“Let’s take a closer look at the first-century process of growing grapes. At the time of Jesus’ incarnation, a vine would be cultivated, planted, and left to grow for three years before being allowed to bear fruit. Every time it tried to bring forth a bunch of grapes, it would be cut back. After the third year, the grapes would be allowed to grow on their own. By then the branches were strong enough to support the weight of the grapes without breaking. After the harvest, the branches were pruned back for a time of nourishment and rest before the fruit-growing season began again. 

Bearing fruit is the most natural thing in the world for a branch. It doesn’t do it by straining to push out a grape. Looking at our lives, however, it would seem producing fruit-making disciples is strenuous. If fruit bearing is not coming naturally in our lives, could it be that we have not spent the proper season abiding? Could it be that we are overgrown branches, too weak to support a single grape, let alone a bunch? Pruning is not the fun part of life. We seldom see churches displaying banners advertising “40 Days of Pruning,” or small groups practicing “pruning yourself to a better life.” But if a grapevine is not pruned regularly, the branches grow spindly and weak. There is no abiding time when they gain their strength for the growing season. We need to learn when it is our pruning time. This seems unproductive at first glance. After all, aren’t we supposed to be pressing forth with all of our energy to do the work of the kingdom? In a word, no. We are supposed to pattern our lives after that of Jesus. It is not our energy and determination that impresses God, it is our living in the manner he made us that will produce the fruit he intends for us to bear. Pruning is not automatic for the branch. Left to its own plans, it would continue to grow, increasing in size but decreasing in strength, endurance, and health until it would be unable to hold the fruit it is intended to bear.

We need to have times of pruning in our churches, times when most, if not all, activity ceases. Times of rest and abiding. This runs contrary to principles taught in most church growth courses and seminars.  From abiding we grow, from growing we bear fruit, from bearing fruit we are cut back … When the Lord is moving you into a time of pruning and abiding, surrender to him. There is much grace to be found in the place of abiding.”

Mike Breen &  Steve Cockram, Building a Discipling Culture, Page 110-12 (iBook)

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted light butter, room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ lemon
1 cup of fresh snap peas
3 Sweet Mini Peppers

Mash butter, garlic, marjoram, and paprika in a small bowl to blend. Season marjoram butter to taste with salt and pepper.

Deglaze the pan. I used some old peach chardonnay that was lying around the kitchen.

Melt 1-tablespoon marjoram butter in a medium heavy pan over medium heat. Add chicken to skillet, cover, and cook until no longer pink in center, approximately 5 minutes per side.

Transfer chicken to a plate. Tent chicken with foil to keep warm.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add tomatoes to pan and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to char and burst – approximately 5 minutes. Add peppers and snap peas to pan. Squeeze ½ a lemon’s worth of juice into the pan.

Add remaining marjoram butter to pan. Crush tomatoes slightly to release juices; stir 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Put chicken back into to the pan. Turn down the heat to low. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

Serve over a bed of mashed potatoes. Spoon tomato sauce over chicken. Garnish with parsley.

Wife’s Score (out of 10): 8

This was inspired and adapted from this recipe on Epicurious.

1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs
/breast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (ground ginger works just as well)

1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

3/4 cup chicken broth/stock

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar

1 pack of Shanghai/Rice noodles (I got mine from Safeway)

1/2 cup salted roasted whole cashews

1 cup of snap peas

1 cup of baby carrots, diced

1 cup of pineapple chunks

Cut chicken into 3/4-inch chunks and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or a large heavy frying pan over moderately high heat. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through (about 4 to 5 minutes).

Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate. I used absorbent paper towel to soak up the excess oil. Put vegetables, pineapple, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes into pan and stir-fry until peppers are just tender (about 5 to 6 minutes).

Combine together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar, then stir into vegetables in wok. Add pineapple juice. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 1 to 2 minutes). Stir in cashews, Shanghai noodles and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate. Heat and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.

Beer Recommendation: A quick confession – I actually only had Big Rock Brewery’s Honey Brown Lager in the fridge. So there wasn’t much thought to the pairing. That said, it kind of worked. The sweet honey with its subtle hop bite worked quite well with the sweetness of the stir-fry. However, if the stir-fry was any sweeter, it may have been a little over-powering.

Wife’s Score (out of 10): 7.5