Of course, if you really want pulled pork at its finest, it comes straight
from a cooker that’s been slow-roasting a succulent pig for hours. 
However, that usually only happens for special occasions
like weddings or family reunions. 
Still, you don’t have to have the finest of the finest in order to enjoy pulled pork!
Around my home, pulled pork is not an uncommon way to use leftover pork. 
The most tender pulled pork is stripped from a slow-roasted pork roast 
or leftover BBQ ribs, 
although you can actually use any leftover pork.
It’s easier than pie, and here’s the simple 1-2-3!
1. Shred fully cooked pork meat into bite-sized (or smaller) chunks.
2. Cook over low heat with a cup of water, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder to taste until the meat is so tender it’s falling apart. (You can put the top on and steam it for awhile if you had pork chops or some other tough cut, but just make sure you check on it every few minutes, stirring it and adding water as needed.) 
3. Once it’s tender and shredded, you’re done, and I sometimes serve it that way. 
However, we usually like a little of our favorite barbecue sauce added to give it an extra kick. Then, it’s “BBQ pork,” which is a perennial crowd pleaser around our house, especially when the pork is heaped on onion buns!
(P.S.—If your pork is really fatty, drain or spoon off as much of the liquified fat as you can before you serve it or add barbecue sauce. I once had a Kalua pulled-pork sandwich in Hawaii that was so big and so fatty that I couldn’t finish it and felt sick about half-way through trying to eat it. It tasted great, but the fat and sauce was literally dripping down my arms. Famous…but not for me!)
(P.S.S.—If you have an instant pot, this is the perfect way to make tender pulled pork especially fast and simple!)
“He giveth meat in abundance” (Psalm 36:31).
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).
My kids sometimes tease about the fact that the Birthday Club started out as a couple of hours in the afternoon for coffee and cake, over the years expanded to include lunch, and now (14 years later) has become a full day affair! In response, Cindi says we should try to make it sound slightly more legitimate by calling it “The Birthday Research Committee,” since we are always trying to find interesting new places to explore and often take our husbands or kids there later. And, of course—it’s fun to share my finds with any of you who live in the area! 🙂
So, after our hike along the Grand River, and in keeping with our river theme, we stopped for lunch at The English Inn in Eaton Rapids, also on the Grand River. 
If you’re ever wishing you could go for a romantic getaway to jolly old England without having to fly across the Atlantic, have I ever got a deal for you! 
The English Inn is not only a first-class restaurant, it’s also a beautifully updated Bed’n’Breakfast where you can get a quaint room starting at $115 per night (which is admittedly a lot, but that’s a lot less than flying to England). 
This 90-year-old classic Tudor Revival home was first built for Irving Reuter, who was the general manager of the Oldsmobile Corporation and one of the first ten to invest in General Motors.
Today, it’s been expanded to include a banquet hall that can facilitate wedding receptions for up to 250 guests, although the original mansion has been completely renovated and filled with elegant period pieces. 
Since 1991, it’s been listed in the State Registry of Historic Sites. 
We were running late and feared we’d miss out on lunch, since they only serve until 1:30 pm, but Cindi called, and they very graciously remained open to serve us, even though we were their only customers at that late hour. 
The food was exceptional, and all three of us were very pleased. 
I had the beef and rarebit and will definitely be trying to figure out how to imitate their great tenderloin tips and creamy rarebit! If possible, even better than the outstanding food was their impeccable hospitality. Our waiter assured us that we could linger as long as we wished over lunch (which we did!), told us all about the history of The English Inn, and then later toured us around, inviting us to meander through their extensive gardens.
I read this about them: “As it once was during the Reuter’s tenure, fine dining and hospitality remain the order of the evening at The English Inn.” Absolutely! 
The English Inn is nestled along the Grand River and reminded me of a time our family stayed at The Talbot Inn along the River Thames near Oxford, England.
If anything, I would say The English Inn is even more elegant and gracious, and it made me reflect on the possibility of an imitation becoming even more beautiful than an original. As a Christian, I will never come close to being as perfect and spiritually beautiful as Jesus, because He truly is God incarnate. But, it inspired me to work at becoming a more gracious and lovely imitation!
June is always bustin’ out all over with birthdays. Earlier this month, my daughter-in-law had to miss out completely on our birthday party for her because both her kids were so sick, but today I want to relate an especially happy tale about one of our Birthday Club adventures that succeeded.
Susan, Cindi, and I had a perfectly wonderful day celebrating Susan’s birthday, so I want to encourage young parents with the thought that by the time your kids are grown, your birthdays might become remarkably fun…
and possibly even relaxing! 
We started with an initial fortification of fruit, coffee, tea, and some amazing donuts from the new Donut Conspiracy shop on E. Beltline that (is overpriced but) has really delicious and decadent donuts with clever names like “Rehab.”
We continued our rehab with a fantastically soothing hike on the Ledges Trail, 
a remote area of the Grand River in Fitzgerald Park (near Grand Ledge, MI). 
Ledges Trail meanders along the Grand River for about 3/4 mile 
down to Island Park (built on “Second Island”). 
Island Park is sunny, breezy, non-buggy and handicap accessible. 
The trail is a little rougher, we’re all still good hikers, so we thoroughly enjoyed 
our walk along the beautifully patterned “grand ledges” of sedimentary rock. 
It’s so lush and green it reminded us of Ireland, and we did use insect repellent, 
but none of us gotten bitten by mosquitoes. 
(Note: there was a lot of poison ivy beside the path, so if you hike it,
The ledges are covered with powdery light green lichens
They’re also adorned with delicate mosses, ferns, and liverworts, 
some of which aren’t found anywhere else in Michigan’s lower peninsula. 
In fact, I felt very much like I was hiking along one
In 1888 a railroad trestle was built across the Grand River near the south boundary of Fitzgerald Park. 
Something echoed deep in our hearts as we heard the wail of a whistle
…a tug that made us feel tied to 130 years of history and a time when
Susan has a penchant for spiritual nurturing and motifs, so Cindi suggested a river theme for our outing. Perfect!
Besides sharing all about our lives, we sang songs together. 
We also considered the significance of various verses and stories about rivers that flow through the scripture
and reflected on God’s goodness to us during this season of our lives.
There is so much to be thankful for at every stage of life, 
and if you’re in the midst of child-rearing, I hope you’re able to enjoy the bustle. 
But, if you’re older (like we are), I hope you enjoy the peace and quiet too.
It Is Well
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 
Song of Solomon 8:13 “Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice; cause me to hear it.” In my Bible, verses 10-13 are all listed under the heading, “The bride speaks.” For forty years, as I’ve read my Bible through almost every year, I’ve assumed that verse 13 was the bride describing her husband—the mighty King Solomon—as one who dwelt in gardens. Isn’t that a beautiful thought? Her king, not high and mighty on his throne, but tender and touchable in the intimate seclusion of their gardens:
“I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses,
Hold that thought, because such tender communion is indeed real, but in this passage I do not believe it’s the bride seeking the husband…it is the husband desiring communion with his wife! “Thou that dwellest” is actually just one word in Hebrew, a verb written in the feminine form which could be translated as “She who inhabits” (Jonathan Armstrong: I can now—fifteen years into this study—quote my son, who has become an ancient languages scholar!). 
“Thou that dwellest in the gardens…” This is our Lord’s last description of us. This is where he wants his bride to be waiting for him. Are these literal gardens? “Should I be carried to the skies on flow’ry beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?” (Isaac Watts). 
For King Solomon and his bride, the gardens were doubtless literal…the wondrous gardens Solomon developed as described in Ecclesiastes 2. However, even as Jesus declared that his kingdom was not of this physical world yet (John 18:36), even so are we to be dwelling—not necessarily in paradisal gardens here on earth—but in spiritual gardens. As John Milton points out to us so poignantly in Paradise Lost, the paradisal Garden of Eden that our greater than Solomon made for us has been lost to us on this earth, and even our Lord was driven from his sanctuary, the Garden of Gethsemane, when he dwelt here below with us. 
We may be physically surrounded by beauty or bareness during our tenure on earth, but spiritually we should be dwelling “in the gardens.” How do we do that? When we are surrounded on every side by tribulations, testings, trials, heartaches, pain, and insecurities…not only our own, but those encountered by our loved ones who are near to us, and those suffered by the body of Christ worldwide…how do we do that?
(To be continued next Sunday, but the answer is to center our minds on Christ and experience “Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” [Matthew 6:10] as the present spiritual reality of our lives.)
In honor of summer just beginning, this Saturday I want to inspire you with ideas for how to create incredible salmon dishes for hot (or cool) summer days. 
This first photo was taken at the Boat House in Disney Springs, Florida. It had field greens, butternut squash, Honeycrisp apples, feta cheese, chopped bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds and a maple vinaigrette dressing…and was possibly the best salmon salad I’ve ever eaten! 
Epcot’s Rose & Crown Restaurant also serves an excellent salmon dish, although perhaps geared more for a cool evening. 
Their pan-roasted Scottish salmon dinner was outstanding! It included Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, new potatoes, baked apples, and a lime-saffron infused Aioli sauce. I’ve already written up a recipe for Aioli sauce (
Another fantastic salmon salad I had was in Hawaii. This one was honey-glazed, grilled, and put to rest on a bed of spinach with red onions, bacon bits, slivered almonds, and mandarin oranges with a tangy orange-basil vinaigrette. Obviously, nobody wants to give away their signature recipes, but I’ve learned from experimenting that you can use equal parts of your favorite vinegar and oil (or even your favorite Italian), add whatever you like to give it an extra spark (be it maple syrup, basil and bits of grated orange peel, or anything else that suits your fancy and seems like it might complement your dish), plus some salt and pepper…maybe a little onion or garlic powder…and 
Here is one of my own creations, just a garden salad with peppers, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, black olives, and Parmesan cheese. 
Really, salmon (or any meaty fish) is very versatile. When our kids were little, we couldn’t afford to eat fish very often, but Alan says that having fish once a week is a healthy practice, so I’ve been trying to serve it more.
This time I loaded it heavily with fresh garlic and Italian dressing before grilling it, then served a mango/onion/avocado salsa and asparagus as sides. 
I’ve also tried grilling the asparagus (basted with a little oil and salt) along with the salmon, then added potato salad and cold slaw. This special occasion included “salmon mignon.” (Mignon may be defined as “small and delicate” but I really think it means “round, fat, and especially juicy!”) 
If you’re looking for a perfect summer lunch party idea, this salmon served on a bun with veggies and a side salad might meet your needs. After walking around Mackinac Island a few weeks ago, this flavorful meal from the Village Bell totally refilled my tank! (Ranch dressing added to the sandwich was a good touch.) 
Even a chunk of grilled salmon atop a simple Caesar salad made of Romaine leaves, croutons, and grated Parmesan cheese tossed with creamy Caesar dressing can totally satisfy most people on a warm day. 
Hot or cold, summer or winter, salmon is always considered a royal treat… fit for a Caesar, or for your favorite people. Happy Summering! Hopefully, I’ve given you a few ideas that will add fuel to the fire of your creative culinary imagination!
Did I tell you that our son, Stephen, recently became ABD? He’s been working on his PhD from Eastman School of Music in New York and recently passed his field exam, so now he’s completed all his class work and only has to write his dissertation. (Thus “ABD,” All But Dissertation completed.) Congratulations!
This is a major cause for celebration, and while he was home taking a well earned break, we wandered all through the various venues of Meijer Garden. 
No sooner had we returned home than I realized that one of my ear rings was MIA (missing in action). It was part of a set of gold fleur de lis from one of the french chateaus I’d visited with Stephen (and Alan and Joel) a few years ago, and although it wasn’t super expensive, it had a lot of sentimental value, so I was quite disappointed. However, it was too late to return that afternoon to search.
I remembered walking in the Japanese Garden under a low-hanging bush that had caught my hair, and I’d tugged to get my hair loose. Could that be where it fell? But, if so, would I ever be able to find it again? If not, would anyone else ever see it? If they did, would they be inclined to turn it in…or keep it? 
I’ve heard that there are over 1,000 volunteers at Meijer Garden, and every one I’ve ever met has been sweet and pleasant, so it occurred to me that I should at least call the front desk and ask if they have a “Lost and Found,” and if so, to give them my name and number just in case anyone found it and turned it in.
The lady who answered said she was almost done with her shift and could go out and look for me. I told her not to bother, but that I appreciated her offer, saying I’d come back first thing in the morning to look.
However, before I could go searching the next morning, I got a call from the front desk, saying that my ear ring had been found and would be waiting for me! 
It made me think about the parable of the lost coin in the Bible (Luke 15), only in that story, the woman herself swept her house and looked everywhere until she found her lost coin, then wanted her friends to celebrate with her.
In my experience, kind people came to my rescue! I asked if I could have the name and number of the person who had found the ear ring, but that sweet person (probably the volunteer?) had left no information. I couldn’t even thank them!
Still, I want to thank all the 1,000+ volunteers at Meijer who help make it such a beautiful, warm, and welcoming place, and all the visitors who enjoy the gardens with care and integrity. I’m inspired! I’ll never be ABD, and I hope I’m never MIA, but if any of you are feeling MIA emotionally or spiritually, please contact someone (myself included!) to let them know you’re lost and would like to be found! Jesus is even better than a volunteer! Jesus is the good shepherd, who gave his life for lost sheep (people, like me), and if you call out to Him, He will rescue you and bring you safely home to heaven! As He taught, “
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
I Can Only Imagine is not only one of the world’s most popular songs today, it’s been made into a fantastic movie sharing the painful life story of composer Bart Millard and his abusive father, who was transformed by the power of God’s forgiveness and love. 
The beauty of I Can Only Imagine (2018, newly released to video, PG, IMDb 7.4), is in understanding the change that really can occur in someone who gives their life to Christ. 
The movie is deeply moving, and I wish everybody could see it! 
We watched it on Father’s Day, and it would make a wonderful father-son bonding event (particularly if there’s been any strain in their relationship). 
As Bart has explained in various interviews,“I got a front row seat to see this guy go from being a monster to falling desperately in love with Jesus.” 
“By the time he passed away when I was a freshman in college, not only was he my best friend, he was like the Godliest man I’d ever known.” 
“It’s literally changed the trajectory of my life.” “I guess I grew up thinking that if the Gospel could change that guy, it could change anybody. There was no denying it.”
There were a few things that didn’t come out in the movie that I want to add, because it made some of the puzzle pieces fit together in my mind. Bart’s father didn’t drink (the usual precursor to abuse), but he suffered a closed-head injury at work that left him extremely impulsive (a common side-effect of closed-head injuries). Bart’s father never beat his mother, although he smashed everything she treasured, and he didn’t abuse Bart until after the mother left. (As a mother, I couldn’t imagine leaving my child undefended with an abusive father.)
The chronology of events is also not exact. Bart’s father came to faith in Christ after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while Bart was still at home. It was during his high school years, while Bart cared for his father, that he learned how to forgive through God’s mercy and formed a wonderful bond with his dad.
One of the happiest discoveries from research was finding that the love story between Bart and Shannon was probably very true.
They’ve been married now for 20+ years and have five lovely children!
If you get a chance, please watch it! I think it will touch your soul!
“I can only imagine what it will be like
Song of Solomon 8:12 “My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.” Several last scattered thoughts on this verse, and then let’s move on.
In Ezekiel 36:8-9 the Lord gives the comforting promise that in the future he will again till and sow Israel, and she will shoot forth her branches and yield fruit. This blessed hope was given to the Jewish people, and some day we will all experience the full blessing of the wife of Jehovah (Israel) and the bride of Christ (the Church) living in perfect harmony…and as “one vineyard” if you will—the great vineyard called the kingdom of heaven. 
For the present, if we want to take up the challenge, we can also be faithful sons by working in our Father’s vineyard, because in Matthew 20:1 we are told, “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard…” In the next chapter, Jesus uses the idea of the kingdom being a vineyard again: “A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard” (Matthew 21:28). Of the two sons, the one who was commended was the one who obeyed his father and worked in the father’s vineyard.
Do you like Eggs Benedict? It’s something I used to order out often, but I liked them so well that it seemed a waste not to learn how to make them at home. So, I started practicing. Although my goal is to improve the flavor of whatever recipe I’m developing, I also have a penchant for efficiency and not wasting anything, so I changed up the standard Hollandaise sauce (the crowning touch for an A+ egg benedict) to incorporate both the egg yolks and the egg whites, and if you don’t own an egg poacher, I’ve included an easy tip for how to make poached eggs in any saucepan:
Add together on the top of a double boiler (with the water already boiling underneath):
Meanwhile, heat your Canadian bacon in a skillet, then cover to keep it warm.
If you don’t have an egg poacher, or you can poach eggs on the stove top like this:
Carefully scoop out each egg and set it gently on top of a half a muffin with bacon on top. Crown with hollandaise Sauce. Serve immediately!
The title is a mouth full, but the book is well worth chewing. If you ever wonder how to interpret the Bible, this might be a good study for you. Is the Bible to be taken literally? Did Moses really exist as a person? Is the Bible just a set of untrue stories written to teach moral principles, or did all these things really happen?
Summer Setting 