Meaningful May
As you may have read on my blog more dedicated specifically to updates, Confessions of a Ragamuffin, also on Blogspot, my Granddad passed away at the beginning of May. On the last day of April, I was suddenly feeling very homesick, and I just urgently felt like I needed to be with my family. The following day, the 1st of May, my Mom called to let me know that my Granddad, who had been fighting lung cancer for 18 months, had taken a turn for the worst. A couple days later, he passed away, and the next day I was on a plane and with my family. The whole month has been a blur that has flown by, but it's also been a treasured time of reflection and memories. With all of the traveling around and family time, I have been out of the habit of writing. But, since it has been one of the best regular efforts I've made this year, I wanted to keep myself as much in the rhythm as possible. Writing for me is very cathartic--which is probably why I have a tendency to avoid it when I have overwhelming emotions to process. But, in a month that contained my Granddad's passing, my last birthday in my twenties, my husband's 30th birthday (that I wasn't present for), my cousin's high school graduation, and lots of important, little moments in between, it just didn't seem right to let May pass without giving a nod to its small pleasures.
Books I Finished in May:
Courtesy of Arsenalbooks.com
1) Defining Moments: God-Encounters with Ordinary People Who Changed the World by Bill Johnson. I actually started this book last year, but put it down at some point. So, I decided to pick it up again. This book is historical, spiritual, and fascinating. In the same way that it is cool to think of Bible heroes as real humans with emotions and weaknesses, it's also inspiring to read about historical and present-day Christian heroes who sparked revivals and allowed God to work through them to mold the Church. But, this book is also refreshing enough to not sugar coat their family conflicts or their problems with sickness or their losses. It's a book both to digest and to invoke hunger. With chapters on Randy Clark, Maria Woodworth-Etter, Kathryn Kuhlman, John Wesley, Smith Wigglesworth, and more, there are lots of depths of God's nature to plumb through their encounters.
Courtesy of amazon.com
2) What If: You Joined Your Dreams with the Most Amazing God by Beni Johnson and Sheri Silk and other contributors. This book is mainly directed toward women and is written by women who have learned valuable lessons and who have fought for women to have equal value in the Church. They share their experiences, their revelations from God, and their advice on topics like knowing God's voice, being courageous, maintaining healthy connections with others, mental health, and parenting. There were lots of good tidbits throughout this book, but one of the things that most struck me was from Jenn Johnson's contribution about parenting. While I don't have any kids of my own, I still collect wisdom for when that season comes. She talks about and gives great examples of how important it is to teach our children to be intercessors and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. And it talks about being sensitive enough as parents to have discernment and to believe in our children's ability to hear from God. My parents worked in children's ministry for most of my life, and I have seen firsthand the importance of empowering children in their connection with the Holy Spirit from a young age. I heard from God for the first time when I was 5-years-old, and that experience has always supported my belief that children aren't just the future of the Church--they are the Church now. Their innocence often makes them even more sensitive and courageous in following the Holy Spirit than adults are.
Courtesy of zondervan.com
3) Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist. This is the second book that I've read by Shauna Niequist, and I really enjoy her style of writing. I love her honesty and the way that God speaks to her through the minutia of the every day. This book is from several years ago in a season when Shauna was walking through her first pregnancy and an upending work transition. The way she finds hope in the middle of having her identity shattered, and the way that she is both confessional but graceful toward herself is a good example to the average woman walking that tightrope in every season of life. Her short essay chapters are easy to read yet beautiful, and I think I liked this book just slightly more than her previous book I read, Present over Perfect, just because I identify a little more with her season of life in this book.
Good Eats:
Being in the States means that everywhere I go, I am being blessed by my favorite foods from people who love me. Compassionately putting aside the 20 or so pounds that I've gained since getting married, they are foods that I can't really get in Honduras and are cause for joy in moderation.
1) Cherries. I look forward to the day when Raúl can try real cherries that aren't a bright, unnatural red and don't come from a jar. We will occasionally get "fresh" cherries in our supermarkets that are the saddest looking cherries you've ever seen at crazy high prices, so I never buy them. But, this month, having the luxury of eating plump, ripe cherries was a blessing.
2) Lebanon sweet bologna. I usually have an aversion to cold cut luncheon meat, but I do love Lebanon sweet bologna which can even be hard to find in my home state. It's great on a sandwich, but I've also been known to eat it plain.
3) Rocky road ice cream. Rocky road ice cream is my absolute favorite flavor of ice cream. I'm partial to chocolate anything, but there is something extra awesome about the underlying saltiness of chocolate-covered peanuts buried in the sweetness of marshmallow and chocolate ice cream. So far, I haven't found it in Honduras, but to be fair, that may be better for my waistline anyway.
4) Grape salad. Honduran and US traditions vary greatly when it comes to funerals. My Honduran students are always wide-eyed when I explain these differences. In Honduras, when someone passes, the loved one is immediately placed in a coffin for an all-night wake in the home of family members. During that wake, anyone and everyone shows up whether they knew the person or not, and the family is expected to feed everyone. With looming funeral costs, this seems like an unnecessary burden to be heaped on the family within our US contexts. When I tell Hondurans that it is actually the opposite in the States, that neighbors and friends actually take food to the family to help ease their burden, they usually exclaim that that is the way it should be. Either way, we had massive amounts of food coming into my grandmother's house, and I stumbled upon this dish that I really liked. It is grapes and walnuts covered in yogurt and honey. As long as the grapes are firm and ripe, it's really good.
What I've Been Watching:
1) Avengers: Infinity War. Marvel movies have become kind of a family tradition over the years. To this day, even if we can't physically watch them together, my brother and I still watch and then text back and forth after about our theories and what we liked. So, I was excited about this obviously very anticipated movie. I actually saw this in Honduras before I came to the States, and the lines to get into the theater were massive. Several showings were quickly sold out. It was a big deal. This movie was really fun and epic, and I don't really want to comment too much more because of spoilers. It was funny and the combinations of characters across various heroic universes were unique and didn't feel forced. There were characters that were further developed and laugh-out-loud humor. Needless to say, I will enjoy concocting my own theories for how the cliffhanger finishes until Avengers 4 comes out.
2) Solo: A Star Wars Story. I got to see this in theaters with my Dad and my sister. Star Wars is another franchise that is synonymous with my family, and it was a lot of fun to get to see the origins of such an iconic character (Han Solo). Han Solo and especially his relationship with Chewie have always been a source of comedy from the original series, and seeing how they met was no exception. I was initially skeptical about Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo because, seriously, who can live up to Harrison Ford's charisma? I kind of expected to be missing Harrison Ford throughout the entire thing, but Alden Ehrenreich was actually very believable and entertaining as a younger and more naive version of Han Solo, and I got invested enough to forget Harrison Ford wasn't in it. Also, Donald Glover was charming and great as Lando Calrissian. While it seems like it wasn't as celebrated as most Star Wars movies, I really liked it.
3) Parenthood. One of the shallow perks of being in the States is that what is available on Netflix is more extensive/different than what is available in Honduras. As a fan of Lauren Graham and Mae Whitman, I have been wanting to watch this for quite some time since I never watched it when it was on television. I still have a season and a half to go, but it's already a new favorite. It seems like an adult version of 7th Heaven, which was my favorite show back in my middle school days. The show centers on a family with four adult children, their significant others, and their children. The problems they face are human, and I enjoy the family dynamic among characters. It's a show that feels like home to me, and it's been helpful to cry my way through a character's cancer battle since it's a road my family just had to walk. This is a show engaging and heart-warming enough for me to watch again some day, and those are usually few and far between for me.
I am thankful also that I can be in the States while it is springtime. I haven't been here when everything has been so green in a few years, and there is something so life-giving about being able to walk barefoot in the grass and see the majesty of God's creation here.
Sarah
Books I Finished in May:
Courtesy of Arsenalbooks.com
1) Defining Moments: God-Encounters with Ordinary People Who Changed the World by Bill Johnson. I actually started this book last year, but put it down at some point. So, I decided to pick it up again. This book is historical, spiritual, and fascinating. In the same way that it is cool to think of Bible heroes as real humans with emotions and weaknesses, it's also inspiring to read about historical and present-day Christian heroes who sparked revivals and allowed God to work through them to mold the Church. But, this book is also refreshing enough to not sugar coat their family conflicts or their problems with sickness or their losses. It's a book both to digest and to invoke hunger. With chapters on Randy Clark, Maria Woodworth-Etter, Kathryn Kuhlman, John Wesley, Smith Wigglesworth, and more, there are lots of depths of God's nature to plumb through their encounters.
Courtesy of amazon.com
2) What If: You Joined Your Dreams with the Most Amazing God by Beni Johnson and Sheri Silk and other contributors. This book is mainly directed toward women and is written by women who have learned valuable lessons and who have fought for women to have equal value in the Church. They share their experiences, their revelations from God, and their advice on topics like knowing God's voice, being courageous, maintaining healthy connections with others, mental health, and parenting. There were lots of good tidbits throughout this book, but one of the things that most struck me was from Jenn Johnson's contribution about parenting. While I don't have any kids of my own, I still collect wisdom for when that season comes. She talks about and gives great examples of how important it is to teach our children to be intercessors and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. And it talks about being sensitive enough as parents to have discernment and to believe in our children's ability to hear from God. My parents worked in children's ministry for most of my life, and I have seen firsthand the importance of empowering children in their connection with the Holy Spirit from a young age. I heard from God for the first time when I was 5-years-old, and that experience has always supported my belief that children aren't just the future of the Church--they are the Church now. Their innocence often makes them even more sensitive and courageous in following the Holy Spirit than adults are.
Courtesy of zondervan.com
3) Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist. This is the second book that I've read by Shauna Niequist, and I really enjoy her style of writing. I love her honesty and the way that God speaks to her through the minutia of the every day. This book is from several years ago in a season when Shauna was walking through her first pregnancy and an upending work transition. The way she finds hope in the middle of having her identity shattered, and the way that she is both confessional but graceful toward herself is a good example to the average woman walking that tightrope in every season of life. Her short essay chapters are easy to read yet beautiful, and I think I liked this book just slightly more than her previous book I read, Present over Perfect, just because I identify a little more with her season of life in this book.
Good Eats:
Being in the States means that everywhere I go, I am being blessed by my favorite foods from people who love me. Compassionately putting aside the 20 or so pounds that I've gained since getting married, they are foods that I can't really get in Honduras and are cause for joy in moderation.
1) Cherries. I look forward to the day when Raúl can try real cherries that aren't a bright, unnatural red and don't come from a jar. We will occasionally get "fresh" cherries in our supermarkets that are the saddest looking cherries you've ever seen at crazy high prices, so I never buy them. But, this month, having the luxury of eating plump, ripe cherries was a blessing.
2) Lebanon sweet bologna. I usually have an aversion to cold cut luncheon meat, but I do love Lebanon sweet bologna which can even be hard to find in my home state. It's great on a sandwich, but I've also been known to eat it plain.
3) Rocky road ice cream. Rocky road ice cream is my absolute favorite flavor of ice cream. I'm partial to chocolate anything, but there is something extra awesome about the underlying saltiness of chocolate-covered peanuts buried in the sweetness of marshmallow and chocolate ice cream. So far, I haven't found it in Honduras, but to be fair, that may be better for my waistline anyway.
4) Grape salad. Honduran and US traditions vary greatly when it comes to funerals. My Honduran students are always wide-eyed when I explain these differences. In Honduras, when someone passes, the loved one is immediately placed in a coffin for an all-night wake in the home of family members. During that wake, anyone and everyone shows up whether they knew the person or not, and the family is expected to feed everyone. With looming funeral costs, this seems like an unnecessary burden to be heaped on the family within our US contexts. When I tell Hondurans that it is actually the opposite in the States, that neighbors and friends actually take food to the family to help ease their burden, they usually exclaim that that is the way it should be. Either way, we had massive amounts of food coming into my grandmother's house, and I stumbled upon this dish that I really liked. It is grapes and walnuts covered in yogurt and honey. As long as the grapes are firm and ripe, it's really good.
What I've Been Watching:
1) Avengers: Infinity War. Marvel movies have become kind of a family tradition over the years. To this day, even if we can't physically watch them together, my brother and I still watch and then text back and forth after about our theories and what we liked. So, I was excited about this obviously very anticipated movie. I actually saw this in Honduras before I came to the States, and the lines to get into the theater were massive. Several showings were quickly sold out. It was a big deal. This movie was really fun and epic, and I don't really want to comment too much more because of spoilers. It was funny and the combinations of characters across various heroic universes were unique and didn't feel forced. There were characters that were further developed and laugh-out-loud humor. Needless to say, I will enjoy concocting my own theories for how the cliffhanger finishes until Avengers 4 comes out.
2) Solo: A Star Wars Story. I got to see this in theaters with my Dad and my sister. Star Wars is another franchise that is synonymous with my family, and it was a lot of fun to get to see the origins of such an iconic character (Han Solo). Han Solo and especially his relationship with Chewie have always been a source of comedy from the original series, and seeing how they met was no exception. I was initially skeptical about Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo because, seriously, who can live up to Harrison Ford's charisma? I kind of expected to be missing Harrison Ford throughout the entire thing, but Alden Ehrenreich was actually very believable and entertaining as a younger and more naive version of Han Solo, and I got invested enough to forget Harrison Ford wasn't in it. Also, Donald Glover was charming and great as Lando Calrissian. While it seems like it wasn't as celebrated as most Star Wars movies, I really liked it.
3) Parenthood. One of the shallow perks of being in the States is that what is available on Netflix is more extensive/different than what is available in Honduras. As a fan of Lauren Graham and Mae Whitman, I have been wanting to watch this for quite some time since I never watched it when it was on television. I still have a season and a half to go, but it's already a new favorite. It seems like an adult version of 7th Heaven, which was my favorite show back in my middle school days. The show centers on a family with four adult children, their significant others, and their children. The problems they face are human, and I enjoy the family dynamic among characters. It's a show that feels like home to me, and it's been helpful to cry my way through a character's cancer battle since it's a road my family just had to walk. This is a show engaging and heart-warming enough for me to watch again some day, and those are usually few and far between for me.
I am thankful also that I can be in the States while it is springtime. I haven't been here when everything has been so green in a few years, and there is something so life-giving about being able to walk barefoot in the grass and see the majesty of God's creation here.
Sarah
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