#heaven

If I asked you about your day, I wonder if these words come to mind: tough, bitter, disappointing, grey, crushing and, despite the jeering irony, empty? Do the fleeting shadow of brighter days past haunt your dreams of tomorrow?

What if I told you that there is something lacking in all of us. An imperfection that we strive to smooth in each strenuous day we pass in this life? And unlike what we drunkenly believe, we were created with the purpose of living in perfect glory.

Don’t settle for anything less.

Honey, you deserve better than a blurred glimpse of a tomorrow that will slip from your fingers faster than snow melts on your palm. God has given it, so say thank you, and live!

Here’s your fix of reality, brought to you by Jesus.

I have come

to call not those who think they are righteous,

but those

who know they are sinners

and need to repent.

~Luke 5:32

“There’s no shame in admitting your wrongs.”

Now that’s one thing we got right.

Ingredients for the 27-h pulled turkey:

125 ml apple cider

225 ml coke (do not use diet, you really want the caramel from the sugar!)

30 ml barbeque sauce

30 ml dark soy sauce or tamari

30 ml balsamic vinegar

2 free range or organic turkey legs or a turkey thigh

To make the pulled turkey, whisk together all ingredients except for the turkey. Place the turkey legs or thigh in a smaller but deep baking dish so it fits snugly (I used a glass loaf pan), and pour over the marinade to cover. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, preferably for a whole day, or up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, with the rack placed in the middle of the oven. Remove the plastic wrap from the turkey and cover tightly with foil, crimping the edges to really seal it well. This will keep the meat really tender and moist. Bake for 3 hours, until a fork pierces the center of the meat effortlessly. Remove from the oven and, using two forks, shred the meat (include the skin too, for better texture since turkey is so much leaner than pork). Let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days if you plan on making this ahead, but in all honesty, I think that would take an epic amount of self control. Reserve all the juices leftover in the baking dish. As for the sweet potato:

Ingredients for the perfectly creamy baked sweet potato:

4 medium-large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed under running water

To bake the perfect sweet potato, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, with the rack placed in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil and put the sweet potatoes on top. I don’t care what you’ve been reading, I’ve baked well over 300 sweet potatoes in the past couple of years and eaten a good portion of those myself; this is how it’s done, don’t pierce it with a for or do anything strange.

Bake for 1-1 1/3 hours until the sweet potatoes are surrounded by their own oozing caramel and the flesh is painfully tender when you insert the tip of a knife into it. (I say this in all seriousness, you’ll know what I mean once you get there.)

Ingredients for the assembly:

4 freshly baked sweet potatoes (keep them in the oven so they stay hot)

1 can of your favourite baked beans, warmed (you can do this in the microwave)

2 green onions, thinly sliced

When ready to serve, pour all the juices into a saucepan and boil until reduced to a glaze consistency (patience!). Add the shredded turkey into the saucepan, stir to coat and warm thoroughly. Make a deep cut lengthwise on each sweet potato without slicing through. Spoon a decent amount of baked beans into the cavity, then top it over-the-top with the pulled turkey. Garnish with the green onions.

I really don’t think I need to remind you, but I will anyway:

Enjoy!