Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

Photo Friday this week offers a unique view of the past few days. More interesting than artistic, it is still a collection I believe you will enjoy.

We will start with our grandson “Mr. T.”, above, enjoying the waterfront in Manama, Bahrain. I will also share this link to Andrew and Alicia’s excellent “Intentionally International” newsletter. Andrew and Alicia do a great job of explaining what it is like, “Trading leisurely bike commutes along the Elbe for hours fighting infuriating traffic. Giving up an idyllic apartment in Striesen for a 14th floor high-rise apartment in the busy Seef district of Manama…”

Geoffrey:

Next up we have Geoffrey in Miami. He is 14 months now, very excited about walking, very excited about verbalizing, very excited about church, and – in a word – very excited about everything!

Naomi does a great job documenting both the sunshine and the storms, and I find myself continually amazed at the way every child is such an individual. There is no way we could have designed or predicted Geoffrey ourselves, and God always leaves us scratching our heads in amazement and wonder and appreciation.

Glasses:

This section is a tease for a more philosophical post coming soon. The saga of my mother’s eyes continues, and I have some interesting observations from yesterday’s visit to Heritage Eye Care. Stay tuned for something “eye-opening”!

Max of course is a good sport. He is not in favor of dressing up for me but he willingly puts up with a lot.

Shepherd’s Pie:

Okay, so this should probably have its own post. I won’t say I have perfected the Shepherd’s Pie, but this is really, really good. Disclaimer, this is – legally – a “Cottage Pie” because it involves vegetables too. I have no wish to argue with the English people next door, but call it a Shepherd’s Pie with vegetables and we will all be happy.

The key here is to start by caramelizing some onion, along with a few carrots. I like to use an iron skillet. Remember, it takes a good 20-minutes to caramelize and the process shouldn’t be rushed. Then add a little garlic (not powder, but the real thing).

At this point it’s time to add your hamburger meat. I always go for the 93% essentially fat-free. When the meat is browned, add brown gravy. Now you could use a packaged gravy mix, but this time I used gravy made from the roast beef I cooked a couple of days ago.

Next is a good layer of mixed vegetables. On top of the mixed veggies, a layer of mashed potatoes. On top of the mashed potatoes, Colby-Jack cheddar – thin, then a sprinkle of breadcrumbs.

Finally, all this needs to go into the oven at 350 for 30-minutes.

Believe me, this is good stuff!

Peace, blessings, and more – DEREK