I always wondered

Our Daily Bread
Wow, I talked to a close friend of mine about this topic the other day.  At different times over the past 28 years, I wondered why God spared me through all the physical issues I have.  I praise him for being delivered, but judge myself and question God when I attend the funerals of others that seem far more valuable in my eyes than I am.

The devotional has the best explanation I have ever heard for this situation -- a tree of rest.  Maybe that is why I have a chest the size of a large tree trunk!  ha!  Being a spiritual and/or physical resting place for others is a big job.  Not everyone can do it.  Not everyone can smile through the storms or even attempt to walk on the stormy waters. God sees something in each of us that we can't always see.  For me it took 28 years to put it into language other than "God has a plan for you".  Praise God for the plan he has for each of us.  May we all seek to follow him each second of our life.

Lord, our time is in your hands.  We say that every Sunday.  Please help us be what we are supposed to be for your glory!

Foodie Friday
I found this recipe for an unusual appetizer that I want to try.  I plan to add prosciutto ham to it for an extra twist.

Cheese Shortbread
By Mark Bittman

After just one of these crisp, melt‐in‐your‐mouth snacks you'll never want another of those bright orange cheese puffs again. The dough can be made ahead of time or the shortbreads baked a day ahead and stored in an airtight container, making them ideal for parties.

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
2 cups grated Emmental, Gruyère, cheddar, or other semihard cheese
1½ cups all‐purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon paprika or ground cumin (optional)

Steps:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal; do not overprocess. (You can also use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the mixture to the same consistency in a bowl.) Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until you're ready to bake the puffs.
Form the dough into 1‐inch balls. Line the balls on a lightly greased or parchment‐lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between them. Slightly flatten each ball with your fingers.
Bake until the pastries puff and turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, then sprinkle with additional paprika and serve.

Variations:
Blue Cheese Shortbread
Substitute 1 cup crumbled blue cheese for a cup of the Emmental cheese.

Pecorino Cheese Shortbread
Substitute 1 cup each grated pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese for the Emmental.

Herbed Cheese Shortbread
Add ¼ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, like parsley, chives, dill, and/or basil, with a little tarragon.

Spiced Cheese Shortbread
Use 2 to 3 teaspoons garam masala or Hot Curry Powder for an Indian flair, caraway for an Eastern European flavor, or toasted cumin seeds for a North African twist.

Prosciutto Shortbread
Reduce the cheese to 1 cup and use finely grated Parmesan. Chop several thin slices of prosciutto into pieces and add them to the food processor in Step 1.
Courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Copyright © Double B Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.
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