The Luckies Man Alive – Really?

About a month ago, while scrolling through Face Book I saw that a somewhat recognizable actor turned house flipper had wished his somewhat recognizable wife turned interior designer a Happy Birthday. How nice.

He posted a happy picture of the two of them smiling into the camera. The caption read: My birthday girl. Luckiest man alive I thought how sweet. Yet I had to wonder, what made this man feel so darn lucky? Obviously, he was referring to his wife; and the life they had forged together for themselves and their beautiful family. It’s a life Jackson readily shares on social media platforms, at times seemingly to shout from the rooftops with such pride. And that’s awesome, but does their finding each other really involve luck? Or is that destiny, fate, pre-ordained somehow? And that got me to thinking about relationships, soulmates and life partners. They are not always the same.

The first thing I did was to go in search of that ever burning question – what is a soulmate? And are we lucky to find that person? Oh my, the answers I found left me even more confused. One article listed the 12 types of soulmates and how to recognize them. Another gave you 10 signs to look for if someone is truly your soulmate. And yet another claimed there were 8 different types and 15 signs. Make up your minds! What I did find interesting in all of this research is that married people are more likely to believe in soulmates than single people. Duah. And that women (64%) believe in the idea of a soulmate more so than men (55%). To be honest, I was surprised that over half of the men out there think soulmates exist.

Do I believe in soulmates? I do. But from a Christian perspective. And that’s a little different. The secular world embraces the idea of past-live soulmates and Twin soulmates. A twin, as it turns out, is one soul that was somehow split into two bodies. My reasons for not accepting these two particular definitions of soulmates should be obvious. I don’t believe in past lives. We get one shot at this and that’s it. I do wonder about past-life memories and that whole déjà vu feeling we sometimes get. I have my own very unscientific theory – if we can get physical traits from our gene pool, why not memories? Where are memories stored anyway? But then that’s a whole different subject for another day.

Twins – the very idea that God created a single soul and then for whatever cosmic reason stuck that soul into two different bodies just doesn’t work for me. Satan maybe, he’s a little twisted to begin with, but not God. And since Satan doesn’t make souls but rather takes them, the idea of twins just doesn’t add up.

I believe that people come into our lives for a reason. The fact that they leave again disqualifies them as a true soulmate. Soulmates, in my humble, untrained opinion do not drift in and out. That doesn’t make the people who pass through any less valuable. They came for a reason, and once that reason is fulfilled, it’s on to someone or something else. We do the same thing, pass through the lives of others. This is even more possible with social media since you don’t have to have physical contact with a person to change or impact their lives. It’s why I believe we need to think before we speak. So while what I’ve said here might not be how you see things, just know I’ve given it some thought before putting word to paper, so to speak.

I do believe in soulmates, but not everyone is meant to find their soulmate. I’m not sure why that is. Some people find a life partner, or a multitude of life partners at various stages in their journey. People come into our lives to help or hinder. Those that come to hinder give you a good indication you were probable on the right path. But again, a subject for anothere day.

A true soulmate is more than a life partner. A true soulmate is also a faith partner. Together soulmates are lights in the darkness for the glory of God. Theirs need not be some grand accomplishment. Perhaps they walk through life with such faith and love that it inspires others to do great things.

Like Job, soulmates are often tested. Anything that glorifies God angers Satan. Simply having faith on your own will piss him off. Partner that faith with someone else, and you better buckle up cause you might just be in for a bumpy ride. It’s not as crazy as it sounds. Take a look around at the attack on traditional family values or the messaging to women that the role of wife and mother is somehow beneith them and tell me I’m wrong. What does the Devil do but feed our ego with lies. Our own egos are the most powerful weapons he uses against us.

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That’s my off the reservation rant for the day. And just for the record, I have been blessed for nearly forty years to walk beside my soulmate. Was that luck? No, it was fate based on faith.

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Now let’s get to cooking, shall we? I love family meal time. Seeing my guys well fed and smiling brings me great joy. For me, there is no greater satisfaction than to care for others. It’s my calling. Praise God!

Applewood Smoked Bacon Pork Tenderloin
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 lb Hormel Applewood Smoked Bacon Pork Tenderloin
Black Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Chicken Stock

Heat oven to 425-degrees. Place a cast iron skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Melt butter with oil, swirl skillet to coat the bottom.

Sear tenderloin in the hot skillet for about 3 minutes or until the bottom side is nicely browned. Season pork with a little fresh black pepper. Place in the oven, uncovered, and roast for about 23-minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140-degrees at the center.

Remove from the oven; tent and let rest in the skillet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter; slice into about 8 to 10 half-inch slices. Deglaze the pan with about a quarter cup of chicken stock. Drizzle pan drippings over the sliced pork.

Country Skillet Red Potatoes
6 medium Red Potatoes
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

Wash potatoes. Cut into cubes and place in a saucepot. Add just enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, let cook for 7 minutes or until almost cooked through.

Drain potatoes well. Let stand for about 5 minutes to “air” dry. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

Empty potatoes into the skillet, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Stir to blend potatoes, oil and seasoning. Fry potatoes until beginning to brown and crisp. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Serve with Buttery Corn for a down-home supper.

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Heavenly Father, You help me in accord with the measure of my faith.
Grant me a boundless faith in You always that I might never be apart from You.