Today was a good day. Jill and I picked up the house in preparation for tomorrow's Super Bowl party. Then I was off to an introductory meeting for people interested in Pure Desire ministries. This ministry was started by Ted Roberts, formally senior pastor of East Hill church, which is a mega church in the Portland, OR area. The ministry is aimed at rescuing people from bondage to sexual addiction.
The statistics about the pervasiveness of this problem are staggering. According to Dr. Roberts, 70-90% of men in the U.S. have viewed pornography in the past 30 days. At least 50 percent of pastors are included in that number. I was suprised to learn that 24% of women are also involved in this behavior. The advent of the internet, for all its marvelous gifts, has provided a free, private, easily accessible source of pornography. Coupled with a cultural bias against God as the moral authority of our country, this availability of pornography has ensnared millions of people in patterns of additive behavior that are more powerful than addiction to alcohol or drugs.
This orientation meeting gave us (about 75 participants) an overview of the Pure Desire approach to helping people to get free from this scourge. The ministry claims a success rate of 85%, far better than any secular approach to the problems of sex addiction.
I am excited to be availed of the opportunity to get training in dealing with this problem, because until the church can heal its own, it will be unable to bring healing to others. There is nothing in our culture to deal with this problem, except the grace of God through Jesus Christ. It is not merely an American problem. The problem is world wide, but Dr. Roberts has found that Americans are less open to talk about it or deal with it than most of the other countries where he has taken his message of hope. Pray for our nation and for our churches.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
On the passing of the years...
Today is my darling Jill's birthday. As of today, she has officially lived longer than either of her parents. This is a fact that weighs on her mind from time to time. Because my parents have lived into their nineties, I tend not to think about the fact that my life could be near the end. Jill's parents, on the other hand, both died in their fifties. Naturally, Jill has a mindset that, at 59, she may be near the end of her life.
Jill has made much healthier lifestyle choices than her parents did, so there is reason to believe that her lifespan may exceed theirs by decades. On the other hand, she and her brother share some health concerns (undoubtedly inherited) that are risk factors for heart disease. Both are agressively addressing those concerns under the guidance of their respective physicians. Thank God for modern medicine!
I guess all of this is to say that I love you, Jill. God alone knows when He will call you home. In the meantime, I get to love you and tend you and be your partner. On this, your 59th birthday, I pray that God will grant me many decades more to serve Him with you and to serve you. You are His gift to me.
Happy birthday, Darling! I love you!!
Jill has made much healthier lifestyle choices than her parents did, so there is reason to believe that her lifespan may exceed theirs by decades. On the other hand, she and her brother share some health concerns (undoubtedly inherited) that are risk factors for heart disease. Both are agressively addressing those concerns under the guidance of their respective physicians. Thank God for modern medicine!
I guess all of this is to say that I love you, Jill. God alone knows when He will call you home. In the meantime, I get to love you and tend you and be your partner. On this, your 59th birthday, I pray that God will grant me many decades more to serve Him with you and to serve you. You are His gift to me.
Happy birthday, Darling! I love you!!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Real change comes from God...
Where to begin after 11 days? This has been an event filled time for me. My friend and former college roommate was visiting in our home from Tennessee. His visit was more business than pleasure. David is a man of God. His calling is to restore our Nation to its former condition, namely, "Under God." His ministry, Restore America, is to members of the body of Christ and has been growing and changing over the three years since we reconnected, after some 40 years, at a conference that his organization sponsored at my church.
The ministry for some time had concentrated on encouraging Christians to register and vote. More recently, though, since the national election of 2008, David has changed his focus. During his visit, I traveled with David to Bend, OR. He had an engagement there to speak at the Cascade Praise Christian Center. And speak he did...
When we arrived at this charismatic church, the congregation was engaged in prayer. If you are familiar with the charismatic movement in the protestant church, you will know that we did not find a bunch of people sitting quietly in the pews with heads bowed. The place was alive. The pastor's wife was pacing back and forth, hands raised, praying fervently and aloud. The congregation was standing and praying...fervently and aloud. I had never seen such a moving scene of God's people pouring our their hearts to Him, even in the charismatic church I attended in college.
Having ended their prayer session, the congregation greeted David and me warmly. Some of them filed out; others stayed. Within minutes the worship center was filled; people greeting people, greeting me, greeting David. The atmosphere was electric. Pastor Randy introduced David, and he stood and gave as moving a message as I have heard from the pulpit. Click here to hear David's message, "Real Change Comes From God."
The trip to and from Bend was a marvelous time of fellowship. David and I were able, for the first time since we found each other again, to learn about each other's spiritual journeys spanning 40 years. It was a time of revelation and encouragement for me. I will treasure it.
The ministry for some time had concentrated on encouraging Christians to register and vote. More recently, though, since the national election of 2008, David has changed his focus. During his visit, I traveled with David to Bend, OR. He had an engagement there to speak at the Cascade Praise Christian Center. And speak he did...
When we arrived at this charismatic church, the congregation was engaged in prayer. If you are familiar with the charismatic movement in the protestant church, you will know that we did not find a bunch of people sitting quietly in the pews with heads bowed. The place was alive. The pastor's wife was pacing back and forth, hands raised, praying fervently and aloud. The congregation was standing and praying...fervently and aloud. I had never seen such a moving scene of God's people pouring our their hearts to Him, even in the charismatic church I attended in college.
Having ended their prayer session, the congregation greeted David and me warmly. Some of them filed out; others stayed. Within minutes the worship center was filled; people greeting people, greeting me, greeting David. The atmosphere was electric. Pastor Randy introduced David, and he stood and gave as moving a message as I have heard from the pulpit. Click here to hear David's message, "Real Change Comes From God."
The trip to and from Bend was a marvelous time of fellowship. David and I were able, for the first time since we found each other again, to learn about each other's spiritual journeys spanning 40 years. It was a time of revelation and encouragement for me. I will treasure it.
Friday, January 16, 2009
You gotta try this...
We went to the market today. While wandering the produce section, I spotted some lovely big leeks. I was instantly transported back to my college days, when my roomy and I subsisted almost exclusively on bologna sandwiches on white bread and Wyler's potato and leek soup.
Fast forward about 44 years...and about 44 pounds. I was snapped back to the reality of 2009. Tom needs to cut back some. At least for the near term, potato and leek soup is out of the question. Sensible living in 2009, you know. My mind, however, wouldn't leave the leeks alone. Then it came to me. A few years back, I learned a recipe for what I call cauliflower mashers. In essence, it is a substitute for mashed potatoes and is good enough to fool me and others into believing it IS mashed potatoes.
Putting two and two together, I realized that I eat cauliflower mashers in order to avoid the simple carbohydrates in potatoes. So, why not cauliflower mashers and leek soup? I snapped up a bundle of leeks and a head of cauliflower and threw them in the baskart. (I hate that term).
At dinner time, I executed my nefarious plan, and now I will share the recipe with you:
Fast forward about 44 years...and about 44 pounds. I was snapped back to the reality of 2009. Tom needs to cut back some. At least for the near term, potato and leek soup is out of the question. Sensible living in 2009, you know. My mind, however, wouldn't leave the leeks alone. Then it came to me. A few years back, I learned a recipe for what I call cauliflower mashers. In essence, it is a substitute for mashed potatoes and is good enough to fool me and others into believing it IS mashed potatoes.
Putting two and two together, I realized that I eat cauliflower mashers in order to avoid the simple carbohydrates in potatoes. So, why not cauliflower mashers and leek soup? I snapped up a bundle of leeks and a head of cauliflower and threw them in the baskart. (I hate that term).
At dinner time, I executed my nefarious plan, and now I will share the recipe with you:
CAULIFLOWER AND LEEK SOUP
1 head cauliflower
3/4 cup fat free sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs butter
1-2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup crumbled bacon (cooked) (You can get this ready-made at Costco)
Dash of paprika (optional)
Parsley sprigs for garnish (optional)
1 large leek
2 Tbs olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 cup skim milk
pinch of cayenne
salt to taste
PREPARE THE CAULIFLOWER MASHERS (Remember, you can use this recipe separately)
Separate the florets from a head of cauliflower and steam until fork tender. (I did this in the microwave.) Place steamed cauliflower in food processor. Add sour cream, butter, salt and garlic and process to a puree. Add crumbled cooked bacon and process until the bacon is well chopped and mixed into the puree. Set aside. (If you choose to serve this as a mashed potato substitute, place in a serving bowl and garnish with paprika and parsley sprigs.)
PREPARE THE SOUP.
Place chicken broth and chicken bouillon into a large pot and heat over a medium burner.
Slice one large leek into thin discs. Saute in olive oil until just transparent. Add to the mashers and run food processor to cut the leek fine and mix into the puree.
When the broth is hot, but not boiling, add the mashers and leek mixture to the broth. Add skim milk, cayenne and salt to taste. Mix well and allow to heat through, so the flavors meld. The final result should have the consistency of a cream soup. Serve hot. Makes about 5-6 cups.
Jill could not stop raving about this soup. She said she wished it didn't fill her up so quickly, because it never stopped tasting good. Fortunately, there is some left for tomorrow. Lunchtime, when will you arrive?
3/4 cup fat free sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs butter
1-2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup crumbled bacon (cooked) (You can get this ready-made at Costco)
Dash of paprika (optional)
Parsley sprigs for garnish (optional)
1 large leek
2 Tbs olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 cup skim milk
pinch of cayenne
salt to taste
PREPARE THE CAULIFLOWER MASHERS (Remember, you can use this recipe separately)
Separate the florets from a head of cauliflower and steam until fork tender. (I did this in the microwave.) Place steamed cauliflower in food processor. Add sour cream, butter, salt and garlic and process to a puree. Add crumbled cooked bacon and process until the bacon is well chopped and mixed into the puree. Set aside. (If you choose to serve this as a mashed potato substitute, place in a serving bowl and garnish with paprika and parsley sprigs.)
PREPARE THE SOUP.
Place chicken broth and chicken bouillon into a large pot and heat over a medium burner.
Slice one large leek into thin discs. Saute in olive oil until just transparent. Add to the mashers and run food processor to cut the leek fine and mix into the puree.
When the broth is hot, but not boiling, add the mashers and leek mixture to the broth. Add skim milk, cayenne and salt to taste. Mix well and allow to heat through, so the flavors meld. The final result should have the consistency of a cream soup. Serve hot. Makes about 5-6 cups.
Jill could not stop raving about this soup. She said she wished it didn't fill her up so quickly, because it never stopped tasting good. Fortunately, there is some left for tomorrow. Lunchtime, when will you arrive?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sunshine and tinkering...
The sun is out. This makes two days in a row! It is amazing what it does for my disposition, after several days of gray skies and rain. It is not so much a matter of my being crabby or depressed without the sunshine. It is just that I feel more like doing things, when the sun shines.
Jill and I started the day with a brisk walk at the mall. This activity is becoming a regular routine for us as part of our "Sensible Living in 2009" campaign. It gives us a pretty good workout, and we enjoy having the time together to chat and share things.
When we got home, Jill went to the neighbors' house to watch the kids, while mom went to the dentist. She loves babysitting these little darlings; and they love having her there. Jill's years of teaching at the elementary level have given her a way of relating to young children that is very engaging. They love her.
While Jill was gone, I reassembled a clock I had been cleaning. It is now happily ticking away on the wall in our entryway. That went so well that I disassembled, cleaned, oiled and reassembled our school clock in the dining room, as well. Well, by the time I finished that, I was on a roll. So I disassembled, cleaned and oiled the mantel clock that has been in the den and hasn't run since before Jill and I were married.
When I reassembled this one, however, it failed to run. Never one to take "No" for an answer without challenging it, I disassembled the clock once more. This time I further disassembled the escapement and adjusted the fingers that engage the escapement wheel. The clock has been happily ticking and tocking for over an hour now without missing a beat. I still need to replace the hands and face, but I think we will be able to enjoy the mellow chime of this charming little clock on a regular basis now. Did I mention that I collect clocks?
Jill and I started the day with a brisk walk at the mall. This activity is becoming a regular routine for us as part of our "Sensible Living in 2009" campaign. It gives us a pretty good workout, and we enjoy having the time together to chat and share things.
When we got home, Jill went to the neighbors' house to watch the kids, while mom went to the dentist. She loves babysitting these little darlings; and they love having her there. Jill's years of teaching at the elementary level have given her a way of relating to young children that is very engaging. They love her.
While Jill was gone, I reassembled a clock I had been cleaning. It is now happily ticking away on the wall in our entryway. That went so well that I disassembled, cleaned, oiled and reassembled our school clock in the dining room, as well. Well, by the time I finished that, I was on a roll. So I disassembled, cleaned and oiled the mantel clock that has been in the den and hasn't run since before Jill and I were married.
When I reassembled this one, however, it failed to run. Never one to take "No" for an answer without challenging it, I disassembled the clock once more. This time I further disassembled the escapement and adjusted the fingers that engage the escapement wheel. The clock has been happily ticking and tocking for over an hour now without missing a beat. I still need to replace the hands and face, but I think we will be able to enjoy the mellow chime of this charming little clock on a regular basis now. Did I mention that I collect clocks?
Monday, January 12, 2009
Projects
We have been looking for new window treatments for our greatroom. Yesterday, we found something we both love at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Amazingly, they not only had enough panels, but they were on sale! We were looking for something that merely looked nice. These panels are actually lined and will help with insulating the windows, too.
Today we hung them up, and Jill and I couldn't be more pleased with the result. Along with the new furniture arrangement, the drapes give us a whole new look in the living room and dining room.
I also got some help from my friend Mike on Saturday. I had done all the prelim
inary work, and then Mike and I lifted the attic stairs into place and secured them. What a difference to be able to just pull the ladder down out of the ceiling and have access to the attic storage. I spent the rest of the day arranging the garage and stowing stuff in the attic.
inary work, and then Mike and I lifted the attic stairs into place and secured them. What a difference to be able to just pull the ladder down out of the ceiling and have access to the attic storage. I spent the rest of the day arranging the garage and stowing stuff in the attic.Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The important and the not-so-important...
This will be a big week for us. This afternoon we are meeting with a couple to help them work through some marital problems. This ministry is such a blessing to our marriage. We learn something from every couple that we can incorporate into our own marriage to make it stronger and more glorifying to God.
We also are beginning the study of The Truth Project (see the link on the right side of this blog) on Thursday evening in our Bible study. This program was developed by Focus on the Family and is a twelve week study about the Biblical world view. Jill and I took a training class in order to earn the privilege of presenting this material to others, and we are excited to get started. For me the crux of the study is the tag line of the first session: "Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?" The purpose of the study is to arrive at an answer to that question and to the question, "What is truth?"
On a more mundane note, I am in the process of installing a pull-down ladder for access to the garage attic storage area. All was going well, until I realized that the ceiling was not as high as I had thought. That was a problem, because I bought a ladder that is too long for our application. So, the first order of business will be a trip to Home Depot to exchange the ladder for the correct size. The next problem with this project is that it is a two man job to hoist the ladder into position and secure it. Jill has neither the strength nor the inclination to be the second "man." So, I think I will call one of my buddies to come over and help with the installation.
We also are beginning the study of The Truth Project (see the link on the right side of this blog) on Thursday evening in our Bible study. This program was developed by Focus on the Family and is a twelve week study about the Biblical world view. Jill and I took a training class in order to earn the privilege of presenting this material to others, and we are excited to get started. For me the crux of the study is the tag line of the first session: "Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?" The purpose of the study is to arrive at an answer to that question and to the question, "What is truth?"
On a more mundane note, I am in the process of installing a pull-down ladder for access to the garage attic storage area. All was going well, until I realized that the ceiling was not as high as I had thought. That was a problem, because I bought a ladder that is too long for our application. So, the first order of business will be a trip to Home Depot to exchange the ladder for the correct size. The next problem with this project is that it is a two man job to hoist the ladder into position and secure it. Jill has neither the strength nor the inclination to be the second "man." So, I think I will call one of my buddies to come over and help with the installation.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
A new look and a new outlook...
Here is a shot of the new living room configuration. We are just wild about it. It makes the space seem bigger, and no more bruised hip bones from running into the piano top while walking by the sofa. I think it will work better for our study group, too.We are about to start a study of Focus on the Family's The Truth Project. This is a study about world view, and more specifically, Christian world view. I think the tag line, "Do you really believe that what you believe is really real," is a nice summary of the topic.
Jill and I were privileged to go through the Focus on the Family training program for this study, and we are very excited to share it with our friends. It is telling to watch the first lesson and see people trying to define truth. Our culture has lost track of what truth is. The answer most frequently given by the man on the street in the interviews conducted for this study was, "Truth is relative." On the other hand, Christian scholars and theologians define truth as reality from God's perspective. I believe this study will cause each member of the group to take a hard look at his faith, his beliefs, and his approach to interacting with the world. We are told by those who have completed the study that it is life-changing. We shall see.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
A couple of swell days...
The last of the Christmas decorations came down today, i.e. the outside lights and the wreath on the door. All went swimmingly, until I tried to put the plastic bin full of lights up on the shelf in the garage. It slipped out of my hand and went crashing to the floor. The contents scattered, and the bin shattered along with my nerves and my patience. I said things I regret, and my darling Jill took the brunt of it. To her credit, she didn't respond to my outburst, and she readily forgave me after I apologized.
Yesterday was a completely different affair. We awoke to about an inch of snow on the ground. Jill had been following the weather reports on TV, and she learned that there was flooding at the junction of Hwy 43 and Interstate 205. After some research, we concluded that there was no tie up on the freeway, so we decided to proceed with our plan to drive to Monmouth for a belated Christmas celebration with our son and daughter-in-law.
We left the house about 8:30 AM and picked up Mom. Then we headed south. There was snow on the ground and on the neighborhood streets, but the thoroughfares were clear. We had a pleasant drive, and arrived at Patrick and Katie's home about 10:40. It was fun to just "hang out" with the kids. Mom had never seen their apartment before and was duly impressed. It is a cute place. After we exchanged a few gifts, we went to the Ragin' River Steak House for lunch. This is not a restaurant that could be accused of having "sudden service," but the food was worth the wait.
On the way back to the house, we stopped at the school where Patrick teaches 7th grade math. I was so glad that "Gramma" got to see where Pat works. She is so proud of him, and it made it all more real for her to see where he works.
We headed home about 3:45 and found the traffic to be quite "doable." When we got to Mom's house, she invited us in for cocktails, and we had a lovely visit. It was after nine before we got home. All in all it was a lovely day.
In fact, in retrospect, today was quite lovely, too. We began with a counseling session at the church. When we returned home, we started to review our budget priorities for the new year. Somehow, we ended up rearranging the furniture in the living room. The new arrangement de-emphasizes the piano and makes the room seem much larger. So far, we are very pleased with it.
The new living room prompted a trip to Fred Meyer for some accessories. That jaunt became a hunt for new drapery panels that took us to five stores. We found some that we liked, but they were either out of stock or had features that don't work for our space, so the hunt will continue. The day is wrapping up now with a delicious dinner that Jill concocted out of left over pesto pasta and some veggies and chicken thighs. This woman can cook, and I have the pot belly to prove it!!
Yesterday was a completely different affair. We awoke to about an inch of snow on the ground. Jill had been following the weather reports on TV, and she learned that there was flooding at the junction of Hwy 43 and Interstate 205. After some research, we concluded that there was no tie up on the freeway, so we decided to proceed with our plan to drive to Monmouth for a belated Christmas celebration with our son and daughter-in-law.
We left the house about 8:30 AM and picked up Mom. Then we headed south. There was snow on the ground and on the neighborhood streets, but the thoroughfares were clear. We had a pleasant drive, and arrived at Patrick and Katie's home about 10:40. It was fun to just "hang out" with the kids. Mom had never seen their apartment before and was duly impressed. It is a cute place. After we exchanged a few gifts, we went to the Ragin' River Steak House for lunch. This is not a restaurant that could be accused of having "sudden service," but the food was worth the wait.
On the way back to the house, we stopped at the school where Patrick teaches 7th grade math. I was so glad that "Gramma" got to see where Pat works. She is so proud of him, and it made it all more real for her to see where he works.
We headed home about 3:45 and found the traffic to be quite "doable." When we got to Mom's house, she invited us in for cocktails, and we had a lovely visit. It was after nine before we got home. All in all it was a lovely day.
In fact, in retrospect, today was quite lovely, too. We began with a counseling session at the church. When we returned home, we started to review our budget priorities for the new year. Somehow, we ended up rearranging the furniture in the living room. The new arrangement de-emphasizes the piano and makes the room seem much larger. So far, we are very pleased with it.
The new living room prompted a trip to Fred Meyer for some accessories. That jaunt became a hunt for new drapery panels that took us to five stores. We found some that we liked, but they were either out of stock or had features that don't work for our space, so the hunt will continue. The day is wrapping up now with a delicious dinner that Jill concocted out of left over pesto pasta and some veggies and chicken thighs. This woman can cook, and I have the pot belly to prove it!!
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