Christmas Season '09

Now that Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas Season has officially started.  While I consider Easter the most significant HolyDay, Christmas is my favorite season.  I love the celebration of Christ's birth, the music, the decorations, the spirit of joy, peace, and goodwill to family and friends.

In just reflecting back over the Thanksgiving weekend, I clearly see the transition into Christmas.   On Wednesday, I marinated the turkey; and then, on Thursday, I pretty much cooked all day.   It probably would be good for me to write down some of the "lessons learned", since I only make many of these dishes once per year; and I usually forget what I learned the previous year:

• With the turkey, I was once again reminded that I can't follow the suggested cooking times nor the temperature.   I don't know if it's just my oven and/or thermometer; but, rather than roasting for the suggested 5-6 hours, I found that at 4 hours, my 17-lb turkey was already overcooked.  Also, the temperature read 160 deg (both in the dark and white meat) instead of the suggested 185 deg for dark and 160 for white.   So, for next time, I will just go with whenever the turkey looks done (as I do with chicken).   One thing that seemed like a good suggestion, was to start cooking with breast-side down.  I did it for the first hour and then flipped it; but, I'm wondering if it would be better if I left it and just flipped it the last hour instead  (to help prevent it from drying out).   Also, I found that it is not good to marinate with an oil/vinaigrette base.   The roasted vegetables turned out really sour; and the oil seems to compete with the butter flavor that is sometimes added to the turkey.  The thyme and italian parsley herbs were not bad for the flavoring - it was a light herbal seasoning.   I also put a whole orange cut-up in the cavaties.   It may have been too much citrus; however, it is better than lemon; since it is not as tart.    Next year, I should try to find a better marinade.
• The pumpkin bread with jam,  rolls,  cranberry sauce (cranberries, water, and sugar), gravy, roasted potatoes, yams, and asparagus were fine.  Nothing unusual.
• I probably could have put less spices into the hot apple cider.
• The green bean casserole actually turned out fairly well (cream of mushroom, french onion, milk, steamed green beans).  It didn't need the soy sauce, since it already was salty enough.
  
• When I broil to brown the marshmellows and the french onion, I really should watch them more carefully, since they easily burn.
• As for the mashed potatoes, I could have reduced the amount I made, so that the milk and butter would have more of an effect.   And I wonder if half-and-half would have made it creamier.   The suggestion to cut up the potatoes and steam them, were helpful, except, it seems to take a lot of time and work to peel and cut them.  
• I skipped the stuffing, since it seemed like I already had enough food; but, it was missed at the dinner table.  Next year, I may try stuffing from scratch.
  

Overall, I enjoyed cooking, and  everything looked nice.  It was also nice to spend time with family.   On Friday, we went shopping, adding to the biggest-shopping-day-of-the-year statistic.  However, I did not get up extremely early, so, I was not able to get the folding table and chairs set, which I was told sold out at 6AM. 

Saturday, I cleaned (had a minor mishap with the dishwasher Thursday night, and woke up with a wet floor on Friday, which I only had time to quickly mop) and then, put up my Christmas decorations inside the house.  Afterwards, I went to Irvine for a fellowship meeting with Greg Laurie, where Tenth Avenue North were guests artists.   I like their "By Your Side" song.

Sunday, after church, I put up my Christmas decorations outside, wrapped gifts, and started on Christmas cards.   It is nice to have a break from teaching my Sunday class.

Today, it's back to work.   I am glad, though, that I resisted doing work over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  This morning when I got in, there was nothing that was an emergency; and my email box didn't overflow either.   As I started with my favorite part of the day, spending time with the LORD, He filled me with peace and joy.  I praise God for always being with me - Emmanuel.  

Thanksgiving '09

It has really been a hectic week; and now that work is done, I can actually pause to think about Thanksgiving.   I truly have a lot to be thankful for.   As I look at the plight of the world around me, I am amazed at all the God has blessed me with.  He is truly gracious!

Also, I'm glad I was able to do most of my preparations beforehand, having already decorated, cleaned house over the weekend, plan the menu, and shop for groceries.   I just have to marinate the turkey tonight.  Tomorrow, I'm planning to make roast turkey with vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin bread, asparagus, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, italian potatoes, and rolls.   Just being able to have such a meal makes me grateful in these economic times, and with so many in need around the world.  I truly am thankful!

Over the weekend, I watched Hotel Rwanda.  How devastating it must have been for the Tutsis to live through or to die in the genocide by the Hutus.   I can't even imagine how horrible that must have been.  That is a display of human depravity and our fallen sinful nature.   I praise Christ for giving us victory over sin!

Sunday, I wrapped up my last Bible Study series; and the class will be on break the rest of the year.   I am grateful for all the people in the class; and all the love and encouragement from them!

Work has been crazy.  I've been working about 15 hour days the last few days; fighting escalation fires.  Yet, I was able to see God at work in the midst of the circumstances; and I have peace and joy despite the stress.  This brings to mind Philippians 4:6-7:  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Praise God!

I thank HIM, I praise HIM, I love HIM.  Amen!

3 H's

For a concise summary of the 1 & 2 Peter "Messages for the Suffering" Study, I came up with the 3 H's:  HOLINESS, HUMILITY, and HOPE.   These were threaded as themes throughout the letters, bounded on the basis of the WORD of GOD and the WORK of CHRIST.  

From the beginning of 1 Peter to the end of 2 Peter, it was emphasized that WORD of GOD was enduring and that all His promises are true.   It is also through His Word that He Creates as well as Judges.   And, of course, it is the WORK of CHRIST that saves us; and He suffered, giving us an example of the good that could come out of the midst of suffering.  As for the 3 H's:

• HOLINESS - throughout the letters, holy and godly living is essential.  The sanctification or refinement by fire process purifies our faith
• HUMILITY - it was emphasized that we are to love and serve one another; to support each other thru times of suffering; and in 1 Peter, he encouraged submission according to God's design for authority
• HOPE - Clearly, throughout the letters, Peter pointed them to the hope and eternal perspective
  

Bioethics

Last night on Three Rivers, the show dealt with the difficult topic of euthanasia.  While they did portray viewpoints on both sides of the topic in the episode, the not very surprising conclusion showed the patient riding off joyfully, through the cloud of grateful potential donor recipients and families, into the operating room sunset.   By the end of the show, everyone who had any objection at all was fully supportive of the patient's decision to end his life.   Even the TV audience was drawn into this through the effective use of sentimentality and utilitarian ideals.  It was not hard to garner sympathy for the plight of the patient, and to bring focus to all the good that would result from the person giving up his organs to those who needed them.  

While the challenges faced by the patient making the decision should not be ignored or minimized (e.g. quality of life, costs, etc); neither should the moral aspects.   No matter how much "good" can come out of it and no matter how much the "good" may outweigh the "bad"; ultimately, the ends should NOT justify the means.   Morally, taking away life, is still wrong.  Also "quality of life" is not enough of an argument to justify the taking of life either.   Otherwise, how would one determine at what point quality of life is bad enough to make it okay to end life, which would lead to the slippery slope of saying that suicide at other points in a person's life may be okay as long as they really wanted to die and preferred it over living.  This would lead to the difficulty of determing when suicide would ever be wrong.    Without moral absolutes, these troubling grey areas arise.   But, with moral absolutes, we recognize that life is precious and is to be protected, each person being a reflection of the Creator.  Also, while we desire to alleviate the pain the patient is enduring, from  the moral standpoint, are they ensured that the pain they are experiencing in this life is not more than the suffering to be encountered after this life ends?  To answer this question, there would need to be that clear worldview, which also forms the basis for morality.

Hope

It is fitting that the apostle Peter concludes his final letter with a message of Hope.  Throughout both letters, he's been constantly reminding the Church to keep an eternal perspective, to focus on the hope of glory, and to be alert and self-controlled, ready for Christ's coming again.

Hope is so important in the midst of suffering, because that is what helps us to persevere. And that was also Steven Curtis Chapman and Greg Laurie's message last night in the "Evening of Hope" at Harvest Church.  After having lost both their children in tragic accidents, they say that it is their hope in Christ that carried them through, along with the support and prayers of the Body of Christ.    Steven said that of all that people said to him during that time, what helped the most were those who would recognize that "there are no words" and offer their sympathy.  The songs Steven sang from his new album truly reflect the broken heart of a father crying out to God in a time of immense pain.   There is comfort in knowing when our loved ones are part of our eternal future.

Also, this weekend, I had a chance to go to a Reasons to Believe lecture on Theistic Evolution.   Dr. Ken Samples gave a very clear and reasonable presentation on some of the challenges with the theistic evolution view; and raised many good questions that would need to be resolved in order to still be consistent with some very basic doctrines on the fall of man and Christ's redemptive work.   It showed me how important it is to think critically; and also to loving and respectfully question, in keeping with 1 Peter 3:15, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."  (And, as a fun side note, for answering all the final quiz questions correctly, I did win an eBay worthy bowling pin signed by all the RTB scholars)

Practical Christianity

So, I've been preparing for the next Bible Study series, and I'm planning to do a study in the Book of James, calling the series "Practical Christianity".   Reading through James, the areas we will focus on are:  stability, love, speech, humility, and patience.  This will be good, since it fits well with my search for the next steps - putting faith into action.   May God bless the study.

Last night was our last community small group meeting.  We are in the middle of the PeaceMaker study; and this week's lesson was on restoring gently.   I do find that confronting is difficult; but, it is part of the restoring process.   We don't really have control over the other person's reaction; but, as long as we prayerfully and lovingly confront with the purpose of restoring, we are doing what we can and can leave the rest to God.

It is neat to see that the wisdom of God effectively applies to everyday life.  I can't imagine having to face the decisions and challenges of life without the guidance provided in Scripture.

Restlessness

It is interesting that I was about to chide myself for feeling restless, but I came across this quote from Thomas Edison that actually throws it into a more positive light.  I didn't think of restlessness as being necessary for progress; but, it makes sense that we wouldn't be motivated to change, unless there was some sort of dissatisfaction with the status quo. 

Granted, we should be content in our circumstances (Phil 4:11), in our attitude towards whatever curves life throws at us.    Yet, it does not mean that we shouldn't try to improve circumstances if we were able to do so.  Thus, I like this perspective, of trying to use my restlessness to motivate positive change.

It would help if I could identify the cause of this restlessness.  It's kind of ironic that part of it is because I was able to complete the major items on my "To do" list.   No longer having that feeling of always having something that needs to be done and driving at full speed; I really should allow myself a chance to slow down and enjoy, since I now have the time.   Maybe in slowing down, I can think more clearly and leisurely about what the next steps are.   I can plan for what's next, without having life dictate it based on what's headed my way.   And maybe, it would allow me the chance to refill my energy and look at ways in which I can invest in the lives of others or to meet their needs.

Actually, it's not like I have nothing to do.  I should be grateful that it's actually more manageable.   I'm still teaching Sunday class, I still have normal responsibilities, and I still have the occasional non-usual thing that pops up (e.g. tenant registration, STR lecture, etc).  

The best use of the little "extra" time that I have, would be to be in prayer and to think about what's next:  mentoring? missions? outreach?      And I can use this time to find renewal to be ready for the next wave.   I should keep working at the things I enjoy, like cooking (this weekend, my garlic spinach turned out well, because I found that when the wok is heated really high, and I just saute the garlic and spinach a little, there seems to be a smoky flavor and the color stays strong).  Also,  I can prepare for the next Bible Study series.

May I be an effective steward of my time.

Veterans' Day

Today is Veterans' Day, "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace" on the anniversary of of the signing of the Armistace that ended World War I.  Although true "world peace" will not be established until Christ comes back again, I am truly grateful for all those who serve and have served in the military to fight for the freedoms that we do have in our country. 

I pray for comfort and healing for the families that have lost loved ones.   I pray for the families of those whose loved ones are currently stationed in other parts of the world in active duty for our country.   May God protect them and help them through all the challenges of being far apart.   May God bless America; and may we turn back to being "one nation under God."

Servants' Hearts

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."  2 Peter 1:5-8

As Peter was facing death, this was what he emphasized in his letter to the Church, that to be effective and productive fruitful Christians, we need to live godly lives exhibiting the above qualities built upon the foundation of faith.

This weekend, my class demonstrated what it means to love and to serve, by going over to one class member's house to do yardwork and repairs as she prepares her house to be put on the market, at this difficult time in her life.   It was amazing to see their efficiency and hard work.   And on Sunday, the day afterwards, it meant a lot to see the teenage daughter of the class member smile and wave to me across the church lobby.   The class had been a great example of being the Body of Christ to her and to her mom.  May God be glorified as we live in reflection of HIM.

Empty InBox

This week flew by; but, I'm happy to say that my InBox is basically empty right now.   I've been able to take care of my list of all pending tasks; and it feels really good.   I'm sure my InBox will start filling up again soon; but, for today, I'm going to enjoy it.  After having gone through feelings of being overwhelmed under my pile of responsibilities, it is such a neat feeling to look back and see how God helped me handle them all.  So, for today, I can be thankful and truly relax.

2 Peter 1:3 says "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."  I have seen and experienced personally how God, through His power, has given me all that I need for living my life for HIM; and I praise HIM!   While I may still encounter trials and challenges, I can trust in HIM to carry me through.   Amen!  

As my pastor said last week, the victorious Christian life is not that God takes away our difficulties, but that He helps us endure through them.   And, as we encounter trials, we will only be refined by the fire and our faith when it is tested is purified; so that we become more and more like HIM.

Enjoyment

I am reminded that, just as we studied in Ecclesiastes, enjoyment of life is a gift from God, and that apart from HIM, all is meaningless.   In all that we do, whether it be relaxing or serving, being able to "enjoy" is important.   Just as I am to be willing and eager in serving, I should find balance in having fun in relaxing as well.

As I look back on this weekend, I am pleased to see that I did enjoy serving; but, I also found enjoyment in other areas:

• I had a chance to watch figure skating - they are currently halfway through the Grand Prix series season.   
• I also decorated my dining table for Fall, leading to Thanksgiving.   
• I experimented with some new dishes in cooking.   I made a sun-dried tomato basil chicken with olives that turned out really well.  I also made a curry chicken breast, taking ideas from something I saw on one of the cooking shows.   The secret was to use a mallet to pound the chicken breast so that it was more tender and of an even thickness; and to fully marinate it (with curry, salt, pepper, and oil) before putting on the grill.  I also pan-fried cucumbers with onion and basil.  I don't often cook cucumbers; but, it actually has quite an interesting taste cooked.  
• I had a craving for "Cookies & Cream" ice cream, and it was a pleasure to be able to satisfy that craving
  
• And then, I went to the home of one of my community group members, who was showing her slides from her missions trip to Haiti.   I do have a heart for missions; and I'm still praying for what new area God is leading me into.   The poverty in Haiti is truly heart-breaking; and the contrast to the wealth we have in our country is stark.  I need to determine how I can be most effective with my limited resources.

Well, the weekend is over, and it's back to work.  But I am reminded that in Ecclesiastes, it also said that even work is a gift from God to be enjoyed.

Shepherd

While I may have somewhat known it in the back of my mind, it has definitely become clear to me lately that in my Sunday Adult Fellowship class, my responsibilities extend beyond just teaching.   Just as in the 1 Peter 5 passage, many of the characteristics encouraged for elders and leaders of the Church, are so applicable to my role.   I do have to remember that I am to be a caring shepherd, and willing overseer, and an eager servant.  And what a humbling responsibility it is to know that I am to be an example to those I lead.

While teaching may be part of  "feeding" the sheep, "caring" for them means knowing their needs, praying for them, and finding ways to help with practical needs.   It means taking the time to talk to each one of them, including time for prayer towards the end of class, and serving, like we are doing this coming weekend, going over to a class member's home to help in yardwork, repairs, and moving things.  Being an overseer means that I also have to "oversee" all that goes on in the class - to organize, to communicate schedules & events, to ensure details are taken care of, etc. - kind of like how we were able to put the basket together for a church function.   Different people in class brought separate items; and I had to coordinate, inform, and package them together.   It was actually good to see how it turned out nicely.

Most importantly, I am comforted to be reminded in the 1 Peter 5 passage, that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd; and that I can "Cast all [my] anxiety on HIM because He cares for [me]" (vs 7)