broccoli and rain

We have a broccoli glut.

Now we love 'trees' in our family, but its time to find some new recipes.

Tonight we're going to try this recipe posted at TeacherBritt's site, Joyous Blessings.

Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews

Prep: 4 minutes Cook: 15 minutes

1 kg fresh broccoli cooked until crisp
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 tab brown sugar
3 tabs soy sauce
2 teas white vinegar
1/4 teas pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup salted roasted cashews

Melt butter, add brown sugar and next 4 ingredients.
Bring to boil; remove from heat. Stir in cashews.
Pour sauce over broccoli, and serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings, Kj 700, (cal 168) Fat 13.8g, Cholesterol
28mg, Sodium 688 mg

This looks yummy! Thanks, Britt!

While you're visiting Britt's site listen to the beautiful song by Nichole Nordeman called Gratitude. These are the lyrics:

Gratitude

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

(Chorus)
We'll give thanks to You With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...
(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste
that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need
So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case...
(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please...

We live in one of Australia’s main broad acre cropping and grazing zones - the Wimmera Southern Mallee Region in north-western Victoria. This area is currently experiencing the worst drought since records began. Twelve years on, the situation looks worse - not better.

The hopelessness that some farmers feel, and their complete inability to govern (or even predict) the weather, has led to some of them suffering from significant depression – it is only likely to get worse with time.

• Pray for the rain that the farmers so desperately need.
• Pray for wisdom for rural support workers: clergy, doctors, mental health counsellors, family and friends to counsel depressed farmers and prevent the increase in suicide. It is estimated that one Australian rural farmer commits suicide every four days…
• Pray that farming families will be able to withstand the stress that ongoing financial crisis brings, especially teens and adolescents, who are less able to cope with this stress.
• Pray for God’s Spirit to move the hearts of Australians wherever we are, in cities, towns, communities, and churches, that we may discern God’s will in all this and act on it.
  Pray that Christian farmers will retain their trust in God and know that He is good and He is in control.
• Pray that they will be able to encourage those around them and bring hope where everything seems hopeless.
• Pray that God might enable Christian farmers to demonstrate their love for God in tangible ways – theirs is Christian Witness at great cost. “Though he slays me, yet will I hope in him.” Job 13:15