(Sometimes it Stinks) And Sometimes it Smells Like Very Expensive Perfume

A couple weeks ago I wrote of how stinky the life of a missionary could be at times, but last night, as I was walking in the door I realized how at other times life can smell like an extremely expensive bottle of perfume.

As I looked out my kitchen window yesterday our neighbor was passing by and waved.  A simple wave led to a walk together to the trash dumpster, followed by a cup of coffee, a two hour visit, and a chance to sit with their 8 year old daughter and practice my Spanish while helping her do her nightly Bible devotions.  Ahh, such a sweet smell.

Today we went to Toledo for Scott and I to pick up our residency cards.  We were in and out of the government office in 15 minutes.  I was definitely smelling some roses as we sat down to have coffee and a croissant without having to pay more for parking.

After the government office we stopped at a book store and I bought a financial ledger for METAS (I am the treasurer) and when I got home I recorded our first two donations - one from the team who was here in October and another from a family who has already committed to supporting the new church here while they are in Costa Rica raising support to return to Spain as full time missionaries.

And on Sunday, I think I'll find myself in the "perfume factory" as we sit down in our living and experience the first worship service of the new Illescas Church.  Success is really hard to measure when serving in ministry, but for church planters (such as us) the first worship service definitely marks a huge step in the right direction.  God is definitely up to bigger things than we imagined.

So, yeah, sometimes it stinks.  Sometimes it smells so bad nobody wants to be around you, but then there are other times.  There are times when you find yourself wanting to stop in that spot, inhale some really big breaths, and pray that as you walk around you are carrying that smell with you.

Some ask why survive the stinky days?  Because there is a perfume that is able to cover up all that stink!

Long Time No See

Life is crazy!  I have thought about blogging everyday for the past two weeks, but it just hasn't risen to the top of the list.  Language classes have resumed, winter laundry takes forever to accomplish, ministry tasks are increasing, winter weather makes you want to stay bundled up under the blanket on the couch,  .... and on goes the list.

We are in the middle of our first winter in Illescas.  Oh my!  I didn't realize how much the tall buildings in Alcala (our first city here) helped protect us from the wind.  Now we live in the middle of nowhere.  All around us are open fields - no tall buildings, no mountains, no protection.  The wind blows and you feel it to the bones.  The biggest problem with winter is laundry.  On average it takes 3 days for the laundry to dry.  The air is wet and the temperatures are lower.  The 3 days is not the problem, but instead my motivation.  The day I wash the laundry I have great motivation, however, 3 days later I have lost interest.  What I think I need is someone to come behind me and fold and put away the laundry.  :)

We are 4 months from our language exam.  I am tired of verb conjugations and prepositions.  I am still praying that one day I am just going to wake up and speak fluent Spanish.  But until that day, its homework and study!

We have our first official worship service of the new church plant here in Illescas this Sunday.  It is exciting to be taking this first step.  We have begun to explore the possibility of renting a store front for METAS and the church.  We are dreaming big dreams of what this will look like.

Keep coming back.  Hope to be a little more consistent in those coming days!

Sometimes It Stinks

You are going to be saying that about me soon if we don't get some "real" hot water soon, but that wasn't really what I was referring to.  (Side note - we have luke warm hot water and have had this for about a week.  Supposedly the repairman is coming today, but since it is almost 6:00, I am having my doubts.  And then since this weekend is the final fiesta of Christmas in Spain and the biggest day of celebration - King's Day - I am figuring if we don't see him today we won't seen him until at least Monday or Tuesday.)

But back to what really stinks....

Sometimes it stinks to be where you know God has called you.  Sometimes it comes with yucky parts.  Sometimes it comes with lots of tears.  One of those "sometimes" was today.

Hannah returned to the states today for her second semester of college.  She is thriving and happy and I am truly blessed by how well she is doing, but it still stinks.  The house feels a little more empty and the tears seem a little closer to the eye lids.  The motivation to put away the laundry or do my Spanish homework seems waning.  Cooking for three seems a little less exciting.

Siesta seems a little more inviting.  A cup of hot tea and a lot of chocolate is yelling my name.  An aspirin or two and a blanket is very appealing.

Yet, throughout all of this, I know I am where I am supposed to be.

I have been reading Ecclesiastes and today I can relate a little to the writer.  He says at times it feels like although he is being faithful to God there is no difference in his life and others.  The hurts and disappointments keep coming.  He goes as far to say it feels as if life is all in "vain."

I get it.  A life with God doesn't guarantee the lack of tears or hurts or disappointments.  It doesn't even guarantee we'll always have hot water (writing just got interrupted by the repairman - yeah! - but not so fast, nothing is wrong with our hot water heater, other than it is too small for our house and the water outside is too cold to be heated completely and thus until spring or summer we will only have luke warm water).

But yet in the end, I'll still praise God.  And although I have the same hurts and disappointments as those without God, I have the comforter above all comforters.  Today, and maybe tomorrow, I'll curl up in my little ball and have a good cry - but yet, through it all - He will be faithful to bring a peace that passes all understanding and a comfort that is only from Him.

Yep, some days it stinks (and with only luke warm water there are going to be days that I stink) - but everyday HE gives meaning to all of it.

12 Grapes

Again I am writing about food.  I think I need to find a new line of topics, soon!

In Spain we eat 12 grapes at midnight to usher in the new year.  For those of you wondering, here is the story as to why.

Eating 12 Grapes on New Year's Eve in Spain
 

The Twelve Grapes to the chimes of the clock at midnight on New Years Eve has been a Spanish tradition since 1909. In December that year, some  vine growers from the Alicante area came up with "The 12 Grapes" as an idea to sell huge amounts of grapes from an excellent harvest.
 

Since that time Spanish people have kept up the tradition as a way to celebrate New Year's Eve. On the last day of the year, the 31st of December, they wait until twelve p.m. Everybody has to have twelve grapes ready to eat when the clock starts to chime. It is traditional to listen to the clock from Puerta del Sol in Madrid and in other town squares around the country.


When it is midnight in Spain on New Years Eve, each time the clock chimes, all the people put a grape in their mouth. By the time the clock has finished chiming, everybody has to have finished their grapes and the New Year starts, but nobody finishes eating the grapes on time.

Eating the grapes is very funny because everybody starts the New Year with a full mouthful of grapes. It's almost impossible to finish eating the grapes by the time the clock finishes chiming. Normally people still have all the grapes in their mouths, and they start looking at each other and have to laugh.
If you manage to eat the 12 grapes then you will have 12 months good luck.

Borrowed from:  http://www.entertainmentinspain.com/12%20Twelve%20Grapes%20New%20Years%20Eve%20Tradition,%20Spain.htm

Food That Looks At You

Call me crazy, but I much prefer my food to not "look" at me. Apparently, the people of Spain think different during the holiday season. As I walk through markets and grocery stores I am beginning to become paranoid, cause the food is looking at me all the time.

A bird and some rabbits - yep, these not only are
"looking" at you, they are still dressed.

Look Closely, the chicken on the top
right still has his head.

Sheep Heads (and some other

internal organ)

 

Yep - These chickens have their heads

(look up against the metal grate)

AND their feet.

I think this is a sheep (or maybe a goat)-
 no head, just neck.

It is custom to hang the meat in the front of the store to
allow customs to see what is available, and
to highlight the freshness.

Can you tell shrimp is a traditional food for Christmas?

 And yes, even the fish still look at you.

Roasted Baby Pig is traditional
for this holiday season

 

You can buy it frozen (like previous picture)

or buy a part of a cooked one.

 

 

When I imagined all the cultural adaptations I would have to make, this wasn't one of them.  Oh, how life is never boring!

Christmas Eve and Some Finger Foods

Hannah is home, Christmas is here, relationships are budding and blogging has fallen aside.  But by no means has that mean I haven't continued to reflect on God's promises.  In fact, it is only through those promises that I am able to enjoy this holiday season.  No one told me the second Christmas in Spain would be as hard as the first one.  I thought we had "survived" the new and were treading into traveled waters, but no - this holiday season is just as hard as the first one.  We have been incredibly blessed with time with our teammates, Spanish friends, and having Hannah home - yet, traditions take years to establish, and I guess, years to stop "missing," if ever.

Before moving to Spain I worked on staff of a church that celebrated Christmas Eve with two services. One for children and another more traditional service.  Being the children's minister meant this was a day of "work."  Christmas Eve morning was filled with last minute tasks at home, cooking all kinds of finger foods, making a bed for my parents (who would join us at church), and of course, trying to be sure I remembered to buy everything on my list and where I had put it.

Christmas Eve afternoon was last minute preparations for the service and the laying out of costumes.  Every year was different - one year was even a Birthday Party for Jesus (complete with noise makers).  Then the noise began.  The church first began to be filled with the families of the children in the program.  For you see, each year we chose children to play the parts of the true Christmas story.  Every year we tried to choose children who had not been chosen for other parts that required singing or speaking.  One of my favorite years was when one of our shepherds was a young man who struggles with a form of autism.  He radiated from ear to ear.  I sat back and imagined he was truly representing what the shepherds experienced.  Awe and excitement to be at the foot of the manger.

My parents always came to town for this service.  The service ended with the lighting of candles and the singing of "One Little Light in the Darkness."  Never did I imagine I would one day be living in a country filled with so much spiritual darkness.  After the service my parents would help clean up from the manager and then head to our house (and sometimes take a child with them - even one year taking a bird with them which was a gift for Zachary) to finish up dinner.

After the rest of us stayed for the second service, we went home for a very unbalanced meal of finger foods - chicken wings, ham rolls, cheese dip, meatballs, texas sheet cake, ... - now I am hungry.  When we arrived home, we ate until we would pop and then gathered around the tree for the opening of ONE very important present.

Although we all acted surprised, no one was surprised with what that package held.  It always held PAJAMAS.  Why pajamas?  I don't know why my parents started the tradition, but I always got pajamas on Christmas Eve.  So, my kids always get the same.  But I decided this tradition meant the picures on Christmas morning had the kids looking somewhat "decent."

This of course was followed by lots of laughter, shaking of presents that were off limits, and finally a long discussion of what time everyone was allowed to get up the next morning.

The interesting thing is that gifts were saved for Christmas morning, and thus in the world's standards, the more important day of the process.  But it was Christmas Eve we looked forward to and the day we miss the most.

This year we are blessed that Hannah is here.  I can't imagine Christmas Eve without her.  But Zach and my parents are not.  Definitely a hole.

We'll celebrate tonight with friends by staying up way past midnight, eating lots of our traditional foods as well as theirs, and having our own Christmas Eve service.  We'll laugh and enjoy the moment, and yet yearn for years past.

But all this reminds me of one of my favorite (and most comprehensive promises) of all...

Isaiah 9:6
"And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Without this promise there would be even more tears and sadness, yet I can truly say HE has been all that HE has promised, even in the midst of missing the traditions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some of my favorite finger foods....

Ham Rolls

• 2 pans Pull apart rolls (you know, those rolls that come in a metal pan, pre-cooked, and little rectangles)
• Lunch meat ham
• Provolone cheese
• 1 stick butter
• 1 Tbsp dried mustard
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 Tbsp dried onion flakes
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce

1. Slit open the rolls and return the bottom half to the pans.
2. Lay ham and cheese over bread to cover them entirely.
3. Return top half of bread.
4. Pre-slice into servings (I usually consider two rolls a serving)
5. Melt butter
6. Add mustard, poppy seeds, onions, and worcestershire sauce.
7. Pour the butter mixture evenly over the two pans.
8. Cover with foil and refrigerate anywhere from 1 hour to a whole day.
9. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, or until warm.

Cheese Dip

(so simple, yet everytime I take to an event people ask for the recipe)

• 1 pound ground sausage
• 1 pound velveeta
• 1 can rotel

1. Brown sausage and put in crock pot.
2. Add velveeta and rotel
3. Occassionaly stir
4. Cook on low until melted and hot all the way through.
5. Serve with tortilla chips.

Meat Balls

I don't use a recipe for these, so no idea how much of each ingredients....

• Ground beef (depends on how many meatballs you want)
• Finely chopped onion - for one pound meat I use about 1/2 onion
• Bread crumbs - enough to make texture for molding balls
• Egg - I use one egg per pound and a half (or so)
• Spaghetti Sauce - my secret ingredient - add a splash to the meat - gives all the flavoring you need and a great texture

1. Mix well - saving bread crumbs to be last ingredient added.
2. Put on 9 x 13 pan 
3. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes (no need to worry if they are totally cooked)
4. Place in crock pot (if you don't have a spare one, you can use a sauce pan) 
5. Cover with spaghetti sauce (I always used jarred for this recipe)
6. Simmer for an hour or so.
7. Christmas Eve we eat just as meatballs and later in the week as meatball subs.

#21 Forever and Criss Cross Apple Crowns

It's Friday evening in Spain.  Two of my children are sitting here on the couch eating a grocery store bought pizza.  We are getting ready to watch a Christmas movie online.  This morning we had chocolate and churros with our Sara (our tutor) and Santi.  I got a two hour nap (will regret that later tonight since I slept from 4 - 6 PM).  Our home is warm (although quite expensive to keep really warm so we are all under a blanket).  

We have new friends and we are beginning many new relationships.  Our Spanish improves a little every day (or at least we are praying that it is).  

Scott got his driver's license yesterday.  I have prayed since October that he would get it before Christmas, although everyone told us it was highly unlikely.  

Although we are feeling the results of the financial crisis, both in Spain and America, today we are cared for.  We have had some financial partners have to stop giving, but so far, we are holding on.

One of our children is in the United States and not with us for Christmas.  Our parents are far away and family and friends are definitely missed at this time of the year.  Traditions are just not the same in Spain and our hearts feel that twinge of missing the familiar.

Yet, we can count on the promise of God that "His love endures forever." 

Psalm 136

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.

to him who divided the Red Sea asunder
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.

to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.

to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.

He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Criss Cross Apple Crowns

A favorite recipe from my Pampered Chef days

(first in English - makes 12, then in Spanish - makes 6)

In English

• 4 small Granny Smith apples 
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 3/4 c sugar, divided
• 12 grand-size flaky or buttermilk biscuits (will have to buy 2 packages)
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• Optional - ice cream, cool whip, caramel ice cream topping

1. Peel, core, and slice apples.
2. Combine apples, walnuts, raisins, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl.  Mix well.
3. Microwave on high 3 minutes, or until hot.
4. Roll each biscuit into a 5" disk.
5. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon.
6. Using 1/4 cup of the cinnamon and sugar mixture, sprinkle over biscuits.
7. Divide apple mixture into the center of each biscuit.
8. Gather up edges over filling, pinching to seal.
9. Holding each biscuit at sealed end, dip into butter then cinnamon-sugar mixture.
10. Place biscuits, seam side down, into a muffin pan.  Do not press down.
11. Using a serrated bread knife, cut an "x" into the top of each biscuit.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until gold brown.
13. Dump from pan while hot.
14. If desired, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce.

In Spanish

• 2 manzanas pequeña
• 35 g pasas
• 14 g harina
• 85 g azúcar
• 15 ml canela
• 15 g mantequilla
• ½ coja Masa de Hojaldre

1.     Precalentar el horno a 175⁰ C

2.     Pelar las mazanas y corta en pedazos pequenos.

3.     Mezclar las manazanas, pasas, harina, 30 g del azúcar, y 5 ml de la canela en un recipiente apto para microondas.

4.     Calentar en micro por 3 minutos o hasta caliente.

5.     Extender la masa y cortar  en 6 piezas.

6.     Mezclar el resto (55 g) del azúcar y el resto (10 ml) de la canela en cuenco pequeño.

7.     Derretir la mantequilla en cuenco pequeño.

8.     Pon una cucharilla de azácar y canela en el centro de una pieza de masa.

9.     Pon una cucharada de la mezcla de manzana en el centro de una pieza de masa.

10.  Reunir borde de la masa y pellizcar para cerrar.

11.  Mantener la masa ocupada por los bordes y mojar en mantequilla y mezcla de azúcar y canela.

12.  Colocar la masa en un molde para hornear.

13.  Hornear por 25 minutos.

#20 Birthplace and Banana Pudding

We are loving living in Illescas.  We had mixed feelings about moving from a large city to what we fondly call "puebloville."  We are making friends, finding our favorite stores and store keepers.  Hannah and I even spent the day wandering the streets and doing some Christmas shopping today.  Found a little hamburger shop I can't wait to go back and actually try. 

So many memories are attached to the different places we have lived.  I was born in Tampa, Florida, lived in Lewisville, North Carolina, moved to other cities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Michigan, and have finally landed in Spain.  When town names are mentioned that were near where I lived favorite memories pop into my mind. 

Cities were important in the Bible as well.  So important, that God even promised hundreds of years before it happened that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. 

Micah 5:2
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”

Matthew 2:1
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Banana Pudding

(always a hit at covered dish meals)

 

• 2 small boxes of Instant Vanilla Pudding
• 2 cups milk
• 8 oz sour cream
• 6 - 8 bananas, sliced
• 1 large Cool Whip
• 1 box vanilla wafers

1. Combine pudding and milk.  Mix well.
2. Fold in sour cream and 2/3 of Cool Whip.
3. Layer in 9 x 13 dish or punch bowl cookies, bananas, pudding mixture.  If using a 9 x 13 dish, make two layers.  If using a punch bowl, make 3 or 4 layers.
4. Ice with remaining cool whip.

A Birthday Celebration

I just had to post some of these pictures.  It was too much fun not to share with you guys!

Last night we went to a seafood restaurant in Madrid (El Timon del Terraza) with some friends here in Illescas.  It was her birthday and we were honored to be invited to celebrate with her (it is a big deal to be included in such personal celebrations).  They chose the restaurant, a quaint little marisqueria (shell fish restaurant) that was owned by friends of theirs.  We left our house at 9:15 PM, drove into Madrid (about 30 minutes), and were the only people in the restaurant for the first hour.  Later another family came in.  They say there is no room to sit on the weekends.

Maria (the birthday girl) and Enrique ordered for us.  We ate family style.  Two big plates in the center of the table to share!

Alex didn't think he liked shell fish, so they ordered him a steak.
It was at least a pound!  It tasted great!

Two plates of all kinds of mariscos.  Some I had never
tasted before.  And halfway through the meal,
the waiter took the platters and our plates back to the
kitchen.  They reheated the seafood (cold mariscos are not
good) and brought us clean plates since the first ones
were covered with shells.

It was a party just to eat the food.  We laughed as
they taught us not only how to eat, but how to
enjoy eating!

Maria was excited that Hannah would be home to help
celebrate her birthday.  She has never met Hannah,
but they became friends quite quickly.

I don't know the name of these little things, kind of
a clam, but not quite.

Razorback Clams - different texture for sure!

Alex finally decided to give it a try.  Maria had a tremendous
amount of patience (and fun) in teaching him how
to find the meat.

And of course they insisted on sucking
the juice out of the heads.  Alex liked this, not sure
if it was because it was fun or because he liked
the taste.

I wasn't so much into the head sucking activity -
they coerced me until I gave it a try, but
you should see my face after trying it.

Meet Pablo the marisco - yes, Alex and Maria were
having so much fun he named his food.

Homemade desserts with sparklers.  No candles
to blow out here.  Chocolate brown with ice cream
and a thick chocolate glaze, cheesecake, and
a rice and milk cake.

We gave Maria a bowl from Talevera (a pottery town nearby),
but it was much more fun to pretend it was a helmet.

#18 and 19 - Details, Details and Sock It To Me Cake

I am a detail kind of person.  I make lists that are VERY specific and I ask a thousand questions about everything.  I need to understand things to the most minuscule detail and then I turn around and plan in the same fashion.  I don't just make a grocery list, I divide it by departments and put it in the order of the grocery store (or now, in order of the indoor market where I shop at a variety of meat stores, chicken stores, fruit and vegetable stores, ...).  At one point in my life I actually had a computerized grocery list of my favorite grocery store ordered not in only in order of the store, but in the direction I always walked up and down the aisles.  I know - a little compulsive, huh?

But what I think is cool is that I serve a God who is into details too.  He doesn't just throw out this general plan to save the world and sit back and see if some team can make it happen.  He has every tiny detail under control.  Whew!  For someone like me, that is a huge relief!

#18 Genesis 12:1-3 

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, I will make your name great,and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse;and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

And sure enough, Matthew 1:1 says "This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David,the son of Abraham."

#19 Isaiah 9:7  

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

And guess what, somewhere between 500 and 700 years later (I know 200 years is a big gap, but scholars don't know for sure when each chapter was written and it took almost 200 years to finish Isaiah), Luke 1:31-32 reports this:  "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sock It To Me Cake

(this cake works great as both a simple dessert or as a coffee cake)

Cake:

• 1 Butter Recipe Cake Mix (any boxed cake that is yellow and known for being super moist will work) - reserve 2 Tbsp cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 c sour cream
• 1/3 c oil
• 1/4 c water
• 1/4 c sugar

Streusel:

• 2 Tbsp cake mix 
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 c pecans (optional)

Glaze:

• 1 c confectioner's sugar
• 1 - 2 Tbsp milk

1. Combine all cake ingredients.
2. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Pour 2/3 into greased and floured tube/bundt pan.
4. Combine all streusel ingredients.
5. Sprinkle on top of cake mix.
6. Spoon remaining cake batter on top.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 - 55 minutes.
8. Cool 25 minutes.
9. Invert onto cake plate and cool completely.
10. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over cooled cake.