provision from above

Though not traditional American fare, in England goose is saved for the most special occasions like Christmas or celebrations. Growing up, I remember singing the nursery rhyme that my mother taught us, "Christmas is a-coming and the goose is getting fat. Please put a penny in the old man's hat. If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do. If you haven't got a ha'penny, a farthing will do. If you haven't got a farthing, then God bless you!" But the closest we ever got to the real thing was running away from the mean, honking (alive) beasts at the Thorson's farm in Dorset, Vermont. We never actually had goose (farmed or wild) for Christmas. Perhaps this year will be different... though I'm not sure I'm quite there yet with my dad who can look up in the sky at the signature V-formation and think "dinner."



The Fall, my favorite time of year! One of the things that I love about it are the geese that fly over our house on the way to warmer climate.

It was on Saturday morning that we saw several flocks when I said to my wife Sally, (please don't be offended) “Wouldn't it be nice to have one of those on our table.”

Wouldn't you know it that that very evening my good friend Stewart presented me with two beautifully cleaned wild Canadian Goose breasts from geese that had been shot that very day. (They are huge.) We have put them in the freezer to save them for a special occasion. (Like maybe my birthday coming soon 11/6.) I will try this recipe.

For wild goose, it is best to soak the breasts in buttermilk for a day beforehand.

Goose Breast à l'Orange

Ingredients:
2 breasts of goose
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 apple, sliced
2 cups water
2 tbsp. frozen orange juice (undiluted)

To make:
Fillet breasts. Place breasts on platter and cover with apple and orange. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Place apple, and orange and fillets in 1 1/2 quart oblong baking dish. Empty onion soup into dish; add water. Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Serve with pan drippings. Serves 4.

—Larry Wall, Newport, Vermont

balance

From A(vocadoes) to Z(en), each person has his or her own interpretation of nourishment. For some, like my dad, spiritual nourishment has a lot of weight in daily life. As a spiritual leader, he doesn't have the leisure to differentiate between what he does and what he preaches; between what he eats and what he serves up in communion to his congregation. I respect him for taking on that task. It's so easy for us, as laymen, to compartmentalize our needs and our actions: but for full nourishment, all parts of the whole must complement each other--must be balanced by each other.

We need a more holistic approach; an over-arching theme that places equal emphasis on what we eat, on how we interact, and on how we connect to a higher being. In academia, they like to call this interdisciplinary. Essentially meaning: everything connects.

Windy field by Colin Alger

Laurence, Father & Spiritual Leader

Beloved: Grace and Peace be unto you. As we look at the topic of nourishment, we need to understand that, as human beings, we are "triune," which literally means "three in one," and that we are comprised of body, soul and spirit. The body is our physical presence. The soul is that part of our being which has to do with emotions and feelings; through the soul we are able to know about ourselves as well as others. The spirit is the part of us which enables us to worship, to pray and to have communion with God.

In order for us to be fulfilled, all three areas must be well nourished--understanding that balance is essential. In the Gospel of John 4:34, we read the words of Jesus: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, Who sent me, and from finishing His work."

In the scriptures that precede this one, we have the story of a woman to whom Jesus reached out, who was in desperate need of help. She had been married five times, and was presently living with Number Six, who wasn't her husband. Her life had been one of pain and disappointment, and was in need of help. Jesus reached out to help. The woman's life was transformed, and in the helping, He received nourishment.

For me, the greatest nourishment I receive is when an opportunity to help someone arises, and I am able to make a difference in their life.

I have committed to spending my life mending broken people. This brings me nourishment. I also must guard what I take into my spirit. I am sure you have heard the line: "You are what you eat!" in referring to our physical bodies; but the same applies spiritually.

If I am properly nourishing my spirit, the outcome will be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. How are you doing with your spiritual nourishment? Are there areas in your life that need attention? Is there someone that needs your help? Contact me at ncog@verizon.net.

Grace, peace and love to you!
Your friend,
Larry Wall