Last weekend I went to Oregon to attend a women’s conference and visit my longtime friend Jessica (and our mutual friend Dania)! I’d never been to the Pacific Northwest before, so everything was exciting to me. Not that there wasn’t legitimate excitement to be had.
First of all, Jessica took professional portraits of me! I’ve always known she’s a talented photographer, but I couldn’t believe how good she made me look. :) It was fun to participate in her creative process, too. Please check out the rest of the photo shoot at her blog.
Robin Jones Gunn was the keynote speaker at the conference, and I was able to meet her and have her sign one of my old Christy Miller books! She was extremely nice and down-to-earth, and even gave me a hug. I was thrilled (as you can tell from my dorky expression).
Continuing the bookish theme, we made a pilgrimage to Grant Park, which houses several statues of Beverly Cleary characters. (I was obsessed with the Ramona books as a kid and pretended to be her on many occasions.)
We visited the REAL Klickitat Street. I’m not ashamed to say that I was practically dancing.
The only way to follow that was with a trip to the famous Powell’s Books! I bought at least ten books and had to ship a box home.
We also drove out to the coast one day, despite less than ideal conditions (i.e. cold, rain, and gale force winds). This was my third time seeing the Pacific, and I’m still struck by how different the coast is from the Atlantic I’m used to.
We had hoped to take a whale-watching tour, but this was the only whale I saw all day. :)
It was great to spend time with friends in an exotic (to me) location! I hope to go back sometime, preferably at a time when the weather is nicer. :) Thanks Jessica for the hospitality and for driving me all over the place!
And thanks to two layovers in Salt Lake City and a drive across the river into Washington, my visited-states map now looks like THIS:
Woo hoo!
5 Comments + Posted in: friends, reading, travel
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
Like Carrie Fisher herself, this book is manic-depressive, but interesting. I admire her sense of humor about tough things, and laughed out loud several times. A good quick read.
The Luxe and Rumors by Anna Godbersen
For years I’ve been attracted to these beautiful book covers in stores, but I assumed it was just another A-List, Gossip-Girl-esque series. Turns out, it’s Gossip Girl circa 1899. This story is full of intrigue, secret loves, Victorian gowns, and people of honor vs. people behaving badly. I was totally sucked in and put a hold on the second book immediately! The overall tone reminds me of Caroline B. Cooney’s Both Sides of Time quartet (I mean that as a compliment), which makes sense since it takes place in the same time period. I thought the author’s plot choices at the end of the second book were especially brave. I read the third and fourth books yesterday, so you’ll have to wait another month to hear about those. Oh and Diana is my fave.
Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J.M. Nouwen
A book of musings on the meaning of being God’s Beloved and how it translates in our lives. My friend Alanna gave this to me for my last birthday, and I’m sorry it took me so long to finish it! After a long pause, I tore through the last half of the book in one night (and highlighted plenty). This is wonderful and affirming stuff. Anyone have other Nouwen recommendations?
Heavens to Betsy and Earth to Betsy by Beth Pattillo
Betsy is an associate minister at a downtown Nashville church, dealing with the struggles of women in ministry AND her sudden romantic feelings for her best guy friend. The sequel, well, let’s just say a wedding is involved, but it doesn’t go the way you would expect. I liked these novels (but preferred the first one) and especially enjoyed all the Nashville references. :) It’s hard to find good contemporary Christian fiction, but these struck a good balance.
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
I connected deeply with this novel, and I can’t really explain why. I sort of related to the main character, Lindsey, who goes home to start over after her fast-paced life in NYC gets derailed. For the first time in years, she has to spend time with her twin sister, Alex, who’s everything Lindsay is not. Then some unexpected turns in Alex’s life force both women to confront who they really are. There’s also a great cast of supporting characters. I loved it!
Books for February: 7
2011 year to date: 13
1 Comment + Posted in: book reviews, reading
I’ve been on the lookout for good quinoa recipes ever since I discovered quinoa last year. This recipe is easier than it seems, and all the green makes it a nice meal for spring. :)
Double Broccoli Quinoa
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked quinoa (this equals about 1 cup uncooked)
5 cups raw, chopped broccoli (I used one 12-oz package of frozen broccoli)
2/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup heavy cream (I used half-and-half, as usual)
2 big pinches salt
Directions:
1. Cook the quinoa: Rinse in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan, heat the quinoa, two cups of water or broth, and a few big pinches of salt until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. It’s done when you can see the curlique in each grain. Drain any extra water and set aside.
2. Cook the broccoli: Pour 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside. OR: skip all this and just defrost your package of frozen broccoli. I’m so classy!
3. Make the broccoli pesto: Puree two cups cooked broccoli, garlic, 1/2 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in olive oil and cream, and pulse until smooth. Confession: I totally eyeballed all these ingredients, and the balance was fine.
4. Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli with about half of the broccoli pesto. Taste and adjust if needed. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds, and some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings (she suggested feta or goat cheese, “slivered” basil, and “fire oil,” though I guess Tabasco or any fancy hot sauce would work).
3 Comments + Posted in: food
Today is a big day for many Memphians. It’s the wide release of The Grace Card, a film about race, forgiveness, and reconciliation that was created and produced by members of my parents’ church. The filming took place here in Memphis in October 2009, and it was a 24-hour-a-day effort that involved the entire congregation. My mom worked in wardrobe, and my dad was on the security team and guarded Louis Gossett Jr.’s trailer. :) A lot of other local churches were involved too – a member of my own church played a doctor!
My parents invited me to the pre-pre-screening of The Grace Card for the congregation last summer. In all honesty, my expectations were pretty low. I kept hearing that the movie was as professional as Fireproof, but as much as I admired everyone’s hard work, I wasn’t sure that a bunch of relative amateurs could pull off something of that caliber. But they really did. I was VERY impressed, and I felt honored to be part of the excitement in that sanctuary, with a crowd of people who had just received visible proof that what they had done meant something. There are few things more satisfying than creating something great, and then sending your creation off into the world knowing that it’ll have an impact for good. I’m very confident that this movie will.
If the general themes of this movie don’t grab you, but you’re interested in Memphis, see it for the local influence. :) In my opinion, it’s an accurate representation of Memphis and its good and bad attributes.
To find a theater near you that’s showing The Grace Card, go here.
7 Comments + Posted in: faith, memphis, movies
The road to truly understanding grace can be a long one. I know I’m still on it. One thing that’s become fresh to me over the past couple of years is God’s Fatherly love toward His children. As a goal-oriented recovering people-pleaser, I tend to focus on my role as a servant of God. I imagine Him setting out tasks (of increasing difficulty) for me, and expecting results.
A while after my ex-husband left me, as I was getting up from the metaphorical ground, I started to assume that, now that I was a single person with no one to “serve,” God would expect more from me than ever. I assumed I ought to be mentoring inner-city children and running soup kitchens (not that I particularly want to do those things). I felt guilty for so much freedom to do what I wanted, even for those days when I was only capable of going to work and then spending the evening in front of the TV. Sometimes it took effort just to take care of myself, but it didn’t feel like “enough.”
My friend Laura referred me to a scene in Return of the King that helped her during a similar time in her life. I was reminded of it last weekend when the movie was on TV. In this short scene, Eowyn, the courageous noblewoman of Rohan, is experiencing a lot of grief and frustration – over the rejection by and loss of the man she loves, the inability to go into battle for her people, and the enormity of the darkness they’re all facing. Her uncle/adopted father, Theoden, finds her in a bleak mood and speaks comfort over her.
Eowyn: What other duty would you have me do?
Theoden: Duty? No… I would have you smile again. Not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed. No more despair.
This exchange goes straight to my heart every time and feels very personal. It reminds me that I am God’s daughter, and He cares about both my grief and my happiness even more than my earthly father would. He counts my tears in His bottle (Psalms 56:8). I believe that sometimes God wants His children to raise their eyes beyond duty, to be still and allow Him to bring them hope, take away their despair, and cause them to smile again. He wants us to rest in Him for a while. I believe I’m in that kind of season now. I am smiling again, and it’s because He’s lavishing His love on me with His presence and so many unnecessary blessings. I have hope that I will see my days renewed, and in the long run, I’ll be able to serve Him better because of this time of rest and strengthening.
6 Comments + Posted in: faith, hope