Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Shack

I read the book The Shack on the recommendation of a bible study group that I'm in. It was a band wagon type book so having the personality that I do, I refused to read it just because everyone one else was. But, as I was listening to everyone talk about it I decided that I should read it. I borrowed it from a friend and read it in one day.

I was warned not to be disturbed by the goriness and by the the way he portrayed God. It is just a book and as a mystery and fantasy fan I've read far more descriptive kidnapping type scenes before so I didn't really have a problem with that part.

I will admit to being one of those people who always pictured God as a Santa Clause type figure, just in a white robe instead of the red suit. So when I got the the black mammy God it made me stop and think. Then slowly a smile spread across my face, as sacrilegious as it seems(especially with my Catholic upbringing! I sill love the Catholics don't get me wrong, but you are taught to respect God and no nonsense is allowed.) I can totally see God as a black mammy, the I know what's best for you and you should do it because I love you and you love me, not because I'm telling you to. So, that part made me smile and chuckle at my inclination to cross myself and say a couple hail Marys! What can I say? Old habits die hard!

I really like how the author portrayed the holy spirit and the soul. There are some major theological flaws, but there are also some parts that I fully agree with. Like any other book, I take what I know to be right and run with it and research and bug the people I know about the things I'm not sure about. Then things I just know are weird, like the psychedelic star chapter(you'll know what I'm talking about it you've read the book!) I just giggle over and move on.

My beef with this book is the same that it is with all band wagon books, everybody takes everything in it as gospel and doesn't dig any deeper when things don't make sense. It's really bad with "Christian" books like The Shack, but happens with secular ones as well. If you are not firmly grounded in your faith books like Harry Potter and Twilight should not be read by you. Even if you don't go out and start looking for hot vampires to hang with, ideas can get planted and unless you are guarding your self against them they'll sneak in there and permeate your way of thinking. Satan doesn't not need to turn you into a Wicca to accomplish his task, most of the time he just distracts rather then full out attacks.

The moral of this little story? Be careful what you read and be on your guard, if something seems revolutionary talk about it with someone and pray that God would open your eyes and help you see what His truths are.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Cross Roads

(Yuck, I haven't written in a while, what's with the horrible new format? When did they change it? =P)

I have an over active imagination, I know this and it does have its draw backs. Like not being able to sleep because you just know that that noise that woke you up is some crazy maniac who just escaped from prison who is looking for a house to sneak into to use the phone to call his crazy buddies to come and pick him up. So, in just a few seconds a face, most likely missing some teeth and with a gnarly scar somewhere is going to pop up out of no where and crawl over your bed(Which you always put right under a window!stupid, stupid, stupid)and collect his buddies and have a crazy man convention right there in your bed room.

Yes, that actually happened, not for real, but I laid awake for 2 hours one night after something banging outside my window woke me up. I wasn't going to turn and look at the window. So, I just laid there with my back to the window coming up with insane scenarios as to what had made the noise. It was the cat by the way, me and the cat have finally come to an agreement. I let her in and out when ever she wants and I get, um I get, well I get woken up multiple times a night by an 10 pound animal who had decided I am her slave..........

But anyway, back to the reason for this post. Of course at the beginning of the year you are thinking about choices and what you would like to see for this next year. I don't make resolutions(those are so last century) I just set goals for myself and promise I will do them. I have always had this picture in my head whenever I come to a cross roads in my life and it helps me sort through the pros and cons. I am finally done with the final edit of my book and it's ready to be sent off into the world and I felt like writing something, so here we go!

The air is warm, almost too warm but then a cool breeze will blessedly come and I am once more happy with the world. The path I am walking along is narrow, it looks like at one point it might have been a road, for every once in awhile a patch of asphalt will show through, but the woods have taken back the land which was once theirs. Wild flowers bloom along the side of the path and ferns crowd the edges of the shade.

I forge ahead not really paying attention to what is going on around the next bend, but when I get there I am forced to pause and think. The path splits off here, one way it looks much like what I've been walking along previously, a narrow forested path meandering it's way through a Sherwood like forest. The other is different and a little scary, it's an old stone bridge, made long ago by people unknown.

On the other side of this bridge the forest changes dramatically, it becomes much drier and the sun appears much stronger. I sit on a conveniently appearing log and ponder my choices. Do I stay with the safe and familiar or do I venture into the unknown? Sometimes the choice is easy, but others times I sit a long time on that log. As I learn more about each direction the landscape changes slightly. Maybe in the familiar direction a stranger steps out of the trees. While over the bridge an old friend appears and waves for me to come on over.

Road signs appear along the sides of the road telling me things about each way, the good and the bad. I venture a little along each path testing the waters but am not ready to commit quite yet. I finally make my choice and as I walk towards my path of choice the other path fades from view and when I look back it is one seamless path again. Sometimes I mourn the loss of the second path, what ifs fill my mind, but there is no turning back, regrets will get you no where. Sometimes things that made the other path seem so delightful will show up along the path I have chosen other times the what if stays in my mind forever.

God has laid out this path for me to walk and has given me the best map anyone could ever ask for. He has fully equipped me for the dangers and pleasures ahead. So, I will forge ahead through the swamps and meadows of life, knowing that God will always be right there with me. It's nice to never be alone, isn't it?=)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

New Toy

I found a new toy today! You can gather pics from all over the net and use them to create collages(Old school word I know. I'm sure there is a more modern one out there!) Can you tell I was feeling springy today?

Monday, January 4, 2010

The Best Thing I've Ever Eaten....

I was watching the Food Network the other night, yes I not only watch TV but am slightly addicted to the Food Network.=) Well, back to the point, I was watching it and a show called The Best Thing I've Ever Eaten came on. I was intrigued, I'm not sure I could pin down the best thing I've ever eaten. The theme was breakfast and there was a whole slew of different dishes. The traditional like corned beef hash and blueberry pancakes to the not so traditional like hot chocolate and spaghetti with scrambled eggs(That last one actually looked really good, so did the hot chocolate!)

It got me thinking about the best breakfast I've ever had, I've never had it all together but I'm pretty sure I've pinned down the perfect menu!

It would start with tea, yes tea, I don't like drinking coffee with my meals for some reason. Probably a toasted rice green. The green tea is light and sweet and the toasted rice adds a subtle toasted flavor that is the perfect contrast!

Then we would have raspberry cinnamon rolls. My family has found the perfect cinnamon roll recipe and it makes these little sticky not overly sweet gems that just melt in your mouth. I change the recipe up and roll raspberries up with the usual cinnamon sugar filling, of which we triple the amount of! Then right before baking your pour about two tablespoons of heavy cream over the top of each roll and that cream combines with the sugar, butter, and raspberry juice in the bottom of the pan and caramelizes into the most luscious thick sauce. I upended those rolls out of the pan the first time I made them and knew I had found a little bit of heaven on earth!

Just because the perfect breakfast would not be perfect with out a potato somewhere, I also would have hash browns. Now this is one thing I just can not replicate at home. For some reason the brown and crispy on the outside and perfectly soft and creamy on the inside with just a hint of salt and pepper buttery golden brown goodness has eluded me and my culinary skills! So, I would have to go to IHop and get some of theirs!

That dear readers is my best Thing Ive Ever eaten breakfast. If you haven't noticed this so far, I like to describe things. This was lots of fun, so maybe it will become a regular feature! Think about your Best Thing I've Ever Eaten breakfast. What would yours be? Just don't drool on the key board!=)