Cooking Notes

Wasn't really in the mood for "meat" this week; so, leaned towards more vegetarian dishes this week:

• Continued with the Ethiopian/Indian/Middle Eastern inspired dishes  (noticed that the spices and the way of cooking were similar, probably due to the early trade routes).   Using onion, garlic, ginger, tumeric, and cumin as the base for flavoring, pan fried bell peppers and also a tomato basil "stew"
• Spinach garlic hummus, with garbanzo beans, tahini, roasted garlic, sauteed spinach, olive oil, and water.  The garlic was quite strong; but, overall, the hummus was pretty good
• Greek Salad - cucumber, tomato, red onion, olives with olive oil, lime juice, and feta cheese
• Pickled Cucumbers with Carrots - sprinkled cut cucumbers with salt and let sit, then added shredded carrots, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil

There were still a couple of "meat" dishes - grilled some sausages and salmon fish fillets (with basil).

8-Aug:  In continuing to lean towards vegetarian dishes, there were a couple of really simple ones that turned out surprisingly well, like snow peas lightly sauteed with just green onion and soy sauce; and the same with portabello mushrooms.   And boiling corn or mixed vegetables for a vegetable soup base instead of using meat works fine as well.   One of the soup dishes that have been really good, is to use the vegetable soup base, boil with tofu, imitation crab meat, green onion, and imitation snow peas and then seasoned with some fish sauce.   I also did a "mediterranean" type soup; with stewed tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach, and fish; but, it felt like it needed to be served with bread or with some rice in the soup to counteract the strong flavors, particularly of the curry and spices.

London Olympics 2012

The London Olympics are now well underway.   The Opening Ceremonies on Friday provided an historical perspective of the UK through the use of entertainment (plays, movies, music, and digital media).

In these Olympics so far, there have been several poignant moments in which I could just sense the honor and pride the athletes felt in being there and representing their country as well as being able to reach their goals and accomplish what they have been training for.   One example is Dana Vollmer, not only winning the gold in the 100M Butterfly, but also setting the world record in the process; after the heartache of failing to qualify in 2008.  There were also some disappointing moments, such as when the US was not able to defend their exciting gold medal win 4 years ago in the 4x100 relay and in a reversal, lost to France instead.  However, even though they were leading for 3 legs of the race, and only lost it in the last, we should remember that they were not favored for the gold anyways, so it was good that they made the podium.

Typically, one of my favorite Summer Olympic sports to watch is gymnastics.   It's great that the US has such strong teams, both of whom placed first after the qualifying round.  But, this Olympics, I've been most drawn to indoor volleyball.  Both the US men and women teams played extremely well in their first match; and there was clear talent, great ability to block, and nice teamwork.  To quote one of the announcers who said something along the lines of:  "Isn't it wonderful to be a great athlete!"

1-Aug:  Yeah!  The women's gymnastics team won GOLD :-)   And, of course, it cannot go unremarked that Michael Phelps made history as the Olympian with the most medals ever.  There are many great Team USA moments like Missy Franklin and Matt Grevers both winning gold in the 100M backstroke; and Allison Schmit winning gold, silver, and bronze.

6-Aug:  Swimming has wrapped up; and Track&Field has started.  When all is said and done, Michael Phelps ends as the champion that he is, with his last 4 medals all gold; showing that competitive nature which hates to lose.  And, it was neat watching Katie Ledecky, the youngest US Olympian at 15 yrs of age, swim the 800M free not holding back in the beginning like the veterans to conserve energy and fearlessly swimming even with the world record holder in the race with her.  And, Missy Franklin shone, being well-grounded, as someone with a solid family background.  As I watch the team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings win match after match, it makes me wonder what it would be like to be so clearly dominant in a particular area like they are in beach volleyball.  There was actually a very interesting quote from a sports psychologist they met with, who said that confidence was knowing that one belongs.   It made me think about our confidence in the LORD, knowing that we belong in His Family.

13-Aug:  With the conclusion of the Closing Ceremonies last night, the London 2012 Summer Olympics is officially over.   The Closing Ceremonies was a tribute to British music over the years and seemed to try to create an atmosphere of an after-party.  It was funny to watch Prince Harry representing the Queen trying to be very serious.  As he was walking in, being introduced, it seemed like Kate who was across the aisle had an expression on her face that indicated she could tell how this was contrary to his typical demeanor and nature.
As I think back on the Olympics as a whole, the moments mentioned above with Phelps, Missy, Katie, the women's gymnastics team, May-Walsh, etc were the ones that stood out the most.   I would add to that the gold medal in the 200M for Allyson Felix and the women's gold medal relay races 4x100M and 4x400M, especially with the world record.  In fact, Allyson may be one of my favorites athletes of these Olympic games.   Her Christian faith shines through what she says and does; and she runs with such grace and beauty. 
I was a somewhat disappointed with the indoor volleyball teams.   After being undefeated, the women lost in the gold medal finals; and the men didn't even reach the medal rounds.   In both cases where they lost; they had been leading in the beginning; but, it seemed that as the other teams tried substitution after substitution to find a combination that could change things around, the US teams were not able to adapt to when the other teams started winning points.  We had good teams; but, it seemed like they could only play in the way that helped them win earlier on and were not able to adjust to other combinations.   I was also a little disappointed that Roger Federer didn't repeat what he did in Wimbledon and didn't win the gold medal.  He is an athlete that I have great respect for, with good showmanship, attitude, and character.
Overall, it was a good Olympics.   I'm proud that the US had the highest number of medals as well as gold medals.   I'm glad that there were no security incidents.   I'm glad that there were many countries that were able to win medals for the first time.   I was touched by the many athletes and their families who showed what this all meant to them, especially as they won or stood on the medal stand with tears in their eyes.
It was said that the Olympics was a reflection of life; where one goes through hard work and struggle to achieve goals.  There are heartaches as well as joys, which can be shared with all those around.

22-Aug:  It occurred to me that one of the reasons I like the Olympics so much is likely similar to why the Apostle Paul used so many analogies to athletics for the Christian life.   The example is motivating.  While the athletes live, eat, breathe their sport; and sacrifice so much to compete and win; more so, we have an eternal reward to strive for.   Even my life verses in Hebrews 12:1-2 are illustrating life like a Marathon.

Nehemiah

I have finally been able to come up with the initial title and outline for the Nehemiah  Bible Study series I will be leading in class next.   In reading through the book and various supplemental materials, the perspective we will be taking in this series is one of "Restoration".  The first 6 chapters on physical Restoration of the Wall, and the last 7 chapters on the spiritual Restoration of the People.

This follows closely with the Ezra series on Renewal; and we will even encounter many similarities between the two (e.g. rebuilding, facing opposition, dedication, confession of sin, purification, etc).   And just as we were able to apply the steps the Israelites went through in their Renewal process in Ezra; we will be able to apply the steps for the Restoration process.

In outer restoration, we need Prayer, Preparation, Rebuilding/Repairing; and to be able to face Opposition, deal with Problems, before we can Finish.  In inner Restoration, we need to account for all those involved, read God's Word, Confess sin and Worship God, Renew our Covenant, go back to His Promises, Dedicate our lives to God, and Reform and Purify our lives.

I pray that God will teach us through this series on Nehemiah; this man of prayer.  So much so, that he is jokingly called the shortest man in the Bible as a play on his name Knee-high-miah, because he is always on his knees.

Fellowship and Worship

It truly was a blessed time of fellowship and worship last week, when my two friends came over for dinner and to rehearse for the Offertory music for worship service.  They are two of my favorite musicians, for when they play their instruments - piano and violin - they play for God.

For dinner, I cooked an Ethiopian-inspired meal:

• Stewed chicken - made with just the meat from cooked chicken with BBQ marinade, mixed with diced tomatoes, lentils, and tomato paste simmered for hours with onion, garlic, curry powder, salt, and pepper
• Stewed vegetables - made with boiled broccolli, carrots, cauliflower, then pan fried in butter, cinnamon, ginger, tumeric, garlic, and onion and simmered
• Spinach - pan fried onion, garlic, ginger, bell pepper with spinach till it was all soft

Served with brown rice.   This all turned out quite well; and the spices really made for a flavorful meal.  

During the meal, my friend told us about an analogy she had used with her students.  Some of them just try to get by with minimal effort, and she likened that to serving instant noodles; but, those that put in emotion and hard work are able to serve home-made noodles in hearty broth with vegetables and meat.  We should strive to provide "flavor" and "depth" in all that we do.

After the meal, they rehearsed and then had a time of just playing whatever pieces came to mind.   As I was cleaning and washing dishes, I was just so blessed by the music and it truly was a wonderful evening.  Afterwards, I was inspired to just continue that attitude of worship by playing the piano and singing myself to God.

Also, last night, was our Music Ministry gathering.  It was neat to fellowship with those we serve with in Music Ministry.  It was also nice having the worship oversight elders there as well (those from last term and those who are starting the new term).  But, our Assistant Pastor is the one who truly does provide the spiritual leadership for all the Music Ministry teams.

Baby Girl

My friend gave birth to the newest baby girl addition to their family; and I had a chance to help watch the other kids overnight, while their parents were at the hospital.   What a precious gift of new life; and may God bless this family.  It is a privilege to be able to be there for them; and I am joyful for this happy occasion.

Spiritual Power

My Pastor started a new series on being "Powered Up by the Spirit".  It was a timely message, for it is a reminder that when we are walking through this desert of life, it is God who can "prime the pump and quench our thirst" with the only true source of living water:
"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." (John 7:37-39) 

Thirst is universal, but we must recognize that we need to quench it with the living water through believing in Jesus.  Just as the piece of wood in Exodus 15:23-25 was thrown into the bitter waters of Marah to make them sweet and fit to drink, it is the cross of Christ that turns the bitterness of our sin to the sweetness of eternal life (1 Corinth 10:4).

I feel like I have been struggling through the desert; but, this is a good reminder that through the Holy Spirit, I can have the power to endure and keep going.

22-Jul:  As my pastor continued the series, he quoted St Augustine:  "You have made us for Yourself, Oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee."  This thirst-quenching source in the form of the Holy Spirit is sent to us:

1. As a Permanent inner presence (a Parakletos or Advocate, like a soldier who fights with you back-to-back) - John 14:16-17
2. For Discernment (so that we can discern the Truth in the midst of the bombardment of lies we are faced with in this world) - John 14:26; 1 Corinth 2:12-14
3. To help us Testify - John 15:26
4. To Convict (of sin - biggest is that of unbelief; of righteousness - Jesus is the standard; and of judgment that will be coming) or our sin grieves the Holy Spirit - John 16:7-11
5. To Guide (our internal GPS - God Positioning System; Gui-DANCE where the Holy Spirit leads and we follow, like in a dance) - John 16:13
6. As a Guarantee (a seal, like on a letter as evidence that God will deliver on His Promises) - Eph 1:13-14
7. To Embolden (just as the disciples gain boldness after Pentecost) - Acts 1:8

Have we released the power of the Holy Spirit (the living water within us), or do we quench it?

29-Jul:  Christians live where two internal "rivers" collide (Romans 7:18-25), and the struggle between the Spirit and the Sinful Nature is a normal part of the Christian life; but walking in the Holy Spirit gives us power over the flesh (Gal 5:16-18).   As seen in Gal 5:19-21, there are three main categories of sin:  sexual, religious, and relational.  However, as we struggle, and have victory through the Spirit, it can produce many benefits.

8-Aug:   Even though we believe and are saved, some may not have accessed the power of the Holy Spirit.   It is the Holy Spirit Who helps us to live a holy life in obedience to Him.  And the evidence of that is through the fruit  (Gal 5:22-24) - one fruit, many flavors:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (sunlight vs lightning), and self-control (even in saying "no" to good so the BEST can be done).  When we live by the Spirit, we don't need to LAW - we obey because of our new nature.

13-Aug:  This weekend, the message was on spiritual gifts - a topic I've always felt was essential for the effective functioning of the Church Body.

20-Aug:  We often go through the desert of life reaching for mirages which never really quench our thirst.  In Jeremiah 2:13, it says:  "My people have committed two sins:  They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water".  The people of Israel, similarly, turned away from the source of Living Water to broken cisterns.
Instead, we should seek to be:

•  Filled with the Holy Spirit - Eph 5:18-20 - to be under the control of the Spirit (different from being indwelt (Rom 8:9)); being filled is to stay close to the Source and exhibiting the evidence of it
• Anointed with the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:38 - to minister with impact by God's Power; power over Satan by the authority of Christ; and having the power of His Presence

We should be thirsty for God (Desire), surrendered to Him (Yield), prayerful (Ask), and expectant (Believe). 

28-Aug:  My pastor concluded the series on the Holy Spirit with a message on the powerful leading of the Holy Spirit.  The picture is one of taking a child by the hand.  The Spirit's leading is a validating sign of a believer's authenticity (Rom 8:14); is consistent w/the Word (1 Corinth 2:12-15); and is the fruit of a life of prayer (Col 1:19).   So, we cannot be led by the Spirit w/o being a praying Christian.   

God's Plan Revealed in the Jewish Feasts

My Pastor recently finished a series on "God's Plan Revealed in the Jewish Feasts".   It was so amazing to see that when God laid out the instructions of the feasts in Leviticus 23, He was telegraphing His Plan and the overall message of the Bible.  As indicated in the following verse, all the feasts really point to Christ:
"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." (Col 2:16-17)


The first four feasts are the Spring Feasts and the last three are the Fall Feasts.   In the perspective of God's Plan, the Spring and Fall feasts are separated by the "Church Age", which we are currently in; where the Spring feasts were fulfilled at Christ's First Coming in His Priestly role as the Suffering Servant, and the Fall feasts to be fulfilled at His 2nd Coming in His Kingly role as the Coming King.  The Fall feasts occur in the 7th month (7 represents completion).  Below are the seven Jewish feasts:

• Passover - picture of Christ's death on the cross
• Unleavened Bread - picture of Christ's burial (starts after Passover; and the unleavened bread symbolizes sinlessness and holiness)
• Firstfruits - picture of Christ's resurrection (3 days after Passover - beginning of harvest, raising the first fruits with more to come)
• Pentecost - picture of the coming of the Holy Spirit (2 loaves represent Jews and Gentiles)
• Trumpets - shadow of the Rapture of the Church (ushered in with the trumpet call, commemorating the end of the harvest)
• Day of Atonement or "Yom Kippur" - shadow of the Second Coming of Christ (it was a day of rest, for Christ completed all the work on the cross)
• Tabernacles - shadow of the Millennium and the Eternity with God (final feast; begins and ends on the Sabbath - the final rest; looks back at what Christ did on the cross and how God brought us through the wilderness experience of this life; speaks of the future day when believers will be in the presence of God in heaven)

These show God behind the scenes weaving everything together beautifully, according to His Plan.

Jul'12 First Week Misc

This first week of July flew by; and the 4th of July Holiday came and went.  Several days were spent getting ready for the get-together, and almost in a flash it's over.  However, I have to say that the food turned out quite well.

For lunch, we had:

• BBQ chicken, sausages, and tri-tip.  We used one of those old-fashioned simple grills with charcoal.  It may take longer than the newer bigger ones; but, it still worked okay.   The chicken and sausages were marinated in the basic BBQ sauce and onions.  The polish sausage tasted better than the smoked.  The tri-tip was marinated using a Kansas City seasoning - I did not need to add salt, since it already had it
• BBQ corn - took out the "hair" and soaked it in water and BBQ'd with the skin.  It took a long time; but, the ones that were boiled first, did not taste as good
• Grilled zucchini - marinated with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  These turned out good.
• Bread - bought those sold in the store from Brea Bakery, which can be heated before serving.  The multi-grain was better than the ciabatta
• Fruit - watermelon, cherries, and pineapple
• Spinach and Strawberry salad - used rosemary ginger orange-infused olive oil with raspberry balsamic vinegar and it was really quite good
• Japanese Yam Fries - cut up the yams and baked with seasoned pepper and salt at 450degF.  It was good.  (The previous evening, I also boiled the yams, mashed them, and mixed with almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey; and it was also pretty good.  Though the fries were better)

For dinner, we had:

• Salmon - baked with sesame leaves and vegetables (courtesy of my friend) as well as some Gobo
• Stir-fried broccoli with carrots; and also green beans
• Rice noodle with chicken - it was more most this time.  I cooked the noodles with sesame oil and soy sauce and placed it in the dish.  Then I mixed soy sauce with broth and seasoning; then added the shredded chicken; and poured over the noodles
• Tofu soup - to soup base, just added tofu and green onions
• Char Siu Pork - baked the pork which was marinated in the char siu sauce 

Today, my friend and I went to the Rose Garden and Exposition Park.  It was nice, and I had not been there in quite awhile (Though parking was $8 at the Natural History Museum, which had underground parking; which was better than the $10 parking at other lots)

Afterwards, we went to the Little Ethiopia on Fairfax between Olympic and Pico.  We parked on the side streets near Whitworth and ate at Little Ethiopia restaurant.  The food was good; and the decor was cute, with a section that made it seem like we were in an African hut.   The waitress was also really friendly.  We had the vegetable lunch platter special for $6.99 and the lamb stew or wat for $10.  The lamb was especially good; and it's always fun eating using the injera (flat bread).

I have some cabbage in my fridge; and today's meal inspired me to try to make Ethiopian cabbage.   Looking at some recipes, it seems that I can pan fry the cabbage with carrots and onion in olive oil; then mix in turmeric and cumin with salt and pepper; and just cook till soft (I think potatoes are optional)

On the way back, we stopped by the Citadel outlets.   It was amazing how expensive everything was - I suffered from sticker shock quite a bit.

I feel blessed to have been able to spend the week with family and my friend.   And, I am grateful to all those who helped fight for our nation's independence and our freedom.

Next week for our class potluck, I'm thinking of bringing an Asian salad.  I'll bring the ingredients separately and mix together when I get there (and because they are cold, I can just keep them in a cooler with blue ice).   I plan to bring a spinach or salad green mix, shredded chicken, green onions, and mandarin oranges; and I'll bring an Asian dressing (likely something with ginger).