January 2008
And Now for Something Completely Different!
Well…the ball has dropped, the confetti cleared away, and the New Year's Resolutions have already been broken (oh yeah…what was that one about no more sweets?). I was going to make a few resolutions that were not only doable but actually helped to make me a better person. Now…there is nothing wrong with losing weight or exercising (or maybe "exorcising" some bad habits), but usually these things involve giving something up as well as being relatively self-focused. Sure I could stand to lose a few (especially after eating all those yummy "Coffee Break" snacks!) and I stopped doing my Pilates sometime around Thanksgiving, but I really want more this year. A better life that required me to dig down and push my little world boundaries out just a bit. The Bible talks about expanding your tent pegs so you will have room to grow (Isaiah 54:2-3)…and that's what I wanted.
I realize that its time. God has been stirring up my heart for something new for some time now. Since Hannah has been at college, I have found myself with a more flexible life (I refuse to say "empty"). I have lots of projects to do around the house and there is always my work at the church. While these are admirable, I don't think they are the focus of my yearning or God's plans. They don't move my tent pegs. I need to be challenged in a way that I haven't been before. Something new…something different. I realized the depth of this desire during Thanksgiving. Right after Hannah left for school (I mean the very hour of her departure) I tore off the countertops in my kitchen. No…really, I ripped off the aluminum trim and chiseled off the old, cracked, red linoleum stuff that served as a counter for about 50 years. Unlike God's response to the creation of the world ("…and He saw that it was good"), I stood back, looked at the bare wood and the mess of my handiwork and said, "O.K., now what?" I've always wanted to have tiled countertops (resale value!) but I had no clue how to tile. So I stared at the little pieces of red linoleum and black tarpaper (yes…the old linoleum had this as a backer…yeck!) all over my floor and waited for inspiration. Well, it came…but it wasn't about how to measure for tile. Leave it to God to use ugly countertops as an illustration of what He has been trying to say to me all along. It was at that moment that I realized that I had to pursue God's plan for my life the same way. Be willing to blindly tear off the counter of my life without a preexisting plan or even knowing the next step. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God has a good plan for my life. I have always taken strength from that scripture when facing difficulties. It gave me comfort and security to know that God had an answer to whatever I faced. But if you look further along to verse 29:13 it says, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for me with all your heart." So what does this mean? There are two points to this verse that leapt out at me this time. One, it's His way, not mine. And two, I have to commit to doing whatever He tells me to do, with passion.
As a person who generally resists change (once I get something the way I like it…it stays) God has periodically challenged me to let it go and get out of my box. And because I know He knows best and I love Him and want to be obedient, I try. In order to do this, however, I have to be willing to tear off the countertop of my life. It's not about being "safe". God's plan this time seems to involve a bit of "and now…something completely different" and a huge amount of trust. And "seeking Him with all my heart" doesn't say to "seeking His plans." This scripture says that I must seek Him…His presence. I believe that this is in order to position me to receive my instructions for each step. This of course, will require me to lay aside my own agendas and how-tos and be willing to look at something through His eyes, as well as being ready to attempt to do something using a whole new method. This will require me to be willing to keep my heart open to learn. And it won't be about refining something I already know…that would be too easy and too safe…too much like me!
So what does God have for me in 2008? I have no idea. No really…I have no idea. I think that would defeat the purpose of "new". My Father knows me well. If I kinda knew what the plans were, I would kinda try to make them happen. Then I might miss it because the blessing of pure obedience and trust is the main point of this whole process. And you know what else? If God is doing this in my life…there are probably a lot of you out there that are feeling the same things. Maybe you have felt the tug in your heart for something new…something different. So how about us all adopting the same New Year's resolution. Let's purpose to keep our heart open to hear the next step while we passionately apply ourselves to being closer to Him as He reveals what's to come! And I know it will be wonderful. It is His plan, after all, isn't it?
“Something Different”
Fruit Chutney
Don’t be afraid! I know this sweet-hot concoction is unexpected and completely outside of the “usual fare” but your daring will be worth it! It has a WOW! factor at dinners.
1 cup of raisins
(Cooked for about an hour in a ½ c hot water with a ¼ cup o.j. thrown in)
2 medium apples
(Peeled, cored, and cut into small raisin-sized cubes, use whatever variety, a softer type will yield a smoother, less chunky curry)
½ teas. Cinnamon
(Not just for oatmeal anymore!)
½ teas. Curry powder
(Easily found in most grocery stores. You just never looked, didja?!)
¼ teas. Hot red pepper flakes
(More or less for personal hot-taste)
¼ teas. Salt
(Omit if you couldn’t find unsalted walnuts)
¼ cup. Minced sweet onions
(The white one, like Vidalia’s)
½ cup minced walnuts
(Don’t use salted or dry roasted… just plain ol’ walnuts.)
Throw everything in small sauce pan and simmer till apples are soft and onions are translucent. It should be a soft raisin-brown chunky consistency when done. Don't over cook! This is a great topping for fish, chicken, or over Indian yellow-rice, cooked chick peas, or steamed cauliflower. Maybe not ice cream though…
DECEMBER 2007
God du'jour?
I was watching television the other day when a car commercial came on and showed a couple picking out their vehicle. They went back and forth on the color, style, and accessories. Meanwhile…the car kept morphing (OMGoodness…I get to use this word!) into whatever they said they wanted. This reminded me of the apparently increasing prevalence of the "having-it-my-way" culture (it used to be a thrill just to get an extra pickle on your burger!). Anything you want…anyway you want. Whether it’s a car or a lifestyle, I have come to see that people seem to believe that it's "their RIGHT" to get what they want. I have also come to the realization that we take this attitude into church and our relationship with God.
I recently sat before a couple who said that they were saved and attended church but didn't want to get "all churchy" about God. When I asked what they meant, they indicated that they believed in God and went to church but didn't want it to "take over" their lives. They wanted their spirituality kinda like beer…God-Lite. Rather than being shocked…I realized that we all can be like this, one way or another. As a pastor, I've witnessed many people coming into the church with predetermined ideas about God. They were looking for a God that fits their notion of who He is, rather that being open to letting God reveal Himself. Unfortunately, if they heard or saw something that didn't fit, they got offended and left to find a church that agreed with their concept of God…whatever it was. They chose to live safely within their own ideas….well below the glory that really getting to know God has.
To put it simply, our culture seems to prefer a "God is who we want Him to be" approach. So we can worship a "God-made-me-this-way-so-its-ok-to-be-me god", "He-understands-my-needs-and-wouldn't-want-me-unhappy god", or a "God-loves-His-creatures-equally-so-its-His-will-that-we-are-vegetarians god" (I actually heard this one!). God said in Exodus (20:1-5) that "…You shall have no other gods before or besides Me." What if the "other god" is our own self-derived perception of Him? I'm not talking about a perfect realization of Him, after all, until we are standing before Him we can only know Him within our own limited abilities (1 Corinthians 13:12). I'm just asking…what are you basing your beliefs on? The Word of God or "a feeling"? What God commands or what you "think is fair"? What He really wants from us or what's convenient for us to give?
As a child of the 70's I remember being called to "keepin' it real". We all talked about wanting to be fully known and fully loved (I had the t-shirt). It seems, however, that people don't apply this same standard to their love of God. They only want to serve a God that "fits." What if our kids did that to us? I can see it now…"Mom, I know you want me to go to school but I just don't accept your authority over this area in my life. You said that you'd always love me so I'm gonna figure that its o.k. and you'll accept me the way I am. I also decided to go with my friend's curfew time 'cause it fits into my lifestyle better than yours. I'm sure that you only meant it as a suggestion anyway. You love me and want me to be happy, don't you (insert mother jumping across table with hands out-stretched toward child's throat here)?"
So what's it gonna be? Do you want to know a god of your own creation or do you want to know the God of the Bible who created you? Do you want to be coddled where you are or do you want to be challenged and inspired to grow to be a bigger and better you? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't serve a god I could invent!
Fully Known and Loved Pesto
This recipe is wonderful but I have to say…it took me a few years to acquire a taste for it. I persisted and now I love it. I guess I had to grow up a bit to appreciate the fine qualities of the flavors. It didn't change…I did!
6 cloves of fresh garlic
(now you know what to do with the stuff that you always buy but allow to dry out in the fridge cause you don’t know what to do with it!)
½ teaspoon sea salt
(or try the newer smoked salt for a different twist)
1 cup fresh basil leaves
(frozen works but dry does not!)
1 cup chopped pine nuts
(also called pignolis…available in Italian/Spanish food sections) If you can't find pine nuts you can substitute chopped almonds.
½ cup good olive oil
(cold-pressed, virgin if ya got it)
¼ cup green olives
(chopped tiny…actually minced)
Although you can use a food processor, this recipe is traditionally prepared in a mortar and pestle (you know, that marble bowl with the marble "thingy" that you got as a wedding gift and you never knew what it was for…this is what it's for!). Grind the basil, salt, and garlic in the mortar. Add the pine nuts or almonds a little at a time and then do likewise with the olives. Once the ingredients are pulpy…add the olive oil. Mix well until it's all incorporated.
So what do ya do with the pesto? I serve it with small toasted bread slices or pita pieces. You can also toss it into hot pasta but remember…this is powerful stuff! A little goes a long way. De-lish!
My father always told me that I couldn't find my way out of a paper bag with both ends cut off. I admit it…I am totally directionally challenged. While I have lots of stories to support this contention, (Horror story #26…at one point I took a confused left turn and found myself going the wrong way on the Long Island Expressway, an 8 lane highway. I didn't realize what I had done until I saw headlights coming at me!) I will share what God taught me during a recent "adventure".
But first let me tell you how much I despise getting lost (I actually never use the word "lost"…its so much more positive to say "trans-located."). Either way, getting lost or trans-located has been a real source of fear (no, really more like terror and hysteria) in my life. I was always one to carry millions of maps and written directions, all piled together on a clip board or in one of those trip-tic things. Every turn, every street, almost every building, had to be on the map for me to be secure. Then God, feeling pity on those like me, inspired the GPS system. You know…Global Positioning System. I coveted the ones they made for cars. I wanted the security of never being lost. I wanted with my whole "want-er" a voice to tell me when to turn! In 1 mile…1/2 mile…500 feet…TURN LEFT NOW!
This past spring, as an ordination gift my pastor and church gifted me with a navigator for my car. Praise God! The angels were rejoicing above in the heavens as I danced with joy on the earth. I couldn't wait to try it out! On my most recent out of town trip with my daughter, while waiting in traffic (there was an accident w-a-a-a-a-a-ay up ahead) I used the DETOUR feature of my navigator. The directions took me off the highway at the next exit and back home on all these little back roads. It was amazing! Me…the freak-out-queen-if-I-get-lost person was traveling the back roads and actually enjoying myself. This had to be God.
As I thanked God for the lovely gifting of the navigator the coolest thing happened! I had HUGE revelation about my walk with God. He used my navigator as an illustration of how I learned to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. I thought, "This is really good" and I hoped that I would have the opportunity to share a few nuggets with someone else. So here they are!
First…You gotta trust the equipment. When I first used my navigator I used to pretty much resist the directions given and go the way that I was used to going. Of course I would end up in the same traffic pattern that caused me so much stress in the first place. The navigator kept telling me "A better route is available!" but I ignored it. After doing this several times I realized that I didn't trust the equipment to do what it was designed to do and what's the point of having it if I didn't take what it was offering? I kept trying to outthink the satellite based directions. Me…the directionally challenged! And here's the oops…I realized that we can sometimes do the same thing with God's directions. There's an old saying…"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got!" I used to take God's Word and try to "fit in into" my own plans. But I realized that doing it my way had led me to the train-wreck of my past life. Like Dr. Phil says, "So howz it workin' for ya?" Not so good. I had always heard that "trust must be earned." But that's the world's way. It isn't God who needs to earn trust, but me who needs to learn trust. The Bible says to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings" (Proverbs 3:5). God wants me to be obedient and follow Him without figuring it out or trying to "adjust" His will.
Second…There is always another way. The first time I used the DETOUR function on my navigator (when I actually followed the directions) was when I missed an exit due to construction (actually I wasn't paying attention 'cause I was singing…) on my way to the airport. It was dark and there was lots of traffic. I hit the button, I mean function (you know there are no longer any buttons…) and the directional voice said, "RECALCULATING…" and took me right to the airport by the back way. Street by street, turn by turn. But I made it. Praise God! No muss…no fuss…no freak-outs! And you know what? This is so much like our walk with God. He promises us that no matter what we do or where we go amiss…there is always a way to get us back to the right path. There may be turns and roads that we never knew were there. The navigator's satellite system sees from high above, not limited by earthly constraints or weather just as there may be solutions that we would never have seen without seeking God. God's plans for us are not limited by our human thinking and earthly resources. God not only sees from "above" but also through time, the end from the beginning. With God, there are always options…always answers. When we go the wrong way, He will bring us right back around to walk out the plan that He has always had for us in the first place (James 4:10)! And like the navigator function, you just have to ask. Recalculating…
Finally…You can always go home. The navigator has this cool function…"GO HOME." No matter where I am, or how lost I think I am, all I have to do is hit this function and the navigator recalculates a trip from where I am to my home address which is already "saved" in the navigator's little computer brain. Always there, always ready. This comes in handy if I end up away from my planned destination. And I don't even have to know where I am! Just one touch and I'm going home. On my recent road trip God showed me that His forgiveness is like this, too. God doesn't change His promises depending upon the times or circumstances. And unlike politicians (oops…I had to say that!) God doesn't change to please our whims (or whines). He does what He says He does. But that's the best part! No matter where I am in my relationship with God, or how far I have strayed, once I have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, I have the security of "home" programmed into my heart! All I need to do to access this "function" is ask forgiveness and I can go before God as His righteous child. Yea! Like the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), when we come to the end of running from our Father, He will be there at the end of the road with His arms out, lovingly and diligently waiting for us to fall into them. And rather than the spankin' we deserve, we get the fatted calf, the clothes off His back, and the "bling" (remember the ring for his finger?) to boot! Now that's going home, huh?
Comfort of Home "Fatted Calf" Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
God said to eat the fat of the land… and I think this is it!
1 cup softened butter
(yes…BUTTER! No substitutes)
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
(large)
1 cup peanut butter
(use the natural kind…it's nuttier)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(again real, please)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
(rationalizes the recipe as "healthy")
1 ½ cups chunked up Hershey's Pot of Gold candy pieces
(whatever variety- except the caramel filled…too melt-y)
1 cup kinda chopped walnuts
(we want them chunky, too)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat eggs, add vanilla to eggs then add to mixture. Add the flour, rolled oat, salt, baking soda, chocolate chunks, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls unto ungreased cookie sheets. Don't crowd them…they do spread a bit. Bake for about 10-14 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. Remove and wait a minute then transfer onto a cool surface till firm. Short cut version…spread mixture onto a rimmed cooking pan. When done….wait a few minutes then cut and transfer to a cooling surface. Totally sinful…oops…I mean…heavenly!
OCTOBER 2007
What's Strange Anyway?
While catching the morning news I saw a feature on a family with 17 kids and counting…of course I had to watch it. I mostly wanted to see what they all looked like…how haggard was the mom (these were their biological kids…no adoptions!), what did the dad do for a living, and mostly…how many bathrooms did they exist with?! After watching for a minute I realized that they weren't THAT bad and they appeared normal, not exactly like automatons (or robots for the non-sci-fi folks out there) but seemed like nice, if not outdated, folks to me. One of the little guys (I guess he was around three) stuck his tongue out at the camera with an accompanying naa naa naa finger-in-ear-wag. OK…I admit it. I expected them to be real strange. I mean, after all…17 kids? I think I said to myself…"isn't that quaint?" I had noticed their plain clothes, polo shirts and trousers for the boys, all the girls were in jumpers or skirts and had pulled-back, long hair. Based on the conversations with the interviewer it was obvious that this was a Christian family. They spoke of God being first and service to others being the foundation of their lives. The kids were all home-schooled by mom, they all played piano and violin and had their own living room concerts, they had a cool restaurant toast making machine (it could spit out 16 slices a minute), and a kitchen table that seated 20 people. OK, I admit it… pretty cool!
But here's the thing. While the whole family was sitting there, the interviewer promoted the next news item…the continuing custody battle between a certain pop star and her ex-husband. The interviewer went on to report on the partying, drugs, and all-around bad behavior of both it's-hard-to-call-them parents. The judge's ruling included drug testing, parenting classes and an order that each must abstain from drugs and alcohol 24 hours before taking custody of the children. While listening to this, I was struck by how bizarre this must have sounded to the parents of the 17 kids who had been sitting there during this whole story. I was embarrassed for the culture and for my own initial reaction. I mean…it's not like I would want to live like the pop star…but I had also thought that the Christian family was a bit kooky…a little odd. One of those…"I guess it's OK for them" reactions. I had wondered how all those kids were ever going to fit in. That's when God spoke to my heart…
We are not called to fit into the world! The Bible says in Deuteronomy 7:6 that we are called by God to be set apart from the world and are to be a special or a "peculiar people" (no jokes please…I know I take this a little too literally). It’s a given, then, that when we choose to be a part of God's family and follow His Word, we will be seen by the world as different. Just like on the news show. These two families stood a world apart. Two families…two sets of values, two purposes for their time here on earth. One had all the riches, parties and fame of the world, one had very few of the trappings of wealth and their entertainment involved living room concerts for their parents and church and community service (not the kind the judge gives you!). So who are the strange ones…really? The one's with everything the world has to offer but with all the tribulations of their choices, or the ones with nothin' but kids…and their relationship with God. More importantly…can you guess who was really living in peace? Which parents could look in the mirror and be satisfied with who they saw? What family values would we rather promote to our children?
I guess it comes down to this…John 1:10 speaks of "being in the world but not really a part of it." I guess this whole thing has given me a new perspective on this scripture and a better understanding of the separation that we experience (and should expect) as Christians. God showed me that it isn't just a spiritual separation that happens at salvation. There should be evidence (like the 17 kid family) that we live our lives for a purpose contrary to the culture's, that we have made a different choice…that we follow different rules. If people around us don't know we're Christian, what world do we really live in? What goals are we chasing after? Matthew 16:26 tells us (Pastor Rita Version) "what's the point to seek out and gain all the values and stuff of the world…yet succumb to the accompanying sin and lose our relationship with the One Who saved us!" Isn't the world (and its fate) what He saved us from? If we become so like the world…what difference do we have to offer? When the scripture says that "they will know (see, observe, have evidence of) we are Christians by our love"…will they? Something to think about.
Oh…and by the way, the Christian family had 9 bathrooms…and a lot of bathrooms is probably the only thing that they had in common with the pop star.
17 Layer Cookies
(actually its only 7 layers but the recipe name works with the column and its my artistic license and my totally favorite cookie to have with a cup of hot coffee!)
½ granulated sugar
(gotta be sugar, or the crust won't work)
1 Package Graham Crackers
1 Stick of Butter
(salted and softened)
½ Bag Shredded Coconut
1 cup Peanut Butter Chips
1 cup Butterscotch Chips
½ cup chopped Walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips
(not the bitty ones, the bigger chunks)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
(at room temperature)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Take a 9x12 pan with straight sides and butter it well (you want to get the little darlings out don't-cha?) First layer…crush up graham crackers (I put them in a larger plastic bag and roll my rolling pin over them) till they're crumbs. Put in a mixing bowl and add sugar. Melt butter and mix into crumbs. Pat it into pan bottom (…you know like a cheese cake crust). Then put in layer two…coconut. Layer three…PB chips. Layer four is Butterscotch chips. Layer five is chopped walnuts and layer six is chocolate chips. Then pour layer seven on top of all the stuff. It will kinda seep down into the other layers. Put pan into oven for about 20 minutes. You don't want to melt the chips completely but you do want the layers to "marry" (I love that concept). Take 'em out…cool and cut into little, rich, "too yummy for my shirt" indulgences. Enjoy!
SEPTEMBER 2007
Buzz... Beep... Bing...!
Bu-u-z-z-z-z! I'm sitting on my couch, a bit tired after a long weekend of running (I feel like I'm ready for the Kentucky Derby), when the dryer buzzer goes off. Sure…it may sound like a simple buzzer, but it's really designed to send the message…"HEY! Hurry and get these clothes before they wrinkle and then the world will think that you're a slacker and have no pride in your appearance!" Yeah,…right. At the exact time of the dryer buzzer, however, as if some world-wide-web of signaling devices initiates a response cascade, my annoying phone (it's my own fault for putting on some John Philip Souza ring-tone) rings AND my microwave beeps! I quickly get up and pull my thrice-heated coffee out of the microwave and after grabbing the receiver on the way down to the dryer I answer the phone while squeezing it to my ear with my shoulder (you know, the hunch-back of Notre Dame style). This sorta leaves my hands free to pull the clothes out of the dryer and kinda fold them into the laundry basket…all while talking to my mother about some recipe she saw on the Food Channel. I could feel the pressure building and I just wanted to STOP…just for a minute; just for a second, just for a moment.
I guess the question becomes…how did I get here? I used to wear a button that said "Question Authority!" and now I make every buzzing, demanding piece of electronics my boss. And like Dr. Phil would say…"How'z this working for you?" I know this is not God's plan for my life. He created me in His image, to be a representative of His love and forgiveness to the world. How's this going to happen if I don't have time to…STOP! I can see it now…"Yes I know that you are suffering…oh wait…I'm getting another call. Yeah, hello. Sure, we are still on for tomorrow. Okay, bye. Now what were you saying? You need more of God in your life? Oh…hold on…my clothes are dry. No, keep talking. I'll just fold while you talk…ah…hello? HELLO?" Click. Enter dial-tone….
Oh, help me Jesus!
He does…with the realization that while I exist in a world of alarms and buzzers, I do not have to answer them. There is no law or scripture that says that I have to. No, really! The Bible actually says that we, His children, are IN the world, but not OF the world (Romans 12:2). Just because "it's the way of the world" doesn't mean that I have to adopt this as my own way of living! I don't have to have a Pavlov-ian response to every buzz, beep, or bing that disturbs my peace. It's okay to let the answering machine get your phone calls. It is not necessary to be available every time your cell phone rings (that's why God invented voice mail). So go ahead women…throw off the shackles of repression, sit down and actually enjoy your morning coffee! TURN OFF THE DRYER BUZZER and be FREE!
"It's Not Quick but it's Worth-Waiting-For" Rice Pudding
Of course…turn off your cell phone while you cook this yummy and good-for-you pudding. Serve it cold or warm…if you can't wait!
1 cup brown rice
1 quart sweetened vanilla soymilk
(you can use any permutation of fat-free or sugar free but unless you are using Splenda for a medical reason, you still have to have some sugar for creamy texture)
½ cup Splenda
(if using unsweetened soymilk)
¼ cup sugar
1 pint fat free or light cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon and raisons
(if you like)
Place the rice, salt, and soymilk in a large (it helps it to cook with more surface area exposed to the burner…America's Test Kitchen hint!) sauce pan with a snug lid. If you are adding sugar…do it with soymilk. Heat over medium (with the lid on) till it starts to boil…then turn down heat to low. Let it cook for about 15 more minutes then remove lid and stir. Keep stirring while you continue to add the rest of the liquid ingredients. NEVER let it boil once you begin to add the cream or yucky stuff will form on top of the pudding. Remember…this is a patience recipe…you don't have to answer your phone…you don't have to do laundry…you don't have to balance your checkbook. Just keep stirring! Don't be discouraged…it will take at least 45 minutes till all the liquid is incorporated. If the rice is still too chewy after 45 minutes (some brown rice is a little harder than others) just add some more liquid…either more soymilk, cream, milk, or water…whatever. The pudding is done when the rice is getting gummy. Take it off the heat to finish. Give a final taste for sweetness, add the cinnamon and raisons. It will continue to cook a bit so make sure it doesn't dry out. Serve it in your favorite prettiest cup with a dollop of whipped cream! Healthy and Fa-a-a-b-u-lous!
