I've been interested lately in the idea of a more sustainable style of cooking. It's no secret that we are exceedingly wasteful people but what to do about the problem? I began to wonder if I could start working on the challenge right at home. Was I wasting valuable food at home? The answer was yes, and it was coming in ways that I didn't realize.
It started by realizing that there's a lot of valuable liquid that is wasted. Every time you steam or boil vegetables, some of the flavor and nutrients are lost in the liquid, which always goes down the drain. What if that liquid were preserved and used in the future in place of water in recipes? Many recipes leave wonderfully flavorful broth behind when they're done cooking - check out the bottom of the slow cooker. This is useful for marinades or more cooking broth (but beware of a high fat content). Then I read online about making your own vegetable broth at home - old veggies that are about to expire can be tossed into simmering water for an hour or so and you've got a pot full of beautiful, dark, tasty, and salt-free broth.
Next, I realized that a lot of wonderful things can be made at home. Of course, any time you find something pre-made at the store, it can be made at home for cheaper. They sell grilled, sliced chicken for salads at the grocery store, yet grilling and slicing chicken at home is really easy. I found dried chilis for very cheap at the Hispanic market behind our office and discovered that a little bit of work and an inexpensive coffee grinder can turn out some great chili powder, which is useful for more recipes than you might think. Plenty more ground spices can be made this way. I also discovered that I could substitute for a lot of salt by making my own mild seasoning blend based on garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. I also make a great deal of salsa at home, which is very inexpensive and simple.
This is probably just the beginning. What other ideas do you have for more a more sustainable kitchen at home?
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Phrases We Should Stop Using Pt. II: Anything?
Part II of Phrases We Should Stop Using.....
Anyone my age would remember being told "You can do anything you set your mind to." We heard it over and over again from adults, presumably those who wanted to give us the entire world as our playpen. Many have opined that my generation has received more than any other generation in terms of opportunity and free wealth handed down to them. In a way, we have been given the world, and this phrase was supposed to encourage us to seek out our dreams and make them a reality through hard work and determination. We could be an astronaut, or President, or even an inventor. We just had to work hard and we'd get there.
In reality, there were two things wrong with this statement. One, it wasn't true, and two, it made it really hard to choose. The reality is, we can't be anything we want. Each of us is born with a particular set of aptitudes that make it easier or harder to do certain things. When I was in high school I took an expensive series of aptitude tests that my parents bought for me. It came back that I had low finger dexterity/precision and low color sensitivity. There went being a doctor, musician, or artist. I was supposed to work in teams and have a wide range of constantly-changing challenges. There went even more careers.
The second thing wrong with the statement is that it wasn't paired with any instruction on how to choose something. As a result, my generation is now languishing in our twenties, working a variety of dead-end jobs if working at all, waiting for that revelation from the sky that would give us a clear direction. What future generations, which will have even more opportunity and openness than ours, will need is training in how to pick a direction and follow it fully. The truth is not "You can do anything you set your mind to," it's "You will be able to fully accomplish what you were made for if you set your mind to it."
Anyone my age would remember being told "You can do anything you set your mind to." We heard it over and over again from adults, presumably those who wanted to give us the entire world as our playpen. Many have opined that my generation has received more than any other generation in terms of opportunity and free wealth handed down to them. In a way, we have been given the world, and this phrase was supposed to encourage us to seek out our dreams and make them a reality through hard work and determination. We could be an astronaut, or President, or even an inventor. We just had to work hard and we'd get there.
In reality, there were two things wrong with this statement. One, it wasn't true, and two, it made it really hard to choose. The reality is, we can't be anything we want. Each of us is born with a particular set of aptitudes that make it easier or harder to do certain things. When I was in high school I took an expensive series of aptitude tests that my parents bought for me. It came back that I had low finger dexterity/precision and low color sensitivity. There went being a doctor, musician, or artist. I was supposed to work in teams and have a wide range of constantly-changing challenges. There went even more careers.
The second thing wrong with the statement is that it wasn't paired with any instruction on how to choose something. As a result, my generation is now languishing in our twenties, working a variety of dead-end jobs if working at all, waiting for that revelation from the sky that would give us a clear direction. What future generations, which will have even more opportunity and openness than ours, will need is training in how to pick a direction and follow it fully. The truth is not "You can do anything you set your mind to," it's "You will be able to fully accomplish what you were made for if you set your mind to it."
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Phrases We Should Stop Using, Pt. I: Lemons?
I think sometimes about everyday phrases or sayings we have in English that we should really stop using. Some of them simply aren't true, and others are potentially even damaging. I want to start a series of posts on phrases and sayings that should be expunged from our vernacular. Part One: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!"
I was pondering this phrase while playing a board game recently. I began to realize, rather early in the game, that I simply was not going to win the game. My initial strategy was moderately risky, and I had an early objective that I failed to meet. Dice rolls didn't go my way, and it was quickly clear that I had no real path to victory. It suddenly occurred to me that this situation is not unusual in real life. Sometimes in life, you're simply dealt a losing hand, the odds don't go in your favor, and your luck runs out. Moreover, as much as we hate to admit it, it sometimes goes beyond individual situations. Sometimes people are dealt a losing hand and their lives will never recover. They simply will not be "winners" as most people would define it.
In America we like to pride ourselves on our "self-made" men and women and our rugged individualism. We like to say "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Please hear me that I am all for the power of positive thinking and the importance of a good attitude. I'm a strong believer that a great deal of life is influenced by your attitude. However, the best of attitudes would not have won that board game for me. Nor would it have undone the horrible events at Sandy Hook Elementary or any of dozens of other mass murders. Nor does it allow someone born into generational poverty to become a wealthy business owner.
I heard someone remark recently that it's hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you can't afford shoes. It's downright harmful to believe as a society that it's within each of our powers to turn any bad situation into good. This idea is what causes people to blame the poor for their own poverty, condemn welfare programs or "affirmative action", and glorify the "successful" for their success. Gladwell's book Outliers is an interesting read on what factors cause someone to be exceedingly successful (spoiler: it's largely not their own doing), but I believe that the same applies to the rest of us. Our relative successes and failures are largely due to factors outside of our control. It's wonderful to make lemonade when life hands you lemons, but we ought to think of those who cannot do the same. Some people simply aren't going to win with the hand they're dealt.
I was pondering this phrase while playing a board game recently. I began to realize, rather early in the game, that I simply was not going to win the game. My initial strategy was moderately risky, and I had an early objective that I failed to meet. Dice rolls didn't go my way, and it was quickly clear that I had no real path to victory. It suddenly occurred to me that this situation is not unusual in real life. Sometimes in life, you're simply dealt a losing hand, the odds don't go in your favor, and your luck runs out. Moreover, as much as we hate to admit it, it sometimes goes beyond individual situations. Sometimes people are dealt a losing hand and their lives will never recover. They simply will not be "winners" as most people would define it.
In America we like to pride ourselves on our "self-made" men and women and our rugged individualism. We like to say "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Please hear me that I am all for the power of positive thinking and the importance of a good attitude. I'm a strong believer that a great deal of life is influenced by your attitude. However, the best of attitudes would not have won that board game for me. Nor would it have undone the horrible events at Sandy Hook Elementary or any of dozens of other mass murders. Nor does it allow someone born into generational poverty to become a wealthy business owner.
I heard someone remark recently that it's hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you can't afford shoes. It's downright harmful to believe as a society that it's within each of our powers to turn any bad situation into good. This idea is what causes people to blame the poor for their own poverty, condemn welfare programs or "affirmative action", and glorify the "successful" for their success. Gladwell's book Outliers is an interesting read on what factors cause someone to be exceedingly successful (spoiler: it's largely not their own doing), but I believe that the same applies to the rest of us. Our relative successes and failures are largely due to factors outside of our control. It's wonderful to make lemonade when life hands you lemons, but we ought to think of those who cannot do the same. Some people simply aren't going to win with the hand they're dealt.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Isaiah 61
First posted at Stories of LINC North Texas....
One of the most powerful realities expressed in Isaiah 61:1-7 is that the poor are the ones who become the new leaders in society. It is easy to read through the passage and forget that the pronouns later in the passage still refer to the poor and brokenhearted described in the first few verses. It is not the wealthy or powerful who become oaks of righteousness, rebuilders of ruins, priests, ministers, and joyful owners of land and sheep. God has chosen the poor and marginalized as His leaders. Transformational development, like what LINC NT is trying to do in communities in North Texas, helps the poor recover their identity and vocation and empowers them to live it out. Once people are restored by both the Gospel and community development, they rise up and act. They begin to reform their societies with ideals of justice and peace in accordance with God’s Word.
As Christians, we must therefore acknowledge that the poor are ultimately the leaders and that they must be allowed to step up to lead the efforts and define the outcomes. While the non-poor clearly have many of the resources necessary to change the future for the poor, they must carefully live within the boundaries of their roles. Ultimately, the non-poor must have the humility to set themselves at the feet of the poor to listen and follow. The poor already have many of the resources they need to accomplish great things, but they are, as Isaiah 61 shows, in captivity and ruined by their shame and disgrace. The role of the non-poor is to proclaim freedom from captivity and offer the Gospel. Then the poor will lead.
According to Isaiah 61, proper holistic Christian development seeks out the marginalized, proclaims the good news of the Gospel, and restores marred identity. Development brings total release from poverty, addresses the systems that contribute to poverty, sees evangelism and social action jointly, transforms people holistically on all levels, and allows the poor to lead. This passage has been instrumental for us at LINC NT as we allow God's word to guide us!
One of the most powerful realities expressed in Isaiah 61:1-7 is that the poor are the ones who become the new leaders in society. It is easy to read through the passage and forget that the pronouns later in the passage still refer to the poor and brokenhearted described in the first few verses. It is not the wealthy or powerful who become oaks of righteousness, rebuilders of ruins, priests, ministers, and joyful owners of land and sheep. God has chosen the poor and marginalized as His leaders. Transformational development, like what LINC NT is trying to do in communities in North Texas, helps the poor recover their identity and vocation and empowers them to live it out. Once people are restored by both the Gospel and community development, they rise up and act. They begin to reform their societies with ideals of justice and peace in accordance with God’s Word.
As Christians, we must therefore acknowledge that the poor are ultimately the leaders and that they must be allowed to step up to lead the efforts and define the outcomes. While the non-poor clearly have many of the resources necessary to change the future for the poor, they must carefully live within the boundaries of their roles. Ultimately, the non-poor must have the humility to set themselves at the feet of the poor to listen and follow. The poor already have many of the resources they need to accomplish great things, but they are, as Isaiah 61 shows, in captivity and ruined by their shame and disgrace. The role of the non-poor is to proclaim freedom from captivity and offer the Gospel. Then the poor will lead.
According to Isaiah 61, proper holistic Christian development seeks out the marginalized, proclaims the good news of the Gospel, and restores marred identity. Development brings total release from poverty, addresses the systems that contribute to poverty, sees evangelism and social action jointly, transforms people holistically on all levels, and allows the poor to lead. This passage has been instrumental for us at LINC NT as we allow God's word to guide us!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Broken Identity
What does it mean to be wealthy? This is a persistent question that people seem to always come back to, from Aristotle (who made the point that money is never the end, because it is only useful to get something else) to the "poorest President in the world" (who makes the brilliant statement that poor people are those who have to work to maintain their expensive lifestyle). Jayakumar Christian and Bryant Myers of World Vision built a new theory of poverty that is based on inequality, not numbers. One of their major points was that the most universal feature of material poverty is a broken identity, a marred view of the self.
People with a marred identity view themselves as almost less than human because they've been told that, directly and indirectly, for a long time. It's like moving from saying, "I failed at that," to saying, "I am a failure." When you internalize it and it becomes part of who you are, your identity has been scarred. The concept got me thinking about what things we may do today that perpetuate this. I immediately thought of the common phrase "illegal immigrant." I've been strongly opposed to this term for some time, because illegal is not a term that can or should be used to describe a person. All people are created in God's image, and when people are called illegal, it becomes part of their identity.
But are there other terms we don't even think about that do the same thing? I heard a story one time of a youth group from a church that was doing construction work in a slum in South America. They were wearing matching t-shirts proudly announcing that they were serving "the least of these." It's good that the people didn't read English, because they probably would have been appalled to be called "the least!" Myers and Christian expand our view of poverty by examining other people who have broken identities, and that led them to realize that the non-poor have their own kind of broken identity: a god-complex of pride that elevates them above others!
Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert of the Chalmers Center took this concept and ran with it, emphasizing that we are ALL poor because we all have broken views of ourselves. When we sweep in to provide the Thanksgiving dinner to the poor family, we run the risk of elevating our own view of ourselves as the saviors of the poor. The poor don't need another savior - they already have One. This exposes another dangerous term - "blessed to be a blessing." If our reason for serving others is because we see ourselves as blessed, we are walking a dangerous line. We need a new anthropology that acknowledges that we are ALL blessed in a variety of ways. We have a lot to learn from the "poor!"
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Whose Ways?
Originally posted at Stories of LINC North Texas:
God is good at reminding us that He is higher than we are. He repeatedly tells us throughout Scripture that He is not like us - from saying that He looks at the heart (1 Sam 16), to saying that He is outside of time (2 Pet 3), to simply saying that His ways are not our ways (Is 55). There is a way that seems right to men....but God's ways lead to good things. I get the "privilege" of writing a blog post the week before the election, and I think there's something relevant in it for us. We've been discussing the issue as a staff. What do we, as Christians, have to do about the political process?
In case you've missed it, there's a lot of fear and consternation about the election. Each side feels like disaster is imminent if the other candidate wins, and both sides are sick of the caustic bickering and fighting. Jesus, in the Gospels, has a great reminder to us about the government. Don't go looking for it, however - He made a strong statement by not talking about it. As much as his disciples and his detractors prodded Him, he would only say, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." Of course Jesus was concerned about earthly governments, He just tried to encourage His disciples not to be. His Kingdom had nothing to do with it. His thoughts are not our thoughts.
Today, we see the Kingdom of God flourishing in places where the government is most hostile to it. The stories of the church flourishing under persecution are everywhere, including throughout history. We needn't fear that the government will crush the Church - the Bible says that all authority is established by God (Rom 13)! Both parties seem to want the government to do the Church's job - either by establishing morality or by caring for the oppressed and marginalized - but we as a Church can step up and reclaim our identity and role in society. This should all give us some peace and comfort, that no matter what happens our citizenship is in Heaven and Jesus is still on the throne. His ways are higher than our ways!
So what should we do? The law tells us, as a charitable organization, that we can advocate for various issues but we cannot endorse a candidate. I think that this is actually a helpful line for Christians. We can, and in fact we must, stand up for what the Bible says about various issues. The Bible commands care for the poor. Since both parties believe that they are caring for the poor, it's up to you to decide which one will be more successful. It's only by adopting this sort of posture that we can live up to our calling of being "salt and light" in the world (Matt 5), rather than antagonists. Go vote and be the Church! Just remember, His thoughts are not our thoughts!
God is good at reminding us that He is higher than we are. He repeatedly tells us throughout Scripture that He is not like us - from saying that He looks at the heart (1 Sam 16), to saying that He is outside of time (2 Pet 3), to simply saying that His ways are not our ways (Is 55). There is a way that seems right to men....but God's ways lead to good things. I get the "privilege" of writing a blog post the week before the election, and I think there's something relevant in it for us. We've been discussing the issue as a staff. What do we, as Christians, have to do about the political process?
In case you've missed it, there's a lot of fear and consternation about the election. Each side feels like disaster is imminent if the other candidate wins, and both sides are sick of the caustic bickering and fighting. Jesus, in the Gospels, has a great reminder to us about the government. Don't go looking for it, however - He made a strong statement by not talking about it. As much as his disciples and his detractors prodded Him, he would only say, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." Of course Jesus was concerned about earthly governments, He just tried to encourage His disciples not to be. His Kingdom had nothing to do with it. His thoughts are not our thoughts.
Today, we see the Kingdom of God flourishing in places where the government is most hostile to it. The stories of the church flourishing under persecution are everywhere, including throughout history. We needn't fear that the government will crush the Church - the Bible says that all authority is established by God (Rom 13)! Both parties seem to want the government to do the Church's job - either by establishing morality or by caring for the oppressed and marginalized - but we as a Church can step up and reclaim our identity and role in society. This should all give us some peace and comfort, that no matter what happens our citizenship is in Heaven and Jesus is still on the throne. His ways are higher than our ways!
So what should we do? The law tells us, as a charitable organization, that we can advocate for various issues but we cannot endorse a candidate. I think that this is actually a helpful line for Christians. We can, and in fact we must, stand up for what the Bible says about various issues. The Bible commands care for the poor. Since both parties believe that they are caring for the poor, it's up to you to decide which one will be more successful. It's only by adopting this sort of posture that we can live up to our calling of being "salt and light" in the world (Matt 5), rather than antagonists. Go vote and be the Church! Just remember, His thoughts are not our thoughts!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
What Must We Do For Victory?
First posted on Stories of LINC North Texas:
Victory requires 4 things, according to Gideon in Judges chapter 7: good works, proclamation, God's power, and our action. Charles Spurgeon shares a great devotional from this passage of Scripture that details Gideon's victory over the Midianites. Gideon had his small band of 300 men approach the innumerably large foreign army with unusual weapons: trumpets and torches in clay jars. All at once, they broke the clay jars and exposed the torches, blew the trumpets, and then shouted "A sword for the Lord, and for Gideon!" With that, the Midianite army fled in terror.
Victory requires 4 things, according to Gideon in Judges chapter 7: good works, proclamation, God's power, and our action. Charles Spurgeon shares a great devotional from this passage of Scripture that details Gideon's victory over the Midianites. Gideon had his small band of 300 men approach the innumerably large foreign army with unusual weapons: trumpets and torches in clay jars. All at once, they broke the clay jars and exposed the torches, blew the trumpets, and then shouted "A sword for the Lord, and for Gideon!" With that, the Midianite army fled in terror.
These simultaneous actions bring victory for us today. Matthew 5:16 teaches that we should let our light, as in our good works, shine before men. Just as Gideon's army blew their trumpets, we should loudly proclaim the truth of the Gospel. Finally, we should declare our reliance upon the Lord and the power that we have to act.
We cannot separate the light and the trumpets. Many people, citing St. Francis' (alleged) saying to "preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words," rely upon their lives to testify to God. The truth is that Francis never said this, nor did he live it - he was an itinerant preacher. There is no doubt that too many Christians talk the talk but don't walk the walk. They give Christianity a bad name by their hypocrisy. A whole lot of us, myself often included, are guilty of that. However, far too many Christians walk the walk but don't talk the talk. They seclude Christianity into a corner and don't spread the Gospel. A whole lot of us, myself often included, are also guilty of that. We cannot separate living a life that testifies from sharing the Gospel verbally.
We must also recognize the balance between the work of the Lord and the work of us humans. It is far too easy to declare our reliance upon the Lord, and then promptly sit down to do absolutely nothing. Furthermore, it is far too tempting to work hard and leave no room for faith. Just the same as we can't separate words and actions, we can't separate reliance upon the Lord from hard work and action. Undoubtedly, the battle belongs to the Lord. After all, we are talking about 300 men against an enormous army. Yet, Gideon did nonetheless lead them into battle. Without trusting God, we are running the risk of disaster. Without acting ourselves, we are running the risk of watching God move on to another servant more willing to do His work.
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