Creamy cauliflower soup. I made a big pot of it on Wednesday when all the gals came over for dinner. It wasn't the main course, in fact, they weren't even expecting it. I read the recipe on a blog and decided I had to make it - being cold to the bone makes you want to do things like that. Everyone loved it, but I only gave them one bowl each (along with freshly baked, by me, whole grain bread). There was a huge spread coming so there needed to be room left. Which meant plenty of left overs.
I always freeze some and enjoy some the following day or so. This was no exception. So tonight, as I was heating it up, a little light went off. Cheesy cauliflower soup. How good does that sound? And because a friend recently sent some Velveeta - sounded like the perfect combination. I know, there are some reading this that just lost their lunch. Did she really say Velveeta? did. It melts so nicely and adds just that gentle touch of cheese. Besides, if you saw the "cheese" options in my city, you'd stop right there and back me on this.
As I was saying...I didn't think it could get any better. Now to enjoy my cheesy cauliflower soup (and grilled cheese made with the not so fresh, but still whole grain bread and sliced sandwich cheese).
Saturday, January 09, 2010
The Rickshaw Driver
So I've got this rickshaw driver that I first befriended shortly after I moved here. I'm not sure why or how it happened, but it did. He reminds me of a friend, actually an old boss (maybe I'll even find pictures so you can see for yourself the resemblance). He's a tall, older Muslim man and always gets a huge grin on his face when he sees me. If I'm walking with the kids he tries to play with them - they aren't sure what to think of him. He's slow as molasses, but is so trustworthy and has never (in my uneducated opinion) tried to rip me off. In fact, I pretty much just pay him whatever I want and he doesn't complain. Of course, I'm probably not as tight with the rupee as my Indian friends are. These guys work under crazy conditions and get paid peanuts, it really breaks my heart.
I've been told I really should try to talk with them, it wouldn't look right. Well, for the most part, that's not a problem. He doesn't speak a lick on English and the Urdu that comes out of his mouth I can't understand a single word of it. Until the other day. He saw me walking the kids home and followed me, talking about what, I wasn't really sure. I understood the word for night, and then he sorta showed putting something over himself, like a blanket and then I heard the word for children. I immediately knew what he needed. It's been incredibly cold lately - the paper talking about the cold waves that have come in. In my times of moaning of how cold I am in my house, I've been immediately humbled as I've thought of those who are living in worse conditions.
He needed a blanket to keep his kids warm at night. But I'm learning, take a little time to understand what is the right way to do things, besides, I didn't have any money on me and that's usually the last thing you want to do. I asked him to come back at 4 pm, after my language lesson, hoping I'd know better how to talk to him. Well, I didn't have a clue what to say, but was told to ask my landlord's son to come with me to talk to him. He said the man needed cotton for a blanket. And then he told him to leave. I was bothered by the way it went down. I'm sure the man just didn't express himself clearly. What was understood was that the cotton that stuffs the blankets was needed, but you don't just go buy it somewhere, so Aamir told him to go.
I felt uneasy about it and told him that I had wanted to help him out some way. He said to wait and see if he comes back. He didn't, but today, when I went to the store, he ran up to me and offered his services. He was talking so quickly, gesturing as he went. I kept telling him I didn't understand what he was saying, but that didn't stop him. Then he pointed out the shop that makes the blankets that are filled with cotton. I immediately knew what I must do. He told me how much they cost (roughly $10). I called a friend to get an opinion on the price and felt good about what was being said. So, as he dropped me off, I asked him to come back in about an hour (I actually said the wrong time, but it all worked out fine). If he showed up, then we would get him a blanket on the way back. He came and what a humbling experience when I asked him to stop in front of the shop and pick out a blanket. He wanted red. We looked at one and found a rip. There was one that he really liked, but rickshaw drivers aren't usually treated with much respect and you could see his timidity and asking for the one that had caught his eye. But he finally did, we bickered about the price and walked away with a new blanket. As he dropped me off at my home, I mentioned how nice it was going to be that this evening his family would be warm. He humbly smiled and rode off. I think it warmed my heart more than it is ever going to warm him or his children.
And who knows. Maybe, just maybe, he spun me a line and took the blanket back and split the cash with the shop owner. But I did what I felt in my heart I was supposed to do and in doing so, I gave to the poor and the cold, I gave to Christ.
I've been told I really should try to talk with them, it wouldn't look right. Well, for the most part, that's not a problem. He doesn't speak a lick on English and the Urdu that comes out of his mouth I can't understand a single word of it. Until the other day. He saw me walking the kids home and followed me, talking about what, I wasn't really sure. I understood the word for night, and then he sorta showed putting something over himself, like a blanket and then I heard the word for children. I immediately knew what he needed. It's been incredibly cold lately - the paper talking about the cold waves that have come in. In my times of moaning of how cold I am in my house, I've been immediately humbled as I've thought of those who are living in worse conditions.
He needed a blanket to keep his kids warm at night. But I'm learning, take a little time to understand what is the right way to do things, besides, I didn't have any money on me and that's usually the last thing you want to do. I asked him to come back at 4 pm, after my language lesson, hoping I'd know better how to talk to him. Well, I didn't have a clue what to say, but was told to ask my landlord's son to come with me to talk to him. He said the man needed cotton for a blanket. And then he told him to leave. I was bothered by the way it went down. I'm sure the man just didn't express himself clearly. What was understood was that the cotton that stuffs the blankets was needed, but you don't just go buy it somewhere, so Aamir told him to go.
I felt uneasy about it and told him that I had wanted to help him out some way. He said to wait and see if he comes back. He didn't, but today, when I went to the store, he ran up to me and offered his services. He was talking so quickly, gesturing as he went. I kept telling him I didn't understand what he was saying, but that didn't stop him. Then he pointed out the shop that makes the blankets that are filled with cotton. I immediately knew what I must do. He told me how much they cost (roughly $10). I called a friend to get an opinion on the price and felt good about what was being said. So, as he dropped me off, I asked him to come back in about an hour (I actually said the wrong time, but it all worked out fine). If he showed up, then we would get him a blanket on the way back. He came and what a humbling experience when I asked him to stop in front of the shop and pick out a blanket. He wanted red. We looked at one and found a rip. There was one that he really liked, but rickshaw drivers aren't usually treated with much respect and you could see his timidity and asking for the one that had caught his eye. But he finally did, we bickered about the price and walked away with a new blanket. As he dropped me off at my home, I mentioned how nice it was going to be that this evening his family would be warm. He humbly smiled and rode off. I think it warmed my heart more than it is ever going to warm him or his children.
And who knows. Maybe, just maybe, he spun me a line and took the blanket back and split the cash with the shop owner. But I did what I felt in my heart I was supposed to do and in doing so, I gave to the poor and the cold, I gave to Christ.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Ah, the joys of being a woman
I often find myself getting so frustrated by the restrictions placed on women and trying to figure out how I fit in here. To be honest with you, right now I'm tired of being on my own. And the sadness of not even having a roommate is feeling heavy on my heart right now! (So you know how to pray!) We just had a wonderful retreat and I see the Perryman's doing their thing, the Hershey's theirs and even Anna and Jess have created a bond that is tight and leaves me wanting the same thing. As much as I enjoy my Indian friends - their lives are different and we don't communicate at a heart level. Will we ever? I doubt it, as our life experiences are different and they are so much more compliant and accepting of the way things are. I just don't know. I do know that the journey getting there is painful.
It probably doesn't help that it's the holiday season and I'm missing my family and friends. The kids (Perryman family) are all gone this week, so my days feel a little emptier too. Which is probably a good thing because I have to much to accomplish.
My phone has died...sorta. I get incoming calls and beeps that there are messages, but I can't answer it or retrieve them. I tried buying a phone yesterday as I paid my bill but found the process a little overwhelming. There was no bank on the way, I didn't know where one was on that side of town. When I went to the store I bought my current one at, they were no longer selling them. Today I will venture back out. It's amazing how such a small task can take up so much time and energy.
I was chatting with a friend last night and I realized that this is probably more of a spiritual attack. Like a bunch of small, fiery darts that just wear on me. I'm far from being down for the count and most days I can pretend all is good. But in a rare moment, I let myself admit that it's not all that I hoped it would be. As I went to bed last night, tears welled up in my eyes. As I talked to God, I shared and knew that my pain was His. But then I thought of all that is wrong in the world and realized His pain is so much greater than mine. And that's why I'm here. If Jesus could sacrifice His life on the cross, why can't I sacrifice mine in some small ways. Look at how long He was separated from His home. And in all honesty - where is my home? It's not here on this earth anywhere! What I know and all that's familiar is. But aren't I longing for something more? Of course I am! It doesn't mean my present suffering isn't real, but it is my flesh and not really my spirit that suffers. And so, I go to sleep, resting in his arms, with my phone occasionally beeping in the background.
Here are a few photos from the retreat (and a couple links to see more) as well as a video. Let me explain the video. :) Dan separated us into teams - dividing all those who live together (which really didn't effect me at all). We were given six envelopes, four that were numbered 1-4, and had to be done in that order; two we could insert whenever we wanted. The message inside one envelope read something along the lines of finding 3 Indians and record them singing an 80's song. Well, I love the 80's, but we all struggled with coming up with a song we knew enough words and the tune to, until Anna said "Shout" by Tears for Fears. Easy enough, but then to find the three Indians. We decided to check out the front desk, but Ruthy was a little concerned with the guy in the suit. As I looked at their faces, I could tell they were a good natured group of people, besides, most Indians love to be filmed. They accepted and what you see is the end result.
To see more pictures of the camp or the tiger safari we went on (which, by the way, had no tigers) click on the underlined words.
It probably doesn't help that it's the holiday season and I'm missing my family and friends. The kids (Perryman family) are all gone this week, so my days feel a little emptier too. Which is probably a good thing because I have to much to accomplish.
My phone has died...sorta. I get incoming calls and beeps that there are messages, but I can't answer it or retrieve them. I tried buying a phone yesterday as I paid my bill but found the process a little overwhelming. There was no bank on the way, I didn't know where one was on that side of town. When I went to the store I bought my current one at, they were no longer selling them. Today I will venture back out. It's amazing how such a small task can take up so much time and energy.
I was chatting with a friend last night and I realized that this is probably more of a spiritual attack. Like a bunch of small, fiery darts that just wear on me. I'm far from being down for the count and most days I can pretend all is good. But in a rare moment, I let myself admit that it's not all that I hoped it would be. As I went to bed last night, tears welled up in my eyes. As I talked to God, I shared and knew that my pain was His. But then I thought of all that is wrong in the world and realized His pain is so much greater than mine. And that's why I'm here. If Jesus could sacrifice His life on the cross, why can't I sacrifice mine in some small ways. Look at how long He was separated from His home. And in all honesty - where is my home? It's not here on this earth anywhere! What I know and all that's familiar is. But aren't I longing for something more? Of course I am! It doesn't mean my present suffering isn't real, but it is my flesh and not really my spirit that suffers. And so, I go to sleep, resting in his arms, with my phone occasionally beeping in the background.
Here are a few photos from the retreat (and a couple links to see more) as well as a video. Let me explain the video. :) Dan separated us into teams - dividing all those who live together (which really didn't effect me at all). We were given six envelopes, four that were numbered 1-4, and had to be done in that order; two we could insert whenever we wanted. The message inside one envelope read something along the lines of finding 3 Indians and record them singing an 80's song. Well, I love the 80's, but we all struggled with coming up with a song we knew enough words and the tune to, until Anna said "Shout" by Tears for Fears. Easy enough, but then to find the three Indians. We decided to check out the front desk, but Ruthy was a little concerned with the guy in the suit. As I looked at their faces, I could tell they were a good natured group of people, besides, most Indians love to be filmed. They accepted and what you see is the end result.
To see more pictures of the camp or the tiger safari we went on (which, by the way, had no tigers) click on the underlined words.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Two of My Favorite Things for You
Okay, I'm not sure how to post this, so you can either use the link or use the link. :) But this is what it says...
Two of My Favorite Things for You!
I'm excited to share two of my favorite things with one blessed reader through a little giveaway! Unlike many giveaways, this one IS OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL READERS as a shout out to all my "m" sisters around the world!
One pound of coffee beans
and...
a digital subscription to Country Living Magazine through Zinio.
I was thrilled to find Zinio since I was unable to afford the overseas subscription to my magazine! I hope you will enjoy it too!
The giveaway is open until Sunday night, November 15th at midnight PST. You can win one entry for each of the following:
1. Leaving a lovely comment telling me what you are most thankful for today
2. Becoming a follower or subscribing in a reader OR already being a follower/subscriber.
3. Posting about the Two of My Favorite Things Giveaway on your blog
Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Good luck everyone and thanks for being such wonderful readers! Hugs from Paraguay!
****If you have a mailing address in the continental US, you can choose to forgo the coffee beans for the paper version of Country Living if you prefer.****
Two of My Favorite Things for You!
I'm excited to share two of my favorite things with one blessed reader through a little giveaway! Unlike many giveaways, this one IS OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL READERS as a shout out to all my "m" sisters around the world!
One pound of coffee beans
and...
a digital subscription to Country Living Magazine through Zinio.
I was thrilled to find Zinio since I was unable to afford the overseas subscription to my magazine! I hope you will enjoy it too!
The giveaway is open until Sunday night, November 15th at midnight PST. You can win one entry for each of the following:
1. Leaving a lovely comment telling me what you are most thankful for today
2. Becoming a follower or subscribing in a reader OR already being a follower/subscriber.
3. Posting about the Two of My Favorite Things Giveaway on your blog
Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Good luck everyone and thanks for being such wonderful readers! Hugs from Paraguay!
****If you have a mailing address in the continental US, you can choose to forgo the coffee beans for the paper version of Country Living if you prefer.****
Sunday, September 20, 2009
I didn't see that coming...
Okay, I did, thank goodness.
Tonight I went once again to get sweets, as tomorrow is the full-on celebration of Eid and I'll be going to people's homes and need to bring some gifts. As I was leaving my colony (on the rickshaw, of course), another rickshaw was approaching us. I nearly got bowled over by his load. He needed some sort of blinker system or something...he was loaded up with sticks and leaves, wide enough to take up nearly the whole rode. If it wasn't for some quick thinking and moving, I'd have been all torn up. You just never know what is going to cross your path here. :)
Other than that and the mouse sized bats out in full force, followed by cat sized bats (where do they sleep anyway?), it was a fairly uneventful outing. A few of the cat sized bats seemed to fly too low for my comfort, but it all added to the oddities and uniqueness of the night. I wish you could take in the sites that I see. One minute I'm oohhing (the not good ooh, but more the yuck ooh) at someone urinating in public (which is a normal sight) and the next I'm ahhing at two cute little girls walking hand-in-hand. India is definitely a place to activate the senses.
Tonight I went once again to get sweets, as tomorrow is the full-on celebration of Eid and I'll be going to people's homes and need to bring some gifts. As I was leaving my colony (on the rickshaw, of course), another rickshaw was approaching us. I nearly got bowled over by his load. He needed some sort of blinker system or something...he was loaded up with sticks and leaves, wide enough to take up nearly the whole rode. If it wasn't for some quick thinking and moving, I'd have been all torn up. You just never know what is going to cross your path here. :)
Other than that and the mouse sized bats out in full force, followed by cat sized bats (where do they sleep anyway?), it was a fairly uneventful outing. A few of the cat sized bats seemed to fly too low for my comfort, but it all added to the oddities and uniqueness of the night. I wish you could take in the sites that I see. One minute I'm oohhing (the not good ooh, but more the yuck ooh) at someone urinating in public (which is a normal sight) and the next I'm ahhing at two cute little girls walking hand-in-hand. India is definitely a place to activate the senses.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Tonight it was different
Once again I went to buy some fresh sweet for my friend who is celebrating Eid. I say friend, but it's really the man you delivers my milk, Yousuf. I don't know if you normally do something for your milkman, but if I were in the US I would give my mailman a gift (or did when it was more personable). So, I wanted to share the same kindness with him and his family.
So down the dusty street I walk until I find a rickshaw. This one was far from small, in fact, my legs nearly dangled as I sat in the seat. I can't imagine how the average Indian (who is generally a few inches shorter than me) could feel comfortable or safe in it. But there I was up in my perch, taking in the world, observing and praying as moved. As we approached a hospital, I noticed a rickshaw pass in front of us with a man draped across another man's lap, who was holding him with such care, but also with such strength that the unconscious man wouldn't fall. As I prayed for God's mercy I was overcome with tears. There is no quick, safe way to transport someone to the hospital here. When I myself was sick, I had to hold onto the rickety, bumpy rickshaw myself. I've seen an ambulance, but it sure wasn't moving very fast and no one was getting out of it's way. It was just a reminder that life here is hard, people die that shouldn't. It took me a bit to shake the overwhelming feeling and in the end all I could do was thank God for His own grace in my own life. Death for me doesn't have to be a scary thing.
So down the dusty street I walk until I find a rickshaw. This one was far from small, in fact, my legs nearly dangled as I sat in the seat. I can't imagine how the average Indian (who is generally a few inches shorter than me) could feel comfortable or safe in it. But there I was up in my perch, taking in the world, observing and praying as moved. As we approached a hospital, I noticed a rickshaw pass in front of us with a man draped across another man's lap, who was holding him with such care, but also with such strength that the unconscious man wouldn't fall. As I prayed for God's mercy I was overcome with tears. There is no quick, safe way to transport someone to the hospital here. When I myself was sick, I had to hold onto the rickety, bumpy rickshaw myself. I've seen an ambulance, but it sure wasn't moving very fast and no one was getting out of it's way. It was just a reminder that life here is hard, people die that shouldn't. It took me a bit to shake the overwhelming feeling and in the end all I could do was thank God for His own grace in my own life. Death for me doesn't have to be a scary thing.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Is this really how it's supposed to be?
Monday is Eid ul-Fitr, which to Muslims is the equivalent of my Christmas - okay, no, it has none of the same meaning, but it is one of their biggest holidays. I'm learning what that means...and am sure I'll make all kinds of mistakes. You give money to nearly everyone you know, or at least their kids. The adults you give sweets and then there is usually some family or persons that you give something special to. It was because of this that I had to go out tonight to buy some sweets for someone that I will see tomorrow, but not on Sunday or Monday - when gifts are typically given.
It was dusk, well, nearly night and walking to find a rickshaw alone somehow felt...well, it's didn't feel right. And I had to walk a good distance before I found one. He asked a fair price (higher than the locals but lower than what I'd anticipated). It was a small rickshaw, not leaving me much room for my legs. And uncomfortably close to the driver - when the he sat on his seat, his back nearly touched my knees. It was humid and warm - walking I was starting to perspire, and in the sky were the bats that are as large as cats. [These still freak me out and I can't even begin to imagine what I would do if one ever got in my house!] It was at this moment I felt rather alone and out of sorts. I wondered what people must be thinking. Not so much because I was a foreigner in an area that doesn't do any tourist business, but because I was a female, out by myself in the evening. It was at this moment I wish I'd had a friend with me. Unfortunately, they were in their homes breaking their fast. Or one friend from the US was with her sick daughter and the other with three kids. All of the sudden I was feeling needy. And I wondered if this is how it is going to be. I used to thrive on going out alone in the US - I loved that freedom I had. I could drive across the Nevada dessert all the way to Seattle and not be rattled. I'd even been known to go hiking and camping alone (admittedly not the smartest idea - but I wasn't going to miss doing things I liked doing because of fear). But I find myself struggling more. As I came home 1/2 later, and it was completely dark out, I had moments where I was thankful that God was watching over me. We'd drive through areas that were dark and no one was out and I realized just how vulnerable I was with the rickshaw driver. I wondered, is this how it's going to be? Will I feel like this when I return to the US? Like a bird that's been stuck in a cage and released, it doesn't know how to fly?
I called the friend with the sick daughter and asked how she was doing. Now my friend is feeling sick too. Which reminded me, I'm not feeling so hot myself. Last night was the "Night of Power" among the Muslim faith (well, the actual night is disputed). Because they feel this is the night that one can be closest to God and that the angels come to see them, they stay up all night. I had committed to pray, but not necessarily stay up all night. However, I did ask God to wake me and remind me to pray. Well, about an hour into my sleep, He did just that. I woke with that acidic burning in my throat, like what you get from a bad burp. But it just kept coming. I took an antacid pill, I took a powdered mixture with water, I sucked on a candy and finally, I propped myself up on a pillow and prayed more. I can't tell you how long this went on, but into the night. Every once in a while I'd doze off. I woke up not feeling so hot, having a headache and my stomach was still sour. My friend said maybe it was not feeling well that was really making me feel this way. Hmmm, I think she might be onto something. I'm sure it is influencing me, but I also think things are changing in me.
It was dusk, well, nearly night and walking to find a rickshaw alone somehow felt...well, it's didn't feel right. And I had to walk a good distance before I found one. He asked a fair price (higher than the locals but lower than what I'd anticipated). It was a small rickshaw, not leaving me much room for my legs. And uncomfortably close to the driver - when the he sat on his seat, his back nearly touched my knees. It was humid and warm - walking I was starting to perspire, and in the sky were the bats that are as large as cats. [These still freak me out and I can't even begin to imagine what I would do if one ever got in my house!] It was at this moment I felt rather alone and out of sorts. I wondered what people must be thinking. Not so much because I was a foreigner in an area that doesn't do any tourist business, but because I was a female, out by myself in the evening. It was at this moment I wish I'd had a friend with me. Unfortunately, they were in their homes breaking their fast. Or one friend from the US was with her sick daughter and the other with three kids. All of the sudden I was feeling needy. And I wondered if this is how it is going to be. I used to thrive on going out alone in the US - I loved that freedom I had. I could drive across the Nevada dessert all the way to Seattle and not be rattled. I'd even been known to go hiking and camping alone (admittedly not the smartest idea - but I wasn't going to miss doing things I liked doing because of fear). But I find myself struggling more. As I came home 1/2 later, and it was completely dark out, I had moments where I was thankful that God was watching over me. We'd drive through areas that were dark and no one was out and I realized just how vulnerable I was with the rickshaw driver. I wondered, is this how it's going to be? Will I feel like this when I return to the US? Like a bird that's been stuck in a cage and released, it doesn't know how to fly?
I called the friend with the sick daughter and asked how she was doing. Now my friend is feeling sick too. Which reminded me, I'm not feeling so hot myself. Last night was the "Night of Power" among the Muslim faith (well, the actual night is disputed). Because they feel this is the night that one can be closest to God and that the angels come to see them, they stay up all night. I had committed to pray, but not necessarily stay up all night. However, I did ask God to wake me and remind me to pray. Well, about an hour into my sleep, He did just that. I woke with that acidic burning in my throat, like what you get from a bad burp. But it just kept coming. I took an antacid pill, I took a powdered mixture with water, I sucked on a candy and finally, I propped myself up on a pillow and prayed more. I can't tell you how long this went on, but into the night. Every once in a while I'd doze off. I woke up not feeling so hot, having a headache and my stomach was still sour. My friend said maybe it was not feeling well that was really making me feel this way. Hmmm, I think she might be onto something. I'm sure it is influencing me, but I also think things are changing in me.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
I'm such a goof ball. But at least it makes my life more interesting.
:) Let me explain. My Tuesday night I stayed up too late, trying to "fix" something on my computer that came out of the updates I recently sent. Some people couldn't view them, so I was going to re-send it in a different format. But as I'd deleted some addresses, I deleted them all! Yahoo's changed some functions and I found a way to pull them all back in, but it didn't retrieve my groups. Which meant I needed to put everyone back into groups of 50. But then I found something to help clean up my duplicate entries, so I did that. Isn't that the beauty of online "stuff"...it simplifies our lives, and sucks away our time. But because doing it any other way means even more time, we give what we don't have right then.
After it was cleaned up, I saw that I could actually pull all my addresses over to the new, more secure email system I've been using. Oh my gosh, I was so excited, because this was going to save me even more time. I did it three times, using different methods, because I wasn't noticing the change. I did notice addresses of people I didn't even know! When I located where it was putting the exports I started working through duplicates or other little issues with it. Do you see where I'm going with this? Yes, I was up way too late on Tuesday night.
On Wednesday our team was all doing a fast, and I chose to do it in the manner of my neighbors, which meant waking around 3:30 am to eat, drink and brush my teeth because when the sun first breaks (not what you can really visibly see, but what the scientists say is the time it breaks) at around 4:20, I needed to be done putting anything in my mouth. Let me tell you, when I first woke, there were no spiritual thoughts in my head. All I could think of was "Why in the world is it so important to eat something this early?" I mean, I've done plenty of fasting, usually from sunset to sunrise, which is over 30 hours. Surely I could fast until the evening. But I did get up, wasn't prepared with what to eat, though I knew it needed to be quick and easy so I could go back to sleep. I even thought of eating my sandwich back in the comfort of my bed and pillow. I didn't.
I woke up so thirsty. And tired, I'd really only had about 4-5 hours of sleep. I had felt I should do this fast once a week; if that's the case, I need to get to bed earlier and maybe have something proper for my morning meal - maybe I should do fruit with lots of water or something. I will ask my friends for advice.
After it was cleaned up, I saw that I could actually pull all my addresses over to the new, more secure email system I've been using. Oh my gosh, I was so excited, because this was going to save me even more time. I did it three times, using different methods, because I wasn't noticing the change. I did notice addresses of people I didn't even know! When I located where it was putting the exports I started working through duplicates or other little issues with it. Do you see where I'm going with this? Yes, I was up way too late on Tuesday night.
On Wednesday our team was all doing a fast, and I chose to do it in the manner of my neighbors, which meant waking around 3:30 am to eat, drink and brush my teeth because when the sun first breaks (not what you can really visibly see, but what the scientists say is the time it breaks) at around 4:20, I needed to be done putting anything in my mouth. Let me tell you, when I first woke, there were no spiritual thoughts in my head. All I could think of was "Why in the world is it so important to eat something this early?" I mean, I've done plenty of fasting, usually from sunset to sunrise, which is over 30 hours. Surely I could fast until the evening. But I did get up, wasn't prepared with what to eat, though I knew it needed to be quick and easy so I could go back to sleep. I even thought of eating my sandwich back in the comfort of my bed and pillow. I didn't.
I woke up so thirsty. And tired, I'd really only had about 4-5 hours of sleep. I had felt I should do this fast once a week; if that's the case, I need to get to bed earlier and maybe have something proper for my morning meal - maybe I should do fruit with lots of water or something. I will ask my friends for advice.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
What if the Right was Right? A Reflection on the "Christian States of America."
Perhaps this title sounds familiar, and it just might. I just read this article and it's giving me something to think about, I hope it will you too.
What if the Right was Right? A Reflection on the "Christian States of America."
Cynthia Boaz Asst. Prof. of Political Science, Consultant on Nonviolent Action and Strategy
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cynthia-boaz/what-if-the-right-was-rig_b_262723.html)
"If you cannot say on the basis of the New Testament that Jesus was nonviolent, you cannot say anything about Jesus." -John L. McKenzie, Jesuit scholar
Let's start with the most controversial of the themes, and since I'm not a fan of mincing words, here it is: the advocacy of war and violence as tools of expressing grievances violates the most fundamental messages of Christianity because Jesus himself was the most renowned voice of principled nonviolence that the world has known.
Historically, the most vocal support for U.S. war-making has come from those who identify themselves as devout Christians. Not only is that surreal considering the philosophy of Jesus, but the sinister irony is that the main targets of the "war on terror" are radical fundamentalist Muslims against whom a primary grievance is their propensity to (mis)use religion to justify acts of violence. So for pro-war Christians, violence is righteous if its targets are threatening to Christianity or Christendom. But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives very clear instructions about how to deal with foes, and his notion of righteousness varies significantly from that of many Christian US policymakers:
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;...For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?...And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?
In other words, loving your friend is easy. Loving your enemy is very difficult. So Christians (people who ascribe to live by the example of Jesus Christ) who advocate for war as a response to hatred and violence do insult to this key command. They are guilty of precisely the same kind of thinking for which they condemn their enemies.
Considering what Jesus' view of guns might have been is difficult given that firearms would not exist for many more centuries after his death. I have, however, heard more than one gun proponent point to the example of Jesus' "cleansing of the temple" as evidence that he would have not been as quick to condemn the individual's right to own and carry (and if necessary, use) weapons as, say, advocates of nonviolence might like.
The example does give pause. But consider this: the moment in the temple was the only act of anger ever shown by Jesus, and it was specifically directed against garish displays of greed and avarice. There is also no evidence that it was violent, and most contemporary scholars conclude it was not. The term in the original Greek (that was later liberally construed by English language translators as "whipped") literally means "to drive out." And the whip is mentioned in only one of four gospels (John), which is also the only gospel that mentions the role of sheep and cattle in the story. It's been widely understand for decades by Biblical scholars that the reference is to a cattle whip and was not used by Jesus on anyone. But even allowing for the most wide interpretation and conceding that Jesus used a whip to drive corrupt vendors out of the temple, his prayer on the cross during the crucifixion shows the truth of his heart. Instead of rage and bitterness, Jesus made a plea for forgiveness of those who condemned him to death. It is that example that we are asked to remember above all.
Taxes and Taxation
Believe it or not, there is plenty of evidence in the New Testament to suggest that Jesus was not only sympathetic to the maligned image of tax collectors, but that he advocated for more tolerance of those who had the world's most unpopular job.
He also commanded his followers to pay their taxes, and not to confuse the demands made by the state with those made by God. In an encounter between Jesus and and a suspicious mob who showed him a Roman coin, the Gospel of Matthew recounts the following exchange:
He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled and left him.
The command is notable in that Jesus neither condemned nor praised secular authority, but simply requested that it remain distinct from the realm of God.
Jesus's attitude towards taxes generally can be summed up in the following exchange, recounted from the Gospel of Luke:
Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.
Together these excerpts suggest that Jesus viewed the payment of taxes as the responsibility of the citizen (who was not supposed to demonstrate stinginess), but also cautioned against greed or corruption on the part of those collecting the monies. Only those taxes which are necessary to the end of providing for the common good are righteous, but the question of how that figure is determined is left to the secular governmental authority and once settled, should be obeyed.
Foreign Policy and International Law
In order to fairly consider what Jesus' view on foreign policy might have been, we must return to the concept of nonviolence. I have heard it argued by Christians that it morally indefensible for a nation-state in the age of global terrorism to take a position of nonviolence. We can't sit back and let terrorism just happen, the argument goes; a state is obliged to protect its citizens. Notwithstanding the fact that Jesus did not concern himself with base matters like nationalism (because all of creation was his community), the assertion that nonviolence amounts to complicity is erroneous. Principled nonviolence is not just an absence of violence, it is a proactive commitment to social justice, and it is deeply rooted in the very simple idea that if you treat others fairly, you will have a lot less to worry about (this of course is also known as the Golden Rule.) However, many folks in the Christian war camp would have us believe that there is a moral obligation to meet terror with violence and war.
A century and a half ago, Abraham Lincoln, who himself was no stranger to war, remarked, "I am not so concerned as to whether God is on our side, as to whether we are on God's side."
With that one quote, the lens of the Christian audience shifts profoundly. Who are we, after all, to assume that because we had the luck to be born (or naturalized) into the United States that we have been specially chosen for benediction by God? Perhaps it's that our good fortune comes with a corresponding obligation: to use our gifts to help those less fortunate obtain theirs.
The United States can no longer ignore the interests of the people of the rest of the world, and a nation guided by Christ's example should know better than anyone that the most righteous approach to engaging with others is by locating our mutual interests as human beings. The reality is that states themselves are becoming increasingly irrelevant on the global stage, and the concept of citizenship itself is expanding and taking on global dimensions. If we are being honest about principles and values, there are very few issues where the roles of democratic citizen, true Christian (or Jew, Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist), and decent human being should come into conflict in the 21st century.
A genuinely Christian lens on international politics would not call for violence against one people by another in the name of God, but would ask that all people recognize that our moral and democratic obligations extend beyond our own borders, and that our political, economic, and spiritual development is deeply interwoven with the corresponding development of others. We cannot actualize as a people (Christian or democratic) if we continue to be dependent on the domination and submission of other human beings around the world.
Health Care and Socialism
For me, one of the most surreal claims being made by some on the far right about President Obama's health care reform proposal is that it is evidence of his (secret) hostility to Christianity and Christian values. Some of the most extreme opponents of the president have even suggested that his (alleged) preference for (partial) socialization of health care is enough to prove he is the anti-Christ. (Blogger's note: I would hyperlink to a blog that makes the aforementioned claim, but I can't bring myself to give these folks any more internet traffic, so if you want to read this stuff, Google it for yourself. I have to draw the line somewhere.)
The notion that universal health care is anti-Christian (not to mention undemocratic) is...well, kind of crazy. It is impossible for me to imagine that someone who has read and grasped the meaning of Jesus' teachings on compassion and kindness could argue against the idea that a society (especially one with policymakers and citizens who claim to be guided by Christian principles) is supposed to take care of its people- all of its people.
How can we interpret the commandment of "Love thy neighbor as thyself" but in the most literal possible sense: that we must respect the needs and desires of our fellow human beings and consider them as equal to our own. Is there some subtext or qualification that I (a layperson) am missing? Should the commandment really be read as "Love thy neighbor as thyself, as long as it doesn't inconvenience you too much, or if your neighbor seems kind of lazy or weird or different than you"?
I remember a few years back, a(n outspoken, unapologetic neoconservative) colleague and I were having a discussion about this very theme, when he challenged me point blank to sum up the most fundamental tenets of Christianity in one sentence. I remember blurting out, "We must take care of the least amongst us." He looked at me stoically for a few seconds and then nodded and mumbled somewhat defeatedly, "I guess I can't argue with that."
So if taking care of the least amongst is the first responsibility of Christians, how can there be any debate on whether universal health care is "moral" or "ethical" or "responsible"? Sure, there is plenty of room for discussion about the logistics of a universal policy, but I am completely flabbergasted as to why we- in the self-proclaimed "Christian states of America" (and self-proclaimed model democracy, come to that) have not yet reached a consensus on this first, most critical point. If we aren't willing to simply say that yes, everyone must be taken care of (and we must as a society find a way to do that), then what exactly are we doing?
Which brings me to my final point: Jesus was a socialist. There, I said it. To read the Gospels and come away from them with a picture of Jesus as anything but an advocate of communally-shared resources requires a level of cognitive dissonance that I simply cannot fathom. Please let me be clear (before my detractors start firing up their email clients to send off that hate mail): I am not saying that Jesus was a Stalinist or even a communist, just that it's very clear from his teachings that he believed that people were happier and healthier (literally and spiritually) when they shared with each other.
For example, the following comes from the New Testament book of Acts:
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Read that again: "Possessors of lands sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold...and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."
That passage bears an undeniable resemblance to the words of a political philosopher from eighteen centuries after the death of Christ, who wrote "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." But while Karl Marx's philosophy of contributing for the common good is viciously maligned in the United States today (thanks mostly to the gross distortion of his philosophy by the brutal ideologies of Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and others), there is little to no discussion amongst the Christian right about Jesus' own advocacy of the very same concept. Despite our verbal proclamations to the contrary, Americans (Christian or otherwise) have such a negative visceral association with the concept of socialism that we-thus far-have been unable to have an authentic, productive conversation about whether greed or compassion is the more moral (and productive) incentive for human beings engaged in the social experiment of the democratic nation-state. Regardless of how that discussion turns out, honest Christians are hard-pressed to deny that the example offered by Jesus' life tells us that if our own spiritual evolution (and frankly, salvation) is a consideration, we have no choice but to not only hold the needs of others in equal stead with our own, but must find ways to share what (oftentimes little) we have in order to fulfill that calling.
So if we concede that the United States is a "Christian nation," it follows that its citizens, as practitioners of the teachings of Jesus, should be: anti-war, anti-gun, anti-death penalty, pro-universal health care, pro-taxes and pro-(democratic) socialism, while also being - to the rest of the world- forgiving, meek, humble, generous and loving of everyone, even perceived enemies.
On the far right, it is often difficult to distinguish between policy and religion. Self-proclaimed Christians have gone to great lengths in recent years to tie religion to everything from health care reform to war to gun control, and the one common denominator pulling all these otherwise unrelated threads together is the notion that government presents the world's most insidious threat to the moral fabric of civilization. But these folks have it sadly backwards. It is not that Christianity is threatened by President Obama or the US (or any other) government or even by some vague notion of socialism. The regrettable truth is that Christianity has already been commandeered on the far right by the angry, the fearful, and the misguided, and if the religion (and by extension, the "Christian United States," since we're still working on the assumption that there is such a thing) is to thrive, those sentiments must be replaced with compassion, forgiveness, empathy and universal love.
Imagine.
What if the Right was Right? A Reflection on the "Christian States of America."
Cynthia Boaz Asst. Prof. of Political Science, Consultant on Nonviolent Action and Strategy
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cynthia-boaz/what-if-the-right-was-rig_b_262723.html)
"If you cannot say on the basis of the New Testament that Jesus was nonviolent, you cannot say anything about Jesus." -John L. McKenzie, Jesuit scholar
Let's start with the most controversial of the themes, and since I'm not a fan of mincing words, here it is: the advocacy of war and violence as tools of expressing grievances violates the most fundamental messages of Christianity because Jesus himself was the most renowned voice of principled nonviolence that the world has known.
Historically, the most vocal support for U.S. war-making has come from those who identify themselves as devout Christians. Not only is that surreal considering the philosophy of Jesus, but the sinister irony is that the main targets of the "war on terror" are radical fundamentalist Muslims against whom a primary grievance is their propensity to (mis)use religion to justify acts of violence. So for pro-war Christians, violence is righteous if its targets are threatening to Christianity or Christendom. But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives very clear instructions about how to deal with foes, and his notion of righteousness varies significantly from that of many Christian US policymakers:
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;...For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?...And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?
In other words, loving your friend is easy. Loving your enemy is very difficult. So Christians (people who ascribe to live by the example of Jesus Christ) who advocate for war as a response to hatred and violence do insult to this key command. They are guilty of precisely the same kind of thinking for which they condemn their enemies.
Considering what Jesus' view of guns might have been is difficult given that firearms would not exist for many more centuries after his death. I have, however, heard more than one gun proponent point to the example of Jesus' "cleansing of the temple" as evidence that he would have not been as quick to condemn the individual's right to own and carry (and if necessary, use) weapons as, say, advocates of nonviolence might like.
The example does give pause. But consider this: the moment in the temple was the only act of anger ever shown by Jesus, and it was specifically directed against garish displays of greed and avarice. There is also no evidence that it was violent, and most contemporary scholars conclude it was not. The term in the original Greek (that was later liberally construed by English language translators as "whipped") literally means "to drive out." And the whip is mentioned in only one of four gospels (John), which is also the only gospel that mentions the role of sheep and cattle in the story. It's been widely understand for decades by Biblical scholars that the reference is to a cattle whip and was not used by Jesus on anyone. But even allowing for the most wide interpretation and conceding that Jesus used a whip to drive corrupt vendors out of the temple, his prayer on the cross during the crucifixion shows the truth of his heart. Instead of rage and bitterness, Jesus made a plea for forgiveness of those who condemned him to death. It is that example that we are asked to remember above all.
Taxes and Taxation
Believe it or not, there is plenty of evidence in the New Testament to suggest that Jesus was not only sympathetic to the maligned image of tax collectors, but that he advocated for more tolerance of those who had the world's most unpopular job.
He also commanded his followers to pay their taxes, and not to confuse the demands made by the state with those made by God. In an encounter between Jesus and and a suspicious mob who showed him a Roman coin, the Gospel of Matthew recounts the following exchange:
He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled and left him.
The command is notable in that Jesus neither condemned nor praised secular authority, but simply requested that it remain distinct from the realm of God.
Jesus's attitude towards taxes generally can be summed up in the following exchange, recounted from the Gospel of Luke:
Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.
Together these excerpts suggest that Jesus viewed the payment of taxes as the responsibility of the citizen (who was not supposed to demonstrate stinginess), but also cautioned against greed or corruption on the part of those collecting the monies. Only those taxes which are necessary to the end of providing for the common good are righteous, but the question of how that figure is determined is left to the secular governmental authority and once settled, should be obeyed.
Foreign Policy and International Law
In order to fairly consider what Jesus' view on foreign policy might have been, we must return to the concept of nonviolence. I have heard it argued by Christians that it morally indefensible for a nation-state in the age of global terrorism to take a position of nonviolence. We can't sit back and let terrorism just happen, the argument goes; a state is obliged to protect its citizens. Notwithstanding the fact that Jesus did not concern himself with base matters like nationalism (because all of creation was his community), the assertion that nonviolence amounts to complicity is erroneous. Principled nonviolence is not just an absence of violence, it is a proactive commitment to social justice, and it is deeply rooted in the very simple idea that if you treat others fairly, you will have a lot less to worry about (this of course is also known as the Golden Rule.) However, many folks in the Christian war camp would have us believe that there is a moral obligation to meet terror with violence and war.
A century and a half ago, Abraham Lincoln, who himself was no stranger to war, remarked, "I am not so concerned as to whether God is on our side, as to whether we are on God's side."
With that one quote, the lens of the Christian audience shifts profoundly. Who are we, after all, to assume that because we had the luck to be born (or naturalized) into the United States that we have been specially chosen for benediction by God? Perhaps it's that our good fortune comes with a corresponding obligation: to use our gifts to help those less fortunate obtain theirs.
The United States can no longer ignore the interests of the people of the rest of the world, and a nation guided by Christ's example should know better than anyone that the most righteous approach to engaging with others is by locating our mutual interests as human beings. The reality is that states themselves are becoming increasingly irrelevant on the global stage, and the concept of citizenship itself is expanding and taking on global dimensions. If we are being honest about principles and values, there are very few issues where the roles of democratic citizen, true Christian (or Jew, Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist), and decent human being should come into conflict in the 21st century.
A genuinely Christian lens on international politics would not call for violence against one people by another in the name of God, but would ask that all people recognize that our moral and democratic obligations extend beyond our own borders, and that our political, economic, and spiritual development is deeply interwoven with the corresponding development of others. We cannot actualize as a people (Christian or democratic) if we continue to be dependent on the domination and submission of other human beings around the world.
Health Care and Socialism
For me, one of the most surreal claims being made by some on the far right about President Obama's health care reform proposal is that it is evidence of his (secret) hostility to Christianity and Christian values. Some of the most extreme opponents of the president have even suggested that his (alleged) preference for (partial) socialization of health care is enough to prove he is the anti-Christ. (Blogger's note: I would hyperlink to a blog that makes the aforementioned claim, but I can't bring myself to give these folks any more internet traffic, so if you want to read this stuff, Google it for yourself. I have to draw the line somewhere.)
The notion that universal health care is anti-Christian (not to mention undemocratic) is...well, kind of crazy. It is impossible for me to imagine that someone who has read and grasped the meaning of Jesus' teachings on compassion and kindness could argue against the idea that a society (especially one with policymakers and citizens who claim to be guided by Christian principles) is supposed to take care of its people- all of its people.
How can we interpret the commandment of "Love thy neighbor as thyself" but in the most literal possible sense: that we must respect the needs and desires of our fellow human beings and consider them as equal to our own. Is there some subtext or qualification that I (a layperson) am missing? Should the commandment really be read as "Love thy neighbor as thyself, as long as it doesn't inconvenience you too much, or if your neighbor seems kind of lazy or weird or different than you"?
I remember a few years back, a(n outspoken, unapologetic neoconservative) colleague and I were having a discussion about this very theme, when he challenged me point blank to sum up the most fundamental tenets of Christianity in one sentence. I remember blurting out, "We must take care of the least amongst us." He looked at me stoically for a few seconds and then nodded and mumbled somewhat defeatedly, "I guess I can't argue with that."
So if taking care of the least amongst is the first responsibility of Christians, how can there be any debate on whether universal health care is "moral" or "ethical" or "responsible"? Sure, there is plenty of room for discussion about the logistics of a universal policy, but I am completely flabbergasted as to why we- in the self-proclaimed "Christian states of America" (and self-proclaimed model democracy, come to that) have not yet reached a consensus on this first, most critical point. If we aren't willing to simply say that yes, everyone must be taken care of (and we must as a society find a way to do that), then what exactly are we doing?
Which brings me to my final point: Jesus was a socialist. There, I said it. To read the Gospels and come away from them with a picture of Jesus as anything but an advocate of communally-shared resources requires a level of cognitive dissonance that I simply cannot fathom. Please let me be clear (before my detractors start firing up their email clients to send off that hate mail): I am not saying that Jesus was a Stalinist or even a communist, just that it's very clear from his teachings that he believed that people were happier and healthier (literally and spiritually) when they shared with each other.
For example, the following comes from the New Testament book of Acts:
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Read that again: "Possessors of lands sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold...and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."
That passage bears an undeniable resemblance to the words of a political philosopher from eighteen centuries after the death of Christ, who wrote "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." But while Karl Marx's philosophy of contributing for the common good is viciously maligned in the United States today (thanks mostly to the gross distortion of his philosophy by the brutal ideologies of Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and others), there is little to no discussion amongst the Christian right about Jesus' own advocacy of the very same concept. Despite our verbal proclamations to the contrary, Americans (Christian or otherwise) have such a negative visceral association with the concept of socialism that we-thus far-have been unable to have an authentic, productive conversation about whether greed or compassion is the more moral (and productive) incentive for human beings engaged in the social experiment of the democratic nation-state. Regardless of how that discussion turns out, honest Christians are hard-pressed to deny that the example offered by Jesus' life tells us that if our own spiritual evolution (and frankly, salvation) is a consideration, we have no choice but to not only hold the needs of others in equal stead with our own, but must find ways to share what (oftentimes little) we have in order to fulfill that calling.
So if we concede that the United States is a "Christian nation," it follows that its citizens, as practitioners of the teachings of Jesus, should be: anti-war, anti-gun, anti-death penalty, pro-universal health care, pro-taxes and pro-(democratic) socialism, while also being - to the rest of the world- forgiving, meek, humble, generous and loving of everyone, even perceived enemies.
On the far right, it is often difficult to distinguish between policy and religion. Self-proclaimed Christians have gone to great lengths in recent years to tie religion to everything from health care reform to war to gun control, and the one common denominator pulling all these otherwise unrelated threads together is the notion that government presents the world's most insidious threat to the moral fabric of civilization. But these folks have it sadly backwards. It is not that Christianity is threatened by President Obama or the US (or any other) government or even by some vague notion of socialism. The regrettable truth is that Christianity has already been commandeered on the far right by the angry, the fearful, and the misguided, and if the religion (and by extension, the "Christian United States," since we're still working on the assumption that there is such a thing) is to thrive, those sentiments must be replaced with compassion, forgiveness, empathy and universal love.
Imagine.
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