The real stuff

The "girls" just left. 8 of us have Bible study at our home every Saturday morning at 7:30 am. Today I took advantage of being the hostess and stayed in jammies, robe and slippers. After study half of them lingered and I made eggs and toast and coffee. An hour later one of the husbands showed up, needing a car. I made more eggs and toast.

These same girls, with spouses and one with a friend, were here last night for dinner. 12 of us were around the table for food, fellowship and a lot of laughter. My tender lungs hurt today...from laughter. This group has history. Years of tears and prayers and laughter. Years of meals and cleaning and painting and advice.

Jake is gone this week end, on a youth group retreat, but Anna helped me clean the house yesterday, and then when she came home after her activities she saw us around the table hilariously playing a game of Pit. It was total hysterical chaos - the kind that is good for our souls. Again this morning Anna wandered in to talk to us as we ate. (yes, we offered her some breakfast...)

As they drove away at 11 am I said to Anna, "You know, all that really matters in the end is your relationship with Christ and a few good friends. It's all you need."

That might have been one of the most profound mother comments I've ever made. It was a lovely mother daughter moment. My daughter, I pray that you develop a vibrant relationship with your Deliverer, and some true friends with whom to laugh and cry. That's the real stuff.

And then I added, " And you also need at least one real great kid." Anna smiled.

Theology

My first quiz for this semester's Theology class is tonight. I love this stuff. I'm not sure how to study for a quiz - it's all such brainiac interconnected stuff...but...I'm reviewing my notes.

Here is one list. Such basics. Such richness.

The Christian View of Creation.

1. We are a creature of God. - created in His image.

2. We are created special by God.

3. Man has an eternal nature: we are created for eternity.

4. We have a physical being.

5. The meaning of life is NOT happiness.

The meaning of life is to know, to serve and to love God.

Is that not just a simple reminder of truth? If you want to find more meaning in your life, find more ways to serve God. Stop pursuing happiness. Stop pursuing stuff or experiences or whatever - find a way to know Him better, serve Him better, love Him better.

Someone once, long ago, asked me why I stayed in a marriage that at times was so hard. (Every marriage is hard at times!) My answer was better than I knew: "Because my marriage isn't all about my happiness."

In marriage, in parenthood, in work, in friendship, in the keeping of my body, in the keeping of my home - in all of it - I need to look at how does *this* best glorify God? That leads to wise choices. Wise choices include spending time in the Word; praying; serving my spouse and/or my child, my friend, my church, my coworker; in losing weight if I need to; in eating correctly; in exercising to keep what I have in the best working order that I can... It's all about what GLORIFIES God the best. It's NOT about making me happy.

And yet... God created me for the purpose of knowing Him and glorifying Him, so pursuing HIM *will* result in my ultimate satisfaction. It's a fact. Bet on it.

We need to stop trying to figure out how to mend our feelings, undo a mess, find happiness, find contentment, heal our hurts, satisfy our taste buds... In fact, I need to stop concentrating on ME at all. Concentrate on Him. It's what you and I were made for. Live to serve.

Simple truth.

[And yes... there are a lot of posts about satisfying recipes, books, hobbies, decor, etc. on my blog. I need to be careful that none of those are self serving. Does that make sense? We honor God by feeding our families, learning and growing, enjoying the life He gave us... but as soon as we forget the MAIN path to satisfaction... we're in trouble.]

Cooking up a storm

For dinner tonight, I just prepared Beef Stew. Click on those words and you'll get to the step by step directions.

On Friday night I made Hot Beef Sandwiches. Again, the link takes you to the recipe - with pictures!

On Saturday night I made Chicken Spaghetti.

My family is very very happy that I found the Pioneer Woman Cooks website. Your family, or just your own taste buds, will be too.

Truly amazing food. Truly simple directions. Mmmmmm.

Oysters

It all began with the book French Women Don't Get Fat. Actually with the book on CD. Emily and I listened to it on the way home from me picking her up from school at Christmas. Emily is thin and choosy about her food. I'm fluffy and love pretty much everything edible.

The author and narrator, Mireille Guiliano, is a delight. Perhaps because I love the French language, I find it is so entertaining to listen to her. She speaks with a heavy accent and throws in sweet French phrases here and there.

Two items appear to be tres importante to the French woman: champagne and oysters. Being the ridiculously impressionable person that I am, champagne and oysters became a focus.

The holidays provided much occasion for champagne in our home. We found a delightful bottle at Trader Joes - no idea what it was called. It was about $8 a bottle and it was not sweet like cheaper ones can be. A bit of the bubbly was enjoyed by all. There truly is something celebratory in it. Out of the ordinary.

Oysters presented more of a challenge. I had no idea how to eat them or where to eat them. I doubted that anyone in our family was going to be excited to join me on this adventure. I knew that before going to Paris in April I had to know how to eat them and if I liked them. French Women...they know a thing or two about oysters.

Last night I had my opportunity. A business dinner took me to Mitchell's Fish Market. One colleague accompanied me, and we planned to meet a woman there who neither of us knew. Within minutes we were fast friends, and I was comfortable inquiring about oysters. Inquiring is likely too dainty a word. Grilling. I grilled the waitress. What is the difference between the four different options? Are they cooked? How do you eat them? Is there lemon? Sauce? Can I try just one? Do you chew? Do you just slide it right off the shell? Thankfully Danielle was patient and knowledgeable and eager to help. And the restaurant was not busy.

I ordered a sampler - four different oysters - three east coast and one west. They were arranged on the plate from mild to ...gritty and stronger flavored.

I liked them. Yes indeed. There was a ginger sauce and a shrimp sauce, along with lemon and crackers on my plate. I squeezed lemon over all, and then touched the first one with shrimp sauce. To be honest...I only tasted the sauce. But I lived through it. It slid right down. I liked all four. Even the gritty stronger tasting one. The ginger sauce was amazing.

Perhaps I was too shy with my new business contact, or perhaps I had oyster nerves, or perhaps I was just hungry...for whatever reason I took no photos at that point.

But after a delightful dinner I did ask Danielle to explain how to open the shell. After attempting to explain what the shucking tool looked like, and how the oyster had to be fully closed...well...Danielle offered to show us. And out came the camera.

Voila ... the oyster.

Closed and waiting.
The shucking tool is very sturdy - no wimpy tools would handle the prying.

You dive in to that little white area - see it? That's where you poke in between the top and bottom shell. The oyster is attached to both sides...so you loosen it from both sides once the shell opens.

Poor Danielle chose a VERY obstinate little oyster...it took A LOT of work to get it open, and the shell broke which is bad news in oyster serving. In fact she could not let us eat it due to shell fragments.

A little bit of "stuff" is left on the shell where the oyster was attached. You don't eat that part.

The edible part is the big blob on the left shell.

So... my plan is to purchase them SHUCKED. That was WORK. Although perhaps that is why French women don't get fat...they do oyster shucking work outs.

Mitchell's sells oysters to go - closed or shucked. And they come with ginger sauce! Who knew?

I'll be checking at the local grocers too. Or maybe my next plate full will be in Paris. Now that I know what I'm doing...

In retrospect, I just googled "How to shuck an oyster." Of course youtube has plenty of learning videos. Here is one here, and he makes it look SO simple. Practice makes perfect!

Bon Appetit!

Satisfaction

Psalm 63:1-8 (ESV)

1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.

3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

As I looked ahead in my current Bible study workbook, I looked forward to today's topic: "To Find Satisfaction in God."

You may know that a book that profoundly impacted my life is Fresh Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson. And the chapter that did it was "Listen to your Longings." (Followed closely by "Encounter your Journal.")

Longings. We all have them. To be brutally honest, there are times that I question God. I ask Him why I still have the "ache," or the "hollow place" in me even when I spend so much time with Him and in His Word.

The answer that Nicole landed on was that we are indeed made for more than this. We are made for Eden. For paradise. For daily walks in the garden with God. Unashamed. And so we yearn for that. We yearn for heaven.

This scripture passage was written by David when he was in the wilderness. That encourages me. I have wilderness days, and the enemy of my soul taunts me on them. But do you know what the answer is on those days? See verse one: earnestly seek Him from the wilderness. Cease striving. Be still. (Psalm 46:10)

What does verse one indicate is the actual longing? God! We thirst for Him. We hunger for Him. We faint for Him.

Verse 2 shows one way to satisfaction: find him in the sanctuary. I think of this as church. But the definition of the Hebrew word is "it means apartness, holiness, sacredness; a holy thing; a sacred place or thing." Yes, that includes church, a place that is set apart to God. An hour that is set apart. But for me it includes my "curl up with Him" time. I have some rituals - a sunny place, a quilt, a cup of tea or coffee, my journal, my markers, stickers and colored pencils, and of course my Bible and reference books. It is my holy time. I have a space set up for it. It is sacred to me. I can find Him there.

Look at verse 3. This seems to me to be the psalmist's logic taking over. I relate to this. I often say "I am going to logic this through." When I am gripped by oppression or depression or sadness or grief or hopelessness, I logic it through. As David did in verse 4: Because I know *this* about God, I will *do this.* Do you know the key to this? KNOWING God. Because David *knew* that God's love is better than life, he chose to glorify God with his lips. That is not normal. It is supernatural. When I feel like cursing or crying or blaming or just stomping my feet in frustration...I can glorify God with my lips. Thank you Jesus. [oh my... I have *such* a long way to go in obeying this...]

Verse 5 hits home with me. Do we try to satisfy our Jesus longings with rich food? Enough said.

Verse 6 is written for moms of young ones and menopausal women! Do you lie awake on your bed? David has a curriculum for that holy time.

Verse 7 is my favorite. Don't tell anyone, but I'm going to write a book about the birds of the Bible. I love birds. Bizarrely. I can spend hours watching them in our feeders. "In the shadow of your wings." What a picture. Nestle in! I want to nestle in - close enough to be shaded by His wings. There I will sing. I like to sing!

Verse 8. Clings. What a lovely word. Clings. I need to be like Saran Wrap to the bowl. That is cling! This is an active posture, and it's not going to come naturally. Although I will tell you that as you spend time with Him it does become more of your natural response. You begin to long for Him. Run to Him. Nestle back under when you've strayed too far.

No, none of that was in the study. Beth Moore used this as one of *many* passages in my study, but the passage gripped me and reminded me of a few basics:

Expect some wilderness times. Prepare your response: seek Him more! Spend your time beholding HIS power and glory. And, in the words of a great old song, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

Sugar Coated World

so many interests, so little time...

Sunday afternoon. Ahhhhh. (that is a happy sigh, not a frightful scream... hmm-mm... how to differentiate...) Sitting in the bedroom, on the love seat, which we have now turned perpendicular to the wall so that I can recline and stare outdoors. I'm guessing it's not the best feng shui, but I really like it. Currently the sun is streaming in as it passes by on its westward journey.

This morning the world was sugar coated. If it weren't for these lousy lungs I would have run into the yard and woods with my camera. Instead I took the screen off one of the windows, opened the window and took a few shots from the bedroom. Then on the way to church I had Frank pull over a few times - not nearly enough, but a few. Somehow the frost coated the trees and bushes but not the car we had parked in the driveway. How does that work?

I am knee deep, almost literally, in happy pursuits. Here's a random list of what I'm up to these days.

• Bread making. Majorly into bread making. Yesterday I made three loaves: two cinnamon raisin and one white. I use a bread machine. Don't get all snobby on me... it's all my ingredients - no mixes - but a bit quicker. And ooooooh... the family is loving it. The cinnamon raisin is amazing. Substantial toast with your tea. C'mon over!

• Theology. LOVING my current class which is entitled "Christ, Sin, Man, Salvation." I might have found my niche. This is the thick chewy kind of thinking - religious philosophy. We're chewing on issues that I did not previously know were issues. Love it.

• Fire. We put our living room couch and love seat by the fire place (across from one another and perpendicular to the fire) and moved the dining room table out by the windows. Curling up by the fire with a book in the evening is a delight that I cannot believe I've been missing for 2.5 years. This arrangement puts the dining room table farther from the kitchen, but whew...it's worth it.

• Art Journaling. Have you seen this new(ish) publication? Whew. Somewhere deep in me is a latent artist. Journaling is a passion of mine, and this publication adds scrappy eclectic art to the pages. Okay, I'm a bit too OCD for some of it, but reading about it and paging through the gorgeous samples is a lovely way to spend an hour. My 2010 journal is showing a bit of creativity - starting small with watercolor pencils, mod podge, stickers, colored markers... If only I were independently wealthy. I'd set up a desk in front of the bedroom window and create and write and read all day. I'm just not a corporate girl at heart.

• Breaking Free. Words fail me in describing how I'm eating up this revised Bible study by Beth Moore. The workbook is phenomenal, and the one hour video presentations even better. When Bible study is the *main* thing you want to do in an evening (or morning), you know that something is right in your world.

• Artful Blogging. Another publication. The name says it all. Oh my.

• Napping. My lungs are slowly recuperating, but God must really want me on the couch for a bit. This is a slow process. The official diagnosis is "post viral asthma" at this point. The inhalers make it so I can't sing, so I'm avoiding them. I return to the pulmonologist on Wednesday to discuss my options. (He previously said the pills make you irritable and unable to sleep. That's not sounding good either...) Last Wednesday I had a pulmonary function test and a methacoline challenge test.

• Puttering. Few things entertain me more than puttering about the house. And I have enough messes to organize to keep me puttering for the foreseeable future. The scrapbooking closet in the basement is calling me, and Joey's room is becoming the sewing room which will entail a LOT of moving things about. (Joey told me to go ahead, as long as the futon is available whenever he visits...)

I'll post photos later...

And a Bible study update.

For now...I'm going to read the *old* issue of Artful Blogger I just found at the Art Supply store - hiding behind the current edition. Very fun find.

Tonight "24" starts. Frank just told me there is a one hour repeat of last season's last episode plus a TWO hour first show tonight and tomorrow night. Yipes. Love that show. But really...five hours in two days? I don't watch that much TV in a month!

Enjoy your Sabbath rest.

Paris

Our trip to Paris is taking shape.

Frank traded in a bazillion travel points to get us two round trip tickets for April 26 to May 5th. Too exciting.

My ex sister in law suggested we find an apartment rather than a hotel. We'll save a lot of money on food if we buy some of our meals at the open market and prepare them at home. And pack picnics.

Yesterday we booked our apartment. We don't know yet if we have unit ONE or unit TWO, but you can see the cute and cozy little places at www.parishome2000.com

And so now that our dates and location are nailed down, when I have spare minutes (when I *make* spare minutes) I am planning our days. This market , on Rue Cler, is just ONE BLOCK from our sweet little Paris Home.

My friend Diane was here yesterday, sharing some warm soup and a warm fire. She introduced me to *free* French lessons on a podcast. (Radio Lingua Network Coffee Break French) TRES BIEN! I grew up in Canada, where French was a part of the curriculum all through school, and I continued in high school when we moved to Madison and even in college...but...these free little lessons on my ipod are definitely going to be a handy way to brush up. Delightful, actually.

And so...our big trip is shaping up. It's only 3 months away...so very exciting. And yes, our Paris Home has free WIFI, so...perhaps I'll be able to blog internationally! You just never know.

A bientot. (until next time...)

This and That

Hello! Feels like forever since I have posted. There are so many posts rolling around in my brain...I will try to get them done today.

First, here, my Bible study partnership update - sharing what I'm learning.

Later - Paris update.

and Blessings update.

and maybe a Health update.

So...stay tuned.

Our women's group is attempting to share with one another what we're reading in Scripture and what we're learning. Today I am reading in Isaiah, and in 2 Chronicles, and in other Scriptures as I work on the workbook for Breaking Free by Beth Moore. My Saturday morning study just began this on Saturday the 9th, and even in the first week of homework and having seen only the introductory video, I *know* that God is going to do mighty things in my life over the next three months. It's exciting...and exhausting. Here are some of the notes (likely not word perfect) that I made in my notebook as I watched the hour long introductory video: [words in square brackets are my thoughts...]

• ** "Bondage" is anything that keeps us from the fullness of who God has called us to be
• ** If I go to God for deliverance, that's what I'll receive.
• ** A stronghold always leads to isolation. [therefore it is a good clue...what do you do that you do not share with anyone else...]
• ** Often in Scripture, the "captives" are people of God - believers
• ** Bondage can take the form of mental preoccupation
• ** According to John 15:8, it is to the Father's glory for me to BEAR MUCH FRUIT. He's all for my fruitfulness. For HIS glory. [Strongholds squash my fruit production]
• ** It's time to make a daring escape. Would you want to grow old and die in your current stronghold?
• ** NOTHING you are holding that God wants to remove is worth what's ahead
• ** Don't be afraid of the cost...be afraid to miss what God has for you.

I don't know about you, but that list compels me to dig deeper. It scares me. It motivates me. God is FOR me (and you) and wants my VERY BEST and is encouraging me to trade up - give up a few lesser things and thoughts, and trade them for better things, use of time, thoughts, priorities, relationships...TRADE UP.

2 Chronicles 32:1 NASB: After these acts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself.

I love what Beth Moore writes about this verse (In the study we've already read of Judah's King Hezekiah's faithfulness in 2 Chronicles 29-31) "...we can be faithful to God and centered in His will and still be attacked by the enemy."

I need to remember that so that I don't feel defeated or down on myself. Sometimes when we are *most* in God's will, and seeking to follow Him the closest, sometimes *that* is when we are attacked the hardest by the enemy.

It is kind of God to remind me of that this morning. My trials are not necessarily punishments...they are allowed by God, and I will get through them with God's promise to never leave me nor forsake me. He is refining me. He is refocusing me.

It's exciting to put down more baggage - I want to carry less into the journey ahead.

So Simple

New Years Day. A time of new beginnings. A time of reflection. A time to reassess and work towards goals once again, whether they be physical, financial, emotional, or spiritual.

This morning as I read Judges 6, the simplicity of sin and consequence jumped out at me:

Judges 6:1 (NASB95)
1 Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years.

We get ourselves into so many messes when we disobey God. In our own wisdom we think we can take a shortcut, we can bend the rule just a little... How many times have you thought, "Yeah, but in THIS situation, I need to do THIS..." There is nothing new under the sun, and God had your situation handled when He set up the basic parameters.

As I take the time to write out resolutions today - which I do every year - I likely need to put "Stop doing things MY way" at the top of the list. Some of God's commands are crystal clear: Give thanks in everything. (1 Thess 5:18) Rejoice in the Lord. (Phil 3:1) Be anxious for nothing. (Phil 4:6) Speak the truth in love. (Eph 4:15) Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth. (Eph 4:29) Be kind. (Eph 4:32) Forgive each other. (Eph 4:32) Be imitators of God. (Eph 5:1) Think upon the good things. (Phil 4:8) Regard others as better than you. (Phil 2:3)

As I even look ahead to the next few hours, would dealing with teens not be simpler if I followed just THOSE commands? Wouldn't my husband love it if I spoke everything in love, even when I totally don't understand him or agree with him? When I return to work, wouldn't it be a witness to never gripe and complain? What if I tried for ONE day for my attitude to be one of total thanksgiving.

We, like the Israelites, want to do things our own way. And so God allows us the consequences. Do you have any Midianites in your life? People whose sole purpose appears to be to make your life difficult? Perhaps you've wandered from the simplicity of imitating Christ because you thought sticking up for yourself made better sense. Remember Philippians 2. Christ had a right to total respect, yet He emptied Himself.

Judges 6:1 is going to change my New Years resolutions. I'm going to focus on obedience. In the small things. In the simple things. Where it doesn't make sense to my flesh. Acquiescence. It's scary to consider the vulnerability, but really...I'm tired of the Midianites. Fights on every front as I try to protect myself. It's time to lean in. Surrender.

It is so very simple. God's way = God's blessing and protection. Even if it doesn't make sense. That's the point: that's faith.