 |
| Kairos Chicken Florentine |
What’s up guys,
Good times happening around Kairos this week. I just
returned from a weekend trip to my Hometown of Phenix City, Alabama. I went
down to introduce The Miss to my family there, and while we were there I took
her to some of the “original” food spots to hip her to small town cuisine. Our
first stop was at the local Piggly Wiggly to see my Aunt Patsy, the creator of
Kairos Kafe’s legendary Banana Pudding. Next up was a trip to the 14th
Street Grill for a Scrambled Dog and an R.C. Cola. This was pretty cool because
it reminded of my Mee-Maw, who loved her some R.C.’s and Scrambled Dogs. We
also got to meet the original owner, a pleasant lady named Martha. She was
actually my Mom’s first employer at the ripe old age of 15, and when my parents
got married Martha’s Son was their ring-bearer... We finished up with Dinner at
Mike & Ed’s BBQ, which in my opinion is the best of the best, and to my
knowledge the only place on the planet where you get your sweet tea out of a
big trash can that has a spicket on it! As the weekend progressed and I heard
endless stories about my family, it really made me think of my Granny and the
Cookbook that I am compiling with all her beloved recipes, “Love, Sara – Granny
and Me in the Kitchen”. I can’t wait for you guys to get a peek at this
masterpiece that will also be my tribute to her life and her influence on our
lives. It’s gonna be good stuff!
And speaking of good stuff, the delicious goodness is
rocking on at Kairos this week. I didn’t think that it could be possible but I
have actually come up with one more Kobbler that is creating a buzz around the
Kairos World... Banana Kobbler! I cannot even begin to describe the taste and
smell of this culinary delight. Its actually a very simple recipe...Banana’s,
brown sugar, vanilla, butter, and a bubbly good top... and it is so good you
will have to experience it for yourself! It will be on the D.G. Express Lunch
Buffet this week. My Mee-Maw’s Chicken and Dressing was also a huge hit last
week so that will be on this week as well.
I cooked dinner last week for my future in-laws, and when I first met
MommaLu (my Miss’s Mom and my Mother-In-Law to be) she told me that some of her
favorite things to eat were cobblers and Chicken and Dumplings. My fast reply
to her was “Then it is very fortunate for you that Jesus has brought me into
your life!” J I
made my Granny’s Chicken and Dumplings and they were a huge success. She is
still allowing me to marry her daughter! J
There is also a new section on The Specials Menu that I am calling “The Taco
Station” For so many years at Kairos I’ve tried to come up with fast sandwiches
that are filled with delicious goodness. About a year ago I realized that when
I was in a hurry and hungry I would often grab a flour tortilla, fill it with
anything good, and eat it on the go! Since then I have come up with so many fun
recipes that I think it’s almost time to start a Delicious Goodness Taco Truck!
I hope you will experience each of them in the days ahead, and I welcome any
suggestions you may have! I look forward to seeing you this week in the Kafe or
when we deliver via the Katering Truck!
Perhaps the most exciting phrase (For Me) in the scriptures
are three simple words that Jesus uttered as He poured out His very life and
blood for me...
It.
Is.
Finished.
It is finished. Period. Now, I don’t know what that means
for some people, and I haven’t always truly known what that means for me, but
over the years Jesus has taught me what that very simple, and yet very powerful
phrase means and how it can impact my life if I will just give up my own ideas
and embrace the Truth of what He really accomplished for me on that Cross.
Last week a dear friend of mine made a comment in passing
that caused me to go back and ask what that meant. She said, “The Ten
Commandments in the Catholic Bible are Different from the Ten Commandments in
the Protestant Bible. They are numbered differently...” I was a little confused
and a little short when I said, “There is really no such thing as a Catholic
Bible and a Protestant Bible... The Words were actually given to Jewish People
and The Bible, if we want to get technical, is a Jewish Book...neither
Protestant nor Catholic or any of the other 2911 sects that we have created over
the years...” my next comment sparked a debate. I said “Anyways it really
doesn’t matter because we are not under the Law. Jesus took care of all that
and we are under the law of love...” For the next few days we went back and
forth via text messages each defending our viewpoint. At one point I actually
started texting full chapters from the book of Colossians, and although that
may sound a bit ridiculous, this is a subject that I am very passionate about
mostly because of my experiences following Jesus and the truths that He has
used to transform my life from the inside out, and not from the outside in...
When I came to Jesus I had the subconscious thought that...
okay... now I’m forgiven... but going forward it is up to me to keep myself
right... up to me to figure out the rules, the laws, the ways that “I” need to
live and doggone it, just white-knuckle it through this life and never miss the
mark again. Man did I have it all twisted. I went through a period of time, a
period of misery, where I actually put myself under so many laws and rules that
I almost crumbled beneath the weight of them. I think that time was necessary,
and through all that I learned that it really wasn’t about all that. It’s not
about me. It’s about Him. It’s not about my own stuff and the impressive things
that I can do. It’s about all the stuff that He has already done and all the awesome
things that He is doing, and the incredible things that He wants to do! See, if
it was all about me and I could make myself perfect then here’s what would
happen. I could write a book. I could give you pointers and poems about how “I”
did it, and how hard “I” worked and how impressed you should be with “Me”. Then
you adopt the same laws, rules, and systems that I did and you could just sit
at my feet and be like me... But guess what? If that were the Truth then why
would I even need Jesus? What then should my response be? How do I respond to
Jesus when He forgives me for so much? My natural human tendency is to try to
work real hard to repay Him. But the unnatural, heart-of-Jesus response should
be for me to take that and give it away to the people that make up my world. If
I do that then I am fulfilling the Law of Love. If I make up rules, try to
follow Old Testament Laws, and do all that then I am “doomed to disappointment”
as Paul writes to The Galatians. In that letter He is clear that if we attempt
to make ourselves right by following The Old Testament Law then we have to
follow it 100% and not miss the mark on any of it. In Modern, Southern Language
that means if you are doing it that way then you better not be eating BBQ! Because
under the Law, Pork is forbidden. There are also thousands of things we make up
or pick up from other people along the way that can become our own little
“laws”. That’s why Jesus got so irritated with the religious folks in His days
of walking the Earth.
All that can be subject for endless conversations and
endless debates, which can be beneficial or not, but for me here is my #1
reason. The Law cannot change me. The Laws that I make up cannot change me.
They may have the appearance of making me look Holy to ya’ll, but on the inside
there is something else going on. I have heard it said that by trying to change
by following the rules is like pouring gasoline on a fire... it just makes it
worse... but when I give all that up and surrender my heart, my life, my will,
to Jesus then He begins to make the necessary changes that lead to true freedom
and an authentic life that He is the author of. Redemption is a beautiful thing.
The Process can be Hell, but in the end there is always something beautiful
that Jesus makes. I am so thankful that He took all that “do-it-yourself” stuff
and all the laws, ceremonies, days, rules, and rituals and nailed them to His
Cross! (Colossians 2:13-23) Maybe this week you will ask Him what that means.
Perhaps you will exchange trying for trusting. Maybe this week you will
experience His Peace in new and exciting ways. Not a Peace that comes from
embracing our own goodness, but His Peace, which cannot be explained, which is
full of His Joy and calm delight. Maybe instead of fretting about that little
thing that you have been trying to change you will tell Jesus that you give up,
and maybe then experience change the way He does it!
Thank you for listening to my words. Thank you for
supporting Kairos! God Bless You and have a wonderful week!
James K Jones
“AND TO THE ONE WHO DOES NOT WORK BUT BELIEVES IN HIM WHO
JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS” Romans 4:5
IT IS FINISHED.
P.S. We are getting married! A wonderful friend has set up a
website for me and The Miss with all the details! Check out http://www.jamesandhaley.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment