Squash Blessings

Then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. - Proverbs 3:10

Squash and Corn Casserole

(Recipe at end of post)

I love Proverbs 3. It instructs us in how we should live our day to day lives, explaining that when we walk in the Word, we will be provided for and live in abundance. I know we always have times when we need more money, more time, or better health. There are times when we feel life crushing us with its unreasonable demands. There are times when we feel so far away from God that we wonder if He remembers us. What I'm coming to understand as I age, however, is that it's not God who's left our side at all. Sometimes, we've wandered away. Sometimes, life just happens even when we're living His word as hard as we can go. That's just the way of the world. But His promise is that we're never, ever alone in our trials. He will answer every prayer. He really is in control. And, when we remember His teaching and walk in His way, we are sometimes blessed with abundance.

We don't have a barn, but we do have a garden, and it is bursting forth with squash. The soil must have the perfect blend of nutrients, and the garden boxes must be placed in just the right place to catch the perfect amount of sunlight, because we've certainly never been blessed with as much squash as we have this year. In fact, last year, um...before my return to my faithful walk...our squash was hollow and shriveled.  Now, it's full, plump, and plentiful. In fact, it's so plentiful that I've now made squash pie, squash and corn casserole, grilled squash, steamed squash, and fried squash. I'm on the hunt for new updated recipes...I've seen some for mashed squash and squashed squash (baked in the oven), sweet squash bread, and squash fritters. I imagine we'll try some of all of it before we're through. I also imagine we'll be gifting friends with some of it, too. Of course, we can freeze it, can it, or pickle it to enjoy when fall hits and the plants die away.

I've felt so blessed by this squash that it's made me take a good hard look at the other blessings in my life...my family, my friends, my health, my job, my home. Truly, my cup runneth over. That's not to say everything is perfect. There are areas of my life that need fixing, changing, reworking. Patches of unforgiven hurt. There are people in my life who need prayers, saving, and healing. There are sins to deal with. Thankfully, that's where God's grace comes in. He lifts me up, hugs me close, and nestles me beneath his wings while He reminds me of all the ways I'm blessed and all the ways He loves me even when this early life wants me to believe otherwise.

Life is a journey through green pastures, lush valleys, and sometimes, desolate deserts. But wherever we are in our walk, He is always with us. I remember that when I tend to our garden and watch another squash blossom give way to that precious, yellow fruit. How blessed we are.

On a little side note...we do make wine and have some merlot ready to bottle. We'll probably be blessing others with it at Christmas!



Squash and Corn Casserole

3 medium squash, chopped or sliced thinly

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

1/4 cup oil

1 15 oz can corn

1/3 cup chopped green onion

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup Pioneer Buttermilk Baking Mix (Bisquick type mix)

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat eggs in large bowl. Add sour cream, oil, corn, green onions, garlic, parm, pepper and salt. Stir in the chopped squash. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes.