Recipes & Meal Planning

Meal planning has always been an off-and-on effort for me. Some weeks go great: I plan the meals, DH does the grocery shopping (he really enjoys it... I had to learn to let him do it), we do the cooking together and it all works out. But some weeks--and it seems like this happens more often than not--we have work events, meet-ups with friends, or some other event that throws off the schedule and we end up either ordering out or throwing together something unhealthy like box mac n' cheese (sometimes we put broccoli in... I still don't think that passes for healthy).

The worst part is, it's not like meal planning is that hard to do. Fifteen minutes with a cookbook (or the internet) and a piece of paper and we're done! I usually have a general idea of what ingredients we have in the kitchen/fridge and with the plethora of resources out there (books, magazines, websites, Google!), it shouldn't be that hard. I still haven't figured out exactly why I don't take care of this task at the beginning of every week, but I'm pretty sure the reason has to do with the fact that it's not a habit yet. I'd like to amend that (again -- this was a resolution last year).

After a quick skim of Pinterest, I thought a fun way to get my brain into this habit would be coming up with some fun meal-planning and recipe card designs. There are plenty out there for free download, but I wanted something I made myself (it goes against the grain to use someone else's design when I can create my own). So here's what I came up with:

I'm still trying to decide which of these I want to actually print and use with this acrylic recipe box, but I think I'll be more inclined to save recipes with these personalized cards. And for meal planning, I started with the preliminary template below, but I might end up adjusting for something less complicated (just dinners) -- planning out all meals is still a bit of a reach.

Have you discovered a meal-planning tactic that works well for you? Any recommended books, recipes or websites?

The Resolutions

I did actually write this around the first of the month....just haven't gotten around to posting it. So, without further ado, here are the resolutions for 2013!

Even as a creative person who often flits from one project to the next with a frighteningly short commitment span, I still like to make "to do" lists and set goals. They may be forgotten within months, days, or hours and fall to the wayside, neglected in the wake of more exciting projects and ideas, but that doesn't mean I don't get excited at the outset of something new. Like, for example, a new year. I do have a love/hate relationship with resolutions because they pretty much repeat themselves on an annual basis with little to speak of in the way of accomplishment during the previous year. Nonetheless, it is helpful to at least put them in writing so that I know for sure where I have fallen woefully short.

I do still expect this year to be different (as I have in years past), and still approach these resolutions with a renewed sense of hope and commitment knowing that I pursue them not for the sake of merit, but for the sake of obedience by grace. So, for 2013, here they are:

1. Read the Bible cover to cover 
I read the Bible a fair amount (I won't say a lot, because it's not daily...yet), and perhaps have come close to reading every single word if all my 26 years of reading were combined; but I've never read it as a complete, chronological book. This year, I want to approach The Bible in the perspective of Lewis and Tolkien, as a "true mythology" (see: http://www.transpositions.co.uk/2011/12/tolkien-lewis-true-myth-of-the-gospel/), the greatest Story by the greatest Author. I'm still searching for some good guides to help me accomplish this and, in the meantime, continue my ongoing devotionals. The church we attend is beginning a study of Acts, so I'll be reading R.C. Sproul's book alongside the sermons; and I'm beginning a study of Revelation with a girlfriend -- we've decided to use the MacArthur Bible Studies book. I'll let you know how this goal progresses....


2. Pursue a greater sense of [God-given] order in my household and lifestyle.
I stumbled across this blog post via Facebook the other day and it has given me plenty of food for thought: http://theimportanceofhomemaking.blogspot.com/. It has always been a goal of mine to be an accomplished wife and homemaker, in the most traditional sense. But my perspective has always been pretty introverted. I need to think bigger picture -- how does my housekeeping, my perspective on orderly living, my way of life in general bring my community and culture closer to the new heavens and the new earth? This topic has been on my mind a lot lately (a focus on "the Kingdom"), especially with a recent reading of The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, as well as the topics that just keep cropping up in conversation and personal study. I think God is trying to tell me something here....

3. Accomplish creative impact
My ongoing pursuit of the creative arts -- from painting and drawing to freelance graphic & web design -- always keeps me busy. In addition to my full-time job, I maintain several clients on the side and also try to attend studio painting classes regularly. I don't have any overarching goals here (like becoming the next Sargent.... yeah, I know that's not going to happen), but I do want to make an impact. I want to be able to use the talents God has given me to affect others, proclaim the Gospel and make a difference. That message probably comes across too subtly in my efforts thus far so, as part of living a more "orderly" life, I'd like to continue to pursue my artistic goals and improve my skills in order to achieve greater impact.

4. Give time to others
To some extent, all three of the above resolutions are self-centered -- I'm a pretty selfish person, I'll admit. I've spent the better part of my marriage and early-twenties focusing on myself (even focusing on my husband is self-serving in a way). I had a conversation with a girlfriend recently about how we covet "me time" and make it such a priority in a world that needs more than anything else the sacrifice of time. In a culture of instant gratification, we are far more concerned with our own daily agenda, wants and needs. Our own time becomes an idol in itself. But that's not the way it should be. I want to pursue an attitude of servitude and sacrifice for others: in my home, in the workplace and in my community in general. Not because it will offer some sense of personal satisfaction -- but because there is no better way to "seek first the kingdom of heaven".

........

The are pretty big goals -- at least they look that way from where I stand today. They are more than just goals for 2013, they are life-long goals. I will not accomplish any of them in the span of a year, or even a lifetime. But I think it's important to [re]establish where I'm headed.

I posted a New Year's "card" on Facebook recently, in lieu of a Christmas card (you see, the whole orderly thing didn't really include being organized enough to send out physical cards in 2012). I'll re-post it here to remind myself of the verses that I/we claimed for 2013.

Isaiah 61 is subtitled "The Year of the Lord's Favor" -- the whole chapter is an inspiration to me, but I'll give you a single verse to end this post of resolutions for the new year: 

"And you will be called priests of the Lord,
    you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
    and in their riches you will boast." 

 

P.S. The photo above was taken during our incredible trip to Croatia in November 2012 -- overlooking the Adriatic somewhere between outside the city of Split.

Les Miserables and Reflections on a New Year's Eve

I don't know how I managed to live 26 years without experiencing Les Miserables but that seems to be the way it worked out. It may be that I was supposed to read it for a high school or college course and somehow managed to write a paper without cracking open the book, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. So, today, when I saw in the theater the blockbuster film which opened on Christmas Day, I was pretty impressed. Not that I was expecting any less. I'm well aware that the musical version of Victor Hugo's massive tome has been highly-acclaimed for many years, I've just never had the chance to partake. Now, however, I plan to fully avail myself of all acquirable options (literary, musical or otherwise).

Les Miserables--at least the condensed representation provided by the film--is a story of grace and redemption; a realization of that hallowed phrase "the meek will inherit the earth". Literally translated "the miserable ones", the book/film's title does not appear, at first, to offer a very hopeful ending. Nonetheless, I came away from the film incredibly uplifted. And not just because the vocal performances (filmed live) were awe-inspiringly empathetic. I plan on reading the book immediately (so if my summation is completely off-base, I will discover that at some point in the near future) but, upon first impression, I was struck by the underlying chord of grace that inspired the entire story. From the outset of the film, the main character (Jean Valjean) is presented with several situations in which either his commitment to God or reliance on a humanistic system of values must take precedent. In all situations, he chooses his commitment to God: pursuing truth over lies, mercy over justice and sacrifice over selfishness.

Whatever Victor Hugo's religious views may have been (and from a brief review of Wikipedia, I can see they were varied), there is a story within his story that recalls the notions of the redemption we are given in Christ. We are enslaved to the Law; we are shown Grace, completely undeserving; the Law is conquered by the shedding of blood; we are brought into a restored relationship, given over and again "one more day" to live by this Grace, continually sanctified, until we are brought into glory by death. This summary follows Jean's path from the slavery that is the punishment of his sins--a punishment required by the Law--to a situation where he is shown grace (by a priest, assumedly of the Catholic church). From that point, Jean dedicates his life to God though he is still on the run from the threat of the law (his past sins still haunt him), represented by Inspector Javert. Later on in the film, Jean has the opportunity to kill Javert, to rid himself of the threat of death at the hand of the Inspector; yet, Jean spares Javert's life and goes on to risk his own life to save that of his adopted daughter Colette's beloved Marius. There are so many allegories here I could go on forever (and maybe I will at some point), but what I'm getting to really is more relevant than just reiterating how great the story is.

The film closes with Jean's death and entrance into a version of heaven in which previously fallen protagonists ("The Miserables Ones") in the story have returned in full force, singing the anthem (from the musical) which had spurred them to fight and die in revolution against the oppressive French government. The lyrics say:

Do you hear the people sing?
Lost in the valley of the night
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light
For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the ploughshare
They will put away the sword
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!

This may be where the book and the musical/film diverge, but this finale was especially poignant to me because thoughts like this have been on my mind lately. Not necessarily of death (although that's part of it), but of why we're here, what we're meant to do, and how we're to use the time with which we are blessed. And by "we" in particular, I mean Christians: followers of Christ and lovers of His Word; those who are living for Him in this world, in the world but not of it. I'm not saying the French Revolution needs repeat itself on a daily basis to spur this kind of reaction to a humanistic, materialistic environment. But I can certainly see the parallels in our society today and the message is relevant today as it was when written. We will always be presented with situations in this world where we must choose between might and right; law and grace; God's path or man's path -- and we may endure suffering for it. Yet, as the particularly applicable lyrics say, "For the wretched of the earth, there is a flame that never dies.... they will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord!". Even for those who have been maligned and oppressed on this earth, our hope is in a power greater than any government (especially greater than that of the French!), and our courage lies not in the colors of a flag or in wealth or even the relationships of friends and family, but in the shed blood of Christ and His mediation for us in the courts of the Lord.

This message is especially powerful as we have just celebrated Christ's Advent on earth during Christmas and the memory of this truth is still fresh in my mind. And with this new year, this "one more day" so to speak (in the words of the song from the musical/movie), we are still pursuing that time of peace when we will "put away the sword" and "walk behind the ploughshare". And until that time is reached (nobody knows when, not even the Mayans!), we are called to live in such a way that the Truth of this story is known: "...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:16) As the fictional Jean lived: in a way that astounded his fellow men, bewildered his enemies, and impacted for the better those whom he loved. May this new year be an opportunity for us (me) to live in this way: that Christ may be shown and His kingdom, "the garden of the Lord", draw ever nearer.


For further reading: 
The Book of Isaiah 
Les Miserables
Huffington Post Article that I literally just found after writing the above long-winded post
Addendum: Just stumbled across this post today (Jan 3): http://thepubscout.com/2013/01/les-miserables-story-of-a-savior/

Note Bene: The included image is the painting "Fantine" by Margaret Bernadine Hall. The painting is stunning, in my opinion, and not just because I have the same name as the artist. I only know of it because it was included in the Wikipedia summary of "Les Miserables" and now that I've seen it/heard of her, I will be researching the artist's work further. You can be sure I'll post anything I come up with.