Whether Soup or Chili, Caution is Needed.

Last Friday my parents came down for a short visit. During that time my mom whipped up a pot of chili for me which I just finished today...yum yum. I decided to try and copy my mom's recipe. The chili that I generally make is bean based while her's is home canned tomato based so I'm sort of on new ground even though I've eaten it for years. I started to make a nice big batch that would last me oh, a week plus. It fills almost the whole pot!

As it was cooking I came to the conclusion that I made a nice big pot of soup rather than chili! It will thicken, but I don't think it will thicken to the point of being chili.

It has 6 quarts of canned tomatoes (dumped strait in-these have tomato halves then filled with water when canned so just dumping in provides a fair amount of fluid), 1.5 yellow onions chopped (1 large, 0.5 medium), 2 medium green peppers chopped, 3 'fresh' tomatoes chopped, 2 large cans of La Preferida black beans (dumped strait in), 2 cans of Kidney beans (dumped strait in) 3 bay leaves, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, basil, oregano, ground sage, marjoram, cilantro. Season to taste! DOH! I just remembered I forgot to put in the instant Barley! BRB. OK, let it boil for a good while till stuff is cooked (the raw veg) then add a box (small...maybe 2 cup box and turn off stove) of the instant barley.

Since moving into an apartment my cat has found temporary lodging with my parents...which is very good for him. He can be out all the time. Since he has been allowed outside he and my parents' cat have gotten along much better. One good thing is that Gato is gennerally on the porch to sleep during the day and goes out at night and Annie does the opposite. An interesting difference is that I think Gato is more alert than Annie though neither are as alert as my last cat which was born wild.

Annie especially is quite casual about being outside (much like my Grandma's last cat) and doesn't seem to realize that there are dangers out there. She will sleep out in the open in a defenseless manner and terrain. A couple months ago I was out patrolling for one of the woodchucks on the list when I stumbed upon a fur ball that shot towards the bushes. Thankfully I like to confirm identities and I realized it was Annie.

I was talking to my dad today and he mentioned that he and my mom think a coyote got Annie. She has been missing since Monday night. They have called, searched the property, and driven around on the roads to no avail. She was a beautiful, long legged, seal-tip siamese with tortoise shell pattern on her ears and two legs.

Just a short thought here. We know that Satan is out looking for us but do we act like he is?

1 Peter 5:8 says - "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"

Do we let our guard down? Do we place ourselves in positions which leave us vulnerable? Do we occupy the high ground (which is militarily the better option) or do we place ourselves in the valley where we are more easily attacked? Do we avoid ambushes when we recognize them?

When Union and Confederate troops first engaged at Gettysburg, Union cavalry was able to hold off the first elements of Lee's army long enough to allow leading elements of infantry to reinforce and for the rest of the army to arrive. The general by being proactive bought enough time for the Union army to arrive which allowed them to eventually occupy the high ground.

2 Sam 22:3, 4 - "The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."

Life is a battlefield. More specifically, the war is being fought for the control of our minds, that is part of what the Great Controversy is about, minds.

Do we really truely recognize that reality? Do we take measure to ensure success? Do we reiforce our position or move to better ground? Do we place sentries at various points to warn of attack? Do we prepare to counter attack by having weapons and ammunition ready?

In closing and in light of the Sabbath School lesson, I am thankful that God is loving, merciful, and able to aid us as we solidify our possitions for Him.

The Unguarded Citadel.--By beholding we become changed. Though formed in the image of his Maker, man can so educate his mind that sin which he once loathed will become pleasant to him. As he ceases to watch and pray, he ceases to guard the citadel, the heart, and engages in sin and crime. The mind is debased, and it is impossible to elevate it from corruption while it is being educated to enslave the moral and intellectual powers and bring them in subjection to grosser passions. Constant war against the carnal mind must be maintained; and we must be aided by the refining influence of the grace of God, which will attract the mind upward and habituate it to meditate upon pure and holy things.--2T 479 (1870). {1MCP 74.2}

29, 30 (Luke 11:21-23). Stronger Than the Strong Man.--"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." He who is with Christ, maintaining His unity, enthroning Him in the heart, and obeying His orders, is safe from the snares of the wicked one. He who unites himself with Christ will gather to himself the graces of Christ, and will give strength and efficiency and power to the Lord by winning souls to Christ. When Christ takes possession of the citadel of the soul, the human agent becomes one with Him. By cooperation with the Saviour, he becomes the instrument through which God works. Then when Satan comes and strives to take possession of the soul, he finds that Christ has made him stronger than the strong man armed (MS 78, 1899). {5BC 1092.5}