I keep trying to remember that Jesus has already beaten it for me…and He, too, decidedly lives inside me. Fight on, Jesus…fight on Connie, fight on Charles and Heidi and Janna and John-Paul.

God’s blessings…Jesus loves you…and so do I!…Tom

ps I take great comfort in hymns and praise songs and now wish I had spent more time at your knee, Connie learning to appreciate hymnody!

There must be some benefits in waiting…patience, ever-reliance on a gracious God who knows the plan for our lives, and learning to enjoy the time He gives us.

God grant you peace, serenity, comfort, and strength during this time of anticipation!

With love, Irene

Your feelings of frustration and unease come through clearly, and I have been thinking hard about you on this gray, cool day (listening, repeatedly, to Copeland’s Quiet City).

A major part of me is that I cook (Susan runs our garden plot, and I cook every night). Thus, I offer you a very easy (and very rich) “comfort soup” recipe. (I previously sent this to a close Corvallis, OR friend when his chemotherapy sessions left him very tired and not wanting to eat.)

Your Seattle-based son may well know the fairly hip Northwest section of downtown Portland; Elephant’s is a long-established deli there. The recipe is from The Oregonian newspaper — our comments are in [ brackets ]. You can make it less rich (but less yummy!) by reducing the whipping cream.

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Elephant’s Deli (NW Section of Portland, Oregon) Tomato Orange Soup – 4 servings

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 14 ½-ounce cans unsalted [or low-salt or regular] diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt(or less)[or no salt at all if the tomatoes have salt]
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme [ we don’t add this spice]
1 cup fresh orange juice (a good carton brand would work fine) [frozen works just fine]
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a saucepan, melt butter; add onion and saute until translucent. [Don’t let butter brown!] Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda and thyme. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Puree in a food processor or blender. Strain through a sieve or food mill [we never do this]. Return to saucepan and stir in orange juice and cream – serve hot.

Elephants ALWAYS has this in their deli!! The recipe is great in that it could be made by any just-hired kitchen help!! The key ingredient is the baking soda, which interacts with the tomato to act as a sort of thickener.

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Take care, and know that strong positive thoughts continue to be sent your way.

dick gale