Images that Stick

Some images stick with you because of the story they tell. This is one such image for me. Lord, comfort the wounded, receive the ones who lost their lives, and bless those who leapt into action without seeming to give thought to their own safety.

Make it a Double

I bought a ticket to Paradise but the train broke down near Somewhere. I got off and wandered down a cobblestone street where I found a pub called Possibilities. I stepped up to the bar and ordered a double...

Notes on Dragons, Food, and the Day to Day

I have a good friend with a good job. Nice salary. Benefits. And he does his job well. Life is good.

But he also spends his spare time doing something he really loves. Something that brings joy to peoples' lives. He even made some money off of his hobby. He loved trying to balance the two - His real job and his hobby. Heck. He needed to. With a family and all.

But this week the hammer fell.

His boss called him into his office.

"We think your 'hobby' is detracting from your job."

My friend asked for specifics. (He was doing his job well.)

No specifics were given. But the company detected that there was a percentage of his life that was devoted to something else. Devotion that could be devoted to and sucked up by the company. The company was not satisfied with 100%. They wanted that and more.

It was at that point that my friend began to reconsider. Perhaps his 'hobby' could be, just might be, his job. His calling. After all. He was good at it. People wanted it. And it did make money.

Hmm... What to do. What to do.

I've been in similar situations. I love cooking. I love writing. And I love going from town to town to meet folks like you and spend some time sharing cooking stories. I could do this forever.

But it's not a real job, some folks say. It doesn't quite pay all the bills. And what about the group benefits?

Those folks are dragons.

I read some good fiction today. And in doing so, it seemed the dragons with their accusations and doubts faded from my mind.

Cuz in the wise and winsome words of G.K. Chesterton: “Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

So tomorrow I'm gonna cook a great meal for folks visiting from out of town. 

Then I'm going to write another chapter in my upcoming cookbook. 

And as if that wasn't enough, I'm going to book another gig at a food and wine fest up north.

Why?

Cuz it's time to beat those dragons down.

What dragon will you beat down this week?

Let me know...

Christmas in Times Square

Okay. I had to speak up. Many of you have probably have seen this pic.

Some folks paid a ton of money to buy this spot to convey their message to the masses. Hey, it's a free country and I can roll with that. But when I look at the orphanages, hospitals, soup kitchens, and worship spaces endowed with pure beauty created by the so-called 'myth-makers'?

Hell, where to I sign up?

And here's why: Cuz it's only in those wild and joyful orphanages, hospitals, soup kitchens and churches that I will truly experience the 'merry'.

I love serving a good meal to everyone. Especially if they may not find one anywhere else.

Who's with me?