pizza pizza

The hard frost came and leaves withered to black despite the willing readiness of its fruit to stay. So I harvested a bounty of green tomatoes; far more than the totality of red tomatoes this summer. They look beautiful but are tart instead of sweet and the idea of frying all those tomatoes nauseate me. Our local farmer timely received a hormone/chemical free pig and luscious bacon was available. Cue recipe. Paring homemade wheat bread dough with blended tomato for sauce, onions, mushrooms, bacon and green tomatoes for topping and the result was culinary bliss. I wish I had a picture of the finished product. Hearty, warm, nutritious, filling, everything a winter meal should be. For better or for worse, I still have a whole bowl of green tomatoes left. I wonder how many pizzas I can eat this winter?

Spend your giving wisely

I haven’t blogged much lately. Please chalk it up to basic lack of energy brought on by constant coughing, general sleeplessness and persistent feeling bad-itis. :}

I love good gift-giving (if I can be so trite: it’s one of my love languages). To me, good gift-giving is about the thought. When someone takes the time to think of me and get me something to bring me pleasure, that thoughtfulness is meaningful to me. I have felt the love of God expressed to me through the gifts of others. If someone just chucks a gift my way out of obligation, I’d rather not even have it. Or if someone spends lavish amounts of money to get me something they think is cool without considering my personality, again, I would rather not receive it. But often during this month on the calendar, good and bad gift-giving abound.

So what can I do? How can I show the love of God to others through gift-giving and not lose the meaning of Christmas to obligations, materialism, and bad financial decisions? I think a purposeful commitment to enjoy giving is a good start. Apart from the important, obvious, and necessary focus on the birth of Christ, I can keep in that Spirit by consciously giving how I ought to and refrain from giving how I ought not to (this last part is especially hard). Not giving some trinket to co-workers just because I feel obligated but sending care packages to orphans in Ukraine. Not mailing expensive gifts to family members just because they expect it but donating two chickens to rural families in India (for only $11, see gospelforasia.org). Not getting upset when someone gives me a thoughtless gift but giving thoughtful gifts I can afford to those I love. Not purchasing a Christmas tree when I’ll only be home to enjoy it for a week but sponsoring two angel tree kids.

In other words, I’m trying to be purposeful in how I ‘spend my giving’. This requires slowing down and thinking as opposed to rushing busyness. It takes commitment to express my values though they may be misunderstood. It take grace to receive and grace to give and let-go (instead of stressing over the “perfect” gift). I’m finding that gift-giving can supplement the true meaning of Christmas instead of replace it. And that’s something to be merry about :D

christmas

Little boys love trains and little kids love Christmas and I love little kids. These kids are amazing! I'm glad I have friends who procreate :D