Eat and Drink and Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor

Meditate.

What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. Ecclesiastes 3:9-13

 

Our grapes
We water and harvest.
Life is sweet!
God provides.

Not many people can say that they truly enjoy the fruits of their labor by raising their own crops, gardens, or animals these days. But we can eat, drink and enjoy what God has provided for us because we have the means to have food on our table at every meal. I am continually amazed and grateful for the wide variety of food that we have. When I was growing up meals were pretty plain. Hot dogs that we jokingly call "round steaks" and cheep french fries from the local factory when we could get them. Not just hot dogs and french fries at our house now. We have a plethora of meat choices as well as fruits and veggies regularly ranging from leeks, broccoli, butternut squash, apples, figs, pears, cherries, and in the fall fresh grapes shared from our neighbor’s vines. We’ve frozen and dried some of those grapes so we have them all year round. I have to plan ahead so that we aren’t wasteful of this bounty of food—that I feel is really a gift from God. My mantra in meal planning is fresh first, then frozen, and as a last resort, canned food. Of course, we also have some dried foods—especially beans, raisins, cranberries, pears, apricots—as well as nuts, pastas, and rice. It's good to keep at least a couple of weeks of food on hand. You never know when there might be an emergency and you can’t get to the store. We don’t live in a hurricane or tornado area—but natural disasters can happen and with the Covid situation it is possible that there could be a panic and the grocery shelves would be emptied again.

 

We just have to trust in God for these gifts He provides. He has things under control and has supplied food for His people in the past—remember the manna—and He will continue to provide for us. We need to remember others in our community that don’t have as much as we do. Be compassionate. Look for ways to share and bestow on them generously, as God has done that for you. As you serve others, you are serving God. Remember the scripture where Jesus said…

Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' Matthew 25:37-40

 

Enjoy that with which God has blessed you and be creative in the foods that you prepare for yourself and your family. So, like Solomon, I conclude… there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

 

Prayer ~ Lord, as always, I am so very grateful for the bounty of food You provide. I’m sure the manna was wonderful. Today the clam chowder and the butternut squash apple soup were amazing. Thank You! Clams are such great little creatures and make a tasty soup. Who, but You, would have thought to combine apples and butternut squash? Yum. It was not only tasty, but so healthy, too. I praise You for Your creativity…and the love You show us in all that You provide.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The LORD is great!"  

 

Memory Verse of the Week: And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6

 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

We can’t live on bread alone. This soup is a combination of two butternut soup recipes good for fighting off the flu or just combatting a chill on a cold winter night.

 

Apple Butternut Squash Soup    6-8 servings

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil

2 medium leeks, white part only, diced

1 red onion, chopped finely

1 green chili chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, grated

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped

4 golden or Jonathan apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 bunch shiitake mushrooms, sliced

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock

2 1/2 cups water, plus more if needed

Toasted pecans, for garnish (optional)

Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

 

Melt butter or heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, garlic, ginger, and chili; cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft, about 4 minutes. Add squash, and mushrooms cooking, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne, black pepper, stock, and water, just enough to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook about 30 minutes, until squash and apples are very soft.

 

Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary. To serve, ladle into shallow bowls; garnish with sliced apples, toasted pecans, and sour cream if desired.

 

© 2022 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories (Children’s storybook)

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com