God Has Assessed Your Ability

So today I decided to sit out on my balcony and blog!  This is the absolute perfect weather for writing.....a nice breeze and just the right amount of sun.  The clouds have a little overcast, but there are no complaints from me!

Yesterday I woke up for early morning prayer and could not go back to sleep, so I turned on Bishop Jakes and began watching the series on "Transformational  Instincts" again.  I started out watching "Transformational Creativity" and got stuck on "Instinct to Increase."  Now this was not the first time that I had heard this message, but it was the first time that I received the revelation on opposition being viewed as opportunity!  That word ignited something in me, and I have been chewing and pondering on it since.

Bishop Jakes began to talk about the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, and how the master distributed the talents to each of his servants based on their ability.

  The distribution of the talents was not personal or based on preference, but it was based on the assessment the master made of his servants and their individual ability.  He had taken inventory, gauged, surveyed, weighed their ability, and knew what they would be able to handle, and to one he gave five talents, to another he gave two talents, and to another he gave one talent.
I like how Bishop Jakes began to break down the fact that in the scripture it indicates that the talents were given to each servant based on ability; however, what the scripture doesn't clearly state, but implies, is that they were all given the same opportunity.  Now opportunity in the dictionary means an appropriate time or occasion!!  Whew I am getting excited because when I looked up the greek meaning of opportunity it is kairos, which is occasion, the set or proper time, due season.  So we see, the master didn't just give them a talent(s), but he also gave them time to work their talent(s).

As I was reading Matthew 25 again I was drawn to the fact that after the master gave the servants their talents, he immediately went on a journey, which was their window of opportunity, their set time and occasion to work their measure and to reproduce!

I had to go back and look at that word talent again because I think that we have gotten the meaning confused, and we may need to have it redefined.  Talent is an innate natural ability or gift.  It is the thing that you were born with, the gift that God placed inside of you when he fashioned and designed you.  We are all born with a gift or talent of some sort; however, it is truly up to us to search inwardly and discover what it is.

There are a couple more points that I want to bring out and then I'm going to try and wrap this up!  I wasn't sure where Bishop Jakes was going when he said that "opportunity is not only invisible, but can also come to you in the form of opposition.

  If you don't see it or perceive it correctly, you will miss that up under the suit of opposition is opportunity!"  That right there stopped me in my tracks! I said alright Bishop, I don't know about that, but then the Holy Spirit began to make it personal for me, and this is how I got it!

"Jodi, before you were ever diagnosed with liver cancer, I weighed you and assessed your ability to handle what was coming your way.  I knew that it would be one of the greatest and most difficult things that you would have to walk through, but I knew you were the woman for the job.  I knew what I had placed inside of you and the grace that was on your life to face this great opposition.  I knew that you would take every opportunity to take the lemons of your diagnosis, every negative prognosis, every surgery, and make lemonade.  I knew that you would take the grace gifting on your life and your talents, along with seizing the occasion of time, and reproduce life that would not only sustain you, but all those that are around you! I knew that you would come to a place where you would see the benefit of the Experience for my Glory!"

I tell you, I had never looked at it that way until yesterday.....truly another level of revelation!  I have said many days that I have absolutely no regrets for my journey, but it wasn't until yesterday that I could articulate it from the perspective that my hard place had become my set time, my due season, my kairos moment!  I think more importantly, what I have come to understand isthat I had to seize the time and opportunity that God was giving me, and to make the most of every moment.  I made up in my mind that despite the diagnosis I would not be like the wicked servant that made excuses for his situation and took his Lords money (talent), the thing that would bring him increase, and bury it in the earth.   

Listen, I don't know what you are facing in your life that you are perceiving as opposition, but I encourage you to look again!

 Look again to see if it is opposition or opportunity! 

 If you perceive it as opportunity, know that God has assessed your life and has given you the amount of talent, or innate natural ability to succeed and be excellent on your level.

My prayer is that you will take all that God has counted you worthy to handle, and give it back to him multiplied with interest.

I pray that this song blesses you~

My LIVE Meals: "Cucumber Watermelon Salad"

Cucumber Watermelon Salad

In my effort to EatBetta and LIVEBetta I have found that it is 

very easy to become bored with eating the same things. 

I mean, I have had to learn to be very creative 

in my cooking so that I don't fall off the wagon.  I have made a 

choice to stay on this path of healthy eating and living, so I am

always on the Food Network watching and looking for new ideas!

I wanted to do something a little different this week so

I decided to make a Cucumber Salad, which was a dish that 

my mother often made for us. 

This is a simple salad that consists of cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, 

and red wine vinaigrette.  When I got ready to take my ingredients 

out I realized my tomatoes had gone bad! 

I stood there starring in the refrigerator disappointed!

After looking in the refrigerator for a moment there was this 

beautiful bright red watermelon starring back at me!  

I'm thinking to myself, "now Jodi that's a little too creative."

All I kept thinking about was the flavor of the cucumber 

and then the flavor of the watermelon, 

so after tasting the two together I was sold.

Let me just say, after making the salad I was in love!!!! 

I couldn't stop eating it!

 I had hit the jackpot with my new summer salad!

Then the real seal of approval came from Mr. Litmon, 

and yes he loved it as well!  

Needless to say, we didn't have any leftovers!

I posted the picture of the Cucumber Watermelon Salad on social media, 

and I ended up getting quite a few requests for the recipe!  

Well, I made it again so I hope you enjoy!

 

I used a fourth of a watermelon for this salad.

Cut your watermelon in triangle chunks and then dice into smaller pieces.

 

Remove the peel from one large cucumber.

Once the peel is removed, take a fork and run it down the

entire cucumber to create ridges.

Thinly slice your cucumber, and then slice again into fourths.

You can now add your cucumbers to 

the bowl of watermelon.

 

Right here I have a half of a red onion that 

I have thinly sliced about 5 times

Once you have sliced your onions, cut again into fourths.

You may also dice your onions into smaller pieces if you so desire.

Now add your red onions to the bowl

with the watermelon and cucumber.

We are now going to stir in the seasonings

which are:

1 tablespoon of Kosher Salt

2 tablespoons of Greek Seasoning

1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning

For the final touch our Homemade Vinaigrette:

Add 1/4 Olive Oil to you jar or bowl

(When using a jar with a lid it is easier to shake/mix the ingredients)

Add 2/3 cup of Red Wine Vinegar to the jar

1 tablespoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon of sugar

2 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning

and 1 tablespoon of Greek

Shake until dressing is well mixed, and sample for desired taste 

before pouring into salad

You are now ready to complete your salad by adding 

about half of the vinaigrette to your salad.

You can eat this beautiful Cucumber Watermelon Salad by itself

or serve to your guest as a side at your next event!!

.....and now you're on your own! 

Enjoy~

"LIVE LeftOvers" Mexican Omelete

"LIVE LeftOvers" 

Mexican Omelet

In the recent weeks I have been posting pics of some of my creative meals.  Well, the other day I had someone suggest that I should do a cooking blog!  At the first thought I was very hesitant,

but the more I thought about it, I decided to give it a try!

So today I am going to show you how you can "LIVE with your LeftOvers,

hence what I call "LIVE LeftOvers!"

Due to my diagnosis I have been trying to Eat Better 

so that I can LIVE Better.

It is my goal to use more healthy and organic ingredients without sacrificing flavor.

There have been times that my cabinets and refrigerator has been lean, 

and I had to learn something call "creative cooking."  

I believe some of my best meals have been the ones

where I pulled together a little of this and a little of that 

and threw it in the pot!

As I was thinking about what I would eat for breakfast this morning my creative juices started flowing.

 I began to take mental inventory of the ingredients I had in my kitchen.

Well, I decided to LIVE in the moment and make a Mexican Omelet, 

which I would create from the remainder of my taco ingredients that I had leftover from dinner last night!

Start by whisking 3 eggs, adding a dash of greek seasoning

Preheat your skillet on medium heat, and spray it with olive oil

Add the whisked eggs to your heated skillet

Take a moment to heat your ground turkey mixture so that it's not cold inside of the omelet

As your eggs start to slowly cook add your ground turkey, diced onions, and diced roma tomatoes to the middle of the omelet

Once the eggs start to bubble carefully fold one side of the eggs to cover the ingredients inside of the omelet

Allow the omelet to cook for another minute or two and then remove from your skillet and place on a plate

For the finale, garnish the omelet with a dollop of salsa along with tomato basil feta cheese

This was truly a great quick breakfast!!!!

Mr. Litmon gave this a 2 Thumbs Up!!!

Let me know if you try it out 

and definitely feel free to put your own spin on it!

Worship: How Is It More Than A Song?

I'm coming back to the Heart of Worship where it's all about you Jesus!

I'm coming back..................back to a place where I've been before, to the place I was at one point and time!  I'm coming back to a place that I walked away from.  As a matter of fact, why did I leave the place that I once longed for, the place that I craved for, the place that I panted and thirsted for, the place that caused me to be most fulfilled?  Why did I allow the cares of life, my selfish ambitions and desires, and my outside relationships to distract me and keep me from your presence?
Your presence, that place of refreshing!  The place where the water of worship covered me and allowed me to drink from deep wells, quenching the insatiable thirst in my soul. The place where my heart sought to please you and exalt you higher than worship itself.  The place where I worshiped you until you poured your song of love out over me!

I mean, I didn't walk away from God! I'm still saved! But I know that I have allowed other things to get my attention, and now God and I don't meet like we used to.  I don't find myself lingering in his presence waiting to hear His voice in the cool of the day.  So what happened?

There are many things that come to pull us away from that place that is reserved and sacred between you and God, but once His presence has been your dwelling place, nothing else will satisfy!

Yes, I'm coming back!  I'm coming back to the Heart of Worship where it's all about OBEDIENCE!  Not just the raising of my hands, singing my favorite song, or even offering God what I think He wants, but coming to the place where my heart seeks to please and obey God.  Now don't get me wrong, I know our expression of praise and worship definitely has it's place, but if we're talking about God's response to worship and the worshiper, it's starts all the way at the beginning, in Genesis!

After my good friend Mr. Lawrence Floyd gave me this topic to blog about, I began to think about just how vast the subject of worship really is.  I've had the opportunity to read many books and hear many views on the subject of worship, but I haven't heard many teach us that our worship begins with OBEDIENCE!  I believe that the highest form of worship that we can offer to our God is a lifestyle of obedience, which is the worship that God responds to!

After looking and searching in the word of God, I realized that the first time we see the word "worship" mentioned is in the book of Genesis, chapter 22 verse 5.   5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad[a] and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”

It was in Genesis 22 verse 1 where the words says that God tested Abraham, calling him by name, and Abraham responded, "Here I Am."  God told Abraham to take your only son, that you love, and go to the land of Moriah (the place) and offering him as a burnt offer him on the mountain that I tell you!  Abraham never exchanged words with God, but rose up early in the morning with Issac and his servants.  He prepared the wood for the offering and waited to hear from God as to where he would go to offer Isaac up as a sacrifice.  It is in this passage that we see the ultimate act of Obedience and Trust that equates to worship! 

This is why I say that worship is more than a song, but a lifestyle of obedience.  It is simply offering God what he has required of you and trusting that Jehovah Jireh will make provision for the sacrifice!  It's not what we offer up that matters as much as being willing to present to God the requested sacrifice.  
Today I ask you, what has God required of you that you have struggled to lay on the altar?  I could name a lot of things, but only you know!  You see our worship is personal, and even more so when God is dealing with our hearts.  I implore you to bring God more than a song or a waive offering, but fully commit to Him your heart through an authentic lifestyle of worship.  It's not enough enough to offer up strange fire, but to bring God a set apart life, a sacrificial offering that is pleasing to him.  A life that when going through the fiery furnace of affliction offers up a sweet aroma.

Today I'm coming back to the place where my worship touches the Heart of God and causes Him to respond!

God I'll bring you more than a song

For a song in itself is not what you have required

You search much deeper within

Through the way things appear

You're looking into my heart!

I'm coming back to the Heart of Worship where it's all about you Jesus!

I pray that this song blesses you~