The common made holy

This phrase has been haunting me for weeks now.  I think of my redemption.  Myself common among all people but made holy not by anything I have done or ever could do or be but only because it is what the Universe Creator calls me through the blood stains of His Son.  The thought stuns me.


   I feel in this phrase the calling, haunting, lingering, pulling me into the same process by which I am called holy.  That I have been gifted to also call things holy.  This moment, while typing, I get a text that my father, ill with an incurable disease is in the ER fighting for his breath and fevered.  I long to sit at his side, to do something and yet many miles of separation make this impossible.  But I set this moment aside I call it holy as I lift him before a Father in whom his very life is bound up and held.  This Spirit who breathes and man takes on form and oxygen fills lungs and wholeness is in this Word made flesh.  And he dwelt among us and dwells in us and I cry out to the One who Sees (Genesis 16:1  She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”)  that He might move in compassion and speak that Word of life to restore and completely heal this one that I love.
     Other moments made holy: It's 9pm and my body is spent after a long day of feeding baby, cleaning house, schooling children, breathing, working, breathing, and the chicken bones I had boiling in the crockpot all day are still in their broth - not deboned, calling from the corner of the kitchen to be taken care of before my body falls hard and heavy into bed.  I wanted to complain, to complete the task letting my husband and anyone else who cared to listen, how miserable I was but then this phrase came hauntingly back, as if on the unseen wafts of rich brothy scent: the common made holy.  I had a choice to live in the common. Cast my pearls before swine, bury my head in slop.  OR, I could set this moment aside as sacred through gratitude, through giving.  How blessed I am to have been given chicken bones to make free and nutritious broth.  How favored to have the health, wisdom and vitality to make my own food and serve my family.  How rewarding to do everything not for myself but for THE HOLY.  That everything can be made holy by dedicating this moment to GOD.  As often as I think of this, it quiets and gentles me, humbles me and fills me with hushed awe and in that moment, my kitchen becomes a cathedral and my mundane task becomes a hallelujah chorus before the Throne of Heaven. And I feel my very smallness next to His very greatness, a majesty that all the vast and swirling galaxies cannot compare.

     The long, drawn out math lessons when my daughter who can't remember 2+2 yet yesterday she could multiply all her 7s, and my flesh rises in frustration.  STOP.  This moment can be made Holy. And the Holy makes it beautiful, peaceful, joyful.  And rich life bubbles over and I find that I don't have to live life in the mundane, in the struggle and grime but can lift my head, my eyes, can sanctify my every moment and all the sudden Heaven is here, glory has come down and joy has filled my soul.

    It all sounds so easy, right?  Well, it is and ... it isn't.  My humanity often fights against this simple gift.  Why do we fight against those very things which will cause us greatest joy, satisfaction and peace?  Why when we have been set free, do we cling to our chains?  It is for freedom that we have been set free!
   
    And I want to live every moment of every day free to walk softly where angels walk and all one can say is Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who has done great and unfathomable things, who is present and all powerful in the midst of my mess, and who will be the Deliverer and Hope unfailing.

Chicken broth: bones of 1-2 chickens in a large crockpot filled with water - 1/2 onion ( or left over bits of onion peels saved up in the freezer that I've been saving and don't use in other cooking), carrot tops also saved in the freezer from carrots used in prior cooking, celery parts (same as carrots and onions!), salt, pepper and garlic.  I let this simmer all day, debone any remaining chicken, discard the bones and use broth in soups or any manner of cooking.  Freezes very well!  

35 and counting

    Yup.  I'm officially half way to 70! ( I know this is what my husband was thinking as he came into the living room early that morning with a wry smile trying hard not to make any subtle or not so subtle remarks about my extended years.)  My next post was going to be on a different topic but my day yesterday is worth recounting, at least in part if for no other reason than to give you a good laugh.  One would think that being a year older would make one more responsible, neater and more calm and collected.  Well, I started my day making more of a mess than I think I have all year!

      It started out sedate enough with my hungry baby alarm clock causing me to rise around 5:45am.  He ate, I had some nice quiet time with my Savior, did some vigorous exercising (check!) and showered myself and baby - even getting a chance to scrub down the shower and bath really well while I was at it! (check! check!) Can you see my to do list progressing nicely already!?!

   Well, that's about where the sense of accomplishment ended.  I went into the kitchen to start breakfast and by this time was actually running a little later in the morning than I like to with breakfast.  I had to first put away my dehydrator that had finished making some plantain chips and some zucchini chips (will definitely make a bunch of zucchini chips this summer as kids love them and they're two simple ingredients - thin sliced zucchini and some salt!).  However, in order to put away the dehydrator I had to first remove my crockpot and fryer.  Unfortunately, the latter had some grease on the bottom which was then transferred to my skirt in the process.  Yet, with a greasy skirt and dehydrator put away, I moved on to the breakfast part.  I needed some flour; so, I put some wheat berries in my Whisper Mill and turned it on.  Note to self...ALWAYS make sure the connection between the grinder and container is very tightly secured before turning it on.  Well, as you might have guessed, it wasn't and I was swinging wildly in the direction of the on/off switch with ground wheat spewing all over my face, chest and nicely washed and wet hair!

    I was now tarred and feathered for the day and felt more like I was resembling a breakfast pastry rather than having anything in my kitchen resemble something edible for breakfast!  Deep breaths.  In and out.  In and out. My husband walks in following my very controlled ejaculations and immediately finds the humor in the scene and then quickly finds his exit and stays away for the next 20 min!

   I actually did have the fortitude to find the humor in the incident right away but with 8:30 and 9 o'clock approaching, breakfast not done, myself and the kitchen, no less, a considerable mess and school no where close to being started, I also felt like crying and going back to bed!

   How does this saga end?  I get the kitchen cleaned up, breakfast put together, the floor swept and then recruited my husband to finish flipping Irish potato scones while I removed myself to look more presentable and start my day over!  There're only so many green clothes in any one person's closet!

    Starting over my day proved to be successful - starting with a delicious breakfast of turkey bacon, potato scones with easy over eggs on top and ending it with a delightful steak and potato dinner cooked by my husband, surrounded by good friends and a delicious Vegan, sugar free chocolate avocado cake with coconut/vanilla/chia seed pudding filling the inside and chocolate avocado mousse covering the outside and hazelnuts and raspberries decorating the rest!
   So thanks for the many birthday wishes..all's well that ends well!


http://scratchymama.com/skillet-potato-scones/  ( not as good as latkes)

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/277464027019080532/  (vanilla coconut pudding)

http://www.scalingbackblog.com/sweet-treats/chocolate-hazelnut-avocado-cake/

pushing the limits...

...of how many things can be done at once. Case in point: at present I am cracking hazelnuts, doing alternating lunges, and dictating into my tablet to create this blog post while making dinner. Yes, I might be going a little crazy. With hazelnut shells flying madly all over the kitchen. I'm sure its a site to see. One of my goals this month is to discover how many activities I can do while getting more exercise. For example, squats, lunges and perhaps some occasional push ups in the kitchen while cooking meals.  I've also been doing a lot of snow shoveling which, as it turns out, is great for the abs.

     But what's for dinner you ask? Rice noodle and\or spaghetti squash pesto with garlic parmesan green beans and a small side salad. ( The kids and husband loved it btw)

    I'm feeling accomplished because I restarted my exercise program today and got in 50 pushups, seventy squats and 70 sit ups. That, & I got my van cleaned and vacuumed out this afternoon which always makes me feel like there's a little less chaos and mess my life...

    But what I really want to know in the midst of all the craziness and chaos, joys and frustrations, dirty diapers, children learning to sound out new words, everyone vying for my attention at once and a to-do list that grows faster than things are accomplished, is how can I know God better in the midst of it all?  How can I experience His presence, joy and peace in an ongoing and sustained fashion in the midst of maintaining a household, homeschooling and hurrying from one activity to the next? How can I have my heart and head in Heaven while my body is weighted down by gravity on earth?

     I want to see more of Heaven brought down to earth - and this morning it's there glinting off the snow as the first morning rays beam over the horizon and everything is covered in a soft and silent white.  I sit here and listen for the Voice whispering words of life and of slowing down in the midst of vibrant, busy days to hear what He has to say.  And I want to hear today, to live with eyes and ears wide open to capture the rays of heaven subtly glinting on the landscape of my day.  That's my goal, more than the number of push-ups or sit ups or check marks of accomplishment on a long to-do list.  Did I experience God today?  Did I slow down enough to know Him in the midst of it all?  Did I fellowship with Him in a way that stirred up love and longing for more of Him in my children and in my home?


http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/oven-fried-garlic-parmesan-green-beans/


http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_basil_pesto/