The Daily Burns

I have 2 more tests tomorrow (Hebrew & Genesis-Joshua) and I’ll be finished with my first semester… pretty amazing to say the least.  I will apparently be celebrating by taking a business call at 11 and lunch with a  friend at 12.  This will be followed by packing for our weekend trip to visit with our family at Granny’s over the weekend.

For all you book nerds.

Last Thursday was my last day of the Spiritual Formation class (no final). This past week I’ve been thinking back on ways that it has impacted me and the progression throughout the semester. I wasn’t great at keeping up with the assignments, and I quickly came to realize I will not be taking any future classes for credit. However, mentally and emotionally I did purpose to really apply what we were covering in class (and in what reading I did complete).

One of the biggest impacts was on my “quiet time”. For those who may not know “quiet time” is typically the phrase used to describe a daily practice of bible study, meditation, prayer &/or private worship. When we first got here I had about 6-9months prior started having a real, regular, ‘productive’ quiet time for the first time in my Christian life. It was not EVERY morning, but almost. It had been amazing and for the first time I was REALLY studying the scriptures. Sometime in the beginning of the semester as Dr. Childers was doing a bit of “desconstruction” to further enable us to really see the poor condition of our hearts (thus leading us to cling more deeply to Christ and the work he did for us on the Cross) he said the following, “Quiet times are usually very harmful to the spiritual development of most Christians”. Then later on the class online forum the following questions: Do you think MOST Christians are either: 1) Living in guilt re; their lack of Quiet Times or 2) Feeling self-righteous re: their consistent Quiet Times? Where are you on this continuum?

We talked about how when we have regular quiet times we feel ‘good’ and are more likely to acknowledge God throughout the day and are confident in our standing with Him. Then on the flip side that when we are NOT consistent &/or it is a ‘boring struggle’ we feel distant from God and feel we have fallen out of favor with Him.

It occurred to me I absolutely rode that merry-go-round. At the time I was absolutely high-rolling with self-righteousness…thinking I had been offering this ‘amazing sacrifice’ to God every morning. Now, it wasn’t quite that literal and surface, but when I boiled it down, this was my logic. “QT” mornings = good day b/c God loved me. Non QT mornings = bad day b/c I was then ‘left to my own devices’.

It had become an old testament style sacrificial system. I had been struck deeply of the vision of myself placing this QT on an altar in payment for my sin….and God being disgusted with the aroma of these filthy rags (Is. 64:6). And I fled. So for the past few months I have BASICALLY had no quiet time.

In true Jenn form, I over analyzed and couldn’t figure out what was going on…what SHOULD be happening. I did figure out in no short order that something was amiss.

Then slowly over the past few weeks the puzzle pieces finally began to click into place….and I have returned to “the QT”. Slowly it dawned on me that I do NEED a “quiet-time” of some sort. I definitely do NEED to study the bible and I NEED to have a time where I dedicate my mind and heart entirely to the Lord…which should thus spill out through the day in prayer (not just ‘leaving God at the door’ of the office each morning to go about my day). Because I need this. For spiritual growth…food…sanctification. I need to draw near to Christ and to know God more. The best means of this is an ‘intimate relationship’ with His Word. HOWEVER, I DO NOT need it for my Justification. My righteousness and my standing with God is based SOLEY on the work of Christ on the cross. He died, was buried and on the third day rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty…. When I attempt to add to Christ’s work with anything I DO…it is to spit in the face of his sacrifice and say, “that was not enough, I need to help.”

THAT’s gross. That’s sin. That’s what is referred to as a ‘dead work’. I need a consistent purposeful quiet time to better know this Lord and Savior who would love even me in this unbelievably gracious manner. I need to do this out of love. Welcome back, ‘QT’.

So after 3 months of searching and reading & causing enormously long threads on the cookingtf forum: We have success. Gluten-free bread worthy of a sandwich. if you have any experience with gluten-free breads you will know that they are either incredibly crumbly or really thick & solid. Either way: NOT sandwich worthy (& for home-made doesn’t last longer than 12hrs before it’s stale & uck).

For the past week I have been attempting to catch wild yeast as per a new book i just got wild fermentation. I had some success and then some near-failures, but yesterday (after some tips from the forum) “i” brought it back to life!

Then today using a recipe from an amazing gfcf food blogger (almost everything free sourdough bread), which uses principles from another book i just recently read: a soft, tangy, chewy..yummy…gluten-free brown rice flour sourdough bread was created!!

It is a TAD too ‘tangy’, but i was desperate for a final product so i didn’t let it ‘rise’ in the fridge. Rising on the counter is faster, but produces a more sour taste (as does keeping your starter on the counter vs. in the fridge i learned this week). The next loaf will be planned ahead and risen for a few days in the fridge. Oh happy day…sandwiches!

I have pictures, but as mentioned in the previous post (if it’s still there) i’m a dummy & can’t figure out picture sizing on this newfangled wordpress.

Soon ‘wild’ sour kraut is going to be fermenting in the kitchen…and we had ogi for breakfast.

So that’s where i’ve been…my nose stuck in books, the kitchen and the computer.

I’m assuming this will be deleted by the admin due to sizing issues, but i have been working for 30 friggin minutes to post these pictures…so here they are.

Ask and ye shall receive:

True story… Last night I had a dream that I was talking to Ethan’s business partner.  I was discussing his wedding website (which is really, really well done) with him and explaining how flash is the wost web development tool on the planet and how any quality website can and should be built with code.  In the dream I then went on to explain how anything flash can do, code can do better.  So, I sat down and showed him how his site would be better if it was hard coded and not using flash.  He was so impressed with my coding skills that he insisted that I start working for Caxiam.

Now, I’m not sure what it says about me that I was arguing about flash and coding websites in my sleep, but all I can say is that I was up until 12:30 working on a development project for Jenn and that I did visit Eric’s site earlier in the evening… So, it isn’t too strange.  I’m also pretty anti-flash and I do believe that hard code is the way to go for most websites (but that is based mostly on SEO and usability issues).  So, for the most part the dream was pretty representative of reality… except the part where I coded the replica site in like 30 minutes and it worked flawlessly… yeah… that part was a stretch.

So, Ethan… there you go… something to break the hum-drum of your Wednesday afternoon.  Hope you enjoy.

Want to grab lunch some time?  I’m finished with classes for the semester tomorrow.

Today indeed
was bitter sweet
for it was today
I sold my jeep

Galatians 2:16 - yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

You aren’t good enough.  You can’t go to church enough, give enough money away, say enough prayers, obey enough rules, smile enough, help people enough, follow the rules enough, in order to be acceptable before God.

God says that by the works of the law NO ONE will be justified.  It is only through faith in Christ alone that you are found acceptable before God.

Friends, Family, and Random readers from around the world, don’t place your hope in yourself and your ability to fulfill some religious obligations in order to get into heaven.  Place your faith in Jesus and treasure him more than anything else.  Your good works aren’t good enough, only Christ is good enough.  Seek him as the source of your salvation and redemption… and when you’ve found him, trust in him.  Don’t be like the Galatians who found Christ and then tried to add moral and religious customs on top of faith.  It is Christ alone that can bring your to God and keep you there.  Trust him… you’re just not good enough… and neither am I.

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

Just another reason I love John Piper!

I have a terrible time committing to “favorites”. I hate when ‘favorite’ questions are asked as ice-breakers in small group discussions. I have no idea! I like lots of things for different reasons depending on my mood & situation. That goes for colors too.

However, relating to food: I will eat (& likely enjoy) darn near anything, but I think i can say with SOME confidence that more & more i’m realizing my favorite’s are (in alphabetical order): Avocados (not guacamole, just straight up fruit please), Crab legs, rack of lamb.

To the extent that it’s ok to love foods, I love avocados. The other day we went to mellow mushroom for dinner which has exquisite pizza & calzones. BUT they also have an AMAZING avocado sandwich. Every time I go I plan to get a calzone, but inevitably I end up with that delicious sandwich on my plate. I think they taste delicious, it’s a fruit that can fill me up & has those “good brain fats” that are great for everyone (particularly kids & pregnant women). Yesterday I stumbled upon a whole new way to love the avocado.

I was eyeing the “avocado pudding” tip by Kerryann on the cookingtf.com website & it sounded intriguing. I decided to look up ‘avocado pudding’ on recipezaar.com (my other favorite recipe idea place) for a more “adult” version & found a blender recipe that includes milk.

so i used that as the basis & “tweaked” it to make it more “crazy Jenn” friendly. I went with what i had as well as I wasn’t up for a shopping trip:

2 ripe avocados
1 SUPER SUPER ripe banana (almost black), frozen
2TBS agave nectar
2TBS carob powder (if you’ve never had carob or don’t like it, use coco)
1/2 cup rice milk

blend in blender, put in serving dish & fridge for 20+/- minutes.

WOW. i’m in love (course i had yet to try ‘sin on a spoon‘…i’ll have to try that next).

I plan to try it again with the following changes once I get said ingredients: Liquid Stevia instead of agave, Coco instead of Carob, Coconut milk instead of rice milk. Note: I mentioned the ripeness of the banana b/c the riper it is, the sweeter. I like to let bananas get so ripe they’re almost bad & then freeze them for future use in smoothies & the like which means I don’t need to add as much sweetener as with a more yellow banana.

Now if only I could get my “boys” to like it…you know…the ones who could spare the extra fat. So far Grace is my only avocado buddy….and broccoli buddy…and coleslaw buddy….