"I'm So Glad I Live in a World of Octobers." -- Lucy Maud Montgomery {October Recap}
This month, I have felt like the little engine that could. With starting a new job and navigating new pieces of my ministry puzzle, keeping a house clean and a husband fed, teaching English classes and Chinese students in the early morning hours, much of my mantra has had to be "I think I can" as I chug along. Some days, there is no will for "I think I can," and my brain lapses into "I am so behind. I am not enough. How am I ever going to get it all done?" But, God in His grace reminds me often--daily, even--that He is enough. He only asks that I do what He asks me to do--and no more. He doesn't tease us or throw us to the wolves. Sometimes, it can be a struggle to to sort out what are God's expectations of us and what are expectations we're placing on ourselves or have received from others, and we can tend to blame God for things that weren't His design or His fault. And, this is why in the midst of it all, I have fought hard to maintain my introvert re-charge time. I learned a while ago that if I don't live with some measure of margin, I become a hateful person. Time pressure and a to-do list that I can never fully cross off stress me out. So, unsurprisingly, I am actually my most productive when I can rest, have silence, and leave room to think. I am thrilled that my margin space will be expanding even more so as I go to the US for my brother's wedding and for the holidays. We all need room to breathe, and I would even assert that our room to breathe can't be perpetually cluttered with background noises of Netflix or noisy neighbors or phone notifications in order to really rest. As the holidays are fast-approaching, I encourage you to put a plan in place--how will you protect your margin time? How will you ensure that you're quiet enough on a regular basis to hear God's voice saying, "I know you can, I know you can"? There is joy in the holidays, and some of that is joy that we facilitate. But, don't get so caught up in making family time and celebration "special" that you don't give yourself permission to be human, to rest, and to truly enjoy the gifts set before you.
What I Read:
From amazon.com
1) Cultivate, Volume 4 Creativity Unlocked by The Cageless Birds. This was probably the most inspiring thing that I read this past month. This is actually a magazine that is put together by the creative community led by Jonathan David Helser and Melissa Helser of Bethel Church. Jonathan David Helser wrote the popular worship song “No Longer a Slave.” I had no idea that they published a magazine, so I was excited by this gift from my sister. The articles are short, and because the theme of the whole publication centers around creativity, many of the articles provide writing or artistic prompts. Many of these articles served as inspiration for my blog posts this past month. Here are a few excerpts that made their way into my journal:
"So if you're looking for greater clarity as to who you are, who you've been designed to be, and the influence you're called to carry in the earth, start creating." -- by Jeremy Riddle, "The Choice to Create"
"I knew I needed a change and began taking time to re-evaluate with the Lord what I actually felt led to do, versus what I felt drive to do." -- by Jessie Miller, "Dialogue with the Author"
"God's design is to work from rest, not for rest." -- by Jonathan David Helser, "Rest"
From goodreads.com
2) Amy Falls Down by Jincy Willett. This story follows the protagonist of Amy, a washed up, writer hermit, who experiences an unfortunate accident that leaves her with a concussion. While still suffering this concussion, she is interviewed for the local press, and her confusion makes her the talk of the town as no one knows she has a concussion. The rest of the book follows how these events jumpstart her career. This was my fiction read for the last month or so. I came upon it entirely on a whim through some kind of a “What Should I Read Next” generator. This book showed up because of my indicating that I liked books about books and bookstores and writers. I have to say—my other recommendations in this vein ended up being better. This book is very slow and left me on more than one occasion asking, “But why should I care about this?” However, the characters are very human, and the main character does exhibit growth by the end of the book, which makes it worth it. When the book does pick up the pace in the last chapters, it was a steady read for me, and I enjoyed it. If you’re into the ins and outs of being a writer, it would probably be a relatable read. I think my initial difficulty was that I felt like the premise was more promising than how it was carried out.
From shop.bethel.com
3) Emotional Prosperity by Jason Vallotton. This book also ended up being different than I expected it to be, but it was still full of a lot of useful information. Essentially, it is a workbook designed to lead those who counsel others in the role of pastor or some kind of leadership to improve how they can help others via biblical counseling. Because I enjoy the subject, I really enjoyed a lot of the exercises and points that he made that aren’t the kinds of things that just anyone would think about when counseling someone else. It’s a book I will likely refer back to as there were a few areas that ended up being relevant to what I was going through at the time (and likely would apply to lots of other situations as well.) It covers topics like breaking unhealthy cycles, forgiveness, and creating actions plans for your clients to use to continue to move forward.
From amazon.com
4) The Complete Wineskin by Harold R. Eberle. This book is a short one with very easy-to-read chapters, but the revelation it includes is so valuable. It talks about the structure of the church and how the five-fold ministry was originally designed. He explains really well what each position in the church is designed for and how we can best steward the presence of the Holy Spirit when we have a church structure that values God above humans. I don't have a lot of excerpts from this book in my journal, but that's only because it's the kind of book that needs to be taken in as a whole. It is definitely one of those books that opened up new ways of thinking for me, and I will likely refer back to it in the future.
What I Watched:
1) Brene Brown: The Call to Courage. For those who haven’t heard yet, Brene Brown is a social worker who has extensively studied shame and vulnerability. I had heard an interview with her on a podcast and knew already that her points of view are highly recommended and referenced, but I hadn’t actually watched any of her videos and teachings. This is her special on Netflix which I’d had downloaded for quite some time. One evening when the electricity unexpectedly went out, I watched this, and I was thankful that I did! She is very knowledgeable and offers so many nuggets of wisdom in this short special. But, she’s also really funny! I love when someone who is typically immersed in academia finds ways to be relatable and break down scientific information via the use of stories. I would recommend this special for anyone as she talks about the importance of being brave enough to be vulnerable, the kinds of stories that we tell ourselves about our experiences, and how shame can affect us.
2) Ad Astra. I am a sucker for a space movie. When Raúl and I first started dating, there were lots of movies set in space that were coming out. The one that comes to mind was Gravity, but I know that there were more. For the longest time, when I’d suggest a movie to go to, it always featured space in some way, so my husband started to think that I only liked movies set in space. This movie is set in space. It tells the story of an astronaut who is the son of a pioneer in space travel and how he must try to communicate with his father in order to save Earth. The cinematography is very unique and eye-catching in this movie. But, I have to be honest, the plot line itself felt a bit self-indulgent. The whole movie felt like someone was sitting in a therapy session using a space metaphor to explore his issues with his father. It is very personal and psychological, but I never ended up feeling attached to any of the characters. As a story and a way of fleshing out relational issues, it is unique. But, if you’re going into it expecting a fascinating space movie, you may be disappointed that the entire vehicle is a means of resolving old emotional wounds with a parent. If you go into it knowing what it is, it is a visually spectacular way to depict strong emotional feelings.
3) Interior Design Masters. This isn’t the first time that an interior design show make an appearance on this blog. My inner creative has long appreciated the art form of interior decorating even from back in the original Trading Spaces days on TLC. (Some of those rooms turned out to be hideous!) This show is an English competition to be an interior designer. What I appreciated about this particular show as opposed to others that I’ve watched is that it featured various guest judges, and it included more commercial spaces to decorate. Most shows stick to home decorating, and it’s unique to watch people have to consider branding and cohesive design when designing for a store or a restaurant. Overall, if you into this sort of thing, it’s a fun show to watch.
What I Ate:
This was a banner month for food, let me tell you, and not even including as many fall-themed foods as I might have liked or expected. Nevertheless, I did come across some recipes that ended up being hits and that, I think, are worth sharing.
1) Baked sweet and sour chicken with broccoli and peppers. This recipe was delicious. There are a lot of recipes out there so here are a couple for inspiration: https://damndelicious.net/2014/01/18/baked-sweet-sour-chicken/ and https://therecipecritic.com/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken/ Most recipes don't call for vegetables necessarily, but this went very well with the vegetables I had on hand and served over rice.
Photo by Lena Kulybaba
2) Lime bread pudding. The great thing about this bread pudding is that it feels light and tastes refreshing because of the lime. It's not overwhelmingly sweet, so it hits the spot. I actually followed this recipe because with baking, I stick to the recipe: https://www.somethingswanky.com/lemon-chess-bread-pudding/
3) Breakfast enchiladas. The best part of this recipe is that the enchiladas are covered in cheese sauce that is similar to queso. When I make enchiladas, I usually make them with red sauce or tomatillo salsa verde, so this was a unique change. And, although it's uncharacteristic of me, I was in a time crunch, so I used this exact recipe, except that I added some red beans, more jalapeños, and a different kind of shredded cheese. https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/breakfast-enchiladas
4) Chicken Veggie Skillet. Asparagus is too expensive here, so I made this with mushrooms (which are also expensive—thus only one splurge as opposed to two) and broccoli. But you could really make it with any veggies. I ate all of the leftovers by myself. Here is the recipe: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-veggie-skillet/
Photo by Michael Shivili
5) Tomatillo guacamole. Tomatillos must be in season here because I am seeing them far more often than normal in the supermarkets. Because I had some roasted and pureed tomatillos on hand, this guacamole was born. And, for just Raúl and I, it made for a tasty dinner. My guacamole usually includes chopped cilantro, chopped red onion, diced tomato, and sometimes diced jalapeños or bell pepper. I also add lime juice, either fresh garlic or garlic powder, some cayenne pepper, some cumin, and a little bit of chili powder. Because of the tomatillos, I omitted the tomatoes and used less lime juice.
Photo by Jason Leung
6) Meatballs. The special ingredient in these—cream cheese—happened by the sheer coincidence that I had some extra cream cheese that I needed to use up. It ended up really making these meatballs something a bit more worthy of writing home about. I baked them because that's quicker and cooler than standing over a hot stove frying them. These had ground beef, ground sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and cream cheese.
7) Homemade chai. This may be the only typical fall thing on the list for me. I love chai—hot or cold, it doesn’t matter. However, most coffee places just use a powder to whip up their chai beverages, and, let’s be honest, it can be noticeable. When I was in the States, I found some cardamom pods (which are hard to find here), so I was set to make my own. I use cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds (I did find those here!), whole cloves, peppercorns, and fresh ginger. What I never have is star anise. You can quickly toast the spices to open up their flavors. Then you add water and milk and black tea bags and simmer until it takes on a nice brown color. Then you strain and sweeten as desired. There are recipes for this but I just kind of eyeball everything.
Favorites:
1) Meghan Markle's response to "Are you okay?" I am not normally a follower of the royal family, but as this was something that came into the spotlight pretty heavily, I thought I'd see what the fuss was about. I so value authenticity. As someone who is in the spotlight and under such scrutiny, it was inspiring to see her respond with honesty, poise, and vulnerability. Here is a clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo9G91QWMQs
As you start looking up Thanksgiving recipes and Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales, as the weather gets colder and sweaters are donned, and as you settle cozy into your home with a nice cup of tea, may you feel the invitation to be creative--however that manifests. May reconciliation and healthy relationships with God and others be at the forefront of your striving. May you be brave in vulnerability. And may you find time for stillness. Happy Thanksgiving in advance, my friends! I am thankful that you read.
What I Read:
From amazon.com
1) Cultivate, Volume 4 Creativity Unlocked by The Cageless Birds. This was probably the most inspiring thing that I read this past month. This is actually a magazine that is put together by the creative community led by Jonathan David Helser and Melissa Helser of Bethel Church. Jonathan David Helser wrote the popular worship song “No Longer a Slave.” I had no idea that they published a magazine, so I was excited by this gift from my sister. The articles are short, and because the theme of the whole publication centers around creativity, many of the articles provide writing or artistic prompts. Many of these articles served as inspiration for my blog posts this past month. Here are a few excerpts that made their way into my journal:
"So if you're looking for greater clarity as to who you are, who you've been designed to be, and the influence you're called to carry in the earth, start creating." -- by Jeremy Riddle, "The Choice to Create"
"I knew I needed a change and began taking time to re-evaluate with the Lord what I actually felt led to do, versus what I felt drive to do." -- by Jessie Miller, "Dialogue with the Author"
"God's design is to work from rest, not for rest." -- by Jonathan David Helser, "Rest"
From goodreads.com
2) Amy Falls Down by Jincy Willett. This story follows the protagonist of Amy, a washed up, writer hermit, who experiences an unfortunate accident that leaves her with a concussion. While still suffering this concussion, she is interviewed for the local press, and her confusion makes her the talk of the town as no one knows she has a concussion. The rest of the book follows how these events jumpstart her career. This was my fiction read for the last month or so. I came upon it entirely on a whim through some kind of a “What Should I Read Next” generator. This book showed up because of my indicating that I liked books about books and bookstores and writers. I have to say—my other recommendations in this vein ended up being better. This book is very slow and left me on more than one occasion asking, “But why should I care about this?” However, the characters are very human, and the main character does exhibit growth by the end of the book, which makes it worth it. When the book does pick up the pace in the last chapters, it was a steady read for me, and I enjoyed it. If you’re into the ins and outs of being a writer, it would probably be a relatable read. I think my initial difficulty was that I felt like the premise was more promising than how it was carried out.
From shop.bethel.com
3) Emotional Prosperity by Jason Vallotton. This book also ended up being different than I expected it to be, but it was still full of a lot of useful information. Essentially, it is a workbook designed to lead those who counsel others in the role of pastor or some kind of leadership to improve how they can help others via biblical counseling. Because I enjoy the subject, I really enjoyed a lot of the exercises and points that he made that aren’t the kinds of things that just anyone would think about when counseling someone else. It’s a book I will likely refer back to as there were a few areas that ended up being relevant to what I was going through at the time (and likely would apply to lots of other situations as well.) It covers topics like breaking unhealthy cycles, forgiveness, and creating actions plans for your clients to use to continue to move forward.
From amazon.com
4) The Complete Wineskin by Harold R. Eberle. This book is a short one with very easy-to-read chapters, but the revelation it includes is so valuable. It talks about the structure of the church and how the five-fold ministry was originally designed. He explains really well what each position in the church is designed for and how we can best steward the presence of the Holy Spirit when we have a church structure that values God above humans. I don't have a lot of excerpts from this book in my journal, but that's only because it's the kind of book that needs to be taken in as a whole. It is definitely one of those books that opened up new ways of thinking for me, and I will likely refer back to it in the future.
What I Watched:
1) Brene Brown: The Call to Courage. For those who haven’t heard yet, Brene Brown is a social worker who has extensively studied shame and vulnerability. I had heard an interview with her on a podcast and knew already that her points of view are highly recommended and referenced, but I hadn’t actually watched any of her videos and teachings. This is her special on Netflix which I’d had downloaded for quite some time. One evening when the electricity unexpectedly went out, I watched this, and I was thankful that I did! She is very knowledgeable and offers so many nuggets of wisdom in this short special. But, she’s also really funny! I love when someone who is typically immersed in academia finds ways to be relatable and break down scientific information via the use of stories. I would recommend this special for anyone as she talks about the importance of being brave enough to be vulnerable, the kinds of stories that we tell ourselves about our experiences, and how shame can affect us.
2) Ad Astra. I am a sucker for a space movie. When Raúl and I first started dating, there were lots of movies set in space that were coming out. The one that comes to mind was Gravity, but I know that there were more. For the longest time, when I’d suggest a movie to go to, it always featured space in some way, so my husband started to think that I only liked movies set in space. This movie is set in space. It tells the story of an astronaut who is the son of a pioneer in space travel and how he must try to communicate with his father in order to save Earth. The cinematography is very unique and eye-catching in this movie. But, I have to be honest, the plot line itself felt a bit self-indulgent. The whole movie felt like someone was sitting in a therapy session using a space metaphor to explore his issues with his father. It is very personal and psychological, but I never ended up feeling attached to any of the characters. As a story and a way of fleshing out relational issues, it is unique. But, if you’re going into it expecting a fascinating space movie, you may be disappointed that the entire vehicle is a means of resolving old emotional wounds with a parent. If you go into it knowing what it is, it is a visually spectacular way to depict strong emotional feelings.
3) Interior Design Masters. This isn’t the first time that an interior design show make an appearance on this blog. My inner creative has long appreciated the art form of interior decorating even from back in the original Trading Spaces days on TLC. (Some of those rooms turned out to be hideous!) This show is an English competition to be an interior designer. What I appreciated about this particular show as opposed to others that I’ve watched is that it featured various guest judges, and it included more commercial spaces to decorate. Most shows stick to home decorating, and it’s unique to watch people have to consider branding and cohesive design when designing for a store or a restaurant. Overall, if you into this sort of thing, it’s a fun show to watch.
What I Ate:
This was a banner month for food, let me tell you, and not even including as many fall-themed foods as I might have liked or expected. Nevertheless, I did come across some recipes that ended up being hits and that, I think, are worth sharing.
1) Baked sweet and sour chicken with broccoli and peppers. This recipe was delicious. There are a lot of recipes out there so here are a couple for inspiration: https://damndelicious.net/2014/01/18/baked-sweet-sour-chicken/ and https://therecipecritic.com/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken/ Most recipes don't call for vegetables necessarily, but this went very well with the vegetables I had on hand and served over rice.
Photo by Lena Kulybaba
2) Lime bread pudding. The great thing about this bread pudding is that it feels light and tastes refreshing because of the lime. It's not overwhelmingly sweet, so it hits the spot. I actually followed this recipe because with baking, I stick to the recipe: https://www.somethingswanky.com/lemon-chess-bread-pudding/
3) Breakfast enchiladas. The best part of this recipe is that the enchiladas are covered in cheese sauce that is similar to queso. When I make enchiladas, I usually make them with red sauce or tomatillo salsa verde, so this was a unique change. And, although it's uncharacteristic of me, I was in a time crunch, so I used this exact recipe, except that I added some red beans, more jalapeños, and a different kind of shredded cheese. https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/breakfast-enchiladas
4) Chicken Veggie Skillet. Asparagus is too expensive here, so I made this with mushrooms (which are also expensive—thus only one splurge as opposed to two) and broccoli. But you could really make it with any veggies. I ate all of the leftovers by myself. Here is the recipe: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-veggie-skillet/
Photo by Michael Shivili
5) Tomatillo guacamole. Tomatillos must be in season here because I am seeing them far more often than normal in the supermarkets. Because I had some roasted and pureed tomatillos on hand, this guacamole was born. And, for just Raúl and I, it made for a tasty dinner. My guacamole usually includes chopped cilantro, chopped red onion, diced tomato, and sometimes diced jalapeños or bell pepper. I also add lime juice, either fresh garlic or garlic powder, some cayenne pepper, some cumin, and a little bit of chili powder. Because of the tomatillos, I omitted the tomatoes and used less lime juice.
Photo by Jason Leung
6) Meatballs. The special ingredient in these—cream cheese—happened by the sheer coincidence that I had some extra cream cheese that I needed to use up. It ended up really making these meatballs something a bit more worthy of writing home about. I baked them because that's quicker and cooler than standing over a hot stove frying them. These had ground beef, ground sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and cream cheese.
7) Homemade chai. This may be the only typical fall thing on the list for me. I love chai—hot or cold, it doesn’t matter. However, most coffee places just use a powder to whip up their chai beverages, and, let’s be honest, it can be noticeable. When I was in the States, I found some cardamom pods (which are hard to find here), so I was set to make my own. I use cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds (I did find those here!), whole cloves, peppercorns, and fresh ginger. What I never have is star anise. You can quickly toast the spices to open up their flavors. Then you add water and milk and black tea bags and simmer until it takes on a nice brown color. Then you strain and sweeten as desired. There are recipes for this but I just kind of eyeball everything.
Favorites:
1) Meghan Markle's response to "Are you okay?" I am not normally a follower of the royal family, but as this was something that came into the spotlight pretty heavily, I thought I'd see what the fuss was about. I so value authenticity. As someone who is in the spotlight and under such scrutiny, it was inspiring to see her respond with honesty, poise, and vulnerability. Here is a clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo9G91QWMQs
As you start looking up Thanksgiving recipes and Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales, as the weather gets colder and sweaters are donned, and as you settle cozy into your home with a nice cup of tea, may you feel the invitation to be creative--however that manifests. May reconciliation and healthy relationships with God and others be at the forefront of your striving. May you be brave in vulnerability. And may you find time for stillness. Happy Thanksgiving in advance, my friends! I am thankful that you read.
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