It has been some what of a tradition that I make Teacakes and Ris makes Molasses Cookies every Christmas. Unfortunately, because Ris is not here- I have to make both. The Molasses cookies are really good- but, they are a pain to make...you have to roll every cookie in sugar!!!! and teacakes have to be rolled out and then iced after they are baked. So, making these cookies is time consuming!
But, this year like every year, I am making cookies. The molasses is made from grapes :) and I had to buy a quarter of a kilo of ground cinnamon- which is a LOT of cinnamon if you are wondering! (like maybe 2 cups of ground cinnamon!!!) It has become an adventure trying to get the ingredients, messing up the kitchen and using the oven for a heater!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
school is over
I had my last day of class yesterday- and then I went to tutoring :) and then, I went to a great concert (some selections from the Messiah)
It has been a weird week- busy and running from one thing to the next- and yet, in some way one that begs for reflection. I think that when you experience Christmas in a place that doesn't really experience Christmas, it makes you reflective. I mean, in the states you see Christmas everywhere. So Christmas is the songs playing (like Santa Baby and The Gift) blasting in the mall, or the lights on houses, or the cookies and special parties, the trees, etc. etc. But living in a place that doesn't really have any of those (don't worry, I did hear Santa Baby on the radio the other day! i am not that pathetic!) but not having these things that "make Christmas" makes me have to think about what Christmas is. And the fact that God decided to become man- Woah!
THe incarnation changes everything....there was this poem somewhere that I read, that said Christmas is the birth of Grace. I thought at first that this was wrong...I mean, grace existed in the OT- but the more I think about it. I think, no, grace existed in the OT because Jesus was going to be born. It is only in the birth of grace, this little baby that was "born to give us second birth" born to give us an eternity in a world where the curse is reversed- that there is no sin, there is no pain- there is grace at every turn. It is this time every year where we celebrate the birth of Grace- the incarnation of God so that even the most mundane tasks (like brushing our teeth) can be redeemed- because Jesus is human! and He lived a human existence and now lives in a human body at the right hand of the Father awaiting His return to redeem humanity!
Yes, this is a time for busy-ness- and a time of reflection.
It has been a weird week- busy and running from one thing to the next- and yet, in some way one that begs for reflection. I think that when you experience Christmas in a place that doesn't really experience Christmas, it makes you reflective. I mean, in the states you see Christmas everywhere. So Christmas is the songs playing (like Santa Baby and The Gift) blasting in the mall, or the lights on houses, or the cookies and special parties, the trees, etc. etc. But living in a place that doesn't really have any of those (don't worry, I did hear Santa Baby on the radio the other day! i am not that pathetic!) but not having these things that "make Christmas" makes me have to think about what Christmas is. And the fact that God decided to become man- Woah!
THe incarnation changes everything....there was this poem somewhere that I read, that said Christmas is the birth of Grace. I thought at first that this was wrong...I mean, grace existed in the OT- but the more I think about it. I think, no, grace existed in the OT because Jesus was going to be born. It is only in the birth of grace, this little baby that was "born to give us second birth" born to give us an eternity in a world where the curse is reversed- that there is no sin, there is no pain- there is grace at every turn. It is this time every year where we celebrate the birth of Grace- the incarnation of God so that even the most mundane tasks (like brushing our teeth) can be redeemed- because Jesus is human! and He lived a human existence and now lives in a human body at the right hand of the Father awaiting His return to redeem humanity!
Yes, this is a time for busy-ness- and a time of reflection.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
communal living
I have been doing a lot of searching these days- searching my brain for that vocabulary word, searching the grocery store for that "special" thing, and searching my heart to see how God has shaped me. A theme keeps coming back, over and over again like the waves on the shore- communal living.
I have avoided this theme in the past because it is a hard thing to do (living communally always shows where we don't "love well") and it is hard to "start" - I mean, do i put up a want add: needed, 3 girls who want to live communally for the sake of the Kingdom. All others need not reply!
Also, this is the kind of thing that takes a lifetime to build, no a lifetime to start - and it is quite daunting.
It is something that grows on its own, it is something that twists and turns and changes as people join and leave the community- it is weird and unusual for those who haven't experienced it-
But the hardest thing, is trying to see how I am supposed to do it here. How can my love for the Arab world and a desire to live communally mix? It seems impossible today.
And yet, in the face of all those difficulties- I have decided to no longer ignore it - to listen to the sound of the waves.
I have avoided this theme in the past because it is a hard thing to do (living communally always shows where we don't "love well") and it is hard to "start" - I mean, do i put up a want add: needed, 3 girls who want to live communally for the sake of the Kingdom. All others need not reply!
Also, this is the kind of thing that takes a lifetime to build, no a lifetime to start - and it is quite daunting.
It is something that grows on its own, it is something that twists and turns and changes as people join and leave the community- it is weird and unusual for those who haven't experienced it-
But the hardest thing, is trying to see how I am supposed to do it here. How can my love for the Arab world and a desire to live communally mix? It seems impossible today.
And yet, in the face of all those difficulties- I have decided to no longer ignore it - to listen to the sound of the waves.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
the grand grocery store
so, since I moved in to my place here in the "west end" of Amman, I have heard about the "grand." It had been said that you could get Ritz crackers there- and if you need molasses, go to the grand. Looking for french's onions or cream of mushroom soup- go to the grand. I was told it was "just like an American grocery store." So, with Christmas coming up and me needing to make Molasses cookies and of course some Tea cakes, I needed some "american" things- like self rising flour :)
So, I grabbed my ipod and took off exploring. I knew where it was - sort of. I knew that I needed to cross the street and then it was a little ways down on the right or left and I might have to turn or I could just go straight- but it is over there somewhere.
I enjoyed the walk with some "this american life" pumping through the earphones...and then I saw it. "THE GRAND" - ok, it was no american grocery store...but I did find Molasses (made from grapes) and self rising flour, and gobstoppers, and Betty Crocker Oatmeal and Chocolate chip cookie mix in a bag, and ream of mushroom soup- and they had Cherry coke! And star-bucks peppermint cold frappacinos (I know, star-bucks? But, there is something about peppermint and chocolate that makes it Christmas!) and then they had GRAPE JELLY and peanut butter Nature Valley granola bars!!!
It was great!!! I walked through every aisle - like 5 times :)
it was a great adventure, but I am glad that I didn't take my wallet but just shoved some money into my pockets- because although they had all of those things, they weren't cheap. A box of ritz- 8 bucks :)
It was fun finding it, shopping and seeing things I had forgotten about (like twisted tornado Bubalicious) and it was a great adventure! Who knew that going grocery shopping could be so much fun!
So, I grabbed my ipod and took off exploring. I knew where it was - sort of. I knew that I needed to cross the street and then it was a little ways down on the right or left and I might have to turn or I could just go straight- but it is over there somewhere.
I enjoyed the walk with some "this american life" pumping through the earphones...and then I saw it. "THE GRAND" - ok, it was no american grocery store...but I did find Molasses (made from grapes) and self rising flour, and gobstoppers, and Betty Crocker Oatmeal and Chocolate chip cookie mix in a bag, and ream of mushroom soup- and they had Cherry coke! And star-bucks peppermint cold frappacinos (I know, star-bucks? But, there is something about peppermint and chocolate that makes it Christmas!) and then they had GRAPE JELLY and peanut butter Nature Valley granola bars!!!
It was great!!! I walked through every aisle - like 5 times :)
it was a great adventure, but I am glad that I didn't take my wallet but just shoved some money into my pockets- because although they had all of those things, they weren't cheap. A box of ritz- 8 bucks :)
It was fun finding it, shopping and seeing things I had forgotten about (like twisted tornado Bubalicious) and it was a great adventure! Who knew that going grocery shopping could be so much fun!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
fantastic day
This has been a fantastic day. After a day of serious allergies yesterday and a not so fun morning of class, I decided to "play" a little. I needed something to make it feel like Christmas- so I got one of the many plants I am "sitting" and dusted it off and strung it with lights. It looked awful- so, I had to go to the embassy and get my passport (I dropped it off so I could get new pages in it- and they put the "new" new pages in it - if you haven't seen the new passports, you won't understand what I am talking about. Each page has a picture of "american life" - it is so american it should sing the National Anthem!) Anyway, after picking up my crazy mixed up passport, I took off to Carefour. There I was able to see $90 pathetic looking Christmas trees, $18 ornaments, and get this- $15 string of Christmas lights! And decided to pass on those. I did pick up some crazy Santa hats tho'- they were only a dollar.
I grabbed my bags and headed out the door. It was a lovely day today- probably almost 70 degrees and lots of sunshine. So, I was walking out the door when I spotted the new "scent" from Body Works- blue spruce! So, i grabbed some scented oil so that my house would at least smell like Christmas! I started walking down the street hoping to spot a place to snag a tree. There are NO tree stands here, but I though that maybe a nursery would have something better than the pathetic thing I had.
I found this nursery, these guys who worked there were really happy that I spoke Arabic- so they gave me a tree for $7.50 and it comes with a stand! (that is, it is about 2 feet high and is planted in a vegetable oil tin box. It is perfect!
So, I have officially bought my first Christmas tree- ever. I will decorate it and then post some pictures!
I am settling in to an almost cold house to do a couple hours of homework- but it has been a fantastic day!
I grabbed my bags and headed out the door. It was a lovely day today- probably almost 70 degrees and lots of sunshine. So, I was walking out the door when I spotted the new "scent" from Body Works- blue spruce! So, i grabbed some scented oil so that my house would at least smell like Christmas! I started walking down the street hoping to spot a place to snag a tree. There are NO tree stands here, but I though that maybe a nursery would have something better than the pathetic thing I had.
I found this nursery, these guys who worked there were really happy that I spoke Arabic- so they gave me a tree for $7.50 and it comes with a stand! (that is, it is about 2 feet high and is planted in a vegetable oil tin box. It is perfect!
So, I have officially bought my first Christmas tree- ever. I will decorate it and then post some pictures!
I am settling in to an almost cold house to do a couple hours of homework- but it has been a fantastic day!
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