Fifth Sunday

I have several posts I've been wanting to write but haven't found the time lately. So, I'm catching up on them right quick, before dinner, and I guess I'll start with last Sunday's menu. It was a Fifth Sunday. Did anyone notice?

I had my list of things to do on Friday night; Saturday; Sunday morning; Sunday afternoon (including the list of which food goes in which dish); my menu; and my list of sermons to listen to while I was preparing on Saturday. That sermon list was so helpful. I chose sermons (that I've listened to before) that would stimulate me to think about the Lord's Day (what a gift!) and the saints and the great privilege of allowing them to rest by laboring in love for them. It was a great weekend of getting things ready, and the Lord's Day was a blessing. Good food (the bread turned out so beautifully, if I do say so myself, after many times of making this bread and it failing every time) and the cake (which, I have never made a layer cake before) was gorgeous. Even Mama, a long-time cake expert, said it was beautiful. High praise, indeed. But even better, the fellowship was rich and sweet. What a precious way to spend the Lord's Day. Never out of sight of the Lord's people!

And, this particular Fifth Sunday was my dear friend, Cassie's, birthday. So, a bit on the late side:

Happy Birthday, Cassie!

(each list had a quote or verse on it, too, so that every time I looked at my list I was reminded of those things "of first importance." I would type them all out for you if I could remember them. As you can see, one of them was Psalm 103:2.)

Menu
(I've made this exact meal before so all the links are to the same post :)
Cayenne-rubbed Chicken With Avocado Salsa
Mashed Potatoes (not just any mashed potatoes, though. These are "Mrs. Sears' Mashed Potatoes" which are probably the most awesomest mashed potatoes I've ever had!)
Fruit Salad (bananas, kiwi, red grapes....made a nice color combination)
Avocado Salad (known as "THE Salad" around here)
Almost No-Knead Bread
Chips and Salsa (for appetizers, but then I move them into the kitchen when it's time to eat because the salsa goes really well with the avocado salsa on the chicken, and then it's really yummy to clean up all the left-overs with chips :)
Triple Layer Devil's Food Cake (know as THE Cake ever since I can remember)