The Strength of Faith

Transition - New Feed

2011-10-12T17:58:00.000-04:00

Hi Friends!

Just wanted to pop over here and let you know that my new feed is up and running on my wordpress blog. It doesn't look like the old way of following is going to transfer with my blog.

Head over here to my new blog and then use this link if you use google friends connect, google reader, etc. to follow along.

Thanks for being so patient!

xoxo
Sarah

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

2011-10-09T21:02:00.000-04:00

Hi Friends!

I am in the process of transitioning my blog from blogger to self-hosted Wordpress. The transition is complete and you can now find me over at wordpress!

Here is the link to my new feed so make sure you re-subscribe, follow, etc. etc. And bear with me through this transition!

xoxo

Auto Correct Hilarity

2011-10-08T20:42:00.000-04:00

Bruce and I just had the most hysterical conversation:

I honestly can't even tell you what he was trying to say we were both hysterical at the fact that he couldn't even correct the correction because of auto correct. I think I understand why my dad turned his off on his phone.

Dinner tonight:

Tonight's Salad:

Mixed Greens
Diced Tomatoes
Diced Onions
Croutons
Black Beans, drained & rinsed
Mexican Blend Cheese
Honey Mustard Dressing

Honestly, keeping canned beans in my pantry, is such a salad lifesaver. I love the quick and easy source of protein!

Oh myyyy that was good.

What is everyone up to on this Saturday night? Probably something more interesting than laughing over auto correct.

Splendid.

2011-10-08T17:38:00.000-04:00

Wow, what a beautiful day!

I told myself that I would spend the day finishing my sermon and getting some cleaning done. But it's so hard - who wants to be stuck inside on a day like today!

Somehow I thought a compromise between cleaning and being outside was baking. Don't ask.

But now that I have corn muffins, I feel the need to make chili. So I took to pinterest. Naturally.

Source: pbs.org via Sarah on Pinterest

Perhaps I should give this recipe a try?

Now I have neither cleaned nor looked at my sermon. I am officially so much more productive on rainy days. Someone send help.

Friday Night Musings

2011-10-07T17:48:00.000-04:00

Ever have one of those days where you just want to call all of the people in your life and tell them that you love them? Yep, having one of those days.

To everyone reading: I love you. Embrace life - always.

I'm trying to be good on my quest to put the "fitness" back into "food faith fitness photography fun" but I wasn't feel a walk or run today. Pilates DVD at home, it was! I adore this DVD. The workouts are in 20 minute increments - perfect for an every day workout that you can sneak into a routine and you can double up if you are feeling ambitious.

Totally random, but look what I got from the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program! Foodbuzz and Tervis teamed up - what a great combination! Publishers were tasked with creating a new recipe for the tumbler - the wheels are turning in my head already.

I'm off - some of us from church are having a Stewardship Stuffing Party tonight! Have you ever gotten something in the mail from your church and wondered who put it together?

Wish us luck ...

Breathe.

2011-10-06T21:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'm a wee bit stressed right now.

I did, however, take an hour break this afternoon to take a walk. It was much-needed, although I came crashing back to reality as soon as I walked in the door. I hate that! How do you keep the zen?

Anyway, my garmin died less than a mile into the walk, but I walked about 50 minutes - soooo 3 miles perhaps? I'm really happy that I forced myself to get out of the office - I need to do that more often. Maybe I'll start bringing workout clothes to work so I can leave straight from there?

Bruce came through big time and stopped at the grocery store for some dinner fixin's - and then he cooked! Wings + Salad - Yum.

Alright, I have a homily that isn't finished yet and I'm fading fast. Time to buckle down.

Alma Mater Pride

2011-10-06T10:52:00.000-04:00

Ever since my ordination, the materials that I have received in the mail from my alma mater (Ursinus College) has tripled. It's ironic to me - "Hey, you're a minister now, we are sure you will have lots of money to give to us!"

Ha.

The bizarre thing is, I haven't changed anything with them - I don't think I ever changed my name or let them know that I was ordained. And yet, I have been receiving mail to the church addressed to Rev. Sarah E. Weaver.

An eternal mystery. I am so glad, though! I loved my time at Ursinus - I am so grateful for the faculty and staff who taught lessons beyond the classroom and cannot wait to give back (though I doubt I will ever have enough to have a building named after me!).

Anyway, the point of this post was not to dream about a future "Sarah Weaver Center For Theological Studies" (oooooo, that has a nice ring to it). The point was to show off what I found when I was reading the magazine:

Look at me and my wonderful church in the Ursinus Magazine! This is under the "Class Notes" section. How exciting!

Speaking of my wonderful church - I have a lot of work to do. See you later! xoxo

Food, Faith, Fitness(?), Photography, Fun

2011-10-05T17:50:00.000-04:00

My blog has been lacking something in a big way lately.

Heyyyy, remember when I use to run on a regular basis?

(Five miles in the pouring rain - epic.)

(Aww, all those pictures were taken in my old apartment in Atlanta ...)

Anyway, the point is that I have fallen ~~off of the bandwagon~~ out of my running shoes in a bad way lately. After I crossed the finish line last November, I threw myself headfirst into the world of search & call, which lead to a call, which lead to ordination, which lead to the first six months of ordained ministry (whoaaa, six months already), which led to me sitting in my office with a parishioner today having the following conversation:

Parishioner: You still running?
Me: Welllllll ...
Parishioner: No!
Me: I've been terrible lately, I have completely fallen out of the habit - I feel like I don't have the time!
Parishioner: Come on, Sarah - you can't do that! The longer you wait the harder it will be for you to get back into it!

Never mind the fact that this particular person is in his late 70's (I think) and could probably still run circles around me. And also never mind the fact that the only "fitness" routine I have these days is forcing myself into a few yoga poses before I go to bed.

Okay, point taken. I went for a run today.

Sort of. I know I haven't really run any significant distance since I moved here, so I am going to start small and creep myself up again. Today I ran one mile (10:40) and walked one mile (17:06). It wasn't as painful as I thought it was going to be, though I could tell I hadn't eaten enough in the morning and had zero energy.

I am currently trying not to remind myself of the fact that a little less than a year ago I ran 13.1 miles.

Sigh.

Okay, consider this my public declaration to put the "Fitness" back into "Food, Faith Fitness, Photography, Fun". Wish me luck!

See You Next Year

2011-10-05T09:24:00.000-04:00

Well, garden - it's been fun.

Thanks for all of the fresh salads. See you next year! We've got big plans for you ...

Watch Me Fly

2011-10-04T22:40:00.000-04:00

It's the end of a long day and all Bruce and I wanted to do was curl up with a big bowl of popcorn and watch The Office on DVD.

We actually don't have a microwave which forces us to make popcorn in the popcorn maker we got for our wedding. I love the taste of homemade popcorn!

***

I heard this song this afternoon and have been listening to it on repeat ever since. It's definitely not a new song, but I love the underlying message about strength and endurance. Enjoy!

Sometimes I bend

But I'll never break

And I'm not about

To win another day

Crazy Days And Tuesdays

2011-10-04T19:25:00.000-04:00

Okay, today just got away from me.

<3 Wear a Dress Tuesday.

Rainey sent me this last week! Don't you love this color? I adore it and I adore it on her.

Lunch was eaten in between meetings and hospital visits. Leftovers from last night - I didn't have any tomatoes though. Bummer!

For dinner, I was craving comfort food:

I think Baked Ziti qualifies.

I don't have much of a recipe, because I wasn't thrilled with it. But I used ricotta cheese AND mozzarella, which gave it amaaaaaazing flavor.

I am currently locking myself in my office so I can get some work done.

I am going to kick off my heels though.

I think I deserve it.

Odds are you deserve it too. :)

Happy Wear a Dress Tuesday!

Book Club Update

2011-10-03T22:18:00.000-04:00

Yum.

Bruce was in the mood for salads for dinner so we both kind of did our own thing (we kind of have differing views on what you should put in a salad, ha!).

On my plate:

Romaine Lettuce
Tomatoes
Pasta
Kidney Beans
Croutons
Honey Mustard Creole Salad Dressing (<-- new and delicious!)

Hindsight - I should have added onions!

I went to book club tonight and we started to talk about The Help. Oh man - y'all were right! This book is amazing. Not only do I think that the stories are ones that need to be told, but the book is also put together in a neat way. It is easy to read and the characters lives intersect each other at critical points (which makes me never want to put it down!). I can't wait to finish it and then go see the movie.

Time for me to go to bed - good night!

Let's Go Fly A Kite

2011-10-03T18:41:00.000-04:00

Bruce and I took advantage of our mutual days off and took a trip down to Newport to have lunch and fly a kite today!

It was kind of an epic fail. It was really windy ... up until we bought the kite and attempted to fly it. Then it was still. Ha!

We had lunch at The Black Pearl - outside by the water!

I had an omelet with ham and jack cheese, which was served with french fries and a delicious vegetable medley.

The weather could not have been more perfect today!

The tourists were out in full force - two cruise ships were in the harbor! Whoa.

We're home and I'm getting ready to go to book club. I am loving The Help!

Monday Morning Devotional

2011-10-03T09:21:00.000-04:00

My church in Georgia has been putting together Daily Devotions that get emailed out every day and last week my pastor (hi Kim!) asked if I would be willing to write one for this morning. I thought I would share it on here!

Psalm 46: 1-3, 10
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. … ‘Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.’

One night when I was a chaplain at Grady, I was called to the Operating Room to minister to the family and friends of a teenager who had been badly injured in a boating accident. I met the family around 8:00 in the evening and did not leave them until I was getting ready to turn over the pager next morning. It was a long, tragic and sleepless night.

At one point I was escorting family members and friends from the waiting room to the ICU when someone said to me, “I don’t know how you do your job.” Without even thinking I replied, “Sometimes I just have to pray my way through the night.”

I will never forget saying those words.

Life is not always fair; it is not always easy. We will all, at one point in our lives, experience something that will shake our foundation. Prayers may not be answered the way we want them to; cries will not necessarily be silenced.

And in those moments it is important to find a quiet moment and listen for the voice that says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” We need to listen for the voice that reminds us not of our own strength, but of God’s strength that surrounds us every day.

We do not need to be the strong ones.

Around 7:15 the next morning, I said goodbye to the family and headed down to give my report to the chaplains coming in for the day. On my way to the chaplain’s lounge, I stopped in the hospital cafeteria to grab a cup of coffee. I remember standing at the window, staring at the Atlanta skyline and traffic and starting to cry. I had made it through the night – and I knew without a doubt that I did not make it there alone.

Even amidst the hustle and bustle of breakfast and coffee seeking doctors and nurses, I could almost hear God’s voice saying, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Prayer
God thank you for always giving me the strength to move forward, even in the darkest of moments. While I may never live in a world where tragedies and hardships cease, I know that I live in a world where I am never alone. Amen.

Seeing Visions

2011-10-02T14:34:00.000-04:00

What a morning! Baptisms (yes, plural!), World Communion Sunday, new faces in church and a sanctuary full of people. What more could a pastor ask for?

Today's sermon - audio is here!

Isaiah 5:1-7

Seeing Visions

Planting a garden begins long before a seed is ever actually planted in the ground. It starts with a vision.

This morning’s scripture comes to us from the Old Testament, from one of the Prophetic Books, the book of Isaiah. The book as a whole is actually not written by one particular prophet, it is a composite work. It was the product and writings of several different prophets who were ministering in the nation of Judah throughout different parts of Judean history. Isaiah is typically split into three parts and the first part, the part that we just heard from, was actual supposedly written by a prophet name Isaiah; Isaiah was an 8th Century BCE prophet.

In many ways, like other nations in the Old Testament, the nation of Judah was kind of a mess. They were, as a people, plagued by conflict, by power struggles and shifts and by mixed messages. The prophet Isaiah himself and the messages he was prophesying were both rejected by some kings and embraced by others; there was not a whole lot of unity throughout the nation.

And yet, the book starts off by saying, “The vision of Isaiah.” Despite the challenges Isaiah faced and knew that he would continue to face, Isaiah had a vision for this nation.

“The vision of Isaiah.” The vision.

What is a vision? Is it simply a prophecy that prophets have? Or is it something more?

Planting a garden begins long before a seed is ever actually planted in the ground. It starts with a vision. Before you plant a garden – or a vineyard, in the case of this morning’s scripture – you have to have a vision. You have to decide what you want to plant, where you want to plant and if where and what you are planting is even conducive to planting and nurturing a garden to harvest. You have to think about what your resources are and where you are in life and develop a vision for the future of your garden.

“Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard,” the prophet says. Let us see how my vision is unfolding, you might say that he meant.

Unfortunately, the name of this particular piece of scripture is titled “The Song of the Unfruitful Vineyard,” not “The Song of the Fruitful Vineyard,” so the vision did not necessarily pan out in a positive and happy-go-lucky way. The vineyard yielded wild grapes that could not be used to make wine. Was that the vision that Isaiah had? Was that the harvest he was hoping to yield?

Now this is a parable, of course. Isaiah was not specifically talking about a vineyard yielding wild grapes and not being able to harvest them. He was talking about the future of the communities that he was ministering to, the unity he was trying to bring and that nations that were still at war with one another.

But the question that he poses afterwards is interesting. “And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,” he says, “judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?”

In other words: What did I do wrong? Was this my fault? Could I have done something different? Was my vision too grand? Should I lower my expectations for next time? How do I move forward? How do I see new visions amidst these bumps along the road?

It is ironic that this passage comes up when it does. This church and many mainline protestant churches in the United States are preparing for their stewardship campaigns. Now I know people don’t like stewardship campaigns – no one really likes when someone asks them for money – but bear with me for a second and hear me out.

I took a class in seminary on nonprofit leadership. I walked into class on the day that we were scheduled to talk about fundraising and I said to my professor, “Just so you know, I hate talking about money, I hate asking for money and I am not looking forward to today’s class.” And he just smiled at me. He said, “I love asking people for money.”

I thought he was nuts. I kind of gave him a strange look so he continued. He told me that it is all about perspective; that he would never fundraise on behalf of an organization that he really did not care about. And by having that rule, he said, you are then really only asking for money for something or someone that you really care about.

The lecture that day was unbelievable. My professor, Dr. Jenkins, captivated me by talking about visions. He said that in fundraising, you should only ever ask people to help you fund something that you genuinely and truly care about; that deep down you have big dreams for – and great visions of for the future. He said that by telling your story, by telling the organization’s story and by telling the stories of the lives that are being changed because of what you represent, you eventually get to a point where you are not asking someone for money; rather you are inviting them to be apart of something very, very special.

So fear not: I am not asking for money. But I am inviting you to see your own vision: Your own vision of this church, of this community of faith and of you and your family being apart of it all. What does that vision look like to you? What is your story?

Planting a garden begins long before a seed is ever actually planted in the ground. It starts with a vision. Building a church, growing a church, reigniting a church happens long before anything concrete is actually visible. It starts right now.

What is your vision for this church?

Would you want to see it grow? Would you like our worship options to expand from our one weekly service? Would you like our Church School to have more resources for new curriculum and supplies? Would you like to see more bible studies and adult education offered? Would you like to see our staff grow?

Would you like more support to be available for youth and young adults as they transition into adulthood? Would you like to have the opportunity to once again travel through our missions programs? Would you like to reach out into the community in new ways? Would you like to see improvements to our building that would enhance our ministries?

What is your vision for this church?

That ‘New Beginnings’ sign is still hanging because now is the time when we can start to have those visions; now is the time when we can get ourselves ready to plant some seeds.

It is not easy. Isaiah prophesied that visions of a fruitful harvest would yield wild grapes that could not be harvested. But in the end, I think Isaiah was wrong. He said, “And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down,” etc. etc. etc.

If our visions do not turn out exactly the way we saw them at first, do we allow them to be devoured, broken down and trampled? I don’t think so. I think we are called as Christians and as members and friends of this community of faith to allow ourselves to dream big and to see a grand vision. And then we are called to move towards it. To plan, to plant, to pray, to nurture and to be flexible and faithful when we encounter bumps along the road.

So – like I said, I am not asking for money. (Not yet anyway!) I am asking for something a lot more fun. I am asking for you to see visions: Visions of this church, visions of this community and visions of what that means for you. Look long, look far and dream big. It starts with you. It starts with your vision. That will be a great story to tell. What is your vision?

Amen.

Saturday Night Musings

2011-10-01T23:10:00.000-04:00

My Saturday was spent knitting, reading, watching mindless television and finishing up my sermon.

Some weeks I crank through it just by reading the scripture and other weeks I need more ... help. This was one of those weeks, ha! I just needed to get some OT history lined up correctly.

I've started a tradition lately with the church where I light a candle in every meeting. It is supposed to act as a reminder that even when we are working on the "business" side of the church - God is still present and we still need to act faithfully. The thought crossed my mind today that I should be lighting a candle while working on my sermons! I pulled out a red one because red symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

And who couldn't use a little bit of Holy Spirit when finishing a sermon?

It's way past my bedtime and Bruce is COOKING! He's on a crock pot kick and already working on tomorrow's lunch. Yummmm.

Goodnight!

Play Work Repeat

2011-10-01T13:44:00.001-04:00

Last night we went wine tasting!

Proceeds benefited the Carpenter Museum - our church neighbors!

Although, I didn't so much taste as I did drink what was in my glass and talk and mingle all night.

I don't think I'll ever be a wine connoisseur.

Post wine tasting we went to Gregg's in East Providence for some dessert with friends. The desserts were unreal - reminded Bruce and me of the Marietta Diner.

Today it's a lot of this and a little bit of sermon writing. Onward!

Pasta Night

2011-09-30T19:13:00.000-04:00

Bruce did not want to cook tonight. I did not want to go out for dinner tonight. Therefore, I had to cook dinner tonight.

I still think I won in this compromise. I had to go to the grocery store to pick up a few things and was able to pick up mousse while I was there. Curly hair can now commence.

I cooked down some sliced onions and mushrooms on low heat in some butter. I wasn't looking to caramelize anything (Bruce isn't a huge fan), I just wanted to soften them up and give them some flavor. I seasoned with salt and pepper while they cooked, then added pasta sauce and seasoned that with salt, pepper, garlic, oregano and parsley.

Voila!

Oh - and garlic bread! I bought a loaf of fresh Italian Bread ($0.99 on Fridays), sliced it on a diagonal, smothered the pieces with butter and garlic and cooked them at 350 degrees.

Bruce and I are heading out!

Fall ... Maybe?

2011-09-30T13:15:00.000-04:00

Finally feeling better! I even made myself a cup of coffee this morning!

For multiple reasons, I have drastically cut back on my coffee consumption lately, so this was such a treat!

It was also a treat because I was tasting another flavor from Godiva + Foodbuzz. I liked this flavor even better than the pumpkin one!

Bruce and I have been talking about the leaves lately and we've come to the conclusion that Hurricane Irene may have done a number on our pretty New England foliage. I'm seeing a lot of leaves die or fall before the colors change - such a bummer! That's one of my favorite parts about fall ...

Anybody else having a sub-par foliage season?

Making Leftovers Less Boring

2011-09-29T21:19:00.002-04:00

I love cooking simple meals in bulk that can eaten for lunch and dinner all week. It makes my life so much easier! The only problem is that it tends to get boring to eat the same thing over and over again. Agreed?

Bruce and I took yesterday's Mexi Blend Cheeseburger & Broccoli Pie, broke it up into small pieces, tossed it in a skillet with some olive oil and threw in some diced tomatoes at the end (just enough time to get them warm). I topped mine with a little bit of cheese!

I won't be getting my own Food Network show any time soon, but it's nice to cook in bulk and not eat the exact same thing every single day.

I was home from my meeting in time for The Office! Who else is watching?

Cold Cures

2011-09-29T15:29:00.001-04:00

Ack, I am so close to feeling better. But I am at the stage of this sinus/cold/head thing where I am just exhausted and my head feels ... big. I have a meeting tonight, so I left the office around 12:30 to get some rest and work with my feet up.

As lame as it is to be under the weather, this happens to me when the weather changes - and I am excited about that! Bring on fall, please!

In the meantime, my sinus/cold/head remedies have been as of later ...

Chicken Noodle Soup with crumbled up crackers (it gives it a stew-like texture!).

Yes, that is Italian Ice. I send Bruce a text the other day when I was at the "my throat is burning" stage and said that I wished we had Popcicles. And yes, my sweet husband walked in the door that night with both Popcicles and Italian Ice to sooth my throat.

He's kind of sweet.

What are your remedies for annoying ailments? I remember one time being sick when I was young and my throat hurt and I was crying to my mom, who promptly left my room to get some "medicine" - which only made me cry harder (I hate medicine). Turns out the "medicine" she was getting was icing on a spoon! She said it would help my throat - and it did! So smooth.

Mexi Blend Cheeseburger & Broccoli Pie

2011-09-28T20:10:00.001-04:00

Wow. Today has been absolutely nuts. Hence the no blogging until now - but it's a good one!

Bruce wanted to have Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie but we inadvertently switched some things around and I really liked the result! The cooking technique is the same - ingredients a little different. Enjoy!

Mexi Blend Cheeseburger & Broccoli Pie

step by step photos here

1 pound Ground Beef

1/2 large Sweet Onion, chopped

dash Salt

dash Pepper

1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded
3/4 cup Broccoli

1/2 cup Bisquick

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Saute beef, onions, salt and pepper. Drain.

Spread in greased pie plate. Cover in cheese.

Layer the top with broccoli.
Whisk together cheese, bisquick, milk and eggs. Pour into pie plate.

Bake for 25 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Enjoy!

Yum. The raw tomatoes were a nice pairing.

We're watching last night's NCIS and I'm hoping to get to bed early. Still trying to knock this sinus / head cold that I have. I don't think I'm contagious, but I have been putting off my hospital visits just in case. I have people I want to go see!

Soups I Am Pining Over

2011-09-27T21:53:00.000-04:00

Oh man. Y'all. These ribs? Even better 24 hours later.

I just had to get that off my chest.

Onto my terrible Pinterest pun. If you follow me over there, you will see that I have an entire "board" dedicated to soups. What can I say? 'Tis the season! And with both of us working full time, soups are easy to cook in bulk and use as quick lunches. I don't have much of my own cooking to share today (I had lunch with some colleagues and had leftovers for dinner) so I thought I would share what I have been pinning/pining - hopefully we'll make some version of them soon!

Source: thepioneerwoman.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: dailygarnish.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: thepioneerwoman.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: allrecipes.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: ohsheglows.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: dailygarnish.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: allrecipes.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: acommunaltable.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Anything catch your eye?

I'm pretty sure if you click on the pictures it will take you to my pinterest page and you can click from there over to the recipes. Which one should we try first?

Tuesday Psalm

2011-09-27T10:27:00.002-04:00

It's incredibly foggy out, I have a sinus headache and I just got a string of bad news.

Blech.

I'm hoping Wear a Dress Tuesday will cure the fogginess and the Tylenol Sinus I just took will deal with the headache. As for the bad news? A Psalm ...

***

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, Lord, do I seek. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:7-14

***

grace & peace, friends ...

Smoked Slow Cooker Pork Ribs

2011-09-26T21:41:00.000-04:00

Oh myyyyyyyy.

Bruce and I really have been trying to push ourselves to try new things in the kitchen lately so this morning (we both have Mondays off now!) we looked through our slow cooker cookbook and came across this recipe:

The recipe was called "Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs" - we played around with a lot of the seasonings and spices to create a much more smoky flavor. It was incredible! Here's the recipe ...

Smoked Slow Cooker Pork Ribs

2 1/2 pounds Pork Baby Back Ribs, skinned

1/8 cup Paprika

1/8 cup Cumin

1/8 cup Seasoned Salt

1 tablespoon Salt

1 tablespoon Pepper

1 can (20 ounces) Beer

1 quart Barbeque Sauce

1/3 cup Honey

White Sesame Seeds & Sliced Chives (for garnish)

Start by combining all of your seasonings ...

Add the sugar and whisk everything together.

Rub both sides of the meat with the seasoning.

Now it's time to sear the meat! We used the grill, but you could easily use a griddle on the stove.

3 minutes on both sides.

Once the meat comes off the grill, cut it into pieces with 3-4 ribs each.

This is done mostly so you can fit everything into the slow cooker. :)

Pour in your beer ...

Cover and let cook on high for two hours.

Once the meat has cooked for two hours, combine your barbeque sauce and honey.

*Honey Tip! Pour hot water on the measuring cup before putting the honey into it. It won't stick to the sides.

Pour the mixture over the meat.

And let cook on high for another 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

The one thing we noticed when it was almost time to eat was that the sauce was very thin and runny - and we wanted something to drizzle over the meat! So 15 minutes or so before you are ready to eat, pull some of the sauce out of the slow cooker and put it in a skillet on the stove. Throw some cornstarch to thicken it up a little bit - and then add salt and pepper for flavor.

Your garnish ...

Your sauce ...

Perfection.

Yes. Yes, please!

Bruce is already excited about taking leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Amazing. Enjoy!

Cooking With Fire

2011-09-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

Dinner is going to be good tonight.

Bruce and I both have the day off and are buckling down to get the house in order. We shall be rewarded later ...

What I Want In Life

2011-09-25T22:09:00.000-04:00

Bruce took this photo of me on our trip to Colt State Park last Monday.

I think this image encapsulates my true self. Spending time outside on a sunny, fall day. By the water. Camera in my hand. Cowboy boots on my feet. Bruce at my side. Looking forward.

***

If you are in need of hearing an awesome sermon on rest, renewal and sabbath, please check out my friend Tim's sermon this morning at Oakhurst Church. It really is spot on - I am inspired!

2011 Sept 18th The Rhythms of Shalom from Oakhurst Church on Vimeo.

Good night all! xoxo

Finding Your Christian Self

2011-09-25T14:39:00.000-04:00

Good news! I stayed on two feet during my sermon.

I'm trying to relax the afternoon away - hope you are having a great one!

Audio is here.

Philippians 2:1-13

Finding Your Christian Self

This morning’s scripture comes to us in the form of a letter. Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi.

I was leaving the Middle School Youth Group meeting last night when I turned to Bruce.
{Me} Hey Bruce, do you know what Paul’s job was besides being an apostle?
{Bruce} No Sarah, what was Paul’s job?
{Me} He was a baker! You know, because he to go to “fill-a-pie” …
So in all seriousness, Philippi was a city in eastern Macedonia; the present municipality of Filippoi is located in East Macedonia near the ancient ruins of Phillipi in Greece.

The Book of Philippians is dated approximately between the years 60 and 62. The Philippians actually sent a messenger, a man by the name of Epaphroditus, to Paul, who returned with this letter to read to the community.

As an aside, the Book of Philippians, Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, is peculiar because of Paul’s relationship to the Philippians. Paul obviously spent much of his life writing, preaching and community building and rarely accepted payment for what did (he actually supported himself by making tents in Corinth).

Paul did, however, make an exception for the Philippians; he took gifts from that community. So some scholars believe that this letter may have been a response to a gift that Epaphroditus brought to Paul from the Philippians.

All of this is to say that Paul had a very special relationship with the Philippians. He genuinely cared for them and this letter comes from a place of love, a place of gratitude and a place of thanksgiving.

This letter is affectionate, it is an expression of the deep friendship that Paul shared and wished to share with the Philippians and it is filled with a call for unity throughout the city. Paul urged the Philippians to be humble with one another and to always, always remember that all of the works that they did were really God working through them. This letter acts as a reminder that sometimes it is not material gifts that are necessarily the most important; rather it is essential as Christians to embody God’s love for others to see and to be touched by.

Paul reminds the church that to be a believer does not mean to be idle, rather it means to be active. In this particular passage, Paul urged the Philippians to imitate Christ: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,” Paul said.

Actively imitate Christ – that is what it truly means to be a Christian.

Imitation is a tricky thing. It is not a far cry from emulation or mimicking, which have never seemed like genuine traits in a person to me. Surely, that was not was Paul was talking about, was it? Here is the thing: I do not think that it was.

In my research for this morning’s sermon I came across a sermon preached by the Rev. Dr. Carol Kerr at the Blue Point Congregational Church in Scarborough, Maine. Kerr is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and is currently a counselor for Psychological and Spiritual Growth in Portland, Maine. Kerr said the following about this passage and about imitation:

We are creatures of conformity. We are inherently imitators of people around us. Imitation is how we learn at every level. We learn to speak by imitating. … Some things we imitate are innocent enough. But, some things are not. … For better or for worse, we are what we imitate. Although we like to pretend to be unique individuals and nonconformists, the reality is about 99% of what we do is imitating someone. Monkey see, monkey do. Each of us is a mosaic of influences resembling many people in our past and present. The question is not whether you will imitate someone but who you will imitate. … Who do you copy? Who do you aspire to be like and to imitate? Most people at some time in their lives aspire to be rich, like a John D. Rockefeller. … Some people will imitate their favorite sports hero. … Women like to imitate beautiful Hollywood stars. There is a new line of lipstick in the store whose colors are named after the stars that wore them.

Kerr goes on to say:

We are here this morning because we are looking for someone to imitate and the best one we can think of is Jesus. … But, how do you imitate the son of God? We all have seen the bumper sticker “WWJD?” Which stands for “What would Jesus do?” How do you answer that question for yourself and in your particular situation. Do what Jesus would do, but what would Jesus do? Do you wear a toga and sandals? Do you grow a beard? Do you observe the Jewish holidays such as Passover, and worship in a Jewish temple as Jesus did? Some people have actually tried these very things. But, they seem to be missing the point. … How do you imitate Jesus. WWJD? What would Jesus do? Even if we are ready and willing, it seems the bar is set impossibly high. We might as well go back to celebrities with pink lipstick.*

So – in response to Kerr’s remarks: What is it going to be? Celebrities with pink lipstick? Togas and sandals? Or are we called to do something much greater than all of that? Are we called to really imitate Christ? Christ, who – as Paul said – was in the form of God but did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited; Christ, who took the form of a slave; and Christ, who walked in human form, humbled himself and was obedient even to his death on a cross.

Let’s face it: Kerr is right – Jesus did set the bar pretty high. But that does not mean that we cannot try. In fact, the Christian faith is foundationally rooted in individuals, like you and me, choosing to live a life like the one that Christ led. Christianity would not exist as it does today if it were not for over 2,000 years of individuals waking up every day and trying to imitate Christ in their lives.

I can think of a few people that I personally think have done a good job trying throughout their lives, some of whom were very much in the public eye – Mother Teresa obviously comes quickly to mind – and some who I know in my own life. I think of Miguel Giron, the director of the mission that I support in Honduras, who is the face of hope to the impoverished village of Teupasenti and my friends from seminary, who pushed me to do better, to be better, who pray with me and who pray for me. I am inspired by all of those people – and many more – to try harder to be an imitation of Christ in my own life.

Who do you think of? Who inspires you?

But here is where I urge you to be careful. Imitating Christ and being inspired by those who do does not mean losing yourself. You can strive to imitate Christ and you can be inspired by the people that you think really embody the type of person that Christ called us to be. But do not lose sight of who you are. Do not lose sight of the gifts – the unique gifts – that you, as an individual, bring into ministry and bring into this world. Always seek to honor your Christian self.

I wore this stole this morning, because it is a beautiful image of how small, different and unique pieces that are unlike one another can come together to form something so beautiful. Through our imitation we must still strive to be different.

How, then, are we fulfilling our call to imitate Christ? We know that imitating Christ does not mean finding a cookie cutter model and conforming yourself to fit the mold.

Imitating Christ means embarking on a journey to find your Christian self; to listen for God speaking to you, calling you to act a certain way, to walk down a path laid out for you and to be part of a ministry that you will help to thrive. Imitating Christ does not mean that you should look to your neighbor and mimic their actions or expect them to mimic your actions; rather you should celebrate the unique gifts that you both bring to this church and to this world. Imitating Christ does not mean repeating words that were printed on a page and trying to live your life word-for-word according to the bible. It means trying to understand what those words mean in your life today. It means waking up every morning and choosing to live out the gospel message; to spread the good news and to show a Christ-like face to the people that you meet along your journey.

Amen.

*To see full sermon text, please visit: http://bluepointchurch.org/?p=205

Musings Of A Twenty-Something Pastor Part IV

2011-09-24T23:09:00.000-04:00

1. My theory on sermon-writing is pretty simple: If you do not have a good illustration, start with a bad joke.

Warning: Tomorrow's sermon starts with a really bad joke.

2. Our webmaster extraordinaire (his name is actually Bruce and that is what I call him, but I think 'webmaster extraordinaire' has a neat ring to it) embedded a calendar into our church website:

Neat, right? I have had so much fun playing with it and adding events that I am contemplating giving up my paper calendar and 'going google'.

Oh, but I love my paper calendar.

3. I had a Middle School Youth Group Meeting tonight and somehow I found myself comparing images in the church and Christianity to the motion that a baseball coach makes when he's telling someone to steal third.

I'm not sure how I got there.

4. Y'all who commented on this post are absolutely right: The Help is awesome! I'm glad I am reading the book first, but I hear the movie stays true to the book so I am looking forward to seeing it.

5. My sweet husband is currently packing for tomorrow's fishing trip. He seems to be more excited for the fishing trip than my sermon (I'm sure that's not true?) and keeps making comments about needing to be at the fishing spot by 12:09, which is low tide.

I have a feeling that is his subtle way of saying, "Don't get long winded."

We'll see.

{Insert mischievous laugh here}

***

Part I
Part II
Part III

Blast From The Past

2011-09-24T10:39:00.000-04:00

Good Morning!

I've got big and exciting plans today: Sermon tweaking and Food Network watching.

Fueled by a great breakfast: Whole Wheat Toast + Peanut Butter + Granola + Honey.

Bruce and I were looking back on some of my old videos last night and came across the absolute hilarity of our wedding cake disaster. I know some of you have seen it, but I thought I would post it again for anyone who is new to my blog. Enjoy!

1st Anniversary Cake Disaster from Sarah Weaver on Vimeo.

Note to any brides out there: Do not leave the live flowers on the cake when you freeze it.

Friday Night Soaking

2011-09-23T19:43:00.000-04:00

I was out running errands this evening when I decided that instead of driving my car across the parking lot to go to Target, I would just walk. I needed the exercise.

Which was a great idea.

Until I walked out of Target and it was pouring.

Sigh.

A rainy night called for soup.

Chicken & Dumplings, in fact. I bought Campbells and added a bunch of pepper for extra flavor.

Now I am curled up on the couch with the windows open listening to the rain.

And reading this! Next month's book club book. Has anyone read it? I promised myself I wouldn't see the movie until I read the book ...

Something's Fishy

2011-09-23T13:45:00.000-04:00

Bruce left at the house at o'dark'hundred this morning to go fishing and it wasn't long before I received the following picture via text:

He caught his first striped bass! This was actually the last one he caught on today's trip, not the first - but he caught it on his fly rod and was literally jumping up and down with excitement when he got home.

I'm not sure that I will ever get to the point of jumping up and down about a fish, but - let's face it - five years ago if you had told me that I would one day be posting a picture of a striped bass and talking about fly rods on my blog, I would have thought you were nuts.

My how things change.

Love you Bruce. :)

Meanwhile, I was making myself a two-egg sandwich. This was more brunch than breakfast, because I was cleaning my car when I got up and didn't get around to eating until after 10:00.

Mmm, hit the spot - I used some of our Sargento Cheese!

I'm sort of working today. Obviously I wasn't this morning, but I am in the process of switching my days off from Friday to Monday. I did work part of the day on Monday so I gave myself the morning and then headed over to the hospital and now I'm at the office. I'm heading out to visit some church members as soon as I hit publish and then think I'll work on my sermon from an undisclosed location tonight while Bruce is working.

(Spoiler Alert: There is a good chance it will be Starbucks.)

See you later!

So Cheesy

2011-09-22T22:08:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it is necessary: I took the afternoon to disconnect and start in on some much-needed cleaning and organizing. It felt amazing and was a great distraction from everything else on my mind.

Does anyone else ever feel like they are constantly drowning in paperwork? We get so much junk mail and I feel like I can never keep it all sorted! I'm a work in progress when it comes to organization.

Leftover Mexican Soup for dinner! Two nights in a row without meetings = two nights in a row that I get to have dinner with Bruce. Love that equation!

We ate this while counting down until the season premiere of The Office! Did anyone else watch?

So I need to backtrack a little bit. Before I started posting about Troy's case (I really didn't feel right posting about anything else) Bruce and I had a fun opportunity to taste-test cheese as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program.

The program was made possible thanks to a collaboration with Sargento. It was neat - we went to the grocery store and bought some sort of Sargento Cheese, another processed cheese and some sort of cheese pairing for the tasting.

We paired the cheese with crackers with the intention of using the whole plate as an appetizer to this dinner:

It was such a great pairing! Between the different cheeses and the meat and potatoes meal, we were definitely eating hearty that night.

I have a confession: I was a little bit skeptical about this tasting opportunity. I generally buy cheese in block form because I thought cheese was cheese and that if you bought something pre-sliced (the Sargento cheese that we bought was pre-sliced in one of those skinny bags) it didn't have as much flavor as if you had bought the block and sliced/shredded yourself.

So I was shocked when this pre-sliced stuff actually was packed with flavor! Real cheese flavor. The processed stuff tasted more like milk in cheese form than actual cheese. AND (I'm sure you've never looked this closely but I read it on my "tasting sheet" and was curious so I looked) you can actually see the ridges on the Sargento stuff where it was sliced. Apparently processed cheese is melted and then formed into the slices and packed.

That's ... not appetizing. But now it makes sense as to why processed cheese doesn't actually taste like cheese.

Anyway, I was a skeptic, so I'm glad I had the opportunity to do this taste taste. Many many thanks to Foodbuzz and Sargento. Bruce said the words, "this is worth the extra money" after we finished tasting. You know what that means. :)

Okay, it's time for me to bring myself to bed - goodnight!

pssssssst. Foodbuzz and Sargento gave me the funds to buy the cheeses and pairings but didn't pay me to say nice things about it. Over and out.

Final Thoughts

2011-09-22T18:57:00.000-04:00

Last night was tough.

Bruce and I sat on the couch watching TV and getting updates on the case online. We didn't say much to one another. What could we say?

Eventually Bruce went to bed. I turned on Anderson Cooper. I watched his team of journalists try to hold it together. I cried. I texted my friends in Atlanta who I attended vigils/protests for Troy with when I was in seminary and told them that I missed them.

Devastating.

But I woke up this morning and knew I had to pull it together. I needed to make a hospital visit, do some long-term worship prep, reply to an inbox full of emails, etc. etc.

Life goes on. But that doesn't mean that it has to be the same.

Calvin asked me on twitter last night if I could give my thoughts on the entire Troy Davis case as both as pastor and a blogger and I am happy to at least try.

Here is the thing about me and politics. I generally try to stay off of them, especially when it comes to public platforms like the public and my blog. The reality is that I serve a diverse congregation with very diverse opinions and I do not think that it is my job to tell people what to believe or to speak on behalf of them - it is my job to guide them along their own journey. I generally refuse to speak publicly about sticky political issues - the death penalty is one of them.

That being said - how could I not speak out against this? This wasn't a death penalty case. This was a case where the system broke down and a person died because of it. A man was put to death because of a trial based almost solely on eye witness testimony.

Eye witness testimonies that have been pulled by eye witnesses that said they were coerced into saying and signing what they did.

I don't know what happened that day in Savannah. But I do know that - in the end - there was not enough evidence to execute Troy Davis. There was - as everyone kept on saying - too much doubt. The state of Georgia did something last night that they cannot take back.

And that devastates me.

And that is why I felt like I needed to say something.

As a pastor, I will say that we live in an imperfect world. The systems that exist within our world are man made and have faults. I think that every day it is both our right and our responsibility as human beings to try to make a positive impact on this world.

We will never achieve perfection. But we can always strive for something better.

As a blogger, I was blown away by the impact that social media had on the Troy Davis case. This case opened 20 years ago - long before computers, high speed internet, smart phones, Facebook, Twitter and blogging.

And yet - Troy's case would not have gone global without all of those things. Unbelievable to think about.

As we move forward, I think it is important for all of us to remember that we have such a powerful tool in our hands. Our voices can be heard louder than ever before.

Let's use that tool to strive for something better.

Let's use that tool to be united.

Let's use that tool to do great things.

My Thoughts On The Other Side

2011-09-21T20:50:00.002-04:00

I'm emotionally spent.

And now we wait.

Our legal system is such a hot mess. I cannot even imagine the psychological ramifications that this roller coaster of a process (if you can even call it a process) is having on Troy Davis, his family and (I may ruffle some feathers for saying this) Officer MacPhail's family.

Here's the thing.

I am not angry with Officer MacPhail's family. Yes, they are calling for Davis' execution and yes I disagree with them. But they are grieving a life taken too soon. They are trying to find answers in a broken world. They are looking for closure.

Unfortunately, the quest for justice is not black and white, at least not on a human level. No matter what happens in this case, I do not think that justice will be served. No one wins. A man died. A family grieves. Another man's life has been turned upside down by a broken legal system. Another family grieves.

No one wins.

Bless the Lord my soul, and bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord my soul, who leads me into light.

Bruce and I were both in need of a sit down, home cooked meal tonight. We (along with millions) have been glued to social media and news sites all day and I think at some point we realized how much we just wanted to be together right now.

I made Mexican Soup for dinner (I was home first, so I cooked), which is such a yummy fall meal. It was one of the first recipes I ever posted!

Enjoyed with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

Somehow we went from watching NCIS to watching Top Gear. I'll be honest - I don't get the humor (or the fascination with cars) but I get a kick out of the accents. Regardless, I'm not paying much attention - I'm glued to twitter.

I will see you all in prayer.

Modern Day Crucifixion

2011-09-21T12:44:00.001-04:00

Just about six hours to go.

Troy Davis supporters are calling, writing, emailing, faxing and blasting social media. The response has been unbelievable. At this point I am praying that somehow, somewhere - even if I do not see it now - justice will be served.

When will we stop crying, 'crucify him!'?

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."

Luke 23:33-34a

We Shall Overcome

2011-09-20T22:57:00.000-04:00

"In moments of immense sadness, moments that shake the foundation of our faith in the justice system and in mankind, adequate words are scarce."

- NAACP

I hope you'll excuse my lack of regularly scheduled blogging today. It doesn't seem right to talk about food, dresses and other random musings when I am so utterly horrified at the lack of justice shown by our legal system.

If you haven't done so, please sign this petition and tell the Georgia DA to intercede.

oh, deep in my heart

I do believe

that we shall overcome someday

No Words.

2011-09-20T10:42:00.000-04:00

This is what the headline reads on the AJC this morning.

This is not a death penalty debate. This is a justice debate. Tomorrow night an innocent man will be executed.

Our legal system failed Troy Davis, failed his family, failed his supporters and failed the family members of the slain officer who think that this will give them closure.

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Amos 5:24

Kýrie, eléison - Lord, Have mercy.

Colt State Park

2011-09-19T22:41:00.001-04:00

When Bruce started working a few weeks ago, we weren't really sure what his schedule as going to look like so we just kind of took things one day at a time and did the best we could to spend time together when both of us weren't working.

Unfortunately - our schedules were completely clashing! We made due for awhile, but there comes a point where we actually want to see each other, haha. Bruce tends to have Sundays and Mondays off so I have decided to switch my day off so we at least have the option of one day together. I did have some meetings tonight, but we took off this morning to explore Colt State Park in Bristol, Rhode Island.

It was a gorgeous fall day! We were both in jeans and long-sleeved shirts and that was perfect.

I'm starting to wonder if I will ever get used to the fact that I live this close to the coast! I hope not - it's kind of a cool novelty.

Bruce didn't have any fishing rods along on this trip and - of course - we kept passing spots where he could tell there were a lot of big fish. Next time, Bruce!

We weren't really in the mood for a big sit down meal, so we stopped at Panera (we had some other errands to finish in the area) on our way home for lunch:

I had a Thai Chopped Chicken Salad. Very good - they don't skimp on the salad fixin's there!

Dinner was late, because I didn't get home again until 8:30. We started the night by taste testing some cheese for Foodbuzz (more to come on that tomorrow) ...

... and then Bruce pulled this out of the crockpot!

My sweet husband put the following in the crockpot this afternoon:

Beef Roast
1 Can Beef Broth
Potatoes
Carrots
Kale
Splash Liquid Smoke
Splash Vinegar
Pepper

And let it cook on high for a couple of hours.

We haven't used the crockpot in awhile - that needs to change.

Bruce also bought a pumpkin beer to pair with the meal for the two of us to share.

Honestly, I didn't really like it - but I don't like fruity beers so I'm probably the wrong person to ask. Bruce really liked it, though - so don't be deterred by my strange palate!

Wow, 10:45 already? What a day. I really enjoyed the time away, though, even if it was only for half the day. It was so peaceful and a nice escape. Lovely!

Goodnight!

Love. Godiva. Love. Coffee. Love. Fall.

2011-09-19T11:23:00.001-04:00

I received a lovely package in the mail the other day ...

Coffee from Foodbuzz and Godiva!

Godiva has recently come out with fall seasonal flavors (available nationwide, but only for a limited time) and I was sent two bags to review as part of the Featured Tastemaker Program.

We are generally not big flavored coffee drinkers, but Bruce and I both love and adore fall and were intrigued by this review opportunity. I am in the process of changing my day off so that I can spend time with Bruce on his day off (which is Monday) so today we had a lazy morning, tried out our new coffee and had a fall-inspired breakfast to go with it.

We brewed Pumpkin Spice this morning and paired it with ...

Oatmeal, of course! Mine is on the left, Bruce's is on the right.

The coffee paired so nicely with the oatmeal - I think if we had gone with our original plan, which was egg sandwiches, it wouldn't have tasted so good. It's definitely a seasonal drink and should be complimented by other seasonal-esque flavors.

These coffees are a wonderful fall treat and I would recommend at least grabbing one bag this season. I can't wait to try the Caramel Pecan Bark!

pssssssst. Foodbuzz and Godiva sent me this coffee for free but didn't pay me to say nice things about it. Bruce and I both genuinely enjoyed the coffee and can't wait to brew it again. Over and out.

Sunday Night Football

2011-09-18T20:24:00.000-04:00

I am spending my Sunday night in sweatpants, curled up under a blanket and watching football. It's fall!

Dinner was fall-inspired as well:

Chili! The Missions Committee was selling chili at the Rehoboth Block Party yesterday and they graciously offered some of the leftovers to Bruce and me. It was delicious!

I served it up with freshly shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

The thought crossed my mind to be productive and get some general house chores done tonight, but now I'm thinking I would rather ... be lazy.

So instead I will most likely watch football and scour blogs and recipe pages for chili recipes (so I can make some of my own) and then pin them on pinterest.

Sounds like a perfect night to me. What are you guys up to?

Leaving Our Footprint

2011-09-18T14:05:00.000-04:00

I need to get something off of my chest.

I was moving around and hopping from foot to foot while I was preaching this morning (this is actually not the confession, that's just how I preach) when I caught my heal on my pulpit chair and almost wiped out mid-sermon.

I think I held my composure pretty well, but I like to keep things real on here and felt the need to fess up regardless.

source

Today's sermon - I remembered the audio today! That's all here. Enjoy!

***

Philippians 1:21-30

Leaving Our Footprint

I have a confession: I had my sermon basically completely outlined by the end of this week; I had an illustration that I thought was pretty solid and would work well with this particular scripture, the rest I knew would flow and by Friday morning I was in great shape.

So on Friday I snuck away to Connecticut to see the opening night performance of a local production of Shakespeare For My Father, a play written and originally performed by the actor and playwright Lynn Redgrave.

Now some of you know that Lynn was a church member of mine at my church in Connecticut and a good friend of my family. So seeing this play – seeing a character that she based on herself and once played – was meaningful on many levels to myself, to my family and to my extended church family that had gathered in the theater that night.

Shakespeare For My Father is about Lynn’s relationship with her father, Sir Michael Redgrave. Sir Michael played many a Shakespearean roles throughout his lifetime and career and Lynn’s memories and anecdotes of her life with her father are intertwined with Shakespeare’s dialogue throughout the entire play.

Early on in Shakespeare For My Father, Lynn’s character quoted the Bard’s play, As You Like It: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

As soon as I heard that, I immediately lost track of what was happening on stage and knew I needed to make some changes to my sermon when I returned to Massachusetts.

This morning’s scripture comes to us from Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. Paul says to the Philippians, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.”
Paul said, “But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.”

And Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

So if all the world is a stage – the world we are living in, the world we are present in right now, the world that we are in the flesh in, as Paul said – then what characters are we playing right now, in this world, in the flesh?

Paul said that it is necessary for us to remain in the flesh, that there is work that needs to be done here on earth. Paul said that it is imperative that we remain here and that we continue to share our faith with each other and with those around us. Paul said that we need to live with spirit of outreach portion out what we have abundantly with those in need. Paul said that we should live our lives in a manner worthy of the ministry of Jesus and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul was saying that there is work that needs to be done right here, right now. And he was saying that we all need to walk in the path of our journey; to play our own part.

When the actor who played Lynn said the words, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” I immediately thought about this scripture, the scripture that I was preaching on this morning. I couldn’t help but think that this – this world that we are living in – is our stage.
And I couldn’t help but think that each of the characters that we are playing are important, that each of the characters that we are playing are different, that each of the characters that we are playing are irreplaceable and that each of the characters that we are playing have the ability to make a huge impact on that stage – on the world.

Okay, okay, I’m sure that somewhere my 9th grade English teacher’s ears are ringing because I doubt that is actually what William Shakespeare had in mind when he wrote As You Like It. But think about it: What character – what role – are you playing in this world? What character – what role – do you want to play in this world?

Now I would be remiss if I didn’t say that as soon as I heard the sentence, “All the world’s a state, and all the men and women merely players,” I thought about the role that Lynn had on my life and on the lives of the people that I love. But here is the thing: Thinking about the role that she had in my life brought so much joy to me in that moment – because I started to think about all of the wonderful ways that she impacted my life while she was here, on earth, in the flesh, on this stage.

And then I started to think about all of the other saints that have come and gone before me. And I thought about all of the wonderful ways that they impacted my life – those who I knew and those who I didn’t know. So many people have impacted my life because of the time that they spent here, on earth, in the flesh, on this stage.

Who are your saints? Who are the people in your lives who have impacted you because of the life that they lived and the footprints that they left behind?

I wonder how each and every one of us might impact the lives of those who come after us because of the lives that we are living here, on earth in the flash, on this stage, because of the footprints we are leaving behind.

Paul said, “Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that … I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel.” He is challenging the Philippians – and challenging us today – to strive to do great things, to live out the gospel, to be on a constant quest for hope and for peace here on earth.

If we live our lives in the flesh, if we live our lives for today and if we live our lives seeking to live out the Gospel message then we will leave that footprint for those who come after us to see.

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” We are all playing a role in this world in our journeys through life and we will all leave our footprints behind. I think it is important to ask ourselves now, “What do we want those footprints to look like? What paths do we want those footprints to be walking down?”

This scripture text acts as an extravagant invitation to all of us to focus on living in the moment, to be in the flesh and to think about how we can truly walk along a righteous path. This text invites us to think about and look carefully at how the decisions that we are making today are impacting the footprints that we will leave behind one day and to consciously decide what kind of legacy we want to lead.

Every step that we take, every decision that we make, every relationship that we form happens in this moment, on this world, on this stage. But – it also has the ability to impact the lives of so many who will follow behind us. And that is extraordinarily powerful.

What footprint do you want to leave behind?

Amen.

World Problems

2011-09-17T22:42:00.001-04:00

There are days when I think I have the coolest job ever.

I spent the night with the Sr. High Youth Group and we talked about how we were going to fix the world.

You know ... light stuff.

It's funny - I was aggravated on my drive home because of traffic, strategically parked cop cars that made everyone slam on their brakes and construction. But as soon as I gathered with the youth, all of that was forgotten. Hallelujah! Amen.

Early Morning Crisp Walks

2011-09-17T10:41:00.000-04:00

My sister and I took a walk in the cool, crisp 46 degree morning!

Gorgeous! We did about 3 miles - it was lovely!

We came back to my parents house for a home cooked brunch by my dad!

Amaaaazing.

Unfortunately, it's time for me to get back on the road. See you in Rehoboth!

Shakespeare For My Father

2011-09-16T23:25:00.000-04:00

Wow ... Tonight was incredible.

I went with my parents tonight to the opening night of a local production of Shakespeare For My Father, a play written and originally performed by our sweet friend Lynn Redgrave. I'm not sure I can really put into words just how well the actress playing Lynn, Susan Pettibone, embodied Lynn's character. It was unreal, emotional, surreal

It was ... magical.

It was theater at its best. We all miss her so much - but felt like she was there tonight. My hats off to director Jane Farnol and everyone at Theatre Works!

Our night started at The Cookhouse (they need to migrate east to Rehoboth!).

Bread & Biscuits to start off the meal ...

And Chicken Fried Chicken and Sweet Potato Fries for dinner!

(Ironically enough, I had the same meal the night I passed my ecclesiastical council - who knew I would be called to Rehoboth two months later?)

We got back to my parents house and my dad and I promptly went on Samuel French's website and ordered copies of the script. It is just beautifully written and brilliant on so many levels that I want a copy close by my desk!

I'm sorry if this post is so jumbled. My emotions are all over the place tonight. 'Night all!

No one dies who is remembered.

Fall Premieres

2011-09-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Oh myyyyyy ...

I love and adore fall so this morning's weather makes me so ridiculously happy! The air is crisp - and I saw pumpkins yesterday!

Change is on the horizon folks ...

Cool, crisp air calls for a hot bowl of oatmeal, agreed?

That's what I thought.

Today is my day off and I love letting myself have get a slow start to the day! I'm actually heading to Connecticut for the night (Bruce is staying home, boo!) so I should probably think about getting myself packed and on the road!

Random question - I was scouring the internet this morning to see if I could find a preview for next week's NCIS premiere, but came up short. Has anyone seen one?

Small World

2011-09-15T21:35:00.001-04:00

I had lunch today with a clergy friend of mine. We tried out a restaurant that neither one of us had ever been to, Trinity.

VERY cool restaurant. Great menu and not too expensive, either. The atmosphere was quiet for lunch (which was nice, these lunches are really just an opportunity to talk and catch up) but apparently is much louder at dinner, especially when there are big games on (there are tons of TVs and screens that can be pulled down). I want to go back for dinner some time!

I ordered a Chicken BLT (a CBLT?) and Sweet Potato Fries. I was so surprised when the Sweet Potato Fries came out crinkled! I don't think I've seen that before. They were perfectly cooked, too - they weren't overly fried, so you could actually taste the sweet potato.

Funny story: Doug (the pastor I had lunch with) worked with my mom when she was serving a church in Washington, CT. He was serving a church nearby. When she moved to the church in Kent, he did some consulting for her congregation there.

Actually - when I started the process of discernment, she was talking to him one day and told him that I was thinking of going into the ministry (I think at the time she was kind of scared for me, ha!).

Anyway, a few years ago, he started at a church in this area. Then a few weeks ago, an article came out in a local paper about me and my ministry in Rehoboth. The same day it came out, I received an email from Doug, who was kind of flabbergasted that after working with my mom in Connecticut and after she told him that I was going into the ministry, he and I are now down the street from each other in Massachusetts.

Small world, right?

Also - he is brilliant. His blog, ImperfectChurches.org, is based on the idea that no church is perfect. Letting go of the notion that we one day can be is the first step to having a vital ministry. He also has written two books, Challenging The Church Monster: From Conflict To Community and The Honest To God Church: A Pathway To God's Grace. I am so lucky that he is willing to talk with me and help talk me through some of the challenges of being a new pastor.

Alright, it's time for me to wind down. I spent a lot of time talking today and I'm ready to shut the day off. Goodnight!

Perfect Equation

2011-09-15T10:21:00.000-04:00

Oatmeal to go ...

Earl Gray Tea in my favorite mug

=

Happy Sarah.

Have a great day everyone!

See Sarah

2011-09-14T18:46:00.000-04:00

See Sarah.

See Sarah spend most of her day on the phone.

See Sarah lose a battle with her inbox.

See Sarah listen to showtunes all day.

See Sarah get ready for a meeting.

See Sarah not have time to blog about food.

See Sarah hit publish and head to her meeting.

Kickin' Off My Shoes

2011-09-13T22:21:00.002-04:00

What a day!

I had a late lunch and therefore wasn't hungry before I left for a 7:00 meeting. But by the time I got home at 9:30 I wasn't in the mood to cook.

Which means that I had cereal for dinner.

And I kicked off my shoes, pulled down my curly hair and consumed it on my bed while watching The Office.

While still wearing a dress.

I kind of felt like Carrie Bradshaw.

Though I'm really not sure why.

How was your Wear a Dress Tuesday?

Balancing Work & Relationship

2011-09-13T15:27:00.000-04:00

Happy Wear a Dress Tuesday!

I'm never sure what to wear during these in-between seasons. I want so badly for it to be fall but it is still going to be 82 degrees today! Definitely not sweaters-and-boots-weather.

I woke up this morning feeling worlds better than yesterday! Bruce had the day off so I slowly got myself ready and made breakfast for the two of us before I left for work.

Egg & Cheese Sandwiches on English Muffins - for two!

These are so simple to make - they literally take me the time it takes for me to toast the English Muffin! Definitely proof that a good breakfast doesn't require a lot of time.

Speaking of time ... Bruce and I are trying to adjust to our new schedule with him working full-time. Neither one of us work 9-5 jobs so I've been trying to adjust my time away from the office with his days off. It's definitely been a challenge, but we're getting there! Even the little things, like eating breakfast together on days when we won't be able to eat dinner together, make a big difference.

How do you all balance working with relationships?

Still Cooking From The Garden

2011-09-12T22:55:00.000-04:00

Well, the good news is, I think my migraine is starting to move out with the wind.

That's it. Just good news. I'm functioning again and was able to fold some laundry and even do work this evening! I really hate when I'm sidelined due to sickness, so the fact that I could salvage even some time to work will help me out a lot tomorrow.

While I work/relaxed, Bruce cooked!

While the garden took a hit during the hurricane, we still have a few things left. The carrots and the potatoes came from the garden! Bruce paired them with some chicken that was rubbed with a really flavorful glaze. It was great!

Next year we'll know to plant the carrots further away from one another. They were all on top of each other this year and because of that they didn't have much room to grow. So we were able to harvest carrots but they weren't that big - oh well!

It's 11:00 and I am not feeling tired - I guess that's the downside to laying in bed all day trying to avoid light and sound. Here's to hoping I still get a good night's sleep ...

xoxo

Interrupted & Pinterest

2011-09-12T17:05:00.000-04:00

My life has been interrupted by a face-numbing migraine today.

I'm less than thrilled.

Bruce left me in bed this morning with an ice pack on my head and the shades drawn, came home this afternoon and said, "Heyyy, you don't look like death anymore!"

How romantic.

Needless to say - I have nothing to blog about.

So instead I'll talk about the internet's latest obsession, Pinterest. I'll admit, I signed up more out of curiosity than out of a desire to be on the site - but it is pretty neat! I love being able to bookmark things in one place - ideas, websites, recipes, things I'm looking to buy - in one place. And it's fun to see what other people are "pinning" as well.

Follow me here if you'd like!

And Let It Begin With Me

2011-09-11T21:37:00.000-04:00

I'm sure y'all spent the day listening/watching/hearing tributes and recollections of 9/11 and are absolutely emotionally spent as a result of it. I don't have much more to add to what has already been said, but I don't feel right posting and ignoring the subject all together. So I thought I'd share this photo ...

This post sits alongside the water in a park in Plymouth, MA. Bruce and I were both in awe of how something so simple could say so much. It was hard to get one good photo of it, so I did took several from all angles and put them together.

Sweet dreams everyone. We made it through a hard day - together.

Why We Come

2011-09-11T17:24:00.000-04:00

What an incredible morning! I saw so many faces in church that I haven't seen in awhile - it was great to hear the choir back, to be with the kids during children's time and to see a sanctuary full of people. My heart is full and my cup overflows.

Here's today's sermon - and subsequently my reflections on the anniversary of September 11th. Unfortunately, I got so caught up on Rally Sunday that I forgot to record it! Eek! Oh, well ...

***

Romans 14:1-12

Why We Come

Several months ago I looked at my calendar and realized that the ten-year anniversary of September 11th would likely fall on Rally Sunday. And to be quite honest, I have had mixed feelings about the timing of things ever since.

Rally Day is supposed to be a time of great celebration; a time of laughter and joy, of eager expectations of new possibilities and of hope for all good things to come. It seems appropriate for me to preach a sermon full of life, jokes, wisdom and passion. And yet – yet – should we be joking and laughing on a day like today?

Now I know there are differing opinions about how to honor an anniversary such as the ten-year anniversary of September 11th. There are people that think we should be somber and mournful, there are people that think we should rejoice in the opportunity to move forward with hope and there are people who are not quite sure what to think. And I think that everybody is right – there is no right or wrong way to respond to a day like today.

So I will start with a story.

Over the past couple of weeks I have spoken with several clergy in the area about what their churches are doing to honor and commemorate the ten-year anniversary of September 11th. And in their descriptions, many of them described the sermons that they preached on Sunday, September 16, 2001, the Sunday that immediately followed the attacks on the United States. And that got me thinking …

I was 16-years-old on September 11, 2001. I was a junior in high school, actually looking for something in my locker in between classes when I overheard someone say that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers. As I hustled to my next class, I heard snippets of conversations that made me realize that this was not just an unfortunate accident.

Yet despite what all of this meant for our country, I was worried about something much more personal.

At the time, a good friend of our family was a pilot; he flew for American Airlines and flew the New York to Los Angeles route. When I heard that two planes, headed for Los Angeles, had struck the twin towers, I immediately started to panic that Lou was piloting one of the jets because I knew he was scheduled to be out of town. I made it through my next class, but as soon as the bell rang I shot up, forgot about where I was supposed to go and ran to my father’s office in the music department in a state of hysteria.

My dad, at that point, knew more than I did and was able to tell me that the planes had flown out of Logan and that Lou was safely in California. I think I stayed in the music wing of my school for the rest of the school day. There was something about being near to my father that made me feel safe in the midst of all of the confusion that was happening.

Heather Armstrong, who has authored several books and writes the blog, dooce.com, said the following as she recollected that day, living in Los Angeles at the time:
I immediately got in the car and headed back home because I desperately needed to be with Jon [her husband]. I thought of my family a bit, mostly my mother, but I wanted Jon. If Los Angeles was next on the list, and they thought it would be for the weeks that followed, then I wanted to be with Jon when it happened.

Like Heather and despite my adolescent age of 16, in that moment I wanted to be with my family. I wanted to feel protected, to know that I was safe and I wanted desperately to find something good in the tragedy that was unfolding that day.

And when those memories started to come back to me, I realized that I could not think of a more perfect place to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 than right here, with my church family.

It is Rally Sunday; and what a perfect scripture we just heard as we come back from a summer away and we continue to reignite the spirit of our church community: “Welcome those who are weak in faith … for God has welcomed them,” Paul writes.

This scripture is the perfect example of why we need to understand what is written in the bible within the context that it was written in. In this letter, Paul urged the church in Rome not to despise and/or pass judgment on one another for what they were eating or abstaining from eating. And if we took that literally, it wouldn’t really be that relevant to us. But in Rome, at that time, food was more than just something people put into their bodies; it was a divisive theological point of contention between the Jews and the Gentiles. But Paul was saying, “That’s not what really matters”.

We have those types of issues here. We do not necessarily argue about food, but we do not all agree on everything all the time, we do not always get along and there are divisive issues that are difficult to work through. And I have said it before and I will say it again: It’s normal – and it’s okay. But Paul said, “That’s not what really matters”.

I have a question for you: Why do you come to church? Why do you come to this church?

It is not a trick question, but it is one that I always ponder. And it is one that I would like to attempt to answer today – today, on the ten-year anniversary of September 11th and today, on Rally Sunday.

We come to church because, for many of us, our families live far away and this is our family. We come to church because we want to feel comforted and protected in a world that is fast moving, that is unpredictable and that is oftentimes scary.
We come to church because we are tired and we want to be renewed. We come to church because we crave spiritual nourishment. We come to church because we have questions and are not sure how to seek out the answers. We come to church because we do not want to take this journey through life alone. We come to church because we know that the problems that exist in the world are much to great for us to face as individuals. We come to church because we are inspired by the life and ministry that Jesus had and we want to walk in his steps. We come to church because we feel connected to those who have come before us; those who now watch over us. We come to church because we know – despite the differences that threaten to divide us from our neighbors – we are one; we are united through the grace showered upon us all by God. We come to church because when scary things happen in the world – and they will – we want to be with our family.

Paul urged the church in Rome not to judge one another and I do think that is an important lesson to take out of this text. But I also think it is important to look at why Paul is telling us not to judge each other. Paul says, “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or we die, we are the Lord’s.”

I cannot think of a better way to honor the lives lost, to represent a beacon of hope for the future and to take a step towards peace on earth than to rally our church back for another year and worship together in harmony.
Peace on earth does not have to be some unattainable, outlandish vision that we can never really achieve. It can come from individuals choosing to come together, to put aside differences and to live as one, united by God’s grace.

We are so lucky to be a part of this community; to love one another, to support one another and to be in ministry with one another. It isn’t always easy. But God is always, always with us on our journey.

I think it is going to be a great year. Praise be to God!

Amen.

Blogging & Birthdays!

2011-09-10T20:39:00.003-04:00

What a fun day! I was able to get a lot of work done this morning and then snuck out of town to meet Kate & Benjamin for Owen's 1st Birthday Party!

Kate and I met through our blogs when I was still living in Atlanta. I never would have thought one day I would live within an hour of them - how fun! I love getting to meet bloggers.

Owen's birthday was actually at the end of July, but because so many people were out of town Benjamin and Kate celebrated in July and then had a party this weekend. I see nothing wrong with celebrating twice, agreed?

I saw something on twitter last night about a six layer cake, but I didn't really put two and two together until Kate started cutting the cake today ...

Isn't that amazing?

I loved the rainbow theme!

Kate & Benjamin are just as sweet in person as they are on their blog - it was so great to finally meet them in person!

And Owen?

Oh my goodness adorable.

And so grown up! I remember when he was born!

Tomorrow is Rally Sunday at the church! It is going to be a busy, busy Sunday so I am going to rest up and get myself centered. Deeeeep breaths.

Goodnight!

For Love Of Fall & Starbucks

2011-09-09T21:12:00.003-04:00

First Caramel Apple Spice of the season!

Technically, these are available year round. But I think they taste better in the fall, agreed?

I feel like I am still ridiculously behind in work and in life, so after my funeral this afternoon I went to Starbucks to get a change of scenery. For some reason, I work so much better in coffee shops! Too bad I can't work there all the time ...

What's your favorite fall beverage?

Changing Seasons And More!

2011-09-09T12:06:00.001-04:00

Doesn't this bowl of oatmeal LOOK like fall?

I don't know, maybe I'm weird. But I think so! :)

Mmm, so delicious. 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup water on the stovetop. I stirred in the granola at the end and topped with a spoonful of peanut butter!

Besides the seasons, guess what else is changing? My blog! The general design is going to remain the same, but I am finally switching over to wordpress and will have so many more options after that. I have called upon the fabulous web design help of Julie at Savvy Eats (Savvy Blog Services) to help me and we're getting ready to start now!

I cannot wait - blogger was a great blogging platform to start on, but the versatility of wordpress cannot be matched. Hopefully we'll be up and running in a couple of weeks! Hooray!

Thank You, PW

2011-09-08T22:12:00.000-04:00

Alternatively Titled: My husband always loves me a little bit more when I make The Pioneer Woman's Macaroni and Cheese for dinner.

Bruce generally thinks that all things blogging, food blogging and celebrity are a little bit ridiculous and over the top.

So you could imagine my surprise when he sat down last Saturday and watched The Pioneer Woman's cooking show on the Food Network. She was making her Macaroni and Cheese and served it up with a toppings bar.

Bruce kept talking about how good that recipe is, so I offered to make it tonight.

Bruce texted me this afternoon and asked if I could make some bacon with the M&C - that was one of the toppings she made for that particular episode and he couldn't get it out of his head.

I was more than willing. I love when Bruce requests something that I actually know how to make.

Yes, please.

I followed her recipe verbatim, so I won't post it again here. But trust me when I say it's relatively easy (it is a little time consuming, but you just need to take things one step at a time!) and it is to.die.for.

We're settled in for a night of FOOTBALL! My husband is a diehard Packers fan, so we're pretty much just camped out in front of the TV for the rest of the night.

Tomorrow is Friday! I have a funerals on Friday and Saturday and a really big Sunday at church so I kind of have to work all weekend, but there is something about Friday that still makes me think, "Phew! You made it."

Goodnight!

Nelson Mandela On Love And Hate

2011-09-08T17:36:00.000-04:00

I was doing some research for a Service of Peace & Memorial that we are having on Sunday morning to honor the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 and came across a quote from Nelson Mandela that I thought was worth sharing ...

It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.

I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there is mercy and generosity. No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

Long Walk To Freedom

Be Still And Know That I Am God

2011-09-08T14:42:00.000-04:00

I just had a wonderful lunch with some of my sweet church members!

We went to Autumn's Cafe & Catering, which is a little cafe up the road from the church. I actually had never been there before, but know they have catered several of the funerals I have done and always have done a great job. Today's lunch did not disappoint! I had a Turkey Tex-Mex. Complete with guacamole, mmmm ...

***

I've been working all day, but I'm honestly a little distracted by the flooding that's been going on in the northeast.

source

These pictures were taken not far from where my inlaws, all of Bruce's family and many of our friends live so I am a little jumpy right now. I will just continue to pray that everyone will stay safe. I hate being so far away and not being able to do anything!

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not hear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

"Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us.

- Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11a

First Day Of School

2011-09-07T20:59:00.003-04:00

I felt the need to take a "first day of school" picture today. I realize I'm not in school and I realize I do not have children that are in school. However - our district went back today and I got stuck in first-day-of-school-traffic on my way to work this morning (and I literally live 2.5 miles from church) - so I felt like I was part of it.

That one's for you, Mom!

(My mom always took "first day of school" pictures - even (or especially?) when my friends and I thought it was ridiculously uncool.)

Bruce had dinner waiting for me when I got home today!

Taco Salads, mmm ...

This totally hit the spot. Ever since we got our power back I've been dreading going to the grocery store - we had to throw away so much! But because I don't want to go, there isn't much to cook, which kind of has me in a funk. Meh. I guess little by little we'll build things back up again.

Alright, it's time for me to shut down my computer and spend some time with Bruce before we go to bed! But just out of curiosity - did y'all ever take "first day of school" pics? I wonder if my mom can dig through her photo albums and find my old ones. I bet they're hysterical!

What Noah Didn't Have

2011-09-07T09:34:00.001-04:00

I was driving into work this morning and realized that I never posted this week's sermon! I was having problems with the audio after church on Sunday and said I would try again but never did. As usual, audio is here. Here you go!

Genesis 6:11-22

What Noah Didn't Have

So … how was everybody’s week?

I think the highlight of mine was probably some point on Thursday morning when I sent Bruce a series of nine text messages explaining the unwritten code of coffee shop conduct when it comes to internet and outlet usage and how a man had broken it at Starbucks that morning and stole the outlet that I was planning on using that morning to work.

When Bruce did not respond in a timely manner I then called my mother to explain it to her over the phone while she was trying to work.I thought I had hit my breaking point.

I invite you all to share yours with each other after church – I think we have reached the point where we can joke about it.

Regardless, this week without power has given me a lot of time to think. I think it is safe to say the same for those of you sitting here this morning in worship. As a society we are not used to living for an extended period of time without simple luxuries like electricity and running water. We are not used to not having answers when we ask questions directly and we are not used to having to wait. We are not used to actually having to trust that things are going to be okay. We are not used to not being able to control the things going on around us.

And as New Englanders, we are not necessarily used to hurricanes either. We are not used to the work that goes into preparing for them. We are not used to waiting and wondering what is going to happen. We are not used to simply not knowing.

Now you all know that I tend to preach from the Revised Common Lectionary. It gives me, as a preacher, focus and direction and it gives us as, a church community, the opportunity to live out the Christian Year and to really experience the seasons.That being said, I threw away the lectionary this week. Because sometimes life and context are more important to preach on; and this week life got a little hectic. I decided to preach on Noah and the flood because there was a question that kept popping into my head over the last week and a half.

And so now I will pose that question for you: Do you ever wonder how overwhelming or frustrating or even scary it must have been for Noah to prepare for such a flood all by himself?

That thought crossed my mind several times as I prepared the church and the parsonage for Hurricane Irene last week and then reacted after it happen this past week. Noah did not have church leaders to converse with as decisions about cancelling meetings, events and worship had to be made. Noah did not have friends offering to help at all hours of the night. Noah did not have family and friends checking in on him through calls, text messages and emails. Noah did not have a consistent flow of media reporting on the storm and the power outages with the latest updates. Noah did not have a governor issuing a state of emergency. Noah was not able to grab a case of water or non-perishable food items. Noah could not access websites and radio stations giving tips on how to best ride out the storm. Noah did not have people whose neighborhoods were recovering more quickly offering water, showers and electricity to charge electronics.

How lucky am I? I have all of those things.

How lucky are we? This past week – despite the frustrations that we all inevitably felt at one point or another – we were blessed with all of those things.

God told Noah to build an ark, to cover it with a roof, to put doors on the side and to add multiple decks to it. God told Noah to bring his family and their families and two of every type of animal in the world onto the ark with him. God told Noah to make sure that there was enough food on the ark to keep everyone alive during the flood. And Noah did all of these things.And he did them without the same kind of support that we all had as we weathered last week’s hurricane.

Hurricane (or Tropical Storm) Irene may have caused us all several inconveniences these past two weeks, but at least we were all able to experience those inconveniences together. We live in a time and age of such vibrant communities and connections with and to our brothers and sisters in faith. With the ability to quickly connect with and to one another through phone calls, text messages, emails, facebook and twitter—outreach and support flow freely like a fast moving river.

A friend of mine who is a pastor in Florida called me the Saturday night before the storm to see how I was doing. It was so wonderful to hear her reassuring voice give me some practical hurricane tips and tell me that everything was going to be okay.

And that was only the beginning. There was not a single day this past week that I did not receive a phone call, an email, a text message or a facebook message either from someone in this community or a friend or family member from near and far checking in on me and checking in on the church.I felt reached out to, I felt loved and I felt completely supported.

And I would be willing to bet that if you all put aside the frustrations of the storm and the lack of power and water and some of the communication issues with National Grid and really, really thought about everything that has gone on over the past week or so, you might feel reached out to, loved and completely supported as well.

There is a community in Taize, France, which is in the eastern region of France, called the Taize Community. The Taize Community is an ecumenical monastic order composed of 100 brothers of both Protestant and Catholic traditions. The order focuses on meditation through prayer and song and silence to really connect to God on an individual and personal level. Every year thousands of people visit Taize to experience not only the worship, but also the monastic life of the brothers.

The worship hymns of Taize are very simple and very repetitive. They are written in Latin, but of course have been translated into English. There is one hymn in particular that I kept singing quietly these past two weeks as we prepared for and then reacted to the hurricane. It is called Ubi Caritas et Amor, which in English translates to Where True Charity and Love Abide. The song goes: Ubi caritas et amor,ubi caritas Deus ibi est. That translates to in English:Where true charity and love abide,God is dwelling there; God is dwelling there.

Was God present with Noah as he prepared for the flood? Yes. Has God been present with all of us as we prepared ourselves for and then dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Irene? Yes. But the difference between then and now is that we could see God dwelling – like the hymn says – through the love and charity extended to all of us by our brothers and sisters, by one another.

We could see God dwelling in every phone call made out of concern for a friend or a family member. We could see God dwelling in every bottle of water or box of food dropped off to someone in need. We could see God dwelling in the hours and hours of overtime put in my police forces and utility workers. We could see God dwelling in the time and energy given to our community by the volunteer fire and ambulance crews. We could see God dwelling in the one member of our household that was not melting and who continuously said throughout the entire ordeal, “It is going to be okay”. We could see God through the relief crews that traveled and are continuing to travel day and night to areas that were affected more than their own.

Even though we were frustrated – I really do believe that we could see visible signs of God all around us this week.

Where true charity and love abide – God is dwelling there, God is dwelling there.God is dwelling here.

Noah waited weeks and weeks and weeks before he finally saw a visible sign of God’s dwelling presence in the olive leaf that a dove brought back to him.How lucky are we that we were able to visibly see God in the midst of everything that went on?

Where true charity and love abide – God is dwelling there, God is dwelling there.God is dwelling here.

Amen.

All Lit Up

2011-09-06T22:49:00.002-04:00

Bruce pointed out that when I blogged about our new table and hutch I should have shown the hutch in its real glory.

All lit up!

I love how the lights and the mirrors and the glass reflect off of one another. One of my new favorite things to do is to just have those lights on (and maybe the stove light) and just relax in the kitchen or living room. It is so peaceful.

Does anybody else have favorite places in their houses?

Crazy Days And Rainy Haze

2011-09-06T21:01:00.003-04:00

Happy Wear a Dress Tuesday!

The rain really made the air smell like fog today - it was wonderful! I was so excited to pull on a fall-inspired Wear a Dress Tuesday outfit. It's time for boots!

Today really just got away from me (hence posting at 9 pm). I was scrambling this morning to finish some stuff up (between the power outage and Labor Day I feel like I lost a week and a half off of my life) and then headed down to Fairhaven, Massachusetts to have lunch with some of the other women clergy in my association. We do this every 4-6 weeks and it is such a wonderful time of fellowship and collegial ministry. As someone who is just starting out, I feel like these women give me so much!

I had to take a screenshot picture of the map on my phone while I was driving, because there are seriously days when I cannot get over how close I am to water. Every now and then I drive along the water and see rows and rows of sailboats and want to open my window and ask people if they think it is as cool as I do.

They probably do not.

So I refrain.

Lunch was delicious, but (per usual) the conversation was better.

I cannot believe how late it is - where did the day go?! Sheesh. Ever have one of those days?

See New England With The Weavers Volume 1

2011-09-05T20:23:00.000-04:00

Bruce and I have been in dire need of some time alone and away lately, so we spent a little bit of time planning a day trip this morning.

(Oh - I guess I should say that when I say 'planning' I mean we decided where we wanted to go, used our phones to get us there, got a map at the visitors center once we got there and then played it by ear for the rest of the day. I love our method!)

Our destination?

Plymouth Rock! Plymouth, Massachusetts is only about an hour from us and was such an easy drive. It's a port town, so once we were able to do some touristy and beach-type things.

(The rock is in there!)

The Mayflower!The historic sites in Plymouth are absolutely unreal ...

An old courthouse ...

I was the judge!

Bruce was the jury!

(I absolutely adore this sign!)

This is the First Parish Church. It is was the name implies - the first church in Plymouth. The history behind this church is actually kind of fascinating. It was founded in 1606 in England and came over on the Mayflower. It was the original 'meetinghouse' in Plymouth, but made the move to become Unitarian in 1800! There was a lot of controversy with the move and several members ended up leaving and founding their own church ...

The Church Of The Pilgrimage. This church was founded as a congregational church and is now a member of the United Church of Christ - part of the Massachusetts Conference, just like the Rehoboth Congregational Church! I was peaking in the windows and Bruce said, "You really want to get inside, don't you?" Ha - yes I did. :)We were starting to lose some momentum, so we stopped for a quick bite to eat at a little cafe.

Can you believe we actually split this sandwich? This was only my half! I don't know why we have never thought of this sooner, but by splitting something we saved some money and didn't waste any food (on trips like this we can't really take leftovers). Energy restored! The walking / picture taking may commence.

A working grist mill!

It was such a GORGEOUS day out!

There are times (most of them in fact) that neither one of can really believe how close we are to the water - I love it!

I love him.Today was really everything that we needed - both individually as a couple. We both feel so refreshed and ready to take on the week!

Rest.

2011-09-05T10:34:00.003-04:00

Happy Labor Day, friends!

We are really going to try to grasp onto the concept of Labor Day today. We both could really use the non-distracted time away.

Grace & peace to you - have a great day!

Kara-Age Chicken

2011-09-04T21:50:00.000-04:00

Tonight's dinner was courtesy of Foodbuzz's Tastemaker Program and Kikkoman!

I was intrigued with this Kikkoman Kara-Age as soon as I opened the box. Kara-Age is a Japanese fried dish with soy and ginger flavors. I don't really eat a whole lot of fish, so I decided to prep it with chicken. It was incredibly easy.

Kara-Age Chicken

1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 package Kikkoman Kara-Age Seasoning

Water

Vegetable Oil

(Don't you love four ingredient meals?)

The seasoning was really simple to use. I first cut the chicken into bite-size nuggets. Then I rinsed off the chicken with water and dropped the wet pieces of chicken in a bowl with the seasoning (no dredging in flour/eggs - it simplified the process a lot!). I tossed everything together so that the chicken would be coated and dropped the nuggets into hot vegetable oil (I heated the oil to about 300-325 degrees). I let them cook for about 10-15 and then drained the excess oil. See? Very easy!

To compliment the soy and ginger, I served the Kira-Age Chicken with sticky white rice and broccoli cuts. It was a fantastic combination!

The flavor was actually a lot more subtle than I thought it was going to be. When I first opened the seasoning package, all I could smell was ginger - but the taste wasn't overwhelming.

(This was a fabulous end to the meal!)

I was honestly a little bit wary when I was making dinner because I have never done a ton of cooking with ginger before. That being said - I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out! It's definitely something I would try again.

And (I cannot believe I am about to say this) I think I might even try it again with some kind of fish. Most people know that I never eat fish (I just never had a taste for it), but I just think this seasoning would bring out an awesome flavor on a subtle-tasting (read: not overly fishy) fish. So we'll see!

What are everyone's thoughts on cooking with ginger? Does anyone have any recipes or cooking methods they would suggest? Now I'm curious ...

***

Now for some legal chatter: I was contacted by the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program and Kikkoman to do a review of this specific product and was given the product free of charge. However - the opinions I expressed in this post were completely my own. Over and out. Amen.

Welcome To My (New) Table!

2011-09-04T15:33:00.004-04:00

A few months ago the church was gifted several large pieces of furniture - some of it was sold in our yard sale, some of it is being used in the church and there were a few pieces that still needed homes.

In the end, those pieces ended up at the parsonage! We knew we needed to replace our DIY-Spray-Painted-Weathered-IKEA Table and Goodwill Chairs but weren't quite sure what we wanted. These pieces actually match the kitchen cabinets and will be great for this house long-term so we were happy to bring them in now!

I love that the chairs are padded! There are actually eight chairs in total - the four we have out have arms, the other four do not. And there is an additional leaf that will lengthen the table if we need it bigger.

This is Bruce's favorite part of the set - a beautiful, huuuuge hutch! We finally unpacked all of our glassware and we love how it looks!

I love the mirror in the back - it actually opens up the kitchen and makes everything look bigger!

I love that this runner (that was embroidered by Bruce's great-aunt and a wedding gift) doesn't cover up all the wood, but does dress the table up a little bit.

I am geekily excited about mealtime now. Anyone want to come over for dinner?

A Lesson In Why My Husband Rocks

2011-09-03T22:33:00.000-04:00

Bruce called to tell me he was on his way home from work tonight and I proceeded to launch into a ten minute description of a brownie that I was craving that they used to (maybe they still do?) sell at one of the Emory food courts.

He then asked me who was winning the Oregon/LSU game.

I replied, "I really wish we had brownies."

To which he replied, "If we ever have kids, I'm not going to be able to handle your pregnancy cravings."

And yet he walked into the door with this.

I love him.

Goodnight.

Creative Cooking

2011-09-03T16:15:00.001-04:00

I was just looking through my camera and found some photos that I had taken on Sunday in the middle of the storm - we were still enthusiastic about feeling innovative about the lack of power at that point.

That eventually wore off.

Once we had been downgraded to a tropical storm, we were craving something hot to eat. We didn't want to have to open and shut the fridge or the freezer a whole lot - not that it mattered in the end :( - so we decided to go with a simple grilled cheese and tomato soup. We don't have a gas stove, so we made both on the grill!

We used the side burner for the soup and wrapped the pot in foil so that the wind wouldn't blow out the flame. It wasn't perfect, but it worked.

I set the table.

Side note - if you are without electricity and do not know when it will be restored, it is best not to use actual dishes.

Because six days later, those dishes will be gross.

Bruce was finishing up the grilled cheese when he heard a CRACK!

LOOK!

There goes the top of a tree ...

Man, this hit the spot that day.

With freshly dried basil!

Once the storm seemed to have passed, we took a drive. It was so strange to see everyone out and about, assessing the damage, chatting with their neighbors, etc. Our lives really are impacted by the technology we are connected to.

The immediate damage:

After that point, the food went bad and we pretty much just ate out. I have to say - it has been nice not to have to drive to get to food today!

And when I think things like that I realize just how blessed I am.

It's College Football Time And It's Fabulous

2011-09-03T12:11:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess that was it for our gardening this year.

Thanks Irene.

Poor tomatoes.

We'll see what we can salvage - but oh my goodness.

Oh well - there's always next year!

We haven't gotten out to the grocery store yet today, but we did have some bagels in the pantry, which meant a whole wheat bagel (toasted) + peanut butter + granola + honey was on the menu for breakfast this morning.

Mmm.

Drinking Fat Puppy Colombian Supremo - it's so nice to use my own coffee maker again!

***

If you need to find me today I will be watching football all.day.long. 3 1/2 years in Georgia has given me an undying love for all things SEC Football. It's the most wonderful time of the yearrrrr ...

Bruce and me at a Bulldogs game in 2009. I wore a dress!

We're currently watching Utah State at Auburn. War Eagle!

Who are you rooting for today?!

The Storm In iPhone Pics

2011-09-02T18:05:00.002-04:00

Woo-hooooooo the power's back!

It feels so great to be blogging on my computer at home! I'm still trying to get my house put back together, but at this point I don't care.

By the way - dishes are wicked gross if they haven't been washed in five days.

Emphasis on the word gross.

So in the meantime I thought I'd download and upload some of my iPhone pics from the past couple of days.

I did not take pictures of the dishes.

You're welcome.

Someone did NOT like the storm!

Our driveway the morning after the storm - not bad at all.

Trees ...

... down ...

... everywhere.

Apparently this was not the source of OUR power problems.

2011 Christmas Card?

My hats off to the crews who have been working so tirelessly to get everything back up and running!

Our bedtime ritual, haha.

Yep. Every night.

Driving was ... um ... scary.

I love them.

This is a video I took on Sunday morning - the winds got worse throughout the day, but still ... nowhere near the 150 mph that some areas have the country have seen with Category 4s and 5s.

Hurricane Irene from Sarah Weaver on Vimeo.

Alright - enough babbling from me. Anyone else still waiting on power?

Deep Breath.

2011-09-02T11:32:00.002-04:00

First of all - I love you guys. When the comments came in after last night's post I felt so loved and even laughed and smiled at some of the funnier stuff that y'all said.

After I cried, blogged and drank some water, Bruce and I turned on our trusty radio, lit some candles and I did a puzzle while he tied flies with some new material that he bought at work. In all honesty - the dark nights really aren't bothering me (they are actually kind of peaceful!) - it's the lack of water!

The good news is that the power IS back at the church (a few things are still not working, but they apparently come from a different line than everything else) and our phone and internet have been restored. So I do have access to outlets that I don't have to fight Starbucks-patrons for, water out of a tap, lights that turn on with a switch and wifi.

It's the little things.

And honestly - you all have kept me so sane throughout this blackout. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't seen the encouraging comments come through every day. You encouraged me when I tried to be strong and let me melt down when I hit my breaking point. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

So - hey! Maybe next time I blog I'll be at home on my own network!

The Most Depressing Fairytale Ever

2011-09-01T21:12:00.002-04:00

Once upon a time there was a girl who had been without power for five days.

That girl was in her office at church one Thursday afternoon when the power came back. The girl was ecstatic and called her church leaders to give them the great news. The phone and Internet weren't back yet but the girl was happy to work without them. At least she could turn the lights on!

Later that night the girl drove up her street and noticed that the power lines that had been tangled in trees since Sunday had been cleared and every house on the street had power.

The girl was getting ready to open her car window and give her husband (who was following in his truck) a fist pump when she noticed that everything went dark the house before hers.

Apparently her house is on another grid.

A grid that has not yet been fixed.

The girl cried.

The End.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Pysche Is Playing Tricks On Me

2011-09-01T11:13:00.000-04:00

I had a dream last night that I was laying on my bed and all of a sudden the television in our room turned on - the power was back!

And then I woke up.

And the TV was not on.

Neither was the fan.

Or either one of our clocks.

Deep breath.

I asked for a venti this morning.

The good news is that according to National Grid 85% of Massachusetts has their power restored. While it is depressing that I am part of the lone 15% without power (as is the church and a large percentage of my church members), at least at this point there is less ground for National Grid to cover.

Alright, I'm settled into Starbucks to get some work done. You can tell that people are getting their power back because it is less crowded today!

Tavolino

2011-08-31T20:01:00.001-04:00

Still no power.

I don't want to talk about it.

I've reached the point where I spontaneously burst into tears when I think about all of the food I had to throw away yesterday.

I know it could have been a lot worse. I know we were lucky. I know I am coming from a place of privilege.

But - honestly? I'm getting frustrated.

My mom must have thought I sounded pathetic when I talked to her on the phone today because she offered to treat Bruce and me for dinner. He was working until 5 so I surprised him at work and we picked a place in Patriot's Place, Tavolino.

(I don't know how to link from my phone!)

We started with a Fried Cheese appetizer, which was super smoky! And the marinara sauce was spicy - I was totally not expecting it. But it was a great starter.

As was this!

I went with the house salad topped with garlic crusted grilled chicken. I had the waitress put ground pepper on it - there was so much flavor!

We opted out of dessert and for a walk around Patriot's Place.

They're getting ready for tomorrow night's Patriot's game - football season already?!

Okay, friends. We need some prayers around here. I'm not going to ask for prayers that the power comes back but I am going to ask that you pray for our patience and sanity. I think (okay I know!) people are starting to lose both. I don't want accidents/fights/etc. to break out because of frustration.

xoxo

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It's The Little Things Apparently

2011-08-31T13:59:00.001-04:00

I swear every time I see one of these ...

I want to put my car in park, get out and hug the men who are working to bring our power back.

Day 4 with no power and I keep reminding myself that it could have been a lot worse. Deep breath. Amen.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The View From My Kitchen

2011-08-30T22:47:00.000-04:00

We're getting used to it.

Thank you Steve and Cheryl for letting me use your Internet and Sue for letting me shower and do laundry! I am insanely blessed with generous church members.

Oh Irene ...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Slowed Down

2011-08-29T20:52:00.001-04:00

Bruce and I have been out and about all day - it's honestly kept us sane (sitting in the house or my office without power is a great way to get frustrated with the situation and at one another!).

So let's see ... A local UCC pastor and friend of ours had power at her church and graciously offered the space to charge and check email on something other than my phone - it was greatly appreciated! We were also able to talk 'church' for awhile and the wheels in my brain are now spinning fast with ideas. Thank you Virginia!

When we got home Bruce and I took a walk down the street to see some of the damage and saw that some of our church members / neighbors were out in their yard so we stopped in for a visit.

After that I had a meeting with a church member so I headed down to the church and Bruce came along for the ride and did some fishing while I met. I rode with Bruce to another fishing hole after that and then we finished the night at Panera and Target.

Honestly - things aren't looking good for power in Rehoboth right now. But we are starting to get into a routine and have some friends lined up that have power and have offered showers and electrical outlets for charging. All in all, I'm still saying that this could have been a lot worse.

The neat thing about this whole situation is the fact that the sense of urgency that normally accompanies life is gone and I've been able to have some wonderful conversations. I have been forced to slow down and I do not think it is such a bad thing.

Bruce and I are settling in for a night of reading and tying flies by candlelight (I'm guessing you know who's doing what) and it is honestly so peaceful right now.

I pray I find ways to recreate that peace once the power comes back and life fires up again.

Wishing you all peace for your journey ...

Sarah

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I Think I've Found The Source Of The Power Outage

2011-08-29T18:31:00.001-04:00

Big oy.

It may be awhile, friends!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

12 Hours

2011-08-28T20:46:00.000-04:00

Bruce just caught me crying over the book, 'Onward' by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

Either the book is striking some hard chords with me or I've been without power and water for 12 hours with no projected end in sight.

I'm thinking it's a little bit of both.

Wishing everyone a restful night's sleep!

xo
Sarah

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ms. Irene

2011-08-28T12:09:00.003-04:00

We are currently without power but - all things considered - are feeling lucky.

We're downgraded to a tropical storm at this point but I think it may be awhile before the power comes back on. Once the winds die down I do want to head over to church to check for any flooding. Our road is a mess and it seems to be getting worse so that may be awhile!

We lost power before I could post my devotional so I'll try to transfer it to my phone and post sometime today!

Bruce and I were just walking the yard (carefully!) and agreed that in a weird way it smells like fall right now! For some reason that is some comfort.

The sun keeps trying to poke its way out - sort of like our own olive branch!

Stay safe everyone! xoxo

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Since You Listened To Me Worry All Day ...

2011-08-27T23:04:00.001-04:00

... I'll pop in and say that Bruce made it home safe and sound!

Outtake.

From the sounds of things, Irene hasn't been hitting as strongly as the reports had initially indicated. I am hoping that will be the case with us, too.

I will be back in the morning with an Irene-inspired devotional - goodnight all!

What I've Been Up To Today ...

2011-08-27T19:52:00.001-04:00

1. Obsessing over the weather reports.

source

Especially photos like this.

source

And this.

2. Thinking about the email I sent to my church members yesterday.

And trying to take my own advice. Deeeeeep breaths, Sarah, deeeeeeep breaths.

(I'll feel better when Bruce is HOME!)

3. Eating the lamest dinner ever.

Oh, but that sweet tea ...

Raise your hand if you miss living in the south!

(Waves hand frantically.)

4. Doing dishes.

If we lose power (and subsequently lose water) I will go crazy if there are dishes in the sink.

5. Folding laundry.

Why do I feel like laundry is always a losing battle? And there are only two of us!

6. Listening to the Boston Pops. It's calming me down (see #2).

7. Getting my guest room back in order - it sort of became a dumping ground post-vacation.

Is it sad that the guest room is the only room in the house that is 'done' at the moment?

8. Obsessively checking Twitter for updates from my favorite news sources.

How crazy is it that Ann Curry is sleeping in her office tonight?

9. Texting my husband every 30 minutes and impatiently waiting for him to get home.

10. Thinking about email blasting my church members with a devotional in the morning - I know how bummed they all are that they are going to be missing my sermon ...

What have you been up to all day? Prepping for Irene? Obsessing over news reports?

Getting Ready For Irene

2011-08-27T12:14:00.002-04:00

Well ... I think we're as ready as we're going to be.

Bruce spent the morning cleaning out the gutters ...

... and securing the patio furniture. Actually, I started the furniture process but had a surprise encounter with a mouse in our shed and ran screaming into the house.

I'm so helpful.

I heated up some of yesterday's Sugar 'n Spice Pancakes for breakfast this morning.

I served mine up with plain yogurt and granola - a great alternative to syrup! Much more filling as well.

I need to keep myself busy today. The rain has started and Bruce is at work. I'm hoping that they close the store early and he can be home safe and sound with me. I'm praying for everyone who is affected by Irene right now. Be safe everyone! xoxo

p.s. I installed the commenting system, "Disqus" into my blog. I had been thinking about it for awhile and Melissa was the latest of my blog friends to install it and she inspired me to give it a try. I HOPE this makes it easier to comment if you aren't a blogger user (you can sign in through facebook, twitter, yahoo, google, etc.). You can also comment as a guest - you just need to click guest and put in your email (so I can reply to comments) - but your email will NOT be published.

If y'all hate it, I'll get rid of it!

Cucumber & Hummus Sandwiches

2011-08-26T22:45:00.001-04:00

Oh man. We had another dinner tonight.

'Stuffed' doesn't even begin to describe my state of being right now. I may never be hungry again.

And yet it was all so so so good!

I kept going back and forth on what I wanted to bring to the dinner tonight, but ended up losing some cooking time as I dealt with the MA state of emergency / calling off church.

(I have to say - I felt ridiculous making the call when the skies were blue and the sun was shining. But technically, I didn't make the call - the Governor's office did.)

Anyway, I decided to do something quick that I've always want to try - Cucumber and Hummus Sandwiches! This was inspired by the cucumbers in our garden that were ready to be picked (we still have some!). I don't really have measurements, per-say, but this is a super simple, quick sandwich - great for potlucks and individual meals!

Cucumber & Hummus Sandwiches

1 can Chick Peas

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Garlic

Minced Onion

Cucumbers

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I don't have a food processor (bizarre, because I think I would get a lot of use out of one) so I make hummus in my mortar and pestle. I drain and rinse the chick peas and add about 1/3 of the can to the mortar and crush them up. Then I add another 1/3, crush and then the final 1/3.

Then it's really just a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Don't add too much of anything at a time and taste as you go so you can add more garlic/onion to fit your taste buds. Add a little bit of olive oil at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Once the hummus is ready, wash and finely slice your cucumber.

Assembly line!

Slap some hummus on both sides of the bread ...

Add the cucumber slices to one half ...

Put together and slice!

If you want to have this as a main lunch sandwich (and not part of a bigger meal) I would probably load some more cucumbers on them and a touch more hummus for a fuller sandwich. Soooo good!

On another note, is anyone else excited about the Pioneer Woman's cooking show on The Food Network? It premieres tomorrow! I think it's going to open a really neat window into her life on the ranch.

Goodnight!

There She Blows.

2011-08-26T17:52:00.000-04:00

Oy.

Be safe, friends!

Sugar 'n Spice Pancakes

2011-08-26T12:19:00.000-04:00

In more ways than one, I am ready for fall!

From a cooking standpoint, there are a ton of fun spices that come seasonal with fall. I decided to jump the gun a little bit this morning and pull them out while I was making pancakes this morning!

Sugar 'n Spice Pancakes

1 1/2 cups Flour

4 tablespoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 tablespoon White Sugar

1 1/4 cups Milk

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon All Spice

This is a very simple "combine ingredients and pour onto a hot skillet" type of recipes. My favorite!

I smeared some Peanut Butter on mine this morning (which melted instantly!) and topped with granola.

Delicious.

Iced Coffee!

Alright, I've got a pile of laundry calling out to be folded - have a great day!

Irony

2011-08-25T22:31:00.000-04:00

During my third year of seminary I was taking a class called "Crisis Ministry". At the end of the semester we had to create a crisis response for our future churches in a natural disaster. My friend Sarah was getting ready to head back to her home state of Florida, so naturally she created a response to a hurricane. Knowing that I eventually wanted to end up back in New England - and professing the fact that "New England never gets hit by hurricanes" - I created a disaster response to a big blizzard.

Notice the only state on the East Coast that is not getting hit by this hurricane.

I'm not laughing.

I'm too busy trying to decide if and when we should cancel meetings and weekend Youth Group activities.

Sarah, can I have a copy of your hurricane disaster response?

I put together a simple pasta salad for a potluck dinner that I went to tonight. It needed something in the line of spices or flavoring (suggestions?) but half of it was fresh from the garden!

The dinner was with this year's Confirmation class! It is such great a group of kids and I had so much fun with them and their moms tonight (I think we scared off the dads, haha). We were able to hang out on the deck and enjoy the evening (it might be the last time we get to do that before Irene makes her grand entrance!).

***

On a more serious note - because of my sweet husbands affinity to outdoor and fishing blogs, I've gotten to know several of the bloggers. Bruce told me tonight that Alan of Small Stream Reflections had a mild stroke. Hop over there and wish him well if you get a chance!

The Tale Of Two Pairs Of Jeans

2011-08-25T14:48:00.000-04:00

About two weeks ago my college bff Sarah gchatted me about a Daily Deal that Target had running. Jeans that are $20 in the store were $15, buy one get one free and had free shipping.

I was intrigued.

We both went back and forth for about an hour until we ultimately convinced each other to place the order. When I got to the end of my order, the following popped up:

Okay. So let's recap: The jeans would have been $20 each. They were $15 each. I got one pair for free. I should have paid $6.99 in shipping. I did not. I have a Target Visa so I got an additional 5% off the order.

Let's recap ever further: I paid $13.50 for two pairs of jeans.

(Now I will say that I typically do not order clothing online because I like to try things on but there wasn't much of a gamble with this because you can return online orders to the store.)

Okay, so the story gets better. I wasn't sure why I needed two pairs of the same pair of jeans, but figured if one was free, what difference did it make? However - in the end I didn't order the right size so I ran over to Target yesterday to see about making the exchange. When I got there they didn't have two of the same color/wash of jeans I had (there was only one available on this online deal) so I asked if I could still make the exchange with two different colors.

They said yes.

So I ended up with two different pairs of jeans for a total of $13.50.

I was so proud of myself I wore jeans to work today.

The End.

In other news, Bruce is loving his new job! We're both hunkering down and getting ourselves on a schedule so he packed his lunch while I made breakfast this morning.

As gut wrenching as it is to spend $115 on groceries, it was so nice to have FOOD in the house this morning! You can't cook if there isn't food in the fridge and on the shelves (it's just a matter of finding the time to get to the store!). I made simple breakfast burritos this morning:

Scrambled Eggs
Mexican Blend Cheese, Shredded
Salsa
Flour Tortilla Wrap

This really is a five-minute meal - very do-able during the week!

I love that verse!

Alright, I'm off to bask in the continued glow of my bargain shopping. It's the thrill of the hunt!

Clergy Facts

2011-08-24T21:56:00.003-04:00

I realized today as I was being escorted into the passenger seat of a hearse by a funeral director in a pressed black suit that my life and work is probably different from most people. Vocational ministry is such a strange whirlwind of a blessing and the further I get into it the luckier I feel.

In addition to being in ministry, I also feel like I have such a neat opportunity to teach about ministry. I know there are a couple of you who read my blog who might be curious about some of the behind the scenes part of the church and I would love to share! (Well - appropriately share, of course. There are just some things that I cannot get into.)

Anyway, here is today's tidbit of clergy fun:

The color of the stoles that clergy wear all mean something. White stoles are worn for funerals (I took this photo before this morning's funeral). The interesting thing is that white stoles are also worn for weddings, Christmas and Easter - which are certainly celebrations in the life of the church. But funerals are a celebration! Every time I put my white stole on for a funeral I think about putting it on Easter morning and then about the fact that nothing really separates us from one another. It's a neat thought to get caught up in.

Did I lose you yet? :)

I went home for lunch this afternoon - it was nice to be able to cook something hot and take 20 minutes out of my day to eat!

Grilled Cheese with a Cornmeal Crust + Tomato & Basil Soup. Mmmm. It was a tad warm for this today, but it was still delicious, nonetheless.

I was out visiting this afternoon and stopped at the grocery store on my way home. $100+ later (ugh - but necessary!) I was ready for dinner!

I haven't stir fried since the stir fry disaster of December 2010 - I had much better luck this time around. I cooked everything in oil and added some water for moisture. I didn't add the teriyaki sauce until the very end (because I learned from last time that it has a lot of sugar and burns easily!).

Delicious results - husband approved!

We are finishing up this week's episode of Royal Pains and are going to head to bed soon - goodnight!

Musings Of A Twenty-Something Pastor Part III

2011-08-24T08:54:00.001-04:00

1. I realized this morning that I never shared yesterday's Wear a Dress Tuesday picture. Oh, the horror!

I feel better.

2. I have a funeral today and for various reasons am wearing a clerical collar.

I just wanted to put that out there so that my mom could have a good laugh.

3. I am doing last minute prep for said funeral by doing this ...

Drinking Fat Puppy Coffee out of a Fat Puppy Coffee mug!

4. My sweet husband started his new job yesterday! I think we are still both a little skeptical that this is actually his job, but since they didn't laugh and send him home yesterday, we've announced it officially. He is working in the Fly Fishing Department at Bass Pro Shops! The details are all here.

If you know my husband (or just click on his blog) you'll know that there really isn't a more perfect job for him than something that allows him the opportunity to talk about fly fishing all day.

5. My office is in the basement of the church and one of my favorite things is when our organist is upstairs in the sanctuary practicing (which he is currently doing). I've contemplated asking him to just come in during the week to play during my office hours. I'm convinced it would help my productivity.

Speaking of productivity - blogging is NOT helping. So I'm off! Have a good day!

The One Without The Earthquake

2011-08-23T23:09:00.000-04:00

Note: I did NOT feel the earthquake today. Apparently it was felt in Boston and Providence but I'm pretty sure there was nothing going on in Rehoboth.

However, I was talking to my college BFF Sarah on gchat and she felt it down on the mainline (near Philadelphia) while we were talking! The whole thing was a little bizarre. One minute we're talking about blogging nonsense and the next thing I know I get an "ummm, we just had an earthquake" message. I'm not sure fear and hysteria translate well through gchat.

That being said ...

We did have a gorgeous blue sky today! Days like this make me I wish I had an outdoor office ...

Dinner tonight was courtesy of our latest "Let Us Break Bread Together" dinner.

On the menu:

Ribs
Halumi
Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
Veggie Salad
Lasagna Roll Ups
Bread
Baklava
Bermuda Rum Cake

Need I say more? Here are the mouth-watering pictures!

And dessert ...

Per usual, the dinner was good, but the company was even better. We have had so much fun getting to know everyone in the church this summer through these dinners! I think both Bruce and I were in denial that vacation was over but at one point tonight we were all laughing so hard it felt like we were still there!

And now it is officially well past my bedtime (or the one I am trying to institute anyway). Goodnight!

Wedding Pictures!

2011-08-23T12:17:00.000-04:00

I started to go through some of my pictures from the wedding last night - here are some of my favorites!

Don't the guys look awesome?!

They were married on Fort Monroe in Virginia. Beautiful Catholic church!

I spy a groom waiting for his bride!

Beautiful bride. The color combos were awesome and she totally rocked the red lips!

My sweet husband reading out of Genesis.

Quite possibly my favorite!

When you marry a man you marry his friends. I married into great friends.

Things could not have been more beautiful! I am so happy for them - have I mentioned that? :)

Earlier Bedtimes

2011-08-22T21:21:00.000-04:00

Check out the beautiful sunset we stumbled into while out running errands tonight!

The weather is a beautifully crisp 59 degrees right now! It was such a nice night to be out and about with my sweet husband.

Dinner was yummy! The texture of the homemade sauce is a lot more fresher than the jarred and canned stuff from the store. I can't wait to make my own ...

... which I will be doing very soon. Look at what Bruce pulled out of the garden today!

The carrots definitely look a little sad. We think that we planted them too close to one another and they didn't have room to grow as much. Live and learn for next year, I suppose!

So ... I am instituting an earlier bedtime around here. We are both much more pleasant and productive in the morning when we call it a night sooner. We've never been great about this (I partly blame graduate school) but I am determined to make it work now.

That being said - it's almost 9:30 and I have a couple of chores I want to get done before bed. Goodnight!

Saucey

2011-08-22T18:03:00.001-04:00

Before we left for Pennsylvania last week we picked a couple of tomatoes and cucumbers from our garden to give to Bruce's mom. She was extremely grateful and made a comment about possibly using them (with some tomatoes she had from a family member's garden) to make some sauce. Bruce told her that I had been wanting to learn how to make sauce so we all did it together one night. It sounds lame, but it really was a lot of fun!

This post is more of a cooking method than a recipe (as I try it on my own and fine-tune the spices and quantities I will do a recipe post).

This was the first time I've tried this and it really was easier than I thought it would be. We ended up canning the sauce, but I don't really have the details on that process and don't want to misinform you on canning (because it is a careful process). Julie cans all the time so refer to her blog if you have questions!

We started by rinsing and slicing the tomatoes. A lot of the tomatoes were a little too ripe for eating in salads - but it's perfect for sauce. We cut off the bad stuff and threw them in the pot!

With some onion for extra flavor.

Everything went on the stove on medium heat and we seasons with salt, pepper, garlic and oregano (and I'm sure some others that are escaping me at the moment). We let everything "cook down" - or soften into a sauce-like texture.

Then we used a fancy shmancy toy to strain the sauce through and leave the skins and seeds behind. Bruce's mom strains everything through twice, which helps get a lot of the "meat" into the sauce.

Then it went back on the stove on low with some more seasoning. Barb keeps her sauce on for a few hours at this point - some people keep it on all day! It's a method choice - I'm not sure one is right or wrong.

We took one of the jars home with us (it's cooking with meatballs now!) but I honestly cannot wait to try this out for myself. I love the idea of cooking from scratch whenever possible and did not realize how easy sauce was to make (I mean, it's so easy to buy). We've got tons of red tomatoes at the moment and I definitely plan on making some sauce to stock up on.

Does anyone else make their own tomato or spaghetti sauce? Any tips? Recipes?