I was so excited I could strike the once-familiar pose of decades ago (when I was on the drill team), the Broadway pose with one arm up in the air, and shout, "La Tee Da"! All my little jars were lined up on the counter and I had camera in hand to record my success. I had accomplished something. I texted each of my "un-interested" adult children announcing the number of canned Chipotle Salsas, as well as Strawberry Chipotle Jams. Yes, I had found a new ingredient and proud of the fact of experimenting with unusual combinations which would add a little zip to our old favorites.
The next morning, "reality check" came as I began to move the jars. WHAT??? NO!!! It couldn't be!!!
The jam had refused to set and what I had so excitedly proclaimed as Jam...well, it was syrup! I ran to my now-trusted source for all information...the computer. I had a choice. I could just act like that was what I was supposed to have produced...now how much syrup can you use? I could just give it all away with a disclaimer or I could..................RETURN IT TO THE POT! Now doubling my work.
What did I do? Well, it seems God had a lesson for me to learn in this process. It sure isn't my children, who are being taught all the time....it seems to be me.
Remove all the jam...(ok, syrup) from their jars and pour into the pot. One jar resisted, causing jam to spill on the floor and counter. Sounds like I probably don't go willingly into the pot myself.
Wash out all jars, removing all evidence of what was once there.
Return cleaned out jars to boiling water for sterilization
Turn up the heat on the pot of jam and add more pectin. Let it boil.
Skim from the top of the jam..that which has risen to the top. Are you starting to get the spiritual lesson here?
Return the syrup to the jars for it to become the jam it was meant to be.
Another round of boiling.
The color is deeper red. I didn't have as much to pour back...some ended up on the floor, the boiling down reduced the amount...it is a stronger jam.
At the end I was glad I did the right thing..that I didn't cop out. I also praised God through the process that He never cops out on me. He makes sure that whatever processes need to be done in order for me to "fulfill" my calling, He will take the time to complete it. Now my once, "mistake syrup" fulfilled its destiny as "get ready for some zip" Strawberry Chipotle Jam.
(See, I might have left my bed unmade...but I was busy, however, bed was made this morning!)
31 Joining in with more words:
LOVE this! Thank you for teaching me a wonderful lesson this morning! AMEN that God does not cop out on us!
All powerful lessons, You poor thing though, doing all of that extra work. It looks very pretty.
I love all of your spiritual applications. I think I must have to keep going back in the pot, because I am not " jelling," yet. :)
It really gets easier each time you make jam. Did you use liquid pectin?
I have had better luck with that. Do you know on the directions it says after you add the pectin to bring back the jam to another full rolling boil? Then it says to boil one minute? I boil for two now and all of my jam set up just fine. A hundred years ago when I used to can all of the time, those directions said, full rolling boil for 3 minutes. I just took a happy medium. I don't know why they changed it.
You are such a trooper.
Thank you for this. I made blueberry freezer jam the other day and I was so excited to do it. It turned out well. I haven't canned since home ec in highschool. :0 So sorry we had to go through all that work all over again. Funny-I was thinking the same thing-like our lives are like this when you starting talking about habving to do it all over again. So glad the end product turned out so well. :) Love you hope you have a great rest of your week.
I love how you are learning lessons from the every day and ...sharing them with us. There are many spiritual lessons in this. I'm glad that you didn't give up and went through the refining process. I'm sure this jam will be even better.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Whohooo ... Amen sister for persevering!! You jam looks amazing but what's more is I LOVE how God works in the midst of our ordinary!! You have eyes and a heart to see and hear!! Jam on my friend Jam on ... lol
you got me into the giggles - I so have done this before tooo..re-do's - re-plished - re-make's - and tons of re-cooking.. and Yes - learned a great deal in the mean time.. sweet post! giggled over the bed being made - has it been a week already...wink!
Hugs
PSS.. Grateful indeed that God does not "cop-out" on me too!
Wow, what a great lesson you shared through every day "work". Your jam looks delish. I don't can but admire those who do. I would be too afraid I would grow bacteria- LOL.
can learn something from all our experiences!
I'm sure your jam will be even more delicious now. The spiritual application is wonderful. This brings back sweet memories of watching and helping my mother can the produce from our garden every year. Me? I've never canned a thing in my life but I like to eat what others have!
Love your double lessons.
One for the jam and one for our souls.
I love your applied spiritual lesson, your so good at that. Goodness knows I NEED more time in the pot... Here is what I think Janette (for what it is worth, haha) I did some canning when I was first married as I always wanted to know how and I had a neighbor that was really into it, and I figured it was as good a time as any to learn. It is not easy! There is a lot of trial and error and learning involved. Things don't always go according to how recipes and directions say. The fact that you attempted this on your own gives you a HUGE kudo's to begin with in my book. The fact that you did it over again until it was right, was another HUGE one. Soo much work! It looks great and quite yummy. I laughed at your "TA DA" image, soo like me...but your call to your "uninterested adult children" had me full on laughing...again, so me. haha Bottom line? I am thoroughly impressed! Good job..and great spiritual application as always. Thanks for the prayers! HUGS
Oh I know what that jam feels like right now. I am being poured back into the post for some more cooking. I am learning TONS in what I need to do next with my health and it won't be easy but the end products will be good. [o=
Blessings and ((HUGS))
-Mary
Way to go! The jam looks great. I am going to make some jam. Farm Girl gave me some tips, too!
I must admit that one of the main reasons I want to make some is so I can take pictures of it!
I went through a season of "pie crust flops". I don't know what went wrong, or why. All I know is that I couldn't make a crust for the life of me for the better part of 2 years. THEN, as if some punitive sentence had been satisfied, my ability to make crust returned.
I LOVE canned jam, by the way. I'm sure you're going to enjoy yours double this year :)
That is why I do freezer jam, it is so much easier. Although last year all my jam had to be thrown away because of the ecoli issue from the farm we bought them from. One person died and others were ill. Hated to throw all that away but... we had no choice. (I guess a deer got into the field and contaminated the fruit)
I like the part about a "stronger jam". I'm sure there is a real lesson for all of us in all this. Several if we think about it. I'll bet this is delicious! blessings ~ tanna
This is such an honest post! Quite the opposite of a lot of blogland where we just tell the pretty stuff! I loved this even to the mess on your floor. I'm so glad you went back and did it all over again. The jars now have a story to go with them with a spiritual lesson. maybe you should condense the lesson on a little tag for when (if) you give them away.
I know the feeling and the thoughts that require re-doing the whole process again. A great post with a delicious result!
Your jam sounds amazing and very flavorful! So glad you took the time to try again, we've all been there-enjoy:@)
Yes, a great lesson in the canning story. What beautiful jars of ruby red jams... I'm sure that they will taste yummy. Hope that the kids gave you some encouragement.
Love the post. I like canning jams and jellies, too.
Love the post. I like canning jams and jellies, too.
Yes ma'am, I saw that lesson coming along the way. I've had to do that, too. Reminds me of the lesson about purifying the silver and gold by heating it and letting all the impurities come out. God is continually cleansing and refining us! Thank you Lord!
And your Chipotle Jam looks wonderful!
Spunky! That's what you are for sure. You don't sit on the sidelines, you are putting yourself right back into the pot and being refined and beautified.
Way to go Janette! :)
Oh Janette, If I had a dollar for the times something like this has happened, I could take you, Benjamin and I to a very up scale restaurant, and have change left over for shopping. A great lesson for all of us of how God doesn't give up on us, and of how we are to persevere.
Do you see me clapping and saying "You go Girl",. You could have just given up and threw the jam away, but you decided to keep working on it, and when all was said and done, the finished product was fit for the "Master's" table. Did you look up and see God smiling? I know he was.
I 've been praying for you this week,!!!
Love,
Sue
I was impressed by the first picture of jars and doubly impessed by the second. I like to preserve. There is something cathartic about watching my hands create something.
Love how you let God use the jelly "incident" to show you how he was working in your life. I think he is showing us stuff all the time we just don't always have the eyes to see...I guess I would be speaking for myself :)
Yes! Yes! to this one. Since I was a cheerleader instead of the drill team, just picture me waving the pom pons instead of the assuming the stance.
First, I think the finished product of the second round looks just yummy. More than that, I do love the spiritual lessons learned and shared.
I think I need to get back in the pot about something he's doing in me right now.
Wow.....what a way to teach this powerful God's not done with me lesson...Loved it....Although got to admit the process isn't my fave.....I tend to be like the 'jam' 'syrup' that wouldn't come out of the jar. I go kicking and screaming too much...Very cool post...
Awesome!! I honor you for your diligence - and willingness to live out a life lesson that we all must submit to on a daily basis. Lord - I want to be well firmed jam - not drippy, sticky syrup. Love all you got out of this little encounter!!
Joy!
Kathy
P.S. So glad you'll be able to use my be pix for school!
Sometimes it really pays just to things the right way, even if it means more work. The results are always far better than taking the easy way, but oh what a temptation it is to not work quite so hard. Great tie in with God and our spiritual growth, Janette. Like a good parent, God never passes up an opportunity to teach us a good lesson.
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