A new family favorite: "Chopped." The chefs are given four "mystery" ingredients to prepare a succulent dish in a tiny amount of time. The chef with the least appetizing dish gets "chopped" from the cooking battle.
foodnetwork.com
Working with life's ingredients can also be tough. Take King David, for example...
For David, here are the ingredients:
- an anointing by God;
- experience with shepherding animals;
- a harp;
- some pebbles;
- hatred of the King Saul and his army; and
- a deep love for God.
I think we can agree that the deep love for God surpasses all other ingredients in making a "succulent" life; however, David really did not have much more to work with, did he? Although he knew God's plan for his life, just as we, as Christians, all know that God has a plan to give us hope and a future, the ingredients of life that David had to work with showed little hope. Well, he had his harp and his shepherding work experience - yay.
Do we look at the ingredients in our own lives and think, "Nothing great can come from this -- I have no resources to fall back on, no money, boredom, not enough talent, no clout, no one to support me. I'll just make these bland ingredients into a bland day. Oh, well..." Of course, every day does not need to be an exciting off-the-wall adventure, but it also never has to be bland.
David, in all the anguish, hunger, and uncertainty going on in his life, remembers,
“You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased.”
It really has nothing to do with the ingredients -- it's how you use the ingredients. We take these ingredients and mix with other essentials: daily Bible reading, spending time with God, spending time in fellowship, faith, hope, joy,...and other "staple" ingredients like these. Then, deep in our hearts, we know and understand David's words.
The actual ingredients, however difficult and bland they appear to us, are nominal compared what the Creator of theses ingredients can and will do.
Bon' appetit!
Ingredients: leftover Valentine candy, sweet peas, marshmallows, Life cereal.
Dish (presented by Chef Annabelle; judged by Alex & Ansley): Chocolate-Marshmallow crunch with Sweet Pea mousse. It was...interesting. Except, Alex found a hair!