Helping Without Hurting

When I was in high school, I went on a couple of those short-term missions trips. The kind when you go somewhere (preferably far away) with the intention of changing someone's life through painting walls, running VBS, or street evangelizing. 

Now I understand that trips like these, while they may do good for the teenagers on the trips or have their place in a believer's life, I don't really think they do that much for the communities we are trying to serve. This is unfortunate, because missions trips like that take such prevalence in the way that many people see "missions." 

Enter someone like Jen Hatmaker. 

Please, even if you don't read any more of my ramblings, go read her post.

Jen is supporting and promoting real, true service to people in need. She is working with people who live in and know the communities they serve, people who are empowering the impoverished, sick, and disenfranchised. Organizations like Help One Now are truly lifting families and children out of poverty and giving them a means of supporting themselves, and that is invaluable. 

"Hundreds of children are now in school instead of working, hundreds of families are kept intact instead of devastated by disruption, and ten years from now, hundreds of young adults will contribute to the local economy and take their rightful place as the next generation of local leaders."

Isn't that so much better than awkwardly helping with a VBS in a language you don't speak? 

(Yet Another) Zucchini Roundup

I know, this time of year everyone and their brother talks about all the things you can possibly make with zucchini and tomato. I'm just gonna go ahead and jump on this bandwagon, because I've been lucky enough to eat half my body weight in zucchini and summer squash this year. 

In my personal opinion, zucchini and summer squash are delightful just as they are, and can be consumed with pleasure in just about any form. My husband disagrees. 

In the interest of fairness (also because for the first time in five years it was a mild enough summer for me to spend more than 38 seconds in my kitchen), I decided to bake some of those delightful vegetables into delightful treats. 

The first thing I made was a coconut zucchini bread.

Pinterest

It was tasty, especially if you like coconut. Dan wasn't crazy about the texture (the coconut flakes were on the chewy side) but Sister and I thought it was delicious. Unfortunately, the fiendish dog struck, and we only got to eat about half the loaf. 

Next up was this absolutely incredible double chocolate zucchini bread. They call it bread mostly because you bake it in a loaf pan--but it's basically cake. And decadently delicious. 

Pinterest

Mine didn't bake quite long enough, so it didn't have that perfect crumb, but it was still amazing. Very rich, but hey, you're sneaking a veg into your dessert! 

Then I decided to go the route of plain old zucchini bread. I tested out two recipes. First, from The Kitchn. 

Recipe here! 

I'm generally a big fan of the Kitchn, I think they have great tutorials and consistently delicious recipes. They are actually a go-to for me when we are having company and I want something on the more impressive side. 

Thus, it was quite a surprise that this recipe wasn't fantastic. It made a perfectly fine zucchini bread, but not the moist, crumbly treat that I associate with the title. Instead it was a little dry, and (dare I say it?) cardboardy. Not my favorite. 

Finally, I found this recipe from Good Housekeeping (go figure). This was exactly what I was looking for in a zucchini bread recipe--moist, just a little sweet, perfect texture. This is now my go-to recipe. 

Pinterest

Those has been my squash-related escapades this summer...do you bake in the summer? Have a go-to summer recipe? 

Preaching on Body Image?

It amuses, concerns, and occasionally annoys me that Facebook has become such a platform for people to "like" various articles without stating any reasons or opinions for their button-clicks. However, every once in a while someone will unknowingly lead me to an interesting article. 

Enter this piece on the pastor's role in teaching about body image. 

I read through a few of the comments (something I try to do discerningly, because I tend to get riled up) and decided it was better to air my thoughts here, in a more intentional setting, than to add a book to a Facebook comment thread. 

The article posits that body image is a significant enough issue for our culture that our pastors ought to spend some time discussing the issue from the pulpit. It cites "alarming" statistics about the over-10 million cosmetic surgeries performed in 2013 and the increase of dissatisfaction of men with their bodies as well. 

The Facebook comments tended toward (and granted, I didn't read them all) two things: claims that the Lord looks on the inward being and so our outward images are unimportant, and that there are much "bigger fish to fry" and that we should preach the gospel and let the body image issues take care of themselves. 

The article was brief, and I felt didn't fully justify the reasons this needs to be a conversation in the church. I am inclined to lean slightly towards the "preach the gospel and let the body image issues resolve themselves" simply because I'm not certain that the pulpit is the best medium for discussing body image. However, I do strongly believe that we need to be teaching explicitly what it means to truly treat our bodies as temples--and this has nothing to do with piercings, tattoos, or what have you, but more to do with giving ourselves and our physical bodies the respect and care that we ought to give to any of God's creations. This is something a pastor can do from the pulpit, or simply a friend over a cup of coffee. 

Whether by pastor or by friend, I think this is a conversation that needs to happen in the Church. We spout Scriptures about how our inward selves are more important and how we should not mark our bodies, without ever discussing the ridiculous expectations we hold for ourselves (what we weigh, how much/if any makeup we wear, what clothes we choose, and on and on). We are created--intentionally, lovingly, and wonderfully created--and that has massive implications for how we see and treat our physical bodies. 

The Church is to be a place of love and drawing inward--a place where the marginalized and unworthy find forgiveness, transformation, and acceptance. Learning to give our physical bodies honor and love is stewarding God's creation. The Church can be a part of this, without ever sacrificing the gospel or placing the emphasis on outward appearances. 

In the interest of honesty, I worry more about what I wear to church on a weekly basis than almost any other outfit. I wonder what the slimmer, prettier women in our congregation will be wearing, and I worry about whether I will measure up with my last-summer styles. I apply my makeup carefully, not wanting to look like I'm trying too hard, but also wanting to look neat and polished. After all, my husband is a deacon and I teach Sunday School--don't we want to give a good impression? 

Almost every week after these thoughts run through my head, I remind myself that people aren't paying as much attention to me as I think, and I try to tell myself that this time is for worship--it is for the Lord, and not for me to play dress-up or the comparison game (and oh how I love that comparison game). It is a weekly struggle to focus my thoughts on that gospel that my wonderful pastor is preaching, instead of that scuff mark on my shoe or how my skirt is lying across my legs. 

(Also? I call B.S. on anyone who tries to claim that physical appearances don't matter at all. I was told recently that I would make a great teacher because I have a big smile and I "sparkle" when I talk about school. I'm ok with that because it's my inward enthusiasm for education spilling outward, but don't tell me that wasn't a judgement on my teaching skills based on my physical appearance. What you look like matters--but hopefully we can overlook physical appearance in a true effort to get to know people's honest selves.) 

So yes, I think that my pastor should focus on the gospel, and we should find our identity in Christ, and learn to value ourselves for who we are and not what we wear or weigh. But we also need to realize that this body image, this sense of self, is part of who we are as believers and needs to be a part of our discussion. 

What do you think? Please share your thoughts, experiences, and perspective--this needs to be a discussion, not a monologue! 

Cappuccino Peanut Butter Cookies

Oh, my friends.



This is a good one.



Get your recipe books/files/Pinterest boards ready.



For Christmas this year, my friend gave me a little jar of cappuccino peanut butter. It was tasty, unique, and she thought it'd make a perfect little gift. (Incidentally, she also gave me some apricot jam and told me she was thinking of a little PB&J theme. Melis, I hope you don't mind this use of your gift!)

It's been sitting in my cabinet since Christmas. I dipped some chocolate graham crackers in, and that was yummy, but it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with it:



Cookies.

Normally I'm your basic chocolate chip kinda gal (give me chocolate any day) but I figured one batch of peanut butter cookies wouldn't hurt.

Being a modern adult woman, I went to Pinterest to find a good peanut butter cookie, and oh man did I find one.



I found this recipe.



It's a pretty basic recipe, but I made sure I actually creamed the butter and sugars. Don't skimp on this step, I'm learning that really creaming the butter and sugars take a few minutes and it's oh-so-worth it.

 Alllllso the cappuccino peanut butter. It gives the cookies such a rich, toasty, coffee-y flavor without being overpowering. The texture of these cookies is just to die for.



Cappuccino Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cappuccino peanut butter
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt


Cream the butter and sugars, then mix in the peanut butter until thoroughly combined. Mix in the eggs until well combined (if you use a stand-aid mixer like I do, turn it up for at least a few seconds). Add in the dry ingredients and mix well.

Bake at 325 for 12 minutes. The cookies will look just slightly underdone, but take them out and let them rest on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.


The recipe also adds that you can dip/drizzle these in melted chocolate, which I fully intended to do until I tasted one. Why mess with perfection?


Also, if you're near a Trader Joe's, I bet these would be the perfect use of cookie butter. Yum.

More Innie Love

I've written before about the strange phenomenon surrounding introverts vs. extroverts, but a Beth Woolsey over at Five Is A Lot of Kids wrote such a lovely piece about the topic that really resonated with me.



You should probably go read it.

Baking Wish-List

One of my awesome lead teachers gave me an adorable apron as a Christmas gift, and I cannot wait to wear it an get my holiday bake on. 

We throw a Christmas party every year, and this year it's going to be a small gathering of just a few close friends, so this is the perfect opportunity to break out my sweet tooth. My baking list includes: 

• Giant M&M cookies from How Sweet It Is
• Peppermint and Chocolate cookies from Bakerella
• Thumbprint cookies (this was a last minute decision, but Dan and I both realized we love them) from Love and Olive Oil, and 
• Peanut Butter blossoms from How Sweet It Is

I am seriously psyched to do some serious baking. It's so relaxing...plus you get cookies! 

Are you doing any baking this holiday? Any awesome recipes? 

Venite, Domini Mi

I love the idea of Advent, of celebrating not only the birth of Christ but also the process of awaiting his arrival. Recognizing the cry of John the Baptist, preparing the way for the One who is going to change everything.



Some things need so badly to be changed.



Perhaps that's why this beautiful post resonated so deeply with me; our joy is proceeded by bitter suffering, by hard questions, and by resounding sadness. When we embrace those things, our joy is so much fuller and more lasting.



It is an incredible joy to celebrate the arrival of Christ incarnate, God on earth, sharing in our hardships. The season of Advent, of active waiting, only serves to enrich that fulfillment.



Do you celebrate Advent?

Culinary Wish List

I've had a rough couple of weeks lately, and I've been slacking off on the delicious recipes (and blogging) as a result. But no more! The rain has gone, the sun is out, and I went to Trader Joe's with my mom today, so I'm feeling full of inspiration and excitement.



Since my mom is here, I made an enormous pot of Pioneer Woman's knockoff Zuppa Toscana (it was absolutely delicious--creamy and brothy and flavorful).

PW's picture, not mine. None of the photos shown are mine. 

I have some canned pumpkin to make goodies like these.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Honey Frosting

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

I'm also hoping to use some of that pumpkin to make risotto--I'll post the recipe if/when that happens!



We go apple picking tomorrow, so some Jewish apple cake will be in my future, possibly along with some of these guys:

Crockpot Apple Butter

Brown Sugar Apple Muffins

Of course, some of the apples/apple products (you know, like...pies...and crisps...) will be saved for our 5th Annual Oktoberfest. We always have tons of delicious fall foods there.



In other news, my mom is in town! She's been here for less than 24 hours and it's already so wonderful. It'd been a long time since she visited, and man was I ready. She even gets to come apple picking with us, which will be awesome.



Have you tried any new recipes lately? Anything awesome you're itching to make?

Butternut Squash Pasta

Fall has officially arrived in Philly--the leaves are changing, nights are crispy chilly, and the farmer's market is full of squash, pumpkins, and apples. I'm in heaven.



So when Jessica from How Sweet Eats linked to this recipe for a butternut squash macaroni and cheese, I was psyched. I'd just received a free (local and organic) butternut squash from my friend Melissa, who had gotten the veg in her CSA box but was leaving for vacation and couldn't use it.



She informed me that I had been "voted the friend most likely to put it to good use" (by her), so I decided to make her proud.


Or something.



And guys? This recipe was intense. I spent probably an hour or so in the kitchen, and it was a good amount of hands-on work. But it was totally worth it.



I skipped the panko crumbs on top, but this pasta bake was heavenly. The butternut squash was so creamy and slightly sweet, and the gooey cheddar was just...delicious. The chorizo wasn't particularly spicy, but it was good for texture and just to have some meat (so it could count as a real meal in my house).



So, if you find some butternut squash and have a little extra time to spend in the kitchen on a cool fall evening, try this one out! It was totally worth the time and effort.

Why "Why" Cannot be Answered

Full disclosure: I teared up at the reading of this post. 

By now you should be familiar with Jen Hatmaker's blog, but this is beyond beautiful and needs to be shared. 

A coworker shared with me that a personal tragedy early in her life led her to reject God and organized religion in every way, shape or form. If only someone with this perspective had reached out to her, instead of saying "God has a purpose." 

There is a time for mourning, as for everything else. 

Good Love

I've linked you up to her before, and she's here again: the marvelous Sarah Bessey.



Rachel Held Evans is writing a series on submission, as it pertains to spouses and others in the church. As usually with Ms. Evans, I agree with some, disagree with some, but generally appreciate the attitude of not slamming those with whom you may disagree, but trying to dialogue and understand.



Sarah Bessey wrote this beautiful post on what mutual submission looks like in her marriage, and folks, lemme tell you...



This is what I want my marriage to look like.




"I just want to read dog-eared poetry books and cook his meals, argue with him about theology and then kiss him on the kitchen floor."



I don't need to set down rules and lines for how Dan and I will show grace and love (and yes, sometimes submission) to one another. I do need to continually remind myself of the incredible grace and love shown to me, and continually strive to extend that grace and love to my husband.



Sometimes this will mean submitting to my husband's will by him going out with friends again. Sometimes it means he submits to my will and has a quiet night in with me. Sometimes it means we carefully discuss the pros and cons of the churches we've visited and decide together which one we feel is best for us.



And that's the beauty of Sarah's post. It doesn't matter on which side of the egalitarian/complementarian line you fall. She's talking about love, self-sacrifical, servant-hearted love.



The kind Jesus gave, and asks us to give.

On Being an "Innie"

Enjoy this little musing while I continue to upload and organize vacation photos! (Also, I need to collect the good pictures from our friends with the real camera. Ha.)



This morning a friend posted this article from the Huffington Post on being an introvert. It was not the first article I've seen--in fact, there seems to be an influx of information about the elusive introvert.



Google "introvert" and you'll see definitions, personality quizzes, and articles like the one linked above. Introverts are becoming "cool."



This strikes me as insane.



On my brief hunt of the interwebs for more about introverts, I came across this, which describes my feelings on the sudden surge of introvert popularity very well.



I'm, without a shadow of a doubt, an introvert. I used to be debilitatingly shy; now I just value my quiet time and need some solitude to recharge my batteries.



Now, here's the thing: I'm outgoing and friendly, I love my friends and spend a lot of time with people. I have no problem speaking in front of a large audience, and I'm totally functional at big social events. Heck, we even host a couple of them each year.



But, introvert as ideal? Perish the thought!



See, as the second article points out, there are plenty of upsides to being an extrovert. My extremely extroverted husband and I balance each other out well, and I can totally see the benefits of his natural tendency toward people.



Where I value deep connections and meaningful conversations, I really struggle to make good, lasting friendships because it's very difficult for me to leap that chasm between introducing-myself-to-a-stranger and actually discussing things that are important to me. Dan? He makes friends at the drop of a hat. That small talk is incredibly useful in forging a path from acquaintance to actual friend.



I have no problem talking about my skill set or job qualifications (in fact, I think I interview pretty well) because it's performance me. But once I've got the job? I really hate asking for letters of recommendation or networking my way to a better job. It's that leap from professional to personal that is really difficult for introverts. That doesn't mean that Dan is a cutthroat guy who takes advantage of people in the workplace; quite the contrary. But he's perfectly capable of networking in a very positive way.



And all that quiet time for meditation and reflection is great...until it's the middle of the school year and I don't have two seconds to put together for quiet me time. Or the converse, where all those deep thoughts and solitude during break spiral me downward until I get lost inside my own head. My extroverted husband can settle in for hours of his favorite TV show and not waste a brain cell worrying about that email he sent last week that wasn't worded quite right (alright, that might be because he's a better writer than I am). He can also take endlessly busy days in stride without stressing at all.



All this to say, I'm comfortable with who I am as an introvert. But, it's certainly not the be-all-end-all, and I think there's something inherently twisted in saying that one personality type is "better" or "cooler" than any other. We need all kinds of people to make the world work.



What do you think? Would you call yourself an "innie" or an "outie"? Sometimes I'm jealous of people who are genuinely refreshed by spending time with others! Parties where I don't know anyone are completely exhausting to me.

In Which I Declare Myself...

A nerd. 



I know, I know, big gasps of surprise from...



No one. 



"Wil Wheaton explained in a much-shared YouTube clip about why it’s “awesome” to be a nerd. He declared that the defining characteristic of being a nerd was loving things. It’s not what we love, he said, but how we love: with passion. That passion makes us nerds." --Jason Boyett, in Parenting and Passions and Making Nerds of Your Children.


Upon reading this, a huge smile spread across my face. Yes, I'm a nerd, and I'm darn proud of it. I've often thought about the concept of hipsters, and their "nothing is cool" attitude. I couldn't ever subscribe to that notion, because there are just so many cool things out there.



For instance, I've watched several butterflies hatch from their chrysalides in the last week. 



I've watched kids slowly learn to put letters together into words, and those words into meaning. 



I've watched great movies, read wonderful books, gasped, laughed, and sobbed along to my favorite stories and characters. 



I've watched babies become toddlers, and toddlers become children, and children become people. 



There are just too many cool things to be excited about. This passion, this excitement, this desire to experience things fully...why would you want to suppress that?


So, hats off to nerds everywhere. Wave your nerdy flag, and don't forget to pass that enthusiasm and passion on! 

Yet Another Link

I know I've been doing this a lot lately, but my mind has been full of school. Sometimes I need other people's words to start my own flowing.



I'm new to this blog, but this post gave me goosebumps. A link up itself from one of my favorite bloggers Sarah Bessey, it totally pinpoints the world of youth group that I had.



I grew up in a big, non-denominational church. We had a band on the stage every Sunday, a "cool" pastor who gave real-life sermons that didn't get into theology. We had a youth group of hundreds, tons of retreats and camps and short-term missions trips. I was that child.


And you know what? It worked.



For all the drama, all the emotionalism, all the youth-pastor support and cheesy activities, I had good friends, dedicated adult leaders, and an environment that allowed me to embrace God. Without those things I have no idea what would have happened to me.



I was also blessed enough to visit other churches, make other friends, and have other experiences that drove me into doctrine and theology and deeper questions and answers. I was lucky enough (how could that even be the right word?) to have good teachers and books when I was questioning my faith and doubting these truths.



So, to youth leaders, youths, and college kids--embrace these sometimes-corny, oft-derided youth group experiences. They just may be what anchors you in the truth of the gospel, be exactly what you need to keep from dipping toes into the pool of evil that is just waiting for the right moment.



Thanks to be God for all of his ways of reaching us, of holding us, of drawing us to himself. Cheesy worship songs, catechisms, weekend missions trips--as long as it points you to Christ, to the truth that God offers us grace and love and salvation--it can all be effective for him.

Linking You Up

I know, this may be the fourth or fifth time I've sent you to Jen Hatmaker's blog, but she just speaks to me so well.



In this post, she talks about being uninvited to speak at a conference because of her particular leanings on certain topics. Her honesty about doubt. Her transparency regarding her sins. Her position on drinking. (! Are we really still hung up on this?!)



Anyway, I love this post because it's about me. About my generation. About the oncoming slew of young adults who love Jesus, but aren't sure what to think about gay marriage. College&Careers who are pushing to find the balance between an intellectual, thoughtful faith and love that is lived out in service, day by day. Kids who refuse the dogma, the denomination, and long for acceptance.



These are my people. And I say, hallelujah for a woman like Jen who will "gather us" to herself and help us on the way. We need people, we need mamas and fathers and brothers and sisters and children of our own, if we really want to transform this world into a place where the Kingdom of God can be recognized.