As with most dishes that are prepared in a slow cooker, a slow-cooked batch of "life stew" will be most flavorful when all of the ingredients are allowed to slowly blend together at a steady temperature. Shortcuts are not advisable, as they will only serve to compromise the finished product. I, for one, love the simplicity of cooking in my slow cooker. I add the raw ingredients and end up with a delectable and savory dish 6-8 hours later. What could be easier?
Consider the different ingredients that are often needed to create a flavorful dish. Are they all similar? Any good cook knows that it's often the contrast of seasonings or ingredients in a dish that make it delicious, interesting and memorable! I use this strategy with many of my signature dishes, and my friends and family keep coming back for more! Let's go back to the analogy of the "life stew" for a moment. Life's pleasantries are a very sweet and critical ingredient in this dish, but a great dish needs balance. A dash of red pepper flakes or a teaspoon of vinegar might be just what is needed to create the kind of balance we're looking for. These ingredients could represent some of the challenges that we all face at one point or another in our lives, but we can't stop with them because our "stew" still needs more. Specialty ingredients (not your everyday Food Lion or Wal-Mart brands) are sometimes added to a dish to increase it's authenticity or to give it that special "wow factor". We can add specialty spices to our "life stew", but we can only get these important ingredients from God. It is God who adds just the right amounts of grace and mercy. It is God who adds supernatural doses of strength, faith or patience to our "stew" whenever we need Him to. Without these special ingredients, our efforts would be futile and our resources wasted.
No, I've never wanted to climb the side of a mountain, yet I've found myself in this very predicament time and time again. Yes, with God's help, I've climbed and descended my share of mountain sides! I once asked Him why the descent was always necessary, and He reminded me of all that I've learned in the "valley experiences" of my life. He comforts me during times of difficulty by drawing my attention to the beautiful lilies of the valley. These lilies remind me that all is never lost and that God's promise is to give me beauty in exchange for my life's ashes. So, whether I'm experiencing a mountain high or a valley low, I'll remain focused and alert, as not to miss out on any of the lessons (some incidental, some written just for me) that I need to learn.
"Lord, help me to give thanks in every situation I find myself in, recognizing that I can trust You to continue to lead, provide for and protect me no matter what. Thank you for being a present help to me always. Amen."
