Blue Birds, Zucchini Bread, and a Little Bit of Preachin'

Okay, so it's not actually preaching. It's more like a little lesson for our Food for Thought Friday, but 'preachin' just sounded better in the title. I could thump the desk for emphasis and pace in front of the keyboard a couple of times if that makes it more legitimate.

First of all, here's the picture for my inclusion in Pink Saturday. This time I've caught onto the fact that Pink Saturday has to be done before an actual Saturday. Sometimes I'm a little slow. Maybe I'll get it right this time. You can visit her site at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/



Next I have a recipe that was requested for some zucchini bread I made earlier in the week. The recipe actually came to me from our friend Ruth. I had it at her house a couple of years ago and asked her for it. My kids love it too. Oops, did I forget to tell them that there's zucchini in it? I guess in this instance what they don't know makes them healthier. Moms are sneaky that way.

Zucchini Bread

Step One:
3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Step Two:
3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. shredded zucchini
1 c. chopped pecans

Mix ingredients for step one and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Add other ingredients from step two one at a time. Add step one ingredients and mix. Spray two loaf pans with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

And now for us to "think on these things." There has been scenes from the U.N. in the news recently and talk on dignitaries and ambassadors, so I thought we could think for a moment about the job we do as ambassadors.

Take a look at II Corinthians 2:14-16. "But thanks be to God who always leads in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?"

There are two points to see here. The first is that God always leads in triumph. We may not always follow, but that is the way He leads. That is why we are doomed to fail when we stray from His path, because we've strayed from the path of victory. The second thing to see is that through us God makes the knowledge of Christ available to others. We serve as His ambassadors.

To those who are coming to Christ, our walk is an enticing aroma. It's drawing them in, interesting them in knowing more. That's why we much watch every step we take! II Corinthians also goes on to say that to others, the fragrance they smell is death. No wonder some people turn up their noses at Christianity. They find it spiritually repugnant. Whether they are wise in their own eyes and smell what they think is a dead religion with rotten ideas or whether they are in bondage to self and afraid that giving their life to Christ means death to all the things they think make them important, whatever it is that drives, they think Christianity stinks.

We overcome all this and walk victoriously by following in the steps of our Savior. What perfume are you wearing today?