Yum, Yum Butternut

It's November when squashes are plentiful

Butternut, acorn, spaghetti

Hard, smooth, round and oblong

All with a solid, stiff, stem

I can't bite into them like an apple

Yet with the right tools, some time, and skill,

I can create something scrumptious to eat. 

I love butternut squash soup.

Thick, sweet, savory and warmed.

It's not easy to create, it takes some work.

Is anything worth having without some work?

My serrated peeler helps me peel off the light, peach

colored skin, revealing the rich flesh beneath.

My chef's knife helps me halve it and cut off the

bottom and top, before scraping out the seeds.

Then I cube the flesh before tossing it in a pot 

of chicken broth, while fresh, sliced, peeled apples

sautee with thinly sliced onions in coconut oil.

The aroma is rich and sweet. It swirls above my stove.

I give them time to cook. The heat makes everything

tender, before I combine everything in one and blend.

A dash of cinnamon, some maple syrup, cayenne pepper

along with cream, blends beautifully together in my

large pot with a handy immersion blender.

It is perfect on a cold day with a hunk of hard, crusty 

fresh bread.  It is edible only after I have taken my tools

and time, to prepare it, and then let elements transform it.

It is a lot like life. It reminds me of relationships with people.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)

If I hope to have something delectable and full of nutrients to satisfy,

I need to prepare. I must have the right tools and be ready to use them.

I must have time to put into the process and not rush it. 

Microwaveable, relationships are NOT, time consuming they are.

I also need to know what to discard as compost and what is worth

keeping to cook and savor.  I must have a purpose and a plan.

I must follow the recipe instructions I was given. 

There are rules to respectful and honest communication.

When followed they allow for the dance of flavors to mesh together,

swirling and filling the air with a rich, sweet aroma wetting appetites.

We can create something satisfying, warming our hearts and homes.

We can satisfy our souls and bless others, if we are willing and able to

put in the effort and the time. We can use what we are given or harvest.

We can make something wonderful out of it. We can be a living example.

I don't know who thought of taking a funny looking squash and transforming

it into such a yummy autumn soup, but I'm so glad they did!

Colossians 3:23 "whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord,

not for human masters."

James 1:12 "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those that love Him."