Salsa

Aly and I made salsa the other day. It was so fun using my birthday present early. My b-day is July 4th for those of you who don't know it. I am one of those men who if they see something they want they buy it themselves making it a lot harder for choosing a present for me. So, I went ahead and searched eBay for a food processor and won one for a great price and a new one at that. A Cuisinart and it works great. Of course the only reason I want it is to make salsa. Shelley may be the one who gets the most use out of it, but she wants one of those Vita mix thingies and they are super expensive. So unless we win the lottery or a rich relative dies and leaves us lots of dough ( and I don't mean the flour kind ) we will have to do with a blender and a my new Cuisinart.

Anyway, making our salsa was a fun job. Aly of course wanted to put everything in the processor and I was of course impatient and so we compromised on me cutting up the veggies and her putting them in. She wanted to operate the processor but I talked her out of it by mentioning that this was MY birthday present and it was only right that I should get to operate it by myself at least this first time. She agreed.

Salsa is one of those fun things you can use as an analogy for so many situations in life. I am choosing to relate it to our lives at any given moment. ANY ones life at any given moment. Take for instance our President George W. Bush. Isn't his life a constant example of salsa? No pun intended on the ethnic origin of the dish either. He is surrounded by all sorts of vegetables and spices and vinegar and herbs that are all trying to have their say in the mix of his decision making. And they all have their right to input however, some of them are more important than others. Like VP Dick Cheney would probably be the green peppers, and Secretary of State, Condolesa Rice would be an onion. Of course G.W. is the tomatoes. All the other herbs and spices, etc would be the other advisers that go into the mix. Hopefully a well balanced mix that turns into a very delicious concoction that pleases the senses especially the taste.


I know my life has certainly been a big bowl of salsa for a while now. I have had lots of different input by lots of spices and herbs in my world. I would have to say that my girls and Shelley would be my green peppers and onions. I of course am the tomatoes. In my salsa making experiences I have tried lots of different things to distinguish it from others I have tried. I have been successful and there have been times I have not. I think the one item I have discovered which doesn't necessarily distinguish it from others but is a mandatory item for me to consider it complete is cilantro. Not dried cilantro but fresh cilantro. And not too much, just the right amount that gives that extra special, yummyness to it. That and a secret ingredient that you might get Aly to tell you if you are ever around us when we are making it.
She reminds me of the dog on that baked bean commercial. You know, Duke who wants to tell everyone the secret family recipe. Aly would "spill the beans" so to speak. It is a common item but perhaps you never would have thought to add this to your recipe. If you have one.
Anyway, we made salsa. And the Cilantro? Well, it is my analogy for God. You see the salsa is not right unless it has His input, Hhis "spice" to our lives. And just the right amount. Not over done and not too little. ( we can argue later about whether or not you can get too much of God ).

I just know that without Him, my salsa is not complete.

How about you.

Made any salsa lately?

love,