Monthly Archives: June 2010

Bloggity Blog Blogroll

{update: the “bloggity blog blogroll” has been officially re-named to just plain old boring “blogroll” and can be found in the footer…thanks for understanding!}

In my very first blog post, I alluded to the fact that I can’t do anything without significant thought and planning (although I have recently come to the conclusion that what I tend to label “careful consideration” can quickly become “procrastination” and is no longer all that beneficial…but that’s another post for another day).

One aspect of this blog that I spent [perhaps too] much time considering was the title.  My roommate, B, must have heard me utter about nine thousand different ideas before I finally decided on one that fit.

So when I asked her if she would read my blog, it’s no wonder she responded with,

“I don’t need to read your blog.  I live your blog!”

Ha!  But she does read my blog.  Sometimes.  When she hasn’t lived it.  Or I haven’t bored her with all the details that didn’t even make it into the post.

But if it had been up to B, my blog would have been named:

The Bloggity Blog Blog

Profound, isn’t it?

Well, ultimately I didn’t choose that title, but after [again, perhaps too] much thought and consideration, I am happy to introduce a new venture on this here blog:

The Bloggity Blog Blogroll

Found in the sidebar to the right, this is by no means an exhaustive list of the many wonderful blogs that I frequent, and it could change over time, but hopefully it will give you a better sense of who I am and what interests me in the grander scheme of the blogging community.

Hope you enjoy!

Creation’s Praise Part 1

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!”

Psalm 97:1 (English Standard Version)

Earlier this week I received an email from a longtime family friend (and a man I deeply respect for his study of God’s Word and willingness to share that study with others), Mr. H, with a question regarding the aforementioned verse.  The question was basically this:

In Old Testament Hebrew, would there be an equivalent “the” article before the word “earth”, and therefore, does this verse seem to indicate that nature itself praises God?

While I am currently in seminary and intend to begin studying the Hebrew language within the next year, I have not had much experience with the language thus far, and I’m not exactly sure why Mr. H chose to email this specific question to me.  But OH, how GRATEFUL I am that he did!  What a joy it has been to spend the last few days diving into Scripture and my [albeit limited] resources in search of an answer!

My very basic [and limited] search uncovered that, yes, there is a definite article in Hebrew grammar. (Hebrew/Bible scholars, feel free to add insight or correct me here if I’m wrong.)  But in turning my search to Scripture for the context of this passage and other similar passages, I’m not sure that (at least in this case) it changes the meaning at all.

At its core, Psalm 97:1 very much seems to indicate that nature itself praises God.

Consider the preceding passage:

“Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!

Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;

He will judge the peoples with equity.”

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; Let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,

For He comes, for He comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.”

Psalm 96:10-13 (ESV – emphasis added)

This seems to be a very clear picture of nature/creation itself praising God.  But why is it so important that creation praises?

Consider the explanation found in the following passage:

“The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun,

Which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,

And, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.

Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them,

And there is nothing hidden from its heat.”

Psalm 19:1-6 (ESV)

There are sooo many passages (both in the Old Testament and New Testament) that illustrate creation praising God as well as people praising God.  But in my review of many such passages over the past few days, I was made (somewhat painfully) aware of one major difference:

Creation faithfully and effortlessly praises God.  Just. By. Being.  Because creation is unashamedly aware of God’s worthiness and unhesitatingly dependent on God’s sovereignty.

And so I ask you the same question I have been asking myself over and over: Are you willing to faithfully and boldly praise God along with creation?  Regardless of circumstances?  Because of the knowledge that God is worthy and sovereign? Just. By. Being?

PS: Check back next week for my answer in Creation’s Praise Part 2.

Strawberry Pie

I’ve mentioned before that I like to bake cakes for family gatherings.  If a cake seems even halfway appropriate for the occasion, I am all there with my [meager] cake-baking skills!

But for Father’s Day this year (an occasion that would typically necessitate a cake by my standards), my Dad specifically requested a pie.  A fruit pie to be exact.

I couldn’t decide between a key lime pie and a strawberry pie…so I made both.

I used Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Key Lime Pie (Sorta), which was good, but the Strawberry Pie – an adaptation from about 4 or 5 different recipes – really “took the cake”.

 

FOR THE CRUST, I found this basic recipe on allrecipes.com.  Aside from using butter-flavored shortening and adding a couple tablespoons of sugar, I followed this recipe exactly, and it turned out great.  I even did a lattice top (and considering it was my first time, it didn’t look too bad)!

 Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup butter-flavored shortening

6 tablespoons ice-cold water

Instructions:

1. Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.  Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter until the mixture is blended and crumbly.

2. Mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, with a fork.

3. Divide the dough into 2 balls, and roll each out into a circle 1 inch larger than the inverted pie plate.

4. Place one circle of dough into pie plate.  Add the filling.  For lattice top, cut remaining circle of dough into strips and make weave pattern on top of filling.  Cut off excess crust around edges. Fold under excess dough so that it is even with the edge of the pie plate.  Seal and flute the edges of the crust with a fork.  Brush top of crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar before baking,

 

FOR THE FILLING, I combined several recipes, all the while hoping and praying that even with my lack of pie-making experience, the combination would work out okay…and I’m happy to report that it did!

Ingredients: 

2 pounds of strawberries, cut into large chunks

1 ¼ cups sugar (or more/less depending on sweetness of fruit)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (could add more to taste)

2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix together sugar, flour, cornstarch, and cinnamon.  Mix lightly with strawberries.

3. Let filling sit for 30 minutes before adding to crust.

4. Once filling is in the crust, dot the fruit with butter.

5. Cover with lattice strips (see #4 from the crust instructions).

6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is slightly brown.

 

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

A SUPERlative Birthday Card

For the interested parties: regularly scheduled devo thoughts will resume next week. In the meantime, enjoy a couple of random posts and a new recipe coming soon…

I don’t dance.  At all.

Okay, I can do a mean “Cha-Cha Slide.”  [I blame it on a 9th grade pep rally at which everyone was invited onto the track for a school wide “Cha-Cha Slide” experience.  I didn’t participate, but it was mildly entertaining and certainly left an impression.]  But other than that, I don’t dance.

However, while at a fall semi-formal during my junior year of college, I was caught at my table in the middle of…

 

 …The Chicken Dance.

This moment earned me a highly esteemed end-of-year superlative award:

Chicken Dance Champ! 

Ha!

And lest that special award-winning moment be too quickly forgotten, for my birthday this past year, my parents gave me the best card ever:

 

 

I realize the photo does nothing to show scale, but the card is as big as my head.  Seriously.

 

 

And when the card is opened, it plays the Chicken Dance!!

 

 

How fun is that?!?

 

 

Hope you have a wonderful [and Chicken Dance filled] weekend!

Internal Questions / External Implications

As I was driving to work one morning, I passed a woman walking her dogs and immediately thought, “I want a dog!” 

 

 

This is not an uncommon thought for me these days.  I miss having a dog around and would love to have a canine companion again.  But I wasn’t expecting the conversation with myself that ensued:

Me: I want a dog!

Self: But you don’t have time for a dog right now.

Me: I could make time.

Self: You’re never home.

Me: I should be at home more to study anyways.

Self: Does God want you to have a dog?

Me: Whoa! Where did that come from?

Self: Well, does He?

Me: Does EVERYTHING have to be about God? Does He have to be a part of EVERY decision?!?

Said out-loud: “Ummm, YES!”

First, I was reminded of this verse:

“So whether you eat or drink or

whatever you do,

do it all for the glory of God.”

            1 Corinthians 10:31 (New International Version – emphasis added)

 

Then, this verse:

“And whatever you do,

whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17 (New International Version – emphasis added)

 

The word “whatever” doesn’t leave much room for interpretation.  To answer my own question, everything DOES have to be about God.

Does this mean that we should consult God regarding what shirt to wear next Tuesday? Depending on the shirt, maybe. Probably not.

But consider one more verse.  In the words of Jesus:

 

“Love the Lord your God

with all your heart and with all your soul

and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

Mark 12:30 (New International Version)

 

God’s perfect plan for His followers is complete surrender to His will/way.  From the trivial to the significant.  He DOES have to be a part of every decision because He requires every part of us.

Every. Single. Part.

Perspective

 

Ever have those moments (or days, or even weeks…) when you completely lose it? When you feel so overwhelmed (by this) that nothing makes sense, time seems to speed up and slow down all at the same time, and you function in a sort of daze?

In those moments (or days/weeks), have you ever [even subconsciously or unintentionally] attempted to take the control back from God as if to say, “I can handle this one on my own”?

Only to then realize the complete and utter futility of such an attempt?

From that place, consider this perspective:

“For by him [Christ] all things were created:

things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,

whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;

all things were created by him and for him.

He is before all things,

and in him all things hold together.”

Colossians 1:16-17 (New International Version – emphasis added)

If you’ve never taken me up on it before, go check out the surrounding text in verses 15-23.

According to this passage,

He’s got this.

Whatever your this is, He’s got it.

In the words of a familiar children’s song, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

And He’s got this.

Fun Find: Mint Thyme

I almost ran out of shampoo this week.

Don’t worry, this evening after work I changed clothes (twice), read a chapter in a book, made coconut macaroons, and then reminded myself that I was an adult and capable of leaving the house even when I desired otherwise, went out in the impending monsoon, and purchased shampoo.

But if my procrastinating side had won out and I had not braved the elements, I was prepared to use the remains of this:

Lather brand mint thyme hair wash and crème rinse.

I know I picked up these travel sized bottles from a hotel on a business trip, but I honestly cannot recall which one.  They were either from the Hyatt in Colorado or the Hilton in New Hampshire.  Probably.  I think.  Yes, definitely one of those two.

For whatever reason, I didn’t use them on the actual trip (but of course I still had to bring them home…), so they lived under my bathroom sink until a desperate situation arose similar to the one noted above.  But after finally using it, I discovered that this is by far the BEST shampoo/conditioner combo I have ever used.  Both the wash and rinse smell amazing and leave my hair ridiculously soft and clean.

There’s one [major] downside, though.

When I realized how much I loved the products, I went on a search to find out where to purchase more.  That’s when I came across their website and realized that 8oz. bottles of the wash and rinse cost $18 each.  Yikes!

I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much, but I still love the stuff!

So here’s what I want to know: am I the only one not willing to spend $36 on glorified shampoo and conditioner?  Even for a good product, would you spend that much?