-:{These little pieces}:-

Family Traditions and Church Celebrations

2011-07-20T07:09:00.002-05:00

Lately I’ve been pondering the place of traditions and memories in the life of a family. I noticed that my fondest childhood memories involve some sort of habit or custom: Every June we went to the town’s fair...Every Thanksgiving morning we gathered for a football game in the snow...Every spring we washed the fence. Those predictable rhythms of the year gave my siblings and me reasons to anticipate things to come, and they built a spirit of camaraderie among us.

All humans love traditions, but especially children love traditions. The goal of the liturgical home is to capitalize on this in order to bring the life of the family into the rhythm of the life of the church. Over time, the rise and fall of everyday family life subtly syncs itself with the rise and fall of the major and minor feasts of the church year.

For example, I’ve heard of the idea of woodworking on St. Joseph's day. I imagine that many children would anticipate participating in a family’s annual woodworking project. There wouldn’t necessarily need to be a long lesson about St. Joseph during the project. Instead, year after year, the rhythm of the church year would pound itself into the heart of a child. One day, a guest comes to the house and notices the bookshelf. A child pipes up, “Oh, we made that last year for St. Joseph's Day. This year we might build a bench for the hallway.”

Season after season, the life of the family is immersed in the life of Christ, and the members of the family become true imitators of Christ. Because of this, one of the ways that our children mature in Christ occurs beyond their consciousness. Jesus quietly slips into their hearts over the course of the relentless repetition of the liturgical year. As Joan Chittiser writes, “The liturgical year is the process of slow, sure immersion in the life of Christ that, in the end, claims us, too, as heralds of that life ourselves.”

Meatless Meal of the Week {no.9}

2011-07-18T20:47:00.000-05:00

As I've said before, I don't particularly care for lentils--I cook with them because they are an affordable and healthy source of protein, but I am always looking for ways to improve on their flavor. This portobello and basil lentil soup is very good. The flavor of the mushrooms, fresh basil, and sherry wine are excellent compliments to the lentils. I originally found the recipe here, but I have modified it a few ways.

Portobello and Basil Lentil Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups diced portabella mushrooms
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 cups stock
6 ounces tomato paste
1 1/2 cups green lentils
1 cup bunch fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup sherry cooking wine

Directions
Heat olive oil in large soup pot and saute onions, garlic, mushrooms, salt, and pepper for about five minutes until mushrooms and onions are tender. Add stock and tomato paste and stir until well mixed. Stir in lentils and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add basil and simmer with pot covered for 15 more minutes. Stir in sherry cooking wine and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with remaining basil leaves.

Seven Quick Takes

2011-07-15T09:51:00.000-05:00

{Image from here}

Today I am joining Jennifer by posting seven quick takes...

I’m planning to make these no-bake energy bites this weekend using peanut butter, honey, rolled oats, wheat germ, flax seed, sunflower seeds, and mini chocolate chips. Is your mouth watering too?

St. James Cathedral in Chicago will be celebrating diversity this Sunday with a “Pride Eucharist,” a prayerful celebration featuring the music of Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper. To put it gently, I don't think those words should all be in the same sentence. For another perspective on the so-called diversity of same-sex "marriage," I recommend this brief article.

I have never purchased anything from J.Crew, but somehow I stumbled upon this season’s swimsuit collection. My eyes are on this, this, and this one. They have it all--ruching and ruffles, great style, and even modesty, and they would be kind to my post-baby tummy! But then my eyes see the price, and I remember why I’ve never bought anything from J.Crew.

Next up on my outside-to-do-list: build window boxes. Actually, I put it on my husband’s to-do list. :) Our house is white, and I am picturing glossy black window boxes sitting on pretty decorative corbels.

After hearing about the movie Andrei Rublev on Ancient Faith Radio’s The Orthodox Moviegoer, my husband added it to our Netflix queue. From all he told me about the movie, the only thing I can remember is that it's over three hours long. That is really long. And that’s why I am bummed that I didn’t add more movie to our queue. Now we have a three hour movie waiting to be watched.

Last night I got a haircut, and I got long bangs. I think it’s the first “hip” thing I’ve done to my hair since my Jennifer-Anniston-inspired haircut in the 6th grade. Well, actually the haircut was inspired by my best friend’s haircut. She’d actually seen Friends. I never had. And I think that long bangs are hip. Or maybe they just used to be hip. Or maybe they never were. Oh well.

After my haircut, I swung by Target. My local Target had lots of great jeans marked down to $4.69. I used a $3 off any pair of jeans coupon, so I got a pair for $1.69! As of last night, the coupon was available here. Hopefully you can score a great deal too!

Quinoa for Breakfast

2011-07-13T14:49:00.001-05:00

{Photo from 101cookbooks.com}

I’ve previously posted about the benefits of quinoa and shared some yummy quinoa dinner recipes (see here and here for examples), but have you considered eating quinoa for breakfast? I was inspired by this recipe for Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa. The recipe calls for fresh blackberries, which taste really yummy. But I have also adjusted it, using an assortment of frozen strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. You can eat the leftovers the following morning. I recommend mixing the leftover quinoa with yogurt and topping it with slivered almonds and granola.

A Children’s Bible Storybook Recommendation

2011-07-12T21:25:00.000-05:00

After writing this post, I’ve been thinking about a wonderful children’s Bible storybook by Sally Lloyd-Jones: The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name.

It is refreshing to read a children’s Bible storybook that has both good theology and beautiful language. Lloyd-Jones traces the story of salvation, highlighting how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of Jesus as the Rescuer. The introduction begins,

"There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every story in the Bible whispers his name."

From the beginning to the end of the book, Lloyd-Jones demonstrates a unmatchable ability to find words that both convey the weight of the Scriptures and catch the attention of children. I love her paraphrase of the creation narrative:

"God said, 'Hello light!' and light shone into the darkness . . . 'Hello trees!' God said. 'Hello grass and flowers!' And everything everywhere burst into life. He made buds bud, shoots shoot, and flowers flower. 'You’re good,' God said. And they were."

And perhaps my favorite line in the book is her paraphrase of a verse in Revelation: "Everything sad has come untrue." This book is a must-have! Your heart will be just as blessed as your child's heart!

Seven Quick Takes Friday

2011-07-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

{Image of Martha Stewart's craft line sold by Home Decorators Collection}

Today I am joining Jennifer by posting seven quick takes...

If you are interested in understanding the Roman Catholic Church’s stance on contraceptives, or if you just want to hear a smart discussion of some of the negative effects of contraceptives on our culture, Dr. Janet Smith provides an excellent overview. I strongly recommend listening to part 1 and part 2 of her lecture.

Did you know you could make a rug from a tablecloth?

I am incredibly inspired by Brandy’s philosophy of gardening and her garden layout. According to Brandy, one doesn’t need to sacrifice beauty in order to have a garden that provides the practicality of food. She says, “The trick is designing a space that will fulfill both needs.” I love formal gardens, but formal gardens and rows of vegetables just don’t seem to go together. Or so I thought.

This is a wedding hairdo, but it doesn’t have to be!

I love the organization of Martha Stewart's craft line sold by Home Decorators Collection. If you had the space for it (a corner of a basement?), don’t you think it would be easy to replicate some of these pieces by using dowel rods and ikea cubbies?

I have been making “unda-style” quesadillas for lunch lately. Yum! You should try it!

Here’s a good article from the archives of Touchstone Magazine: “Bad Books for Kids: A Guide to the World of Youth Literature and What You Can Do About It.”

Mothering Is Spiritual Work

2011-07-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

{"Laundry Day," Painting by Sascalia, available on Etsy}

When life gets busy, blogging takes the back seat. Of course, life hasn't been busy because our family is experiencing anything extraordinary or noteworthy. I have been busy with the ordinary demands of mothering three young children. Changing diapers. Folding laundry. Making it through the day. And then cleaning up from the day. Although I really enjoy it, the cycle can sometimes feel mundane. Years ago I was introduced to the writings of Amy Carmichael, and recently some of her words have been running through my head:

"If by doing some work
Which the undiscerning consider 'not spiritual work,'
I can best help others,
And inwardly I rebel,
Thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave,
When in truth it is the interesting and exciting,
Then I know nothing of Calvary love."

The seemingly mundane moments of motherhood are not any less spiritual than any other work which is so easily idealized. For the Christian, all work is so-called "spiritual work." Mothering is spiritual work.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no.8}

2011-06-27T13:46:00.001-05:00

Oh dear. I haven’t posted since last Monday! Well, for now I’m simply checking in to share one of this week’s meatless meals. One of my favorite meals is thai peanut chicken with rice and steamed vegetables. I’ve decided I should try this meal without the chicken.

Thai Peanut Stir Fry
Ingredients
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup snow peas, cut in half diagonally
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup shelled edamame, thawed
1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
1 cup thin carrot sticks, cut into 1-inch segments
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, flour, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. In small saucepan, whisk together peanut butter with 1/2 cup hot water. Stir in soy sauce mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Reserve.
Add about 3 tablespoons olive oil to a big skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir for about two minutes. Stir in the vegetables, salt, and pepper. Cover with a lid for a minute or two to steam--just long enough for the veggies to brighten and start to soften.
Pour the peanut sauce over the vegetables. Serve with rice.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 7}

2011-06-20T08:00:00.004-05:00

{Photo from 101cookbooks.com}

For one of this week’s meatless meals, I am compelled to share another recipe by Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com (see two previous recommendations here and here). This tasty asparagus and brown rice is really good. It uses tahini and lemon, so the flavor has a tangy kick. Also, I love the crunch added by the almonds.

The American Flag and Liturgical Worship

2011-06-15T20:02:00.002-05:00

{Painting by Artist Chris Peters}

In honor of Flag Day on June 14, the National Review Online featured an article by Leon and Amy Cass. The article summarizes the history of the American Flag and why respect for the flag is “so necessary and desirable.” It concludes:

The universal philosophical principles can command the assent of the mind. But they cannot by themselves attach the loyalties of the heart. For that we need symbols and songs, stories and speeches. We need holidays and rituals, shared times for remembering and appreciating. We need ordered respite from commerce and amusement — and politicking — for expressions of communal gratitude.

In my opinion, the Casses build an excellent case for liturgical worship. In fact, they seem to propose that humans have an innate need which can only be fulfilled by something bigger than ourselves and even bigger than our intellect. We need the church year. We need liturgy.

Symbols, songs, and stories help our hearts ascend to that place where our minds might already reside. Doctrines and dogma by themselves aren’t enough to move our hearts. Our hearts are swayed by the holidays and rituals that we experience in community. For that reason, every week Christians come together to receive ordered respite from commerce and amusement for the ultimate expression of communal gratitude--The Great Thanksgiving, that is, the Eucharist.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 6}

2011-06-13T10:28:00.002-05:00

There is a family-owned grocery store only a mile from our house (it’s not a chain!), and they carry homemade breads from a nearby bakery. A package of whole wheat pita bread was on sale for $0.99!

So, one of this week’s meatless meals will be pitas, filled with a black beans and corn. This combination of ingredients is so easy (no cooking!), and it is really good. Also, it allows for lots of variations--you could try serving it in tortillas, over spanish rice, or with tostito chips.

Black Bean and Corn Pitas
Ingredients
2 cups black beans, soaked and rinsed (or a 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels
2 tomatoes on the vine, diced
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 avocado, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar
Whole wheat pita bread

Directions
In a microwave safe bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cumin, chili powder, avocado, salt, and black pepper. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture is slightly warm. Stir in cheese. Serve this dish family style with pita bread. Everyone can fill their own pita pocket.

A Prayer for the Day of Pentecost

2011-06-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

O God the Holy Ghost 
Who art light unto thine elect, evermore enlighten us. 
Thou who art fire of love, evermore enkindle us. 
Thou who art Lord and Giver of Life, evermore live in us.
Thou who bestowest sevenfold grace, evermore replenish us. 

As the wind is thy symbol, so forward our goings. 
As the dove, so launch us heavenwards. 
As water, so purify our spirits. 
As a cloud, so abate our temptations. 
As dew, so revive our languor. 
As fire, so purge our dross 

Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Celebrating Pentecost Sunday

2011-06-11T14:32:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church! The color red celebrates when the Holy Spirit came down on the Apostles in tongues of fire. Will you and your family be wearing red to church?

Another traditional symbol for the Holy Spirit is the dove. I was browsing through some vintage dove brooches on Etsy (for example, see here, here, and here), but I didn’t get one ordered in time for tomorrow. Maybe I will still buy one to wear next year.

For a while now, I’ve had an idea in my mind of a “Pentecost cake.” Of course, it didn’t turn out as perfectly as I had imagined, but I hope to improve on it every year. To imitate flames, I wanted to drizzle the colors on the cake. However, I wanted frosting, not glaze. So I purchased a container of frosting and briefly heated it in the microwave. I was able to drizzle the frosting while it was warm, and then it returned to its normal consistency after it cooled. The cake is topped with a little dove, sitting nestled among some strawberries.

I also think that lighting sparklers would be a fun Pentecost tradition for when our kids are a little older. Do you have any special ideas for celebrating Pentecost with your family?

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 5}

2011-06-06T15:06:00.001-05:00

Inspired by some delicious quinoa dishes, I created my own. It's healthy and delicious, and it's meatless.

Moroccan Quinoa with Peas and Zucchini
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup water
2 small zucchini
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 14-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, curry powder, and chili powder.
1/4 cup lightly packed cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat the quinoa, water, and the can of diced tomatoes until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when tender and when you can see the curlique in each grain. When the quinoa is done, set aside.

While the quinoa cooks, cut zucchini into 1/2 inch thick coins. Then cut each zucchini coin into quarters. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, and zucchini. Cook until onions are translucent and zuchinni is tender, five minutes. Add chickpeas and peas. Cook two minutes. Turn heat to low, and stir in peanut butter. Add ginger, cumin, curry, and chili powder. Toss the quinoa with the vegetable mixture. Add salt, pepper, and cilantro.

Happy Ascension Day

2011-06-02T14:33:00.000-05:00

Today is Ascension Day. Taking our cue from Jessica, we’ll be heading to a nearby park and picnicking on top of the hill for dinner tonight.

Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages...Amen.

The Four Best Children's Books for Toddlers

2011-06-02T13:50:00.000-05:00

Since I have three little ones, I thought this would be an appropriate post that could be helpful for an expecting mother. This short list contains a couple of the predictable classics and a couple unusual ones.

In order for a book to make it to the top of my list, both the words and the illustrations must be beautiful. I find it interesting that there is a correlation between the books I like the most and the books my toddler likes the most. Perhaps it’s simply a matter of preference, but neither my toddler nor I are really fans of the mindless words and pictures in some toddler books. When I read my son one of those books, he stares blankly at the pages. But when I read from these books, he comes alive--smiling, talking, and pointing.

Pat the Bunny
Nothing came take the place of this classic book in a family’s library. It is perfect for little ones who are just starting to respond to books.

Goodnight Moon
Another must-have classic. I love how the story is a soothing poem, written in simple rhyme. The illustrations enhance the story--the bedroom gets darker with every page that is turned.

Scholastic First Picture Dictionary
I think I would have naturally gravitated away from dictionaries if someone hadn’t given them to us (we also have this one and this one). However, they turned out to be some of my toddler’s favorite books! The Scholastic First Picture Dictionary is the best. It contains more than 700 words and pictures. It it perfect for little ones who are naturally working on expanding their vocabulary.

I Am a Bunny
This is a little-known book was written in the 1960s. It is my go-to book for gifts because I can be pretty certain that the family doesn’t already own it. Both the story and the illustrations are lovely, which makes it a favorite.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 4}

2011-05-30T13:44:00.002-05:00

I haven’t done any menu planning for the week ahead. We traveled for Memorial Day weekend, and we’re getting home late tonight. I am sure we’ll be eating some meatless meals, I just don’t know what they will be! If you’d like some meatless inspiration, check out these posts...

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 1}

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 2}

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 3}

Fork Card Holder

2011-05-27T15:07:00.001-05:00

I enjoy giving plants as gifts. Sometimes when I'm at Goodwill, I pick up a few pretty forks. They can add a sweet touch to the plant. I can’t remember where I saw this idea (a magazine? a blog?), but I have been doing it for a while.

Also, do you like the card as much as I do? I love vintage-inspired images.

Atheism and Chess

2011-05-25T11:15:00.000-05:00

I saw a newspaper article that made reference to a high school’s “atheist club.” I wonder if these clubs are common and if anyone else senses an irony. I understand an atheist to be someone who denies or disbelieves the existence of God. Do not clubs usually consist of people who share a common interest? An atheist club is a non-interest in God. It is like forming a non-chess club for people who are against the game of chess. And wouldn’t the existence of a non-chess club help to validate the existence of the game of chess?

While on the topic of atheism, my college philosophy professor, Dr. Jim Spiegel, has a great little book on the subject--The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief. He approaches the issue with a unique perspective, and the book is insightful and very readable.

Easy Homemade Birthday Present for Kids

2011-05-24T08:38:00.000-05:00

Our friends hosted a birthday party for their son on Saturday, and this is what I made for him. Homemade play dough is the perfect, frugal children’s birthday gift. It didn’t cost me a cent!

I used some of McCormick’s neon food coloring, which is a fun change from the usual colors. I dyed the play dough neon green, neon blue, and green.
I have 8 oz. tin containers from when I sold candles in my Etsy shop (now I just focus on my spool stands).
I stacked them and tied them in a mesh bag that I got from who-knows-where (you know, one of those things that I would see sitting in my closet and think, "Why on earth am I saving this?").

Homemade Play Dough Ingredients
1 cup flour 
1/2 cup salt 
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water 
1 1/2 tablespoons oil 
Food coloring (I used five drops)

Homemade Play Dough Directions

Mix the flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a pot. Set aside.

In a glass measuring cup, mix the water, oil, and food coloring.

Pour the wet ingredients into the pot of dry ingredients. Carefully mix well until combined.

Cook over medium heat while stirring for about one or two minutes. This step can go quickly, so carefully watch the mixture lest you overcook it. The dough will get clumpy, and then it will start to pull away from the sides of the pan. When this happens, it is done.

Quickly scrape the dough into a ball and remove it from the pan. Let is sit on parchment paper. It will continue to harden as it cools off. Once cool, store in an airtight container.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 3}

2011-05-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

{Photo from Hedi.}

I am really excited to share this week's meatless meal--Double Broccoli Quinoa. It is so yummy! It's another recipe by Heidi Swanson of www.101cookbooks.com. Half of the broccoli gets pureed into a pesto, and the other half is cut into little florets. Then it's tossed with some quinoa, sliced avocado, and slivered almonds.

If you aren't familiar with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), it's an incredibly nutrient-dense grain. It is the only grain that contains all eight amino acids, making it a complete protein. It has a deliciously light, nutty flavor. You can usually find quinoa in any grocery store.

Seven Quick Takes Friday

2011-05-20T15:45:00.001-05:00

Today I am joining Jennifer by posting seven quick takes...

I am happy to report that the lentil soup was just as good as I had hoped it would be. The coconut milk added a delicious layer to the flavors!

This is an interesting article about the abortion debate. Timothy Dalrymple explains why he believes the tide is turning: (1) young adults have seen too many sonograms of children in the womb, and (2) militant feminism is rapidly becoming a thing of the past, something associated with aging baby boomers.

I came across this blog post and was struck by the photos of the brussel sprouts. I can’t believe it, but I never knew how brussel spouts grew! They look so incredible! Just like Wendell Berry says, this is a perfect example of how the food industry has turned the eater into a passive consumer.

I am working on a fun little project for a child’s birthday party tomorrow. I’m excited to share the results next week!

About Eastertide, my new-favorite-writer Joan Chittiser writes: "It is a time of unbounded assurance and a sense of limitless liberation. It is hope and faith and trust all bound into one in us. It is the fifty great days of illumination meant to carry us across the darkness of life’s divides (page 176, emphasis added).

Easter Centerpiece

2011-05-19T11:00:00.001-05:00

This is the Easter centerpiece that I made this year. A great thing about celebrating Easter as an Anglican is that you can keep your Easter decorations up for fifty days! (Easter season is the period of fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday.)

The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life

2011-05-18T07:23:00.000-05:00

Wow. Joan Chittiser is such a good writer. I’ve really enjoyed her book The Liturgical Year. And if the title sounds a little bland, allow me to add the subtitle: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life. The phrase has been bouncing around in my head for a while now. I love Chittiser's use of language. Usually the word “spiral” is paired with the word “downward.” But the subtitle of this book evokes the image of an upward spiral--a gradual ascent to holiness. Here are some quotes that I've enjoyed...

“The liturgical year is an adventure in bringing the Christian life to fullness, the heart to alert, the soul to focus. It does not concern itself with the questions of how to make a living. It concerns itself with the questions of how to make a life” (page 4, emphasis added).

“The liturgical year is the year that sets out to attune the life of the Christian to the life of Jesus, the Christ. It proposes, year after year, to immerse us over and over again into the sense and substance of the Christian life, until, eventually, we become what we say we are--followers of Jesus all the way to the heart of God. The liturgical year is an adventure in human growth, an exercise in human ripening.” (page 6, emphasis added)

“The liturgical year is the process of slow, sure immersion in the life of Christ that, in the end, claims us, too, as heralds of that life ourselves” (page 13).

“Liturgical time is the arc that affixes the layers of life. It binds heaven and earth into one and the same rhythm. Rather than give ourselves totally to life as we know it here and now, liturgical time raises our sights above the dailiness of life to the essence of life” (page 39, emphasis added).

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 2}

2011-05-16T13:13:00.000-05:00

{Photo from here.}

Right now I am really into Heidi Swanson of www.101cookbooks.com. This week one of our meatless meals will be Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter. It's from her cookbook, and it looks amazing. The recipe is featured here.

I try to cook with lentils regularly, but I don't particularly care for their texture or flavor. I think this recipe has lots of potential because the ingredients are pureed. Also, it calls for ingredients such as curry powder and coconut milk, which should hide that distinctly lentil flavor.

I plan to serve this soup with fresh corn on the cob. For last week's meatless meal, check out this post.

Pretty Stamps

2011-05-13T14:38:00.000-05:00

My husband came home from the post office with a page of pretty bird stamps. He said he bought them because he knew I would like them. He was right. Apparently the Nature of America series was made up of twelve different panes of stamps featuring scenes of different ecosystems in the United States. The Rainforest of Hawaii is the final pane in the series.

The Basics to Starting a Square Foot Garden

2011-05-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned at the end of this post, I am attempting to grow a square foot garden this spring. I’ve had vegetable gardens before, but I always felt intimidated by square foot gardening. I would see other bloggers post pictures of their gardens, and I assumed it was super difficult and that I would have to buy lots of book to learn how to grow a square foot garden.

I am sure some books wouldn’t hurt, but I was surprised to find everything I needed to know on www.squarefootgardening.org. This website is maintained by Mel Bartholomew, the inventor of square foot gardening. Here are some of the important benefits and features of SFG...

Square foot gardening requires less work than conventional gardening. You don’t need any heavy tools to loosen the soil because the soil is never compacted. Also, square foot gardening requires very little weeding because of the loose soil and raised beds.
The size is an important feature of the square foot garden bed. Since you won’t walk on your garden, the garden must not be wider than 4 feet. Any wider makes it too difficult to reach across and tend to the plants. Mel recommends making 4’x4’ garden beds, although you could do something like 4’x6’ or 4’x8’.
Fill the garden box with a mixture of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 coarse vermiculite. No dirt is needed! It's best to make your own compost from many ingredients so that the plants receive all the nutrients they need. The peat moss and vermiculite help hold moisture and keep the soil loose.
A 4’x4’ square foot garden will produce more than a normal 8x10 foot garden! The grid is the unique feature that makes the whole system work so well. It is very difficult to organize and manage a 4’x4’ space unless it’s divided up into squares. Without the grid, you will be tempted to plant in rows, which is a poor use of space.
The grid divides a 4’x4’ garden bed into 16 easy-to-manage spaces. You can up to 16 plants in one of the 1’x1’ spaces! You can grow 1, 4, 9, or 16 equally spaced plants per square foot. If the seed packet recommends to plant the seeds 12 inches apart, then plant one seed per square foot. If 6 inch spacing; 4 per square foot. If 4 inch spacing; 9 per square foot. If 3 inch spacing; 16 per square foot.

If you’re interested, go here to check out Mel’s "three basics" and his "ten steps." I decided that I should start small this summer. So I am using one 4’x4’ box. This is my planting grid...

While on the subject of gardening, check out this post from the archives. I love writer Wendell Berry's seven tips on how to eat responsibly.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 1}

2011-05-09T13:17:00.004-05:00

I usually cook a few meatless meals during the week (see some good ones here and here), and when I do include meat, it's never the main focus of the meal. I want to begin a series featuring one meatless meal every week. For dinner tonight, we will be eating...

Brown Rice and Spinach Casserole
This surprisingly good recipe is from a A Continual Feast: A cookbook to celebrate the joys of family and faith throughout the Christian year. I love its title. It draws from 1 Corinthians 5:8, but liturgical Christians will also recognize that it draws from the Eucharistic prayer (“Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast.”).

Carrot Ginger Soup
Once I had a delicious carrot and ginger soup at a local restaurant, and I was inspired to create my own. To make this soup, puree several cooked carrots with a few cups vegetable broth. Then add salt, pepper, onion powder, and ginger to taste. Serve the soup hot and enjoy the lovely orange color!

Homemade Wheat and Flaxseed Bread
The good thing about this recipe is that it makes two loaves!

Homemade Bread for Mother’s Day

2011-05-07T13:27:00.002-05:00

I haven’t baked very much since giving birth to our twins in January, and I am starting to miss it! This bread recipe was passed on to me by a friend, and it is delicious. It will make the perfect little something to give my mom on Mother’s Day.

Wheat and Flaxseed Bread
Ingredients
4 1/2 tsp yeast (2 packets) 
2 cups warm water (around 110 degrees) 
2 tsp salt 
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola oil 
2 1/2 cups wheat flour
1 cup freshly ground flax seeds
2 1/2 to 3 cups white flour

Directions
Dissolve yeast in warm water and add the rest of the ingredients. Start kneading as you add the ingredients. Stop adding the last cup of white flour when the dough pulls away cleanly from the side of the bowl. Total kneading time should be 5-7 minutes. Let rise in bowl until about double or for about 45 minutes. Punch down and place in two greased medium bread pans. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Seven Quick Takes Friday

2011-05-06T21:46:00.005-05:00

{Image from here.}

Tonight I'm joining Jennifer by posting seven quick takes...

Is it true that Easter Sunday was nearly two weeks ago? I don’t know where the time has gone! I think our household has finally recovered from Holy Week. Perhaps now I will find the time and energy to resume blogging. My break was unplanned!

Before this topic is totally outdated, I have a Lenten thought: It occurred to me that Lent is the appropriate season for one to go through his or her belongings in order to give things away. Yes, I believe that even spring cleaning can become part of living the church year! We have so much excess and so much that we don’t need . Lent calls us to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. As we prayerfully ask the Lord to meet our needs, we can learn to abstain from hoarding and greed, and we can give our belongings to the poor.

Doesn’t this sound so fresh and delicious? I think I will try walnuts, oranges, and cranberry juice.

"I wonder what percent of the population of adoptive parents are Christians?" my husband mused last week. Coincidentally, on Sunday our priest referenced this very idea. He told a story of an adoption class where every single couple in attendance happened to be Christians. I find this to be a very strong argument for the Christian ethic and for how Christians improve society.

Our new house doesn’t have a front door, which makes it challenging to landscape the front yard. Based on all my Google searches, it seems that no one else has ever struggled with this dilemma! Last weekend my husband used our minivan to pull out the unattractive shrubs that dwarfed our house. Now we just need to figure out what should take their place!

I stumbled upon this cookbook the other day (and the blogger behind it). It has been added to my Amazon wishlist, to say the least!

I love the letterpress designs of Dutch Door Press. I have purchased some of their cards over the years, and now I have been eyeing their state bird prints. Wouldn’t a set of three look so pretty framed on a wall?

Easter Bells for the Great Noise

2011-04-23T09:15:00.005-05:00

Our twins are going to be baptized at the Easter Vigil, so we will have family attending the service with us this evening. I want to make sure everyone is well-equipped with bells for the Great Noise. I stopped by Goodwill, and here’s what I found...

I didn’t want the colored bells to look too Christmasy, so I gave them a quick coat of spray paint. I sprayed the larger bells while I was it...those oldfashioned bells are sweet, but they aren’t really my thing. My apologies to anyone who collects them. Then I attached the small bells to some sticks, and here is my finished project...

Much better. And much more fun than cleaning the kitchen while everyone is napping!

Some Brief Anglican Reflections on Holy Week

2011-04-21T13:50:00.001-05:00

A few days ago my husband said, “I saw someone with a ‘He Is Risen’ sign on their door already.” I realize this person is not in the minority. I also grew up celebrating Easter in the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday, rather than the weeks following Easter Sunday. But resurrection can’t come unless it is preceded by death. And the Church must enter into the sorrow of death in order to appreciate the joy of resurrection.

For this reason, the Church observes Lent. On Sundays during Lent, we refrain from saying “Alleluia” at the usual spots during the service. This is because we are waiting for the Great Alleluia, after which the congregation is encouraged to ring the bells they have brought for the Great Noise.

How often do we want to skip the sorrow and head straight to the joy? We want to get to the good stuff as fast as we can. But we must wait. We must join Thomas in saying, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). Because with Jesus, death is always followed by resurrection.

Quick, Easy Easter Craft

2011-04-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

This little Easter project is perfect for kids or adults! These eggs will look lovely displayed on Easter morning on a bed of moss or in a pretty dish.

Our Easter Menu

2011-04-19T12:53:00.000-05:00

I’m getting excited already! We’ll be having...

Seven Quick Takes Friday

2011-04-15T06:15:00.000-05:00

Today I'm joining Jennifer by posting seven quick takes...

My husband gave our sixteen-month-old son his first haircut earlier this week. I cried. I am still not used to it, and I still wish his hair was long again.

We had this meal this week, and it was a big hit. If I am cooking with meat, I try not to make it the main dish. This recipe is good because the edamame is also a source of protein.

My mom gave me a Keurig Brewer for Christmas. Previously I have teased her for owning one herself, citing how the k-cups are overpriced are wasteful, not to mention how the Keurig Brewer lacks the intangible quality of sharing a pot of coffee with others. So I should have immediately returned the gift, and under normal circumstances I would have, but I didn’t. You see, I have three children under the age of two, and I really appreciate the convenience of the Keurig Brewer. Of course, I have every intention of returning to the old fashioned coffee maker someday, when life becomes a little less crazy.

I just finished going through More with Less, a collection of Mennonite recipes and tips. The cookbook’s intention is to encourage people to eat less meat and use less of the worlds resources. I am excited to try some the of the recipes. Here’s one tip that I liked: Keep a bag or container in your freezer to collect old pieces of bread. When the bag is full, you can use the bread to make bread crumbs or croutons. Sometimes I find myself throwing away a piece or two of crumbled bread when I get to the end of the loaf. Now I have something to do with those pieces!

I also just finished this book. I liked it and would recommend it. It’s nothing too profound, but it’s filled with lots of encouragement practical advice. It doesn’t hurt that the cover is adorable.

Speaking of adorable book covers, take a look at the covers of these new Penguin Threads Deluxe Classics. So beautiful.

We will be planting our square foot garden this weekend. I’ve had a vegetable garden for the past couple years, but this will be our first attempt at square foot gardening. I’m excited! Did you know that a 4x4 foot square garden will produce more than a normal 8x10 foot garden?

Vegetarian Recipe: Rockin Moroccan Stew

2011-04-13T16:26:00.003-05:00

{Photo from here.}

Our vegetarian-friend introduced this stew to us a few months ago. I made it this week and was reminded of how delicious it is! Even my husband, who is usually picky about sweet potatoes, loves this meal. It’s a great Lenten recipe to try during these last days of Lent...

Rockin Moroccan Stew
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup each diced celery and chipped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes
1 can (14-½ oz) tomatoes, drained and cut up
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp grated gingerroot
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbsp light peanut butter
2 tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large, non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.   Add all remaining ingredients, except raisins, peanut butter, and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.   Stir in raisins, peanut butter, and cilantro. Mix well. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

I omitted the raisins because I didn’t have them. Also, I doubled the amount of peanut butter and cilantro, and if you like these flavors, then I recommend doing this! This stew tastes wonderful served over brown rice.

Easy DIY Moss Letter

2011-04-07T13:02:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick project you can try. You will need the following supplies...

Moss (These bags are available for $1 at Dollar Tree)
Wood or cardboard letter (My local JoAnn had their letters on sale last weekend. They have some really gorgeous, big ones; unfortunately, I didn't think I'd have a place for one so large)
Hot glue gun
Craft paint
Paintbrush

Begin by painting your letter to match the color of your moss.

Then use the hot glue to attach bunches of moss a little at a time. Continue until the entire letter is covered.

Finally, display and enjoy!

Whipped Banana Oatmeal

2011-04-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

[image from katheats]

Are you like me in that you peel and freeze the overripe bananas that weren't eaten by your household? Then the bananas are waiting conveniently in the freezer for smoothies and for baking. Maybe some of you are also like me in that your stock of frozen bananas grows a lot faster than you use them!

Well here is another wonderful way to use those bananas, and it doesn’t require baking, which can sometimes to daunting! Whipped banana oatmeal. Doesn’t even the name make your mouth water? Previously I made it on the stovetop, like she suggests, but making it in the microwave works well too. I add ground flax seeds to the recipe. She offers many variations, but my favorite is to top it with almonds and a little brown sugar.

I’ve realized that adding a ripe banana is also a great way to sweeten oatmeal for my little son. I just pull one from the freezer, and I plop it in the bowl before microwaving.

While on the subject of bananas...when I do bake (something I’ve yet to do since giving birth to my twins in January!), this is my favorite healthy banana muffin recipe, and this banana cake is delicious.

Giveaway Winner

2011-04-05T09:43:00.000-05:00

Thanks to those of you who supported my Etsy giveaway! The winner is commenter #4, 31Summers. She will receive this spool stand.

A Prayer: To Be a Sacrifice

2011-04-01T11:00:00.000-05:00

Father of all

You who poured out your love upon all humankind

Help me to willingly pour out myself

For the sake of my husband, my children, and the world

Jesus, Savior of the world

You who poured out your very self as you hung upon the cross

Help me to willingly pour out myself

For the sake of my husband, my children, and the world

Spirit of God

You who poured out your breath upon the Church

Help me to willingly pour out myself

For the sake of my husband, my children, and the world

My Car Makeup Bag (or, “How to Get Out the Door for Church On Time”)

2011-03-30T20:06:00.001-05:00

This little trick is the only way my family makes it out the door in time for church, and maybe it will be helpful to another mother...

Since we have three little ones, Sunday mornings can be rough. I spend time getting the babies dressed and making sure they have nursed before we leave. I am lucky if I have time to brush my hair in the morning! So I have “duplicates” of my essential makeup items in a travel bag. I grab the bag on the way out the door, and I utilize the time during our brief car ride to apply my makeup. Have “duplicates,” rather then using my actual makeup, is helpful in case the makeup bag doesn’t make it out of the car with me on Sunday afternoon!

Spool Stand Giveaway

2011-03-28T13:30:00.002-05:00

I went on maternity leave from my Etsy shop back in November of 2009, and I never reopened the shop. I have decided that if I feel capable of resuming blogging, then I am capable of reopening my shop!

In honor of the occasion, I am giving away a spool stand to one lucky reader. My spool stand is a great item for those who love pretty ribbons but can never find the perfect way to store them! It keeps all your spools of ribbon together in an organized way.

To enter this giveaway, please visit my Etsy shop to find your favorite spool stand color and shape. Then leave a comment indicating which color/shape combination you would choose if you win! This giveaway closes on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. central time. Thanks for entering!

Sharing the Feast of the Annunciation with Little Ones

2011-03-28T09:00:00.010-05:00

Friday was the Feast of the Annunciation. On this day the Church celebrates the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would give birth to a son. The Holy Spirit overshadowed the humble virgin, and she conceived our Lord.

I asked my husband why this feast takes place during Lent. It seems to be a little out of place within the church calendar. The reason is simple. The Church celebrates the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 because it is exactly nine months before December 25, the day when it celebrates Jesus’ birth. Advent is the season of expectation, but every mother knows that the eager expectation begins the moment you discover that there is life in your womb! How wonderful that the Church recognizes this and allows the excitement to begin building even now.

My husband and I hope to bring our children into the rhythm of the church year in creative and age-appropriate ways. They are still very young, but we discussed ideas for how we could celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation with our children a couple years from now. We think that doing a pro-life related activity would be an appropriate way to honor the conception of Jesus. So we found this list of ideas on the internet:

Donate money to a crisis pregnancy center.
Donate your unwanted maternity clothing or baby items.
Organize a baby food and diaper drive at your church.
Volunteer to watch children at the local center.
Open your home to a pregnant woman for the duration of her pregnancy and aftercare.
Offer to pay for an expectant mother’s medical care.
Drive a pregnant woman to her prenatal appointments.
Pay for a crisis pregnancy center ad in the Sunday newspaper.

The First Post, A Second Time

2011-03-27T19:13:00.004-05:00

For some reason, I started thinking about my blog recently. I found myself coming up with ideas and wishing that I was still writing. After a couple weeks of deliberation, I have decided to resume maintaining this blog.

This decision did not come without a lot of consideration. My biggest concern was my motivation. Why would I have a blog? More importantly, for whom would I write? Myself? My ego? Is it a place for inspiration, or is it a place for self-promotion? I don’t want this to be a facade for my own narcissism.

Another concern is that there are times when unconsciously I gravitate to the internet to escape. When I want to turn my mind off. When I want to disengage from the world around me, from my neighbors, and even from my family. I don’t want to be that way. And even worse, I don’t want to cause someone else to be that way. I don’t want to keep my readers from loving their neighbors because they are sitting alone at their desks.

With these concerns on my mind, I cautiously write this new post. A lot has happened in the two years since my last blog post. Actually, our family has experienced several major, life-changing events. I gave birth to our firstborn son. My husband was ordained a priest in the Anglican Church. We moved across the country. And I gave birth to our twin boys. So now I write as someone who has quickly become a mother of three (my son and my twins are only 13 months apart!). I intend for this blog to continue being a collection of the many little pieces that decorate our lives. Welcome to These Little Pieces.

On Dock for This Weekend

2009-03-06T09:01:00.006-06:00

Cook a slightly modified version of these breakfast burritos for the freezer
Transplant my vegetable seedlings into my garden
Grocery shopping
Take photos of new products for my Etsy shop
Tie up the loose ends related to my new (second!) Etsy shop

Using Coupons to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

2009-02-27T10:07:00.005-06:00

When I stumbled upon this recipe, my mouth began to water. It looked delicious! It also seemed to be really convenient. However, it appeared to be very pricey – it calls for a box of brownie mix, pouch of cookie mix, and a container of frosting. If I paid full price for these items at my grocery store, the total would be $7.07! However, these products frequently go on sale, and coupons are nearly always available here.

Here is what I paid to make this recipe:

2 boxes Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix – Buy 1 for $2.99, get 1 free sale
(Used one “$.50 off two boxes” coupon)
Paid $.99 per box

2 pouches Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix – Buy 1 for $2.19, get 1 free sale
(Used two “$.50 off one pouch” coupons)
Paid $.09 per pouch

1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting – On sale for $.99 cents
(Used one “$.55 off one container” coupon)
Paid $.44 per container

So, I paid $1.52 to make one batch of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies. (The rest of the ingredients I already had on hand.) That might not be as cheap as baking from scratch, but it is a lot cheaper that $7.07!

Ash Wednesday Reflections

2009-02-26T13:36:00.005-06:00

{"The Expulsion" by Janice Williams Whiting}

I won’t be surprised if I always remember last night. As I mentioned earlier, it was my first time attending an Ash Wednesday service. I had read the Ash Wednesday liturgy the morning before, but there was something entirely different about participating in it. The words of the liturgy weighed heavily upon me and sank deeply in.

“I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word.”

In the name of the Church. That phrase struck me. By observing a holy Lent, I am uniting myself with the Church – past, present, and future. Some might say, “But Lent isn’t prescribed in Scripture.” No, but the Church, in her wisdom, call us into it. Furthermore, the acts self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial, and meditating certainly are prescribed in Scripture.

“To make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.”

The right beginning of repentance always takes place on our knees.

“…Grant that these ashes may be a sign of our mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

The ashes signify two things – our mortality and our penitence. Our frailty and our failures. That we are dust, and that we are penitent just like those who would mourn in sackcloth and ashes.

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Lent Begins With Ash Wednesday

2009-02-25T09:29:00.006-06:00

My husband and I joined the Anglican Church last year in the middle of the season of Lent, so we have never attended an Ash Wednesday service. Perhaps that’s why I identify so much with the following passage from Ancient Future Time. Robert Webber’s explanation of Ash Wednesday especially addresses those who are new to liturgical worship. He writes:

“Unfortunately some Christians live as though the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ never happened. Our lives become absorbed in the day-to-day experiences of life. We focus on name-brand clothing, the color of our houses, the size of our bank account...We too easily forget our Maker and Redeemer, replacing God with things and ambition. Lent is the season that does something about this situation. It calls us back to God, back to basics, back to the spiritual realities of life. It calls on us to put to death the sin and the indifference we have in our hearts toward God and our fellow persons. And it beckons us to enter once again into the joy of the Lord--the joy of a new life born out of a death to the old life. This is what Ash Wednesday is all about--the fundamental change of life required of those who would die with Jesus and be raised to a new life in him.

For most people coming from my background, an Ash Wednesday service and Lent are quite foreign and somewhat threatening. The Christmas and Advent cycle are much less threatening because Christmas themes are so prevalent in our culture...But Lent is another matter. Lent appears to be dark and foreboding. It reminds Protestants of their worst fears of Roman Catholic practices--ritualism, works, fasting, vigils, and the like. Haven't we been saved from all that (we ask)? Didn't the Reformers free us from having to do works and pilgrimages and such things?

…Perhaps we laughed inside and thought to ourselves, just another mark of an external, ritualistic religion. Perhaps yes, perhaps no. Only God can judge the heart. Aside from that, dare we ask: Does something lie behind that symbol that has the potential to make our journey into Easter more meaningful? After all, what do we do for Easter? Most Protestants don't make any spiritual preparation for the annual celebration of the death and resurrection. For example, when I was growing up the only preparation for Easter made in my home--a deeply committed Christian home at that--was the planning and purchasing of new clothing. Easter was a weekend event. Preparing for Easter for seven weeks was unthinkable, ludicrous, even pagan.

But now I am constrained to ask: Who is the pagan? Yes, it is wrong to go through the motions of Ash Wednesday and Lent in a mechanical, uninvolved way. But it is also wrong to ignore any kind of preparation for the Easter event…We can begin the journey of Lent by the life-changing content of the Ash Wednesday service.”

Robert Webber, Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004) 99-100.

Pendant Light Transformation on a Budget

2009-02-13T07:18:00.005-06:00

For only $20.99, we transformed our outdated entryway light into a stylish, vintage-looking chandelier. (I thought I had a picture of the original light fixture, but I don't. The light looked a lot like the one shown in the “before” picture.)

Step 1: For $17.00, we purchased this pendant from IKEA. This IKEA light is actually only a “shade” (i.e., the light fixture is not included). So when we removed our old light fixture, we retained the base, electric cord, socket, and chain. I spray painted the base and chain with silver spray paint. Then we slipped on the new shade and attached the base back to the ceiling. I am very pleased with the results.

Step 2: For an additional $3.99, I purchased this light bulb. I learned about these bulbs here on Apartment Therapy, and I found them at my local grocery store. The bulb reflects a lovely light pattern on the ceiling and adds such a nice touch!

Spring Vegetable Garden

2009-02-12T07:43:00.001-06:00

Those of use who live in the south are already thinking about our gardens. My spring vegetable garden will include broccoli, red peppers, scallions, and various spices. I’ve found that rosemary and thyme grow really well here. I have never grown broccoli before, but I am hoping that we can eat lots of fresh broccoli this spring. Last spring I grew red peppers, and they continued producing through early fall!

Last weekend I leveled my garden bed and covered it with compost. I started my seeds a little later than I should have, but I still hope to transplant my vegetables into my garden by the second week of March. That might be wishful thinking.

Frugal Side Dish: Sautéed Corn, Bacon, and Scallions

2009-01-16T07:44:00.004-06:00

I strongly recommend keeping this recipe on hand. This side dish is a perfect option for mealtime, and it is a great dish to bring to a party or event. It is easy to make and very tasty. And best of all? It is inexpensive! The ingredients are corn, bacon, scallions, and red pepper flakes. I slightly modify the recipe because I use frozen corn.

{Photo from Martha}

Children, Christmas, and Materialism

2009-01-13T07:50:00.003-06:00

I enjoyed this blogger’s reflections on children, Christmas, and materialism. Although he doesn’t write from a Christian perspective, some of his ideas are worth pondering. He bemoans the happiness that is associated with consumer products, and he presents some ways to counteract it. He writes:

I won’t encourage my children to ask for anything for gifts. This discourages obsessing over Christmas lists and the like. Instead, I’ll just focus on paying attention to them – what are their interests? What are they passionate about? This requires more footwork, but it also stymies a focus on consumerism.

Interesting. I’d never thought about how Christmas lists might encourage consumerism.

{Photo from Martha}

Budgeting For Thanksgiving

2008-11-21T08:04:00.003-06:00

A Thanksgiving meal can put a strain on one’s weekly budget. I’ve been preparing for Thanksgiving by stocking up on sale items; however, many ingredients must be bought fresh. In order to not go over budget, I’ve decided that all our dinners leading up to Thanksgiving will be cooked with only the food that we already have on-hand. Our meals will utilize the frozen chicken in our freezer, frozen vegetables, and applesauce. So my grocery list this weekend will primarily consist of groceries for Thanksgiving. By cutting out some of the things I usually buy on a weekly basis, I can make room in our weekly budget for the special occasion food.

Here are some of the recipes I’ve had my eyes on: Roasted Turkey with Sage, Hard Cider Gravy, Thanksgiving Stuffing, and Favorite Apple Pie.

{Photo from Martha}

The Calendar of the Christian Pilgrim

2008-11-19T10:43:00.006-06:00

{"Little Miss Sunshine" by Robert David Bretz, print available on Etsy }

Jessica Snell, a writer who I blogged about here, has a great post on Advent. I especially appreciate this sentence:

“When you see the year not just as winter, spring, summer, and fall, but as Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time, then the changing seasons don't just remind you that the Earth is circling the Sun, but that God Himself came down onto that Earth in order to save us all.”

Christians are called to be pilgrims, seeking a better country. I love how the church year provides a framework in which to understand the idea of Christian pilgrimage. The world is not our home, and the liturgical calendar provides the Christian with a way to mark time. It reminds us of our heavenward journey, and it directs our gaze towards the place to which we are heading. More on Advent here.

Spinach and Pears Dinner Salad

2008-11-18T07:44:00.001-06:00

This dinner salad is currently one of our favorite meals. Not only is it attractive, but it’s also healthy, tasty, easy, and affordable! I use spinach leaves, broccoli, almond slices (or walnuts), diced pears, and chopped chicken. You can serve it with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Yum!

And the Winner Is…

2008-11-17T07:56:00.003-06:00

Congratulations to Briana, the soy candle giveaway winner! I am excited to send her a handmade soy candle. Briana, please email me at karen00elizabeth{at}gmail{dot}com, telling me your mailing address and your preferred candle scent. Here are your choices:

“Celebrate” is a Christmas candle, bending the smells of crisp pines, cloves, and spices.
“Contemplate” unites the scents of coconut milk, brown sugar, fig fruit, and vanilla.

“Illuminate” smells like clean, floral soap, reminiscent of a cherry blossom tree.
“Appreciate” combines the fragrances of cucumber, melon, and honeydew.
“Rejuvenate” smells like my favorite spring flowers – hyacinth flowers.

Thanks to everyone who participated! You made my first giveaway very exciting!

Handmade Soy Candles as Christmas Gifts

2008-11-11T18:59:00.001-06:00

In my effort to give handmade Christmas gifts this year, I have been collecting pretty jars and decorative glasses to use to make soy candles. Usually I make my candles in little tins and sell them on my Etsy site, but for these Christmas gifts, I wanted to do something slightly different. Some pictures of my new candles are forthcoming, but in the meantime…

I thought it would be fun to give a blog reader one of the candles I sell on Etsy. Consider it an early Christmas present. To be entered to win an 8 oz. handmade soy candle, please leave a comment on this post. The commenting will be open until Friday. I will randomly select a commenter over the weekend to whom I will mail a scented soy candle of their choice. Stay tuned to find out if you’re the winner!

Meatless Meal: Twice-Baked Tex-Mex Potato

2008-11-07T08:18:00.002-06:00

I’ve heard some people recommend that the best way to lower your grocery bill is to eat at least one meatless meal a week. This is a great recipe from Whole Foods that I tried last night – it is healthy, frugal, and tasty!

{Photo from Whole Foods}

Advent: Coming Back Around to What Is True

2008-11-03T09:24:00.003-06:00

Many Christian traditions celebrate Advent and Easter, yet they have abandoned the rest of the church calendar. I am learning how Advent and Easter fit into a bigger picture. Beginning with Advent, the liturgical calendar traces the events of Christ’s life and conforms our lives to his. In the rhythm of the church year, our lives become hid with Christ. We find our life in his life. His story becomes our story. Why participate in this ordering rhythm throughout the year? Here is Thomas Howard's explanation in The Liturgy Explained:

“The idea in all of this is the same as in all human celebrations and anniversaries: it is a good thing for us mortal creatures to be vividly reminded at regular intervals of something that is always true anyway (a marriage, a birth). It helps us. It freshens our imagination. Perhaps angels experience an eternal, perfectly clear, sameness of awareness. We cannot. We have to keep coming back around to what is true.”

As we approach Advent and come back around to the truth of Christ’s birth, we are called to prepare our hearts for the coming of God to us – not only in his Nativity, but also in his Second Coming.

[Quote from Howard, Thomas and Betsy Corwin. The Liturgy Explained. Wilton, Conn: Morehouse-Barlow, 1981 (37).]

Handmade Gifts

2008-10-24T13:16:00.004-05:00

I hope to give more handmade gifts for Christmas this year. They are often more economical and more personal. This blog contains several great craft tutorials. My mom’s birthday is coming up, and last week I made two felted pomanders for her. Instead of using felted wool, I just used regular felt sold at craft stores. They turned out beautifully! The pearl pins transform the felt into something elegant.

[Picture form Belz White’s blog]

Cheddar Corn Chowder

2008-10-07T10:51:00.001-05:00

If you are looking for a good fall recipe, you must try Barefoot Contessa’s Cheddar Corn Chowder. It is so delicious! My mom often made this soup for my family growing up, and now my husband and I frequently enjoy it. I was surprised to find the recipe available online. The recipe makes an enormous amount of soup, so unless you have a big stock-pot, you might want to cut it in half. The soup can be frozen and saved for last-minute occasions. More on that idea here.

Planning a Party: Fall Brunch

2008-10-06T09:31:00.004-05:00

I enjoy brainstorming about planning a tea party or a ladies luncheon, imagining how the food, décor, and ambiance would help create a lovely occasion. I understand that sometimes finances and schedules don’t permit parties like these very often, but they are still fun to imagine! “Planning a Party” is a new feature that will explore these ideas. Today we will imagine hosting a fall brunch.

For this fall brunch, I imagine a festive, warm, and inviting atmosphere. The décor utilizes colors commonly associated with fall, with an added punch of pink. The table is covered with vintage fabric found on Etsy, and it’s set with Mikasa Italian Countryside dishes. The centerpieces would be glittered pumpkins. The napkins are from Ikea. Martha’s paper lanterns are strung over the table. Norah Jones is playing softly in the background. There is lots of tasty food, but the guests say that their favorites are the mini ham and egg casseroles (because they are darling!) and the glazed orange scones (because they are delicious!).

Cooking a Chicken in the Crock-Pot

2008-10-01T14:38:00.004-05:00

After reading this post, a reader asked me to describe how I cook a whole chicken in my crock-pot. Here is my recipe:

Crock-Pot Whole Chicken
Ingredients
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder

Additional Items
½ cup water
Tinfoil (optional)

Sprinkle the spices on the chicken. [I am quite liberal with them, and I probably use more of each ingredient than this recipe officially calls for. I peel back some of the skin so that the spices get underneath it, then I fold the skin back into place.]
Pour ½ cup water into the bottom of the crock-pot.
Place the chicken in the crock-pot, making sure it is slightly elevated. [The chicken needs to be elevated on something inside the crock-pot, or else it becomes too greasy. I have a small, metal cooking rack that fits inside my crock-pot. So I place the rack on the bottom of the crock-pot and place the chicken on top of it. An alternate option is to create three balls (2-3 inches in diameter) from tinfoil. You can put these balls on the bottom of the crock-pot and place the chicken upon them.]
Cook the chicken on low for 8-9 hours, depending on the size of the chicken.
Serve the chicken as is, or make a gravy from the juices in the crock-pot.

A Tasty Recipe

2008-09-24T13:51:00.001-05:00

These glazed orange scones are delicious! I found the recipe here.

[Photo from http://theblackapple.typepad.com]

From Outdated to Updated

2008-09-22T14:49:00.002-05:00

I love the “before and after” pictures of this bathroom. They almost make me wish we had an outdated, pink bathroom just so I could make similar updates!

[Pictures from Real Simple]

Hospitality at Its Best

2008-09-18T08:53:00.005-05:00

“When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:12-14).

I'm challenged Miroslav Volf's explanation of Luke 14 from his book Practicing Theology: “From this we may conclude that hospitality at its best should not be part of the economy of exchange among equals or with superiors, but instead be part of an economy of donation to the destitute and weak. So to evaluate whether we were good hosts, we might ask ourselves whether we expected to get as much (or more) out of the invitation as we put in. If we did, we have missed the mark.”

So the best form of hospitality is when we welcome someone into our home who cannot return the favor.

[Quote from Miroslav Volf, “Theology for a Way of Life,” Practicing Theology: Beliefs and Practices in Christian Life (Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans, 2002), 251.]

[Photo from Martha]

Making the Most of Leftovers

2008-06-25T10:13:00.006-05:00

After being thoroughly inspired by this post at Modobject at Home, I decided to try cooking a whole chicken last week. It must have been providential, because whole chickens were on sale for $.79 a pound that weekend! I cooked my chicken in a crock-pot, and it worked wonderfully. We had delicious, tender chicken that night for dinner, and we had plenty of pulled leftover meat for a big batch of white chili soup.

Now I am keeping my eyes open for recipes that can utilize pulled leftover chicken. Casseroles are so unhealthy, so I want some less fattening options. I was excited when the July issue of Real Simple arrived. It contained a delicious looking recipe for chicken enchiladas, and it called for rotisserie chicken. Instead of purchasing a rotisserie chicken, what could be more frugal than using my chicken leftovers? I tweaked the recipe a bit, so here is my variation of it. We enjoyed these enchiladas for dinner last night, and they were really tasty!

Healthy Chicken Enchiladas with Cilantro Flavored Dip
(Adapted from “Chicken Enchiladas” in Real Simple, July 2008)

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 small zucchini, diced
1 small onion, chopped
¾ cup frozen corn
1 ½ cups shredded chicken from a whole or rotisserie chicken
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10-12 tortillas
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 small tomato
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup low-fat sour cream

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and onion, stirring until the onion begins to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken, corn, and ¼ cup of cilantro leaves. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas, sprinkle some cheese inside the tortillas, roll them up, and place them seam-side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 6-8 minutes.
In a food processor, pulse the remaining ½ cup cilantro with tomato, lime juice, and lemon juice until finely chopped. Add this mixture to the sour cream and mix thoroughly. Serve this dip cold with the enchiladas.

Sewing Projects – Making a Gift for Yourself or a Friend

2008-06-19T14:15:00.008-05:00

I’ve seen tutorials for several cute sewing projects recently on the web. These three are my favorites. I would love to have these items for myself, and they would be perfect gifts—thoughtful, pretty, and frugal. I can’t decide which one to try out first!

Elle Tie-On Slippers by Tissuepapers
Linen Pear Sachet by Dacia Ray
Japanese Knot Bag by Show Your Workings

What Price Are We Paying?

2008-06-11T14:39:00.001-05:00

Photo from www.theatlantic.com

The Atlantic recently published an article entitled, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The article discusses how the internet has diminished our attention span and our ability to concentrate. It is worth reading.

On Eating Responsibly

2008-06-10T12:53:00.008-05:00

Wendell Berry’s collection of essays published in What Are People For? includes a particularly interesting essay entitled “The Pleasures of Eating.”

In this essay, Berry asserts that our culture has turned the act of eating into an utterly passive act so that the eater becomes merely a passive consumer. This problem results from how little most eaters know about the agricultural process of producing food. He writes, “When food, in the minds of eaters, is no longer associated with farming and with the land, then the eaters are suffering a kind of cultural amnesia that is misleading and dangerous” (What Are People For?, page 146). He warns that there is a danger in not knowing about the food process, whereby we support an industry that only concerns intself with volume and price.

Photos by my husband.

Berry gives seven tips on how to eat responsibly:

Participate in food production to the extent you can. He suggests having a little garden and making your compost to fertilize it.
Prepare your own food. This gives you measure of “quality control” because you know what has been added to the food you eat.
Learn the origins of the food you buy, and buy the food that is produced closest to your home.
Whenever possible, deal directly with a local farmer, gardener, or orchardist.
Learn as much as you can about the economy and technology of industrial food production. Berry says this is a matter of self-defense.
Learn what is involved in the best farming and gardening.
Learn of the life histories of the food species.

Limes

2008-06-09T10:57:00.003-05:00

We have pretty limes growing from our lime tree. Now I just have to decide how to use them, although I already know that I’ll make raspberry-lime freezes. They are so tasty!

Photo from Martha

Low-Cost Tips on Organization

2008-05-30T08:28:00.004-05:00

I am one of those people who love to find new ways to make my home more organized. The June issue of Real Simple featured a great article called, “99 Low-Cost Organizing Ideas.” The article contained some great tips, and you can view them here.

A Theology of Beauty, Part II

2008-05-27T13:48:00.006-05:00

We spent most of the Memorial Day weekend working outside. In many ways, we’ve done a good job improving our rental property. We have planted five trees, several shrubs, and some flowers. We also started a vegetable garden. However, we have not done a good job taking care of our grass. In fact, it looks really horrible. And the southern heat is really hot. I was convicted by this passage from The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer:

“A Christian individual or organization should not move into a property and turn it into shambles. The opposite should be true. It should grow and blossom into a place of beauty, demonstrating something of the wonder of the One who made plant life to produce seeds in the first place. Christians should have more beautiful gardens, should be more careful to build without cutting down the lovely trees, should be more sensitive about keeping the brook unspoiled as it bubbles through their lands…it seems to be that the beauty which causes strangers to stop and enjoy a garden provides a background and already ‘says something’ which gives an emphasis to what is important to say” (page 88).

So this weekend we decided we better start watering our grass.

Click here to read Part I.

Liturgy: Our Teacher and Helper

2008-05-22T08:18:00.002-05:00

I am new to the liturgy thing, but I am drawn to it. There has been a buzz lately about the increasing number of people who find liturgy appealing. A variety of magazines have reported on the rise of liturgy, ranging from Christianity Today to US News and World Report. I am not sure whether or not their claim is true, but nonetheless, I find myself wondering, what are the benefits of liturgy? Two things come to mind:

First, the liturgy is our teacher. It teaches how we ought to respond to the Lord in worship. More specifically, it teaches us what we ought to say. When a Scripture passage is read, the congregation says, “Thanks be to God!” Thus, the liturgy teaches us how we ought to respond to the Word of God; namely, that our response ought to be thanksgiving. Perhaps the passage being read was a harsh passage about God’s wrath. We might want to respond by saying, “That is too harsh” or “This isn’t for me.” Instead, the liturgy teaches us to say, “Thanks be to God!”

Similarly, the liturgy is our helper. Sometimes our impromptu words don’t do justice to what we want to say. Sometimes there is more to pray than what we can think of on the spot. That is when the liturgy comes to our aid. It helps us by giving us words when we would otherwise be at a loss for words.

A Theology of Beauty

2008-05-14T09:03:00.010-05:00

Christian homes should be dramatic expressions of the gospel message, and they should teach people about God. My favorite book on the subject of reflecting the Lord’s character within our homes is The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer, the wife of Francis Schaeffer. This book is no longer in print, but you can find it used, and I highly recommend it. Edith writes:

"A Christian, above all people, should live artistically, aesthetically, and creatively. We are supposed to be representing the Creator who is there, and who we acknowledge to be there. It is true that all men are created in the image of God, but Christians are supposed to be conscious of that fact, and being conscious of it should recognize the importance of living artistically, aesthetically, and creatively, as creative creatures of the Creator. If we have been created in the image of an Artist, then we should look for expressions of artistry, and be sensitive to beauty, responsive to what has been created for our appreciation" (The Hidden Art of Homemaking, page 32).

Food for Thought from Lauren Winner

2008-05-08T12:57:00.002-05:00

I heard Lauren Winner say, “The world should recognize that we are Christians because we and our children are not over-scheduled.”

Eugene Peterson and Quiet Living

2008-05-06T14:14:00.002-05:00

I enjoyed an article about Eugene Peterson entitled, “A Patient Peterson” by Susan Olasky (World, vol. 23, no. 9, 2008). (It is available online here, but you have to register to see the entire text.)

Peterson and his wife Jan seek to live patiently, quietly, and deliberately. “We like quite, we like rhythm,” the article quotes Peterson. He says that the rituals of daily life “give a quality of sacredness to it.”

The article describes Peterson’s daily routine. His weekdays begin around 5:00 in the morning when he makes coffee for himself and his wife. They spend the next hour and half by themselves, privately reading Scripture and praying. At 7:30, Peterson takes a morning walk, and then he joins his wife for breakfast. He spends the mornings writing, and they always spend afternoons outside—they snow ski, kayak, or canoe. In the evening, they prepare dinner together and read to each other.

Although most people who work or have children cannot entirely emulate the patterns of the Petersons’ lifestyle, the point of the article is clear. One does not need to be retired to combat the busyness of American life. We all can do things to resist the allure of our high-speed culture. Perhaps by turning off the T.V., checking our email less often, or going for a walk, we will begin to experience the peaceful rhythms of life that our hectic schedules tend to suppress.

Healthy Substitutions

2008-04-30T14:16:00.002-05:00

After visiting this website, I collected some useful tips on how make what you eat a little more nutritious…

Use fat-free or low-fat yogurt instead of sour cream in recipes and as a topping.
Try salsa or fruit chutney on meat, fish, or poultry instead of sauces and gravies.
Substitute air popped popcorn for another snack.
Use fat-free or low-fat milk instead of water in your oatmeal and hot cereals.
Top a baked potato with fat-free or low-fat yogurt. For dessert, make pudding with fat-free or low-fat milk.
Use vinegar and oil or a light vinaigrette on salads instead of thick, creamy salad dressing.
Use vegetable oils for cooking instead of solid fats like stick margarine, lard, or butter.
Try chopped fruit or pureed berries on pancakes and waffles instead of butter and syrup.
Use sliced bananas, berries, raisins, or diced fruits to sweeten breakfast cereals or yogurt.

Bad Plastics

2008-04-29T15:06:00.001-05:00

Responding to the increasing concern over polycarbonate, my husband and I nostalgically said “good-bye” to our old Nalgene bottles. We ordered new, safe water bottles yesterday. Some helpful information on the subject is available here and here.

Retractable, Indoor Clothesline

2008-04-25T08:00:00.007-05:00

When I saw this post on the Apartment Therapy blog, I immediately became interested in finding a retractable, indoor clothesline. The apparatus has a strong nylon cord with a button that pulls out of the housing unit and can be pulled across and attached to a plate on the opposite side. The cord tension is strong enough to hang heavy, wet clothes. It is perfect to use in a shower.

Apartment Therapy provided a list of some nice options, priced around twenty or thirty dollars. However, I was very excited when I stumbled upon one at my local grocery store the other day that cost only five dollars! I happily bought it, and I am very excited to begin using my indoor clothesline. This will be a great way to save on our electric bill, and if the five dollar version doesn’t work well enough, I can always upgrade.

Images from Apartment Therapy

Piggy Banks and God’s Abundance

2008-04-24T14:29:00.000-05:00

When flipping though a magazine yesterday, I came across a good article by Susan Taylor entitled, “Piggy Banks and God’s Abundance.” She discusses helping your children to have a good and biblical understanding of money. She writes,

“We have learned to be honest with our children about money. When I’m saying no to a request to purchase something or go somewhere, I almost never say, ‘We can’t afford that,’ because that is rarely true. We can afford most anything we want or have to do. But that’s not the main criterion for making and modeling financial decisions. I don’t want them to think we’re poor. I want them to understand that as children of God, we’re inexpressibly rich…So instead I say, “We’re choosing not to spend our money that way” (Sojourners, May 2008, page 40).

What an important distinction to make, especially for children. In addition to teaching them about our richness in Christ, it teaches them that we don’t make financial decisions merely upon how much money we have in our pockets. Moreover, it teaches them that although we might be able to afford something, it might not be wise to buy it.

Gum, Geckos, and God

2008-04-23T14:56:00.005-05:00

Gum, Geckos, and God: A Family’s Adventure in Space, Time, and Faith. If the title itself doesn’t make you want to read James Spiegel’s book, the first chapter certainly will. Here is an excerpt from the publisher’s description of the book:

“James Spiegel never realized what challenges and adventures he would face in talking about God with his own children. In a book that is witty, warm, and profound, he explains complex issues of the Christian faith in terms that his children can understand and accept…As you read, you’ll step into a new depth of Christian doctrine as you come to know and enjoy the Spiegel family and follow their journey of spiritual growth. Here is a uniquely incisive look into the most complex issues of faith in a way that’s absorbing, engaging, and highly personal.”

My husband and I devoured this book in only four days! It was a wonderful read—funny, thought-provoking, and challenging, and we strongly recommend it.

An In Utero Tale

2008-04-22T09:45:00.008-05:00

Recently I attended a baby shower honoring a friend who is pregnant with her second girl. She received lots of darling gifts, but one gift in particular was especially cute. It was a book entitled, Ma! There’s Nothing to Do Here! by Barbara Park. The book is written from the perspective of an unborn baby who laments over the lack of activities in the womb. The illustrations by Viviana Garofoli are wonderful. It was a perfect gift for my friend because she can read it to her little daughter. What a helpful and humorous way to prepare a child for the arrival of their new baby brother or sister!

Hosting Overnight Houseguests

2008-04-21T13:50:00.029-05:00

The May issue of Martha Stewart Living contains a good idea for graciously arranging a bedroom for your overnight guest. Martha says, “Choose a vessel, such as a vase or a large julep cup, that is deep enough to accommodate a small bottle and ice. Place a saucer underneath to collect the condensation and protect the surface of the table” (May 2008).

Image via Martha

After poking around Martha’s website some more, I also stumbled upon another idea. She recommends that you keep a set of guest towels in a closet at all times, bound with twill tape or ribbon. Then when visitors arrive, it is easy to transfer the stack of towels from the linen closet to the guest bedroom.

Image via Martha

Similarly, a little while ago Apartment Therapy highlighted some additional ideas for hosting houseguests found in House Beautiful. Here are some of my favorite tips:

Keep a current magazines on-hand in one drawer of the nightstand, but be sure to keep another drawer empty for your guest’s own belongings.
Provide guests with an alarm clock.
Make guests feel at home, but don't clutter up surfaces. Every item you leave out on the table should be useful.
Flowers are a lovely addition to the nightstand, but just a few stems are enough
Provide a lamp.
A cozy finishing touch: a small plate of cookies for a midnight snack.

Spontaneous Hospitality

2008-04-21T09:19:00.003-05:00

I really enjoyed this blog post by Lydia Brownback on hospitality. The post offers a lot of useful tips for practicing hospitality. Also, it makes a helpful distinction between calculated hospitality and spontaneous hospitality. Lydia describes a woman she knows who always has a pan of lasagna in the freezer so she can be spontaneously hospitable at any given time.

I like that idea. When I saw this month’s issue of Real Simple, I thought the Rosemary Chicken with Zucchini was a good recipe for this purpose. The meal can be made and frozen for up to three months, and doesn’t take too long to cook. This would be a perfect dish to keep sitting in the freezer for an unplanned moment that calls for hospitality. Oh, the clever art of planning ahead for unplanned occasions!

Families Worshiping Together

2008-04-18T13:03:00.009-05:00

I recently read a good article in Touchstone Magazine by Christopher Hall called, “Baby Pew Sitters: The Disservice of Children’s Church.” He makes a strong case against the notion of children’s church. He writes,

“…Members of the Body of Christ are uniquely gathered at Sunday worship, and children’s church and nurseries remove the children from the Body at the precise place and time the Body gathers as the Body. Do we want children’s church to rupture that union at the one place during the week, or even in this world, where the Body is brought together?”

The article reminds me of Noel Piper’s book, Treasuring God in Our Traditions. In the appendix, which she co-writes with her husband, she argues that one of the most important aspects of teaching children to worship God is for children to see their parents worshiping God. She even offers practical advice on how to help your kids to be a part of the worship service. A free PDF of the entire book is actually available here, although I always prefer things as hard copies!

Pretty Aprons

2008-04-18T11:44:00.014-05:00

I’ve been eyeing aprons lately. I don’t own one, and some of the darling choices offered by Etsy sellers are hard to resist! Here are some of the ones I like:

From Boojiboo, Perdoozy, and Momomadeit

Learning Patience

2008-04-17T12:54:00.003-05:00

I get really discouraged when I go to the grocery store and see already-grown spices and vegetables that are ready to be purchased and planted by an aspiring gardener like me. They are very tempting.

As for my vegetables and spices, they seem like they have a really long way to go...

Life's Rhythms

2008-04-16T10:38:00.006-05:00

Touchstone Magazine recently featured a lovely little article by Jessica Snell entitled, “The Feast Goes On." While searching for the online version of this article, I stumbled upon Jessica's blog. I haven’t had the time to peruse the archives yet, but I certainly appreciate her blog’s title: “Homemaking through the Church Year.”

Jessica’s Touchstone article has a similar theme to that of her blog. In the article she writes:
"The changing of the seasons gives a rhythm and meaning to even the prosaic task of getting dinner on the table every night. Snap peas in the garden in spring become a reminder that Christ is risen, and risen indeed. And as my children are present with me while I do all of this kitchen and garden work, I can tell them why we are cooking what we are cooking that day, and so preparing meals becomes a chance to talk with them about Jesus" (Touchstone Magazine, May 2008, page 12).

The rhythms of everyday life remind us of the great rhythm in which we participate, and its Orchestrator, the Lord.

Vision and Foresight

2008-04-10T10:50:00.002-05:00

This plaque is displayed next to The Senator, the tallest Cypress tree in the United States. My husband and I loved our visit to The Senator. The tree is beautiful—it is 118 feet tall and 35.4 feet in circumference. The words on this plaque read, “The National Arborist Association recognizes this tree and commends those who had the vision and the foresight to preserve it.”

I find these words moving because a preserving vision and foresight is something that our culture lacks. This applies to preserving something in nature, but even more tragically, it applies to preserving less tangible things. A family heritage. A good reputation. A marriage. All of these are things that must be preserved, and preservation always requires vision and foresight. It means living less for the thrill of the moment and more with a long-term end in sight. It requires both good reason and a good imagination in order to draw conclusions about how the things we do now will affect the outcome later.

The First Post

2008-04-09T10:33:00.001-05:00

To write the first post on a blog feels a lot like writing on the first page of a new journal. Stressful. Nerve-racking. Yes, I am starting a blog. I am glad that the first post is now behind me.