Monthly Archives: February 2010
Psalm 22
From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God.
Long-lost families are falling on their faces before Him.
God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.
All the power-mongers are before him
– worshiping!
All the poor and powerless, too
– worshiping!
Along with those who never got it together
– worshiping!
Our children and their children will get in on this
As the word is passed along from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news
– that God does what he says.
quoted from Psalm 22: 27–31 (The Message)
Can you imagine?? How absolutely awesome would that be? It can be. It will be. It starts today with us.
Answered Prayers (aka: What would you do for a little pampering?)
Our daughter was born with a heart defect. Those two words — heart defect — can terrify the most stable parent, yet in our case it has always been a non-issue. This week, however, I claimed my maternal right to freak out.
Ellie was diagnosed with a “murmur” at three months. Then around five months her doctors gave the murmur a very official and kinda scary-sounding name: coronary artery fissure (or fistula, depending on which cardiologist spoke). They explained it as an extra loop in her heart, then assured us it was no cause for alarm; it was just something we should keep tabs on with regular visits. It might even heal itself before her fifth birthday.
So, every six months for three years I’d take her to get an EKG and a sonogram of her heart. Around her third birthday, they changed our appointment schedule to once a year. At every visit they told us it was nothing to worry about — keep watching, let us know if anything changes.
Nothing ever changed. Including the defect. It didn’t show any signs of “healing”, but it also didn’t cause any problems. Ellie kept growing at exponential rates; she was supremely healthy in pretty much every way. I pushed those two scary words to the back of my mind, basically forgetting they ever applied to our family.
Then Monday reminded me. Ellie came home from school and complained of “splinters” inside her heart. She pointed to just the right spot, and my mind started spinning. Read the rest of this entry
WFMW: The Perfect Pans
We have been married for eleven years. In that time, I’ve gone through three — count ‘em: one, two, THREE — sets of pots and pans.
The reason? Well, first of all, I love to cook. I work my pans hard. However, since I always follow the care instructions, “frustrated” doesn’t begin to describe how I felt when starting yet another search for new pans last month.
Reason #2: Teflon. It simply doesn’t last. I don’t care how gentle you are with it; you will likely need to replace it within five years, if it lasts that long. The surface is fine … as long as you don’t heat it. When it gets hot, the composition of oils, plastics and whatever else they put in there causes the surface to bubble. Once it bubbles, it inevitably scratches and begins to flake off in your food. Not exactly the added “nutrients” I desire.
This time, I did a lot of research. I’d done Calphalon, T-Fal and a no-name brand. (I have to say I liked the Calphalon the best, but still ran into the issue of bubble-and-flake within three years.) I read reviews, talked to friends, learned about leaching and health benefits of all different kinds of cookware. Once I had narrowed down my choices, I bought two fry pans of different construction to test.
And the winner is … Cuisinart GreenGourmet Hard Anodized!
Don’t confuse these with Cuisinart’s Greenware pots and pans. They’re not the same. You want Green Gourmet.
Here are the basic features:
- Ceramic-based nonstick interior: This is completely PTFE/PFOA and petroleum-free, which was very important to me because of the health benefits. These components found in Teflon and other nonstick surfaces have been known to aggravate allergies Read the rest of this entry
Recipe Swap Sunday: Winter Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
You know those seasonal recipe magazines that flood the check-out lanes? If you’ve ever fallen victim to the impulse, you know they’re usually a hit or miss. You may spend $4-6 to get just a handful of decent recipes. One purchase, however, has been the exception to the rule.
I bought the magazine — Holiday Menus from Cuisine at Home — around 2007 and still reference it regularly. Every recipe in it (that I’ve tried) has been tremendous! Including this one. The magazine featured it as a “Christmas Eve” soup, but we enjoy it all winter long.
As always, I have made a couple changes to the original recipe. Instead of using all wild rice (as the recipe called for) I use a combination of brown and wild rices. I use portabellas instead of button mushrooms and add a little extra bacon. Also, I omit the sour cream (my husband abhors sour cream) and use reduced fat instead of whole milk.
Wild rice takes a long time to cook, so be sure you make the necessary allowances. This soup is great the day after, too! Keep your leftovers. They’re worth it.
Winter Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
- 3/4 c dry wild rice blend (or 2 c cooked wild rice)
- 4 strip thick-sliced bacon, diced
- 8 oz. portabella mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 c onion, diced
- 1/4 c carrot, diced
- 1/4 c celery, diced
- 1/4 c flour
- 4 c chicken broth
- 2 c chicken, shredded or diced
- 2 t fresh thyme, minced
- 1/2 c milk
- 1/2 c heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- sliced scallions and toasted almond slivers as garnish
Prepare the rice as directed on the package. If there are no instructions, combine 3/4 c rice with 2 1/2 c water in a small saucepan. Simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the grains are tender and start to split open. (This may be done a day ahead. Chill the cooked rice until ready to use.)
Saute bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until crisp, 8-10 minutes. Scoop out bacon (leaving drippings in the pan) and drain on paper towel-lined dish. Add mushrooms to drippings and saute over medium-high until soft, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add onion, carrot and celery; cover and sweat until the onion is translucent, about 5 more minutes.
Remove lid and increase heat to medium. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly add chicken broth, making sure to scrap up bits from the bottom of the pot, then add chicken, cooked rice and fresh thyme. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.
Add milk, cream, reserved bacon, salt and pepper to soup. Gently simmer about 1 minute or until heated through. Garnish each serving with scallions and toasted almonds. ENJOY!
Serves 8 as a first course or 4 as a main dish.
Read with Me: I’m still reading!
It’s Thursday night. I have a busy Friday morning planned and we’re supposed to get more snow tomorrow (which will only complicate things), so I’m posting early.
HOWYA DOIN? Is everyone still with us? I don’t want to lose anyone! I’ve not yet had the time to email each member individually, so if you’ve got a few minutes, check on your friends. Email a note to those who’ve been missing the last couple weeks. If you need a reminder of who’s who, check out this post. You’ll find a list toward the end.
Last Friday I posted that I was determined to be caught up before February. Well, I was determined on Friday. On Saturday I was a total bum who sat around folding laundry and watching TV all day. On Sunday I remembered my determination, but too late. I read as much as I could (finished Genesis and caught up in Matthew) then fell asleep. Come Monday, I decided to start the February schedule and backtrack to January when I could. The point is this: I’m still reading! I may not be where the paper says I should be, but I’m still moving forward, and that’s better than sitting still.
Your turn! Feel free to link up or just comment below. I want to hear from you!!
A Book Review: Angels by David Jeremiah
Do you believe in angels? Everybody kind of believes in angels. The real question is whether our beliefs in angels or spirit messengers or guardians matches truth. Are our perceptions accurate? Do they align with Scripture?
We’ve all heard stories of angel encounters. Jungle natives come to Christ because soldiers in shiny uniforms protected the missionaries the tribe had planned to murder. Someone is pulled from a burning car by fearless men who instantly disappear once the victim is safe. A whole family sleeps peacefully while a fatal gang fight rages literally on their front porch. I’ve shared a story of my own here on this blog.
Do we believe the stories? Are they really angels or is it our simple way of explaining what we don’t understand?
I’ve been reading David Jeremiah’s book on this subject and must say it is an excellent resource. Angels does exactly what the subtitle suggests; it lays out “what the Bible reveals.”
Now, the Bible doesn’t tell us a lot, but it reveals much. Let me explain what I mean. The Bible contains over three hundred direct reference to angels, but it doesn’t have a specific book or passage that explains exactly how angels work or why God uses them. It doesn’t even expound upon the relationship or responsibilities between us and them. There are clues. There are stories. There are glimpses. David Jeremiah pieces all these together to offer an accurate picture in a condense and approachable package.
The content includes discussion about:
- What angels are
- God’s relationship with angels
- How they work
- How they worship
- Jesus’ relationship with angels
- When they appear
- Our relationship with angels
- Famous angels (and lesser known ones)
- Fallen angels and Satan
- Eternity with angels
There are several things I like about this book. The conversational, easy-to-read nature is one, but two attributes stand above the rest.
It is flooded with Scripture. Bookstores contain hundreds of books about angels, miraculous sightings and spiritual encounters. Experience is valuable, but its interpretation is subjective. I want to know the truth and the only way to know that is to study God’s Word. This book does contain relevant stories, but its focus is more on what Scripture teaches us about these heavenly beings.
Its purpose is to glorify God. From the very beginning through the middle and into the end of this book the author repeatedly shines the focus on God. Let me prove this with a few quotes from the book.
“The writer of Psalm 73 shows the right heart when he tells God ‘Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.’ Besides God there is no one on earth and no one in heaven — not even angels — who can give your soul true fulfillment.” (p. 23)
“That, in fact, is the only sufficient aim in a study of angels: that you might draw closer to God. If you study angels and the result is anything less — if you build up only a file of information about angels or a fascination with them or even a supposed relationship with one, but haven’t encountered at least a tug toward humble submission to the Almighty God … you’ve totally missed what angels are all about.” (p. 25)
“Angels can help lift our eyes from this troubled and temporal earth. But they are meant to draw our gaze to the Lord, not to themselves. All glory is due to God, and he has no intention of sharing it with angels … as we go honestly and carefully into a deeper study of angels, our spirits cannot help but experience the desire to worship. If you remember any words at all that you’ve heard angels speak in Scripture, remember especially these two: Worship God!” (p. 56)
“God’s angels always point us to God … [Ezekiel] isn’t being shown this vision just to learn about cherubim, but rather to hear a word from the Lord.” (p. 145)
“Again and again in Scripture we see this pattern: Those who are given the privilege of a direct visible or audible ministry from angels are those with mature hearts who want to encounter God — not angels. … No one got excited about seeing angels. They were excited about what the angels said.” (p. 192)
You can currently purchase the book from Amazon.com for $10.19. It’s a great read, one I highly recommend.
Please note this is a 2009 repackaging of Dr. Jeremiah’s book What the Bible Says About Angels, published in 1996. This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
Come so far to the same spot
I found an old letter in the bottom of a cluttered closet yesterday.
“Every year I intend to get out hand-stamped Christmas cards complete with letter and photos, and every year I crumble under the pressure of time and responsibility. We’re setting more realistic expectations now as you hold in your hands our ‘Happy Groundhog’s Day!’ family update!”
The paragraphs that follow detail the news of 2005: Zach’s birth, an update on Rick’s job, Ellie learning to walk and then breaking her leg on Christmas day. It talks of the personality contrasts between our two kids and Zach’s perpetual ear infections and severe eczema. (I wrote this just weeks, perhaps days, before we learned of Zach’s food allergies.)
“If these are the biggest of our problems (runny noses and earaches as opposed to hurricanes and tsunamis), we are indeed very, very rich!”
It’s funny how much and how little changes in five years.
The last paragraph was about me.
“And then here am I. My life may not seem glorious or even notorious, but it is definitely full and challenging. I am constantly overwhelmed by the responsibility God has granted me. It is an honorable charge! To raise these two to know God and His Truth in a world that rarely recognizes His existence … I am humbled by the task, and grateful that Rick is leading the endeavor.”
I could have written this today. It’s amazing how I’ve come so far to the same spot. Perhaps that’s God’s intention. We grow and we work, but every day we must face the truth: we can do nothing without Him. It doesn’t matter how much I learn about parenting or homemaking or writing or speaking, because in the end it’s all Him.
Don’t misunderstand me: this is not a license for apathy or complacency. Rather, it is cause to praise His name! No matter how far we have to go, He always meets us where we are and draws us to Himself that we might receive the life He has for us.
Mama loves grace.
