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| Kairos Pimento Cheeseburger |
What’s up guys,
It has been a neat week building relationships around food
at Kairos Kafe. Last Friday The Birmingham News published an article about our
Pimento Cheese and it is turning into a phenomenon! I have never made so many
batches of Pimento Cheese in one week and I don’t think I have ever cooked that
many burgers, but when they are slathered with the delicious goodness of my
Pimento Cheese that takes a burger to a whole new level! Nothing could make me
happier than seeing something I created make all you folks so happy! Thank You.
We also put our finishing touches on The Valentine’s Menu. It will be posted on
our website and our Facebook Page. This year is going to be very special. We
will have live Jazz music played by my good friend Lenny Madden and Brian
Batista will be there to take pictures of you on your special night. He will
print you a 4x6 photo courtesy of Kairos Kafe, but you will also be able to
order additional ones from his Website. I’m excited for all the special touches
we have added this year thanks to our wonderful Special Events Coordinator,
Denise Nolen. She is handling all the little extra special things that only a
Lady can do, and in turn she is enabling me to focus on what I do best... The
Food!!
And speaking of food I can already taste those Filets
sizzling on the grill... waiting to be covered with Marsala Wine Sauce and
Mushrooms... Mmmmm ... I usually only do filets once a year on Valentine’s and
then it gives us something to think about all year as we joyfully anticipate
their arrival at Kairos on the evening of February 14th! Good Stuff!
Last week I came up with a new recipe last week for Collard Green Soup. I’m on
a soup kick here lately with all the cold weather, but I was overwhelmed by all
the accolades that I received. One gentleman, who returned promptly at 10:30
a.m. the next day, said he went home and told his wife “Today I had the best
soup I’ve ever eaten in my life!” His comments, and those from others of you
have made me Happy! Happy! Happy! I’m actually making it on Fox 6 Monday
Morning at 8:45 and after that the recipe will be posted on their website. I
hope you will come see us in the Kafe this week! The Collard Green Soup will
definitely be on The D.G. Express along with fresh Kobbler and many other
offerings of Delicious Goodness!
I usually try to be transparent when I write things that
Jesus is teaching me. I think that when I am totally honest about the things I
struggle with, the joys, the ups, and the downs then I am truly sharing my life
with others and it gives some of you the freedom to share your lives with me. I
think that’s how Jesus intends it to be. When we do that life becomes authentic
and not some pie in the sky idea of rainbows and butterflies. Life is messy.
The Grace of God is scandalous. Through all of our weaknesses and shortcomings
and faults and failures His Grace shows us that He loves us. Just as we are.
With no strings. He just wants me to Trust Him and Love Him back. Pretty simple
stuff, but very humbling for me. This week I want to share something that will
make me a little more vulnerable. I generally don’t put all my business out
there, especially when it involves family, but I learned some powerful truths
over the last few weeks and I sense that it needs to be shared.
I have been dealing with some tough family matters involving
my Momma, who for the last 18 months has been living in my hometown of Phenix
City. Through the process of caring for her and trying to get her some help I
ran into opposition from one of her sisters. All my life this particular branch
of my Mom’s family has been very difficult to deal with. I won’t go into it all
but let’s just say that they all had a very rough start in life and had to
endure pains that I cannot even fathom. We have always used that as a way to
excuse some of their behaviors but I believe there is a time when you have to
say enough is enough, even with family. Boundaries. They are tough, but
necessary. Somewhere during this process I began to get texts from some of them
saying some of the ugliest things that could be said... about me... and about
my Momma... If I told you some of the words and things said you probably would
not even believe me so I won’t try. Over the past ten years I have sought to be
a peacemaker with my family. To the point of exhaustion. I know that Jesus
wants me to be a man of peace, and not carry bitterness and resentment towards
others so that has always been my aim. The funny thing is after they talk about
me or lie about me or fabricate some elaborate story about me they always come
back and say, “I’m sorry... I didn’t mean it... I was just mad...” This has
been the pattern for my 40 years on planet earth.
I’m sharing this though because Jesus taught me for the
first time how HE wants me to respond. Growing up and in the past when I came
under attack I always responded by lashing back. You hurt me and I’ll hurt you
back. You hurt my Momma and I’ll hurt you back. Eye for an Eye stuff. But since
I’ve come into a relationship with Jesus I know that’s not the way to do it.
Not that I’ve always followed that perfectly but that has been my aim. My new
technique has been to say I don’t care. Let it go. Forgive. Drop it. Move on.
They are crazy. Don’t let them in my head. Etc.
But in doing that I always battled a certain amount of
bitterness. I kept it all buried in and when it came up I would get angry and
nurse it. This week after coming under one of these attacks Jesus asked me a
question. “James, do those words hurt you?” ... (my response) ...“No! They are
just crazy evil people” but He just kept asking me that same question until
finally I broke down and said, “Yes it hurts! It hurts like hell! You would
expect that kind of mess from your worst enemies. I don’t understand how
someone in my own family who says that they love me could treat me that way. It
does hurt. And it always has...”
“James, if it hurts, say it hurts. You don’t have to go
around telling everybody all about it, but you tell me about it. Tell me that
it hurts. Don’t deny the truth and don’t bury it. In doing this you face the
reality of the problem and then you can simply release it to me...” I did it. I
faced it. And I allowed myself to feel the pain that I’ve always felt over this
particular situation. And it hurt for about 24 hours. After that it was all
over. And for the first time in my life I am free from all that. And I even
understand why I have always had such a difficult time trusting people. This
has played over into several areas of my life already. We cannot deny the
Truth. Jesus won’t help me deny the Truth no matter how hard it may be. He
will, however, help me to face the Truth, Process it, and be free...
God Bless You!!! Thank you for supporting Kairos, and I hope
you have a wonderful week!
James K Jones
“Whom the Son sets free is Free Indeed!” -Jesus
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