A Rock Between The Eyes

Fire Craft:The Art of Building a Fire.

Posted on March 7, 2016 by scottcatchot

Fire, arguably man’s most useful primitive skill, is still one of the most important bush craft or outdoorsman skills. From starting grills, warming up a house with a fireplace, burning off trash and garbage, the productive uses of fire are numerous. In a survival situation, the presence of a fire is a game changer. With benefits that include its’ ability to help regulate core body temperature, water purification, cooking, and the sheer psychological boost that just having a fire brings, fire craft is a skill every individual needs.

I am pretty sure most everyone thinks they know how to build a fire. Th
row some sticks and wood together, soak it in lighter fluid and throw a match on it. Yay fire! I have watched people start many fires in this manner, and five minutes later they are spraying more
lighter fluid on it to keep it going. True fire craft is the ability to start a fire and keep it going without having to use lighter fluid or other types of liquid combustible.

Back in Boy Scouts, we would have one-match competitions as p
art of a skills based obstacle course. You were provided the materials and one match. A string was stretched across the fire lay at a certain height. The first to build their fire and burn the string moved on to the next event leg of the race. Did I mention you only got one match?

Understanding the basics of how to properly build and light a fire was a necessity to complete the task. I would like to say In the real word you should never be caught with just one match. Heck you should never be caught out with just one way to start a fire. A common motto in the survival and bush craft world states :”two is one, one is none.”
Murphy’s law being what it is, it is best to “be prepared” (good old Scout Motto) and have a backup. I keep a lighter in my pocket even though I am not a smoker, and my EDC (every day carry) has several other ways to start a fire. Nevertheless, you can use up all your matches and all the fluid in a lighter without ever getting a fire going if you do not know the proper mechanics.

In December of 1854, Louis Pasteur gave a speech in that is the origin of the phrase, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” He was specifically referring to the observational sciences, yet it is an idea that transfers over to many areas. Being prepared with knowledge, skills, and experience allows you to notice those chances and opportunities to succeed during difficult situations.

That being said, preparation is the difference between someone successfully stating a fire that stays lit, and running around struggling to keep it going. So always gather your supplies and have them at hand prior to striking your match.

There are four basic essentials you will need to start any fire regardless of the use:

Ignition source

Tinder

Kindling

Fuel wood

Ignition Source

This is relatively self-explanatory. You need something with which to light the fire. There are many options and I suggest having redundancy.

Matches and lighters are at the top of the list due to being easy and widely available. Keep some with you all the time.

The reality is, if you can generate a spark or enough heat, it can be an ignition source for you if you are experienced in fire craft, some require more skill than others. I would suggest practice starting fires with as many different ways as you can because chance favors the prepared mind.

Other possible ignition sources

Flint and Steel,Batteries and steel wool,Potassium Permanganate and Glycerin,Friction fire (think rubbing sticks together though there is a bit more to it than that.)

So you have an ignition source, you need the building materials for the fire which are: tinder, kindling, and Fuel Wood. Gather these items and have them at hand prior to starting your fire.

Tinder

Every good fire starts with Good tinder. This is what you will apply your ignition source to, because it catches easily, it also burns quickly and that is why you need to have your kindling at hand.

Different things can be used as tinder, both natural and man-made. Natural tinder would include dry grass or leaves, wood shavings, feather sticks, Cattail fluff, lighter wood,etc.
Man made tinder would be things like dryer lint, Vaseline coated cotton balls, Trioxane Fuel tabs, etc.

The important quality to tinder is the fact it takes a spark easily. Again I encourage you to be prepared and take some type of tinder with you on outings. This proves useful especially when everything is damp. Wet tinder will not light.

Kindling

Tinder is going to burn up quickly and if you throw large pieces of wood onto your tinder it will just smother the fire. You need something to bridge the gap, and that is where kindling comes in.
This consists of small twigs and branches about the size of a pencil or a bit smaller. This needs to be dry as well. If everything is damp then find some larger parts and whittle or baton them into smaller, useable pieces. No matter how damp branches are, the inside of them is usually dry.

Fuel Wood

This is what keeps the fire burning nice and hot and for as long as you keep giving it fuel. This does not have to be giant logs, think about the size of your forearm or wrist. Remember, the larger the log, the longer it will take to start burning. When building a fire you are always going from smaller pieces to larger.

Unlike tinder and kindling, it is okay if the fuel wood is damp. If you have the fire going well with plenty of kindling, it will dry out the dampness of the fuel wood.

Now that you have all of the materials, you need to build your fire lay. In Boy Scouts we were taught many different fire lays for different purposes. It is great to know different ways to set up the fire, but it isn’t a necessity. I may cause my scout masters to have an aneurism, but I have built many successful fires with what basically amounted to just grabbing a handful of sticks and piling them together in the right order (tinder, kindling, then fuel) as opposed to constructing a particular fire lay. It really boils down to what is the purpose for your fire. That is what should dictate what type of fire lay you construct, if you even use one.

That being said, here are some examples of different fire lays:

Tipi (Good for cooking)

Lay the kindling over the tinder in a triangular shape like you’re building a tipi.

Star(Perfect for a long-lasting campfire)

Crisscross the kindling over the tinder.

Lean-to (Good for cooking)

Lean-To Campfire

Drive a long piece of kindling into the ground so that it angles over the tinder or use a large log, then lean smaller pieces of kindling against the longer piece. It looks similar to the lean to shelter as the name suggests.

Log Cabin (Longest lasting campfire)

Did you ever play with Lincoln Logs? This is basically the same thing. Surround your pile of tinder with kindling, stacking pieces at right angles. Top the “cabin” with the smallest kindling.

Other fire lays you should check out include:

Key hole fire, Long fire, Star fire, H fire, A frame, and I am sure many many more I do not know.

When you have gathered all the materials together, decided on your fire lay, the rest is pretty intuitive. You apply your ignition source to the tinder, waiting for it to ignite. Depending on the type of source and tinder, you may need to gently blow on your ember as you add the kindling to this in order to coax the flame. As the flame grows, slowly add more kindling and ultimately fuel wood creating a larger and larger fire until you reached the desired size based on your needs. It is important to not go too fast when adding wood. Let the the kindling have time to ignite and have create a good base with a decent amount of kindling burning before moving up to the fuel wood. The fuel wood will take longer to ignite and therefore the kindling must keep the flame going during this time.

This gives you the basics, what is needed now is practice. So get out and practice building fires, safely

General tips

Be safe. Always clear out the area where you are going to build your fire. Make sure to keep it contained and have water and/or sand nearby to put it out.

Dry wood is better than green. If it bends instead of snapping or breaking, it is too green.

Dead branches hanging in trees will generally be dryer than those on the ground if it has been raining

Gather twice as much tinder, kindling, and fuel wood as you think you will need. It is surprising how fast you will go through it, and you do not want your fire to go out because you do not have enough materials and it dies while you are out trying to gather more wood. Remember that whole prepared thing.

A great infographic as a recap

Other great resources:

http://graywolfsurvival.com/2810/build-fire-basics/

http://www.woodheat.org/build-maintain-fire.html

Quick and Easy Bean and Bacon Soup

Posted on March 4, 2016March 4, 2016 by scottcatchot

I enjoy cooking. I love trying new things, learning how flavors blend, or don’t, with different combinations. I am tantalized by the aroma that fills the house and how it aids in the anticipation of the culinary offering that I will be bringing to the table. However, I do not always have a lot of time to spend preparing every meal. Running around trying to keep up with all of our schedules can be tough and sometimes I have to just throw something together quickly.

Earlier this week my wife was not feeling well, her throat was bothering her. She wanted soup for dinner. Well this was not really what I was planning on making, but I am flexible. Besides, keeping Momma happy is always top priority and very beneficial to me in the long run. I knew I had probably had some items on hand that would make a great quick soup.

As much as I enjoy the wonderful flavor of my go to vegetable soup, I just wasn’t in the mood. My taste buds were also not excited about having a noodle based soup. So after glancing through what was in the pantry and fridge, I had an idea. Everyone in my house loves beans , we always have some on hand, and of course who doesn’t love bacon? So I threw together a quick Bean and bacon soup. When I say quick, I mean it was real quick, under an hour. I am pretty sure if there had been no interruptions by my wonderful little minions, It would have been close to a 30 minute meal.

As with all soups, this could easily be done in a slow cooker. The extra time simmering would allow for the flavors to develop even more. You could also substitute dry beans. Nevertheless, this was put together as a crunch time, take care of Mamma meal so I used canned beans.

The recipe basically unfolded as follows:

frenchs-worcestershire-sauce-ingredients

BEAN AND BACON SOUP

4 cans Great Northern Beans

2 14 oz cans chicken broth (I like Swanson’s low sodium)

1 15 oz can Tomato Sauce

½ lb package of bacon (it’s what I had but more is always better with Bacon IMHO)

3 celery stalks finely chopped

1 green bell pepper chopped

1 large onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt –to taste ( I used 1 teaspoon and added more at the table mainly trying to cut back on salt intake )

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

2 splashes (or more I really didn’t measure it) of Worchester Sauce

2 teaspoons flour

½ cup of hot water

I sliced the bacon into about 1 inch squares and browned it on the stove top over medium heat. I did this in the pot I was using for the soup so this was a one pot meal, I love easy clean up.

I added the onions, bell pepper, and celery in with the bacon and cooked then until translucent. Thinking back, I should have set some of the bacon off to the side to use as a garnish as well as chopped some green onions. I will have to do that the next time. The kids requested I remember this one and fix it again some time, so YAY! A win for Dad.

I added the rest of the ingredients , except flour and hot water, into the pot and raised the temperature to high. Blend the flour in with the hot water and add to the soup when it starts to boil. Lower the temp and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness and ready to serve.

As simple as the recipe was, my kids and wife devoured it. It was so full of flavor, the smokiness of the bacon paired with the paprika very nicely and the thickness of the soup really offered a satisfying comfort food quality to this dish. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Cordage

Posted on February 24, 2016February 24, 2016 by scottcatchot

When exploring the great outdoors it pays to adhere to the old Boy Scout motto, “be prepared.”
In keeping with that idea I want to talk about cordage. Cordage is an item with many uses:

Lashing
Shelter Building
replacing shoe laces

nets
clothing repair
Keeping food away from critters
Bow drill for fire starting
tying up bandits
First Aid applications
the list goes on and on…

It is important enough to have landed on Dave Canterbury’s ( The Pathfinder School, Dual Survivor, etc.) 5 C’s of Survivability list.

C-cutting device
C-combustion device
C-cordage
C-container

So needless to say it is important to have cordage especially when going out into the great outdoors.

There are many types of cordage from both natural and man made materials.

Cordage can even be made out in the wild from various materials. This is a great skill to possess so it is work spending the time learning how.

However, with all the types of cordage available,inexpensively, there is no reason everyone should not just include some type of cordage in every EDC, BOB, survival kit, glove box, large pocket, etc.

Two great types of cordage to always have available is Paracord and Bank line.

Paracord is like the duct tape of the cordage world. It’s usefulness and versatility is only limited by the imagination. Paracord comes from the military and was used as parachute cord hence it’s name. It is also sometimes referred to as 550 cord due to its load pairing capability being 550l bs. True Mil-spec paracord consists of 7 inner strands inside a braided sheath. All this and it is still a very small size. The beauty of it is due to it’s construction. You can take a piece apart and have 7 x the length of the cut portion in a smaller diameter cordage than can now be used for sewing repairs, or a number of projects well as the sheath it rests inside. This greatly increases the usability of the paracord. A good rule of thumb regarding items to carry with you out into the woods is for it to have multiple purposes. Since the paracord itself offers more than on size of cordage, it is an excellent item to carry. I like to replace my shoe laces with paracord so that I always have some on me. If I need to use the cordage, I can take it apart and still have the sheath to lace up my shoes. If I can only have one type of cord, more often than not I choose paracord.

Paracord can be found in most hardware stores, Walmart, and easily found online. Prices vary but you can usually get 100ft for under $ 8.00.

Another type of cordage that gets a lot of raves in the survivalist and bushcraft communities is Bank line, or trout line. This is a type of mariner twine and is very cheap. You can get 1,000 ft for around $15.00. This line is smaller than paracord, so you can carry more of it. However it does not break down into multiple sizes. It also has a lower weight capacity usually being 150 to 350 lbs depending on the brand and size of bank line.

However there are ways of increasing strength or cordage such as a two strand twist or braiding. (see bottom for links to tutorials)

Bank line is coated in a tar substance (it’s intended purpose is to be in water) which allows it to hold up to the environment better. The coating does not make it sticky to the touch, nor does it rub off. There is a slight odor to it, but it is barely noticeable to most people. It would be something to consider if using bank line for snares.

There is really no excuse for someone not to have cordage with them when they go out in the woods. So get outside, enjoy nature, and take cordage with you.

Tutorials :
Two strand twist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFiBQH3-OZ0

Braiding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbYx0j8EoLg

Red Beans & Rice

Posted on February 24, 2016 by scottcatchot

Beans and Rice. So simple and yet so many different variations can be created with those two ingredients. Some may look upon them as poor man’s food, but their versatility make them staples in my book. Using them separately to accompany so many different dishes, and of course using them together to create culinary masterpieces. Beans and rice were meant to go together just like Peanut butter and Jelly were joined by destiny. Though there is different opinions regarding this,beans and rice have long been praised for combining together to make a complete protein (links with more info on this debate are at the bottom). Whether this is true or just a myth originally born out by a misunderstanding of amino acids at the time, I do know they combine together to create a complete, and delicious, meal.

With so many types of beans and rice, the combinations are almost endless, black beans and rice, pinto beans and rice, refried beans and rice, but my favorite will always be red beans and rice. I love the way they smell while cooking. The aroma brings back great memories as a child. Heck red beans and rice were even one of my favorite meals served in the cafeteria at my school. So to me, red beans and rice are a real comfort food.

Now let’s talk beans. Kidney beans are not red beans. Red beans (also called adzuki) are smaller and rounder (like pinto beans), but red in color. However, the two beans are fairly similar and can generally be used interchangeably in recipes that call for either dried or canned beans. Even so, I prefer red beans because once soaked, they create the creamy and smooth texture I expect in traditional red beans and rice.

Kidney beans do not cook to the same creamy consistency as small red beans, they also don’t stand-up to long boiling time. Kidney beans may prove easier to find so if you substitute, the smaller ones work better and Camellia is a great brand that has found it’s way into many a Cajun’s home and pot.

Another important ingredient that needs to be discussed is sausage. Every pot of red beans and rice needs sausage.It is just not right without it. Any good smoked sausage will work, however, if you want true authentic flavor, you need to use Andouille sausage. Yeah that pretty much sums that topic up, great talk.

Serving the red beans and rice is as simple as it is to make. Pour the beans over the rice and serve. The rice can be mixed in with the beans, but growing up that meant the beans were leftovers from the night before. There is something about the extra time allowing flavors to marry that make leftover beans and rice even more delightful, however first time serving was always beans over the rice at our house.

You need hot sauce on the table so people can add a splash (or more) to the individual bowls. Tabasco will work, I have used it, I also like Texas Pete; but growing up it was always Louisiana Hot Sauce on the table. Some people like to add cider vinegar to their bowl, I was never a fan of this. It is a way to sneak that healthy apple cider vinegar into your life.

Now pair this bountiful offering with some hot buttered cornbread and you have an award winning dinner!

Ok enough babbling on my part, here is how it is done:

Ingredients:
1 pound dry red beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 to 2 large onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hot)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
4 cups water
2 cups long grain white rice

Directions:

Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
Brown the sausage then stir sausage and drippings into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.

To save time I have just thrown everything into a slow cooker and let it go. It still comes out tasting great. I do think it works best to go ahead and saute the veggies before adding them to the slow cooker. When I use the slow cooker I just come home and toss rice into the rice maker (a wonderful invention, I believe everyone needs one) and am ready to go. Hope you enjoy!

Some links on the complete protein debate:

http://www.forksoverknives.com/the-myth-of-complementary-protein/
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/rice-and-beans-perfect-protein-or-perfect-myth.html
And a tip of my hat to Emeril Lagasse and his version:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/red-beans-and-rice-recipe2.html

Apologetics? What is it?

Posted on February 23, 2016February 24, 2016 by scottcatchot

Apologetics is defined as reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine. It is the aspect of theology that deals with the defense and establishment of the Christian faith. It is NOT apologizing for a faith in Christianity. It is simply defined as defending the faith, or as J Warner Wallace puts it, “Christian case making.” I like how that sounds apologetics isn’t about defending God, but helping others understand.

The word, “apologetics,” comes from the Greek word, “apologia,” pronounced “ap-ol-og-ee’-ah.” It means “a verbal defense.” It is used eight times in the New Testament: Acts 22:1, 25:16, 1 Cor. 9:3, 2 Cor. 10:5-6, Phil. 1:7, 2 Tim. 4:16, and 1 Pet. 3:15.

1 Peter 3:15 is the verse that is most used as the reason all Christians should be familiar with Apologetics.

15 but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.(HCSB)

Verse 16 goes on to give direction regarding how and why.

16 However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused,those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame.
Always be ready to give a defense to anyone. Right there in a nut shell is the instruction for all Christians to be knowledgeable in apologetics. Now this does not mean everyone needs to go to college and earn a degree in Christian Apologetics. However it does mean everyone should know what they believe and why they believe it.

There is a story I tell my students when I a stressing the importance of knowing why the believe something and not just take other people word for things. I would like to share it.

A young girl is in the kitchen with her mother learning to cook. This particular meal they are making a ham. As she carefully watches what her mother does, she asks,”Why do you cut the ends off the ham?” After a slight pause the mother replies,” I really don’t know. This is just how my mother did it.” “oh, ok.”
Later in the week the mother is on the phone with the grandmother discussing this and that when she remembered her daughters question.
“Hey mom, Sarah was helping me with the ham the other day and asked a question i just never really thought of before, why do we cut the end off the ham before baking it?” “Well gosh Honey, I really don’t know either, that is just the way I was taught by mom.” This Great grandmother of this family was still alive and as the curiosity built up regarding this mysterious technique, Sarah’s mom called the great grandmother, posing the same question.
“Nana, why do we cut the end off the ham before baking it.” After a considerably amount of laughter, she answered,” Oh child, you don’t have to cut the ends off the ham. I used to do that because I didn’t have a pan large enough for the whole ham to fit into and Papa liked sandwiches made from the end pieces for his lunch.”

Not knowing why you believe what you believe can lead to doing things or holding on to ideas that are not relevant. So Apologetics not only allows us to tell others about our beliefs, it helps increase our faith because it builds a more solid foundation of what we believe, and why we believe it.
Great Apologetic resources:

https://carm.org/introduction-apologetics

http://www.thepoachedegg.net

https://answersingenesis.org

http://www.josh.org

Apologetics? What is it?

Posted on February 23, 2016October 9, 2017 by scottcatchot

Apologetics is defined as reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine. It is the aspect of theology that deals with the defense and establishment of the Christian faith. It is NOT apologizing for a faith in Christianity. It is simply defined as defending the faith, or as J Warner Wallace puts it, “Christian case making.” I like that better because God does not need someone to defend him against anyone, but other people need guidance and help in understanding.

god doesn't need defending

1 Peter 3:15 is the verse that is most used as to the reason all Christians should be familiar with Apologetics.

15 but honor[ the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.(HCSB)

Verse 16 goes on to give direction regarding how and why.

16 However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused,[those who denounce your Christian life[d] will be put to shame.
Always be ready to give a defense to anyone. Right there in a nut shell is the instruction for all Christians to be knowledgeable in apologetics. Now this does not mean everyone needs to go to college and earn a degree in Christian Apologetics. However it does mean everyone should know what they believe and why they believe it.

There is a story I tell my students when I a stressing the importance of knowing why the believe something and not just take other people word for things. I would like to share it.

https://carm.org/introduction-apologetics

http://www.thepoachedegg.net

https://answersingenesis.org

http://www.josh.org

Cajun or Creole?

Posted on February 23, 2016February 23, 2016 by scottcatchot

Growing up in Biloxi, Mississippi offered many enjoyable opportunities as a child, the cuisine I enjoyed as a child was among the highlights. Being lavished with Cajun and Creole offerings on the table and saturated with other delectable offerings of fine Southern homestyle cooking, it is no wonder I developed a love of cooking and food in general. It helped that my dad and great uncle (who lived just around the corner) were excellent cooks in their own right. My life experiences that included traveling In France, England, moving to the great state of Texas, as well as spending two entire summers living in Queretaro, Mexico, added to my culinary intelligence. Nevertheless my heart still belongs and will ever hold Cajun and Creole cooking as my favorite.

As I have lived and watched life around me, especially regarding food trends and tastes, it seems the word Cajun and Creole have become synonyms in the way they are used, especially when describing food. A restaurant will add a new menu item and label it “Cajun”. Unfortunately this usually just means they tossed a bunch of Cayenne pepper or other type of sauce to make it spicy and voila it is a Cajun dish.That is not the case, nor does “blackened” mean burnt (Think very high heat and meat covered in a spice mixture).Therefore I feel the obligation to post regarding this topic and set the record straight (as many others have done) regarding these two different styles of cooking.

Let’s start with a brief history lesson.

Cajuns were French Acadians expelled for their Catholic beliefs in the 1700s from what is now Nova Scotia. Many settled in Acadiana, 22 parishes (counties) in southwest Louisiana. Surrounded by swamps, bayous and prairies, the Cajuns were isolated and lived off the land. The word Cajun derived from shortening the word Acadian very similar to how Indians were once called “Injuns” . The culture remains vividly alive and intense. This is evident in their language (a unique dialect of French), music and of course in the rustic, hearty cuisine.

In contrast, Creoles, were city folk that originally hailed from Europe and then settled in New Orleans. Predominantly Spanish and French, Creoles descended from wealthy families. The brought their own chefs from Madrid, Paris, and other European capitals. These chefs adapted classic cooking techniques to incorporate unfamiliar ingredients like mirliton, crawfish, pompano, snapper, and others. The African slaves who served in these homes added their own flavor as well as the influence of Choctaw Indians and immigrants from Ireland and Germany. All of these thrown together create a true melting pot of flavors, especially in Gumbo.

To be fair it is understandable how there can be some confusion regarding Cajun and Creole, because they can deal with the same dishes. The ingredients used will determine if a Gumbo is Creole or Cajun. That being said there are always going to be some crossovers and similarities regardless of the style and of course the individual preference and personal touch of whomever is creating the dish.

That being said, certain ingredients are a must, namely the trinity. If you are familiar with cooking then you know what a mirepoix is. A roughly chopped vegetable mixture, usually consisting of onions, carrots, and celery a 2:1:1 ratio respectively. The trinity refers to the Cajun and Creole version consisting of onions,celery, and green bell pepper in a 3:2:1 ration. Around my house garlic was always added to this therefore making the base of many different dishes and roux.

Cajun Seafood Gumbo

Let’s look at the differences that make the distinction between the two styles. The reason For the earlier history lesson was not just extraneous information but showing the background as well as pointing out what brings us to the true Gumbo test regarding Cajun vs Creole. Access to ingredients. The true simple, in a nut shell answer is that Cajun vs Creole is really City food vs. rural. So money and access determined what was used, even when cooked in similar fashion.

An excellent article by food and travel writer Beth d’Addono summed it up nicely with a Quote from executive chef Mark Falgoust:

“Cajun folks used one chicken to feed three families, Creoles used three chickens to feed one family,” said chef Mark Falgoust, executive chef at Grand Isle restaurant across from the Convention Center and Harrah’s Casino. Although a native New Orleanian, Falgoust’s family roots are in Bayou Pigeon and Pierre Part and he’s Cajun through and through. “Our people held onto our culture. We had big families, hunted and fished, and didn’t use fancy ingredients or dairy in our food. To me, Cajun isn’t a bloodline, it’s a state of mind.” A Cajun gumbo typically is made with a darker oil-based roux and homemade sausage and chicken as well as seafood. “People think Cajun food is all spicy, but that’s not true at all,” said Falgoust. “Creole cooking is more refined all around. Creole gumbo uses butter in the roux, tomatoes and usually just seafood, no meat.”

( the entire article can be found at http://www.10best.com/interests/foodie/cajun-vs-creole-cuisine/)

There it is. The way I was taught growing up, is the same difference the professionals state. The richer butter and tomato based dishes are Creole, with the Creole Gumbo being more like a soup. The darker oil based roux and just about any meat you can catch, is Cajun with the Cajun gumbo being thicker and more like a stew. This is just depends on the type of thickening agent used and if File seasoning was added or not.

The main seasonings used in the various dishes are also similar with some exceptions such as Creole usually adds oregano. This, coupled with too much salt, is the reason there is not much flavor difference between the Cajun seasonings and the Creole seasonings you buy in the store. You would be better served making your own, which also allows you to add your own personal touches. A Recipe for making your own is below.

Now you are among the elite who know the basic difference between Cajun and Creole and that highly seasoned does not just mean spicy. Go out and explore these culinary delights and experiment with the two styles. But please remember, if it doesn’t have okra, it is not Gumbo.

For more information regarding Cajun vs Creole check out:

http://www.louisianatravel.com/articles/cajun-vs-creole-food-what-difference

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Menuism/cajun-vs-creole_b_1447822.html

Making your own Cajun seasoning is easy, and turns out better than store bought mixes:

Makes about 1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS

Kosher or sea salt — 2 tablespoons
Paprika — 2 tablespoons
Thyme — 1 tablespoon
Basil — 1 tablespoon
Garlic powder — 2 teaspoons
Onion powder — 2 teaspoons
Black pepper — 2 teaspoons
White pepper — 2 teaspoons
Cayenne pepper — 1 teaspoon

Just mix all the ingredients together and store in a cool dry place.
If you want it to be “Creole” then add 1 tablespoon of Oregano to the mix.
If you want it spicer, increase the Cayenne, or add 1 teaspoon of crushed red peppers to the mix.

3 Strand Cord part 3

Posted on February 22, 2016March 7, 2016 by scottcatchot

A Call to Action, that is what I would title this section. This is the final post in the 3 part series taking a look at the Christian walk through the symbolism of a 3 strand cord. This last section will focus on Action.The First strand talked about was importance of being in the Word, learning scripture and using it as the standard by which a Christian is to live. The second strand represented prayer, the importance of talking to God and cultivating a relationship with Jesus. This post will focus on the third strand, action.

It is a travesty not to grow in Christ. Salvation is not just saying a prayer and never thinking about it again. True Christians are representatives of God. Our thoughts, our actions, words they represent Christ. People will come to us for a drink, a lot of times without realizing that is what they are doing. We are to be fresh, not stagnant. We cannot be fresh or give fresh water unless we are filled daily.This is what the previous two posts discussed, how to be filled daily. But if you look in nature, the clearest, freshest water isn’t the ponds and lakes, but the rivers. That water which is moving. When you look at a river from any point along the bank, that area has water flowing into it and out of it, it is constantly moving. If it completely stops moving anywhere, the clearness and freshness of the water there will changes over time. The Christian walk is the same.

A believer needs to constantly have new life pouring into them daily as well as allowing that life to pour out of them. Now before anyone misunderstands, I am not saying works are needed in order to be saved. Salvation is by grace through Jesus only, no other way. However,salvation should lead to works. As our lives become more and more like Christ, so will our actions.

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
we are created for a purpose, God’s purpose. James addressed the connection between faith and works in his teachings:

James 2:14-26

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith[d] save him?
15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”[e] Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.[f] 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.
20 Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected. 23 So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,[g] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Let’s be careful here, if taken out of context this can lead to confusion regarding saved by grace or by works. I have heard some point to this claiming it proves the Bible contradicts itself. But for something to be a contradiction, then it has to be mutually exclusive. In other words, it is absolutely impossible for both things to occur at the same time. That is the meaning of a contradiction.

There is no contradiction in James. Remember to look at the context. James, chapter 2, has 26 verses: Verses 1-7 instruct us not to show favoritism. Verses 8-13 are comments on the Law. Verses 14-26 are about the relationship between faith and works. CARM (Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry) give a great explanation of this verse:

“James begins this section by using the example of someone who says that he has faith but has no works, “What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14) In other words, James is addressing the issue of a dead faith–a faith that is nothing more than a verbal pronouncement, a public confession of the mind, and is not heart-felt. It is empty of life and action. He begins with the negative and demonstrates what an empty faith is (verses 15-17, words without actions). Then he shows that type of faith isn’t any different from the faith of demons (verse 19). Finally, he gives examples of living faith that has words followed by actions. Works follow true faith and demonstrate that faith to our fellow man but not to God. James writes of Abraham and Rahab as examples of people who demonstrated their faith by their deeds.
In brief, James is examining two kinds of faith: one that leads to godly works and one that does not. One is true, and the other is false. One is dead, the other alive, hence, “Faith without works is dead,” (James 2:20). But, he is not contradicting the verses above that say salvation/justification is by faith alone.
Also, notice that James actually quotes the same verse that Paul quotes in Rom. 4:3 amongst a host of verses dealing with justification by faith. James 2:23 says, “and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'” If James was trying to teach a contradictory doctrine of faith and works than the other New Testament writers, then he would not have used Abraham as an example. Therefore, we can see that justification is by faith alone and that James was talking about false faith–not real faith–when he said that we are not justified by faith alone.”

We do not serve a sleeping or dead God, He does not want a sleeping or dead bride.The world is stIll waiting for the reality of God, It is to be revealed through the church. How will that happen without the church getting off it’s blessed assurance and putting that faith into action? Looking around at Christianity today, especially in America, it is very reminiscent of a pond or are of standing water. There is a lack of fresh water pouring in and a lack of any water running out. It is covered in scum, has bugs and looks diseased. No wonder church attendance is declining.There is no life. The church was not mean to be an institution held within four walls. It is itself a living entity, the body of believers a whole representing the Bride of Christ.

(For more info on church attendance trends check out:
http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/139575-7-startling-facts-an-up-close-look-at-church-attendance-in-america.html )

If the river stops flowing, it’s not a river Why do we want more from God if we keep it to ourselves To enjoy what others don’t have? That is not the purpose of having God’s spirit. It is to be shared. The church was never meant to be thought of as a building. We, the followers of Jesus, are the church.

If you read through the Old Testament looking at the judges and the prophets, They were people of action. When the spirit comes on you boldness comes. Boldness demands action or else it isn’t bold. Doing things that are not normal. It is what God wants and expects from the church.

In the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant was a symbol that represented the presence and glory of God. There were special instructions regarding it’s care and how it was to be handled. The only way it could be carried was special poles ran through rings and the priests carrying it on their shoulders. Do you catch the symbolism and meaning of that? The presence and glory of God is to be carried on the shoulders of men. At the cross the veil separating everyone from the Ark, the symbol of God’s presence was torn down. Everyone now has access to God’s presence through Jesus. However, the method of carrying that presence and the glory of God, Jesus, did not change. It is still to be carried by men. To carry something requires action.

The New Testament is also fun of examples of action, heck the birth of the church is described and detailed in a book titled ACTS. Jesus himself commanded His followers to a life of action,

Matthew 28:18-20

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of[f] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember,[g] I am with you always,[h] to the end of the age.”

The very last words of Jesus on this earth were “go”. Not sit and read, but go. Yes they were to continue seeking him, to wait on the sending of the Holy Spirit, but his command was to go. A call to action.

We as Christians have received His grace in order to share His grace, so if we have received salvation by grace. we are obligated to share His grace.If you have a desire for more, a desire to see revival, a desire to be blessed, then begin to share your salvation with other people.
Why do you want more if you are not going to give it away? A revival that does not effect other people, does not effect your society is not revival.

Acts 1 “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you you will receive power and you will be my witness”

We must take the church outside these 4 walls, taking it into the streets unashamed of being Crazy in love with Jesus. Paul asked in Romans 10:14:

14 But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher?
Paul stresses the importance of a Christians need to fulfill the last command of Jesus. Now this brings to my mind one of the more often asked questions by skeptics, but what about those who never hear about Jesus. This is a a topic I will cover in a later post in more depth, but suffice it to say we can rest in the assurance that God is a fair and just God. I mention here because of what it should do for a believer. It should light a burning fire in our hearts to do everything we can to make sure that there isn’t someone who has never heard of Jesus.

In closing, It is of no value to spend time in the word, spend time in prayer to get a manifestation of God and then go home and not shine his light. That is why I see this as 3 strands to make one strong cord: The word, prayer, and action. We must call out to God daily, we must study the word, but we are not to receive from God just for ourselves we must give it away. These are days of Action. Faith acts, faith does something Whatever God gives you, you are to use it ,put it into action. You want awesome things to happen, get where the action is, find someplace or someone who is needy and do something about it. An awesome man of faith and a dear friend of mine, Jeff Collins once said :

There are 3 kinds of people in church

Those who make things Happen
Those who watch things Happen
Those who say , “what Happened ?”

Let’s all be those who make things happen by giving away that which has been given to us, as the Lord has commanded. Go. This is your call to action.

3 Strand Cord (part 2)

Posted on February 18, 2016March 7, 2016 by scottcatchot

As I continue this series regarding the 3 strand cord and look at the second strand, I want to discuss the importance of prayer. Entire books have been written regarding prayer so needless to say anything I mention in this post is definitely not an exhaustive analysis on the importance and power of prayer. However, there are some aspects regarding prayer that kept jumping out to me as I went back through those pages of my journal and I want to share those.

I heard someone once say that prayer is the Cinderella of the church. You know the story, Cinderella was mistreated and hidden away from most of society.Yet when she got out and made it to the ball, she was the most beautiful one there, so enchanting that the Prince went on a search throughout the kingdom to find her after the Ball. Well that is prayer for the church. It is often mistreated, not the most exciting thing to do, even seeming cliche and yet when truly put to practice it is the most beautiful and effective weapon the church has in this world. This is because when people stay on their knees in prayer, Jesus, eagerly runs to His bride.

To say it is important to pray is an understatement. The Bible is full of quotes telling us to pray.

1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

Luke 18:1 And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.
These are just a few places that Christians are instructed to pray. Why is it so important? Well this Christian walk is a relationship with God and it functions very similar to relationships in the natural. You develop friendships by spending time with people. The more time you spend with someone the more you get to know them and the closer you become. Are you really close with someone that you never spend time with?

The Word Teaches us about Jesus, His teachings, and gives us knowledge on one level, but when coupled with prayer it become illuminated and takes it a step further. It is like a kid who loves Batman. He may have read every comic book available, seen the movies, and watched all the cartoons. He can tell you all about Batman, but if he has never met Batman, does not spend time with Batman regularly, then he does not know Batman. It is the same with Jesus. We can study and learn all about him, and that is good, but it must be coupled with prayer. Talking with God. Taking the time to cultivate that relationship.

This is more than blessing our meals, saying our bedtime prayers and asking him for our needs.
We need to pray more intensely Pray in all circumstances, good or Bad. We need more than just 5, 10, or 20 minute prayers, we need to shake the heavens. All types of prayers: praise and thanksgiving, Intercession, seeking God, crying out when in need, and others. But all types need to be in earnest and with the correct intention.

James 4:3 You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires. Frivolous self centered prayers are not always answered because they are not according to God’s will. Again we see the connection of the first strand with the second, through reading of the word we learn God’s desires and how to pray according to His word, which in turn brings answers to those prayers.

Psalms 145:18 The LORD is near to all them that call on him, to all that call on him in truth.

Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

The word is clear that prayer, when done fervently and in the right manner accomplishes many things. Now this doesn’t mean there are certain formulas or a set way to pray. It is simply talking to God truthfully, humbly, and without selfish motives. But also with pretentious babbling and vain repetition to make yourself sound good. It is to be with intention and purpose.

The great example to us is the Lord’s prayer: Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
Your name be honored as holy.
10
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11
Give us today our daily bread.
12
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13
And do not bring us into[f] temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one
[For Yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
This shows examples of thanksgiving, asking for just daily needs , repentance, and forgiveness. a great model to follow given by Jesus himself. One of the most important aspects in this prayer is the point of seeking God’s Kingdom to come here as in heaven. There is a tension between the Kingdom of God being here and the Kingdom that is coming. It is like the difference between being adopted and having a hope to be adopted. It is in this tension where we pray and groan.

Romans 8:26-27
26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us[a] with unspoken groanings. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

When we don’t know what to pray, in our weakness the spirit will lead us, pray through us, and sometimes jus know what we need when don’t, when we can’t even vocalize it. This happens because in prayer you are no longer alone. God is there listening.So pray that you can have an open heaven and live with anticipation of what God is going to do.This is what it means to seek the Lord. The awesome thing about seeking the Lord’s presence is that He will show up. When he does, take time to listen as well. Sit in silence in his presence and let Him speak to you.

Just like when Cinderella went looking to see the prince at the ball in my earlier analogy,the result was the Prince seeking Cinderella to be his bride. Well Jesus eagerly seeks for His Bride, the church. In the story invitations went out inviting everyone to the ball, Jesus invites all of us to seek his presence. Why would we not accept this invitation to be in His presence in prayer?

It is in His presence when we truly experience change in our lives. It is in His presence that the things learned in the Word become truly written upon our hearts.It is through prayer combined with the Word that the anointing flows into our lives. As we saturate our lives in both the word and prayer we find more and more of the presence of God and are forever changed. This is where victory lies, with the presence of the Almighty God. When the Spirit of the Lord shows up, the ropes and chains that have held you bound up become like wax and melt away.

This is the beauty and awesome reward of walking with Jesus. Experiencing love and joy. Not just salvation from our sins that allows us into heaven when we die, but salvation from our sins that allows us to grow in a closer and closer relationship with Jesus hear and now. This does not mean there is no longer troubles, the Bible tells us to expect trials and tribulation. So the Joy of the Lord isn’t the absence of sorrow, but the presence of Jesus. As we pray without ceasing we find ourselves never alone. Our perspective changes because when He is with us, nothing else matters.

So the two strands, the word and prayer, twist together to strengthen our relationship with God and leads us to seek His presence and find it. This seeking the presence of God interlocks with the Great Commission , one flows from the other and leads to the final thread I will discuss in the next post… ACTION.3

3 Strand Cord (part 1)

Posted on February 16, 2016March 7, 2016 by scottcatchot

I was planning on spending sometime adding more of my poems to the poem section of this site. I grabbed the composition book that I have some of these written in and left. When I got an opportunity to flip through the composition book I had grabbed the wrong one and actually had grabbed an old prayer journal. I have stopped and started journaling many times over the years. It is something I like and want to do, but am not super consistent over extended long periods of time. I always pick it back up though and so have entries that span many many years. Since I had it with me I started reading back through it and quickly came to realize through he prompting of the Spirit that this really was not an accident. Reading multiple entries covering a span of years I noticed a theme being woven through the fabric of time. Not just time in general, but my personal timeline and so it became a trip back to an old altar, a chance to rebuild, rededicate, and study again some basic truths. It all offers a message that I want to share over the next few blog Entries..

The theme I saw develop that I will focus on relates to our walk as a Christian. Accepting Jesus as the savior is the most decision we could ever make. Unfortunately that is where a lot of people, and even church instruction, seems to stop. There is a need for true discipleship for new believers, heck even those who have walked for a while. There is more to being a Christian than just going to church or just saying a one time prayer. It is about having a relationship with the creator of the universe. A relationship with God is similar to a relationship in the natural. It has to be cultivated.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 tells us a cord of three strands is not easily broken. This has proven true in my Bushcraft experience as well. A great way of increasing strength of cordage is by twisting more than one strand together or even braiding them. As I perused through the pages of the journal, there were three topics that kept popping back up that when used together create an almost unbreakable cord in our spiritual lives. Now it is important to note that the Christian walk is about relationship, not formulas, but having these three aspects in our walk builds spiritual strength and will bring us in closer intimacy with Jesus.

The three strands every Christian needs in their life to help cultivate a strong relationship with God are the word, prayer, and action.

The first strand, the WORD

So much of today’s society is experience driven. Live life to the fullest, do whatever makes you happy. This has even leaked over into the church. Charismatics can suffer from charismania and focus on living from experience to experience. They are not the only body of believers who suffer with this issue. Our society is focusing more and more on experiencing life. Carpe Diem, Seize the Day! Having a genuine experience with God is awesome, and is something we should all seek to have happen. Yet if your faith comes only from experiences, it will be weak. Having faith based on experiences tends to have us walk according to our feelings. What happens when our feelings, or our experience does not match up with how we thought it should go? Do we then have a spiritual dilemma? We do need to experience the presence of God,
But we need to base everything on something more solid than Our experience. THE WORD OF GOD. When we are abounding in God’s word, then it will set us free and we will be steadfast, unmovable, and will avoid a crisis of faith because our faith is rooted in something with substance. The bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6), so how do we get faith? Well,Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

What is your faith based on? Why do you believe the things you believe? It is important to know what you believe, and why you believe it. The answer to that question should never be because (insert name or title here) told me so, with the exception of the Children’s song lyrics…”for the Bible tells me so.” So many times I hear people say they are looking for a word from God. This plays into wanting an experience, wanting a touch from God. Nothing wrong with that, but 100% of the time that we cannot discern the voice of the Lord is because we do not have the word of God in our hearts. Jesus said in John chapter 10 that His sheep know him and hear His voice. You want to get to know Him? You want a word from God? READ THE BIBLE! It is 66 books filled with Words from God to you.When you get the word in you, then God will breathe on it. Experience does not change your heart, the word of God changes your heart.

Our heart are changed because the Word is a God given guide for our life. The word is to act as a ruler or standard by which we gauge everything in our lives. It is the guide that tells us how we should live and how we should handle situations. It tells us why we need a savior and is a love letter to us from God. If we do not know the word, then how are we able to know how God expects us to live. It is also only by knowing the word that we can recognize false teachers and doctrines. We are to test everything against the standard of the Bible. Every preacher’s sermon, every message and supposed word from God, against the Bible.If you can’t find it in the Bible, Throw it out!

Jesus himself used scripture when preaching, reciting or reading from the Old Testament. When he spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted, He resisted the devil through quoting scripture. Following his resurrection In Luke 24 we see that he opened the scriptures to those he was walking with on the road to Emmaus. Jesus, the resurrected Christ could have given them anything, but He opened their minds to the scripture. He still does this through the Holy Spirit for us when we study the word.
It is this opening of the scriptures that helps us acquire knowledge about Jesus as well as helping develop a relationship with Him. The prophet Hosea shows the importance of this in chapter 4 verse 6:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

This should serve as a warning that it is important to have knowledge and to know the laws, and more importantly the grace of God. This only comes from studying the word. Without this knowledge we will be as children “tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit (Ephesians 4:14).” Knowing the Word keeps you from being deceived by false doctrine. This is very much the same method used by the FBI and Treasury department. The people who are experts on counterfeiting do not spend all of their time studying the various methods people can produce fake money, and yet when handed a fake bill the truly experienced can recognize it immediately. How is this possible? They spend so much time studying the real thing that a fake is obvious. It is the same for us when we study the word of God, if you truly know the Bible, then fake doctrine, scriptures used out of context, and other errors become evident to you.

So if we don’t want to remain as children, then we need to grow up. There is nothing wrong with a new Christian having a limited understanding of the Bible and the things of God. It even says to desire Spiritual Milk like a new born Baby (1 Peter 2:1-3) However, the Bible is also full of admonishment and encouragement regarding not remaining immature in these things, saying to move on from just milk to meat. (Hebrews 5:11-6:12; 1 Cor 3:1-4;10-15; 2 Peter 1:3-15) Therefore we need to read and study the word in order to grow in our spiritual life and knowledge of Christ.

This knowledge is increased because the word isn’t just about Jesus, it is Jesus.
John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word,[a]
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

Jesus is the incarnate Word of God so by studying the Bible, we are actually building relationship with THE WORD, Jesus. When you get to know someone, you learn who they are, what they desire in life, as well as other aspects of their Character. Well The Bible shows us the Character of God as he reveled himself through Jesus. It is a more solid foundation Heaven and Earth shall pass away but the Word Endures forever. 2 Peter 1:12-21 gives us assurance that the Bible is God given and is a sure foundation. There are plenty of extra biblical evidence pointing to the reliability of the Bible and I will address that in a different post. This shows that the scripture is something that is and will always be true and therefore something we can rely on.

The Word produces faith, faith produces confidence, confidence produces boldness, boldness produces Kingdom. The end result of Jesus coming and what what will be the end game in His return is the establishment of God’s Kingdom. We, as followers are to be a part of that and we can only accomplish this mandate (referred to as the Great Commission) if we know the Bible. Read, Memorize, meditate on the Word of God. Get it inside of you and use it as your standard of living, your code of Honor.

Go out and work on increasing the amount of time you spend reading, even if you start by adding 10 minutes extra a week. That is a start. There are tons of reading plans on the internet to help you, just type it into Google and find a plan. AN easy place to start is with Proverbs. The number of Chapters line up with the length of our months. I personally read a chapter from the Old Testament, one of the Psalms, A Proverb, and then a Chapter out of the New Testament. I do this in order to read through the entire Bible. I miss days, it happens. But my goal is everyday. If I miss a day, I jump right back in and start from where I left off, or time permitting I read extra to catch up and stay on track. The importance is not tied into how you do it, but that you do it.

The next post will focus on the second strand, Prayer. Have a great day!