OUR FIRST BANANA
BY JERRY CLOWER

GOD LIVES UNDER THE BED

I envy Kevin.  My brother, Kevin, thinks God lives under his bed.

At least that’s what I heard him say one night.  He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen.

“Are you there God?”  he said.  “Oh, I see.  Under the bed …”

I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room.

Kevin’s unique perspectives are often a source of amusement.  But that night, something else lingered long after the humor.

I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.

He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor.  Apart from his size (he’s 6 foot 2) there are few ways in which he’s an adult.

He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7-year-old, and he always will.

He will always believe that God lives under his bed, Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.

I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different.  Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?

Up before dawn every day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our Cocker Spaniel, return to eat his favorite macaroni -and -cheese for dinner, and later to bed.

The only variation in the entire scheme is laundry, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.

He doesn’t seem dissatisfied — he lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05, eager for a day of simple work.  He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day’s laundry chores, and Saturdays.

Oh, the bliss of Saturdays!  That’s the day my dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside.

“That one’s going to Chi-Car-Go!”  Kevin shouts and claps his hands.

His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.  And so goes his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips.

He doesn’t know what it means to be discontent.

His life is simple.

He will never know the entanglements of wealth or power, and he doesn’t care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats.  His needs are met and he never worries that one day they may not be.

His hands are diligent.  Kevin is never so happy as when he is working.  When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it.

He doesn’t shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished.

But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax.

He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others.  His heart is pure.

He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue.

Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry.  He is always transparent, always sincere.  And he trusts God.

Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child.  Kevin seems to know God — to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an educated person to grasp.  God seems like his closest companion.

In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Keven has in his simple faith.

It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions.  It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap.

I am.

My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances — they all become disabilities when I do not trust things to God’s care.

Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn?  After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of God.

And, one day, when the mysteries of Heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I’ll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed God lived under his bed.

Kevin won’t be surprised at all!

~ author unknown/unattributed
from my amazing collection of emails

SALMON WITH VODKA-LEMON LINGUINE

My recipe card reads, “Salmon is a fantastic food on many levels.  It tastes delicious, it’s exceptionally user friendly, and  it always looks 5 stars.”  Serves 4.  Total time:  About 40 minutes.

HERE’S HOW WE MAKE IT:
FOR THE SALMON

• 4 center cut salmon fillets, skinned, (4 oz. each)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 TBSP minced lemon zest
• 1-2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

FOR THE PASTA AND SAUCE

• 1/2 pound dry linguine
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup vodka (inexpensive is fine and dandy)
• 2 TBSP minced lemon zest
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

NEXT:

1. PREHEAT
   Oven to 450*
2. LINE
   A baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray (think Pam sort of spray – olive oil spray being ideal)
3. SEASON
   Salmon fillets with salt and pepper
4. ARRANGE
   Fillets on prepared baking sheet
5. COMBINE
   Fresh bread crumbs, parsley, 2 tsp lemon zest and oil in a bowl
6. TOP AND PRESS
   Fillet tops with fresh bread crumb mixture
7. ROAST
   Fillets in oven until fish flakes easily and crumbs are crisp, about 10-12 minutes
8. TURN OFF OVEN and REMOVE AND PLACE ON STOVE TOP OR COUNTERTOP
   Cover salmon fillets with foil to keep warm
9. COOK
   Linguine according to package directions.  Drain
10. MELT
    Butter in a medium-to-large saute pan over medium heat
11. WHISK
    In heavy cream, vodka and 2 TBSP lemon zest
12. SIMMER
    Until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes
13. WHISK
    In sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, nutmeg
14. ADD
    Drained linguine and toss to coat with tongs or two forks
15. PLATE LINGUINE/CREAM
    On 4 serving plates and sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese on noodles
16. ADD
    A salmon fillet on top of pasta
17. SERVE
    With additional wedges of lemon, small butter lettuce salad drizzled with a light vinaigrette, fresh slices of buttered (or un-buttered) slices of baguette bread and a glass of wine or frothy, cold mug of beer

(( PRO TIPS:
Freshness is key to choosing salmon – keep that in mind as you pick and choose your fillets – ask a meat department professional for help should you have questions regarding best of the best.
Make fresh bread crumbs by pulsing slices of a baguette in a food processor.
Add the sour cream off heat so it doesn’t curdle – once melted it will help to thicken the sauce. ))

~ Hippie Cowboy recipe box