Oh generation...

Jeremiah. A book of calamity, disaster, great sorrow and distress. A book of judgement. A rebellious, wicked nation that "had it all" and a just, perfect God that, though spurned again and again, still yearns for His people. What would it be like to be Jeremiah, a prophet of God, commanded to speak His truth to a perverse, unyielding generation? To put aside fear and believe God's word: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..." (Jer. 1: 5). Would I have the courage to trust God's promise: "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you...behold, I have put My words in your mouth...and they will fight against you but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you..." (Jer. 1:8-9, 19).

But it was more than just the command to preach and speak for God. The words Jeremiah was commanded to say, were hard words. How did it feel to tell others of their impending doom? To give a message of despair and judgement to your own people? For there is very little hope in Jeremiah's words. There wasn't much hope left for Judah at this time, a treacherous, evil nation full of people who were "walking according to the stubbornness of [their] own evil heart[s]" (Jer. 16:12).

As I read through Jeremiah, feeling his despair and gloom, I am struck by how much this nation reminds me of my own generation, of the people who live in our world today.

"They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water" - Jer. 2:13

We have indeed turned to our own ways. We have relied on our own strength, built our own "cisterns" so to speak: profitable careers, life insurance, social status. Material things which can profit us nothing. They offer only a superficial safety while we turn our backs on the One who can truly save us. And we don't even see it. This generation is blind to the truth of their situation. Everyone feels assured in their own strength.

"Yet you said, 'I am innocent; surely His anger is turned away from me.'" (Jer. 2:35)

People don't see their sin. They don't believe in a just God who must mete out judgement. They believe only in a loving God of forgiveness, if they believe in one at all. And God is loving, more than that, God is love! But I think we do not truly understand love, and for sure, we don't comprehend true justice and even more, we cannot fathom how justice and love and mercy can all coexist in perfection in God. And so we try to clean ourselves up as best we can and hope it is good enough.

"'Although you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your iniquity is before me,' declares the Lord God" (Jer. 2:22)

But it's not. Yet there is still hope. For God, in His justice, is also merciful and welcomes us to return. If Israel was given this hope, surely we have it too. In Christ, we can be made new and nothing is too big for Him to forgive.

 "Return, faithless Israel...I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious...I will not be angry forever...Return, O faithless sons, I will heal your faithlessness..." (Jer. 3:12, 22)

God can heal it. And just as Israel was surely judged, so was she brought back. God did restore His people and He can restore us as well.

"Oh generation, heed the Word of the Lord..." (Jer. 2:31)

Oh adventures

You know what sounds like an adventure? Chicken coconut curry soup. Yep. I was hooked. Had to have it. It's one of those dishes that has an intelligence about it, an exciting combination of flavours, a beautiful colour and fun preparation. I've been wanting to challenge myself with making this soup for a couple of weeks now so when Mom asked me to make dinner tonight...well, I knew what it was I was going to create.

The adventure began online, searching out recipes. I ended up combining three different recipes and creating my own thing, which was both confusing and satisfying. Then it was off to the store to find the ingredients. Oh the joys of scouring the rows of vegetables for shallots and jicama! (never did find the jicama) and the slight irritation that follows as I scan the millions of cans trying to spy out the coconut milk.  But oh the smile fresh cilantro brings to my face and the satisfaction of finding peppers on sale.

Back home, I started around 4:30, Mom eagerly at my side, helping with chopping, slicing and mixing.

First things first: mixing up some curry paste. In goes the oil and curry powder, add a bunch of garlic (the more the better right!?), ginger and the shallots. Then, when it's smokin' hot and sizzling, throw in the chicken and oh the glorious smells that fill the house!

Red peppers, jalapenos, and carrots, sliced and chopped, are fried up next with the cilantro.

Is there any smell better than fresh cilantro? I mean really!? Maybe there does exist one, somewhere out there in the great wide world, but when you are cooking in the kitchen, there aren't many things that contest it.

Then the broth gets cooked up. Chicken stock, coconut milk, brown sugar, lime juice, and tomato paste make for a delightful mixture. I was hesitant to add the tomato paste but it doesn't do much to the flavour and the colour is much improved by it. As it began to simmer, we threw in the chicken and veggies. Added some fresh ground pepper and a shake or two of ground red peppercorns.

As it the time went by the flavours grew and melded and the jalapenos added more and more spice. About 30 minutes later it was pretty close to perfect. We decided to make our meal ultra international and so we added French baguettes to our spicy Thai soup.

I was rather excited that the whole thing didn't end in a disaster and was actually quite happy with the results. The family was a little wary of it and response was mixed. I think it's kind of a love or hate kind of soup. Mom seemed positive and wants to make it again sometime so that's encouraging. But until then, I'm gonna list the ingredients here for any of you feeling ambitious! (this made enough for 6)

3 tbsp oil

1 1/2 tbsp curry powder

garlic (we used 4 cloves)
ginger (approx 2 tsp)
3 medium shallots
2 chicken breasts
Red bell pepper (we used about 3/4 of one)
1 jalapeno (we took the seeds out and found it to be the perfect spiciness but leave them it for more bite)
2 carrots
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
6 cups chicken stock
1 can (400ml) of coconut milk
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp fresh lime juice
tomato paste (I don't know how much it was, it was a little baby can, maybe 100ml?)
pepper
ground red peppercorns

Basically you can add whatever you want or take out what you don't like. I think I want to find the jicama for next time.

Anyways, that was my exciting evening in the kitchen. Oh how I enjoy cooking adventures, especially when they turn out well!

Thursday Smiles (No. 4)

I love this time of year. The fresh crisp air, the wet green grass, the taste of summer on the wind. I love the daffodils that sprout up in the highway medians, how their bright bobbing heads seem to dance to a rhythm only they can hear while the rest of us race on by consumed by our busy lives. I love waking up to a foggy morning, moisture beading every surface, every sound muffled and ever so slowly the sun peels away the mist to reveal a sparkling blue sky.

There's nothing like those first spring sunsets, the enchanting colours of the clouds and the immediate chill that chases the sun over the horizon.

You can't beat the smell of spring flowers, first to brighten the gardens and paths of an awakening world coming to life. They seem to pop up everywhere and bloom overnight, soaking up both the intermittent days of sunshine as well as the life-giving spring showers.

The rain, oh the rain. Nothing like spring in the Fraser Valley. It's definitely not the time of year to be planning picnics but how I adore those spur of the moment walks in the sun, stealing the snatches of warm weather we are given, dreaming of summer. And how high our hopes soar as we dream of heat and vacations and days without rain.

Oh spring. You make me smile.

Basket Case

I have decided that I am an emotional basket case. But aren't we all? Perhaps its just the novel I'm reading.

Emotions are a funny thing. We have so many and yet sometimes only few of them seem to matter. They can make things impenetrably confusing or they can bring your circumstances into sharp focus. I can feel two emotions that should conflict with each other and yet I know the presence of both simultaneously, each as strong as the other. How is this possible? I don't know. I'm a basket case.

Sometimes emotions come as a direct reaction to outward circumstances, sometimes they seem to effect the circumstances themselves. Sometimes feelings are a choice, sometimes they guide our choices.

Sitting in this lonely house, as the halls darken with the setting sun, no sounds but the clicking of my keyboard, the wind through the windows and the growing chorus of frogs, it's easy to sink into the melancholy that has been chasing me the last few days. Yet just hours ago I was laughing hysterically with my coworker as we rushed around closing the coffeeshop, full of glinting sunlight, dishes clinking and music like a static background.

I can look at a picture of my friends and feel a deep penetrating sadness, my heart aching to be with them. I can feel a profound joy at having them in my life, if at a distance. I can cry out of my self pity or I can feel tears well up because I am so touched by their friendships.

What are these wild emotions? Why do we have them?

I'm a reading a book set in a world with only one emotion, fear. A world without ambition, purpose or reason. A world where everything is ruled by logic and order, but as I learn more about this world and see how the characters react to everything, I can see that life without emotion is truly no life at all. And so, though our tumult of conflicting emotions seems chaotic in contrast to the characters in this book, they are truly such a beautiful thing. God gave us these emotions for a purpose. Without emotion, we could not know love, or hope or trust. Of course, there is also the danger of greed and anger and hate. If we could abolish emotion, we could perhaps have true "peace". But we would be incapable of appreciating it. And so we take them all. I suppose we have no choice in this present age and so even suggesting it seems ridiculous but I've just been surmising about these things lately and felt like writing...I trust that God's purpose for emotions will prove itself in the end and I'll take the confusion that can nearly incapacitate me over a world with no purpose.

Anyways, I can't believe it's been over a month since I have last posted. The fact saddens me. It seems I have little ambition for.