Stand in the Breach

To stand in the breach means to:

Protect - Defend - Help

It takes courage, wisdom and strength of character. At some point in our lives I believe we are all called to do it, because equally at some point in our lives, we needed someone else doing it for us. I mentioned in some of these earlier posts that I was laid off in February 2024, you can read about it here, but now let me talk about those who stood in the breach for me.

As the news started to spread I got bombarded with texts and calls. All of it was affirming and desperately needed. There were so many emotions on my end, but I don't need to belabor that point now, I am sure you can well imagine. The hardest part was really, the second gut punch, that came within hours of the first one. The point of this post is, who stands in the breach for you? Who helps you up when you fall, who encourages you to take another step forward, when you don't think you can? Who protects you? Who defends you, when defense is what's needed? The answer for me is God, but the way he does it is...quite beautiful.

I believe in angels, I believe in invisible, guardian angels that keep you out of harm's way and you don't even know it. But, I also believe God sends angels who are ordinary people too. Whenever I am suffering, there are always people to help me through, and yet you don't always know where, or how, or who will come.

This was a dark hour, and I certainly did not feel strong; I, myself felt defeated, but someone else needed me strong. So God sent angels to raise me up, dust me off and remind me what is important. It looked like this -

These came and others like them every day in the days following my being laid off. Not the same person, but many people. These ladies pulled me free of despair. They STOOD IN THE BREACH for me, and I will be forever grateful. (One of them even did an exercise challenge with me, which kept me off the couch with a bag of potato chips or tub of ice cream.) The constant prayers lifted my spirits; they strengthened me. They cared for me body and soul. If you read these texts, you may draw the conclusion that these are, my Catholic church friends, my bible study group or something like that. But, these are women I worked with, they are just people from my ordinary life, but they, themselves are extraordinary. Maybe they don't even feel very extraordinary but to me they were and are. We share the same God, but we are of different faiths, and as women of faith, we know when we are needed. I need them everyday, still. It's been just over a year and I still get these uplifting galvanizing texts. You can find strength within yourself when you don't feel alone.

Ladies, you will always have my devotion and my prayers, because of you, I was able to stand in the breach for another. However, there have also been times where I could have aided someone else and I didn't because...

I was too busy.

I failed to see the need.

I had my own burdens.

I thought someone else would do it.

Well, I am someone, and everyone has burdens, I need to open my eyes to the suffering of others, and put things in perspective busy or not. Not sometimes, but all the time, that is what God expects of me. When he calls me to stand as an ordinary angel, let me always hear and say yes. What would this world look like if we all did just this?

---

French Onion with a Twist

This soup is easy enough but there are some requirements, like you need oven safe bowls. Also, I made a mistake, so if you look closely at the bullion I have pictured, you'll see its Sofrito not Beef. (oops) My head was clearly elsewhere and I didn't realize until after I added it. I asked my daughter, "What do I do if I used the wrong bullion?" She said (without missing a beat), "Call it something else."

6 Onions sliced

1 cup Butter (I know but trust me the onions need that much)

3 Cloves Garlic minced

Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup Flour

1 Gallon beef broth (or 1/2 beef and 1/2 sofrito, like this one)

Garnish

Toasted Rustic Italian Bread Sliced

Cheese - Provolone and Cheddar Gruyere (pictured), Swiss and Jack slices

Slice the onions, (I used a mandolin slicer and did it directly in the pot to reduce dishes.) cook with the butter in the put 10-15 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, cook for another couple minutes to let the garlic open up then add the flour and stir until well incorporated and kind of pasty. Slowly add the broth a little at a time, stirring to incorporate completely before adding more. . (because I use a bullion paste I add that to the pot before I add the appropriate amount of water - usually 1tsp to 8 oz - and stir to dilute and incorporate) Once all the both is in let it come to a slow boil then reduce heat cover and let cook on low. Really at this point you are just keep it hot. Meanwhile, slice the bread and place it in the oven at 400 degrees (I sprayed it with avocado oil to improve the crispness of the bread as it toasts) turn the bread over one so it browns on both sides. (The slices were too big to fit in the bowls so I cut them in half) You are ready to assemble your soup bowls. Ladle soup into oven safe bowls (this is important otherwise the bowls will crack and the mess is unreal, experience talking here) add a slice of bread and 2 slices of cheese on top of each bowl. (My husband wanted Swiss, my son Cheddar, my daughter Jack and I wanted a mix of cheddar and Provolone, so do what you like but 2 slices is best) Place the bowls on a large cookie sheet and put in the oven. let cook until the cheese browns on top. (We were really hungry and couldn't wait so I had it in for 10 minutes then I turned on the broiler for 5 minutes to quicken the browning.)

Even with the bullion mistake it came out pretty well.