Summer Time

An Egyptian Meal

>> Thursday, April 15, 2010 – Serving in Corsica

My first Egyptian Meal! Samuel and Mina came over and cooked a very traditional lunch for us. Lunch is the main meal in Egypt is eaten around 2ish and then a light dinner maybe around 8ish. A lot like it is here in France, something I have had to get used to. I was a bit nervous when they wanted to make somethign but then I found out it was mainly carbs...how can you go wrong? Here's the recipe if you are feeling international for dinner:

Koushari

Depending on how many you are cooking for, about a cup of lentils, cup of elbow macaroni, a cup of rice and a can of chickpeas. Cook all as normal adding salt to the lentils if you like but for the rice: Heat 2 tb olive oil in a sauce pan, add the rice and cook for 3 min. coating all pieces. Add 2 cups of water and heat until the water begins to boil. Cover the saucepan and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
Slice an onion and saute in1/4 c olive oil, stiring until they are brown and crispy (if you like them that way). Spoon lentils, then rice, then macaroni, then chickpeas, top with a tomato sauce of your choice and onions! Yum!

links i love

>> Sunday, April 11, 2010 – links

You know sometimes Mother Teresa quotes just cuts you to the soul. I was reading through them today as God was convicting me of sins of selfishness that I have. I think that she had a good sense of humor...Here's one for exqmple, "I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?" -Mother Teresa

Livesay {Haiti} Weblog
The Livesay's have been in Haiti serving for the last few years. They have a amazing testimony, check it out. And they have a wonderful blog post about about a piece that 60 minutes did. There are things I love about this report, I loved when Jean Robert Cadet reminded us that it does matter and Iis important to help just one person. The truth of that is powerful. They will actually be speaking in the Houston Area (the are in states for a bit) at Robbie Seay's church, Ecclesia on April 18th if anyone is interested!

Noel Piper aka John Piper's wife.
I had no idea that they adopted! I am so behind (16 years) but it was a encouragement to hear their story. You can read her adoption story here. its a series of posts but she writes well and it was a good read. They adopted beautiful Talitha Ruth a month before John Piper turned 50. They went through weeks and weeks of prayer and Noel said that she tried to speak to him in his own language so she wrote what she hoped would be a persuasive paper. (isn't that funny) And he wrote her back...the answer was yes. He shared some points that he had wrote in his journal.

Corte Easter Procession

>> Thursday, April 8, 2010 – Serving in Corsica

All over Corsica on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, penitents parade in a long procession, barefoot and wearing cowls on their heads while a large crowd follows them. In the first procession as you see in the first photo, they carry Jesus on the Cross and on Good Friday they carry a flat piece of wood, with Him laid out and Mother Mary following Him. They are also singing songs in the Corsican Language. In a town called Sartene, which is known to be very Corsican, you will find the famous Good Friday procession. You will see a guy dressed in a red robe and hood. Nobody knows who he is but the Priest, and they believe that all the man's sins up until that point are forgiven. Some people wait on the waiting list for 40 years to get this privilege. We didnt make it to this procession this year because we wanted to see the one in our town but you can see more photos of it Here. Shes says, that like Jesus on his way to the cross, the penitent falls three times along the way and the onlookers recite the Lord’s Prayer whilst he rests on the ground.

Easter in Linguizzetta

>> Wednesday, April 7, 2010 – Serving in Corsica

Matt and I spent Easter day with Lucie's Family in her village. We wanted to have a lunch on the beach but it turned out to be a very rainy and cold day so we celebrated with a Traditional Corsican Easter Lunch, lamb. And for dessert a semi-sweet bread with whole eggs placed in the dough before baking. (and they are like hard boiled eggs when finished).

I was invited to stay with Lucie in her village and Matt graciously took Sadie for the night so that I could focus on learning french! She took me on a long walk exploring the near by villages, I think we walked to about 3 or 4 all with only about 40 residents during the winter months. And each one had their own Catholic Church with days of the year that are dedicated to them, their are not enough Priests to go around so only about one Mass is conducted in each village per year. On way back the rain started coming down a lot harder then we anticipated and we were drench! Its been awhile since I have played in the rain.

The rain went away by the morning and we were able to go a beautiful hike together up the mountain to see a panoramic view of her village and a beautiful cross, we had lunch together up there and enjoyed the breeze and conversation. What a beautiful way to close out the Easter weekend. Now the way back down was a different story, we seemed to have gotten off track somewhere and ended up following the pig trail which was overgrown and we had to basically walk on our knees to get through. Thank goodness we had her dog with us who lead us back to the right trail...aren't dogs so smart!

Linguizzetta from the top of the trail.

The smart dog! I am so glad he came with us!

The cross at the top of the Hike.

A old monastery that she showed me.

Lucie said that this good ole truck was the mascot of one of the towns we walked through.

We met up with Matt and Sadie at the beach after wards, to enjoy some more of the rays before the left us!

urg.

>> Tuesday, April 6, 2010 – caption this

Sadie was suspose to be sitting in her chair watch TV with daddy...but this is what I found. All four chair legs off...and her using them as shoes....

I do watch my daughter...I promise

I was picking up Sadie's room (she was suppose to be helping me) but instead when I went to make her come back in the room this is what I saw...She got into the pantry and was eating cooking chocolate and using the rug as a blanket (gross!)

what ma? {yes, she calls me Ma}

You want me to do what? "hand it over, now sadie!"

Loux Famly

>> Tuesday, March 30, 2010 – links

I came across this cool ministry, www.adoptionfathers.com, though this family's blog. AdoptionFa thers.com was started by a father who could find any helpful resources during their adoption process..he now has several video interviews of fellow adoption fathers, some wit 6+ adopted. He asks questions about all the fiances, the long and confusing paperwork, the fears of not loving the child like you own and more, and more. Just thought I would share with those of you who are in the adoption process as well (or will be soon!) Watch this video of meeting his daughter for the fist time, it is very touching. Click HERE.

Derek Loux Please continue praying for the Loux family, who loss their father, Derek, last December to in a car accident. Derek at the young age of 37, left behind his wife and 10 children, 8 adopted, including special needs sons from the Ukraine. Ethan, one of them, was just 11 pounds when he was adopted at age 5. Renee, his wife runs the Orphan Justice Center which guides other families through the adoption process. She said, "Our personal goal when Derek was still alive was to take in 30 children," Renee said. "And I’m still carrying that torch."

"My friends, adoption is redemption. It’s costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him." -Derek