Food

Mom recently appealed to the frugal conservationalist in me by suggesting that we work on eating what food is already in our posession before purchasing more. Our fruit supply has dwindled (blueberries, 4-6 raspberries and some apples that taste like celery...[shared crisper space]) so I immediately started thinking... inside the box.
The buckwheat pancake box, that is. To the pantry I went, only to find that the mix was expired. Normally I wouldn't mind this sort of thing but a long time ago an email was going around advising against using expired mix, as it was making people very sick... so I disposed of it and moved on. That's when I found the Malt-O-Meal. High in calcium, folic acid and most importantly, IRON!, this intriguingly bizarre boxed concoction has stuck around the pantry for those days when we're feeling especially vitamin-and-mineral-ly deficient. Today I noticed the recipe on its side -- "Magic Malt-O-Meal Muffins."
Add a few of the previously mentioned berries and there was some decent breakfast potential.


Magic Malt-O-Meal Muffin Monster





They turned out great, surprisingly! I like muffins to have a bit of a harder exterior, rather than be soft and fluffy-limp, and these certainly did. Also, the Malt-O-Meal added a nice texture.

So nice in fact that I have already eaten four! Goodness knows that I don't need that many, and perhaps I can redeem the quantity by considering the muffins a two meal brunch rather than just breakfast. But in the future when I bake I should probably be more intentional about taking only what I need and making a point to retain a certain amount to share with others.

This all brings me to a few realizations

...

In life we do well to make the best use of everything we have been given. Instead of spending ourselves and our energies on searching for something more, perhaps the better thing to do is to really invest our efforts toward looking into and around ourselves and identifying what we have to work with... and savoring it!... especially before it goes bad.
Once we do realize what we have, we should enjoy it, but not all by ourselves. We should also share it with others, to bless and encourage them!

Praise God for life and simple things... and the good lessons He can make of them.

Muffins, anyone?

On Flying

New song up!

http://www.youtube.com/user/GoDioSmiles



Gloria a Dios!

I'm determined to make the most of this awkward stage in life.

You're alive, you're alive, you're alive

In many more ways than one!

Shine, shine, shine!

Hello goodmorning

sun.

Galatians 6:7-10 ...God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up...let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.



P.s. you are missed by the lot of us, Chris Rubadue! Have fun reaping and sowing on those 13,000 acres and continue to grow otherwise, as well. Peace amigo.

I Can't Tell You

how good today was! But you can bet I will try.

It all started when I woke up and remembered that yesterday's purchases included NEW SHAMPOO! The carrot stuff pretty well ran out and as such I was searching for something new and equally jazzy. Preferably banana. They did not carry any such product at Whole Foods (if not them, then who?) but I did find a couple of reasonably-priced bottles of herbal mint shampoo and conditioner in banana's fruity stead. This was a particular treat, because it happens to be the scent of summer and productivity, as similar savory hygenic goods were freely dispensed in the showers at the pool where I spent a recent couple of summers lifeguarding. After early morning swim-instruction we would rest in the hot tub for a few minutes, whenceforth I often-as-possible snuck off to the shower [naturally for the sole purpose of using the shampoo] before claiming my share in the coming shift's responsibilties. Not only this, but it is all quite natural!
How thrilling to think that this is how I can start my tomorrow, too.

Next came two great church services. In the college class we started a series called Blemished, which focuses on the book of Malachi. "Ma la chee," you (I) may ask (asked)? "And what does that have to offer?" So far, the realization that we today are a lot like the folks back in the day that didn't quite trust and love God the way He deserves. The series' author made a lot of enlightening connections between then and now, and I look forward to further enrichment through more of these connections. After this was third service, during which we had a really valuable, well-timed lesson about investing our lives in what really matters... "Do not store up for yoursevles treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:19-21

After church was lunch at my favorite Indian restaurant, followed by a nice time at Highbanks, resting and digesting and taking a few photos in some of the wooded area.

Tim and Melissa (uncle, aunt) were at Grandma and Grandpa's along with Hunter and Isabelle (cousin, cousin) so it was nice to see them all for a brief while before heading to Veritas...

where there were so many wonderful people with whom to enjoy fellowship and God's goodness along with one of the most EXCELLENT messages I've learned from to date. Nick did a great job of appealing to God to open our hearts that we might grasp the power of the truth about Jesus that our minds have so passively managed to weaken and disregard. He basically reestablished that Jesus is truly the purpose/foundation/rationality/hope/aspiration/salvation of all creation. Once we really get that -- with our hearts, beyond our minds -- our whole lives will joyously respond in giving God all the credit possible in every way possible for every beautiful characterization of Himself that Hes made apparent in each other, nature, His word, relationships, the food we eat, events and ourselves. Not to mention... everything else.
He is amazing and deserves everything we have to offer in response to this truth.


A good-sized group met and ate at Fabian's after church (m to the mm) and on the way home we all got to enjoy in some fashion an excessively beautiful sunset and great evening weather. My particular style involved a breeze-filled commute back to Marysville in the delectable company of a melding of stuck-together gummy bears and U2/ Copeland. The combination effortlessly coaxed a most delighted sqreal (squeal/scream) from the very bottom of all the gratitude my soul had to offer, express to and at the disposal of God Himself.

Praise God for such goodness and fullness of life.

I couldn't be vegan, I like cheese too much

not to mention yogurt. And mango laasi! And many more.

Nevertheless, I made vegan cinnamon rolls this morning. I think I'm going to puke.

Haha not really, now -- they're just so stinkin' sweet... I found the original recipe while searching whole wheat cinnamon rolls in the google engine. These popped up and as it ended up, had reidence on a vegan, fat-free recipe website. They looked pretty good, and were the only ones I could find that did not require the yeast dough-mixture to sit for "1- 1 1/2 hours" before further manipulation. May as well give it a shot, right?

Well, I guess. After my eagerness to get going on the recipe had far outweighed my desire to continue the search, I realized it called for pastry flour (of which we have none.) As far as I know, the only difference is that is is very fine. For a brief moment I contemplated food-processoring some whole wheat flour, but then suspected that might be a bad idea... and came up with an even better one! For the three cups of flour, I processed three cups of oats with just a few walnuts until fairly fine. That would have to do the trick.

As a result, they turned out pretty mealy rather than fluffy puffy... as the song goes,
ain't nothing like the real thing.

Next time I'll get up earlier.


At least they look cool :).

Officious Internship Record # 6

I haven't posted about the internship for some time! (Busy, busy I guess..)

also,

the internship is over!

Waiting can be beautiful

if we let it.

Please God, give me patience. Bless me with your vision...


(Flickr, applesquash)