MMMM. Vanilla. I choked the first time I went to the bulk section at my local grocery store and saw the price of ONE vanilla bean. I wanted to try out vanilla scones, and thought I'd make them with real vanilla instead of relying on extract for flavor. $6!! For one!! I couldn't believe it. Since they were supposed to be 'special' scones for family, I splurged. Later, I came across a website that sold them by the pound! In case you don't know, vanilla beans are extremely light, so a pound was at least 100 beans. I ordered a full pound for myself for $20! Amazing. Since then, I've made several batches of vanilla scones with vanilla icing and I have 3 jars of vanilla sugar working. I have several other ideas for these beans, too. I want to make homemade vanilla ice cream when the weather warms up, creme brule(apparently I dont need a torch for this since I have a gas oven) , and I want to make my own extract when I run out. I'm sure I'll come across more ideas for these beans as I go, but already I've saved so much money ordering them in such a large amount.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Vanilla Goodness
MMMM. Vanilla. I choked the first time I went to the bulk section at my local grocery store and saw the price of ONE vanilla bean. I wanted to try out vanilla scones, and thought I'd make them with real vanilla instead of relying on extract for flavor. $6!! For one!! I couldn't believe it. Since they were supposed to be 'special' scones for family, I splurged. Later, I came across a website that sold them by the pound! In case you don't know, vanilla beans are extremely light, so a pound was at least 100 beans. I ordered a full pound for myself for $20! Amazing. Since then, I've made several batches of vanilla scones with vanilla icing and I have 3 jars of vanilla sugar working. I have several other ideas for these beans, too. I want to make homemade vanilla ice cream when the weather warms up, creme brule(apparently I dont need a torch for this since I have a gas oven) , and I want to make my own extract when I run out. I'm sure I'll come across more ideas for these beans as I go, but already I've saved so much money ordering them in such a large amount.
Orange Marmalade!
I attempted orange marmalade on Sunday, and I'm very pleased with the results! It took a couple hours and the house smelled like oranges, but the payoff was 11 8 oz. jars of tasty candied oranges. I used Alton Brown's recipe from Good Eats, and the only ingredients were 5 oranges, 1 lemon, and lots of sugar. I have yet to try it on toast, but it was excellent on vanilla ice cream. If you are a fan of the old fashioned dreamsicle(vanilla ice cream pop covered in orange sorbet) then this is your ice cream topper! I've thought about selling the jars, but I'm a little timid about putting myself out there. What do you think, dear reader? Would you pay $4 for an 8 oz. jar?
Monday, January 25, 2010
I'm still here!
I've gone from multiple posts in a day to nothing for the past several days. I haven't run out of steam just yet, but Naomi has had croup/teething/ear infection for the past several days, and the poor girl is so pathetic when she's sick. It has taken up my time during the days and I've had various projects in the evenings. I have several posts swirling around--chapter 1 from The Pleasures of God, thoughts on Philippians, and vanilla. I just felt very compelled to update since I'm pretty sure I have about 4 readers, and I don't want to lose you already! I'll probably get back to it tomorrow night, if I don't finally get to the orange marmalade I've been dying to make. So excited!
Anyway, stick around.
Anyway, stick around.
Friday, January 22, 2010
The Pleasures of God --Introduction
I am going to start reading The Pleasures of God by John Piper with a friend and I think I am going to use the blog to talk about each chapter in a post. I have a GREAT appreciating for John Piper for his ministry, for his writing, for his passion for Jesus. I have many books of his, and have started most of them but completed few. I love reading books with people, it motivates me and makes me a more active reader because I know will be talking about it with someone(instead of to someone, as is typical for me)about it at some point. These posts will not be reviews, or anything particularly systematized. I just want a medium for sharing my thoughts.
Introduction.
Piper says the reason for this book was found in the pages of the book The Life of God in the Soul of Man, by Henry Scougal. I must read this book someday. Apparently it has inspired, refreshed, and renewed countless Christians to greater love and service to God for over 300 years. What struck Piper was the statement, "The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of his love." This statement was referring to man, but Piper found the same must be true of God. He says 'one way to meditate on God is to meditate on His pleasures,' and 'one way to see the glory of God is to see His joy.' As we meditate and study the charater of God, we will become more like Him. Piper does not refer to 1 John 3:2, but is exactly his point: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is." When we see Jesus, we will be like Him. Now we see Him imperfectly, but the day is coming when we will see Him as he truly is, and we will be changed. So now, we must strive to see Jesus in the pages of scripture to understand and to love Him more, and in so doing we will be changed. As Piper says, 'beholding is a way of becoming.'
I am looking forward to Chapter 1 entitled, "The Pleasures of God in His Son" I have read this chapter before, and LOVED it.
Introduction.
Piper says the reason for this book was found in the pages of the book The Life of God in the Soul of Man, by Henry Scougal. I must read this book someday. Apparently it has inspired, refreshed, and renewed countless Christians to greater love and service to God for over 300 years. What struck Piper was the statement, "The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of his love." This statement was referring to man, but Piper found the same must be true of God. He says 'one way to meditate on God is to meditate on His pleasures,' and 'one way to see the glory of God is to see His joy.' As we meditate and study the charater of God, we will become more like Him. Piper does not refer to 1 John 3:2, but is exactly his point: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is." When we see Jesus, we will be like Him. Now we see Him imperfectly, but the day is coming when we will see Him as he truly is, and we will be changed. So now, we must strive to see Jesus in the pages of scripture to understand and to love Him more, and in so doing we will be changed. As Piper says, 'beholding is a way of becoming.'
I am looking forward to Chapter 1 entitled, "The Pleasures of God in His Son" I have read this chapter before, and LOVED it.
Radical Reformission- Conclusion.
Overall, the book was pretty good. Like I said before, my critiques are minor. I still have a couple other issues that I wasn't 100% on board with, but even then my hesitancy made me 85% in agreement, so it may not even be worth mentioning.
There are three things that really appreciated the last part of the book: 1) his stance on alcohol, 2) his discussion of post-modernism, and 3)his evaluation of the culture in which he lives.
Alcohol. I won't rehash his arguments. If even the mention of this issue for Christians makes your pulse race, then know that I probably won't be up to going at it with you on a blog. I am much more articulate in person. And I would tell you the book does a great job of making a case for the freedom of believers to consume alcohol in the chapter, "The Sin of Light Beer" Let's just say, I am in full agreement with the liberty that he views the choice to consume alcohol. And I am saying this from a household in which we consume none. My husband is attending a seminary in which he was expected to sign a pledge when he registered that he would not consume alcohol at any time while he was a student. He has honored his pledge.
Post-modernism. The chapter on modernism and post-modernism was interesting, and my absolute favorite part of it was this passage as he is attempting to explain what exactly post-modernism is: "Are you ready for the ride? Remember, this is not an academic treatment of the subject. Instead, I will write whatever comes to mind for a while and then stop, because anything more than that on this subject gives me a headache of Absalomic proportions."(p. 162) So awesome. Not being an expert on the subject of post-modernism, I really appreciated his discussion of the 'seven demons' troubling the church today. It is excellent. Go read it.
Evaluating the Culture. In his conclusion, Driscoll gets specific about the ways in which his church is sensitive to the culture of Seattle and shares how they have chosen to approach ministering to their members and those outside the church walls. It made me think of my own little suburban area. How would I characterize the people in my community? What are their weaknesses and strengths? How can we be aware and sensitive to the needs of our neighbors and coworkers? I do not have answers, by the way. Thought-provoking.
I enjoyed this book. I found it hilarious, thought-provoking, and convicting in areas. It made me thankful for my own church. I think it may not appeal to some readers(ahem, Dad) because of some low-brow humor, but the meat is there. I have read better books, but I would definitely recommend it to others because I found it helpful in my own life.
There are three things that really appreciated the last part of the book: 1) his stance on alcohol, 2) his discussion of post-modernism, and 3)his evaluation of the culture in which he lives.
Alcohol. I won't rehash his arguments. If even the mention of this issue for Christians makes your pulse race, then know that I probably won't be up to going at it with you on a blog. I am much more articulate in person. And I would tell you the book does a great job of making a case for the freedom of believers to consume alcohol in the chapter, "The Sin of Light Beer" Let's just say, I am in full agreement with the liberty that he views the choice to consume alcohol. And I am saying this from a household in which we consume none. My husband is attending a seminary in which he was expected to sign a pledge when he registered that he would not consume alcohol at any time while he was a student. He has honored his pledge.
Post-modernism. The chapter on modernism and post-modernism was interesting, and my absolute favorite part of it was this passage as he is attempting to explain what exactly post-modernism is: "Are you ready for the ride? Remember, this is not an academic treatment of the subject. Instead, I will write whatever comes to mind for a while and then stop, because anything more than that on this subject gives me a headache of Absalomic proportions."(p. 162) So awesome. Not being an expert on the subject of post-modernism, I really appreciated his discussion of the 'seven demons' troubling the church today. It is excellent. Go read it.
Evaluating the Culture. In his conclusion, Driscoll gets specific about the ways in which his church is sensitive to the culture of Seattle and shares how they have chosen to approach ministering to their members and those outside the church walls. It made me think of my own little suburban area. How would I characterize the people in my community? What are their weaknesses and strengths? How can we be aware and sensitive to the needs of our neighbors and coworkers? I do not have answers, by the way. Thought-provoking.
I enjoyed this book. I found it hilarious, thought-provoking, and convicting in areas. It made me thankful for my own church. I think it may not appeal to some readers(ahem, Dad) because of some low-brow humor, but the meat is there. I have read better books, but I would definitely recommend it to others because I found it helpful in my own life.
"Choice Day" Indeed.
In remembrance of the historic Roe vs Wade decision 37 years ago today, I have linked a few articles and resources surrounding the issue. So in honor of the ironic title given today by some pro-choice titles as "Choice Day"(Ha), here is a 'choice' of articles and resources.
If you click on nothing else, please give this article a read.
Ligonier has a series of lectures by RC Sproul on the issue of abortion available.
Justin Taylor has posted an interview about the effort to overturn Roe vs Wade.
Desiring God has a vast array of sermons and articles(in multiple languages) about the issue of abortion.
This is an interesting article about a director of Planned Parenthood who stepped down last year after watching an ultrasound of an abortion.
If you click on nothing else, please give this article a read.
Ligonier has a series of lectures by RC Sproul on the issue of abortion available.
Justin Taylor has posted an interview about the effort to overturn Roe vs Wade.
Desiring God has a vast array of sermons and articles(in multiple languages) about the issue of abortion.
This is an interesting article about a director of Planned Parenthood who stepped down last year after watching an ultrasound of an abortion.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
"Totally Like, You Know, I mean really, OK?"
John Piper linked this on his facebook page(I know, you never thought you'd read that sentence did you? Welcome to 2010, my friends.) from Justin Taylor's blog. Thought it was worth a watch. I normally do NOT like watching videos online that someone sends or recommends, so that should say something about this one. Plus, its very short.
Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.
Just a thought.
Does it strike anyone else as odd that we often parade the condition of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder like its a virtue? I hear statements like these a lot, "I'm a little OCD about the sheets"(me), or "I guess I am OCD about the kitchen sink" as if OCD is a good thing, or it makes your weird ticks about how you like the counter wiped down sound like its secretly a good thing. Its like complaining about never gaining weight. People don't often complain aloud about things in themselves that they truly think are bad. We use OCD as if we are giving ourselves back-handed compliments.
But think about it, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a real problem for people. It is crippling and debilitating to those who truly suffer from this illness. Most true OCD sufferers* have a hard time relating to the rest of society and many feel that they are imprisoned by their own habits and fears. Yet we take this condition and wear it like a badge of honor. We would never say, "I'm so bulimic today," or "I guess I'm a little anorexic during breakfast time." Yet somehow OCD is acceptable to claim without any sensitivity to its true sufferers' plight. We do not have OCD when we like all the switches to be flicked down. We don't even have it when it bothers us that all the screws on the switchplate aren't turned to the same direction. Those are preferences, because most of us can walk away and not give those things a second thought despite their annoyances.
I just thought I'd throw this up here. Trust me, I'm not going to give you this same speech if you refer to yourself as 'having OCD' about something now. I might, however, feel really sorry for how that one thing is taking over your whole life and hampering your daily activities. Ok, not really. I'll know what you mean.
*There is a condition called Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder that is a little less severe.
But think about it, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a real problem for people. It is crippling and debilitating to those who truly suffer from this illness. Most true OCD sufferers* have a hard time relating to the rest of society and many feel that they are imprisoned by their own habits and fears. Yet we take this condition and wear it like a badge of honor. We would never say, "I'm so bulimic today," or "I guess I'm a little anorexic during breakfast time." Yet somehow OCD is acceptable to claim without any sensitivity to its true sufferers' plight. We do not have OCD when we like all the switches to be flicked down. We don't even have it when it bothers us that all the screws on the switchplate aren't turned to the same direction. Those are preferences, because most of us can walk away and not give those things a second thought despite their annoyances.
I just thought I'd throw this up here. Trust me, I'm not going to give you this same speech if you refer to yourself as 'having OCD' about something now. I might, however, feel really sorry for how that one thing is taking over your whole life and hampering your daily activities. Ok, not really. I'll know what you mean.
*There is a condition called Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder that is a little less severe.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Radical Reformission
In the spirit of the previous post, I'm going to share about what I've been reading. A friend of mine has lent me several books and has a strict do-not-return-until-you-are-done-reading-it policy, and it really bugs me to have someone else's books here if I'm not reading them, so I decided to knock them out systematically. The first is Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll.
I have to confess that before I had gotten done with the introduction I was ready to throw the book across the room. In the intro, Driscoll shares his testimony and it was rife with dry wit almost to the point that I couldnt even wade through the sarcasm to make out what actually he did or experienced. Some jokes and witty remarks help, but at some point he crossed the line into distracting. Thankfully, the rest of the book is not so obnoxious.
So far, I have enjoyed the book. It has a lot of good things to say. His thoughts on culture are very helpful, and he draws on many interesting sources to explain his points. I think the only issues I would have are minor. I think he overuses the idea of differing cultures in America. Every time we meet someone unlike ourselves, we do not need to go on a scouting expedition into this person's 'culture'. To say that the person across the street is immersed in a different culture than myself may be a bit of a stretch. In fact, we are very much in the same culture, the only problem is that we are just different people. We have different interests, opinions, and experiences, but that is not all it takes to make up a cultural identity. What he really means, I guess is that we are all individuals. If we are waiting to share the gospel with someone just like ourselves, we'll never see any converts. We have to be able to stretch out of our own comfortable web of social contacts and make new relationships with people. The talk of culture is more about making meaningful relationships based on other things than mutual background or interests. Like the fact that we are all people living in the same space who need Jesus. Is that enough? It should be.
Rather than share lengthy paragraphs about ideas that I really appreciated in Radical Reformission, I think I'll just sum them up in list form:
I have to confess that before I had gotten done with the introduction I was ready to throw the book across the room. In the intro, Driscoll shares his testimony and it was rife with dry wit almost to the point that I couldnt even wade through the sarcasm to make out what actually he did or experienced. Some jokes and witty remarks help, but at some point he crossed the line into distracting. Thankfully, the rest of the book is not so obnoxious.
So far, I have enjoyed the book. It has a lot of good things to say. His thoughts on culture are very helpful, and he draws on many interesting sources to explain his points. I think the only issues I would have are minor. I think he overuses the idea of differing cultures in America. Every time we meet someone unlike ourselves, we do not need to go on a scouting expedition into this person's 'culture'. To say that the person across the street is immersed in a different culture than myself may be a bit of a stretch. In fact, we are very much in the same culture, the only problem is that we are just different people. We have different interests, opinions, and experiences, but that is not all it takes to make up a cultural identity. What he really means, I guess is that we are all individuals. If we are waiting to share the gospel with someone just like ourselves, we'll never see any converts. We have to be able to stretch out of our own comfortable web of social contacts and make new relationships with people. The talk of culture is more about making meaningful relationships based on other things than mutual background or interests. Like the fact that we are all people living in the same space who need Jesus. Is that enough? It should be.
Rather than share lengthy paragraphs about ideas that I really appreciated in Radical Reformission, I think I'll just sum them up in list form:
- his treatment of the story of the woman at the well and of Jonah.
- his questions for reflection at the end of each chapter. I have to say that I'm thankful I'm not reading this in a small group because my answers to a few of them would be painful to say out loud and would make me accountable to what I've read. Yikes. :)
- his constant insistence that staying away from sinners does not protect us from sin, only sticking close to Jesus does.
- discussion of the two dangers that churches can fall into: traditionalism and innovation.
- that an 'outreach' implies that you are keeping those you mean to minister to at an arm's length.
- his cultural explanation of the evangelism methods like 'The Four Spiritual Laws' and 'Steps to Peace With God'. In context, it explains a lot. And why the Spiritual Laws approach never resonated with me.
- a discussion of our culture and approaches to evaluate it.
- 'We are all Jonah.'
- the discussion of Christian myths surrounding engaging our culture.
- remembering that each of us are the weaker brother in areas and the stronger brother in others.
- the discussion of sectarianism and syncretism.
- ...more to come as I finish the book.
On talking too much.
I read this post.
I could say that the first quote from Calvin sums me up pretty well--if I replaced the word 'write' with the word 'talk'. I am a very verbal person, and I am usually thinking things through as I am saying them(definitely not a good thing) which leads to many, many regrets. I have put my foot in my mouth too many times to count. Sometimes it can be a good thing, though. Dirk can get the best of a book without having to actually read it because I like talking about what I am reading or learning about. This can be advantageous to him as he doesn't have much time for reading for his own pleasure. I have a few friends who start off our conversations with, "What have you been reading/learning about?" because they know it will open a floodgate of what is swimming around in my head.
I digress.
My point in that rant(I promised many of those, didnt I?) is that I talk a lot. I'm thinking that's not a good thing all the time. If I have another outlet for ideas and thoughts maybe I won't have the need to speak everything that is on my mind. I have been inspired by a good friend to start journaling. That is truly a discipline that I have yet to master. I have tried multiple times, in fact, I have a shelf of half-empty notebooks where I have started with a gusto and then petered off. I'm thinking this might be a better attempt since I have the idea that this is a discussion--and that others(just a few) might read it and answer back. Maybe it will spark a conversation, if not with me than with someone else. And it will thereby satisfy my desire to interact and those within earshot won't have to beholden to all my thoughts and opinions.
Make sense? Maybe not.
I could say that the first quote from Calvin sums me up pretty well--if I replaced the word 'write' with the word 'talk'. I am a very verbal person, and I am usually thinking things through as I am saying them(definitely not a good thing) which leads to many, many regrets. I have put my foot in my mouth too many times to count. Sometimes it can be a good thing, though. Dirk can get the best of a book without having to actually read it because I like talking about what I am reading or learning about. This can be advantageous to him as he doesn't have much time for reading for his own pleasure. I have a few friends who start off our conversations with, "What have you been reading/learning about?" because they know it will open a floodgate of what is swimming around in my head.
I digress.
My point in that rant(I promised many of those, didnt I?) is that I talk a lot. I'm thinking that's not a good thing all the time. If I have another outlet for ideas and thoughts maybe I won't have the need to speak everything that is on my mind. I have been inspired by a good friend to start journaling. That is truly a discipline that I have yet to master. I have tried multiple times, in fact, I have a shelf of half-empty notebooks where I have started with a gusto and then petered off. I'm thinking this might be a better attempt since I have the idea that this is a discussion--and that others(just a few) might read it and answer back. Maybe it will spark a conversation, if not with me than with someone else. And it will thereby satisfy my desire to interact and those within earshot won't have to beholden to all my thoughts and opinions.
Make sense? Maybe not.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Evenings at Home
Once the kids are in bed and the dishes are done, Dirk and I usually share some sort of dessert on the couch and spend time just relaxing and talking about the day. We never really planned this to be our ritual, but I guess we just started protecting that time when we could and it developed into something that we both looked forward to at night. Lately, the evenings have looked a little different. I've been going to the gym and we've had a few more evenings out than usual. But when I get back from a workout or if we have that quiet time at home, we have our dessert. When Dirk is out, I still give myself a set amount of time on the couch, not doing anything but relaxing--preferably with a book--before I set about folding clothes or baking something for the next day.
Lately, our dessert of choice has been hot cocoa. But not just any cocoa. We have been making peppermint whipped cream to go on top. And of course: red sprinkles. It doesn't sound fancy, but it is tasty. Occasionally, it is accompanied by biscotti but we're ok without.
I highly recommend this treat--the relaxing time and the peppermint cocoa. I know lots of us are watching our waistlines and the scale, but come on! You need to live a little bit. It is good for your peace of mind.
Lately, our dessert of choice has been hot cocoa. But not just any cocoa. We have been making peppermint whipped cream to go on top. And of course: red sprinkles. It doesn't sound fancy, but it is tasty. Occasionally, it is accompanied by biscotti but we're ok without.
I highly recommend this treat--the relaxing time and the peppermint cocoa. I know lots of us are watching our waistlines and the scale, but come on! You need to live a little bit. It is good for your peace of mind.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Jalapeno Jelly!
I made it. I'm so excited about it. I guess I should wait to post about it after we've tried it out since we opted to throw in 3 of the 15 peppers in whole-seeds and all. Our lips might fall off. We thought that it needed more heat, but we may live to regret it.
This is actually the second batch of jalapeno jelly that we've made. When I get up enough courage or I'm sure no one is reading this, I'll post up the story of the first batch. Its a doozy.
This little batch of jalapeno jelly is the first of what I hope will be lots of homemade tasty treats. Next up is orange marmalade. It looked easy, and oranges are in season. My ultimate goal is blueberry jam, jelly, and syrup. I do love blueberries and since I have access to a blueberry farm to pick my own, I'm super excited about the possibilities.
I'm hoping sometime to have a true homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwich with homemade peanut butter, jelly, and bread.
I know, I'm weird.
First Post
I've been kicking around the idea of a new blog for a while. Its not that there is anything wrong with the current blog, but Dirk and I have noticed/decided that TheLittlefields blog has evolved into a family blog, complete with cute stories of the kids and pictures. I know this is true because, 1)thats 95% of the posts, 2)we only get hits when there are pictures of the kids up, 3)I'm pretty sure that no one reads the text when they aforementioned pictures up--and would you? Those two kids are ADORABLE.
So instead of rocking the boat, I thought I'd start a new blog to post up my own musings and observations without detracting from the cutness factor on the original. So you may or may not see pictures. If you do, I cannot guarantee that they will be of my two precious kids. Or they might be. Who knows.
So really, You do not have to check back here. It will just be what's on my mind and what I want to rant about. I have a penchant for rants. I dont expect you to be interested.
oh! The title. I picked the title 'Real Things' because 1) I'm not very creative 2) I like real things.
By real I mean real (without artificial colors, preservatives, or flavorings) food, real emotions, real thoughts. I guess its not that deep, but Dirk and I really like the idea of 'real,' authentic, straight-from-the-source things. I'll expand more on that in the future, I'm sure.
So instead of rocking the boat, I thought I'd start a new blog to post up my own musings and observations without detracting from the cutness factor on the original. So you may or may not see pictures. If you do, I cannot guarantee that they will be of my two precious kids. Or they might be. Who knows.
So really, You do not have to check back here. It will just be what's on my mind and what I want to rant about. I have a penchant for rants. I dont expect you to be interested.
oh! The title. I picked the title 'Real Things' because 1) I'm not very creative 2) I like real things.
By real I mean real (without artificial colors, preservatives, or flavorings) food, real emotions, real thoughts. I guess its not that deep, but Dirk and I really like the idea of 'real,' authentic, straight-from-the-source things. I'll expand more on that in the future, I'm sure.
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