Fish Tacos

I think I've perfected a recipe for Fish Tacos - that we like! Monte's had them in both California and Canada; I've had them at the fast food Wahoo's Fish Taco. I crave them. I've posted before about every time I'm out by the airport I'm wanting a wahoo taco! And I'm starting to see more restaurants around Denver open up (they originated in California).

Though some recipes batter and fry the fish. Traditional Mexican fish tacos are charbroiled. So broil or grill a firm white fish (mahi-mahi, wahoo, swordfish, tilapia ...). I put some hickory sawdust in the grill to provide a smoky flavor, and oil the fish while grilling. Allow about 1/2 lb of fish per person.

Then they are traditionally served with thinly sliced cabbage and a fresh salsa.
Fresh Salsa -
3-4 tomatoes, diced fine
1-2 red onions, diced fine
(I quarter these, leaving the root intact, and grill while the grill is preheating and cooking the fish)
1-2 jalepenos, finely diced (I'm preferring the canned pickled ones now)
1 bunch cilantro, the leaves finely chopped
1 lime juiced
1 tsp freshly grd sea salt and pepper

The corn tortillas are freshly made - 3-4 per person. So refrigerated ones need to be warmed: wrap in foil and keep turning on grill while grilling. (Sometimes I quick fry them soft, in heated oil.)

Monte's going to read this and say, "Why didn't you say what I like to do?!" So I'll write it. He sits at our kitchen table by the toaster. Whether the tortillas are just warmed to soften or quick fried, he likes to fold them and put them in the toaster, watching them (baby-ing them!) till barely browning. Then too, he's going to say, "Why didn't you tell them what I made?" Okay. He was served tacos in Canada in taco holders. So he pounded nails in a little strip of wood to hold two tacos for filling ease.

A recipe suggested sour cream mixed with a chopped chipotle chili in adobo, another suggested Ranch Dressing. Since we love avacado, i mash one, and since the fresh salsa creates juices, I pour some of them into the avacado. I just use plain sour cream, but think the chipotle flavoring sounds good and will try it sometime.

I'm getting hungry writing this. I think I'll eat the leftover's for lunch!

6th Day of Christmas & Thomas Becket

Today is the 6th day of the 12 Days of Christmas - 6 geese a-laying. My version I posted last year suggests it representing six days of creation: God speaking the world into existence and always saying, "It is good."

Yesterday was Thomas Becket of Canterbury's calendar day. In the Canterbury Tales, the pilgrims are on the way to the tomb of the martyred Saint Thomas Becket.

Thomas wasn't especially religious when King Henry II made him the 39th archbishop of Canterbury in the twelfth century. He was a drinking buddy, and companion in arms - but he got religion at this post. This changed everything, and soon Thomas' friends and the King started grumbling, and quarreling over the separation of church and state. Hearing they wanted to be rid of this troublesome priest that stood in their way, overzealous soldiers stormed the cathedral and bashed out Thomas' brains on this day in 1170.

The drama, "Murder in the Cathedral" by TS Eliot is based on these events. And then Richard Burton plays Thomas in the movie "Becket".

Menopause

I just read this quote - 

"I have not lost my mind - it's backed up on disk somewhere."

- unknown

Reminded me of a card I bought for myself more than a year ago and it sits on my desk. I'm posting a picture of the front of the card. When you open it, it says - 

"I think I'm going

through mental pause."

Childermas - Holy Innocents Remembered

This is the day Matthew 2:16-18 is remembered. The wise men came asking about the baby born "King of the Jews". Warned by an angel, they did not return to tell Herod where they had found Jesus. Herod, in jealous fear, slaughtered many male children in his attempt to get rid of Jesus. Thus the beginning of the choice for mankind: for or against Jesus.

Matthew quotes Jeremiah, "...a voice was heard...sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children." Have you ever really thought of this piece of the Christmas story? Many artists have pondered it, so that it's depicted in many paintings and stories. (The pictures here are by Giovanni, Giotto, and Ruebens.)

Joseph was warned in a dream to flee this slaughter and escape to Egypt. I have a book we read every year by Madeline L'Engle called Dance in the Desert. It imagines the Holy Family traveling in a caravan to Egypt, and one night all creation comes to pay homage to their Creator. The pictures are beautiful, of toddler Jesus and various animals. The caravan men have knives ready but Mary always says, "Wait".

All cultures throughout time have the stain of innocent, unwanted children. On this day we can think of children all over the world who suffer innumerable forms of violence which threatens their lives. We can pray for our children and the world.

"Today we celebrate the heavenly birthday of these children whom the world caused to be born unto an eternally blessed life rather than that from their mothers' womb, for they attained the grace of everlasting life before the enjoyment of the present ... For already at the beginning of their lives they pass on. The end of the present life is for them the beginning of glory. These then, whom Herod's cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers' bosom, are justly hailed as 'infant martyr flowers'; they were the Church's first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief."
-- St Augustine

It's Peter Pan Day!

Starting in 1904 in England, everyone would wake up on this day and say "Peter Pan. We get to go see Peter Pan today!" The tradition of the play went on for years.

That's why Peter Pan movies periodically come out in December. The movie "Finding Neverland" came out for the 100th year anniversary in 2004.

I've been a Peter Pan fan for over a decade now. There's a message there that was a part of my pursuit that eventually led to my experiencing of God in a deep way.

I started with recognizing things missing in my life. I had become so rational, so "adultish". I wanted to regain my sense of wonder. So I started down a path of pursuing what it meant to be childlike.

My favorite Peter Pan movie is Spielberg's 1991 "Hook". The setting is Christmas, so he knew of the tradition of Peter Pan at Christmas time when families are gathered together seeking entertainment.

It's an "adultish" Peter in the movie. Grandma Wendy invited the family to England. Peter is forever on his cell phone. His wife is frustrated. His kids are enamoured with Wendy and the nursery window and are full of anticipation.

Grandma Wendy finally has to get in Peter's face and ask, "What do you remember of your story Peter?" Peter had forgotten his story. He didn't know who he was!

The rest of the story, since Captain Hook stole away his children, has Peter relearning how to be childlike to win back the hearts of his children. He had to relearn how to play, how to fly!

That too was my quest. Who was I really?

Watch the movie "Hook".

Watch "Finding Neverland" (with Johnny Depp!). It is so close to the real JM Barrie story in that it tells us why he wrote Peter Pan. Barrie wrote many stories inspired by his mother's Scottish highland tales. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Barrie saying, "I am a capable artist; but it begins to look to me as if you are a man of genius. Take care of yourself for my sake. It's a devilish hard thing for a man who writes so many novels as I do, that I should get so few to read. And I can read yours, and I love them."

In the movie you meet the family of boys who inspired the lost boys (the movie shows these boys' father as already dead, though in real life, Barrie nursed him through his illness.) When the Davies boys met Barrie, they said they'd found a childlike adult in the midst of stodgy Victorian England.

There's a line in the book that's central to Barrie's vision. Over the years his vision had been watered down, thinking it too dark for families. It's - "To die will be an awfully big adventure." This line is the heart of the story (as too in many stories, including the Gospel).

It's a looking for something good out of something tragic. Tolkein calls this 'eucatastrophy' - a victory of good over evil, but with a price to be paid - a redemptive sacrifice. So when faced with the possibility of drowning in Mermaid's Lagoon, Peter is going to make it an adventure.

Hmmm ... "to die will be an adventure"... Doesn't Jesus ask me to come to him as a child? and to die to self? and that in dying there's true life/living?!

Live Nativity, Boxing and Feast of Stephen Day

Three things are on my iCal Calendar for today. No, 4. Today is the 6th candle of Chanukah. I posted on all of these last year. There's even a recipe for Latkes early in December 2007 (Chanukah/Hanukkah was early last year - that lunar calender). Hanukkah gives us eight days of fitting in a meal of Latkes (I like eating history) and remembering the story - basically remembering that a miracle happened. Miracles still happen. Do we live with hearts and eyes to see miracles in our everyday ordinaries?

Boxing Day? In Britain, boxes are out today - in work places, or people carrying them - for donations for needy. The first Live Nativity is attributed to Francis of Assisi on this day in 1223. There's a carol we don't sing as much, about Good King Wenceslaus and "... on the feast of Stephen", is a line of the song.

It's the church calendar day to remember the story of Stephen, the first martyr for Christ. He was given the church job of caring for the orphans and widows, which fits with the theme of Boxing Day.

Christmas

So, do you think Christmas is over? No, Advent is over. It's now the season of the 12 Days of Christmas. You can think of the song if you want to, and there are interpretations of it floating around on the internet. I gave an interpretation last year if you click on December 2007.

But we are now building to Epiphany, January 6 - recognizing the coming of the Magi, Middle Easterners following a star, or a sign in the sky - do you know your sky? There has been a phenomena this month at sunset in the SW sky with three planets close together: Jupiter and Venus, and now Mercury (Mars was there earlier). It's made me think of the traveling Magi.

But Christmas is really all year. Christmas is all about Incarnation. "Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." This is incarnational living, day-to-day, moment-by-moment, abiding in God. Not cautious, but extravagant living!

On A Night Like This

After last night's Christmas Eve service, I wanted to post the words to a song written by our Minister of Worship, Kerry Conner. I was only going to post some phrases, but love it in its entirety - 

On A Night Like This

A Baby shivered

When first he felt the evening's cool caress

The creator of the cosmos clothed in flesh

But he must have warmed at the tender touch of a mother's kiss

As the young girl held the Savior in her arms

On a night like this.

The shepherds shuddered

When they heard the host proclaim that peace had come

They left their flocks to seek the virgin's son

They heard the angels sing

In the sparkling midnight mist

And their hearts leaped as they gazed upon the child

On a night like this.

Chorus:

On a night like this

Everything was changed

The Father sent his son to pay our debt

On a night like this

Our ransom was arranged

Because the hand of God became a baby's fist

On a night like this.

The darkness shattered

As the brilliance of a new star split the night

To announce the bold invasion of the light

And there must have been a groan

From the heart of the abyss

Because the chilly hand of death would lose it's grip

On a night like this

The Spirit quickens

And a spark of faith can fan into a fire

A lonely soul can find its true desire

Because Immanuel has come

And he offers us the gift

A restless heart need never stay the same 

On a night like this.

Chorus:

On a night like this 

Everything can change

There's no wound too deep and dark for race to heal

On a night like this

Love can break the cruellest chains

Because the hand of God became a baby's fist

On a night like this

Everything can change

On a night like this

Our ransom was arranged

On a night like this

Everything can change

On a night like this

Love can break the cruellest chains 

On a night like this.

Though written and produced in 1992 by Kerry, it's recorded by his friend Debbie Milligan on her album "Teach Me to Dance in the Rain". Her website is www.healingwings.com

Art The Nativity by Salvador Dali

Adoration of the Shepherds, unknown, and then El Greco

Advent Ending

I've not posted for a few days! Monte got home from Norway at 2am Monday. We went to Travis and Sarah's Tuesday, bearing gifts: Christmas presents and tons of food. We spent the night there and had a wonderful fun family time together - new memories: Las Posadas food. The hit? Yes tamales were good, as was the green mole pork stew, churros ... ha ... we have to perfect ... But the stuffed jalepenos wrapped in bacon and baked, were our first bite, and everyone was lifted into another place. "Oh, man", said Travis. "They are luscious!!!!!!!!!!!" said me. We ate the leftovers, looking forward to them, for lunch the next day (after playing the game "SET".

This is going to post as AM, but I'm finishing writing now in the PM. Dawson woke earlier than I thought, and I put our "Pankaka" (Swedish oven pancake) in the oven, and we spent some time together before he left to carry on celebrating with his girlfriend, Splarah (Sarah's), extended family. So it's just Monte and me, and he's feeling the effects of his long trip without sleep for 24 hrs, so napping. Dawson and me set him up on Facebook, and I'm downloading some pictures for him. So I'm going back and forth.

My emotions have gotten stirred up as the day progresses ... Heather & Bill called this morning to talk Christmas, but also that his date for redeployment could be before their baby is born. Their first baby, and married a year ... I'm bummed ...

So, I was going to give the remainders of my Advent Basket. Maybe as I start typing and sitting with scripture ... I'll feel a little better.

Advent day 22's miniature was a dove. And the paper insert reads, "We learned what a cross stands for; what does a dove stand for? Read Matthew 3:13-17." Jesus insisted that John baptize Him. This is a setting where the fullness of God is there: God Incarnate coming out of the water, God's Spirit - looking like a dove, and God's voice. And John the Baptist saying, "Here is the Lamb of God, come to take away the sins of the world".

Day 23 has a little skein of wool. "Where does wool come from? In John 10:1-18 Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Who are His sheep?" When I rededicated my life to God I wore a necklace, till I lost it, of Jesus carrying a sheep in his arms - that was me!

Day 24 has a marble. "This is the world. Read John 3:16. What did God do for the world?" God, so loves the world, He incarnates Himself, taking on human flesh, from the beginnings in a womb, birthed and laid in a wooden feed trough for a bed ... to a death for us, the world; hanging to death on a wooden cross. God asks us to believe IN this, IN Him, so that we might not have to die our deserved deaths, but live incarnately with Him, on into eternity!

Day 25, today, has a miniature baby. "What do we celebrate this day? Read Luke 2:1-20." Remember Linus, his voice was refreshed in my memory, not only from church last night but a radio program we listened to - Linus tells Charlie Brown what the true meaning of Christmas is - reciting this Luke passage from memory. We lit the center Christ child candle in the Advent wreath.

The John 10 passage I so love and have often meditated and journaled on. My favorite phrases? "He calls his own sheep by name ... he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice ... I know my sheep and my own sheep know me ... I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary ... I need to gather and bring them all in ..."

Which reminds me of a story I read -
"One cold night years ago in North Carolina I went outside to check on some animals then housed in my father's small barn. There was a full moon shining down in bright, brittle light above the pines. It was so cold that the water in the horses' trough had frozen over, unusual for the coastal counties. As I went to get an axe to chop through the ice, I noticed a yard chicken, a hen, perched near the trough, with several biddies tucked under her wings. I was impressed with how she had turned her face and frail body of fluff into the icy wind, her wings outstretched and, it seemed to me, surely tired, for the sake of her children. And I was uplifted by what I took to be a gift and encouragement to my faith, this visual depiction of Jesus' care for me.

"But it struck me that those chicks had come to the hen. I don't know if she chased them around the yard first, if some came more willingly than others, or if some were still out there half-frozen. (There were a few late arrivals perched on top of her wings.) I only know the chicks I could see had allowed themselves to be gathered up and protected. They had quit fighting what they had no control over in the first place and said, 'You do it, Mom.'"

Jesus did stand, looking over Jerusalem and wept saying, "how often I have longed to gather you children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings".

The Longest Night of the Year!

Winter solstice is very hopeful to me - cuz from here on out ... THE DAYS ARE LENGTHENING!!!!!

It's going to be a very long night for Monte. Don't know if he slept on his 10 hour flight from Copenhagen. But the plane was late getting into O'Hare. He'd have missed his flight if it weren't for his flight to Denver being delayed too. Why? no bad weather here, but Chicago is such a bottleneck ... and then Denver flights were messed up today too, due to a plane going off the runway last night and catching fire. No one was killed, but they all had to slide out the emergency exit doors and people were injured.

Dawson is picking him up and they probably won't get home till after midnight. Let's see ... midnight here would be 8 in the morning in Norway, which Monte's time-clock has been on for more than a week. We'll see ...

Monte just called ... from the plane ... that's just sitting there in Chicago ...