As we come to the end of the second week of Lent I find myself beginning to fall into a smoother pattern of daily discipline and to feel more “into” the Season.
Monday past brought our monthly Day Camp Committee Meeting.Although only 5 of us could be present,in the flesh (Jessica, who was suffering from “the Plague”, joined us via G-Chat!) we still managed to cover a fair bit of territory, as a result of which I’m still doing follow-up!
We discussed progress on the new “Luke Street” Slideshow and Soundtrack and also on the 2013 Song CD. We tackled the knotty problem of the Liturgical Dance DVD, which centers on the issue of copyright infringement and how we can both legally and economically overcome this hurdle (I fear there will be more on this in future posts,)
We also took a look at the Church Schedule and how that is beginning to fill up. It has been encouraging to find a resurgence of interest form Churches in the Montreal region. The province of Quebec is known as being one of the most unchurched areas of Canada so it is quite exciting to feel that we are being called to make an impact for the Lord right on our own doorstep, much as we value the opportunities offered to us in other Provinces!
Arnee is back from the UK and is hard at work sorting out all the complexities off the Manual. It seems to be coming together well and promises to be a super Program.
I do hope that some readers enjoyed the first of our Wednesday Words series, which debuted this week.As previously noted, it seemed best to begin at the beginning with the founder of Day Camps, Brett Cane!
There have been a goodly number of visitors here throughout the rest of the week, since the Meeting (for that dinner I made a Dutch Pea Soup, Finnish Caraway Dill Rye Bread and Apple Hand Pies from this cookbook which was a kind Christmas gift.).
Klara and I also shared a Caribbean–themed dinner with Team Leader Jillian. Yesterday Jessica and her friend Charles came for a Tibetan Lunch and today I enjoyed Hot Cross Buns, Vanilla Lattes and a fruit platter with my new fellow Godparents Tanya and Joan and there baby Nico.
While Charles was here I was telling them about my cell phone photo woes and Charles was able to import my photos using Blue Tooth (which I thought only had something to do with hands-free car phones) and voila! As you can see there is about a 1000% improvement. Now if I can only remember how to do it myself!
Lots of work has been put in one my first batch of Pysanky and the embroidered monogram is also coming together nicely. My Spring lap quilt is all finished and I also sewed a lovely new duvet cover with matching pillowslips using some gorgeous fabric, which Sue gave me for Christmas. I can hardly wait to change to the Lent/Spring Decorations, which will be happening during the coming week.
And so back to knitting Tigger……..
By request, here is the soup recipe from our Monday Meeting Dinner
Dutch Pea Soup
- 1 cup dried yellow peas
- 6 cups water
1 meaty ham bone- ½ lb. bacon cut in inch pieces
- ½ tsp. salt
- 12 peppercorns
- Speck of baking soda
- 1 ½ cups chopped celery
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1tsp dried savoury
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Soak peas in the water overnight in a large soup kettle. Next day, add the bone, meat. Salt and peppercorns. Cover and bring to the boil over high heat. Add the soda. Skim off foam as it rises. Lower heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add celery, onion and savoury and cook 30 mins. longer. Remove bone, cut off and chop meat and return pieces to the pot. Add parsley just before serving.
Serves 6-8. Freezes very well.
Sunday thoughts….
This morning did not bring one of the “Sunny Sundays”with which we have been blessed in recent weeks, but at least it was mild with a vague feeling of spring in the air. The Gospel this morning was The Transfiguration passage, as told by Luke. Nick gave the sermon and he opened up the aspect of the story, which focuses on our need to listen to Jesus at all times if we truly wish to be one of his followers. Listening to the Lord should not be “optional” or something we only do when we feel like it (or perhaps when we have nothing “better” to do!) It is hard to keep on the right track, but given that we are blessed with our own personal Shepherd it seems best to allow Him to keep nudging us back onto the right path, with His crook, instead of ignoring His direction and ending up falling off a cliff I believe that, as long as we are truly trying to listen, even if we do end up on the wrong path, somehow the Lord will use that “rocky” time to teach us new things and then to bring us back onto the even road.
Nick mentioned that the disciples must have had a lot of questions for Jesus as they all walked back down the mountain. They, also, did not “get” everything right, but they did really want to follow Jesus and He gave each of them amazing jobs to do both before and after His death.
As I was slogging home in knee-deep slush and wildly inappropriate footgear, I noted how this teaching really ties in with one of the prayers that I include, each morning during my devotions. It is a translation of an Ethiopian Prayer: –
“ O God in peace you have prepared the path I must take today.
Help me to walk straight on the path you have made.
If I must speak, remove lies from my lips.
If I am hungry, take away from my all complaint.
If I have plenty, destroy pride in me.
May I go through the day calling on you, you who know no other Lord.”