Memorial Day for Smith Soup

Well, Memorial Day weekend............
Our missionary friends were visiting for the weekend, which gave the perfect opportunity to make a huge pot of shrimp, chicken and sausage gumbo, and at my friend Rhonda's request, I did make the Pecan Pie Cake, which turned out maybe better than it ever has, or perhaps I had just really missed that incredible recipe and its outcome . I don't know, but Naomi called it "amazing" and she ate a lot of it! EVERYONE ate a lot of it. Its gone now. Our friends are also very interested in goats as a possible source of dairy products, meat, soap and lotion production in Cambodia, where they minister in their Children's Home. We've been teaching them a bit more and more as they have been researching more and more how feasible it would be to actually take on raising some goats as a Home project. That said, they were very interested in what goat meat TASTES LIKE. We had just butchered the last 2 young adult male goats last week, so Charlie grilled some up to go along with the Gumbo and made a big pot of Cajun "dirty Rice" aka rice dressing, with veggies and goat meat in it to show the versatility and flavor of chevron: goat meat.
The thing IS...............last spring when these bucks were born, we named them Liberty and Justice.............Thus, our Memorial Day weekend theme for this year has been "LIBERTY AND JUSTICE..for ALL," as we grilled up goat steaks, made goat jerky, and slow roasted a goat brisket. They really did enjoy it and were further convinced that goats would be a really good investment when they got back to Cambodia.
It was the most perfect day today for a family outing to the lake for swimming, football, badminton, lounging and reading or chatting. Hannah's in laws had rented a lake space to share, so after we'd finished up the farm chores and I'd made big pot of potato salad, we headed out to our lake spot to join the other in laws, Hannah and Jon and a girl friend of Hannah's. The boys and Charlie continued on in our Memorial day theme, having marinated some back strap meat last night, they grilled big chunks of yes, Liberty and Justice over an open fire.....for all!!!!
Since a picnic is not complete without water melon, we had that too. I thought the water might be a bit too cold for me, the original WATER WEENEY, to actually swim in, but the kids all went right in and had a blast! Jael got to goofing around with a small inflatable floaty-ring, and while she WAS asking for help because she'd gotten herself stuck and was slipping through the ring and was truly stuck there, I could NOT in good camera -toting conscience help her out without first taking advantage of the photo op. And yes, I did get in the water after a while, on a big floating arm chair, and I did not have to get totally wet, although I pretty much did. AS I floated around with the kids swimming up to and around me, and Charlie in his own floatie next to me, I was so filled with utter contentment. I had a pretty great praise and worship time in the middle of the lake praising and thanking God for our awesome family life, and singing praise music. Isaiah was heard throughout the afternoon himself, singing " I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul".
As we floated, we talked about Baby (Secret) Daniel, Keren Jubilee and Josiah and when they come home...They were not with us physically, but they are always in our thoughts and our prayers....................
Home at 8 to watch the Lakers- Nuggets #4 play off game : of course all of cheering for Chauncey Billups, Carmello Anthony, Chris "Birdman" Andersen of the Nuggets (EXCEPT for Gideon, who added variety and a one man cheer squad for the Lakers.) None of us were disappointed with the game whatsoever. The Denver Nuggets' 19 point victory just made a super family day end on a super family fun night time note.
I know nothing we did or didn't do made us any more or less likely to BE the family that Memorial Day is all about. We could have been just as easily as not, but that it was not God's timing for any of my soldiers to be memorialized quite yet. Humbly I am so grateful for that. My friend Daphne and her sons ARE one of those Memorial Day families for the first time this year , and I was so mindful of them all day. Their church had a cookout today and I hope that she was there. We are not close friends; I emailed her a note to tell her I was praying for her today.
I end my day thankful for everything that God has put into my life, and thankful for some things which HE has not, and I pray for those who celebrated or remembered Memorial Day, but whose hearts may not have been as full of contentment as I felt mine was. Thank You Father for all those soldiers whose very lives helped to insure the freedoms I so thoroughly enjoyed frolicking in today. Pour out comfort on those who are mourning, prepare those who are about to mourn, and may we all seek Your face and know You as You intended us to,walking in Your Truths and sharing them with our needy world!