Meals #29 and 30

Well, I can't believe it!  The 30 meals project has been completed.  I delivered the last 2 meals Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.  The last I posted was Tuesday and I noted that I would be making the cavatini for them.  Well, the funny thing is, I was in that "cook-mode" and got the hamburger meat and starting browning more than I needed of the hamburger meat. Ugh.  So I actually made 3 9x9 pans of this Italian casserole (very similar to lasagna but has pepperoni in it as well).  I took that to the couple on Tuesday night, along with a garden salad and some cream cheese cookies.  The other thing is I have 2 more pans in my fridge....trying to decide who to give them to or do I freeze them? What?  Not sure.  If you live around here and could use it let me know.  You can have them.  :) 
So Wednesday, I began to work on the gluten-free meal.  The difficult thing about gluten-free meals is not o much cooking without gluten (well it would be if it were all the time) but to just KNOW what is gluten-free.  I have a friend who has a close relative that is so after consult I knew what to take.  First of all, the 5 cup salad which I'm sure you've noticed has been a staple through all of this, works for this meal.  Also, my homemade vegetable beef soup works.  I found out that pudding is gluten-free so I made that as well.  I took over some whipped topping too, because what's not to like about that? :)    Okay, so meanwhile, in my regular life, Derek is serving a lunch to some ladies at the church for Thursday (the next day).  I asked Derek if he needed me to make some soup for it.  He thought that would be great.   So I thought I would make 2 batches of the vegetable soup and then later do a broccoli/cheese soup which is very low-maintenance.  Also, my mother was coming Wednesday night, in-route to Nashville, so I had to wash sheets, and so on, to turn that room around. Fortunately, God gave me Moira, who being almost 13 years old, is as strong as I am (well, almost, I still can take her in arm wrestling....which for some reason, is important to both of us....hahaha) and she helped me do some of the lifting, carrying to trunk, cleaning up the kitchen.  Fortunately, God gave me Mason, who, for some reason, likes to clean everything else.  He vacuumed the whole house, swept the kitchen floor, picked up, dusted, wiped up bathrooms, etc.  Fortunately, God game me Meril, who is the BEST soup stirer I know.  Plus, it is her room that Gram sleeps in so she cleaned it beautifully and I made the bed fresh.  I got the veggie soup together and that took a bit of time.  Made the pudding, packaged all of it together to take to their house.  The soup pot was so heavy I had to drive it over.  My younger two went with me.  I certainly needed their hands.  They had enough soup for 2 meals at least.  Back home I still had a pot of it for the lunch.  When I got home, I made the broccoli/cheese and decided Derek would need a dessert at that lunch so since it was all in my pantry, I made the cake with the pecan/coconut frosting in the batter.  It turned out beautifully.  By this time, it's getting later in the day.  We had to be at the church for someone's birthday to play volleyball.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  It was a volleyball birthday party.  Good times had by all!

So today, I didn't have a meal to deliver, per se, but I carried a cake, salad and 2 soups over to the church......kind of like 7 meals in one.  :)
I would like for you, those who have read any portion of this blog, to pray with me, think with me, or brainstorm with me, on just what exactly this ministry could look like now - post 30 days and 30 meals.  I know a meal a day is not feasible long-term although it is do-able, but the beautiful responses and smiles that I have witnessed made it worth it this past month.  I know for every smile I was given, there is heart-ache as well that I don't even know about.  There are a few people here in my neighborhood and our school that I feel led to follow-up because of things shared, and I will be faithful to do that.
I will be taking the Christmas week off and thinking and praying on how to go further.  Feel free to share any ideas.  I have actually had someone say they'd like to contribute to this project.  That's very cool.  Makes it even easier to accomplish.  I will get back to you in the new year to let you know what's next.  I can't wait to see what's next.....I know it will be Loving God, Serving People.