Finding Hope and Grace

Sunset, Sunday, September 14, 2025

Our first question at Sunday School this week was a doozy, considering the week the world had had.

"Can you think of a time when you felt like giving up on people? What helped you come back to a place of grace or hope?" 

I'd like to say that the lesson then shared a revolutionary "How to save the world in 10 easy steps." It didn't. 

The lesson centered on Psalm 14. And, at first glance, Psalm 14 is pretty depressing. 

The fool says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

² The Lord looks down from heaven
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
    any who seek God.
³ All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.

Yikes ... After that first question, I thought we were supposed to be finding grace and hope. 

So ...  How do we find hope? How do we keep hope? 

I didn't quit thinking about it after I left the Sunday School room. Or after I trudged down the church steps to the car after the church service. 

On Monday, I looked up the lesson summary from UMC Discipleship (the source of the Sunday School material). It says that in Psalm 14, hope happens somewhere in the space between the comma and the “but”: 

“You would confound the plans of the poor, BUT the LORD is their refuge” (Psalm 14:6).

But God. 

But the good news.

But grace. 

 

We find and keep hope when we name all that is hard in our world ...

Take a breath ... 

And then remember, BUT GOD.

 

However, if we are trying to find God on social media, it may be tough. 

 

If we are trying to find God when we only get our news from the sources that confirm our own ideas and denigrate anyone who dares to disagree, it may be tough. 

 

Sunset, Sunday, September 14, 2025

 

For me, it's a lot easier to find God on a lonely country road, surrounded by God's beautiful creation. 

 

Just maybe, it will give us the strength to encourage one another to live in hope instead of despair.

The psalm suggests that God is a refuge for the poor and the righteous. What does it mean for God to be a refuge? The Sunday School lesson suggests:

• A place of safety, dignity, and protection
• A place of truth-telling without rejection
• A source of strength when the world feels hostile.

Sunset, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, January 2022

Maybe if we follow Jesus' example, the ripples could be far-reaching. 

It's worth a try, right? 

Sunset, Sunday, September 14, 2025

Closing Prayer from the Sunday School lesson:

God of justice and mercy, when the world seems filled with disappointment or corruption, remind us that you are still our refuge. Help us to see others as you see them, not as categories, but as beloved children. Soften our hearts and strengthen our hope. In Jesus' name, Amen.

And giving credit where credit is due: The Sunday School lesson was written by the Rev. Anthony J. Tang, the Senior Associate Minister of Mission and Vision at First United Methodist Church of Dallas, Texas.

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

 

I guess Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a hit on TikTok. I don't know anything about TikTok. But I now DO know about Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. It was on the potluck table at our church recently, courtesy of Lauren - one of my former Joyful Noise Children's Choir members. Now she's a mama herself and bringing tasty dishes to church potlucks. (Am I old, or what?!)

I like pasta salads in general. When I saw it on the buffet, I figured it would just be a tasty pasta salad. But this was not your usual pasta salad. The dill pickles packed a powerful puckery punch. After discovering who brought the salad, I asked for the recipe and then promptly tried it myself.

The recipe Lauren shared was from the Together As Family blog. I also did a little Googling, and there are lots of versions of recipes for Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. For my version, I used extra sharp Cheddar cheese. Together as Family suggested Colby Jack, but I think the stronger flavor of extra sharp Cheddar holds up better against the powerful pickle taste. I only had enough of the dill pickles for 1 cup (without a trip to the grocery store), so I used bread and butter pickles for the remainder. (That was a suggestion from another recipe.) You can use the combination that best suits your taste buds. We liked the touch of sweetness that the bread and butter pickles provided. 

The recipe said dill pickle slices or baby dill pickles could be used. I like the chopped whole baby dill pickles for more flavor and more crunch.  

If you try it, let me know what you think! 

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Adapted from Together As Family blog 

For salad

1 box (16 oz) rotini pasta 

1/3 cup dill pickle juice (from pickle jar)

2 cups chopped baby dill pickles 

1 block (8 oz) cubed extra sharp Cheddar cheese

1 small onion, finely chopped (opt.)

 

Creamy Dill Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup dill pickle juice 

2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill (or 1 tbsp. dried dill)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper 

 

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.  When pasta is done cooking, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Move rinsed pasta to a mixing bowl and pour 1/3 cup pickle juice over it. Stir to combine. Let sit while you prepare the rest.

 

Chop the dill pickles and cut cheese into small cubes. Finely chop the white onion, if desired. (You can use green onion for a milder onion taste.)

 

In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients, mixing well.

 

Drain the pasta again that was sitting in the pickle juice. Add the pasta back to the mixing bowl. Add in the pickles, cheese and white onion. Stir to combine.  

 

Pour dressing over pasta salad; stir well. Salad can be eaten right away or, if you prefer a colder salad, refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. 

 

Store leftovers in the refrigerator. However, after sitting, the pasta absorbs the dressing, making it less creamy.  

 

Take a Photo Holiday

Take time to smell the roses ... er, the yellow wildflowers?

 

Take pictures as if you were taking a holiday in your own life.

That was one of the photo prompts from the book, "One Photo a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" by Joost Joosen, which Brent and Susan gave me for Christmas last year. On the same page was this Alexandra Horowitz quote:

Together we became investigators of the everyday. ... In this way, the familiar becomes unfamiliar and the old becomes new. We do have the ability to pay attention. We just forget how to use it. 

We're all quick to share the moments from the highlight reel of our lives. Maybe it's the visit from our grandchildren. The beauty of a National Park is sure to generate dozens - if not hundreds - of photos. But there is no shortage of beauty hiding in plain sight along our normal routes.

Several times, I drove past those yellow "flowers" at the corner where I make the turn onto the Zenith Road. But on a day when the clouds were like a 3D painting on a bright blue canvas, I made the time to stop.

The same clouds and sky provided a counterpoint to the green alfalfa field and hay bales.

They also gave me a different backdrop for my sunrise tree ... even though it was the middle of the day and not sunrise.

When I took my "photo holiday," we were coming back home from a Labor Day trip to the Stafford golf course. 

I spent a lot of the time reading my book. But I also took a few photos with my favorite model, framed with some natural "decor."

It's not often that it's wet enough in August to find mushrooms on the golf course!

All the rain this summer has offered other unusual August photos. Last week, we had a total of 3 inches of rain, and Peace Creek was uncharacteristically flowing.

This was the scene at our new bridge - which is done, by the way! 

On the Zenith Road looking east

I always like looking at Peace Creek from a view on the Zenith Road, too. 

On the Zenith Road looking west

 It's certainly prettier with water than without!

August 10, 2022 - from the Zenith Road

To prove that point, here's a photo from August 2022. (For the record, the water is back down this week.)

Last sunset of August 2025

 Sunsets are always an opportunity to take a holiday in my everyday life. 

First sunset of September 2025

Storms that went north and east of us provided the drama in the sky last evening.

We only see what we look at. 

To look is an act of choice.

--John Berger 

 

 

 

***

I love the nature all around me. But the "highlight reels" of life can be fun, too. K-State football games have been part of my life since I was a little girl. 

The drone show following the home opener win was certainly worth commemorating with photos.

It may have been man (or woman) made, but the formations were certainly worthy of a "photo holiday."