Seen and Celebrated: May 2020 Recap

Photo by Yong Chuan Tan

*A special note: I have been putting off writing this intro for a while now simply because when I started this blog post, there weren't circumstances that seem to demand a response. And, while I want to honor the moment and the deep emotions that the US (and even people here in Honduras) are feeling in relation to the angering and tragic loss of George Floyd's life, I also know that the tone of the rest of this post doesn't make this the adequate space to do so. Yet, for now, before opinions or observations or my own thoughts, I want to honor the voices that do need to be heard and say, "I'm listening." Though physically far-removed from protests, I am seeking to be present in the suffering of my brothers and sisters just by seeking awareness. I want to let humility and empathy be the guiding lighthouses that lead to the convictions of how to love each individual well even in the midst of our broken humanity. People of color, people living in the margins, people of other minorities, people who are oppressed, my heart burns for you, and I am holding your hand in the dark. You matter, and I would be remiss if I didn't verbalize that with clarity in this time.*

The month of May just happens to be the month that both Raúl and I celebrate our birthdays. I honestly wasn't looking forward to this birthday because I was supposed to be home and with my family to celebrate it. And, Raúl being extroverted to his core, wasn't going to have the celebration filled with people that he normally enjoys. However, these birthdays brought something special for both of us. As I was brainstorming ideas for making Raúl's birthday special, I knew that he is in a season where he needs to know that he is seen, that his life has impact on people in a way that they can recognize and verbalize. So, I asked friends and family both here in Honduras and in the US to send me videos wishing him a happy birthday and sharing some kind words about his life. I was blessed by how many people took the time to do so. We watched the compiled thirty minute video together on his birthday, and it brought tears to his eyes. The same feeling of being seen was reiterated for my birthday just two days later when friends of mine had sneakily gotten friends and family to send in messages that were compiled with old photos and memories. I was impacted by the number of people who contributed and the communication it must have required and also by the time that was spent to ensure that I could have some piece of home on my birthday. Beyond that very special gift, there were lots of surprises, and it was probably my favorite birthday here in Honduras just because I not only felt celebrated, I also felt known because the means of celebration reflected what I actually enjoy. During this month, I have been drawing near to El Roi, the God Who Sees. It's easy to feel like life is at an odd standstill because we continue to be on lockdown. It's tempting to wonder if life has as much meaning because we're tucked in our homes and out of sight. Yet, He is the God Who Sees, and the way that people reached out to us for our birthdays made us feel seen and loved with that kind of love. We are richly blessed by the relationships in our lives. 

What I Read:


From Amazon

1) Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat. I first came across Samin Nosrat via her stunning Netflix special. Even though her Netflix special isn't aimed so much at teaching as her book is, I still learned a lot of my favorite recipes from that special. Naturally, reading the book seemed like a logical follow-up. What I love about this book is that, while it does include recipes, it is more so for teaching someone the basic structure of cooking in order to learn how to improvise and make your own creations. The title of the book indicates the four structural lessons of how to season food and how to use heat in the right ways in order to make delicious food. I highly recommend this book!


From Amazon

2) The Passion translation of the book of Isaiah. The book of Isaiah is one of my cherished favorites, so as this new translation has been developed and has released more and more books of the Bible translated, I was excited to read the book of Isaiah. I like this translation a lot. Here are some examples of verses I appreciated in their time:

"If you have a willing heart to let me help you, and if you will obey me, you will feast on the blessings of an abundant harvest." - Isaiah 1:19
"Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with you; they confidently trust in you." - Isaiah 26:3


From Amazon

3) Better study by Jen Wilkin. This was the book that we just finished in our ladies' Bible study. While it was not my favorite study, if you're wanting to learn more about Hebrews or make some better connections with how the Old and New Testament connect and how Jesus and the Law of the Old Covenant are related, this study has a lot of good information to offer. While it wasn't my personal cup of tea, I did appreciate the way that God was able to use this book as part of a series of clues of things He was speaking to me in various places.


From Amazon

4) Grace: The Power to Reign by Harold R. Eberle. This is a small book with some good truths, simple illustrations, and important reminders related to grace. I was most impacted to just remember that receiving God's grace can be something we can actively engage in. It's not just about salvation and eternity. It's about receiving His power and His favor. Here is an excerpt that I wrote in my journal:

"Mercy is when you do not receive the punishment which you deserve. Grace is when you receive a benefit which you do not deserve."


What I Watched:

1) Nadiya's Time to Eat. I had never heard of Nadiya Hussain although I had heard of The Great British Bake Off before (which she won). This special on Netflix caught my eye just because I saw a trailer and like cooking shows. This one was especially sunny and unique. Nadiya Hussain is so beautiful, charismatic, and down-to-earth in her approach to cooking. Many of the recipes that she introduces in this special are meant to help people who are short on time and need ways to feed their families fast. She also takes the time to find out how various foods like mushrooms are cultivated. As you'll see below, I already approve of at least one of her recipes. If you like cooking shows or need some new meal ideas, this is a good show to check out.

2) Now You See Me. I am clearly behind the times with this movie since it came out in 2013, but it was an enjoyable watch. I enjoy movies with a good plot twist, and this one doesn't disappoint. It follows a team of budding magicians as they perform stunts that are very difficult to explain--including robbing a bank. It stars Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher among others.

3) The Last Dance. This is the show based all around footage that was filmed during Michael Jordan's years in the NBA during the Chicago Bulls era. It's important to note that it was cleared and overseen by Michael himself, so all of the information is through his lens. With that said, a lot of the events in this series happened when I was too young to remember them. So, it was interesting learning about the pasts of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, about Steve Kerr's family and the aftermath of his father's death, and how Phil Jackson managed to handle Dennis Rodman. I don't watch the NBA, and while I appreciate sports, I usually only watch sports on television with my dad or my brother. But, my brother was obsessed with Michael Jordan and Space Jam when we were little, so watching this series was both nostalgic and also a fun talking piece.

4) Mission Impossible movies. While I know I had seen the first movie of this series before, I hadn't seen the rest of them (and one more is lacking to watch still). While I'm not usually a huge fan of Tom Cruise, you have to hand it to him that he is the king of stunts. I am 100% that nerd that will look up quirky info about the movies I watch, so I was amazed to read about how often Tom Cruise did his own stunts in these movies. I also appreciate that the stories are just good entertainment.


What I Ate:



1) Potato Corn Chowder. The idea for the base of this soup came from Samin Nosrat's basic corn soup. Here is a recipe for reference: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/jun/15/californian-recipes-samin-nosrat-broad-bean-mint-pasta-artichokes-sweetcorn-soup-herb-salsa-green-goddess However, in Honduras, a soup is not a soup if it isn't chunky. So, my version featured corn, carrots, celery, and potatoes (some of which were blended to thicken the soup). I also added some fresh, chopped herbs--thyme and dill--and seasoned with salt and pepper. And, I also added some baked, cut up chorizo. To top it off, I added a bit of lime juice for acid and some heavy cream for creaminess.

2) Cajun Chicken Pasta. This recipe came about because I wanted to get out of my recipe rut for dinners. This came together pretty quickly. This is a good reference recipe: https://www.budgetbytes.com/one-pot-creamy-cajun-chicken-pasta/ Mine excluded the onion and added some chopped parsley and dill.


Photo by Daniela Curly

3) Coconut Chickpea Sweet Potato Curry. This recipe was introduced to me by my friend, Lindsey, and it was really good. Here is the recipe: https://healthyhappylife.com/coconut-curry-rice-bowl/?fbclid=IwAR2XbxVwgpN5jN2rbbyWSsksx1dvJL5S1d1juASM67rXGAaOyS2OgZ5B2wk We used kale for ours and also added a sizable amount of grated ginger.

4) Nadiya Hussain's Egg Rolls. As I mentioned before, this is one of Nadiya Hussain's innovative recipes. Here is the recipe: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/egg_rolls_46445 And here is an explanatory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_n0jwVdbmI However, my variation of this concept has been to use two eggs and add a little bit of milk to stretch the eggs. I then add some tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, and whatever other veggies or cut up meat I have on hand. Cheese is also a nice addition. Rather than use tomato paste on the flour tortilla, I have been using a mix of cream cheese and hot sauce. Same principle, but different fillings. Equally good.

Favorites: 
1) John Krasinki's Some Good News. This is a delayed recommendation, but back when all of this quarantine stuff started, John Krasinski started a YouTube channel that published a "news" show focused solely on good news. It has had eight episodes and just finished its first "season," but it featured fun things like Emma Stone covering the weather, a reunion of the cast of The Office, an online prom, and lots of inspiring stories of the ways humanity is innovating and loving one another well. Every Monday, I set aside a little time in the morning to watch the new episode and have a cathartic cry watching it. There is so much sadness and loss and hurt that the world is always going through that has seemed amplified throughout COVID-19 that there was something relieving and healing to my heart to also hear of the ways that people are making the most of their situation and serving one another. It would appear, though, that Some Good News, as it was, is over. John Krasinski sold it to CBS and will no longer be hosting which is a bummer. But, these original episodes are worth checking out.



2) My Birthday. I was truly blessed by all of the ways that people who care about me took the time to make the day special. I was also blessed that quarantine meant that I could have an introvert's dream birthday. Good food. Family and a close friend. Time by myself to reflect and appreciate how blessed I am in life.

Playlist for the Month:
"Carried to the Table" - Leeland
"The Passover Song" - Caroline Cobb
"Remember" - Steffany Gretzinger
"Hay Una Nube" - Elevation Worship
"Breathe Again" - Housefires featuring Nate Moore and Chandler Moore
"Man of Your Word" - Maverick City/TRIBL featuring Chandler Moore and KJ Scriven
"My Testimony" - Elevation Worship
"Waymaker/Abres Caminos" - Phil Thompson, David & Nicole Binion, Daniel Calveti, Ingrid Rosario
"Christ the Lord Is with Me" - Steffany Gretzinger
"Without You" - Tasha Cobbs Leonard
"Never Alone" - Amanda Cook and Cageless Birds
"He Feels It All" - Jon Thurlow
"Help Is on the Way" - Amanda Cook
"Something Has to Break" - Kierra Sheard
Here is the link to that playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLERDDFsw5e_plktaoYOWduMgtkcDDoazF


May the God Who Sees hold humanity close in all of its brokenness and failings. May He bring truth to the light and justice to the downtrodden. May He light a fire in us to stand for the defenseless and to shield those who don't have the same privileges we do. May we also receive His grace because we are all so in need. Let us seek to see as the Creator does and to feel the things that break His heart. May we all do the deep personal work of examining our hearts with the Holy Spirit to find any obstacles we may have to love others well as Jesus first loved us.