Great Fast: Everyone Wants to Know What's For Dinner

We begin Great Lent again.   As usual I am feeling very unworthy.  There are many bad habits which need correcting.  I am looking forward to living a life with more humility.  I'm ready.  I'm ready for my purification.  

Aside from deeper spiritual wants, I have entered upon this fast with apprehension.  I have been in the habit for the past year of eating too many sweets.  I never give up all sweets for Lent, because in the past I have viewed myself as having enough moderation in this respect.  

Last Great Lent I gave up fancy coffee creamer.  I drank my coffee with only honey, and kept it up for 7 more months after Lent.  But, as my sweets intake increased so did my intake of honey.  Eventually, I began drinking creamer again.  I was worried this morning that I would not be able to get through without sweets.  But, I think the grace of God has helped me through.  I pray that He will help me to the end of Lent.  This little experience of grace has helped me to see how deeply I am dependent upon God's grace for the small things as well as the great. 

The children colored the Last Judgement Icon this morning.  I have wanted to make a big poster for the kids to paint, but I have not found the time, so I figured that we had better get on with the Lenten lessons.  

I think Kristiana really captured the spirit of the icon. 

Alex added lighting bolts of death. Eek!

Tonight we are having something interesting for dinner.  I have never made anything like it before.  It is completing my original recipe.  But, it has lots of flavor and beautiful color.  In case you want to try something new, interesting and Lenten friendly, here's my recipe (and I will also be able to remember how I made it if I post it here):

Spicey Clam Stew

2 cans (6.50 oz) of clams

1/3 cup of celery, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced 

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

2 T cilantro

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

Open cans of clams and pour the juices into a 3 qt. pot.  Bring juices to a boil and add the raw veggies.  Let simmer until the veggies appear softened.  Add cilantro, tomatoes and clams and let simmer for 15-30 minutes.  Optional: omit jalapeño if you don't like the heat.  I did not add salt as the canned food already had enough sodium. 

The children are very picky.  Therefore they will be having slices of cheese, strawberries, carrots and likely they will drag out the goldfish crackers before dinner is over. 

 

Theophaneia–“Appearance of God”

Theophany commemorates Christ’s baptism in the Jordan—the first time the Holy Trinity was revealed to man.  The Father’s voice from Heaven, Christ incarnate in the Jordan and the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove.

This icon was a little bit of a detail nightmare.  We worked on this one for two hours today.  Alex actually worked on it for 1 hour 45 minutes himself.  I went back later and went over the lines with the marking pen.  So, this is a 2 hour 20 minutes icon.  Of course, I did some other highlighting and details too.  The real secret behind getting this one done and doing it well was patience and mommy making up for the four year old dexterity handicap.  Alex would start on a section and then get frustrated on the difficulty, then I would go in and outline the edges with paint.  Then he would paint in the middle without fear of going outside the lines. 

Whenever we write icons together Alex says that is a gift and decides on who he will give it to, because the first one we wrote together we decided to give it as a gift to Daddy for his birthday.  He decided this one will be a gift to the priest who is coming to Baptize and Chrismate Annie this weekend.  I am kind of sad, because I hoped to keep these paintings and hang as many feasts as we can in his room.  If he remembers to give the icon to the priest (I am so selfish, I want to keep it), I will have to settle for my photos.  I will put a little book together of our year of icons for Alex as a keepsake.

Thoughts From Near and Far

I have spent the last three weeks in a baby-making, induced haze. Sleep, eat, sleep, eat, cry, vomit. I am finding it very difficult to get the normal tasks done. Yesterday, I found myself exiting onto the interstate in the complete opposite direction I was supposed to be going. I was distracted by a radio commercial--a man was talking about insurance while his wife was in labor. Several minutes later I was still thinking about it--well, really I was thinking about us having our baby--and the next thing I knew I was on the ramp to the interstate. It was a very confusing morning for me.

Alexander is talking more and understanding more. But, he does not talk regularly. There are several things he says over and over and we still haven't figured out what he is saying, but whatever it is he really means it. We loaded a couple videos of adorableness onto YouTube for friends and family. Yesterday, he was moved to the toddler room at daycare. I think, because so many of those kids are talking and talk well, that he will start talking more, just so he can play with them. He is definitely becoming a big boy and just in time.

Also yesterday, I asked Alexander where his toothbrush was (btw, it's lost) and he first started pointing toward our bedroom and then he took me into our bedroom, into the bathroom and point up at the sink where we normally keep it. At least he knows where it ought to be. I think potty training will not be difficult with him. He likes to learn new things and he is very helpful. I just think when it comes time, he will like the new task.

I suppose I should not banter away at such trivial things, when such horrible events are going on in the world right. The whole world is rapidly changing before our very eyes. I should mention the massive natural disasters in both China and Myanmar. When the tornado hit Myanmar, Andrew asked me if I had heard about and I said yes and proceded to point out that the aftermath was probably worse because they all live in weak, paper-like structures. They were not prepared for a tornado. He turned to me and called me heartless. He did not like that I did not first show sympathy for them. However, in the past week, I have to say I have felt much sympathy for them. It is a crime against humanity that the people should not receive the aid that is sitting right at their border. It is just plain sad. Feelings of sadness, distress and mourning repeat for those in China.

For now, I will leave it at this, "O my sweet Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to Heaven." If we cannot relieve the suffering, at least we can pray that it might lead us to Heaven. Amen.

Alexander Update

Age: 14 months 3 weeks (Baby/Toddler).

Height: 29 1/2 inches (short).

Head circumference: 19 inches (mighty).

Weight: 21 lbs. (practically perfect in every way).

Temperament: Frequently grouchy, pushy, cuddly, still gets the giggles.

Likes: Still Elmo's World, Veggie Tales Sing-A-Long, 123 Count With Me (DVDs); climbing everything; petting the kitty; trying mommy's food (even wasabi peas); peach juice; milk (all forms); being in arms of parents; going outdoors.

Dislikes: Funny textured food; not getting his own way; diaper changing.

Interesting: Strokes his belly when his shirt is off.

Activities: Playing with kids his own age at daycare. Gets into everything.

He still has a nebulizer treatment everyday to help prevent asthma trouble. He goes to bed at 8:00 pm with no fussing or fight. He wakes up in the middle of the night, and because his parents are too tired to soothe him and put him back in the crib, he comes to bed with his parents.

Future occupation: possibly a musician - showing early signs of rhythm.

Enjoy the update.

Mother's Day

Does it get any better than this?