Erecting an Altar

Ok so you know how the Hebrews were awesome and would erect an altar to God at significant places along their journeys throughout the Old Testament? Abraham built them, Moses built them… here’s a fun little blurb from Joseph’s Dad (Jacob), about why he built an altar.

So this post, on my wee blog, shall be an altar to God, “who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” Now that’s a tall order, but I realized last night that my eight consecutive hours of anger-free, tireless cleaning, tidying, bleaching, and laundering, could only have been possible with God. I knew that I had to do this great task (cleaning the apartment) and I knew it could only be done if I asked for God’s help and had confidence that he’d enable me.

I was amazed by how much I accomplished last night, and how I was able to get up this morning in time for work, but I knew that every time “accomplished” ran through my mind that it was Christ who had made it possible. It was in Christ that it was accomplished, “it” being the overcoming of my old self.

This is my wee altar.

My blog to the glory of God.

Now to put the rest of my life on the altar…

A Revelation on Nationalism

I was just thinking about how great it would be to live in Australia (don’t we all? Sydney is so IN right now!) when I realized – what makes a nation great is its people.

India? Has a lot of beauty, has a lot of colour, art, music, mountains, has a lot of poverty, and problems, but what makes it great? Indians. You know you love them.

Other countries that fall into this category of greatness:

Ireland

Kazakhstan

America (yea that’s right, what makes it great is its people!)

Holland

… everywhere else.

Which is why I can’t leave Canada. That’s where my peoples at.

Nudity

Here’s a fun little story:

At the hotel where I’d like to have my reception, there is an “art” installation in the bathroom. 4×6 photographs arranged high up on the wall, kind of like a border, above the stalls. They are all of nudes. Not all of them are “relaxing” on a couch, either.

Well, I assumed I might be able to cover them, you know, just for the day, without damaging them, with something else – anything…else.

As it is an art installation, a permanent one, they won’t let you do that.

And then I realized, who do I want to cover it for? Not for myself or for Will; we’re both mature enough to look, and then look away, and have a good chuckle about it. Those who might be offended by it? Not us. And we can’t choose a reception place based on what other people may or may not think; we have to make this day what we want. It sounds selfish but if we try to make everyone happy, no one will be happy – and I will be stressed.

Sure, I’d prefer nude-free bathroom, so it’s not perfect, but I have to stop thinking that perfection is an option. My mother didn’t even notice the first time she went in; she was too busy actually “going to bathroom.”

I’m done worrying about that now.

Another Photo

from Veer.com

Tee hee.

Naptime

Veer’s photos speak to me.

View the gallery of “Business Blahs.” I can relate to some of these images.

Joe Eszterhas is Hungary for God

Although I dislike the ad-heavy page it is presented on, I really enjoyed reading this article, about Joe Eszterhas, the screenwriter from Basic Instinct, Showgirls, and Flashdance (the only names I recognize on his filmography at imdb).

I found it on the Slices by Relevant.

Apparently he had a “Road to Damascus” experience, and really likes Catholic Mass.

Oh, and he was born in Hungary, hence the title.

A Relational Being

My cat is a relational being.

The things I begrudge it for doing are usually behaviours induced by his desire for companionship, i.e. meowing incessantly, plucking the carpet under doors which are closed (and that I’m usually on the other side of), and crawling up beside my face in the morning as I lie in bed.

The poor little bugger.

Often his meowing really does stop if I just go and play with him for a bit. As an overweight cat, that means petting, lifting, and hugging – he’s not one to jump after bits of string.

I realize I am relational, but it was a bit of surprise to me to discover that the cat was so relational, as well. He really is happiest when he’s aggravating my allergies, otherwise known as being close.

“What kind of meat is that?”

That’s what I said to my co-worker, JB, who replied it was chicken. Then she offered me a chunk. It was delicious. So delicious, I asked her for the recipe. I have copied it for our collective benefit below.

Red Wine Rosemary Chicken

Chicken thighs or legs

Olive oil

Red Wine*

Rosemary (dried or fresh)

Salt

Garlic cloves

Pour about a tablespoon-and-a-half of olive oil in a glass baking dish to coat the bottom. Add the chicken thighs or legs. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine (about ¼+ cup red wine). Sprinkle with dried rosemary and a bit of salt. Add one or two coarsely chopped or pressed garlic cloves.

Bake uncovered at about 375’ until done. During cooking, turn chicken over after about a half hour to help the chicken stay moist.

*I often make it without red wine (but I prefer it with wine).

Weirdest Wedding Tradition Ever

…at least, that I’ve seen so far.

Special Guests: If you are Catholic you may want to send an invitation to the Pope. These arrangements may be made with your priest, so check with him. A beautiful papal blessing will be sent to you, which can be framed and cherished forever.

No matter what religion you are, you may want to send an invitation to the President of the United States at the White House in Washington, D.C. You will receive a beautiful response blessing your marriage and signed by the President and First Lady. This is a wonderful keepsake.

- from WeddingChannel.com

I wonder if we should invite Steven Harper. Can you imagine if he showed up?!

I made them!

de cookies. I made them.

I would say that as great as they were fresh out of the oven, I might just like them even more as a breakfast food.

A great idea from Hannah’s mom:

instead of copying out your recipes onto index cards, or into a book… just get one of those cheap three-ringed photo albums with the cardboard pages with sticky film to protect the pictures (you know, the ones that are just a blank page and then the sticky plastic protective stuff peels back and doesn’t damage the photos) and put the recipes in there. After all, some of the great recipes are cut out from magazines, right? Now you can keep the pictures, and the original instructions, handy and dry! And the pages can be rearranged, added to, removed, changed…  it blew my mind how incredibly practical and organized it was.

A co-worker of mine lives in Little India in Toronto. She can get THREE SAMOSAS for a buck, so yesterday, she gave one to me because I expressed my great love of samosas, and without any self-control whatsoever in the face of that potatoey, pea-filled, deep-friend treat, I succumbed to my mooching, and took her up on the generous offer.

I have left a samosa-shaped (triangle) cookie on her desk this morning, to return the favour.

here’s a link to a vegan samosa recipe. Potato and spinach sounds YUM!