By a member of the Disciple Like You Mean It online training.
Very rarely—I can say almost never—do I ever sign up to take a meal to someone who has just had surgery. It’s just not in my wheelhouse. It stresses me out. I can’t think of anything that might be good. I can’t even imagine that I could get a meal together at the right time. It’s just too much pressure!
A little over two weeks ago, I was invited to two different “potluck” meals with two different families. I had been hankering for Uncle Art’s Bean Casserole for quite some time, so I made a double batch, one for each of the family meals. Then I thought that I’d make a long-loved Chinese Napa Salad, another family recipe which makes quite a lot. My husband grilled up a large amount of chicken, because we love leftovers. And we loved enjoying that meal!
In the meantime, our adult daughter also decided to make Uncle Art’s special recipe to bring to our potluck, so I had extra. And all of a sudden, I got the idea to take some food over to a couple we know. She just had a hip replacement, and I know how difficult it can be to get around after that.
So I had an extra bean casserole, extra Chinese Salad, and extra grilled chicken! Although I dread taking a meal to someone after surgery, this was easy-peasy; it just fell together without any stress on my behalf! And it was a great dinner that I was happy to share. It was received very well and I had a great conversation with our new friend, Kathy, who showed me around their home.
Jesus had arranged this amazing configuration in perfect timing! Not only was it not stressful, but it was exciting and adventurous for me! So it blessed me, as well!
And a truly wonderful thing about it all, is that Kathy’s husband goes to church all the time, but she rarely does. As we talked, she mentioned that she is hoping to go next Sunday! I don’t think it was Uncle Art’s Bean Casserole that tipped the scales, but who knows? The Lord is certainly at work to draw his children unto himself!
What a joy this experience was for me! And it was a pleasure to notice Jesus orchestrating things ahead of me that I got to walk into and enjoy.
Looking for what Jesus is up to transformed even something small, like delivering a meal, from a burden into a joy. WOW.
Uncle Art’s Baked Bean Casserole
1/2 pound ground beef
5 bacon strips, diced
2 cans (16 oz, each) pork and beans, undrained
1 can (16 oz) butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 ketchup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 T molasses
2 T prepared mustard
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
In a large skillet or saucepan, brown beef, bacon, and onion over medium heat; drain.
Combine remaining ingredients; stir into bean mixture.
Pour into a greased 2.5 qt casserole dish. (Or just put everything in an oven-safe pot and put in oven.)
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until beans reach desired thickness.
Yield: 12 servings
Editor’s note: this post was written by someone currently taking the Disciple Like You Mean It online training from Justin Rossow and Next Step Press. Her experience reflects the goals of that course. For more information, check out dlymi.findmynextstep.org.