The Writing on the Wall

I am currently in rehearsal of a production of 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood', a musical based on Charles Dickens' uncompleted novel of the same name. (How do you make a musical out of an incomplete novel? You ask the audience to vote on the ending.)

In the show there is a song entitled 'The Writing On The Wall'. In rehearsal last night we discussed what the writing might be for the character who sings the song (who I'm not going to reveal here!) The discussion made me think of the origins of the story from the book of Daniel.

'Belshazzar's Feast' by Rembrandt

The story is accounted in the book of Daniel. During a drunken feast King Belshazzar orders the sacred Gold and Silver vessels (which his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem) brought to him. He proceeds to use them to praise 'the gods of gold and silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone'. Immediately a hand appears a writes a sentence on the wall that nobody can interpret. Belshazzar sends for Daniel who warns him of his arrogant blasphemy before interpreting the text.

'Mene Mene Tekel u-Pharsin' - God has numbered your days brought your kingdom to an end. You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

That very night the kingdom is invaded, Belshazzar is killed and Darius becomes the new king.

As I was heading to the store this morning I saw 2 young Mormon missionaries witnessing to a man at the bus stop. I found some anger rising within me because of some of the recent political machinations of the Mormon church.

Suddenly I thought of Belshazzar desecrating the vessels - taking something that God declared holy, and reducing it to something 'less than'. I was guilty of doing the same thing. Here were two people who were created in God's image, that I was dehumanizing. I devalued them because of what I assumed they represented.

I disagree with many people about many things, but for me 'The Writing on the Wall' is a warning to not reduce anyone to less than their sacred worth. Differences of Culture, Religion, Politics, Sexuality, Race, Theology exist, but we are not to denigrate someone who holds different views, even if they espouse ideas we despise. The writing on the wall reminds us that all of us fall short of who we can be. We are all lacking and wanting.

I hate being judged, being reduced to 'less than'. I need to extend the same love to others that I want people to extend to me...

...and so I stopped and said a quick prayer for those 2 missionaries, that God would bless them. When we see everyone as a precious child, as God sees them, then our judgements dissolve in the warm light of His love.

A little nerd humor :)

If this is too small to read just click on the pic. The original is here.

The May Game Update - a Month of Surprises

I played 33 games in May of 20 different titles.

In a surprise resurgence last year's top game reappeared in May and had the top number of plays with 5.

Dominion is still one of those games that I will not refuse and it makes a welcome return to the leader board. Interestingly the game that has been in the lead for 2010 Hive only got played twice in May...this means an interesting race could be on for Most Played Game of the Year.

No other games really stood out this month in terms of quantity played but a few unexpected games made the list.

Uruk: Wiege der Zivilisation is a civilization game that plays in about 60 minutes. I generally don't enjoy these that much, but this one captured my attention, maybe because I don't feel like I have to invest a large portion of my life to play it.

Having said that I also played Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization again this month. A game that generally takes about 4 hours to play, again not my usual style of game, but remarkably enjoyable.

And rounding out the list of games that I didn't expect to like is Tinner's Trail by Martin Wallace. Martin's games have a reputation for complexity, fiddly rules and a long playing time. The only other game that I remember playing is Brass. I've played one game of that with the board and then we switched to playing online as the computer took care of a lot of the confusing management of the game.

Tinner's Trail surprised me because all the elements combined in a very logical way that created a very elegant game about mining Tin and Copper in Cornwall. The game plays in about an hour and doesn't feel like it outstays its welcome in any way.

Some things are very important to get right...

(Click to see full size)

In Remembrance

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.



Written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae on 3 May 1915 after he witnessed the death of his friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, 22 years old, the day before.

Write My Own Bible?

(An extract from 'Tales of a Magic Monastery' by Theophane the Monk)

I've been going there on retreat each year for the past forty years. Each time it's the same, yet somehow always different. The first time I went I forgot to bring my Bible. When I asked the guestmaster if I could borrow a Bible, he said,

"Wouldn't you care to write your own?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, write your own Bible - something of your own on the order of the Bible. You could tell of a classical bondage and the great liberation, a promised land, sacred songs, a messiah - that kind of thing. Ought to be much more interesting than just reading someone else's Bible. And you might learn more."

Well, I set to work. It took me a month. I never learned so much about the official Bible. When I was finished, he recommended I take it home and try to live according to it for a year. I should keep a journal of my experience. But I shouldn't tell anybody about the project, nor show anyone the books. Next year, after Christmas I could come back for another retreat.

It was quite a year. An eyeopener. Most certainly I had never put so much energy and alertness into living by the official Bible as I was putting into living by this one. And my daily meditations had never been so concentrated.

When I arrived back for my next retreat, he greeted me very warmly, took into his hands my Bible and my journal, kissed them with greatest reverence, and told me I could now spend a couple of days and nights in the Hall of the Great Fire. On the last night of the year, I should consign my two books to the flames. And that's what I did. A whole year's wisdom and labor - into the Great Fire. Afterwards he set me to work writing another Bible.

And so it went, these past forty years. Each year a new Bible, a new journal, and then at the end of the year - into the flames. Until now I have never told anyone about this.


The first time I read this tale many years ago I thought it was heretical....and then I was in a small group exercise where we tried something similar.

We wrote our 'Genesis', our origins, we reflected on our past and our family.

We wrote our 'Exodus', our journey out of captivity into freedom.

We wrote 'Psalms', our own personal lyrics of praise born out of our daily experiences.

We wrote our own 'Proverbs and Wisdom'...lessons learned from the reality of trying to walk a life of faith.

We wrote our 'Gospel and Acts', how we heard the good news and how that altered our lives.

We wrote 'Epistles' to ourselves, practical Godly advice relating to issues we were currently facing.

It was an incredibly powerful act of reflection and remembering.

One part of the tale still bothered me however. That after doing all that writing the monk is asked to consign his books to the flames and start again. It's taken me a while to realize why that is a good thing. My experience of God has altered, grown, evolved, enlarged and shifted over the years. There are beliefs and experiences I've had to grow into, and there are others I have needed to discard.

If I don't 'burn my bible', I will be in danger of always trying to recreate the the exact way my walk with God looked like when I was a teenager - back when I was right about EVERYTHING and would berate anyone until they verbally agreed with my point of view.

I will be in danger of recreating my twenties - when I was convinced that I had to hate myself for God to love me.

Even now, who I have grown into will be dangerous if I stay here. My experience of myself and of God is ever shifting as my finite mind focuses on different aspects of God's infinite reality.

Worship on the iphone?

This is pretty impressive!

Ways of thinking about Creativity

The speaker is Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray Love.

The original video is here

My deep dark secret...

My Brother is a Morris Dancer.

There, I've said it - admitted it in public.

Many people would be embarrassed to have a Morris Dancer in the family, but not me. I am proud of my hankie waving, bell wearing, stick shaking, hop, skip and jumping brother. He is part of an English tradition that dates back to to the 14th Century according to some historians.

When I was home in the U.K. last week I was fortunate enough to witness his world debut dancing with Kemp's Men - the Norwich Morris Dancing Team.

Here are some videos of him in action (if you are reading this as a facebook note, you'll have to click 'view original post' to see them as facebook doesn't import them).

Enjoy!

Welcome home?

(random thoughts for Sunday's Contemplative Service)

The American Immigration officer smiled at me as he handed me back my Passport and Green Card.

'Welcome Home.'

It was nice to be welcomed so warmly after so many hours travelling.

I have lived many different places in my life. Norwich. New Cross. Battersea. Nottingham. Bratislava, Birmingham. Lubbock and Houston to be precise. Each of these places I have labeled as 'Home'. Even before I moved to another country I can remember making an internal decision that the place where I was living would be called Home. Even though I just flew back from the U.K. to the place where I was born, I didn't fly 'home', as home is Houston, the Immigration Officer was correct.

This mindset didn't sit very well with my parents. They wanted me to know that even though I was moving to the U.S. 'I could always come home.'

When the house that I grew up in was sold 3 years ago, I was surprised how emotional I was. There were many memories in that house even though I hadn't lived there for many years. I walked past that house last week and it felt strange to not be able to push open the gate and walk up the driveway and in the back door.

But when the house was sold, I hadn't somehow lost 'home'.

When the airplane touched down at George Bush Intercontinental Airport I felt glad to be home even before the Immigration Officer confirmed it.

My decision to call the place I am living home was prompted by the realization that if I do that then I will spend a lot less time feeling 'homesick'. I sometimes miss things from the U.K. but I'm not really homesick, I am connected to people through the Internet, and I can get most of the products I miss. (Though if anyone finds out a place in Houston that sells Jelly Babies let me know)

When I was a child at camp we used to sing a song that went as follows:

This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through
My treasure is laid up, way beyond the blue
The Savior beckons me from Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

I struggle with this song. I do feel at home in this world, I'm not homesick for Heaven, yes I'm looking forward to being reunited with loved ones there, but my relationship with Jesus is more than just a golden ticket to enter through the pearly gates. There is a genre of Christian music that expresses the sentiment of 'When we all get to heaven it will be o.k.' That is true, but it should not make me complacent to the injustices of this world.

We pray 'on earth as it is in Heaven', I want my earthly home to be a reflection of my heavenly one.

My view of 'home' needs to expand to contain all the glories of Heaven.

Haha!

April Games

April was a good month with 47 games played of 27 different games! Here are some of the highlights of the month.

Hive is still in the lead with 6 plays in April. It's been one of my tops games every month so far and I don't see the obsession slowing down soon. By contrast my top played game of last year Dominion has not hit the table this year yet. I am off to the U.K. tomorrow, I've already sent my family over there the game Dominion, so that will hit the table, and I've just thrown Hive in my suitcase too :)

Werewolf has hit the table again in April, but another one of my current obsessions is the game Sticheln I've heard various theories about the name of this game, apparently it is a German pun that doesn't really translate. I believe the name is a sort of pun -- "sticheln", as I understand it, means "to prick", while "Stich" is the word for "trick" (the card game version.) Imagine a trick taking game where a) you don't have to follow the suit that was led and b) every card that is not the same as the color led is instantly trump! Then add a crazy scoring system that makes it very easy to get negative points and you get some of the painful enjoyment that is Sticheln. The game play is very interactive and you often have to choose between giving yourself a few positive points or giving a lot of negative points to a competitor :)

Dixit is almost at the other end of the spectrum to Sticheln. Yes there is a game here complete with keeping score, but your score seems almost irrelevant to the fun of the game. The cards feature some of the most beautiful artwork I have seen.

Through the Ages is not the sort of game I normally enjoy.

A full game usually takes about 3 1/2 hours and involves guiding your civilization through various eras. Helping them learn new Technology and develop Art and Religion and Warfare. I think what appeals to me in this game more than some of the others I have played is that it feels a bit more like multi-player solitaire than a pitched battle. Yes you can attack other players, but that is not the central theme of the game. Each turn I am trying to discern how to maximize my civilization given the various options presented to me.

It's strange, I like Sticheln because it features a lot of 'mess with your opponent' opportunities while I like Through the Ages because it doesn't!

Storms at Sea

Jesus Calms the Storm by Rembrandt

Storms happen.

Life is not always clear blue skies and white fluffy clouds. Growing up in the U.K. I experienced a lot of rain (though not as much as the stereotypes portray). I learned to label sunny dry days as good, and wet rainy days as bad.

Then I moved to the arid lands of West Texas. Lubbock once went 98 days without a drop of rain. Suddenly the dry days were ‘bad’ and when the storm eventually hit it was ‘good’.

Storms on the Sea of Galilee were common. The geography of the area combined with the shallowness of the water meant that storms occurred frequently. We only read about a few storms in the Gospels, and they all have some kind of supernatural phenomenon attached to them, Jesus calming the storm, Jesus walking on the water. I don’t think Jesus calmed every storm he was caught in. He certainly didn’t heal every person who was brought to him.

Storms are not good and bad in themselves, I might label them that way because of how I think they help or hinder me, but of themselves they are morally neutral. I also have a tendency to label how I encounter God in the storm. If God calms the storm or if I encounter Him in the midst of it then its ‘good’, but if the storm just takes its natural course then it is ‘bad’.

I wonder if the disciples ever got frustrated in a stormy sea crossing ‘Jesus, you calmed that last storm, why won’t you calm this one? Don’t you care about us anymore? We might drown!’

Sometimes I encounter God in the midst of the storm, sometimes I encounter God when he calms the storm, and sometimes the storm continues unabated and I don’t get that fuzzy feeling that I have come to label as ‘the Presence of God’. But that doesn’t mean God is absent, it just means I have to look closer at what I categorize as an encounter with God.

The sun is always there shining, even when a passing storm obscures it from view and prevents me from feeling its warmth. I was involved in a worship service last weekend and at the end of the event one of the singers in the band said ‘Wow, God was really present tonight, couldn’t you just feel it?’ I said nothing, but internally my reaction was ‘No I couldn’t. I was tucked at the back of the platform concentrating hard to play music that I only learned the day before. I was more concerned with whether I was playing the correct chord than whether I had a feeling of God.’ But just because I could not feel him did not mean God was absent.

God was present.

God is present.

God is always present.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139: 7-12)

Storms happen.

When the storm suddenly becomes calm – God is present.
When I see a figure walking towards me across the waves – God is present.
When the storm continues to rage around me – God is present.

Whatever you are walking through right now, God is present.

The Longest Password

During a recent computer problem it was discovered that a blonde was using the following password on her computer:

MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofySacramento.

When asked why her password was so long so replied,

'I was told the password had to be 8 characters long and include at least one capital.'

Italian Tomato Tart

I've had so many people ask me for this recipe since I posted a picture of the completed tart on Facebook that I had to make it again just to stop the emails :) Having said that it is a) wonderful to know people are interested in what I am cooking, b) I like making and eating this tart and c) It's actually really healthy!

Crust

1 (10 ounce) package frozen long-grain brown rice (I use Birds Eye Steam fresh, but see note below)
2 tablespoons pesto
1 tablespoon fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
cooking spray

Filling

1/2 cup low fat milk (fat free or 1%)
1/2 cup egg substitute (see note)
1/4 teaspoon salt (see note)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
dash of ground red pepper
1 large egg
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part skimmed mozzarella cheese (see note)
1 ounce prosciutto cut into thin strips (see note)
4 small plum/Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh basil


Notes on ingredients and how I modify the recipe

• I was actually surprised to be able to find the frozen long-grain brown rice in the freezer section of my grocery store, and even more surprised that it tastes quite good. Here's a pic to help you locate it. If you don't like using frozen rice - and I must admit I was skeptical, just cook too much rice next time you make some and save 10 ounces for this.
• The first time I made this I didn't use any egg substitute, I just used 1/2 cup of freshly beaten eggs instead. I couldn't notice any taste difference this time when I used the substitute, plus it lowered the cholesterol level of the tart - bonus :)
• I omitted the salt, mainly because I increased the amount of prosciutto quite considerably and that is already salty. If you don't increase the prosciutto then I would add the salt in.
• I also didn't measure the mozzarella, I just eyeballed it until I had thrown in enough to cover the bottom of the pie dish. I also didn't measure the 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper or the dash of red pepper, that's right folks, I'm a cooking Maverick!
• My local store sells thin slices of Prosciutto in 3oz packages. I just slice up the lot and put it in the tart. I know that this increases the sodium level which is why I omit the salt. It makes the tart taste so good with the extra amount of meaty goodness though.

So here is how to make this yummy goodness.

1. Preheat the oven to 350F

2. To prepare the crust, cook the brown rice according to the package directions. Combine cooked rice, pesto, Parmesan cheese, and 1 egg; firmly press into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate coated with cooking spray.

To be honest this is the only slightly frustrating step. To help make it not so messy I would suggest pushing it into the plate using a rubber spatula. The first time I baked this I used my hands and although I'm all for tactile cookery this was a little bit too messy for me. The rice seemed to stick to my skin in a way that it didn't to my trusty red spatula :) As you can see from the picture, it's practically impossible to get this totally even, there will be holes! But don't worry, they cover up and the filling helps hold the crust together beautifully.

Bake the crust at 350F for 15 minutes and then remove the dish from the oven.

Increase the oven temperature to 400F

To prepare the filling, whisk together the milk, egg substitute (or egg), salt, pepper, red pepper and large egg in a bowl.

Sprinkle half the mozzarella and half the prosciutto into the bottom of the prepared crust. Top with half the tomato slices. Repeat procedure with the remaining mozzarella, prosciutto and tomatoes.

You should get something like the pic above. Next pour the milk mixture over the tomatoes.

Bake at 400F for 10 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 325F (do not remove tart from oven) and bake an additional 35 minutes until set.

Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh basil and cut into wedges.

That's it. Be careful not to overcook this. I found the 35 minutes plenty as the filling will firm up in the 10 minute wait once it's out of the oven.

I normally serve it with some steamed vegetables, and this evening I also sauteed some mushrooms I had in the fridge and wilted some spinach as well.

Healthy and delicious!

I'm sure there are lots of other variants you could put in this brown rice crust, it's so much easier and quicker than making a pastry quiche case. Just throw in your favorite fillings and cook a slice of happiness.

Cat Stevens Was Wrong (possibly)....

...but I don't know about Eleanor Farjeon

We sang 'Morning Has Broken' in the Contemplative Service this morning.



The third stanza always seems to create discord in the congregation.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

90% of the congregation sing 'recreation' the other 10% sing 'Re-creation', probably the ones who have had it drilled into them by a Choir Director! I sang 'Re-creation' this morning. In the above clip Cat Stevens sings it the other way, but I don't think the lyrics make much sense that way.

I get excited about the thought that each day is a re-creation. Yesterday's messes do not affect the beauty of the new day. Every moment I also have the opportunity to engage in activities that 're-create' me. As you can tell from my posts, that would be cooking, music, boardgames, reading, time with friends etc.

What 're-creates' you?

Beware the Pizza

I haven't written that much about it, but I'm dieting at the moment. I am working with a fitness/diet coach. Every day I try to do at least 10,000 steps (including a 30 minute walk), some stretches, drink 64oz of water and to consume no more than 2000 calories. Since I started on Feb 20th I have dropped 18 pounds!

The walking and the water consumption have been a problem for me, the first few days it seemed like I was going to the restroom every few minutes! I think my bladder has finally gotten used to the fact that it has to do more work now. Fitting in time to walk has been tricky, I've gotten together a group of people to walk at lunchtime at work, but as the weather gets hotter I've found myself walking in the Mall more because of the ac!

I've been stuck on a weight plateau for a week now. Basically I haven't been eating enough calories, so my body has gone into 'lockdown' mode. It thinks it's starving so it holds onto the fat that it has stored and refuses to burn any in exercise. Well that's what I've read online and it seems to make sense to me :)

To counteract that I decided I needed to come off the diet (at least for one meal), so today I went with some friends to California Pizza Kitchen. I consumed one Jerk Chicken Pizza and drank water and when I looked up the nutrition had quite a shock.

That one pizza of yummy goodness contained the following:

1356 Calories
24g Saturated Fat - which is 90% of the recommended daily intake!
137g of Carbohydrates
4236g Sodium - which is a whopping 184% of the recommended daily intake!!!
74g of Protein
9g of Fibre

In the past with a meal like that I would have generally drank at least 3 Dr Peppers which would add about another 450 calories and 123g of sugar.

I would have eaten that without a second thought and no ill effects, and then consumed something equally unhealthy in the evening too.

Not today!!!

In the afternoon I had stomach pains, intestinal rumblings, and I actually felt a bit light headed and loopy as well. It's amazing what 7 weeks of healthy eating can do. My body now rejects what it used to crave. It made me realize that the scene in 'Super Size Me' where Morgan Spurlock throws up after eating nothing but McDonald's for three days straight is entirely plausible. He had a diet far healthier than mine before he started, and his descent into fatty carbohydrate hell was far more severe than mine

So this evening I have some green peppers and some tomatoes roasting in the oven with a drop of pesto, garlic and capers in each one. I will consume this with a small green salad, drizzled with some balsamic vinegar and a light dusting of parmesan cheese, and learn to listen to my body....

...and hope that the carbohydrate shock of lunch is enough to get my body losing weight again!

And if you see me walking fast in the Mall, come say hello!

Fast Food Facts :(

I watched Super Size Me last weekend, and now having just read this, I don't think I can face a McDonalds again.

Food for thought

In our Contemplative Service today we used the following paraphrase of Ephesians 4: 20-24 written by my friend Jerry:

Think about how you have come to know Jesus in your daily experience. Consider how deeply the truth of Jesus has gotten into the fabric of your life. It is woven all through you, an intricate part of your lived experience. You didn’t get there all at once. The process is slow, sometimes painful. We take off the way we had grown accustomed to living, the habits and patterns ingrained in us over a lifetime. Like a mask that no longer represents us, we take off the images and facades that don’t represent our true selves. Once we take off the image-clothing, we’re ready to let the authentic person live through! No more hiding for us! We live emotionally and spiritually naked and unashamed. It’s like wearing new clothing, only this clothing is who we really were all along, reflecting the image of God within us.

It really resonated with me today, and seemed to fit well with 'The Warp and the Weft'.

Saturday Morning Cooking - Roti Parata!

A couple of weekends ago I went to a wonderful evening of Curry hosted by Doug and Veejay. Veejay's sister was in town from Canada where she owns an award winning Curry House. Her cooking was incredible and as part of the evening she taught us how to make Roti Parata. (I've also seen it spelled Prata or Pratatha)



I'm not going to post the dough recipe as she shared the one she uses which has some slight differences to the ones available online. Let's just say it tastes really good!


So here's what I cooked for Brunch today :)




I don't have any pics of the cooked version as I ate it rather quickly.

Whilst researching videos of Parata throwing on YouTube (yes, I need a life) I came across this rather yummy breakfast version.

Here's a finished Cheese and Egg Roti Parata cooking in the pan

March Board Game Results

28 games played in March, 18 different games.


Here are the highlights.

Top, once more is the ever popular Werewolf with 5 plays. I love to run this game although I do enjoy playing it too. It seems to work well with a crowd and people seem to pick it up fairly quickly. Moderating takes a fair amount of concentration though :)

Animalia is a new game to me, but I've quickly logged 3 plays in March alone. Every player is an Impressario trying to put together the best possible troop of performing animals. The game play is like a simplified Medici (which is a game I love). Animalia takes similar concepts to Medici but does without the auction mechanic and simplifies the scoring a little. It's definitely a game that is a stepping stone to the superior Medici whilst still being a lot of fun in its own right.

Ta Yu is a very elegant abstract game. The theme is one of connecting water flowing from the center of the board, but that doesn't really impact game play. In the simplest version you draw a tile and then play it. Deciding whether to help yourself or hinder your opponent is the main challenge of this game. Unfortunately the original Kosmos version (pictured here) is no longer available and consequently sells for a lot of money. I have the not so pretty but still playable new version instead.

Haggis is a game from a small independent designer that one of the other players in our group was asked to play test. It feels a little similar to Tichu (a game I love), but is actually playable by 2 or more unlike Tichu which really requires 4 players. It's a fun game, though to be honest I'm having a little trouble remembering it now.

Hive makes a return appearance into the 'Most played list'. Ok so it was only 2 plays in March, but when you consider the large number of different games I play, any repeat is a good sign. (last year I managed 378 plays of 186 different games!). As I only received Hive just before Christmas, it didn't make it into the Quarters, Nickels and Dimes last year, but this year I've already played it 11 times! Will it get played enough to topple last years winner (Dominion with 22 plays)? It's definitely possible as I've only played Dominion 3 times so far in 2010.

Tune in again next month to see what game takes the lead :)

Christ is Risen.....have a doughnut?

Growing up the U.K., doughnuts were considered an Afternoon Tea food. You would have sandwiches (white bread, with the crusts cut off of course) and hot tea with milk or lemon. The doughnut would be served as a sweet pastry at the end of the meal, usually as one choice among many, the Egg Custard, the Vanilla Slice and the Apple Turnover were all other options that made an appearance at our house.

Occasionally the doughnut would migrate to regular tea time, but the idea of eating a doughnut for breakfast never crossed our mind, doughnuts were not to be consumed before at least midday. When I relocated to Lubbock, Texas, and discovered doughnuts being served as a breakfast staple I was mystified. Some cultural differences took a great deal of getting used too. But I soon embraced the mystery of the fried dough breakfast and began to consume my fair share as a way to break fast - this was of course before my love affair with the Kolache entered the picture.

One thing that did mystify me however was the appearance of the doughnut in church, usually as an enticement for somebody to enter the Sunday school room. Most of the churches I attended in the U.K. never served more than hot tea with a plain biscuit (that's cookie for you American readers). Occasionally a more progressive church might serve chocolate biscuits if their budget could cover it, but Rich Tea Biscuits or a Plain Digestive was the usual level of snackage at most churches in the U.K. It seems to me that doughnuts are almost a requirement for worship in the U.S. Every Easter our worshipping staff has involved discussions about how many doughnuts to order, where they should be placed around the church and what type of doughnut is best. Should we order cake doughnuts? Chocolate? Glazed? Filled? I never realized that part of planning Easter Worship would involved estimating doughnut consumption. I guess nothing says 'Christ is Risen' quite like deep fried sugary dough.

Is it the shape I wonder, maybe subconsciously by consuming a doughnut we are consuming the stone that was in front of the tomb? Is it our way of declaring that not only is the tomb empty, but we are making sure it never gets blocked again? I wonder what the symbolism of sprinkles are.

Maybe it is us declaring our 'disdain' for the flesh by eating these fried carbohydrate bombs. We know our flesh will fail but our Spirits will live forever. Somehow I don't think Bavarian Cream was what St. Paul had in mind when he told us to 'Put to death the deeds of the body'.

I guess it's just as well that there is no Scriptural Prohibition against doughnut consumption. It could cause a severe drop in Church attendance if the only snack foods allowed were sauteed kale and pickled beetroot!

So this sunday I will dash between services trying to avoid small children with a doughnut in each hand and sugary smears across their faces....and I will try to remind myself that I don't need to eat a doughnut because their are better things I can do with the calories.

And then I will go celebrate the end of Lent by having my first Dr. Pepper since we broke up in February. Doughnuts are optional for me....but celebrating Easter without a D.P.? Inconceivable!

Announcing the Death of Jesus of Nazareth - Aged 33

Died: 14th day of the month Nisan in Jerusalem.

Preceded in death by Jacob bar Joseph who raised him as his own son.

Survived by his mother, Mary; brothers James, Joses and Judas, and his sisters.

Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem of Judea.

His family fled to Egypt when he was two, seeking political asylum.

They returned to Nazareth in Galilee after the death of Herod the Great.

Jesus was apprenticed as a carpenter to Joseph, and worked in the family business until he turned 30.

He was baptized in the Jordan River by his cousin John.

He spent the next 3 years living as an itinerant rabbi, with a small school of 12 disciples.

He devoted his life to serving the least, the last and the lost, wherever he found them.

Despite repeated warnings, his teaching, his work and those he chose to call "friend" drew unwanted attention from the authorities.

The family wish to make it clear that his arrest and immediate trial took place without due process. The charges of blasphemy and of being a threat to national security were not corroborated by a single witness.

He died as he lived: extending forgiveness to those responsible for his execution.

He will be greatly missed by his family, his friends-"the sinners" and by the poor.

The family extends gratitude to Joseph of Arimathea for covering the funeral expenses.

How to Read a Poem

How to Read a Poem: Beginner's Manual

First, forget everything you have learned,
that poetry is difficult,
that it cannot be appreciated by the likes of you,
with your high school equivalency diploma,
your steel-tipped boots,
or your white-collar misunderstandings.

Do not assume meanings hidden from you:
the best poems mean what they say and say it.

To read poetry requires only courage
enough to leap from the edge
and trust.

Treat a poem like dirt,
humus rich and heavy from the garden.
Later it will become the fat tomatoes
and golden squash piled high upon your kitchen table.

Poetry demands surrender,
language saying what is true,
doing holy things to the ordinary.

Read just one poem a day.
Someday a book of poems may open in your hands
like a daffodil offering its cup
to the sun.

When you can name five poets
without including Bob Dylan,
when you exceed your quota
and don't even notice,
close this manual.

Congratulations.
You can now read poetry.


Pamela Spiro Wagner

A moment of Poetry

Monopoly
by Connie Wanek

We used to play, long before we bought real houses.
A roll of the dice could send a girl to jail.
The money was pink, blue, gold as well as green,
and we could own a whole railroad
or speculate in hotels where others dreaded staying:
the cost was extortionary.

At last one person would own everything,
every teaspoon in the dining car, every spike
driven into the planks by immigrants,
every crooked mayor.
But then, with only the clothes on our backs,
we ran outside, laughing.

"Monopoly" by Connie Wanek, from On Speaking Terms. © Copper Canyon Press, 2010.

Chicken Tikka Masala

(Sorry the pic isn't better, it was taken on my cellphone in a hurry!)

"In the 1970s a plateful of overcooked chicken tikka - boneless, skinless chunks, skewered and cooked in a tandoor oven - was sent back to the kitchen of a London curry house by a disappointed patron. The Bangladeshi chef in charge acted quickly, heating canned tomato soup with cream, sprinkling in Indian spices, and pouring it over the chicken before sending it back out to the dining room. His inventive creation of chicken tikka masala satisfied the demanding customer, and as the recipe was perfected, diners worldwide (including those in India) fell in love with the tender, moist pieces of chicken napped with a lightly spiced tomato cream sauce. In fact chicken tikka masala is so adored that it went on to overtake the likes of Yorkshire pudding and fish and chips as the "true national dish" of Great Britain, according to former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook."

~ Behind the Scenes with America's Test Kitchen (2008 Companion cookbook)


Steve and I visited The Red Lion a few weekends ago and we both lovingly consumed their Chicken Tikka Masala that was advertised on the Food Network Show 'Drivers, Diners and Dives'. After having reacquainted my taste buds with the gloriousness that is C.T.M. I decided to try out the recipe that I have from America's Test Kitchen.

Here it is in all its deliciousness!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka

• I teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
• 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (low fat will also work)
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced.
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Combine the salt, cumin, coriander and cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the spice mixture, pressing gently so the mixture adheres. Place the chicken on a place, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger: set aside.

Masala Sauce

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, diced finely (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon Garam masala
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced
• 1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and light golden, 8 - 10 minutes. Add the garam masala, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and chile; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and return to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and keep warm.

While the sauce simmers, adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position (about 6 inches from the heating element) and heat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan with foil and set a wire rack on it. Using tongs, dip the chicken into the yogurt mixture (the chicken should be coated with a thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on the wire rack. Discard the excess yogurt mixture. Broil the chicken until the thickest parts register 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer and the exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1 inch chunks and stir into the warm sauce (do not simmer the chicken in the sauce as it will toughen). Stir in the cilantro, season with salt to taste, and serve.

A couple of thoughts from making it yesterday.

1) It was flavorful but not spicy enough for me, I would suggest increasing the cayenne pepper on the chicken to 1/2 teaspoon rather than a quarter, and also adding the ribs and seeds from the serrano chile.

2) Make sure you preheat the broiler well for this dish, my chicken took longer than expected because of it.

3) Get an instant read thermometer. Because of the way the coating on the chicken lightly chars, it is very easy to assume it is cooked through. Yesterday I thought it was cooked at least twice, but when I checked it with my thermometer I knew to place it back under the broiler. Don't serve undercooked chicken!!!

4) Many broilers give off heat unevenly, rotate the pan with the chicken a couple of times while cooking to get every piece to cook evenly.

5) Garam Masala can be tough to track down. McCormick Spices and Seasonings make a wonderful one, but my local Kroger didn't sell it. I ended up having to make a specialized trip to Penzeys Spice Company for mine. If you still can't find it, there are many recipes online to make up a mix from scratch. I can't promise their effectiveness though. You can find one here.

Quote of the Day

Those who believe they believe in God, but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God himself.

~~Miguel de Unamuno

I like catfish...who knew? :)

Growing up in the U.K. I never sampled catfish. I never ate much fish at all besides battered and deep fried Plaice from the the local fish and chip shop. Catfish kinda scared me, it looks like it hangs around sewage pipes waiting to eat whatever flushes into the stream.

Well as part of my desire to eat healthy I tried some grilled catfish at a local restaurant and loved it. Since then I've started fixing catfish myself. Here's one healthy way that I fix it.

Crisp-Crusted Catfish

2 tablespoons light ranch dressing
2 large egg whites
6 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 (6oz) catfish fillets
Cooking spray
Lemon wedges

Combine the dressing and the egg whites together in a shallow bowl and stir well with a whisk. Combine the cornmeal, cheese, flour, pepper, and salt in a shallow dish. Dip the fish into the egg white mixture and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

Place the fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; bake at 425F for 12 minutes and then turn the fish over and bake another 12 minutes or until lightly browned and the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with fresh lemon squeezed over the top.

It's crunchy and delicious and about 313 calories per serving.

Now me being me I'm never satisfied to just let the recipe stand as is, although I did make it that way the first time. Here's some improvements I made.

1) Try putting red pepper flakes in the cornmeal mix for more kick.
2) Dredge the fish in flour first, shaking off the excess, and then the egg white and then the cornmeal. It makes the coating stick better.
3) Allow the fish to sit on a rack for at least 10 minutes after being coated. It makes the coating crisp up and adhere better to the fish.
4) Substitute Panko for the cornmeal. It raises the calorie count slightly, but the resultant crunch is incredible.

One other thing, the easiest way I've found to spray a cookie sheet without covering the kitchen in an oily sheen is to open the dishwasher door, lay the cookie sheet on that and spray there - of course you do need to remove any clean items that might be in the door first.

Now go out and buy some catfish :)

The Exit leads to.....

Sometimes I start a blog post with a clear idea of where the post is heading....then there are those other posts, like this one. I just start typing because there is something I want to process. I have no clear goal in sight, I'm not even sure whether what I write will lead anywhere.

On Sunday in the Contemplative Service we opened with a series of simple reflections. The final one was worded as follows:

• I open my eyes to find some symbol of my yearning for God...a candle, a portion of stained glass, an image on the screen, a word, an object, a piece of clothing. What symbolizes my hunger for God today?

Where I was sitting I had my back to the candles, the wall obscured the stained glass, the screen was directly above my head. I could see the congregation and the way out of the chapel, and one object that seemed to be fighting for my attention.

Directly in my line of sight was the sign over the Emergency Exit. It's a door that gets used surprisingly often, usually when we have a fire in one of our candle banks from people being over zealous with their prayers. As it's the other side of the Chapel to the piano it's a door I've never personally used.

So why an Exit Sign? I have no idea. My brain tried to chase down a reason all through the rest of the service. It actually became a bit of a distraction as there was a point where I was changing key in a song, and while my hands modulated up a minor third I started singing the melody a major fourth higher, and as the song started on the third of the tonic chord, that meant I came in with a very strong tritone! I know that won't make sense to some of you, but just trust me, it wasn't pretty and it took me a few moments to work out whether to raise the key on the piano or lower the key of my voice.

A simple question rattled around my brain. What is on either side of the door? What am I stepping out of, and what am I stepping into? The answer to both questions was the same.

Me.

I found myself imagining all the things in my life that I refuse to let go of like a crowded room on the TLC show 'Hoarders'. All the things I have trouble forgiving myself for piled in one corner, all the attitudes that I don't like to admit I have stacked by the window. Blocking my way to the exit sign was a massive stack of promises I had made to myself that had just fallen where they were broken. There was a thick carpet of shame over everything and some large regrets were threatening to collapse on top of me as well.

I imagined climbing over all the detritus and stepping through the door, and it was at that point that things got really surreal.

I loved that movie, it was wonderfully strange.

When I imagined walking through that door, the first response to 'Where am I?' was simply 'I'm inside myself'. Inside myself without clutter, shame, regret, fear, or broken promises. Inside myself at my most real, authentic, vulnerable, alive. It felt like seeing all the glorious possibilities of the future.

All this while trying to play piano and lead worship.

The closing Benediction for the service caught me by surprise. It was written by my friend Jerry and is a part of his reflections on Psalm 143

Show me the first steps of the path into my future, the steps that will draw me deeper into Your heart, the steps that will draw out of me my most authentic self, the steps that will lead me to lay down my life on behalf of those You love and gave Your life for. Deliver me from the fear of taking the next risky step...for my heart's desire is to walk with You into the days ahead.

If I stay in my room I have a feeling of safety, but that safety comes at a stifling cost. The mountains of items stacked up threaten to collapse onto me. I become so attached to them I may never discard them.

The hardest journey to make is the journey into vulnerable authenticity. It's only when I stop living my life driven by what I think other people are thinking about me, that I am able to show my true self to others and be loved by them. I need to trust that the voice that I hear is God calling me out of the tomb of my own existence and leading me to stumble forward like Lazarus into the bright light of a new day.

(When I first typed that last paragraph, I switched into the Plural Voice '...it's only when we stop living our lives...' etc. It was a struggle to go back and edit it into the Singular. Somehow it made the sentiment more real and more challenging)

Parts of my life I live on the other side of the door, and other moments I remain in my room. God in his grace allows me access to both sides of the exit. He knows that too much freedom all at once can feel intoxicating, and yet he continues to woo me onwards until that glorious day when I step through the door and close it behind me forever.

Edible Math

(Thanks to my friend Simon for this)

If you have a pizza with a radius of 'z' and a thickness of 'a' then it's volume can be expressed as the following:

Volume= Pi.z.z.a

Classic!

Singing Accapella Taylor Swift!

I do not own a single Taylor Swift album, the only song I know of hers is 'You Belong with Me', which I stumbled upon because the video was kinda cute and fun. If you haven't seen it please watch before you read any further.



At the University of Rochester their is an all male Acapella group called the Yellow Jackets who did a version of this song. They also filmed a video parody of it. This is live footage from their concert, it starts off a little dark, but then they show the video while they sing live.



Hilarious!!!

Contemplative Giggles

Sometimes I confess I have the mind of a 14yr old - though if I'm honest I should actually say 'frequently'.

I was in Contemplative Worship this morning and we were praying with part of an ancient Celtic prayer from the Carmina Gadelica.

The leader encouraged us to touch parts of our body as we prayed as a gesture that we were offering them to God. It was all very reverent and holy, until I reached the end of the prayer and had to stifle a fit of giggles.

God be in my head and in my understanding
God be in my eyes and in my seeing
God be in my heart and in my loving
God be in my ways and in my walking.

God be in my mind and in my thinking
God be in my mouth and in my speaking
God be in my hands and in my doing
God be in my end and at my departing.

Visions of people 'goosing themselves' in prayer leapt to mind so I had to hide my smile behind the piano music stand!

My inner child is definitely alive and well!

The February Board Game Tally

Well I managed to get in 28 plays this past month. I played 19 different games so as you can imagine some got played a lot.

First with an amazing total of 7 plays is Hive It's an awesome 2 player game where you are both in control of identical sets of insects and you are trying to surround your opponents Queen Bee. All the insects have their own distinct ways of moving and so the game has a chess like feel but without a board. It's simple to learn and yet the strategies are surprising and numerous. Frequently I would think I was one move away from losing and then discover a move that put me in the advantage and my opponent on the defense. Learn it. Play it. Love it. I know of one fan of the game who has had the insects from the playing pieces tattooed on his forearm - now that is a fan!!!

Three games had 2 plays this month:

Kakerlaken Poker - It's a fun game of bluff featuring insects and other vermin that I've written about before. It's simple enough to pick up really quickly but generally causes some laughter and some agony. It's a good test of whether you can detect when other people are lying.

New York Chase - It's all against one in this race around Manhattan. One player is the elusive 'Mr. X.' and the other players unite as detectives trying to track him down for reasons unknown. You have no idea where he is on the board, but you know how he is travelling (taxi, bus, subway etc) and so the team uses their combined logic skills to deduce where he is. How long can Mr. X. stay hidden? In our games, not long enough. Mr. X. wins if he can elude the other players for a set number of turns, but I've yet to see Mr. X. manage it. Fun times!!!

TransAmerica - It's a race to connect cities in the U.S. by train. Every player draws their own destination and races to lay tracks over Plains, Mountains and Rivers. When you connect into another player's network you can use their track to help you connect, but they can also use yours so careful placement is a must. It's a light game that works well with non-gamers so I often pack it in my travelling bag!

The rest were all single plays of games, some old favorites and some new ones. At the moment 'Hive' is my highest played game of the year with 10 plays, while last years most played game 'Dominion' has only hit the table 3 times in 2010. Will it make a comeback? Will Hive still be in the top spot by the end of the year? Tune in next month for the update :)

The 'Vowels to Bosnia Campaign'

Cities of Sjlbvdnzv, Grzny to Be First Recipients


Before an emergency joint session of Congress yesterday, President Obama announced US plans to deploy over 75,000 vowels to the war-torn region of Bosnia. The deployment, the largest of its kind in American history, will provide the region with the critically needed letters A,E,I,O,U, and Y, and is hoped to render countless Bosnian words more pronounceable.

"For six years, we have stood by while names like Ygrjvslhv and Tzlynhr and Glrm have been horribly butchered by millions around the world," Obama said. "Today, the United States must finally stand up and say 'Enough.' It is time the people of Bosnia finally had some vowels in their incomprehensible words. The US is proud to lead the crusade in this noble endeavor."

The deployment, dubbed Operation Vowel Storm by the State Department, is set for early next week, with the Adriatic port cities of Sjlbvdnzv and Grzny slated to be the first recipients. Two C-130 transport planes, each carrying more than 500 24-count boxes of "E's," will fly from Andrews Air Force Base across the Atlantic and airdrop the letters over the cities.

Citizens of Grzny and Sjlbvdnzv eagerly await the arrival of the vowels. "My God, I do not think we can last another day," Trszg Grzdnjkln, 44, said. "I have six children and none of them has a name that is understandable to me or to anyone else. Mr. Obama, please send my poor, wretched family just one 'E.' Please."

Said Sjlbvdnzv resident Grg Hmphrs, 67: "With just a few key letters, I could be George Humphries. This is my dream."

If the initial airlift is successful, Obama said the United States will go ahead with full-scale vowel deployment, with C-130's airdropping thousands more letters over every area of Bosnia. Other nations are expected to pitch in as well, including 10,000 British "A's" and 6,500 Canadian "U's." Japan, rich in A's and O's, was asked to participate, but declined.

"With these valuable letters, the people of war-ravaged Bosnia will be able to make some terrific new words," Obama said. "It should be very exciting for them, and much easier for us to read their maps."

Linguists praise the US's decision to send the vowels. For decades they have struggled with the hard consonants and difficult pronunciation of most Slavic words. "Vowels are crucial to construction of all language," Baylor University linguist Noam Frankel said. "Without them, it would be difficult to utter a single word, much less organize a coherent sentence. Please, just don't get me started on the moon-man languages they use in those Eastern European countries."

According to Frankel, once the Bosnians have vowels, they will be able to construct such valuable sentences as: "The potatoes are ready"; "I believe it will rain"; and "All my children are dead from the war" [And "Oh my God, there's an axe in my head." ?]

The airdrop represents the largest deployment of any letter to a foreign country since 1984. During the summer of that year, the US shipped 92,000 consonants to Ethiopia, providing cities like Ouaouoaua, Eaoiiuae, and Aao with vital, lifegiving supplies of L's, S's and T's. The consonant-relief effort failed, however, when vast quantities of the letters were intercepted and hoarded by violent, gun-toting warlords.


(originally written by the staff of the Onion)

A Quick Chili Fix

Don't get me wrong, I love chili, I love a long slow cooked complex chili taste, I've even been known to buy my own dried chile peppers, toast them and grind them myself...but sometimes I just want something quick.

This three bean chili hits the spot and I didn't even notice the lack of meat, and if you omit the sour cream your vegan friends can join you at the table (hi Kimberly!!!!)

I got this recipe from myrecipes.com and it is wonderfully low in fat...good tasting diet food does exist!

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 cup of water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 1/2 oz can) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (15 1/2 oz can) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 1/2 oz can) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 1/2 oz can) vegetable broth (preferably organic if you can find it)
1 (15 1/2 oz can) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons of reduced-fat sour cream

Heat olive oil in large pan. Saute the onion, bell peppers and garlic for about 3 minutes.
Add the 3/4 cup of water and the next 9 ingredients (through diced tomatoes), bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes - it will look too runny at this stage, don't panic. Stir in cornmeal and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Serving size is 1 1/3 cups and 1 tablespoon sour cream

Quick, nourishing and flavorful!!!

Pasta and Sauce

Things have been a bit crazy and emotional recently (don't worry, I'm ok) - when I get into that kind of place I generally retreat into cooking. Here is what is bubbling away on the stove right now :) It takes a bit of time, but it is sooo good!

[Courtesy of the wonderful folks at Cook's Illustrated who's cookbooks I adore!]

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pounds country-style pork ribs (trimmed of excess fat)
salt and black pepper (freshly ground of course!)
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
1 pound Penne or Ziti
Freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

1. Heat oil in skillet till shimmering. Season the ribs with salt and black pepper and then brown on all sides, turning occasionally (8-10 minutes)

2. Transfer the ribs to a plate and drain off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet. Add the onions and saute till softened - about 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add the wine and simmer, scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom of the skillet, until the wine reduces to a glaze - about 2 minutes.

4. Return the ribs (and juices) to the pan and then add the tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer at a low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the ribs several times during this process. The meat should become very tender and practically fall off the bone.

5. Put the ribs on a clean plate. When they are cool enough to handle remove the meat from the bone and shred it with your fingers (discarding the fat and bones). Add the meat back to the skillet and bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Check the seasoning and adjust to taste.

6. Cook your pasta until al dente. Drain and then toss the pasta with the sauce and serve topped with the cheese.

Yummm!

The Desire to Climb Trees

(Random thoughts for Sunday's Contemplative Service)

Luke 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

My excitement was triggered by an email from my friend Paul - 'Nigella Lawson has a new cookbook out and is doing a book signing in town.' You have to understand that I have every cookbook Nigella has written and I frequently make her culinary delights. A new cookbook was exciting enough, but to actually see her in real life? That would be pure ecstasy. Plans were made, maps were printed. Routes were rehearsed. She was appearing somewhere I'd never been before, so I made a preliminary trip just to make sure there would be no problems on the day. (See blog entry here)

I know comparing my culinary 'savior' to the Savior of the Universe might be in bad taste (taste? Get it? GROAN), but when you consider somebody important enough that you want to meet them, you make preparations. I printed maps and drove to a neighborhood I had never been too before, Zacchaeus climbed trees. When you value you someone enough to want to see them you don't let a little thing like unfamiliarity with the territory or the size of a crowd get in your way.

All of us desire an encounter with God - I think the fact that we are sitting here in the Contemplative Service is evidence of that. There is a deep underground current that flows within each one of us that desires that holy connection. We get little nudges of its existence from time to time, a conversation, a poster for a Retreat, the title of a book on a shelf. All little prompts, invitations to go tree climbing.

We can also discount our tree climbing desires easily. We label them as embarrassing, not what respectable people do, immature, inappropriate. We may discount them, bury them or become numb to them but they don't go away because God wired us that way...

...and so, at just the right time, you'll see an employee of the IRS in a sycamore tree.

We celebrate Zacchaeus climbing, his desire to just see Jesus. He doesn't climb the tree because he's heard that Jesus will stay at the home of someone sitting on a tree limb. He doesn't climb the tree because of the consequences; he climbs simply so he can get a better view of Jesus...

...and if we look carefully, and are willing to acknowledge it when we find it, we discover there is something of Zacchaeus in all of us.

How is the desire to climb trees showing itself in your life at the moment?

Poetry for the Soul

Li Po and the Moon - Mary Oliver*

There is the story of the old Chinese poet:
at night alone in his boat he went drinking and dreaming
and singing,

then drowned as he reached for the moon's reflection.
Well, probably each of us, at some time, has been
just as desperate.

Not the moon, though.




In those times when your defences are down what do you reach for?
How is what you reach for merely a reflection of what you actually desire?


*Published in Parabola Summer 2008

A Trial Separation

Dear Dr.

You have been a part of my life for many years now. When I am feeling run down you are the first thing I reach for. When I want to celebrate you are there, and when I need to comfort myself you are my first thought. I seek you out no matter wherever I am in the world, I even managed to locate you in Cambodia! My friends know that I will always be happy if they bring you with them to a party I'm organizing.

Lately though I've been reconsidering our relationship. I've begun to see that what once was just an enjoyment of you has become something more unpleasant. At times I find myself thinking that I can't get by without you, that somehow life will be less if you are not by my side. Rather than getting the rest I need I turn to you for stimulation. Everything is good in moderation, but lately I think I am around you too much and I worry about the effect you are having on me. I don't blame you completely for my recent weight gain, but you are a contributing factor.

Therefore Dr., I've decided that we should spend some time apart for a while. I know that will be tough, because you are everywhere I look. It is difficult for me to even sit down at a restaurant without wishing you were with me, but if our relationship is to become healthy then I know I need to get some separation from you so I can gain clarity.

Please don't expect me to look for you until Easter, and even after that time, I fully anticipate our relationship will be far more casual than it has been the last few months, at times it has felt so consuming that I've felt twinges of doubt. This trial separation is my way of honoring those 'twinges' within me.

So, dear, sweet Dr. Pepper, I'll see you in a few months. Know that I will miss you, but I'll survive.




Peter

Tending the Garden of the Soul

I am not a gardener. I do not have a green thumb. My Mum was an avid gardener, she would spend hours digging, weeding, planting, mulching and whatever else you do to a garden. She had rosebushes scheduled to bloom throughout the summer, I never really realized that until she pointed it out to me. How she achieved that I have no idea, but I have many memories of looking out the windows into the back garden to see mum in her gardening gloves hunched over the ground knees resting on her foam flowery kneeler rooting through soil.

Mum knew that different seasons of the year meant different jobs to be done.

The tasks of Autumn are very different to the tasks of Spring, do the wrong job at the wrong time and nothing blooms, in fact, you can even harm the garden by pruning when you should be feeding or sowing when you should be reaping. Every Season makes its own demands on the Gardener and every plant needs its own special care.

I was in a discussion this morning on Spiritual Disciplines. We talked about what Disciplines we should take up for the season of Lent. It is so easy for groups like this to covenant to all do similar things. I remember when I first started interning at the Wesley Foundation in Lubbock, all the interns decided we would meet together an hour earlier than work started so that we could worship and pray together...I think we managed about 2 weeks before the agreement fell apart. It wasn't that we weren't committed, it was just that we were trying a 'one size fits all' approach to Spiritual Formation. Those of you who have seen me in the morning know that I am only partially human until I've shaved, showered and had a cup of tea and gotten to at least 9am. I am not one of those bright shiny happy morning people - in fact I usually want to do bodily harm to people who are perky at 7am!

What was great about this morning was we first asked 'What Season am I in?' The answer to that question became the lens through which we decided what Disciplines to take on for Lent.

My answer to that question was 'It's the depth of winter and I'm beginning to get cabin fever from being snowed up so long.'

All of the Seasons are necessary for growth. I've had some experiences in the last week that hint at the coming of Spring, but I'm not quite there yet. If I try and take on the Disciplines of Spring I will fail, get discouraged and feel guilty (one of my favorite emotions SIGH). If I try to impose my winter disciplines on my friend who is experiencing Spring then he will feel held back, restricted and frustrated where he wants to be bursting with new life.

My aim is to be intentional this Lent about tending the garden of my soul, but to do it with respect for the garden itself, not forcing it into activities that I think would be beneficial but would actually be harmful.

What Season are you in right now? What actions do you need to take to tend the garden of your soul? Should you be planting, pruning, resting?