Saturday 15 November 2014

It's not my game

This week I've had a completely new experience of game and would like share it with you. On Wednesday evening Adrian brought home two male pheasants (don't worry he didn't shoot them). They were dead so just had to be plucked, cleaned out and cooked. I thought to myself  'No problem plucking and cleaning them out. Sure I've often helped Mum to do that with turkeys and chickens. But how do I cook them?' Well, Mum got a phone call for some advice on that. Use orange, onion and herbs.
Dead Pheasants
After dinnertime I went to start preparing them. As I looked at them lying there on the floor I felt sorry for these beautiful creatures God had made. It seemed such a shame to strip them of those beautiful feathers. I started to pluck but the feathers didn't want to come away from those cold lifeless bodies. The hot water didn't seem to saturate their feathers to make them come away easily. No turkey or chicken was ever as hard to pluck! It took me ages to get all the feathers plucked off....and I did accidentally tear some of their skin. Then, it was off with the heads, feet and wings. Thankfully cleaning them out didn't take long for I'd spent all evening by this stage! Washed and cleaned, they were popped into the fridge for the night. Now it was over to Adrian to dispose of the feathers and internals.

Next day Jemima came in from college, looked in the fridge and asked, 'Did Granny give us those little chickens?' I replied, 'No, your Dad brought them home,' but didn't want to tell her they were pheasants in case she wouldn't eat them. However, she wasn't easily fooled. She could see they looked different. And when they started to cook in the oven she said, 'Mum, they smell off.' So I told her I'd put onions and herbs on them and poured lots of pure orange juice over them. 'Ugh, what did you do that for?' Now it was the moment for truth. I had to tell her they were pheasants....and I'd used pure orange juice as I didn't have any oranges.

So, how did they taste? Well everyone seemed to think they were OK but me. They tasted a bit like leg of chicken. I had the pickiest little bit for I just don't like the dark flesh of fowl....I prefer the breast. Adrian tells me that pheasants are the food of lords. Well the lords are welcome to them.....and I don't think any lord would employ me to prepare and cook pheasants! Needless to say, I don't plan to make a habit of having pheasant for dinner!

And what's my point? Well, God created those beautiful birds and allows man to eat them. But He's given us all talents. And as I certainly wouldn't win Chef of the Year for cooking game....I think I'll stick with using the talents God has given me!

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Unfinished Work

Have you ever started something and never finished it? I have. It was at least 10 years ago I started to crochet a little table mat....and look how much I got done:

Unfinished table mat
I started out with the best of intentions to produce a beautiful piece of crocheting but unfortunately I only did about a quarter of it before quitting. It wasn't because it was difficult or I didn't like doing it. But it was slow work using crocheting thread and a 1 mm crochet hook. It was time consuming and I'm not so sure that Adrian would appreciate me sitting each night crocheting! So I quit because I wasn't prepared to put the time and effort into it.

Then, about 3 or 4 years ago I decided to take the wallpaper off the walls in every room of our house and just paint them....so much easier to keep. Sounds good but I've still two rooms never touched. You see, decorating is something that needs to be done from time to time but I don't enjoy doing it. My aim is to do it little by little over time. But I haven't finished the task because it costs too much to do it all at once and I don't enjoy doing it.

Look around and see examples of unfinished works.....building sites where foundations were laid and the houses were never built because the recession hit. You can probably think of a few examples in your own life too. I don't know your reasons for not completing some tasks but I'll suggest a few from my own experience. It may be because of bad planning, lack of funds, not enough time, bad health, failing strength and eyesight, too old, no longer interested, a broken relationship, got side-tracked, can't be bothered, too much effort, change of mind, or just don't like it.

However, like me, you may have started out with the best of intentions, hoping to do it sometime, maybe little by little, but not just yet. Remember the old saying, 'Procrastination is the thief of time.' So, what should we do about unfinished things in our lives? Stop and think! Is it what God wants you to do? If not, don't do it. Then, ask yourself....Is it worthwhile to complete it? Do I really want to do it? Is it needful, helpful and satisfying? Will it hinder my relationship with God and my family? Will it damage my health? Will it bring joy and blessing from God? Will it bring glory to God? I know that there are things that it is impossible to restart and complete but don't procrastinate on getting right with God.
"I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4v7 KJV)