I Want to be a Philippian

I have clear memories of my visit to Philippi on a tour of the ministry of the Apostle Paul that I went on through Turkey and Greece in May 2005.

Though this isn't my photo (thank you, interweb), it really does look like this... the ruins of the ancient church in Philippi, that is.

I was reminded of this visit this morning as I was reading in the Book of Acts, chapter 16. I'm reading it in The Message -- not terribly scholarly to be sure, but for me, Peterson's paraphrase captures the excitement and wonder and terror that must have been felt as the events he is describing were happening.

I have read this chapter many times because I especially love the Book of Philippians, and to hear the story of how the church got started is a thrill. I have also taken on the "founder" of the church of Philippi, Lydia, as my hero -- clearly someone who was a gifted businesswoman but also "known to be God-fearing." Peterson writes that she "listened with intensity" and a trusting heart, and then hosted the church in her home until it grew.

On the tour I visited the river site where it is thought that Lydia was meeting with some friends for a prayer meeting when Paul and Timothy arrived -- and where she was then baptized after "listening with intensity" to the Gospel message.

You have to read the story for yourself to really grasp the thrill of it all: dreams, riverside baptisms, vicious beatings, earthquakes, more conversions, festive meals, bold standoffs with the powers-that-be, great friendship. Exciting stuff.

It would take many postings to list the reasons for my fondness for Philippians -- future postings, perhaps.... but today I embrace this passage most heartily:

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)

As I press on through the highs & lows of life -- hard work, friends with cancer, broken-hearted grief, amazing students, partnership in the gospel, personal challenges -- this passage reminds me to give both my head and heart to Jesus. No holding back. Dive in, get messy, be vulnerable, keep moving forward -- even when there is deep fear. As you forge ahead, you walk through those hard things, and get on the other side of them: more mature, deeper, wiser, more full of love and true joy.

To "listen with intensity" and then believe with a trusting heart, like Lydia, is the most important decision of one's life. Yet it is not just a one-time, mountain-top experience; it works itself out each day, in the small things. I finish with these words, that pushed me to keep reading all this wonderful stuff in the first place:

We too often fail to realize, however, that people who say that they want to find God in life have to work every day too to bring that Presence into focus, or the Presence will elude them no matter how present it is in theory. (Joan Chittister)

Look for the Presence each day.

Polenta Skillet Pizza - updated

I had to post this one again. I have made it a few times since the first time I posted this in October 09, but have never been completely satisfied with the polenta crust.

But I tweaked it tonight, and it worked perfectly, in my humble opinion. The photo above is from the original post. I ate tonight's version far too quickly to take a photo.

I got this originally from the Oct 09 issue of Vegetarian Times.

2 tb olive oil, divided
3/4 c instant polenta
1/2 tsp salt
1 recipe Quick Pizza Sauce (see below) or PESTO - both are great

Potential toppings - a short list:

• 1 3.5 oz log goat cheese, thinly sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced into thin strips
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into rings
• fresh tomato
• fresh avocado
• Gouda cheese
• olives
• fresh basil
  
• sauteed mushrooms....
  

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (New pointer: put iron skillet in the oven without oiling it, just to get it hot, while the oven is preheating).

2. Combine polenta, salt & 3 cups water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook 5 minutes or until polenta is thick.

3. Remove skillet, brush bottom and sides of 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tb oil. (It will sizzle - be careful)

4. Spread polenta in prepared skillet, set in oven, and bake 20-25 minutes, or until beginning to brown on all sides. (The hot skillet makes the polenta immediately have a crisp bottom crust - awesome!) You want the crust crisp, but not burnt.

5. Remove skillet from oven, spread polenta with sauce (red or pesto). Place other toppings (unless you are putting tomatoes, fresh basil or avocado - wait until the pizza is cooked). Drizzle with remaining oil. Return to oven.

6. Bake 10-15 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Top with shredded parmesan cheese.

I'm already dreaming of future toppings ... kale, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta, eggplant, mushrooms, roasted garlic, red onion...


QUICK PIZZA SAUCE (save this recipe - I really liked it)

1 6-oz can tomato paste
2 tb finely minced onion or shallot
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red wine or red wine vinegar

Combine ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt & pepper if desired.

FRESH PESTO a winner!
2 cups basil packed (can use 1 cup arugula or cooked kale -- take some risks. Trust me it tastes great)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tb walnuts or pine nuts
1/4 c grated parmesan
3 cloves minced garlic

Put ingredients in a small food processor, 1/3 of ingredients at a time. Pulse until smooth, add more ingredients.

Got Stone Fruit?

"Stone fruit" is a weird term. Sure, I know it refers to fruit with big seeds or "stones" - peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, etc. I get that. But the word "stone" with "fruit" takes away the fresh yumminess of these fruits. Biting into a fresh peach is one of those top "YESSSSS!" experiences in life. But calling it a "stone fruit" makes it sound like it's gray and filled with gravel or something...

But I digress. Nothing new. Regardless of my deep-seated hang up with the term, I have discovered a glorious way to use said stone fruit.

Yes, I prefer it to eat them all au naturel, just as the Good Lord made them. But I can also burn out on them quickly. So it's good to have options. Other than dicing them up and freezing them for smoothies, this is my new favorite - thank you Everyday Food magazine (really, thank you Martha, who of course calls peaches and friends "stone fruit") and thanks too to Fairview Gardens for this week's pound of nectarines (which were a "scosh" small for plain eating... I'm not complaining):

Stone Fruit Compote
In a small saucepan, combine about 3/4 lb coarsely chopped stone fruit, 2 tb honey, pinch of coarse salt, 3 tb water, and 1 small cinnamon stick (other options: 1 wide strip lemon zest, 1 star anise, 2 allspice berries).

Cook over medium high, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft (10-15 mins). Transfer to jar and let cool. To store, cover and refrigerate, up to 2 weeks).

I put the compote on Greek Yogurt (Voskos in my new favorite brand) and it is perfection.

THIS is going on the menu list for this week. Oh yeah.

Eggplant Burgers

A delicious late summer meatless grill or make it under the broiler. You might need a knife and fork to eat these hearty sandwiches.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons oil

2 teaspoons wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Whisk together in a small bowl.

1 large eggplant

Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch / 5-mm thick slices to make 12-16 slices. Brush with the oil mixture. Place on grill over medium-high heat. Close lid and cook, turning and brushing occasionally with remaining oil mixture, until tender, 5-10 minutes. Remove from grill. (Eggplant slices may be cooked under the broiler or sautéed in a frypan until tender, 4-5 minutes per side.)

8 thin slices provolone, Gouda, or other cheese

2 tomatoes (thinly sliced)
or 4 large pieces roasted red sweet peppers (SIS p. 167)

8-16 leaves fresh basil

freshly ground pepper

Place a slice of cheese on 1 eggplant slice; top with another eggplant slice. Top with 2 tomato slices or a piece of roasted red sweet pepper, then 2-4 basil leaves. Top with third eggplant slice, then another slice of cheese. Top with fourth eggplant slice. Repeat to make 4 stacks, adding a grind of pepper at the end (optional). Place on grill; close lid and cook for about 2 minutes, turning once.

4 crusty rolls or 8 thin slices sturdy bread

Drizzle balsamic vinegar on inside of split rolls. Or brush the bread with olive oil, toast it on the grill and lightly rub a cut clove of garlic over the toasted surface. Add vegetable stacks and serve immediately. Or allow to cool, wrap tightly, and refrigerate several hours or overnight, allowing flavors to blend.

Feelings and Identity

This needs no intro. Fantastic, wise, beautiful words that God used to remind me of great truth this morning. From Henri Nouwen... go to henrinouwensociety.org to sign up for daily quotes.

What We Feel Is Not Who We Are

Our emotional lives move up and down constantly. Sometimes we experience great mood swings: from excitement to depression, from joy to sorrow, from inner harmony to inner chaos. A little event, a word from someone, a disappointment in work, many things can trigger such mood swings. Mostly we have little control over these changes. It seems that they happen to us rather than being created by us.

Thus it is important to know that our emotional life is not the same as our spiritual life. Our spiritual life is the life of the Spirit of God within us. As we feel our emotions shift we must connect our spirits with the Spirit of God and remind ourselves that what we feel is not who we are. We are and remain, whatever our moods, God's beloved children.

Hop on the Bus, Gus -- C'mon, just try it!

Last week I posted some thoughts on taking the bus and what a stretch that was for me when I tried it in 2008 or so... I posted it to set the stage for this rant... er um, post.

I don't want to start an argument, but I for one am so sad about the oil spill in the Gulf. It's the largest man-made environmental disaster in history. I suppose we could picket BP. On my recent trip to Alaska I saw a ginormous BP skyscraper in Anchorage and glared menacingly at the building for several seconds. I sort of doubt they noticed, unfortunately...

Yes, they bungled this on many levels, and the finger-pointing will go on for years, but I know it's not completely their fault. Actually, when I finally get honest, I have to take some responsibility myself.

HUH? Yeah. Actually, you do too.

We are addicted to combustible engines people. Planes and automobiles, especially. And this is not sustainable behavior, by any stretch of the imagination. Worse, it's completely self-absorbed.

This is not going to be some statistic-filled sermon about global warming or carbon footprints... have no fear. I simply want to ask you to cut back on your personal auto travel. I'm not asking you to just sit at home and watch documentaries, or sort your silverware. I'm not saying it's admirable if you junk your current vehicle and go for a hybrid. I'm just pushing for one concept: LESS. And then MORE.

Just ponder for a moment what the effect would be if every person you know would drive one less errand per week, and/or take public transportation at least once a week. I don't know how many gallons of gas we would avoid using if this happened, or the decrease in parts-per-million of carbon thrust into the atmosphere that would occur if we drove less. Duh. You know it would have a massive, huge, gigantic impact.

Please know that I am putting my money where my mouth is. For the last two weeks I have taken the Bike Bus to work at Providence Hall, for a total of 5 trips so far. I'll admit to the downsides right away:

• I have to get up a half hour earlier.
• The unexpected -- I got a flat tire today. (Thanks Mo, for picking me up. Just fixed it at home.)
• The bus doesn't come to my house, nor does it drop me off at work.

But come on... SO WHAT? It's just not all about me.

Upsides - yep, I know you're dying to hear them:

• I save money. If you buy tickets in bulk (10 tickets), the trip only costs $1.10 per ticket.
  
• No parking issues. At Providence, which is located downtown, I have to find parking beyond the 75-minute curb limits that surround us.
  
• I get exercise. I am riding my bike more, obviously.

If you've known me for awhile, you know that I have been riding my bike regularly since 2003. So why is this different?

Thanks for asking. Three weeks ago I heard an interview of Mark Bittman on NPR. He's a fantastic food blogger on the New York Times. I have used many of his recipes. He was being interviewed about his latest book titled Food Matters. He calls his readers to "conscientious eating," by eating more sustainably, seasonally, simply, yada yada. All that stuff I've posted about on this blog too...

But he made a fascinating comment (I hope I don't completely get it wrong....) that stuck with me. He's apparently written at length about how we need to simply learn how to be hungry again. The interviewer asked him to expand on this thought. Bittman essentially said, We think about sex several times a day, but we don't follow through on those feelings the majority of the time.... yet when we think about food many times during the day, we think that's somehow different, and think it's fine to fulfill our desires immediately. We all need to learn how to be hungry again.

This got my attention. It's very obvious, yet it just made sense. Then I took it one step further and thought to myself, This applies in other areas of my life. Where?

[Pause.]

I thought of this one. Driving. Why do I think I need to get to everywhere I am going according to MY schedule, by myself? Why can't I try to fit in a bit more with the rest of the human race?

Today, in Urban Dictionary, the following definition popped into my inbox:

Congreenient: The practice of recycling, or being green, only when convenient. A person who only recycles when it is convenient to do so.

If you already recycle, compost, bring your coffee cup to Starbucks, only use reusable shopping bags -- good for you. Then it's time to s-t-r-e-t-c-h and keep the momentum going. Take public transportation. Ride your bike. Combine your errands into one trip. When planning a trip, try taking the train...

I've done all these regularly in 2010, and it has worked out just fine. Sure, it takes a bit more planning, and sometimes I have to not do something exactly at the times I was planning on it because I have to adjust my timing according to bus or train schedules, but big whoop. There have been plenty of benefits. I've gotten in good conversations with people on trains, in buses, at stoplights on my bike or while riding on the road. I've decided to make a little more effort to engage with my community, and be a little nicer to creation. And to have my day not rotate completely around me and what I want to do.

Here's a quote I read this morning (July 24) that builds on this line of thinking:

In a culture totally given to individualism, what relationships we may be betraying by selfishness and what it would take to cure ourselves of the self-centeredness that requires the rest of the world to exist for our own convenience. (Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict, p. 128)

I want to grow in selflessness. In a crazy way, riding my bike and taking the bus helps me to do that. Try it out for yourself.

Holy Frijole Mole!

Got this recipe from Fairview Gardens, best darn CSA around. Using my green beans and fresh basil from the share I received this week.

I just made it and oooooohhhhh baby! I have one great little lunch to take to work tomorrow -- scooping up this stuff with some FoodShouldTasteGood chips. O Happy Day!

Recipes for Green Beans: Frijole Mole

This recipe is from an inspirational book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. You can eat this dip with crackers or in wraps. Make sure you steam the beans thoroughly.

• 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 coarsely chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 hard-boiled eggs
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 to taste mayonnaise or yogurt

1. Steam green beans until tender.
2. Saute onions over medium heat in oil until transparent.
3. Combine beans, cooked onions, eggs, basil, and lemon juice in food processor and blend into coarse paste.
4. Remove puree to a bowl and combine with enough mayo or yogurt to hold mixture together. (Note from Kelly: I used Trader Joe's White Bean Hummus. Very good if I do say so myself)
   
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

(Last chime from Kelly: I cut this recipe in half - using only 1 egg - to make just enough for me. This made plenty. I'm not really into sharing....)