"Funny" little story...  early that morning, as I prayed... expressing my fear, The Lord brought a simple verse to mind, "When I am afraid, I will trust in God."  from Psalm 56:3.  Mollie's favorite verse - she literally chanted the verse as she was wheeled into the operating room for an appendectomy eleven years ago.

Rest of the "funny" story.  Later in the same day... you know I am doing the SIESTA Scripture Memory Team with Beth Moore's Living Proof ministry.  Well, there are three of us who challenged each other to do this, so we send each other each verse we choose via text message on the 1st and the 15th.  That same afternoon my friend sent me the verse she had chosen... you guessed it... Psalm 56:3.  Her encouraging words that accompanied the verse... "A little verse with a lot of power."

Oh my friends...  just keep praying (and trusting God) HE has it all figured out...