Oh yes. Dinner is a feast.
Last night I made baked sweetened pork chops with apples and vinegar, spaghetti squash from the garden with sautéed tomatoes, onions, basil and feta and apple crisp with yogurt and walnuts. Tonight is spicy herbed chicken breasts smothered with peppers from the garden, marinated portabella mushrooms and chive mashed potatoes. Blueberry peach pie for dessert. So yummy! How can I be so bold as to shamelessly brag like this? Well, because I know I did not do this on my own. Just like the President said. God gave me the talent and the desire to cook when He gave me all of these kids. I did not do anything to earn or deserve any ability I have. They are gifts, I had nothing to do with and I know it. And so at night, when we all bow our heads before we dig in, we have before us another clear reason to give Him praise.
Oh that is so sweet...gratitude is precious. As for your descriptions...make me feel wanting to come sit at your table. Delicious.
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ReplyDeleteCooking isn't one of my gifts, but my kids are gifted cooks.
ReplyDeleteall gifts are due to GOD. i think sometimes about how great life is... absolutely amazing it so is. great post. (:
ReplyDeleteOh your meals sounds amazing! What a wonderful gift to be blessed with! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful dinner. I took the easy way out and ordered from a menu.
ReplyDeleteWhen can I come for dinner?? Sounds yummy to my tummy.
ReplyDeletedang...dinner sounds great...i want some of that peach blueberry pie...that sounds awesome...and yes it is def another thing to give thanks for...
ReplyDeleteAmen!!! And I want to be invited to one of your dinners!!!!
ReplyDeleteAll this food sounds amazing!
ReplyDeleteIf I could cook like that I'd brag. Many have the gift but don't use it so you deserve a big pat on the back for using your gift. I'm sure you have many more talents.
ReplyDeleteSoooo...what time tomorrow? I absolutely agree that God give us all of this and I love and appreciate your mention of this. Happy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteVery lovely- your place definitely sounds like the place to gather and eat!
ReplyDeleteWhat great menus!!! Those big family meals are a blessing. Praise be to God and God bless the cook.
ReplyDeleteWonderful sounding meals...better than my eat-out sub this afternoon as we rushed off to a meeting! Love your gratitude - what a sweet spirit!
ReplyDeleteTell Michael Jordan he was only good at basketball because he had a basketball gift. Tell a professional body builder he's only strong because he has a strong gift. Tell Bob Dylan he's only a good guitarist because he has a musical gift. Tell Tiger Woods he's only a good golfer because he has a golfing gift. Tell anyone of these people that their success is due only and absolutely to their gifts; that all the days MJ spent shooting free throws, all the nights the body builder was in the gym, all the mornings Tiger was on the green, all that practice, all that time, all that work-it was meaningless. Nobody works for what they have! That would be preposterous! I bet that 20 years ago had you wanted to make the meal you had tonight for dinner you would do it and it would be just as good as it was tonight, because an ability is an ability, a gift is a gift, there is nothing we can do to change or effect these gifts! Surely your ability to cook and MJ's ability to play basketball is just that-an ability. Surely anyone's successes have nothing to do with them-they are ONLY the results of their gifts. Surely, if all the above things are true, and nobody works for what they have, then Santa Claus brings me my presents on Christmas! Oh how blissful ignorance is!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are a terrific cook.
ReplyDeletePeach/blueberry pie is a fave at this house. Don't sell yourself short. You are the master chef and have taught your sous chefs well. Dang, now I'm hungry.
ReplyDeletegifts are given, but is not success earned?
ReplyDeleteWow -- don't tell my kids about this!!
ReplyDeletePraise God for all the wonderful gifts He gives. Thank you for the reminder that every good and perfect gift comes from above. Xoxo
ReplyDeleteYour family is so lucky! Can I come over for dinner?? LOL!
ReplyDeleteYou are making me wish I had 8 kids! And wish still more I could come over for dinner!
ReplyDeleteAmen! (enough said!)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely mouth watering.
ReplyDeleteThis all sounds delicious. Praise the Lord.
ReplyDeletelove this!!
ReplyDeletei want everything that you had for dinner last night!!
ReplyDeleteWe are indeed blessed when we have children, and yours sound wonderful to help you rustle up yummy dinners like that!
ReplyDeletewhat a blessing. a home full of kids and garden full of foods. And a thankful mom. To God be the glory:)
ReplyDeleteYou have a very beautiful family that God gifted to you.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteTnaks for stopping by on my blog. I am your newest follower, just read some posts; your writing is very interesting, I am comming back as soonest as you have new post :)
I only learned how to cook (I mean cook seriously) when I got married. It certainly is a joy to be able to cook for the people you love and thank the One who gave it all to you.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have the gift for being a wonderful cook, but you have worked on it over the years, Annmarie. God does give us the talents, but it's up to us to develop them. You DID build this! :)
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
So beautifully said! Can I come to your house for dinner?
ReplyDeleteYou are blessed Annmarie. So are your children :):) Smiles, Susie
ReplyDeleteok seriously YUM i'll be over for dinner tonight
ReplyDeleteCome Say HI
I wish I liked cooking that much! Can you send some dinner over to us?
ReplyDeleteMade me start my day with a giant smile and another reason to stop and give praise. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYUM! I am hungry this morning:) Have a blessed day, HUGS!
ReplyDeleteYou are using your God- given gifts and giving Him the credit! Everything sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteThat's just what my Mom used to say--she was a wonderful cook and I believe it was because of her Love of family...just like you, XOXO
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great mom and wife you are! Can I stop in for dinner tonight?
ReplyDeleteMary Alice
Yes, I don't see how you could not be a good cook with that many mouths to feed. I am a great cook and love to cook, just hate to clean!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! You were spot on with your thoughts! Give all glory to God...
ReplyDeleteAnd what time is dinner?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely enlightening!! I've never looked at it that way. Thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteDiscerning college student - keep using those gifts God gave you and you will soon discern, as Momto8 so beautifully explains, that Barrack Obama is completely WRONG. Momto8 knows, as I suspect do all those others you mentioned, that her success is the fruit of her own hard work growing the talents with which she was gifted. Just as in the parable of the talents, God wants - demands - that each of us work hard to cultivate His gifts. May you be blessed as you cultivate!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that God gave you such a great gift; cooking! Your dinners sounds nummy.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
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Hi, Thanks for viting mommy is coocoo. You are a no reply commentor. Does that make sense? I bet you will get many more responses to your comments if you can link your comment with you email address.
ReplyDeleteLook at this post and it will make sense! Have a great day.
http://www.mommyiscoocoo.com/2011/11/hey-all-you-coocoo-commenters.html
It is so right that we appreciate the gifts we have, and that we know who gave them to us :)
ReplyDeleteBeautifully stated. Your family is blessed, as are you!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Bless you all!
ReplyDeleteYou didn't build that! Somebody else did! Yes, HE did! :)
ReplyDeleteWish I were home!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful way of looking at dinner. It all sounds so yummy too!
ReplyDeleteSounds so delicious! You might not have "built" that talent, but you certainly cultivated and developed it. Good job mama!
ReplyDeleteAmen to that!
ReplyDeleteGratitude is an attitude.
ReplyDeleteAmen! Loved that attitude. We owe to God everything.. our family, success, our life. Glory to God and congratulations to you on your dishes! :)
ReplyDeleteYour gifts are much more than a great cook...
ReplyDelete1. You recognize gifts and from where they come
2. You embrace your gifts
3. You SHARE your gifts
Lucky lucky people in your circle!
Not only are you a great cook, you are a great mother, and a great person!
ReplyDeleteCooking like that your kids will never want to leave home :)
ReplyDeleteSo sweet and it sounds so yummy!
ReplyDeleteOops. He gave me the kids but not the cooking ability!
ReplyDelete;)
Well I am glad you were given the gift of cooking.....just imagine the uproar in your house if you were bad at it...lol
ReplyDeleteWonderful mom with a wonderful family!
ReplyDelete