You Just Might Be a Chili Head

Tonight is our church's annual Chili Cookoff. One of our friends, Ann Sanford, heads up the competition each year. She has been involved in the Terlingua International Chili Cookoff for several years. She always brings a fun, festive atmosphere to this event. This year's event (as well as last year's) have been used to raise funds for Missy's liver transplant, so we have an extra level of appreciation.

Last night, Missy, Joy, and I were preparing our entries into the contest. As I was working on my chili, I thought of some of the following indications of "chili headedness".

If your chili sets off smoke alarms...in your neighbor's house, you might be a chili head.
If your spouse has shed a tear from the aroma of your seasonings, you might be a chili head.
If your recipe is different every time you make chili, you might be a chili head.
If you believe that there is no such thing as too many peppers, you might be a chili head.
If you include ingredients just because they have a cool Mexican name and there are flames on the label, you might be a chili head.
If you include any ingredient just because it has "hot" or "extra spicy" on the label, you might be a chili head.
If you have at least three ingredients that you have no clue about, you might be a chili head.
If others have to sign a waiver to test your chili, you might be a chili head.
If your chili wears through the pot you are using, you might be a chili head.
If you can still taste the heat from your chili three hours later, you might be a chili head.
If you know exactly where each bite is in your digestive system, you might be a chili head.

I won't say how many of these apply to this year's version of my chili, but let me put it this way: I just might be a chili head.

Remembering

We all have times and incidents in our lives that we would like to forget, but they are forever etched in our minds. As I get older, I am finding that there are more and more things that I would like to remember but can't.

As we face the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, there are several memories that we would like to forget...the loss of innocent lives, the massive destruction, the sense of helplessness, the decreased sense of security. Memories of that tragic day are not easily forgotten, nor should they be. Some aspects of that day should always be remembered...the sacrifice of firefighters and police who ran into the chaos instead of running away from it, the bravery of ordinary people who found themselves in the midst of extraordinary circumstances, the way that a country of individuals with opposing beliefs and ideologies bonded together for a common cause.

This video was shared in our church service this morning. It does a much better job of providing reasons why we should remember the events of 9/11. Whether we like it or not, the challenges, hardships, and tragedies that we face make us who we are. Actually, our reactions to those events make us who we are.

Although it doesn't compare to the tragedy of 9/11, Missy has indeed experienced more than her share of difficult circumstances. There are many that we would like to forget, but instead, we forget what important message we were supposed to tell each other, what essential item needs to be picked up at the store, and whatever it was that we were just talking about. It is our goal, however, to please God with how we handle these circumstances. Sometimes we do better than others. We do remember His faithfulness through each circumstance and the promise of His continued presence.

We are still waiting in the most recent part of our journey. Donor #3 has been approved, and we are waiting for a surgery date. We have been told that it will be some time in early October. Stay tuned. God bless America.