Beans, beans....no, literally - green beans.

August should be a fantastic month for cooking vegetables. Well....yeah. I have been. Just not recipes for the New Year's Resolution. Here are the dishes I have made in August. I suppose one a week isn't bad - but it's almost half as many as I would have liked.

Best Ever Green Beans Amandine (pg 68). I don't really remember these. I think they tasted fine. And, must not have been too difficult. Hmmm???


This dish, however, was stupendous - and fun and easy. This is Cauliflower and Red Onion Mustard Pickles (pg 42). They may not look like much, but they were tasty. I suppose it always helps to have things sit in mustard and vinegar.


I believe this was my favorite of the month...and perhaps of the summer. This is Beet-Avocado-Pear "Carpaccio" (pg 14). I only made enough for one serving originally, but I made this a couple more times because it was so good. Really just a fancy salad more than anything. And, candied walnuts are never a bad thing.

Finally, more beans. Because, I like beans. And, they're in season. This was basically a recipe that told me to do what I might normally do anyway. So, here you have "Dramatically Seared Green Beans" (pg 72). Perhaps the only difference is that I would have not added the garlic.

Motorcycles and Politics: Individualism and Traveling as a Pack

A Cynical Purge
I live just a few houses from a major thoroughfare. I very rarely hear any traffic noise - except....except for the motorcycles. (Well, and except for the airplanes, but that's due to the airport 2 miles from my house).

This weekend is the celebration of Harley Davidson's 105th Anniversary - and so, I am hearing motorcycles. The most entertaining part of this for me is that I have already seen multiple headbands/handkerchiefs littering the roads of my fair city (oh - or maybe I should say sexy city...Milwaukee was somehow rated sexiest city by the magazine Marie Claire).

I enjoy motorcycles. I understand why they're fun - or at least some of the reasons. But, right now I'm feeling disgusted by them. They are such an extravagance; I don't know many people who have one as their sole vehicle. Is there an argument for higher gas mileage? That might help my attitude.

I think I'm just feeling down about humanity in general. I really should feel elated - especially after Obama's amazing acceptance speech last night. But, the combination of the reminder that Milwaukee's poverty level is off the chart (apparently we lead the country in poverty and sexiness...we're only 2nd highest this year as the drunkest city) and the recognition that a large part of Americans really think it's their right to live extravagantly, brings me down.

I do believe that Obama will not raise taxes for 95% of working families - and stop tax breaks to companies that send jobs overseas. I do believe that Obama will lead others into individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - into caring for our brothers and sisters....and that will encompass economics, the environment, government programs, education and on and on.

But, I'm also feeling cynical. I'm feeling cynical because Senator Clinton was not visibly supporting the Democratic Party last night. I'm feeling cynical because a motorcycle can only hold 2 people - and really is all about individualism and freedom from the constriction of a boxy vehicle and the necessary rules that go with it. I'm feeling cynical because while motorcycles rally and candidates stump, people are suffering. And it's not even winter yet.

I'm not going to leave this here. There does need to be hope. There is hope. It comes in community for me - in people supporting each other - in the quest for dignity for all. I believe that is Obama's vision and that Biden strengthens that. But, beyond what (I hope and pray and have to believe) will be in a few months, community will support.

My congregation is blessed (somehow) with the presence of a homeless community who is seeking to pitch in. The people who organize and make our food pantry (where food is only given to those who aren't able to get it at other pantries because they have no permanent address); the people who organize and staff our clothing room; the people who often are putting the finishing touches on clean up after Soup Kitchen - are the people who start out by being served. Most of these volunteers sleep outside at night. There is sometimes a high turnover rate, but also a high rate of recidivism....in volunteering.

The newest idea is that those who can (who wander the streets, digging in the garbage cans, picking up metal), those who can (as a verb) - bring in one bag of cans a week that then are exchanged for cash and underwear be purchased with it for the clothing room. I love this. Because it truly addresses community - it creates a space for people to offer what they can, what they have. We haven't gotten further than brainstorming with this one, but it does give me hope.

And, I have to have hope that people will keep traveling in packs - that people will lift each other up to a greater vision of unity - that we will look out for each other and trust in something bigger than ourselves.

Alright. Cynical purge done.

Simple, and not-so-simple Gifts

It's been a day of gifts. Some very much appreciated, others not so much. But, a gift is a gift. And, I believe that I, for the most part received them graciously.

The day ended with a request for a hug. One of those unexpected requests. A hug that was really a sharing of the peace in many ways, but with one who respects my space as much as I respect his, and so it was strangely appropriate. He was just so happy - and needed to share his glee. He was happy because of opportunities: an upcoming trip; getting to volunteer with youth; being able to give some of our homeless folk an opportunity to be invested in our ministry (putting together our clothing room). It was a gift to share in his happiness.

Tonight I received tomatoes, chocolate, inappropriate (yet funny) offers to run with me (I was spotted on Monday on my run), the blessing of the glee of an older woman, concrete news from someone that our work is making a difference, the privilege of being asked to be a reference for a homeless woman, but most creepily, a doll. The doll is one of those collector type things. I hate dolls and stuffed animals. They creep me out. I don't know that I ever saw Chucky, but, it probably has something to do with that.

I also received the gift of good colleagues - in my morning text study, and in the Interfaith meeting I attend. It actually only took one - with whom conversation is not frequent enough - but who does care. We spent 1/2 an hour in the parking lot after the meeting.

In non-work life, I received the gift of two different invitations to hang out (well, I initiated one...but she responded in the affirmative. And the second was completely unexpected). Neither are pastors (yay!...you know I love my pastor friends, but variety is good). And both are highly educated and in fields that require a lot of responsibility.

This is long enough, but I received other gifts today too. It was one of those days. Some of the gifts I received with open arms. Some, I wasn't too sure of, but it turned out to be a good thing. Others I'd still like to get rid of. But, they are all gifts. No matter how much I would pick them out for myself.

Raw and Unapologetic Spiritual Processing

***Warning*** Spiritual Processing Ahead***Warning***

As many of you know, I'm overly-self-aware, highly opinionated (although, I don't believe oppressively so), an analyzer and sometimes have deep emotions about minor things. I often pay attention to my emotions and take a cue from them in helping me make decisions. I wouldn't say that I react emotionally, but that I touch base with how I'm feeling as decisions are being made.

In these last 6 months (since about Easter) I haven't had clear emotions in many of the areas of my life. I'm prepared for that fogginess when it comes to personal life and even to some extent work life. (Although, I must say, the work has not been too foggy....my investment sometimes has been, but that's another story). What I haven't been prepared for is an extended period of spiritual haze.

I met with my spiritual director last week - and she helped me put much in perspective. And then, I read the Scripture for this upcoming week. Elijah commands God's power in amazing signs and then is running scared from the people with whom he dueled. Peter sees Jesus walking on water and commands Jesus to reveal his divinity even further by making it possible for Peter to walk on water.

In Elijah, God was in the silence. In Matthew, Jesus calmed the storm - and it wasn't up to the disciples to really do anything but let him in the boat and worship. (Although, we don't know what would have happened if they hadn't).

My sermon in a few days may very well head this direction, but it's too raw for me to share this with my church now. I've shared times of unrest and spiritual difficulties before, but always in hind sight. I just don't think I can do that with this now.

Honestly, part of it is that I'm in the middle of that story. I'm trying to command God to show me something - to connect with me in specific ways. But, I think that my job right now (in my spiritual life) is simply to look for God. In power and simplicity. And, to be with God. In the silence.

That's hard for me. But at least it's clear.