Carla was called into work this morning, something seems to be going around in the area, just hope she doesn’t get sick.  She has a strong constitution and an unwillingness to give into illness, so she usually prevails.

I mentioned yesterday that I was baking a chicken.  While it still isn’t a perfect bake, yet, (stuffing is still too moist for me) it is worth passing along the recipe.

In a large sauce pan – the bigger the better, I used our 12 inch cast iron skillet.  Do the following:

Turn the oven to 375 degrees

Sauté vegetables as you would for stuffing.  Onions, celery other veggies, meats and/or you might use.

I always brine my whole chicken, but it isn’t necessary.  Prepare the whole chicken as you would for baking, I do not use a rub here, it conflicts with the taste of the stuffing.  I just inject a butter based liquid – sometimes honey and poultry spices mixed in – and use that as a rub for the on the outer part of the chicken.  You can use a herbal or whatever you prefer coating.

After you have saluted the vegetables, place the chicken on top of them.

Make your own croutons - either Italian or French bread which are heavy breads – and place them over the vegetables that are not covered by the chicken.  Do not toast them ahead of time, believe it or not they toast while the chicken is baking.

Bake through to the required temperatures – about one to one and a half hours.

Remove chicken and cover for resting.  Be sure and pour any liquid within the chicken back into the skillet and remove any croutons stuck to it.

Stir the vegetables and croutons together making the stuffing.  Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes to make sure the croutons are embodied. 

Now, the recipe calls for putting a 1/3 cup of broth on the stuffing, I found it wasn’t necessary, the stuffing had more than enough moisture – and a little too much for our taste.  I cooked it on the stove without the lid for a few minutes, stirring so it doesn’t get stuck to the pan, so some of the moisture will evaporate.

It is a one pan chicken and stuffing and it is great and very easy!  We had mashed potatoes and gravy (used a mix since the drippings from the chicken are in the stuffing.) and fruit to top off the meal. 

Leviticus 26:27-32 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;

²⁸ Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

²⁹ And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.

³⁰ And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.

³¹ And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.

³² And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it

As I read Leviticus 26 this morning my heart cried out for the condition of America.  If you have never read it (or haven’t in a while) I encourage you to do so now, it is a very poignant account of what will happen to Israel for their disobedience to God.

While this chapter applies to the Jewish people and a demand for their obedience to God’s commandments and what will happen when they obey – or the punishment if they do not obey, which will get progressively worse if they do not repent – it can be applied to our country – indeed any country.

The parallel of Israel to America is often made, and not without good cause.  Both countries are founded on the Biblical principles of God’s laws and our love of Him.

Leviticus 26 shows the deep hatred God has towards sin and disobedience; it shows the depth to which He will go to turn man away from sin and back to Him.  As He told the children of Israel over and over He is ‘the Lord your God.”

As Christians we hang our hat on the fact that God is merciful, that His Love and Grace towards man as He has shown by giving us salvation through His Son, Jesus, changes things.  We no longer have to rely on priests or multiple sacrifices for salvation; we have but to ask Jesus to mediate for us. 

The Jews had to work hard for their sacrifices, they had to repeatedly ask forgiveness and sacrifice animals or other things of value to them to receive it.  All we have to do is ask Jesus.

We have translated that Grace into an all forgiving God that will not punish, that He will never again hold man accountable as He did the Jewish nation.  And we err.

God does not change!  Malachi 3:6  For I am the Lord, I change not

While this land was not given to us by God, nor was our government created by God, we have a unique history with Him.  We have been richly blessed of God.

Our government was founded on Biblical principles.  We are not perfect; we have made countless errors in our years of growth.  We persecuted and killed thousands of Indians; we treated Blacks as an inferior race and perpetrated many crimes against them.  Immigrants were often treated badly and tormented as they came to America to provide services or to better themselves.

We still have many that treat those that are different in ethnicity or the color of their skin as outsiders held in low esteem and not worthy of our acceptance.

None the less there was a desire to build this country on those Biblical principles recognizing God for who He is and while not everyone accepted Christ, many did and the nation thrived.  As a country we have given much to the rest of the world in both food, physical and medical support.  Each year our government gives billions to the down trodden countries and as a people, collectively as individuals, we give even more.

In the past we believed that God gave us special treatment and that we must pass that along to others.  We realized that the gifts we had allowed us to defend oppressed people and nations, to help them overcome tyranny so they could live a freer life.  From our bounty we freely gave to others.

Sometimes we took on too much for ourselves, acting as the decider of fate or protection of our own issues, but it was more of a matter of heart to these people rather than as a conquering tyrant.

While there was always sin in our country, most people condemned it.  But, it seems, no longer.

Sin has become an acceptable form of lifestyle in our country.  We see it propagated more and more everyday by our media.  We see advertisement using illicit sex as a driving force to purchase a product.  Most of our successful movies are based on violence and revenge and/or sex – the games our children play are graphic in their nature as they blast away at enemies on the screen.

We not only oppress our poor but we encourage them by giving and giving and not holding them accountable.  We allow them to take public money and do what they want with it, but never teach them to become productive adults.  There is no feeling of shame in taking of the funds because there is a feeling of entitlement and deserving something without earning it.

Instead of rewarding productivity and pride in workmanship, we demand that mediocrity be the new standard so that no one feels inferior.  Rather than building a person up so they can accomplish something, we make them feel good about themselves – regardless of production or quality of service.  While that is fine for a five year old, without challenge and correction older children will grow into adults who haven’t overcome that ‘feeling is better than doing’ mentality.  And America is suffering from that approach.

Crime runs rampant in our country, a group of people disagree with a verdict or action and they destroy other peoples’ properties and steal from their stores and even killing those that try to defend themselves from the raging mobs.  We excuse their behavior, because we have a guilt feeling that these are oppressed individuals – yet the very reason for their oppression is that we don’t help them overcome it, instead we encourage it.

In our national parks we find signs that say do not feed the animals.  The reason, of course, is because it is dangerous and by feeding them they become dependent on those feedings and will not forage for themselves.  Yet we provide all manner of funds to people who have become so dependent on those funds that they will not go out and look for a job – it is easier to receive ‘free’ money than to work for it and there is no stigma in doing so.  The vast majority of these people do not volunteer to help their neighborhoods or others, they go about their own way figuring they exist, therefore they deserve the handouts, and what they aren’t given all too many will take.

We have removed the incentive to improve ourselves and help others.  Indeed, those that do have self-pride and a desire to improve themselves are punished and looked at as fools. 

I believe our country is being punished for our turning away from God and instead of listening and seeing His cries for us to return to Him we are defying Him even more.  We are paying for our obstinacy and will have even a greater toll to pay as we continue to defy Him.  

We but need to look at what is happening in our country and its cities to see the destruction and damage being wrought on them.  While we may use many reasons for that devastation the bottom line is sin and a disobedience to God and His commandments are at the heart of it.  And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation....

Unless our nation, its leaders and citizens, return to the edicts of God, we will be destroyed just as surely as the Greek and Roman and other great empires before us.

As I pray for our country my sincere desire is that it is not too late and that God will have mercy on us.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again