RockTheDesert

"Quick-fire Challenge"

My side of the family gets together often for wonderful, food and fun-filled family celebrations. Since we live in AZ and they all live in CA, I miss out on most of the great times. However, at Christmas, we all try to find a day/night when we can give gifts, cook together, indulge in holiday treats, and just hang out. This past Christmas, my mom had a great idea, inspired by Top Chef on Bravo. We had a "Quick-fire Challenge." My mom (as always) had a freezer and refrigerator full of food just waiting to be turned into culinary masterpieces.

We divided into three teams of two. My mom and I chose the bag of frozen large shrimp as our main item. Donni & Crissy went with the frozen, pre-marinated chicken. Sandi & Alyssa went with the frozen tri-tip. We spent the afternoon conspiring and reading recipes and gathering ingredients. We did not go to the grocery store. We just got creative with items we had on hand

At 5pm we began cooking, giving ourselves exactly 1 hour to get it all on the table.

Donni & Crissy turned their chicken into an intensely flavorful chicken tortilla soup, complete with delectable condiments on top - tortilla strips, avocado chunks, jack cheese. Really, really good.

Sandi & Alyssa made a quick marinade for their trip-tip then grilled it outside to a perfectly pink medium. Meanwhile they prepared a great salad and toasted some baguette slices. They made a balsamic reduction just by boiling some balsamic vinegar til it was thick and sweet and syrupy. The final presentation was a baguette slice, topped with the salad, crowned by a perfect slice of tri-tip, finished with the balsamic glaze. I think this one was my favorite.

My mom and I sauteed the shrimp in butter and olive oil, added in some minced garlic til it was lightly browned, added a combination of fresh-squeezed citrus juices, old bay seasoning, little cayenne, few tablespoons of honey. The sauce thickened to a glaze which was nice. Served with toothpicks. The kids loved them.

We had a fantastic time, teasing, tasting, and feasting. This would be a super-fun theme for a gathering with friends. Who knows what kind of crazy concoctions we all might come up with!

I wanted to include a picture of us all cooking or at least our finished creations, however, I was too busy cooking to get a really good shot of anything worth posting! The best pic I've got is of "The Cousins" patiently waiting for dinner to be served...L-R Steven, Levi, Alyssa, Luke, Michael.

Breathe

Christmas is over. We did it. The frenzied pace of shopping, parties and presents is tapering down to a more manageable level. It's time to exhale 2008 and inhale 2009. Time to breathe.

Sure, it's time for re-thinking, renewing, re-focusing our life goals, starting new endeavors, phasing out old habits, and re-envisioning what could be. But as we bridge the gap between Christmas and New Year's, let's not forget to breathe deeply from the bottom of our feet to the top of our head. And not just physical air, but spiritual air as well. Let's breathe in new mercies, grace, forgiveness, joy, wonder, strength, purpose, discipline, integrity, candor, generosity, prayerfulness, kindness, self-control, godliness, justice, compassion, creativity, beauty. Let's breathe out the same. Really. Let's exhale these qualities. Exhale them in the way we walk and talk and relate and create and live and, well, breathe...

Happy New Year. 2009. It's here. Waiting for us to breathe our very lives into it.

The Table

We are table people. End tables. Coffee table. Game table. Console table. Kitchen table. Dining room table.

Unfortunately, our tables tend to be overtaken by things that love to accumulate on tables. Coffee cups. Laundry. Fruit bowl. Mail. Books...lots of books. Keys. Remotes. Xbox controllers. KIeenex boxes. Xbox games. Movies. Cereal boxes. Notebooks. Centerpieces. Photo albums. Extra socks with no match. Receipts. Laptops. Purse. Ribbons, tape, gift wrap. Newspapers. Coupons.

All this to say, we'd be in sad shape without our tables. I have been searching for the perfect table for our tiny little dining nook for two years. When we bought our darling little ranch house, we were looking for a yard with grass, at least one huge tree, and three bedrooms. All other amenities were secondary. So, no surprise, we ended up with a miniscule dining area which is really just a cozy corner at the north end of the living room. Some friends gave us their round, glass dinette set when they upgraded. This set was a definite upgrade for us. I could have lived with that set forever. Really.

As circumstances played out, a few weeks before Thanksgiving, Dan and I walked to Acacia Cafe for coffee and Sudoku as is our usual Tuesday routine. On the way home, on a whim, we decided to browse through the antique mall about 2 blocks from our home. I'm not a big shopper, but I just thought we might find an interesting table for the TV in our bedroom. We did find a table, but we didn't buy it. Instead, I became completely distracted by this fabulous, vibey, totally retro, round table with 6 matching upholstered chairs in aqua, turquoise, avocado green - my colors!. It was love at first sight...it was The Table! The price was astonishingly low, like the-price-of-one-brand-new-chair low. I decided we should put it on a 24-hr hold so we could measure our space, just to be sure. The next day I took my mom and Alyssa to see it. Alyssa loved it. My mom, not so much. I decided to not get it. The next day, I took my good friend Kelly to see it. It was gone. Someone bought MY table. I was incredibly disappointed, but took the stoic, "it wasn't meant to be" approach. Alyssa was actually quite upset that I hadn't bought it while I had the chance.

Fast forward to last Saturday. Alyssa and I were Christmas shopping. Urban Outfitters. Sur La Table. Borders. Anthropologie. Crate and Barrel. I have to say, I love Crate and Barrel. And I found the most fantastic retro (think The Dick VanDyke Show) living room set there. If I were a little more impulsive and could justify the purchase, a Petrie sofa would be on its way to my house right now. And the matching big chair. And definitely the groovy green leather chair. Definitely. Oh, and the awesome coffee table. So cool. I kept thinking about that living room set while Alyssa drove me home. Even seriously considered looking on Craigslist for a used set.

I walked in the door with stars and retro-vibe in my eyes. Walked in the dining room. Discovered an early Christmas present. Someone went back to the antique store and bought The Table and hid it 'til it couldn't be hidden anymore. @daninreallife, my favorite twitter buddy and husband, actually came up with the surprise gift of the century. It fits in the dining room just perfectly. I absolutely love it and, of course, @daninreallife is my hero. He's the best. I might love him just a tiny bit more than The Table.

Table In Real Life

 

Table With The Best Centerpiece - Ever!

The Best Centerpiece - Ever!

I've never made a centerpiece. I don't even think I've ever bought one. Truthfully, centerpieces all sort of look the same to me. In my mind, centerpieces come together in a mysterious way known only to floral designers and creative homemakers. My most creative attempt at centerpieces has been to arrange some candles on pillars in the middle of the table and call it good. Unfortunately, whenever I'm using the dining room table (daily) the pillars are shoved to the side or moved to the kitchen counter because I've usually got at least one laptop setup, a stack of homework papers, the mail, an empty glass or two, and possibly some clean, folded laundry (please tell me I'm normal).

When the Women's Ministry at Fellowship North Church announced a Christmas floral arranging event, I mentally dismissed even the possibility of attending. Too busy. Not my thing. Who really needs a centerpiece. Etc....However, Alyssa was excited about the event and I ended up buying tickets for her and I to attend together. I should have known that I would absolutely LOVE being able to CREATE something from a pile of what I earlier would have labeled as junky, tacky, cluttery STUFF. 

"BEFORE"

  

"AFTER"

 

THE BEST CENTERPIECE - EVER!

Rock Band

We have stumbled onto this fantastic secret - Rock Band. Everyone has heard of Guitar Hero by now, but we decided to go one step further this Christmas and branch out to RB. It is very similar to Guitar Hero, but instead of just playing songs on lead guitar for points, they've added drums, bass guitar, and vocals. My sons have it hooked up to the XBox 360. Here's the best part - and don't tell them I told you this - Michael and Steven actually play this TOGETHER. Dan and I realized a couple of days ago that our house has been so PEACEFUL for the past few weeks. I'll be cooking dinner, Dan will be working on the laundry, and the boys will be holed up in Michael's room working on songs together. Once in a while, I'll hear classic rock songs being SUNG by my sons, whereas they previously wouldn't be caught dead even humming a tune along with the car radio.

My Most Memorable Christmas Present

I know I don't look very happy - maybe I was woken up too early. Or maybe I hated having my picture taken even at such a young age. But, really, I promise, I was absolutely thrilled with this bike! I especially loved the hot pink sparkly banana seat!! I thought I was 10 when I got this bike for Christmas, but according to the date on the picture, I was 6.  Notice the long, red, shag carpeting. We had a lovely, Spanish-style home with a beautiful arched fireplace in the living room. After my mom vacuumed and raked the carpet, we weren't allowed in the living room for days! Also, see the stereo console in the background - I would LOVE to have one of those in my house. With gold speaker fabric instead of red, of course.

The Day After Christmas

Today is December 26, the day after Christmas. Today, we're easing back to normal. Cleaning up, eating leftovers, watching movies, playing video games, setting watches, testing aftershave, finding places to put our new treasures, and of course, catching up on blogging (check out all our Christmas photos in the Christmas 07 Photo Album).

Christmas Eve was wonderful. Lots of Christmas carols, lots of people celebrating the final night of Advent with us at FNC. We lit the "Christ Candle" which is the tall white candle among the 3 purple candles and 1 pink candle. It's white to represent that Christ is the Light of the World. It was very meaningful and beautiful. 

Yesterday was a great day. We got up really early (5am) after going to bed after midnight (wrapping those last minute gifts). I must say that I pulled together a mighty fine brunch - Caramel-butterscotch pecan rolls, breakfast strata, and hash brown casserole.

Steven and Michael could hardly wait for Alyssa and Joshua to arrive so we could dive into the stockings and unwrap the 2 very large boxes under the tree. At 6:45, we gathered in the living room to watch for Alyssa and Joshua out the front window. We decided to read the entire Christmas story slowly out of the Bible. By the time Alyssa and Joshua arrived, Steven was jumping out of his skin. He ran outside with the Bible and started reading the Christmas story to them in the driveway so we could start the gift-opening process as soon as they sat down.

"Before"...

"After"...

Christmas Wasn't Always About The Presents

Here's an excerpt of an article by Howard Dayton, founder of Crown Ministry. We met him a few years ago while visiting Atlanta - he is an amazingly humble, Godly man, totally dedicated to Crown and the vision which God has given them.

Christmas Wasn't Always About the Presents

Howard Dayton 

From October 31 onward it's impossible to forget that Christmas is coming. Before Thanksgiving, the red-coated man with the white beard and bag of toys is seen in stores and by mid-December, most homes are decorated, inside and out, with Christmas trees and lights.

However, the real Christmas story is found in Matthew and Luke chapters 1 and 2. It's about the earthly birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ the Son of God. Conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, He lived and ministered on earth, and then died and arose again -- the promised Messiah. Jesus came as the Savior of all, and identifies Himself with every racial group, every culture, and every society.

Click HERE to read the rest of the article.

Country Worship

Well, today at church we had a special guest musical artist - Jessi Colter. We had a great time singing a couple of songs with her (I'll Fly Away and Silent Night - very country with a backup gospel "choir"). Then Jessi sang a beautiful, original Christmas song that she wrote years ago and never recorded. Here's a couple of pics - check out Fellowship North's website for a photo album (December 16, 2007) containing the rest of the pics from today!

Cookie Exchange

I went to a cookie exchange today. Alyssa helped organize it. I typically stay away from these types of events because I'm not a baker. Baking cookies is so tedious. And draining. Not my passion at all. But I decided to go today because (1) Alyssa was involved, (2) 2/3 of the cookies were being donated to the Desert Vista Behavioral Center which houses homeless women who have mental illness challenges. We also were able to donate 20 New Testaments. Alyssa created super-cute bookmarks for us to write Bible verses on and stick in the New Testaments. Jerri brought a platter with 16 varieties of cookies to share with us...unbelievable! All in all, a very nice way to spend a couple of hours instead of fighting the crowds at the stores!

One Solitary Life

I just posted the following article on FNC's Christmas Devotional blog. I'm posting Christmas-themed devotionals there every day until Christmas day.

A few weeks ago, I saw the Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Show featuring the Rockettes. It was absolutely spectacular. The lights, the music, the dancing, the snow, santa, the elves, it was all so "Christmassy." Near the end of the show, they started building a living nativity scene right before our eyes. It was unbelievable. All the glitzy, sparkling, frivolous fun faded into the background and the stage became a beautiful tableau of Biblical characters, including Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherds, sheep, wise men and camels. Then a projection screen dropped down in front of the scene and the following words were projected and read out loud with music underscoring the entire scene. It was the perfect way to end the evening! I've included a link to a slide show version of these words with music. Click here or on the title and you'll be re-directed.

One Solitary Life

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman   
He grew up in another obscure village 
Where he worked in a carpenter shop 
Until he was thirty   

He never wrote a book   
He never held an office   
He never went to college   
He never visited a big city   
He never travelled more than two hundred miles 
From the place where he was born   
He did none of the things 
Usually associated with greatness   
He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty three

His friends ran away 
One of them denied him   
He was turned over to his enemies 
And went through the mockery of a trial   
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves   
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing 
The only property he had on earth   

When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave 
Through the pity of a friend

Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race 
And the leader of mankind’s progress   

All the armies that have ever marched 
All the navies that have ever sailed 
All the parliaments that have ever sat 
All the kings that ever reigned put together 
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth 
As powerfully as that one solitary life

(c) 1926 - Dr James Allan

Some Christmas Questions

These questions are just for fun - you can copy them and email them to your friends and family if you want to ask them these questions. My answers are all in RED. You can answer them too and send this back to me via email if you want to!

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags for adults – wrapping paper for kids. Nicely wrapped gifts for those whose “love language” is gifts.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial - $20 at Walmart or Target. The needles fall off of these cheap trees after about 2 years, so it's almost like buying a "semi-fresh" tree every couple of years but at a fraction of the cost.

3. When do you put up the tree? usually the day after Thanksgiving, but this year we need to replace our tree and haven’t done it yet. Soon.

4. When do you take the tree down?  January 1. Only one year (1998) did I leave the tree up until July. Long story.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes. But no one else in my family likes it so I never buy it. Also, it has to be icy cold with no alcohol in it. So I don’t even get to drink it at parties.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Bike with a hot pink vinyl banana seat.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, we have a few that we put out in various places in the house.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Parents-in-law

9. Easiest person to buy for? Michael & Steven

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  I don't remember any bad gifts. I remember some hilarious white elephant gifts, though. Incredible things carved out of wood, expired calendars, used purses, all truly priceless!

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? This year mail. Usually hand-deliver to a few friends. Sometimes email. Trying to get better about mailing things out on time.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf. Charlie Brown Christmas. Home Alone 1 & 2.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?  Week after Thanksgiving. Then I take a break and frantically shop 2 days before Christmas.

14. Have you ever re-cycled a Christmas gift? Yes, we try to attend at least 1 white elephant/re-gift party every year. I love re-gifting and receiving re-gifts!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Hot chocolate with whipped cream and red sprinkles.

16. Clear lights or colored lights on the tree? white 

17. Favorite Christmas song? I Celebrate The Day – Relient K

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We’re traveling the week before Christmas then home on Christmas day.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes!!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I don't remember what we have - I think it's a star. 

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. Now that the kids are older, we tell them to sleep in on Christmas morning. The first person up is not allowed to wake up everyone else. When Dan and I arrive in the living room, the gift-giving begins. Then we have Christmas brunch.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Pointless festivities and unceasing noise and greedy people and stores all trying to make a buck off of Jesus' birth.

23. What I love most about Christmas? This year I love that we’re celebrating Advent at church. We are focused on waiting and anticipating the birth of Christ and of course the return of Jesus as our Messiah…o come, o come Emmanuel!!!

                                Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Christmas Strategy

I'll admit it -  I struggle to maintain my sanity during the Christmas season. It's such a busy time, especially for a musician, and even more especially for a church musician. There's usually a ton of rehearsals and meetings and planning and purchasing and decorating - all for church stuff. Then there's the additional "yesses" I usually love to commit to - little holiday shows, recitals, parties, open mic nights, etc. Don't get me wrong - I love all this stuff, otherwise I wouldn't say yes. But after awhile it takes a toll on my soul. Oh yeah, don't forget to throw in 5 family birthdays. And the fact that Christmas Eve service pretty much takes up all of Christmas Eve day and night. That leaves me dreading Christmas morning because that's the only time I've managed to set aside for wrapping presents, making brunch, and doing Christmas with the family. It's an unhealthy pattern of life that has evolved and snowballed for the last 20 years. After much counseling and a pastor (Randy) who's committed to family first, church second, this year I'm not going to be a part of "Christmas" Sunday or Christmas Eve. I'm deliberately filling my life with tasks that are inspiring and help me focus on Jesus and family and, well, JOY! I found this picture of Snoopy and was really inspired by the simplicity of his life. Just a simple little house. A colorful little tree, and some lights. Nothing overwhelming or huge. Just what he can manage. Just what I can manage.

Here's part of my strategy:

• I'm reading the daily devotional posts at http://krellfish.typepad.com. My friend, Audra (I'm sure I've mentioned her before) is the author. She is a great writer. Inspirational. Cleverly funny. Very real. She is doing a series of Christmas devotionals, counting down from 25. Theme is "Relationships." Click here to go to her first post. Enjoy!
• I'm posting a series of Christmas devotionals at Fellowship North's website. As I write each one, I am trying to really experience the words and thoughts and emotions that they evoke.
• We're incorporating Advent into our December worship services. This is a beautifully simple "ceremony" where we focus on Christ as the coming Messiah through reading scripture, lighting candles, and praying.
• I'm trying to make Monday a R & R day as much as possible. Today I plan to drink hot chocolate with whipped cream while I read a new book I bought a month ago called "Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible" by Liz Curtis Higgs.
• My mom has offered to help me with Christmas shopping. I am officially the worst shopper ever. I get overwhelmed with crowds. My mind goes blank and I can't find even the simplest thing on my list when I'm surrounded by all the chaos and clutter of the season. She's even given me a huge bag filled with beautiful Christmas gift bags to cut down on the stress of wrapping gifts!
• I'm walking for 1 hr with Dan every day - great time for dialogue and laughter - we will hopefully end up at La Grande Orange for coffee and cupcakes at least every other day!

I Just Got Elfed

Click this link for a good laugh. Then elf yourself and send it to me!!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1129215149