I'm so glad to have made it through another week. I know that Ecclesiastes says that we should enjoy our work. And, while I do appreciate that I have a job in this economy, and I generally do like what I do; I still look forward to weekends.
However, I expect this weekend to fly by quickly, as usual. There's the BBQ tomorrow to celebrate the birth of my friend's little girl. I had a chance to go shopping for infant clothing. There are so many cute things out there. I also bought an educational toy set.
After class on Sunday, there will be our class potluck and pool party. I haven't yet decided what definitely to cook; but, because of limited time, I may just go with the pre-packaged orange chicken and vegetables that I had bought.
Speaking of cooking, this week, I did utilize a cooking tip I had read about - that when cooking, it was a good idea to have 3 ingredients: 1) an oil, 2) something acidic, and 3) spice. So, in all that I made this week, I did that; and it turned out fairly good:
- Cornish Game Hen - 1) butter, 2) lemon, white wine vinegar, and 3) garlic&rosemary (with salt&pepper)
- Sauteed Spinach - 1) olive oil, 2) lemon, and 3) garlic, salt, & pepper
- Stewed Tomatoes - 1) olive oil, 2) white wine vinegar, and 3) basil
- Shredded Chicken - 1) vegetable/canola oil, 2) lemon, 3) cilantro, chili pepper
- Stir-Fry Vegetables - 1) sesame oil, 2) red wine vinegar, and 3) soy sauce, green onion
Overall, I think that this is a generally good rule-of-thumb to follow. It does seem to bring out the flavors more.
Also, this week, I did watch the season finale episodes of "
Merlin". The final episode once again showed that those who truly cared for one another had been willing to die for each other. I really enjoyed this series, and I hope that NBC will renew it for next season.
The "Do Not Fear" series study for Sunday is in Matthew 10 on "Relationships". It wasn't exactly what I had originally thought; but, nevertheless, it's still a good study. It's a reminder that being Christ's disciples sometimes comes with the great price of hostility from those we are close to, even family members. But, Christ does assure that He is in control, will judge, and cares about the details of our lives; and that ultimately, the truth will prevail. Those who stand firm to the end will be saved.
I had also finished memorizing the piano arrangement by Lisa Nelson of "
My Jesus I Love Thee" up to the point where I was able to play it. And, I have started memorizing a medley arrangement by Mark Hayes of "
As the Deer/Fairest Lord Jesus". I do love playing the piano; and I so wish that I was more talented. However, I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to play, and having stopped taking lessons, I can now just focus on the pieces that I really enjoy and want to learn.
I've been generally keeping up with exercising; but, haven't been staying away from the snacking. So, overall, my weight has stayed the same. While my muscles seem to be tone; they seem to continually be aching slightly. I wonder if I should rest my muscles a few days a week; or if the aches will go away when my body gets used to the daily exercise. We'll see, over time.
I watched "
Lucky Seven" this week starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Patrick Dempsey. It was actually somewhat of a pleasant surprise - a sweet romance about finding one's true self after letting go of living up to others' expectations.
I've also been reading
Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado. The first section on "Use Your Uniqueness" builds upon the discussion my class had in Jeremiah, that we are each created unique and that God has a special plan for each of us. Max Lucado says that the cure for the common life is found at the convergence of our unique strengths/gifts, God's glory ("To Make a Big Deal Out of God" - second section), and our everyday life (third section). In line with my thoughts at the beginning of this blog entry, he even quotes Ecclesiastes 2:10 "
My heart took delight in all my work" and gave the example of how Michelangelo excelled because He knew God would see the work of his hands.
The intersection of my uniqueness, God being glorified, and my everyday life is actually in teaching. It has often been affirmed to me that God has given me the spiritual gift of teaching, and I have developed that gift over 20 years of experience. He has shown me how important it is that all studies glorify God, in that they reveal God to us and allow us to know HIM more. And, my "everyday" life has enabled me to be able to effectively teach, in that I have been disciplined, have always had an interest in studying Scripture, reading Christian books, learning and growing, etc. As I saw how God has been at work in the Truth 101 class, I could see that this is part of His Plan for my life.
So, according to what Max Lucado wrote, teaching my Sunday class would be one "Yes!" to my S.T.O.R.Y.:
- Strengths - teaching, learning, discipline, organization
- Topics - Scripture, books, God, music
- Optimal conditions - structure, consistency
- Relationships - caring for others, helping others grow, solitude
- Yes!
I'm so glad to have made it through another week. I know that Ecclesiastes says that we should enjoy our work. And, while I do appreciate that I have a job in this economy, and I generally do like what I do; I still look forward to weekends.
However, I expect this weekend to fly by quickly, as usual. There's the BBQ tomorrow to celebrate the birth of my friend's little girl. I had a chance to go shopping for infant clothing. There are so many cute things out there. I also bought an educational toy set.
After class on Sunday, there will be our class potluck and pool party. I haven't yet decided what definitely to cook; but, because of limited time, I may just go with the pre-packaged orange chicken and vegetables that I had bought.
Speaking of cooking, this week, I did utilize a cooking tip I had read about - that when cooking, it was a good idea to have 3 ingredients: 1) an oil, 2) something acidic, and 3) spice. So, in all that I made this week, I did that; and it turned out fairly good:
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