.....haven't spoiled the magic for you!

Yikes.
Where have I been?


I haven't posted anything for the last 2 Tuesdays, but I do have a reason. I had a medical issue that put me on my back for about 5 days and slowed me down for several after that. I missed the Tuesday 2 weeks ago and was back last week in a slowed-up capacity. Still requires "wound care" twice a day but that's about to end along with my excuses.


Last night was great. Here's why:

Lots of good people cooking and serving.
Lots of food to cook and serve.
Lots of people at each stop to be served.


Ran into a buddy named Casey at The Bowl the other week and he asked about his small group Bible study coming to help one Tuesday. He called me last week and they came this week. Great bunch of guys.  They jumped in and did a great job in the kitchen and also on the serving line. Wouldn't bother me at all if they came back.


MATT / DALLAS / CASEY / PRESTON / BRIAN  / MICHAEL / HEATH / ADAM / CONNOR / KYLE / T.J. / HAMPTON / WADE / BLAKE / BRYCE / STEVE / WAYNE / DAVID / CHARLES / TYLER / LANE / MORGZILLA / CREEEEEECH! / LAUREN / LINDSEY / KILLER / CAITLYN / CAYLA / BROOKE / ELAINE / CECELIA / SAM / MYRTLE / SAM / BRIEN / THERESA / ELLYN / SAVANNAH / ALAINA / JENNA / HAYLEY / PEYTON / CHAMBERLAIN /  


The decision on what to cook this week was mine alone again. Now,  I'm not a dictator or a control freak, I ask the folks on Tuesday night for suggestions all the time. I tell them I'm open to what they want to cook. I tell them Let me know what you want to do and I'll make it happen. But I still wind up making the call most of the time. So, I gave it some thought during the day and by 3:30 I was still undecided. The whole day, though, while I was debating and brainstorming and searching for a meal idea, it felt like there was something in the back of my mind kicking around, jumping up and down to be noticed and I just couldn't see it. 
I picked up the truck (pun intended), drove to Sam's and somewhere around 5:00, between the parking lot and walking to the back of the store, Hamburger steak with mashed potatoes jumped into my thoughts and the thing that been kicking around in my head all day screamed FINALLY! 

 HAMBURGER STEAK w/ MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY
CORN
ASPARAGUS SPEARS
VEGETABLE MEDLEY
PINEAPPLE SPEARS
DESSERT
SWEET TEA / WATER


FACTORS THAT DETERMINE WHAT WE SERVE ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT(IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
1. What have we got? We try to stockpile some things until we have enough to serve a lot; fish, chicken. We also receive stuff  at the last minute and  that shapes the menu
2. What can we get?
3. Have we done it lately? ( Which is really a matter of perspective. I may say Oh, we did that last week and in my mind I'm thinking two times in a row, but to a person in line, It's been a week since they had it and they probably wouldn't be concerned with two times in a row.)
4.Will it involve lots of people in the kitchen and the serving line? ( Nobody wants to come and watch 2 people stir pots or stand around while 3 people pass out the meal. Ever notice we have a bunch of toppings almost every week? Somebody's got to squirt that TEXAS PETE.)
5. Will they eat it? ( Over a period of time, we've observed and noticed some things. Garden Salad is not a big hit with our crowd. Taco Salad is.)
6. What's the weather going to be like? (When it's cold we try to do hot hearty meals and when it's hot, we try to have things like freeze pops, etc. Things like rain and wind can affect the menu, too.
7. How many people are going to be helping? Most times it's not something we know, but there are times when we know I'll be gone and most of the Youth Group kids will be with me, so whoever is in charge plans accordingly.

Now that I've pulled that curtain back for you and given you a behind the scenes peek, I hope I.........