Category Archives: Ramblings

Seeing Orange

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The first thing I did on September 1st was open a big can of pumpkin.

It’s all about priorities, people.

I get so excited about autumn — the time of turning leaves, crisper air and bonfires. The time when it is finally acceptable to eat pumpkin for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

  Pumpkin Banana Quesadilla

~ Whole wheat tortilla, one sliced banana, 1/3 cup pumpkin,
1/4 cup cottage cheese, cinnamon, maple syrup ~

ooey, gooey deliciousness.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Oat Bran

Yes, that’s right.

~ 1/2, cup almond milk, 1/4 cup brewed coffee, 1/3 cup oat bran, half a thinly sliced banana, tablespoon of vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup ~

Yes, it was amazing. This is the best way to wake up.

I’ve also made a batch of these, which are basically pumpkin cake in cookie form.

And am making plans for both of these recipes.

It may be an obsession, but it’s a good one. Pumpkin is packed with immune-boosting antioxidants and beta-carotene, Vitamin C, calcium, fiber, and iron. In a delicious kind of way.

This is autumn. Changing leaves, crisp air, bonfire, creamy-orange-cinnamon warmth. I love it.

>Sharing the {Pumpkin} Love

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When I’m not blogging, my time is spent studying, fellowshipping with my favorite girls, or catching up on life goals.

And whatever time is left, I spend doing art in the kitchen.

I love baking and cooking. It clears my brain of all its unnavigable clutter to flip through my recipe box, whip out bowls and measuring spoons, and let my creative energies run free. Without much thought but with lots of care, a cake, a soup, a bread comes together and I can say: I made that. And I walk away from the kitchen with a happy feeling of accomplishment that invigorates me to forge through other, less enjoyable tasks.

Creating in the kitchen calms me and I think that’s why I love it. It is one of the few activities I do for the mere pleasure of doing.

Of course there has to be a spiritual application. Isn’t there one in every life situation, if we only have eyes to seem it? When I read God’s Word, I find the recipe for peace — lasting peace that doesn’t fade away with the aroma of muffins in the oven. It is the only cookbook that contains the secret true joy that is lighter than the flakiest biscuit and yet as nourishing as the heartiest stew. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God?” (Matthew 4:4)

When you are feeling overwhelmed, what do you do? Where do you go for refreshment, for rejeuvenation, for stability? How are you satisfied? I hope when I have a moment to spare in the middle of a hectic, energy-depleting day, I first go to the presence of the Savior, being revived in His Word and in prayer, before seeking relaxation elsewhere. Because only “He satisifies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things” (Ps 107:9).

And if there is still time left after that time of spiritual renwal, you will find me in the kitchen, probably whipping up one of these concoctions.

Pumpkin Spice Latte for One
(adapted from here)
  • 1 c. strongly brewed coffee
  • 3/4 c. milk (I used almond milk, but you may use any of your choice)
  • 2 T. canned pumpkin
  • 1/2 t. cinnamon
  • 1/4 t. nutmeg
  • dash of clove
  • maple syrup
Combine milk, pumpkin, spices, and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Transfer mixture to a blender and process till foamy. Pour into a large coffee cup and then pour in brewed coffee. Breathe in the fragrant aroma and then sip away a cold morning.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili
  • 1 T. canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 small zucchini, chopped
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 cans (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin
  • 2 t. chili powder
  • 1 1/2 t. ground cumin
  • 1 t. dried oregano
  • 1 – 3 c. vegetable or chicken broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, saute vegetables in oil until they are tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in tomatoes, beans, pumpkin, and spices. Add just enough broth to reach a good consistency. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until heated through. * For a more traditional chili, add ground turkey to sauteing vegetables*
I hope I find time to do what I love, dusting every kitchen surface with flour and creating tornados in the blender. But if I don’t, I won’t in reality be missing much. The Word of God is what ultimately calms me, refreshes me, and sustains me. Girl doesn’t live by pumpkin alone.

>Have You Been Nourished Today?

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Friday morning, I stayed in my jammies a little longer than I usually do. Perhaps I was just feeling a bit lazy or perhaps I had been too slow in claiming a shower before my mom or sister. Or perhaps I was just reveling in the opportunity to relax and not rush after the harried last few weeks. Yes, I think that was it. I had just finished off my morning cup of green tea and was dusting off the living room in that glorious leisure of doing a job that doesn’t have to be finished at any particular time. Those kind are the best. :)

So anyway, I was almost finished when I heard my name being yelled from the basement in a half-panicked voice mingled with a half-attempt at being nonchalant. “Becky! You don’t have a piano lesson today, right?”

The happy tune I was humming caught in my throat. “Oh no!” I threw down the Lysol and scanned my watch. 9:50. And my piano student was coming at 10.

How could I have forgotten? I bolted up the stairs while my mind did cartwheels trying to figure out how I was going to make myself presentable in ten minutes. I denounced my folly as I grabbed the top clothes in my drawer and scolded my reflection as I pulled my hair up into a ponytail. A quick brush of my teeth, a dash of blush and I was down the stairs again. Just in time for the doorbell.

I am usually not so lax in forgetting appointments. If it is written on the calender (this piano lesson just happened to not be written on the calender), I am most times ready and accounted for. And the stress and embarrassment (how I look before my shower is always questionable) of moments like Friday morning motivate me to be accurate and cautious in the future.

There is a particular appointment, however, that, if not consciously anticipated, is easily overlooked. Although it occurs on a regular basis, if I do not make a deliberate effort to meet it, it will be forgotten. And despite the fact that this meeting is the most important of my day, its significance is too often undermined. But when missed, it leaves a void.

In our ever-present schedule of “things to do,” where do we place meeting with God? At the top? Somewhere in the midst of everything else? Falling of the chart? In my reading of Exodus, I have been impressed with the importance of having a daily appointment with the Lord. Not only is it beneficial for spiritual growth, it is necessary!

Consider this verse: “And he (Moses) was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments” (Exodus 34:28).

I don’t think any of us would be able to go one whole day without eating. We have programmed ourselves to know when feed and nourish our bodies when it is hungry and when we forget, our empty stomach prompts us to fill it quickly! Are we as sensitive to our spiritual needs as we are to our physical ones? Matthew 4:4 says that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” The nourishment for our souls come from spending time in His presence and in the reading and meditating on His Word.

Moses recognized the value of spending time with the Lord. His communion with God on Mount Sinai was enough to fill all his needs – he was able to go forty days without physical nourishment because the words of the Lord sustained him. Job had this same mindset when he said, “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).

Do I come to God’s presence for sustainment? When I neglect my appointment with the Lord, it is like depriving myself of food for an entire day. Weakness and fatigue result and spiritual growth is stunted. Days when I skip or forget my devotion and prayer time evidence these symptoms. I grow weary in well-doing, faint of spirit, and short of temper. Because I have failed to nourish my soul with the Words of life, my energy is short lived and my day often ends in frustration.

Making communion with God a priority of every day is vital for the Christian. If we look to Him to fill our needs then we will lack nothing. “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Psalm 145:15,16).

What are these needs, these desires that God alone can satisfy? Psalm 19, one of the most beautiful depictions of Scripture, describes four functions of the God’s Word:

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. It fulfills our need for conversion and wisdom.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. It provides us with joy.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. It gives us a standard of truth.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. It protects us.

Because these needs of conversion, wisdom, joy, truth, and protection, can only be satisfied through communion with God and His Word, it is so important that we come every day for nourishment! I have begun to regard my quiet time as an appointment – the most important one of my day. I put my Bible in a prominent place so that it is the first thing I see when I wake up. “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14). I know that if I do not come to God’s presence in the very beginning of my day, I may never get around to it and I also don’t want to face the day without being strengthened in the Lord!

Spending time with the Lord each day requires discipline. Just as there are days when we rush out the door without stopping for breakfast, we can convince ourselves that there is “no time” for Bible reading and prayer. However the hunger pangs and weakness that follow are evidence that nourishment is necessary. And I am finding that the more I learn to value my quiet time with the Lord and the more I look to His Word to satisfy my soul, the less I even consider skipping that time. I see my daily need and know Who the only Source of provision is. How could I neglect meeting with Him?

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 16:35)

>Tearing Down the Idols

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>Every girl has at some point in her life sat before a mirror with a skeptical eye and asked her echoing reflection the question, “Am I beautiful?” Three short, seemingly simple words, and yet on them hang a myriad of hopes, fears, and doubts. The desire to be considered beautiful is shared by every girl, young lady, and woman alike and while perhaps untainted in their onset, our perceptions of “beauty” are almost inevitably skewed by the conflicting messages around us.

Our culture is obsessed with appearance and girls are bombarded with messages that convince them that their personal value depends on how they measure up on the “pretty” scale. The unfortunate fact is however that no one ever measures up. The ideals of “beauty” that are presented to us by the media and fashion retailers are themselves only touched up computerized images. But however phony, these images imprint themselves on the minds of young ladies who unconsciously believe the lies and as a result feel dissatisfied and unhappy in the person God created them to be.

I know because I’ve been there. I have struggled in vain to measure up to what I believed to be the standard of beauty. I have spent hours in front of the mirror trying in vain to copy the flawless hairstyle of the heroine in a movie. I have even harbored envy in my heart towards girls who appeared to have no flaws in their appearance.

Praise the Lord that there is glorious truth in Christ that is able to shatter the idols of our world and tear down the false preceptions of our culture! In Him and Him alone can the meaning of true beauty be found and only by His grace can it be attained.

The image of beauty that the Bible gives is in stark contrast to the one that the world offers. Psalm 29:2 says, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” The presence of the Lord, in all His holiness and purity, is the source of true beauty given to a heart that is consecrated to worshiping Him. So it is when our hearts are kneeling before the throne of the Almighty, when we are delighting in Him and giving Him praise that we become partakers of His beauty, His holiness.

We are told that it is by our physical appearance that we have value, but Proverbs 31:30 says, “Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” What really matters is not whether my dress is in the latest fashion or my hair is picture-perfect; what really matters is a godly fear of the Lord, a recognition and awe of his mighty sovereignty and a love that overflows into worship. A woman with those qualifications is truly beautiful.

I am not at all saying any attention to our physical appearance or any desire to be pretty is wrong. I will continue to enjoy pretty clothes and experimenting with new hairstyles. But I want to purpose to have goals bigger than acheiving physical beauty, to replace the cultural idols with Biblical models, to be pressing on towards a higher, more meaningful beauty. I want people to look at me and not say “Oh there’s a pretty girl” but rather “There is a girl who knows Jesus Christ;” I want others to witness beauty of Christ shining through me, however faint the glimmer.

And if these goals too seem impossible to attain, be comforted, dear one, because we don’t climb upward our own. “If a soul has any beauty, it is because Christ has endowed that soul with His own, for in ourselves we are deformed and defiled! There is no beauty in any of us but what our Lord has worked in us.” ~ Charles Spurgeon