It’s Sunday morning. Time, I guess for a few gratuitous pics of cats, dogs, food and family…

Since Thursday evening, Rebekah and I have been hosting her sister Rachel, cousin Zandra, niece Jordan, and sister-in-law Heather (who had to go home before the photo). They’ve been at some sewing/crafty/fabric show at the Lakeland Civic Center. Consequently there has been much sewing/fabric/craft talk.

However I did have the opportunity to cook a serious meal Saturday evening that added some gourmet quality to the weekend.

FLAVOR: We haven’t had the “flavor” discussion in several months on this blog, and if you’re a new reader (and over half of you are since January) then you didn’t even get this the first time around.

First I’ll describe the feast. I made a flavorful glaze for the salmon by boiling down a mixture of mango nectar, soy-sauce, rice-vinegar, cinnamon, ginger and orange juice. Then I broiled the fish and served with yellow rice, black beans, and a spinach salad with bean sprouts, shaved carrots, pears, and a dressing made from rice vinegar, sesame oil, cinnamon and orange juice .

Great flavor works in favor of moderation. One reason people gorge themselves, constantly over-eat, and eventually become overweight, is because they’re not satisfied. However, rather than re-evaluate, they simply keep consuming that which fails to satisfy, and the cycle continues. I’ll let you apply the lesson to life in this consumer-culture in general on your own, and draw your own conclusions –  it’s that obvious.

SCOUT: Scout labradoodle is a great advertisement for life. She looks around, assesses her situation, and simply gets her happy on. Life is good; Scout is grateful; end of story.

DARTH MAUL: Darth is doing his best. But even a photo like this one says pretty clearly that this is one seriously old cat. He is, and I’m not sure where I mentioned this a few days ago, a solid 99-percenter. Bottom line, Darth does nothing, eloquently and with class, 99% of the time.

But it’s OK. He still talks to us. From the sofa, of course. But he has something to say about pretty much everything that goes on. He’s a cool cat. Always has been.

COMPANY: Like I said, there’s not a lot that’s deep or profound in my blog today. Just a “Life around Maul Hall” update for those who are interested.

But this is where The Life-Charged Life finds its definition; in the quiet spaces where we simply live and work and share and visit. The point is, it’s all beautiful, and it’s all worthy of the best that God has in mind for us.

Otherwise, what would be the point?