Have a thought life!

"Uh-oh...she has a Bible...what did Black Jack do now!?"

"Be still and know that I am God..."

Isaiah 46:10

I am rediscovering the importance of having a prayer life an a thought life.  I encourage you to do th same.  Go outside, find a spot alone, leave only the "incoming call" volume up on your phone and toss it out of arm's reach, and talk to God and yourself about what is going on in your life.  Figure out what is good, what is bad, what needs forgiveness, and act on those things.  Determine some goals and actually figure out what needs to occur to make them happen.  If we don't connect with God and ourselves, we become shells mindlessly existing rather than thriving.  It is a beautiful day!  Go find a shade tree, feel the breeze on your face, enjoy the hot and cool air blown over you, and think.

Can I Protect God?

I am currently reading Robby Dawkins's book Do What Jesus Did. I am just getting into chapter 3 when I realized a bad attitude within me.

This book is primarily about outreach so far (as I assume will be the rest of it).  Robby cites examples of God using him to witness to the seemingly untouchable people in society.  He tells stories of witnessing to people in ways that they "feel" God and have radical conversions.

I had often wondered about this practice of witnessing about Jesus in a way that would encourage God to produce a tangible presence to an unbeliever.  I have had many doubting questions about this practice.  How can God touch an unbeliever when their unrepentant sinfulness is keeping her from having a relationship with Him?  Why would an unbeliever even care if a God in whom he didn't believe made him feel warm and fuzzy?  Don't I need to protect God from sinful grossness?  Now I realize these were largely unbiblical objections and are easily refuted.

How can God touch someone who is unrepentant? Doesn't sin separate us from God?

I'm not exactly sure how holiness can touch unholiness.  However, the Bible is full of examples of this happening.  A standout one in Acts when Saul is traveling to Damascus and Jesus appears to him, the glory of God literally blinds him, and he remains that way until he spiritually sees.  God touched Paul in his unbelief. In fact, God touches all of us in our non-belief!  The thought of needing forgiveness and saving is not a human idea.  Sinful humans are selfish.  We have no reason to believe we are not always right.  God is the one who has planted the longing in our soul to be close to Him.  He is the one who meets us.  And, He is the one who saves us.  Our conscious readiness isn't much of a factor here.


Why would an unbeliever care if the true God touches them?

Thinking they wouldn't care limits God and actually denies His power and reign.  How can someone encounter the living God and not be affected?

Do I need to protect God from grossness and sinfulness?

No.  I cannot do that even though I want to because I am gross and sinful without even having a good reason of not knowing better!  We cannot protect God from others.  And I don't think He wants to be protected even if we could.

I am still uncomfortable with this practice.  In some ways, I feel like it sets people up to be disappointed.  God is great even when one doesn't feel Him miraculously healing her, or speaking audibly while she is in the shower, or moving her to tears with His awesomeness.  Does this encourage people to come to God just because of the sign and wonder?  Can one truly come to God without a basis of the theology or knowing what they are confessing by coming to Him?  I don't know yet.  I do know, though, that I was wrong with the above objections and wanted to share my growth in that regard and issue a challenge to myself and my readers.  Challenge your objections and thoughts against Scripture.  Ask God to reveal the truth.  Do not hold onto something just because you have it.

The Day of Pentecost

During a recent Bible class, the attendees were asked to write a first person account of Acts 2:1-38.  Here was my response.  As with all of my posts, feel free to share this so long as you credit and link back.  No taking credit for other people's creative muses...

That morning, we had come together to celebrate Shavu’ot, or Pentecost, the 50^th day of Passover.  I was reclined on some floor cushions deep in thought.  As the others discussed the teachings of our dearly departed Lord and Friend, Jesus, I pondered the topic which we had much discussed. “When would the Holy Spirit, this new friend, the Comforter and Strengthener come?” Before Jesus returned to heaven, He told us to stay here in Jerusalem until after He and the Father had sent this gift to us.  Then we would be filled with power.  We wondered what power, exactly, the Holy Spirit would give us.  Would we be strengthened to defeat the Roman Empire?  Or would the power be for the “not of this world” Kingdom Jesus so often referred to?  I wondered how we would know when this Holy Spirit arrived.  Would we be different?  How?  It was time to give the directions for our meal, and I began to rise.  But I sank back into my seated position.  What was this sound?  This rushing sound coming from the heavens and pouring throughout the house?  The other followers of Christ and I looked at each other in amazement.  It was like a mighty gale blew amongst us!  We could not feel a wind, though, but an excitement and sense of boldness stirred and grew inside us.  Peter jumped up and opened his mouth and spoke, “The Lord!” but suddenly fell silent and stared.  Something secured the gaze of us all.  An object, looking like a smaller version of the pillar of fire of old, had come into the room.  It divided into a number of smaller, equal-sized flames, and one of them came and alit upon each of us. 

Upon this moment, we felt like a part of us had changed. We leapt to our feet and began to speak to each other about this and many other wonderful works of God, but in different languages than the ones we knew.  Others around us stared, but we continued speaking, praising, worshiping.  It seems as though they did not hear the wind or see the tongues of fire, because they instead began accusing us of being drunk!  Peter spoke readily to them, and somehow all of them understood.  He recalled a prophesy of the prophet Joel and proved to them that it was being fulfilled right in front of their eyes!  He went on to boldly proclaim the truth about our Lord Jesus, and the crowds were convicted in their hearts.  They wanted to repent and take part of this fulfillment in Judaism.  They believed in this Jesus as the Son of God and the ultimate sacrifice for the remission of their sins.  They, too, would eventually receive and be filled by this Holy Spirit that now dwelt in us—in me! 

I began to recall the teachings of Jesus, and had new revelations and deeper understandings about many of them.  I praised the Lord for His gift.  I now had His voice working in me.  The Holy Spirit would speak through me to fulfill Christ’s great commission given to us.  I was now filled with an eternal boldness to defend and spread the Kingdom of Christ—an eternal Kingdom far more powerful and significant than any earthly realm, including the Romans.

Happy Pentecost!

Everything you do

I struggle with feelings of insignificance.  What do I do that is important or worthwhile?  Because I like to try and be both therapist and patient, I ask myself what is something that is purposeful.   I think maybe a job would be helpful.  Or maybe volunteering would help fill this seeming void.  Then I realize nothing I of which I think would make me feel purposeful.  While I would be busier, I certainly wouldn't feel any more significant simply because I was filing, maintaining databases, or directing calls.

Recently, I decided to volunteer at the Creation Museum for a day.  I was all excited!  My parents have volunteered there in the past, so I was anticipating maybe a day's work in the gardens, or perhaps being in the office and helping send out mailings to donors.  I anticipated something bright, pretty, and maybe a little fun.  Instead, I was assigned to work in the hot, lonely, windowless cash room where I sat, locked in, and rolled coins for 6 hours.  Thankfully they have a machine that counts out the coins, and all I had to do was dump the appropriate coins in and then make sure the funnel and wrapper were all lined up properly.  "Monotonous" best described that job.  As I sat listening to the endless rattle of change, I became determined to amuse myself.  I decided to sing inside my head since at least four cameras were trained on me, and I didn't want to pain security too much.  I ran through several different hymns and quickly turned to popular Christian music.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your view of things, I starting mentally playing Steven Curtis Chapman's song "Do Everything."  I repeated an endless loop of a portion of the chorus "it all matters just as long as you do everything you do to the glory of the one who made you, 'cause He made you to do everything you do the glory of the one..." for the next 4 hours.  I wish I at least remembered the rest of the song so I didn't have to repeat the same few words over and over again.  It helped, though.  I wasn't discouraged.  I knew that what I was doing was important simply because I was doing it to the best of my ability.  I still felt rather sad at the end of the day because I didn't feel like I'd accomplished anything as people were dropping off that day's worth of coins from their cash boxes.  It is a never ending job!  I am happy I was able to relieve the full-time lady from having to do that for a day, though, so she could focus on her other duties.

In daily life, I have found this song and, more importantly, the Scripture verses, to be helpful.  There's not much glory to folding laundry.  There's even less in cleaning the bathroom.  Practically, yes, these things are wonderful, but when people ask, "So, what did you do today?" and the answer is, "Well...I finally found and removed the source of that nasty mystery smell in the refrigerator..." you don't feel like the most exciting or relevant person.  But, the point is, we all are appointed for or do different tasks.  They might seem inglorious from our perspectives, but everything we do brings glory to God.  Essentially the stuff we do here on earth is done for Him.  We are all caretakers in some way or another, and our work glorifies Him.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31


And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:17

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:23-24

Distraction

There once was a time I thought going to Sunday School and church Sunday mornings was all the training, growing, and informing I needed as a Christian.  Then about eight years or so ago I realized that, no, I should have a personal, private relationship with Christ, after all, He is my personal savior and friend.  Since then I have attempted to establish a structured, nearly daily Bible/prayer time.  My more successful spurts have ranged anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.  However, I find myself fading away from these times of study, contemplation, and simply resting in the Lord's presence until weeks (or months) have passed since I have opened my Bible for any reason other than Sunday morning Bible class or had anything much of a prayer life.  When I realize this, I am then overwhelmed with a hunger and urge to immerse myself in Scripture.  I set out with the best intentions.  I sit down with my huge NKJV Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible, take a deep breath, look down at the cover of the tome in my lap, and am stumped.  Now what?  There are a lot of things I want to know, but where do I start?  What is right for today?  Should I read in the Old Testament or New?  A reading from the Gospels?  Or should I read something historical?  Or from a book by one of the prophets?  Or should I go to the epistles?  Maybe I should get a Bible study program so I know what to follow.  Bible in a year?  No, I've tried that.  Character study?  Maybe.  Beth Moore?  I heard her David one is really good.  Psalm and Proverb of the day?  There are more books in the Bible, though.  Hmm...I guess I'll just open to a random page and start halfheartedly reading... (which can actually be a really good strategy, I've discovered.  Well, not the halfhearted part, of course).

My wanting a program to follow in almost all areas of my life is problematic.  I want to be able to measure my "progress."  Did I read enough today?  Do I comprehend or at least remember something from what I read?  Am I dedicated enough?  I know no program can measure my spiritual growth.  I know it doesn't matter if I read Psalm 21 on the 25th (Wait! If I had been following that program, I could have been blessed by this four days sooner!).  Also, a program makes it far easier for me to not have to do the dreaded thing of making a decision about what to read.  Someone else has already decided for you!  Because I know these things about myself, I've decided not to follow a program at this time. There are some I am really interested in doing at some point, but I need to take charge of my own growth for a little while.  The program I am going to follow is to read about something on my heart. It sounds simple enough.  I think I can master that.  It is not as though I am going to run out of thoughts!  But, if I do, I know I can turn to a Psalm, a Proverb, or an account about Jesus and go from there.  

I pray to be spiritually full, but always hungry for more.

New blog

Hello, gentle reader!

I have sorted out some confusion in my mind in regards to how my blog should look.  In doing so, I have branched off and, yes, have created a food blog.  I'm hoping this will open up my mind to being able to maintain both these blogs in their purest form with one featuring my latest creations and the other detailing different discoveries I have made that apply outside the kitchen.

Thank you for your readership!  I hope you enjoy Homemade by Jeannie.

A "funner" time

Friday was a lovely summer day.  The sun was shining, the temperature was not too sweltering, and a gentle breeze stirred the air—a lovely day for padding barefoot through my crispy lawn to greet Chef Kellie at her car.  It had finally arrived.  July 15^th was sushi day!

Chef Kellie and Chef Jeannie

We embraced and exchanged pleasantries (Kellie: “Yay!  A real person!”).  And, after putting the Purely Decadent Cookie Dough Ice Cream she had brought into the freezer, we jumped right into sushi preparations.

Sous Chef Kellie
working magic

I had already made the brown sushi rice since it has a long cooking time and because I wanted to make sure it got cooled down before we started using it, so we began with rinsing the white rice.  The rinsing process is tedious.  The more starch rinsed off, the less clumpy the rice.  One is supposed to rinse the rice until the water is clear.  I have never made it that far.  After eight or nine rinses, I figure it is good enough.   I soon hope to acquire a mesh strainer so I can rinse the rice that way rather than in the measuring cup like I have been.  While I was engaged in this process, Sous Chef Kellie deftly chopped a delicious apple into matchsticks and removed the spine from some romaine heart leaves.

"This is a knife!"

Once I got the rice on the stove,  I had Chef Kellie move to her new work station where she formed mango sticks (after intimidating one of the world's most succulent mangoes into submission), buttery avocado strips, and luscious strawberry segments.  I was concerned we weren't going to have any fillers left for our sushi because of how perfectly yummy our ingredients were!  As she worked on those, I peeled and cut a cucumber, a couple carrots, and a small bunch of green onions.   Our green onions were thin enough that all I had to do was cut some of them in half, others just needed one of the green straws peeled off.

We ended up having a lovely tray of sushi ingredients about the same time our white rice was done cooking and resting uncovered on the stove for 15 minutes.  It was time to make it "sticky."  I used the recipe of 1Tbsp Rice Vinegar, 1 Tbsp Honey, and 1 1/2 Tsp kosher salt per 1 cup of prepared rice.  Some people heat it up on the stove top, but I prefer to warm my vinegar mixture in the microwave.  Simply put the rice vinegar, honey, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl.  Stir it with a fork to combine it a little bit.  Then, microwave for 30 seconds, stir to combine as much as possible, and then microwave for 15 seconds if necessary.  At this point, you should be able to combine everything.  Put the cooked rice in a large bowl so you can spread it out to cool faster, pour the vinegar mixture over the top, and use some flat implement to fold it into the rice (I used a rubber spatula/scraper thing).

Smoothing out the rice

During our prep process, I came across a few basic tips to share.

1.)  Use a vegetable peeler to get the skin off a mango, Then proceed to cut down one side of the stone and then the other.  I know many people suggest leaving the skin on while you pit it and then wedging the pieces out of the mango skin, but I find this process to be easier, albeit a bit sticky.

2.) The easiest way I find to get a pit out of an avocado is to make sure you have a sharp knife of a size you are comfortable using.  I like a mid-sized santuko knife.  Cut it down the middle, twist it, then take the side with the pit in it and with a confident whack, hit the center of the pit with the knife.  Twist, and remove.  Now...wear an oven mitt or cover your hand with a kitchen towel before doing this so as to protect your hand from a glancing blow.  Trust me.  Sticking a knife in your palm is not what you want to do.  Also, if you cut the avocado in the skin, you don't get gooey stuff everywhere.  Bonus tip: if you only need half an avocado, leave the pit in the avocado--it won't oxidize! 

3.)  Epic sushi discovery!  I have the hardest time getting my carrot match sticks thin enough.  So, I made use of the peeler and made my initial cuts that way!

Peel long-ways, then cut thin slices long-ways. I felt so smart!

Ta-da!

We moved to the table, and I proceeded with sushi making lessons.  Our first roll was a sweet one because we were compelled to have dessert first.  It was a brown rice roll with strawberry, mango, apple, and cucumber.  We drizzled a bit of honey on top and a bit of my soy sauce mayonnaise mixture.  It was good, but the apple over-powered the roll.  It was a good starter, though.  

Chef Kellie adding soy mayo to her first roll.

Then Chef Kellie and I began to craft our concoctions.  

Some of our rolls were better than others, but our two favorites were a sweet roll with white rice, green onion, cucumber, mango, strawberry, apple, and avocado with honey and cinnamon, and a brown and white rice roll containing cucumber, avocado, apple, green onion, and the soy mayonnaise mixture.

A happy roll 

When we began cutting up our sushi, my wonderful boyfriend arrived with flowers for me (he's so good to me)!  As we progressed through the slicing of our sushi roll pyramid, we enjoyed seeing how the insides our rolls looked.  Some were vibrantly colored, others had fun patterns.  The second to the last roll we cut up looked like a smiley face!  As I finished cutting the last roll, Kellie and I were overjoyed to discover our perfectionist nature could be satisfied. Our finished slices of sushi filled the tray exactly!  Then the feasting began.  Between all of us, we consumed half the sushi we'd prepared before eating the yummy ice cream and cookies Kellie provided.

Kellie modeling the sushi

I had a lovely time being able to relax and be creative.  Kellie made it even better by encouraging unconventional combinations and being a joy to be around.  Below are a few more pictures from the evening. 

My first roll (apple, mango, strawberry, cucumber)

The lovely Kellie. 

Kellie's a gifted photography as well!

She saw the light on the timer.  :).

Aww!  He likes me!  

I do not have to do it alone...

What a crazy few weeks!  Two weeks ago, my dad had to have an emergency appendectomy, both of my aunts were out of town, so my mom and I were responsible for helping care for my grandma.  I have learned a lot during this time, mostly life lessons, and but a few funny things as well.

 Just because I can do it all by myself, doesn't mean I should.  Also, delegation is very different from sitting back and watching people do my work for me.

We'd planned a week ahead to have an ice cream social at my house to celebrate my good friend Charlotte.  It worked out that the party fell the day after Dad's surgery.  Because I had been at the ER and with my grandma Friday, I wasn't able to get as much of the cleaning done like I had wished.  But, because I was determined to do so, I spent several hours to get the house in order.  During this time, I had two offers for assistance.  I did not accept these offers, though, because I was determined to provide a party for everyone to enjoy. Why should my guests have to work?  So, I was rather tired by the time the party started and groaned audibly when I saw one of the guests brought Risk.  Fortunately, my sarcastic sense of humor kicked in to save my guests from embarrassment.
Application: When people offer help and the task at hand is easily divided, take them up on it.  If they didn't actually want their offer of help accepted, they won't offer next time!

The Holy Spirit is a very good cook!

When cooking, I frequently have people telling me to follow my instincts.  In general, this is good advice.  I can call on past experiences, knowledge about good flavor combinations, etc. to increase and improve my current dish's flavor profile.   Throughout my past weeks (were they really only two?) of cooking, I kept relying on a little voice that wasn't "me."  I'd want to add something more to a dish because it was seemingly flat, but I would not because that authoritative voice told me to hold back.  This meal would go over well, especially for the convalescing patient.  But, He advises on more than how to make good hospital food.  Yes, He even guides the making of smoothies and helps improve existing "go-to"/"signature" dishes.  My stove-top (rather than oven-baked) curry chicken, for instance, was the best I've ever made.  My instincts told me to put in a can of diced tomatoes and increase the chicken broth, but the voice said to just stick with coconut milk throughout the cooking process.  What an enjoyable cooking experience!  I partnered with God to make supper!  What a simple yet profound time.

When unsettled feelings and anxiousness take over, turn on some Third Day (or whatever is appropriate), grab a tissue if desired, and plop down supine.

  

"Your Love, Oh Lord," "King of Glory," and "Agnus Dei/Worthy" provided me with a good refocus time and got me through a day where I was convinced I was going to explode (which would have been messy and just another thing I'd have had to deal with...).  This was the most important lesson I (re)learned.  I'm not exactly sure it was, but I think it was Martin Luther, who would spend hours in prayer daily.  The more tasks he had to complete in the day, the more time he spent in prayer.  When I first heard this several years ago, my practical mind thought it strange.  Now I understand.  The more hectic a day will be, the more overwhelming a task seems, the more I need to make sure I spend time focused solely on God so I can go through my day partnered with Him and His peace.  I feel called to be a beacon of peace and tranquility.  I don't know how well I succeed at that normally.  However, I know I certainly, utterly fail when I figuratively, and somewhat literally, plow over people with an attitude of "don't even talk to me!  I have to get this, this, and this--oh, and don't forget this--done!"  

 "Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep."

 Psalm 36:5-6a

I'll have a normal blog post soon. It's brewing, I just have to write it.

Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line by Abby Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Rating: 3.5 stars

Plot (mild spoiler warning):

The subtitle for this book pretty much says it all. Abby Johnson started as a volunteer for Planned Parenthood. She had a great desire to help women, prevent them from getting in crisis situations, and to decrease the number of abortions. A recruiter working a Fair at Abby's college convinced Abby she would fulfill these desires by working with Planned Parenthood. As time progressed, Abby moved up the Planned Parenthood ladder until she was director the Planned Parenthood clinic where she started. After participating in an ultrasound-guided abortion, she saw abortion for what it is: the termination of a baby. She has several epiphanies and eventually crosses the literal and proverbial fence to seek help from the local pro-life chapter. And, that is where she is now.

My opinion:

The book was...good. It was engaging--I had a hard time putting it down. I rejoiced in Abby's enlightenment. However, I don't really know if this book is great by any means. It is an account of Abby's reflection. But I kept feeling like I was reading a drama. Perhaps I am too familiar with her story (I vaguely remember when the climax of this book happened). I do not discourage anyone from reading this book. It would be really good for people struggling with whether they are pro-life or pro-choice since Abby discusses both sides fairly. I also see radical pro-lifers (people who cannot understand how anyone can be pro-choice) benefiting from this book for the same reason. However, since the target audience for this book is the average pro-life Christian (I first heard about this book from Focus on the Family, then from Tony Perkins, and then from LifeWay Christian Books, and then Amazon picked up on me being a White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant), she is preaching to the choir.

Bottom line: good book, amazing story, but I feel like the marketing strategy is more to make money than to inspire people. Perhaps this book will get better with time and maybe after Abby has added a few chapters about what she's been doing since leaving Planned Parenthood.

This book did have a comforting Scripture reference in it:

It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24






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Restful Promises

This ties in a bit with the previous one, but is distinct enough to warrant its own post.

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

I will meditate within my heart on my bed and be still.  You have put gladness in my heart.  I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:4b (paraphrase), 7a, 8

This mash-up of verses came to me earlier this year shortly after a few weeks of having the hardest time falling and staying asleep.  I was starting to improve when I stumbled across these.  Now I read them most nights, but especially when I start feeling uneasy.  I find comfort in the promise of these verses.  God is protecting me!  I will meditate upon Him in my heart.  Any sort of spiritual (or even physical) attack with be thwarted because God is the source of my protection.  Because of this, I can be like David--at peace upon my bed, meditating in my heart on the greatness of God, and falling asleep in the safety of His arms.