Celebrate the Birth of a Forerunner

Have you ever noticed that God’s timing is rarely in line with our wants, wishes or desires? That’s because God has a way of reminding us He is the one in charge aways.

God had a tendency to pick some rather unlikely people to play pivotal roles in His plan of salvation. Long before Christ came into the world, we were told of His coming. We were told that there would be a forerunner sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. God chose an unlikely couple to bring forth the one who would make straight the path of the Lord.

Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah, like her husband was advanced in age. The Lord had not blessed them with children despite that fact that they were good, Godly people strong in their faith. It was a matter of timing. Christ’s forerunner needed to be born shortly before the coming of the Lord.

And so it was that God sent His angel, Gabriel, to deliver a message to Zechariah that he and his wife would be blessed with a son. “You will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. Your son will be great before the Lord.” While Gabriel spoke the truth, Zechariah had his doubts. He was an old man. His wife was an old women, long since known to be barren. The idea that he was to be a father, and the father of someone great was too amazing to be believed. Through Gabriel, Zechariah lost the ability to speak because he doubted God’s messenger.

When the time came for the baby to be born, just as Gabriel had said, Elizabeth brought forth a son. And just as the Angel had promised, their neighbors and family rejoiced at God’s kindness to them in their advanced years. Everyone expected the child to be named Zechariah, after his father. Elizabeth was the first to correct them saying “No, his name is John.” This shocked everyone as it broke with Jewish tradition. They turned to Zechariah to correct his wife. Unable to speak, the old man motioned for someone to give him something to write on. He wrote: “His name is John.” Immediately his ability to speak was restored and he began to praise the Lord to all who would listen. Zechariah went on to prophesize that John was the promised prophet sent to prepare God’s people for the coming Messiah.

Just as God had a plan for John, He has a plan for each and every one of us. The hard part is learning to listen, and to accept. So often I wander off course. And when I do, the Lord guides me back again. Sometimes His guidance is a whisper. Other times there’s been a fairly good shove. None of us is perfect.

Listen to that voice in the wilderness. Invite the Holy Spirit to come into every aspect of your life. Only then will true joy be found even in the darkest of circumstance.

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Sometimes I get a litte twisted in my thinking. Today is the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist. His is one of three Nativities celebrated in the Catholic faith. The others are Mary, the mother of God and Jesus Christ himself. When I think the birth of a child, I thing a baby wrapped in a blanket. And that made me think of Enchiladas. And not just any old Enchilada, but something different, unexpected and breaking with tradition.

Those of you who have been around will notice I had a new sous chef in the kitchen. That would be Hubby, my favorite cooking partner.

Pizza Enchiladas
1/2 medium Yellow Onion
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Garlic Cloves
6 oz Pepperoni, divided
6 slices Bacon, divided
1 lb Italian Sausage
2-1/2 cups Pizza Sauce, divided
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
3 cups Mozzarella Cheese, divided
8 Flour Tortillas

Heat oven to 375-degrees. Grease a large baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil. Set aside.

Peel and dice onion. Core, seed and dice bell pepper. Peel and mince garlic. Set vegetables aside. Chop half the pepperoni into small pieces; set aside leaving the remaining pepperoni as is.

Stack bacon, dice. Cook diced bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Leave bacon drippings in the skillet.

In the now empty skillet, brown Italian Sausage, breaking into smaller pieces as it cooks. Drain well into a bowl to retain the meat drippings. Return drippings (full of flavor) back into the skillet, set browned sausage aside.

Sauté onions and bell peppers until tender in the skillet filled with sausage and bacon drippings to soak in all that flavor. Add garlic, continue to sauté for a minute or so longer.

Stir in all the diced pepperoni, half the crumbled bacon and the browned Italian Sausage. Add a cup of Pizza sauce; all the Ricotta Cheese and a cup of Mozzarella. Stir to blend completely.

Gently warm tortillas for ease in rolling. Lay a tortilla out flat, spoon a generous amount of the filling down the center. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling, place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings.

Pour the remaining 2 cups of pizza sauce over the Pizza Enchiladas. Sprinkle with 1 more cup of Mozzarella Cheese, reserved pepperoni slices and remaining bacon. Finish with remaining cup of Mozzarella Cheese

Cover tightly with foil, bake in the heated oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil, switch oven to broil and continue to cook until the cheese topping is bubbly.

Remove from the oven; let cool for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy this delightful twist on pizza with your favorite Pizza beverage.

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O LORD, You have probed me, You know me:
You know when I sit and when I stand;
You understand my thoughts from afar.