Rejoice!

I found myself in bed this morning pondering my day. June begins tomorrow and I get positively giddy over sitting down at our family calendar and planning out our month ahead. This morning, I was mentally re-running through our weekly menu.

I enjoy keeping a menu for meal planning. I do not, however, shop according to the menu. I shop according to what's in season (this is best done at the local farmer's market if you don't have your own garden) and then come home and pray for inspiration! Our menu revolves around our shopping. I know this sounds a bit backward, but it works.

Seasonal shopping keeps things interesting (I don't like serving or making the same old dishes year-round) and keeps me learning. I often turn to the cookbook mid-week when we only have a few random pieces of food stragglers left in the fridge/pantry and flip back to the index to look up their suggestions for cauliflower, let's say. And I inevitably find a new way to prepare a familiar food. I have to be flexible (I may not be able to add sundried tomatoes or maybe it will have to be cashews instead of almonds), but if you don't mind the adventure (and potential call to the local pizza delivery in case you completely ruin everything--which has yet to happen, I am happy to report!) this is a great way to eat/cook in season without getting bored. In fact, Rory and I have found some of our favorite meals with index cooking! One of my favorite and most-used indexes is found in this cookbook.

And this morning, as I reminded myself that it would be broccoli and pasta tomorrow followed by ceasar salad, then BLT's (turkey bacon on spelt toast, fyi) and then a date night for Friday, it occurred to me that this is rejoicing in the day the Lord has made. Rejoicing in the day just might include the chores of the day. Rejoice in the diapers that will be changed, rejoice in the food you will prepare, rejoice in the clothes you will wash! And again I will say, Rejoice!