Meatballs and Merryment!

When I was growing up there were two very distinct smells I remember wafting up the stairs to my bedroom on Sunday mornings.  They were garlic and cinnamon.  Strange bedfellows these two were but none the less each one pungent and comforting.  It was my dad's day in the laboratory that was our family kitchen and being an early riser,  my dad was a great breakfast cook.  Whether it was scrambled eggs and toast.  Or oatmeal, yuck!!  Or pancakes, sausage and eggs over easy, you were running to the table knowing that the smell meant the bell.  In other words, eat now or tough!  But the favorite entree was fresh baked cinnamon rolls with warm icing!  Soft, gooey, sweet and decadent with the perfect seductiveness as to get you to roll over to any chore list that my dad doled out after we were drugged with mass quantities of carbohydrates and sugar.  It was the most sinister plying of children committed.  But brilliant in it's simplicity.  Anyway, the other smell was garlic and lots of it.  You see Sunday was spaghetti day.  Now, you must understand that in an Italian household the only ritual more sacred than making meatballs,  pork neck-bones and gravy was church.   My family doesn't make spaghetti gravy, that's right gravy not sauce,  from a jar labeled Ragu or Progresso.  Chef Boyardi and Franco American might as well be on the FBI's most wanted list to us as they are nothing short of sacrilegious.  No, my friends, my dad created from scratch a symphony of flavors as to bring to life the most anticipated meal of the week!  The hours of browning meats and rolling meatballs, sauteing onions and garlic, adding tomatoes, basil and oregano with delicate precision culminating in hours of simmering resulted in heaven on earth.  It was pure family joy and culinary perfection on those Sunday evenings with wine, salad, garlic bread and gorging galore.  Which brings me to this past Sunday at my parent's house.
   The first annual Meatoff was on!  It's not a name I came up with.   Assembled from the far corners of Chicagoland were some of the areas best chefs, with years of experience, training,  accolades and awards.  Known far and wide for their high levels of skill and creativity with food.  Nah, not really.  The were a hodgepodge of my brother Frank, Aunt Fran, and cousins Cary and Tommy Bez.  All equally enthusiastic and ambitious looking to make their mark on the culinary universe.  The next Food Network star!  Ok, back to reality.  The rules were simple.  Each contestant would prepare their meatballs beforehand at their own houses as to ensure the secrecy of their recipes.  They then were bring them over to my mom's where the judges were waiting.  Now my mom made the marinara sauce so the recipe would be consistent as to not embellish the individual flavors of the meatballs.  Well the time had come and the judges were set down.  They had a steely determination to their faces and a an almost catatonic unemotional look as to not tip their hands to the entrants.  They were  Aunty Mary, a graduate of the prestigious " School of Hard Knocks" and Uncle "Fuggedaboutit" Frank Messina.  A combined almost 140 years of life experience! 
  Each contestant was to present their meatballs, one with gravy and one without for tasting.  They were given numbers for their allotted slots and the tasting was on.  The contestants stared on nervously as the judges smelled, bit, chewed, and swallowed.  They watched for any hint of ecstasy or agony.  They hovered as they scribbled their notes feverishly after each sample.  The crowd was mesmerized.  Or drunk, whichever you prefer!  After seemingly hours the judges had made their decision.  The winner was about to be crowned.  It was as if this was the season ending episode of Jersey Shore.  You could cut the tension with a knife!    And the winner is.....   Well you know who you are.  That is not the point.  The point is that my family is why my life is great!   They are fun, loud, proud and passionate.  They give generously and selflessly to each other and the people they know.  They enjoy good meals and the good times they bring.   The food is great, the humor can be bawdy but the love is always saturating.  I wouldn't have it any other way!  I am smiling and I know my dad is too!  By the way, a note to my cousin Tommy.  Since you like to golf, I am sure that you can find a use for your meatballs!  :)

Acts 16:31-34 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

A picture of God.

The other night I was driving home from town after running a few errands.  A squall line had just gone through and rained hard with high winds, lightning and thunder.  It was quick but pretty intense.  As it cleared out the sky to the west was a beautiful pallet of blues, pinks, peaches and oranges as the sun was just about setting.  Anyway, the sky had some magnificent cumulus clouds that the sun was partially hiding behind.  When the sun was clearing the edge of the cloud bank a sudden ray shot across the sky to the east and instantly there was a spectacular rainbow.   The rainbow was situated up against the dark and ominous storm that just went through. The intensity and beauty were, not to be dramatic here, jaw dropping.  I had never seen such an instantaneous revealing like this!  I was rushing home all the while mesmerized by the scene unfolding before me, hoping to get there and tell Melissa before it disappeared.  As I pulled in the driveway almost rolling out of the car before it stopped, I was yelling for her to come out and see.  It was as if I had found a buried treasure and wanted to share it with her!  She came out of the house and was wondering what the heck was wrong with me.  I pulled her around the driveway so we could see the skyline from the west to the east.  We stood there silent for a minute.  Both of us taking in the sheer awesomeness of this rarity.  In the same sky was the fierceness of the storm all dark and sinister with it's violent intention and the tranquility of the sun setting with it's final light and warmth of the day.   It was a clear picture of God and a sovereign God in control.
   Not a physical manifestation of course, but one of countless examples of His supreme authority over this world of ours that can have us shaking in fear at the approaching storms of life one moment then inspiring our life's revelations at the dawn of our new beginnings in the next.  So complex in it's physical nature but so simple in it's etching upon our hearts.  You see when you walk closely with your Lord, not only do you enjoy the one on one communication of an intimate Father child relationship, but you receive gifts, revelations and affirmations that enrich and uplift you each day.  God paints the sky just for you.  It's up to you to stop, look, take in and revel at these gifts!  In it He reveals Himself to you.  We live on an incredibly beautiful and diverse world.  A life sustaining divinely created blue orb standing alone in a vast universe.  On it are all of God's children, equally beautiful and diverse.  But fallen and flawed are we.  We have all at once the majesty of God's great provision and mercy in our tenuous existence on this small planet and the curse of our own depravity as we reject His will for us.  That's why the storms come.  When we exercise our will to walk away from God's guidance we are subject to the consequences of our mortal flesh.  The sky darkens, the storms approach and the fear grips us with the uncertainty of the outcome.  But when we cling to the truth of Christ, He rebukes the storms and calms the sea.  The sun comes out and warms us with His reassurance that He and He alone brings you through the storms.  He will not abandon you.  He will bring you to a safe harbor.  You can be certain that if you give your heart to Jesus Christ then He will give His all to you.  The storm clouds can roll in and all you'll see is the sun behind them!

Luke 8:24
The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 

Aging Gracefully.

As we are getting ready for our upcoming move, many boxes are being packed and labeled.  Either they are for storage, our moving sale, going to the new place or just being given away, I am finding many reminders of this full life of ours.  There are old books, mementos, trophies of past accomplishments, nicknacks galore, too many clothes and countless items that make me scratch my head as to why we would possibly keep them!  But it is a time capsule and one that reminds you each time you wrap something or place it in a box as it brings back a flood of memories.  Now, mind you this is not going to be an essay on the amount of stuff we have or a pilot episode for the show Hoarders but rather a reflection on the gift of our time here.  Here, as in earth not Cameron WI.  You see as we pack up we are essentially marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in our lives.   We are moving along life's highway and we are marking time.  This was brought to my attention rather abruptly when I found the picture boxes.  That's right, the evidence!  A testimony of events and occasions which mark the lives of Melissa and I and the kids right there in living color and some black and white for those of you who remember those days.  There are lot's of me, her, them (the kids), us, bad hair, great hair, outrageous fashion, birthdays, holidays, everydays, etc.  Every emotion and event captured so purely as to bring a smile or a chuckle instantly.  Sometimes mustering up a tear or sigh too.  All the while silently testifying to the years going by as we are getting older.  I seem to get lost in them.  Reminiscing and wondering where did the time go?  But as I pour over the stacks of photos, I come to the conclusion that there is a theme to this vast sea of memories.  There is a wonderful benevolence that presides over my life with these people called my family.  That as I age, I am finally doing so gracefully.
   Not grace as defined by our world's definition.  That would be superficial or physical grace.  Not that physical grace isn't important.  We are to keep our temples healthy so our King may indwell in us.  I'm talking about real grace.  The word is derived from the Greek word charis which means to "have favor and goodwill" or to a secondary extent "to rejoice."  It is spoken about 156 times in the New Testament.  Our Heavenly Father lavishes us with grace in the gift of His Son Jesus through His life, death and resurrection.  His forgiveness and mercies which are new every morning are fervent reminders of such grace.  We are commanded to give grace and give it generously.    That is what the Lord means by aging gracefully.  That as we get older to exhibit the traits that define His existence in our hearts.  I know of nobody who calls themselves a Christian that does not have an ample supply of this most noble of attributes.  I see it in my wife every day.  I talk about it most reverently with our children.  I try to live it myself.  As my hair grays and my wrinkles come upon my face, I can dye the hair and remove those lines.  If I gain weight, I can lose it.  I can tuck, trim, whiten, brighten, tan and workout all to the mirror's glory.  But if I lose my grace what good will I be.  Jesus said that the Pharisees were like white washed tombs.  All pure and glorious on the outside but full of nothing but dead man's bones on the inside!   Do yourself a favor, age gracefully.  Give more of yourself to others in the way of love, mercy and encouragement.  You will see that as you clean the inside of your temple the outside will shine brighter than ever!   Others will notice and when they ask you what your secret is tell them that aging gracefully is easy.  Just start on the inside first!


Hebrews 12:15   See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.

Where is your treasure?

I walked out this morning to put the garbage out and check the mail.  Part of my usual morning routine of coffee, bible and prayer time, visiting with my wife and getting ready for my day.  When I opened the mailbox in the midst of the endless junk mail and bills was a rather plain looking envelope from an attorney in Wausau, WI.  I took a breath and knew that these envelopes usually harbor three things: a settlement, a lawsuit or a judgement and notice.  I opened it rather reluctantly and sighed deeply.  It was what I had been expecting but I was trying to avoid the painful emotions it would stir once it arrived.   You see it was our notice of a sheriff's sale for our house.  Our home, our refuge, our place of sanctuary and pride of accomplishment.  The place where we raised our children, shared meals, laughs, tears, prayers, joys and sorrows.  Where I worked so hard maintaining and on the lawns and gardens.  Painted, fixed, replaced, upgraded, remodeled and gave my best to take care of.  All gone.  In the sanitary unemotional world of the modern banking system we were now officially a liability and not an asset.  I read the notice and gave it to my wife.  Part of me wanted to cry again as I could feel the knotting in my stomach and clenching of my throat as I fought back the emotion.  Part of me wanted to laugh sarcastically and defy them and their notice.  To fight till the bitter end.  But I was checked in my spirit quickly and the Lord reminded me that this was His home.  That it was by His grace and favor on our family that we were able to buy it in the first place. He had supplied the job, the prosperity and the money.   He would allow the ownership and allow the loss of it both equally under His sovereign authority.   Even though I was suffering through this ordeal with the humiliation and shame it can bring I had peace.  But peace by submission and not by admission.  Let me explain.
   When you become a Christian one of the first things you learn is that even though we are the children of and heirs to the Most High God, with all the privileges and rights, we are not immune to the trials and tribulations of our short mortal lives here.  We will face hardship and sorrow just as much as any other person be them a believer or not.  Sometimes we will look at others who don't love the Lord and wonder why we have misfortune and they are seemingly prospering in their sin.  Why me Lord?   After all, I read my bible, I pray, I love you.  Jesus said that He came to give me life and to give it abundantly.   Well, where's my abundance?   I paid my taxes, worked hard, don't steal, try to be honest and worthy.   This is abundant life?  Try wrapping your mind around that!   What kind of reward is this Christianity anyway?    In my growth as a Christian I have learned, albeit not easily,  that there is divine purpose in all we do just as Romans 8:28 says- And we know that all things work together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
   That simply means that God has a reason and that reason is for our effective growth and work in His life's plan for us.  Because after our suffering there will be resolution and glory in His name if we are in submission to Him.  If we allow Him to take us through by His hand.  In layman's terms He will use it for good.  To help us and to help others too.   A wise pastor said recently that too many of us Christians want the glory of testimony.  We want the imony but don't want the test!  Powerful in it's simplicity.  In order to have others see Christ's glory in us then we must have the temperance and experience of overcoming life's trials to truly understand the meaning of His life's work on earth.  It is the changed heart and willful mind of the believer which knows that after the rain comes the sun.  After death comes life.  After sorrow comes joy.   The single greatest lesson I am learning from this experience is that my God does and will supply all my needs and my families too.  This is just a house made of wood and metal.  Heck, it's not even my real home!  As a matter of fact, it's a stepping stone for His next great phase in our lives!  We spend so much time accumulating all the treasures of this world that we often forget about the treasures of our hearts.  The ones that don't rust or rot.  Don't fall apart or are taken away.  Can't be seized by man or banks.  So, we will go forward.  Our family is strong, our hearts will be blessed and God will restore.  And I will testify about His goodness!

Matthew 6:19-21-  ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

A Renaissance Man, well sort of.

Last year when I turned 50 I decided that it was time to fully embrace the Lord's restoration of me.  Being physically and emotionally healed it was time to move forward and begin a new journey of self discovery and creativity in my life.  To take on new challenges.   To embrace and dive into all the activities that I love so much.  To stretch my intellect and reach for the stars!  I love to read, cook, write although not well, garden and anything to do with the ocean!  Surely I could find my renaissance in these noble activities.  I would become in my 50's a man of culture and refined tastes.  People would see the difference.  I would become the must invite to all the parties!   Yea, right.
   Certainly I do all these  activities with more regularity and passion then I ever did.  Except the ocean thing because I live in Wisconsin.  But I have a plan for that too.  God has graciously grown me spiritually so I can be at peace more when I am engaged in my passions to just enjoy the moment and quit expecting the epiphany.  This gives me more contentment and allows Him to work through me to improve in these pursuits.  Well, after almost a year and a half of this quest it has come down to this.  I make jam!  That's right jam.  Good old fashioned, nectar of nature, made with love in small batches mind you jam.  I know, awesome isn't it?  Einstein had the Theory of Relativity.  Newton had the Law of Gravity.  Michelangelo had the Sistine Chapel.  I have jam.  The same product Smuckers and a host of others have been doing for eons.  Oh, well.  God gave it to me and I'm running with it.  In my mad laboratory that is the kitchen I can be found scurrying about cutting fruit, tossing pots and pans and mumbling to myself.  Tasting and adjusting, tweaking and adding, boiling and canning.  All in the name of God knows what.  But you know what?  I'm happy!  In a subliminally gratifying way I find great satisfaction in this endeavor.  And my family loves them!  What more could you ask?  But wait, there is more, literally more.
  In my utopian stupor created by sugar and fruit, I have quite the inventory building up.  I have 6 unique flavors and 2 cases each made.  One hundred forty four jars of bliss.  Enough preserves to sweeten the lives of family and friends for the next several years.  Lot's of happiness but bad economics.  So it's off to the farmer's markets this fall to debut my world premier, totally unnamed, untested except by unfailingly loyal family members gourmet jams company!  Tada!  Look out world!  I see myself as the new jam master, the godfather of sweetness,  the bolt of lightning from nowhere.  Not really.  But I'm sure to make a little money, meet some nice people and do a bit of the Lord's work.  In essence, add to my contentment and continue my personal renaissance while growing in peace and ministry.  Who knows, God works in mysterious ways.  This could take off and you could see me schilling my product shamelessly on QVC?  I don't know and really don't care.  The joy is in the jar and I'm having fun.  It's not as valued as a Picasso but it tastes better with cream cheese!

Job 36:11
If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.