I have nothing more to say, for now. Or rather not enough time to sit down and get some thoughts together and make a real post. Until I can, I will leave you ponder this photo I came across over at the "What Not To Crochet" blog.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Everyone began school this week, except Big Daddy, who is pursuing scholarship information and hopes to begin some classes himself soon. In the meantime, he is embracing his role as full-time pastoral minister and stay-at-home-Dad with good results. I am getting used to my class of seven four year old kiddos. I think we are having a little honeymoon, as this was a good first week. Adam began his Junior year of HS. Flora began 5th grade with tears and fears, which miraculously subsided when she saw her good friend was in her class. Calvin went to Kindergarten with gusto. When I told him I missed him during the day, and he said, "I didn't even think about you today, Mommy!" Hahaha, he was having so much fun in his new learning environment, he didn't give me a second thought I know, and it makes me happy for him! It's so much harder on your heart when your child is clingy and fearful of school (or whatever). I tend to worry about them on and off all day long, when in all probability, they are like the little ones at our pre-school: they get over their crying or shyness within five minutes and are playing happily.
I have nothing more to say, for now. Or rather not enough time to sit down and get some thoughts together and make a real post. Until I can, I will leave you ponder this photo I came across over at the "What Not To Crochet" blog.
I have nothing more to say, for now. Or rather not enough time to sit down and get some thoughts together and make a real post. Until I can, I will leave you ponder this photo I came across over at the "What Not To Crochet" blog.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Summer playlist
Well, August is nearly over and once Labor Day comes summer will officially be over. This has just been something I have been working on for fun. If you have any other suggestions post them!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
More Lobster
Photo & recipes courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Apparently Florida lobster prices are dipping low. That's bad news for fisherman, but good news for consumers. Help the fishermen! Try some! I am ready for some more of this delicious treat soon (I hope!). Big Daddy grilled our lobsters plain. We just dipped them in a little melted butter while we ate them. It was so good, even served plain like that. The following recipies a few more basic flavors I think will make it even better.
Steamed:
Ingredients
2 1-pound whole uncooked Florida lobsters, fresh or frozen
3 tablespoons salt
clarified butter
Preparation
Thaw lobsters if frozen. In a 6-quart saucepan, bring 3 quarts of water and salt to a boil. Place lobsters in boiling water; cover and return to boiling point. Reduce heat; simmer 12-15 minutes. Larger lobsters will take a little more cooking time. Drain; rinse with cold water for 1-2 minutes. Split and clean lobsters. Serve with clarified butter.
Yield
2 servings
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 210, Calories From Fat 30, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 285mg, Total Carbohydrate 2g, Protein 43g
Grilled:
Ingredients
Amount Ingredient
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large Florida shallots, peeled and quartered
4 large Florida garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt
black pepper, freshly ground
4 whole Florida spiny lobster, split in half lengthwise
Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in processor and blend until almost smooth. Spread 1 heaping teaspoon seasoned butter over each lobster tail. In a small saucepan melt remaining seasoned butter; keep warm. Grill lobster tails, shell side down, 6 minutes. Turn over and grill until meat is just opaque in center, about 2 minutes. Serve with melted butter.
Yield
4 servings
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 210, Calories From Fat 30, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 285mg, Total Carbohydrates 3g, Protein 43g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.45g
Friday, August 14, 2009
Vid Links I Like
I know that I have posted about liking the Neil Young song "Harvest Moon" before. Sometimes when I hear that song it just takes me to a place where I ache with love for my dear husband, and think about all the love we have built, shared and grown over these years. I was hankering for that song tonight, and came across this version by Jazz artist Cassandra Wilson. I hope you enjoy:
While I was thinking about these kind of sweet and tender feelings between lovers, I thought about the Lord. What if I longed for the Lord like I longed for my husband? What if I couldn't wait for that special time alone with Him? I know I should. And in fact, I do often crave and look forward to that time alone with the Lord. There are days when I can't wait to pray and to meditate and reflect quietly on His Word. But I believe through this little instance in my life, He was calling me gently and reminding me to do so even more. I know the Bible describes the Lord as the lover of our soul (Is. 38:17). The entire Book of Song of Songs/Solomon is devoted to the aspect of God's character and revelation of Him, yet there are times when I forget. I forget that He is the Groom and all believers are his "Bride." That boggles my mind sometimes. I needed to be reminded that God thinks of me (and all believers) that way!
The following clip is about 15 minutes long, and when you, dear reader, have the time, watch it an tell me what you think. It blessed me down to my Birks!
While I was thinking about these kind of sweet and tender feelings between lovers, I thought about the Lord. What if I longed for the Lord like I longed for my husband? What if I couldn't wait for that special time alone with Him? I know I should. And in fact, I do often crave and look forward to that time alone with the Lord. There are days when I can't wait to pray and to meditate and reflect quietly on His Word. But I believe through this little instance in my life, He was calling me gently and reminding me to do so even more. I know the Bible describes the Lord as the lover of our soul (Is. 38:17). The entire Book of Song of Songs/Solomon is devoted to the aspect of God's character and revelation of Him, yet there are times when I forget. I forget that He is the Groom and all believers are his "Bride." That boggles my mind sometimes. I needed to be reminded that God thinks of me (and all believers) that way!
The following clip is about 15 minutes long, and when you, dear reader, have the time, watch it an tell me what you think. It blessed me down to my Birks!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Lobster Mini Season Notes
I recently had fresh lobster for dinner for the first time ever. It was pretty good. I enjoyed it all the more because it was caught by my oldest son. We have something down here called Lobster Mini Season which is a short 2-day season to whet your appetite for the regular season, which begins soon. I am not overly fond of lobster, but I did enjoy our fresh meal. I really like it when we can eat food that we have caught or grown ourselves.
Same oldest son also got his learner's driving permit, and a raise at his summer job. I am proud of him, and he certainly is flexing his independence muscles. I was concerned about him going diving during the lobster season, it's crazy with boaters, many of them not very cautious, but he was with capable Conch friends.
Same oldest son also got his learner's driving permit, and a raise at his summer job. I am proud of him, and he certainly is flexing his independence muscles. I was concerned about him going diving during the lobster season, it's crazy with boaters, many of them not very cautious, but he was with capable Conch friends.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Thinking About A Fig Tree & Other Misc. Notes about my life
Mark 11:12-26 (NASB)
12On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He (Jesus) became hungry.
13Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening.
Jesus Drives Money Changers from the Temple
15Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;
16and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.
17And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS'? But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN."
18The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
19When evening came, they would go out of the city.
20As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.
21Being reminded, Peter said to Him, "Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered."
22And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God.
23"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
24"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.
25"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.
26["But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."]
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
I have always wondered why Jesus cursed the fig tree in the above passage. I am still wondering, I have no conclusions yet. Big Daddy brought it up recently and I discovered he is wondering about it also.
Why would Jesus curse it when it wasn't the season for figs? Was it a parable or a prophetic teaching for His Disciples (and us)? Was it simply to illustrate to them the kind of faith in asking the Lord for things as He went on to talk about in vs. 22-24?
Anyway, I'm just chewing this over.
In other news...
My Summer Day Camp job is enjoyable. I am spending much time with the children at pools and the beach. It keeps me busy, of course, and quite tan, despite my rigorous attempts at applying sunblock religiously and wearing a hat and sunglasses. I am now seeking to find a wonderful thing called a rash guard suit of my very own.
I am reading my bible in a year plan, of course, and loving it. I am also finally reading Hannah Hurnard's Hind's Feet on High Places, a gift from my Mother-in-law from ages ago. I am enjoying that one, by the way, and finding it timely. I am trying to keep my resolution to not buy any new books until I've read all of the ones I already have. I've collected many books over the years, and there are a portion of them that remain unread. I 'have been meaning to read them, BUT haven't actually gotten around to yet.' I think I mentioned on an earlier post I was reading James Joyce's "Portrait of the Artist...", and I finished it.
Next I began Gabriel Garcia Marquez' 100 Years of Solitude, which I have had for at least 16 years, long before a certain influential talk show hostess had it on her book club. I loved Marquez' short story, A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings when I read it as a student. I have always been a fan of magic realism in fiction and fond of South American fiction in a rather limited way (Isabelle Allende). I got somewhere between one half and two-thirds of they way through One Hundred Years of Solitude. It is beautifully and fancifully written, I just grew a little weary of some of the plot and character elements that were troubling and immoral, such as incest. The book is not particularly graphic or gratuitous in is descriptions of various immoral behaviors, but I was not comfortable in going on with it, so I didn't. I loved the character Melquíades, the gypsy. And the strange land-locked ship wreck José Arcadio Buendía finds reminds me of another land-locked ship from pop culture: The Black Rock. (I miss LOST!)
And now I bid you Adieu and goodnight.
12On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He (Jesus) became hungry.
13Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening.
15Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;
16and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.
17And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS'? But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN."
18The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
19When evening came, they would go out of the city.
20As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.
21Being reminded, Peter said to Him, "Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered."
22And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God.
23"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
24"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.
25"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.
26["But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."]
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
I have always wondered why Jesus cursed the fig tree in the above passage. I am still wondering, I have no conclusions yet. Big Daddy brought it up recently and I discovered he is wondering about it also.
Why would Jesus curse it when it wasn't the season for figs? Was it a parable or a prophetic teaching for His Disciples (and us)? Was it simply to illustrate to them the kind of faith in asking the Lord for things as He went on to talk about in vs. 22-24?
Anyway, I'm just chewing this over.
In other news...
My Summer Day Camp job is enjoyable. I am spending much time with the children at pools and the beach. It keeps me busy, of course, and quite tan, despite my rigorous attempts at applying sunblock religiously and wearing a hat and sunglasses. I am now seeking to find a wonderful thing called a rash guard suit of my very own.
I am reading my bible in a year plan, of course, and loving it. I am also finally reading Hannah Hurnard's Hind's Feet on High Places, a gift from my Mother-in-law from ages ago. I am enjoying that one, by the way, and finding it timely. I am trying to keep my resolution to not buy any new books until I've read all of the ones I already have. I've collected many books over the years, and there are a portion of them that remain unread. I 'have been meaning to read them, BUT haven't actually gotten around to yet.' I think I mentioned on an earlier post I was reading James Joyce's "Portrait of the Artist...", and I finished it.
Next I began Gabriel Garcia Marquez' 100 Years of Solitude, which I have had for at least 16 years, long before a certain influential talk show hostess had it on her book club. I loved Marquez' short story, A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings when I read it as a student. I have always been a fan of magic realism in fiction and fond of South American fiction in a rather limited way (Isabelle Allende). I got somewhere between one half and two-thirds of they way through One Hundred Years of Solitude. It is beautifully and fancifully written, I just grew a little weary of some of the plot and character elements that were troubling and immoral, such as incest. The book is not particularly graphic or gratuitous in is descriptions of various immoral behaviors, but I was not comfortable in going on with it, so I didn't. I loved the character Melquíades, the gypsy. And the strange land-locked ship wreck José Arcadio Buendía finds reminds me of another land-locked ship from pop culture: The Black Rock. (I miss LOST!)
And now I bid you Adieu and goodnight.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Hey Baby, It's The 4th of July
Charles Dickens wrote:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way..."
Which brings me to the song I'm posting today, Fourth of July by X. I just can't help it. This song is a musical and lyrical snapshot of my life as a newlywed. I see half a dozen cheap apartments or house rentals, in neighborhoods that were on the verge of going rough, but not there yet. We had passion, parties and drama. I am so glad we don't live there anymore, yet we had some good times, some defining moments that I like to think made us into the people we've become today. But that isn't the whole story.
The whole story has to give more than a passing nod to faith in God, and Jesus intervening in our lives in a big way. So, more than anything I am grateful to have found the Lord; and that my life is no longer a haze of wine, cigarettes and unfulfilled *something* that neither true love or bohemian squalor could satisfy.
Big Daddy and I even had a little tiff today, and I though, how appropriate, "Whatever happens, I apologize!" I just naturally think of that song today. Those were the best of times and the worst of times. Sorry I couldn't find the real video.
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way..."
Which brings me to the song I'm posting today, Fourth of July by X. I just can't help it. This song is a musical and lyrical snapshot of my life as a newlywed. I see half a dozen cheap apartments or house rentals, in neighborhoods that were on the verge of going rough, but not there yet. We had passion, parties and drama. I am so glad we don't live there anymore, yet we had some good times, some defining moments that I like to think made us into the people we've become today. But that isn't the whole story.
The whole story has to give more than a passing nod to faith in God, and Jesus intervening in our lives in a big way. So, more than anything I am grateful to have found the Lord; and that my life is no longer a haze of wine, cigarettes and unfulfilled *something* that neither true love or bohemian squalor could satisfy.
Big Daddy and I even had a little tiff today, and I though, how appropriate, "Whatever happens, I apologize!" I just naturally think of that song today. Those were the best of times and the worst of times. Sorry I couldn't find the real video.
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