Telling Our Stories

"...Frederick Buechner advises us to listen to our lives, to seek those patterns and rhythms of meaning that we often miss in the living of life but can discover in looking back...


"Tell stories. We love to hear stories because they are mostly about human beings surviving trouble. And we all need the encouragement that comes from discovering that others have been afflicted as we and have found a way to the other side. In stories are pain and struggle and failure, but also laughter and wisdom and grace.

"Your stories will have these things as much as anyone's and you do not have to be good with words to tell them powerfully...

"Write letters and tell stories that are ultimately affirming. Don't settle scores or preach old sermons..."

This quote - which I copied into my journal a number of years ago - reminds me of the importance of sharing my personal stories. Each of us has a story to tell... I encourage blogging - a blog is a wonderful way to share what life has taught us!

I should perhaps add that the quote above comes from the book Letters to My Children by Daniel Taylor (though the paragraph divisions are mine.) I haven't read Letters to My Children - I discovered this excerpt in The Inspirational Study Bible (pg. 59).

Ottawa Recycles

What should we do with all our garbage?

That question has been around for a long time. As a child in fifth grade, I remember my class discussing the problem. (And in those days, we burned our garbage in old metal oil drums in the back alley - so there was less of it. The truck only picked up the ashes!)

What will we do if we run out of room for garbage dumps? our teacher had asked us.

We can send the garbage into outer space, one imaginative student suggested. There is lots of empty room out there!

We had all laughed - pleased at having found the perfect solution!

But now, all these years later, we are still grappling with the problem! (The our space option hasn't worked!)

Which is why I'm happy our city has an active recycling program.














We have BLUE BINS for plastic and glass (picked up every two weeks).














BLACK BINS for paper and cardboard...


















And our most recent addition, GREEN BINS for kitchen scraps that decompose or can be burned.














Yard waste (tree branches and leaves) are picked up during the summer months, though they can also go into the GREEN BINS, if they fit. They are composted - and people can buy the compost back from the city.

I'm a great supporter of RECYCLING... so it does make me sad that we no longer recycle plastic bags... or Styrofoam. (Isn't Styrofoam plastic too?)














What worries me is that - if we are no longer sending "healthy garbage" to the dump - by that I mean food and paper which decompose - aren't we creating a very toxic plastic mountain with the rest?!

(Is there a fifth-grader out there with an answer?!)

Darn!

I have been knitting socks - and wearing them - regularly for a few winters now. This year, I came across a new problem...














I needed to DARN a pair!














Fortunately I had some gray wool that matched from a multi-colored pair of socks I was just finishing.

But I do wish I could find one of those old wooden darning mushrooms (Great! Found one on Etsy!)... They do make the job easier...

My grandmother used to have one - I think my mother used a light bulb!














There! Done!

Fruitful, Not Busy

A while ago, I was watching an online interview clip by Joyce Meyer - where she made the comment: I have come to realize that God doesn't want me to be BUSY... God wants me to be FRUITFUL...

Ever since then, I have puzzled over her words - NOT because I DON'T agree with her (for I DO AGREE!) But I have wondered: How do I know the difference?!

When I think back on my student days, I remember sometimes feeling that an assignment the teacher had given our class to do was meaningless. BUSY-WORK, we called it. It really didn't teach me anything... I remember muttering under my breath: I really don't see the point in doing this! Why do I have to waste my time?! I have other (more important) things to do...!

But, in all fairness, as a teacher, there have been occasions when I knew students were wondering why I was asking them to do a certain something in class... Wasn't it a waste of time? (This usually occurred when I tried to take students out of their comfort zone and try something new.)

They couldn't see how it fit into the big picture... After all, weren't they here to learn this or that? So why was I - the teacher - asking them to do something else?

Wait, I'd tell them... Soon you'll see the reason... the big picture...

And the patient ones - the ones who trusted me and did what I asked to the best of their ability - usually did.

So what is the difference between being fruitful and being busy?

Well, I'm not sure I completely understand, but...

I remember a friend telling me about an event that happened to him - that astounded him. He was going through some difficult times in high school, and was wondering what to do with his life. About that time, someone he knew - a youth leader in church - invited him out for coffee.

As they were sitting and chatting, my friend poured out his heart to this youth leader, who in turn, made some comments that were really helpful. In fact, the words he said gave my friend renewed hope and a new perspective.

Some time later, my friend thanked the youth leader for what he had said that evening, and mentioned that their conversation had been a turning point in his life...

Really? the youth leader replied in amazement. I don't remember saying any of that!

That, I think, is an example of being fruitful... When God gives us the words to say that someone needs to hear - and we don't even realize it!

Sometimes, in the course of life, we find ourselves in jobs or situations we really don't understand - that seem to be a waste of time... But if we BELIEVE IN GOD, if God is our mentor and teacher, in the big picture, we can safely assume that there is a reason for what we are doing...

God doesn't waste our time - or His.

If we do what we can to the best of our ability in any given situation, and if we care about the people around us - and take time to be a good friend - maybe (unbeknown to us) God will use us to help others in ways we may never realize.

That, I think, is what it means to be FRUITFUL.

Welcome Spring - Welcome POTHOLES!

Winter is hard on the roads in our area - the changes from hot to cold and back again create potholes, which become evident as soon as the snow disappears.

Recently, at a medical appointment, I discovered some that I consider to be a serious hazard!! They were in the parking lot behind my doctor's office!














(Has that drain - at the bottom of the pothole - sunk?...)














I'm not sure who's in charge of these, but potholes this large must be against the law!

I'm IN STYLE??!

I don't usually worry about being in style. Over the years, I have discovered my favorite "look": A hairstyle that is short and easy to manage... Clothing that is comfortable - preferably with large pockets. And of course, everything needs to be cotton, washable and wrinkle-proof, as I try to avoid dry cleaning. In fact, maybe "look" is the wrong word - I have a favorite clothing "feel" - COMFORT! If I'm aware that I'm wearing it - if it feels UNCOMFORTABLE in any way - it's not for me!

So... I don't usually pay a lot of attention to STYLE. I can't see myself wearing tight jeans, for example, or low-cut tops, which I think have been in style for a while. (I would not feel COMFORTABLE in either.)

But an article on fresh spring trends did tantalize me on my MSN news page. (Actually I think it was the scarf in the picture that got to me - I have one in a similar color - a little narrower.)


















So I clicked on it... And I'm really glad I did, because I discovered that this season, I MAY BE IN STYLE AGAIN!

Apparently denim is making a comeback! Denim shirts in particular (my favorite!)

In response to the question,What is this season’s-must-have wardrobe item? ...the fashion expert replied: ...invest in a denim shirt.

Denim shirts?! I have already invested in four! ... I'm going to dig them out immediately! (And maybe - if they're back in style, I'll find a replacement for the worn-out one I had to toss this past year - the one I mourned in last year's blog posting. )



















My mother may even be in style again this year! I think she has a few sequined tops and vests from the 70s - and they're apparently hot items for the season as well!!

Transitions

On April 1 - no fooling - my life is going to change... though I'm not sure how... or how much...

On that date, my husband will join me in retirement...

We will be together 24/7... with no jobs to take up large chunks of our day...

Can we handle that much togetherness?

It will be an adjustment, one aunt cautioned me.

I'm sure it will...

Hopefully we will transition into this new phase as successfully as we have into our other transitions. I remember how annoyed I was when Terry moved his books into my bookcase, after we were married... (I had moved into our apartment a few months earlier and had made it my own!) Eventually I got over it and viewed the apartment as ours, not mine...

Then there was parenthood. I couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and back home with our new baby. But Terry didn't want us to come home! He feared we might not be able to handle looking after our newborn...

Driving home with her, he gripped the steering wheel in panic as he inching slowly down the road... When we got home, he was furious that I wanted to linger outside to take her picture.


















She'll catch her death of cold! he muttered... (Even though it was mid-summer!)

I think of relatives, a couple who work together in a family business. They share an office at work, but have divided the labor so as not to be constantly in each other's way...

That will probably be our best strategy too - to do things together, but divide up areas of responsibility. Then hopefully - like them - we'll still enjoy being together - as they do - years down the road!

Food for THOUGHT

Some years ago, a group of British poets began posting poetry in the London subway, amid the ads and graffiti. Renting advertising spaces (through a literary grant), they printed large posters of various poems - many by contemporary poets. People waiting for the train enjoyed reading the poetry so much that additional free space was provided for more poems. Now, years later, the project is still going strong.

These publicly-posted poems reminded me of plaques that gave praise to God installed at scenic mountains lookouts by a group of nuns... They wanted to remind people that God the Creator was behind all that beauty.

People's surprise at finding poetry - or Bible verses - where they least expect to may add power to the message!














A few weeks ago, I was surprised (yet puzzled) to read a saying that spanned an old Toronto bridge: "THIS RIVER I STEP IN IS NOT THE RIVER I STAND IN. (If you click on the picture, you will be able to see it more clearly.)

What does that mean? I wondered as I crossed the bridge on foot...

Then a few days later, I came across information about a Greek philosopher named Heraclitus (560 BC), who was fascinated with the concept of change. He viewed the constant state of flux around him in terms of a river. His famous illustration of the constantly changing state of the world was stepping into a river. The river you step into one minute is not the same river you step into the next. It is always moving, changing. The question he posed was: Why does this constant change (in the world) not result in chaos?

Being presented with IDEAS - that make us think - when we least expect it (on a bridge or subway wall) - is refreshing!

So much of our life is routine. We rush to work (in an early-morning mental fog) and return home at the end of a busy day to relax (and numb?) our minds with computer or TV programs... Often we don't move out of our daily routine "boxes."

So I THINK that anything that makes us THINK is ( as Martha Stewart might say) " A GOOD THING"!

(I should add that I have William Barclay's Daily Study Bible to thank for the information on Heraclitus. Volume 1 of John (1975), pg. 34-5)

Wasted Worry

Yesterday's weather forecast for today called for mixed precipitation: rain, freezing rain, snow...

Don't plan on going out, my husband cautioned... The roads might be slippery...

I had planned on getting a few groceries, but I really didn't need to go out... There was food in the freezer... I mentally prepared myself for a day indoors, cleaning and quilting.














Well, today has dawned... and - though the weather is wet and dreary - there is no freezing rain!

The weather isn't as bad as they predicted, my husband comments...

(Why did he worry?! )

Why do I worry... when economists publish gloomy forecasts in the newspaper, when my children tell me they want to try something new... whenever (in fact) any changes are predicted or I venture out to try something new?!

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Don't worry about tomorrow, Jesus told his disciples... Let each day's troubles be enough for that day... Worrying won't add a single day to your life! (And anxiety might take a few away...) Your Heavenly Father - God - loves you... so help is near!

(Why is it so hard for me to live in that reality every day?!)

New Home Essentials

I remember laughing when home blood pressure monitors came out a few years ago - just before Christmas. ("A perfect gift for Grandma or Grandpa...") What next?!! Are we baby boomers becoming paranoid about our health?! Who would buy one of those?!

I'd shake my head every time I noticed them in the drug store... And then I began to wonder: Should I get one for my mother? She has high blood pressure... Or would she become overly-anxious about it?

I opted to leave it...

Then at my recent check-up, my doctor commented: Your blood pressure is a little high... Do you monitor it daily?

Do you mean, do I have one of those little machines at home?

She nodded.

No, I replied.

Well, you should probably get one. Your blood pressure might be higher here in the clinic than it is at home... Keep track of your readings...














So I went out and got one to check my blood pressure every morning...

(In case you're wondering, my blood pressure seemed quite high at first - but then the readings dropped considerably after I read the instructions on how to use the machine!)

Uncovering Church History

Living in Israel gave me a lifelong interest in studying the Bible.

But what happened next? I often wondered. The writings of the New Testament end in the infancy of Christianity, almost 2000 years ago. What happened next, as this Jewish Messianic sect - with its many non-Jewish converts - spread out into the Roman world?

My 2000-year gap in knowledge (between Biblical times and my own lifetime) has led me to a few interesting books: How the Irish Saved Civilization was one, providing fascinating insight into the medieval church in Europe, especially in Ireland. I remember thinking, as I read it: This is a medieval YWAM! (The traveling Christians of the middle ages reminding me of modern-day "Youth With a Mission"!)

A few years ago, I read a biography of Teresa of Avila...














Recently I started to read an early Church History written by Eusebius, a Church historian who lived around 300 AD. He was Bishop of Caesarea - now an archeological site, on the Mediterranean Sea, north of Tel Aviv in modern-day Israel. (Having visited the ruins, I can't imagine it a large, bustling city...)

What interests me particularly is the fact that - as usual - Christians are disagreeing! But instead of our modern-day disputes over the authority of the Bible, women priests, and same-sex marriages (issues my denomination is currently embroiled in), they are arguing over the nature of Jesus... and in response, create a creed that is still used in the church today, the Nicene Creed.

What does all this teach me?

That I should not be disappointed (as I have been) when Christians disagree. Faith is not static - in fact, if we don't probe and puzzle over faith issues, perhaps we're not giving them enough thought!

Visiting Ogdensburg, NY

I get restless... if I don't get out on the road, from time to time.

In summer we often go to small picturesque neighboring villages, where we have favorite restaurants, farmers' markets or bakeries...














When roads are no longer snow-covered, we sometimes head south to the Canada-US border, about an hour away. There, at Ogdensburg, NY, I augment my quilting stash at Jo Ann's Fabrics and Crafts... or at Walmart's.














Last time we visited (last Saturday) we drove around town at bit, too. At a city park overlooking the St. Lawrence, we could see Prescott, Ontario, on the Canadian side of the river.














And of course, I picked out enough fabric to keep me busy quilting for some time!

Learning From My Kids

Parenting is about teaching... and learning...

Without my kids, I would never have discovered Sesame Street, The Simpsons, What Not to Wear, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report... The Office... (TV programs that are - or have been - important parts of our lives!)

I would never have known about blogging, had they not sent me interesting internet links.














They continue to introduce me to new ideas, new foods... One recent occasion, I was given a box of tiny Arabic pastries by Schuhbeck, made in Tunisia. They were delicious!














I'm always open to new dessert experiences!

Mid-March Yard Work

I like to get outdoors and begin to work in the yard as soon as the snow melts. It's easier to garden on cool, sunny days than hot ones.














My first challenge of the season: to move a big pile of wood chips (a product of our January tree cutting) over to the flower beds - and spread it around before shoots begin to sprout. I'll have to work quickly! As soon as the snow is gone, Tiger lilies and tulips pop out of the ground!














So I filled a garbage can (one on wheels) and moved wood chips... again and again and again...

It was hard work, but I enjoyed being outdoors in the yard again. No mosquitoes or bees to hamper me yet. I'm not done yet, but hopefully I'll have a few more nice days to finish the job.

Charity Auction Fun...

One of my husband's passions - apart from sports - is attending charity auctions...

Which is why we have a number of things we might never buy...














... Like both these stained-glass hangings...














... And this handmade stained-glass lamp...














And which we may not really need...














... Like these hand-made mukluks...














... Or these autographed ties!














But each item brings back memories of a bidding war...














... Like these lovely handmade French tiles....

And, of course, the money goes to a good cause! Which justifies everything!

SOCIALIZED Medicine or MediCARE?

One of the challenges of teaching English to immigrants is explaining subtle differences in meaning of English words. No two languages have exactly the same concepts, so simple translations don't always work. When a student, for example, called fund-raising letters she was stuffing into envelopes at the Heart and Stroke Foundation "propaganda," she couldn't understand why her boss was taken aback.

What's wrong with what I said? she asked...

It was difficult for her to grasp the difference in connotation between the terms advertising, information and propaganda! The subtleties evaded her.

But words impact our perceptions... For instance, when I hear politicians in the US talk about Canada's health care system as "SOCIALIZED medicine," I cringe, because, to me, the word SOCIALIZED conjures up images of socialism and communism.

(Yet Canada is no less democratic than the US!)

I prefer the term Health CARE or Medi-CARE, with the implied focus on CARING for people.

I like to think that we are a caring society that INVESTS IN PEOPLE - providing education, medical care and equal opportunity to all.

I don't mind paying the taxes it costs to live in a society where we look out for each other. As my father used to say at tax time: Be thankful you have to pay taxes. In the Communist regime I grew up in, the government just came in and took it all!

Hamburger Soup

I rarely follow a recipe. Early in our marriage, Terry was disappointed to discover that I hadn't followed the instructions on the package - and a fondly-anticipated lemon meringue pie (his favorite) was lumpy! Later on, my kids discovered (at times with embarrassment) that our Kraft Macaroni and Cheese tasted different (probably because I used half the margarine called for)!!

I always admired Aliza, my Israeli neighbor - who told me she had learned to cook by reading a few cookbooks, to get the general idea of what to do. Then she never opened a cookbook again!

I use cookbooks - but I usually compare several recipes - to assess which call for ingredients I have on hand. The end result vaguely resembles them all. (Which is why I love the internet! So many recipes to peruse!)

Here is a Hamburger Soup recipe I made up after skimming half a dozen recipes on the internet. I found it tasty, so here is my recipe... (Of course, you can change any part of it yourself!)














Hamburger Soup

1. Brown approximately half a pound / 250 grams of ground beef.
2. Add a small onion, chopped. Continue to brown.
3. Add half a green or red pepper, chopped. Continue to brown.
4. Peel one large carrot - cut it into smallish pieces - and add to the browning mixture.
5. Add one large tomato. If it is fresh, cut it into pieces. If it is frozen, just throw the whole thing in. (I freeze whole tomatoes in the summer which I later use for cooking.)
6. Add 4 cups of water or veggie broth (water drained from boiled vegetables.)
7. Add a teaspoon of chopped garlic (I buy garlic pre-chopped - in jars.)
8. Sprinkle bouillon powder (1 package or cube) over the soup and mix in.
9. Drain one can of chick peas or beans and add the drained peas / beans to the soup.
10. Sprinkle other spices on top to taste: pepper, paprika, etc. (I rarely add salt when cooking - it can be added later to taste.)
11. Let the soup simmer for an hour or so.

ENJOY!

Chocolate-Coated Apple

My son loves to watch the Canadian TV program, Dragons' Den, as well as its US counterpart, Shark Tank.

On one episode, a businessman asked for money to expand his chocolate-coated-apple business... I don't know whether he got the funds he requested, but he did get a lot of publicity...














Which is why my son picked up this apple at the supermarket when he saw it for sale there...














It looked amazing!














And it tasted really, really good too!!

My mother believes that an apple a day keeps the doctor away...

In this format, I would happily eat one every day!

Sure Signs of Spring

It's not quite mid-March, but I'm ready for spring!














The snow is melting nicely - I may be able to do yard work next week! It's never too early to rake, but the ground needs to be dry.

All week long I've been glancing at my favorite sign of spring - the outdoor Dairy Queen up the street... and today, I saw it was OPEN.














The owner said it was their first day! I asked if I was their first customer...

She replied that someone had already stopped by yesterday - when they were getting ready!

(And I thought I was their #1 fan!)














Never mind! I still had a Chocolate Extreme Blizzard to celebrate! If the Dairy Queen is open, it must be spring!

Sprouting Veggies

It has been a while since I sprouted seeds to eat... But it is actually an easy, fun thing to do. As I recall, I used to do it by simply placing seeds on a wet paper towel in a clear glass or plastic container - to let the sun in... I think. The seeds need to be rinsed daily - but excess water should be removed. The seeds nee to be damp - but not wet.

At a a time when I used sprouts a lot in sandwiches, I bought this lovely 4 layer stand - and several containers of sprouting seeds - alfalfa, daikon radish, and an ancient eastern blend. I only used about a tablespoon of each kind - on a different level. Although the instructions say to soak the seeds for several hours first, I think I simply put the seeds into the container and poured about a cup of water over the top level... and it dripped down into each succeeding level, with excess water being caught in the bottom - and poured out.

I think I'll give it a try again. If it doesn't work, I'll look for the instructions that came with the sprouter!

Chocolate Cake with Sour Milk

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade! (A popular proverb)

If life hands you sour milk, make a chocolate cake! (My corollary!)

It started with a midnight realization that a container of milk had turned sour!...














My hunt for a recipe using sour milk started at the website, Recipe Link, where I typed in the keywords cake and sour milk.

A number of options popped up - including one entitled Recipes Using Sour Milk. I chose the one that uses the most sour milk - 2 cups - as I have at least 3 cups to get rid of!

It is called Mabel Robbins' Eggless Dark Cake (dating back to the war years, when eggs were scarce)...

I have copied it below, but - as usual - I made modifications...

• I replaced the "melted lard" with olive oil.

• I added a generous sprinkle of cinnamon to disguise any taste of baking soda that might be there.

• And instead of 3 cups of flour, I used 1/2 cup each of 6 different kinds of flour: 1/2 cup of unbleached white flour, 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of soy flour, 1/2 cup of spelt flour, 1/2 cup of oat flour, and 1/2 cup of almond "flour" (sometimes called ground almonds or almond meal).

I also baked the cake in silicone muffin "tins" - as I plan to freeze most of them... (And in this flexible bakeware they're easy to remove...)

As I sit and wait for them to bake, I wonder... - with so little wheat flour in them - will they rise?! We'll see!














Yes, they definitely have little "dimples" in the middle! (which could be hidden by a dab of icing - or yogurt - or could be served upside down!)














I had enough batter for 18 cupcakes and two very small cakes.

Here is the original recipe from Recipe Link:

MABEL ROBBINS' EGGLESS DARK CAKE
2 c. white sugar
4 tbsp. cocoa
2 scant tsp. soda
Pinch of salt
3 c. flour
2 c. sour milk*
1/2 c. melted lard
Vanilla to taste
Powdered sugar
*To make sour milk. Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk and let stand for 10-15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13 x 9 pan. Sift together all dry ingredients. Add melted lard and beat. Flavor with vanilla. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. A war department recipe from WWII when they rationed eggs.

Chocolate For Breakfast!

I recently discovered that a popular breakfast treat in Holland is chocolate sprinkles - eaten on warm bread or toast...














Fortunately there is a Dutch Grocer in our neighborhood, so I was able to buy some.














I prefer to spread some peanut butter on first - to keep the sprinkles from falling off.














Or to eat it sprinkled on a dish of plain yogurt!