I didn't think anyone else would want any, so I adapted the recipe to suit my own tastes. It has oats, pecans, dried cranberries and coconut in it. The binder is almond butter (which I am not fond of on its own, but it works well in this instance) and coconut oil. The sweetener is Coco Lopez, which is sweetened coconut cream. (I guess you can tell I like coconut.) I added a tiny bit of orange zest, a little vanilla, almond and orange flavoring and a dash of kosher salt.
I was surprised at how well it turned out. In fact, it is hard to keep my hands off of it. I was also surprised at how much Glen liked it. It is a great example of Aristotle's saying, "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts." I guess you could say the recipe is greater than the sum of its ingredients.
That saying reminds me of something that happened this morning at work. A younger nurse and I were talking about facing situations that are out of our comfort zone and trying to see the Lord's leading in our lives. Each of us are facing things like this and our sharing strengthened us both. The two of us together became greater than just two. Because the same Lord lives in each of our spirits, we are more than just two. We are two plus the Lord, and not only that, we are two plus the Lord plus every person who has ever trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are a family, a body as the Scriptures say, an entity that is greater than the individuals who comprise it. That bond, that family, gives us a strength we could never find alone.
I think as Christians we forget how the Lord can work through us, not only as individuals, but collectively. For example, we can share together as my sweet friend and I did this morning. We can remember to pray for each other. But we can also strengthen members of our spiritual family that we don't even know. If I find myself in a painful, uncomfortable or difficult situation, I can be sure that another Christian somewhere is facing a similar pain, discomfort or difficulty. I can pray for them. I don't have to know their names, the particulars of what they are going through...the Lord knows all that. I just join in praying for His will and His way in their lives.
Perhaps one day in Heaven we will be able to walk up to someone and say, "Sister, you didn't know me or what I was going through, but on a certain day you prayed for me and the Lord used your prayers to strengthen me, to encourage me and to comfort me. Thank you so much for your faithfulness to Him." What a blessing that will be!
It is good for us to remember we are never alone. Let's face it, as much as I like coconut, it alone would not make very good granola. But combined with the other ingredients, it is a delight. Just as we are with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are greater than the sum of our parts, and one day we will see just how much greater.
may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together
*My granola recipe was adapted from: https://www.loveand lemons.com/granola/
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