Monday, November 30, 2009

Cristmas Effusion

Katie is in the kitchen muttering about automatic payments and leafing through her day's mail. I'm waterlogged with clementines (they're so small and sweet and tart all at the same time--good reason to eat LOTS of them). This Christmas I'm excited to... no... I'm just plain excited about Christmas!!! Yay! Yay! Yay! A few minutes ago, I was sitting in the darkened Main House parlor (sitting room of the main building on campus) just to look at the newly bedecked tree, all lit up and shiny. I find Christmas lights fascinating, and one of the few things in life that I actually feel effusive about. *happy sigh*

Maybe tomorrow I'll buy a tree for my apartment.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Point of View

Some thoughts from the winter just past:

The night sky's stars were clearly visible--I was compelled to go out in the cold just to look at them, so I enveloped myself in a thick maroon comforter and wandered across the frozen ball field to enjoy the view. Then the obvious yelled in my face: the whole sky couldn't be seen at once--by me.

I felt at that moment like a photographer attempting to capture a vast panorama with a dinky child's camera. I couldn't take the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Orion all in one glance. If I wanted to see more than a narrow window of the sparkling display I would be forced to pivot my whole body in order view a different section of the sky. If I flopped onto the frosty grass, possibly gaining myself a broader scope, there would still be expanses hidden. My puny perspective limited me.

I left the field feeling disappointed and defeated by my limitation. I was also relieved.

I was relieved to hit the bottom floor of endless questions--to feel the gritty, packed-soil basement of my own inadequacy. The complete picture of life can't be seen all in one snapshot. I can't see the whole story--what God is doing--behind the problems of people I want to help and love. Even my own life can only be seen one image at a time: which at this moment is only the present. And that is okay.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Food

Food - specifically preparing food - is a subject dear to my heart. Today I discovered why. The school where I work is the land of casseroles, thrift, and carbs-to-fill-in-the-cracks. Now that I've been here for about a year and a half, my attitude toward the available food to cook with is resigned. Sometimes I even think I feel a subconscious duty to love the school food, maybe, but in the end I don't love it.

My discovery was this: I love food. By food, I mean food in its elemental form as opposed to food soaked by oiliness, draped with cheese, and daubed in a suitable condiment, all in the name of marketing. *do you sense a soapbox?* I'm sometimes culprit numero uno in this tragedy, I'm afraid. The reason is that I also love to give people what they want - cheese on top to hide the vegetables. I want them to like my food, and me. It's called marketing.

What I do love to eat are green beans still fuzzy and warm from the vine in summertime, sweet and crunchy Dubliner cheese by itself, and yams roasted until the edges are caramel. Elemental food that can be eaten alone. Food that demands my attention instead of doping my senses. That makes me exclaim, "Wow! This sweet potato tastes like heaven. Who needs Fritos?" Good eats make eating fascinating.

I could elaborate sheets and sheets about beautiful, quality food (and the evils of making casseroles); I won't, because I want you to actually read this post. The point is this: Begin with foods that can stand on their own and prepare simple combinations of these products - then is real cooking and the reason why I love food. The end.



PS. Call me if you want to hear my full and varied disclaimer: all about how I don't always practice what I preach and how I really ought to buy a thesaurus to find synonyms for the word "food".

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Of Gardening and Marriage

Reading the last post makes me think of my tulips again. Those bulbs have really managed to make me feel very maternal. Practically every time they come to mind, all cozy in their earthen beds beneath the snow, a deep sense of satisfaction settles on my soul and I am fulfilled. I wonder how I will feel when they pop up in the spring? A bumper sticker on my car perhaps?

"My tulips are all honor roll bloomers at Fairwood Bible Institute"


Gabe is here now. Since many of us are sick or have been sick, not much seems to have been happening the past couple of days beyond sitting around the living room lethargically. At least it provides a perfect opportunity to watch the new couple together. It seems like it should be odd to watch them hang out and hold hands. I mean, my sister is my sister. She's not supposed to be a wife (well, she isn't yet)! Unexpectedly, to see them together has seemed as natural as if it had always been. I like that. Bring it on!