the haps

I've been wanting to blog for awhile, but haven't had many good words to say -- or they just haven't seemed blog-worthy. There are a few "draft" posts in my blogspot account, but I usually get through a few paragraphs and shut the computer. I started writing about the election, but felt like it was too opinionated, and then I started writing about other things and the thoughts just aren't being well formed.

Oh well.

So, I am instead doing a life update on myself since moving home a little over a month ago -- in as un-narcissistic of a way as possible :)

The first thing that happened when I got home was tackling this monstrous mess in my bedroom:

I took this picture primarily for my sister, Kelsey, who's room usually looks something like this (usually not quite that bad). When I got home, I just threw all my stuff in my room and then after my road-trippin buddy Allison left I started to unpack and organize. It took a bit of time, but now things are in good order -- and I even hung something up using a level -- with little assistance from my mother! (I was quite proud of that accomplishment)

The biggest news since being home is getting a job! (!!!!) I am incredibly thankful for employment -- and a job that I'm really enjoying. I work with awesome people and am slowly adjusting to an 8-5 type schedule. Surprisingly getting up at 6 hasn't been too difficult yet but it's only been a few weeks in :)

I've gotten to go to a few of Libby's cross country races and cheer her on! I can't believe I was running as a senior at DP five years ago..yikes. It's been great to live at home and hang out with her. 

I have been an attentive debates watcher and live-debate-tweeting-madness follower during this election hype. I've been soaking up great political conversations with my dad and other wise friends and mentors. And I've been reading some awesome articles from magazines and newspapers and blogs about all kinds of things -- beyond politics talk too! I'm also quite enthused by our family's new magazine subscription to The Economist (completely balanced out by People magazine - oh well, I like both ;))

I'm missin this girl a whole lot (she comes home in less than 2 months! yay!) I'm looking forward to dance parties and having her room be messy again.

And I'm living here:

 I'm really thankful. This is actually the view really close to the new church I've been attending (and so enjoying). I want to continue to pause as I drive home on Sunday early afternoons, soaking in this beauty. 

While I'm definitely missing a lot of people right now (especially East Coast friends), I'm thankful for so many gifts right now -- for a job, new friends, being at home, good conversations, spending time with family, running in Santa Barbara, watching TV while I light my pumpkin candle...(Bath and Body Works fall scents are INCREDIBLE. Don't judge until you've purchased one :)), and much more. 

And I think that's it for now...adios!

fall deliciousness

While I'm missing scenery like this....

I'm indulging in one of my favorite foods: SQUASH!!! If you know me well enough, you know that I buy squash frequently -- butternut, to be specific. When I first lived in an on-campus apartment at Gordon and was learning the ropes of cooking meals for myself, I discovered how easy, delicious, healthy, and FUN cooking squash could be!! All I had to do was cut the squash through the middle, seed it, and put it in the oven. I might add too much brown sugar to continue classifying it as "healthy," but it's the thought that counts, right? I continue to love squash - and other kinds too, like spaghetti and acorn. And I've "graduated" from just making plain squash to making some delicious recipes, too thanks to friends and magazines. I thought I'd share two of my discoveries here....

My all-time favorite recipe for butternut squash can be found here, per the recommendation of my friend Kelly Soifer -- all to her credit. I LOVE this recipe - I've made it quite a few times already and don't plan on stopping.

Butternut Squash, Lentil, and Coconut Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils
• 1 butternut squash (peeled and chopped into cubes)
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 cups vegetable stock, or water, or enough to cover

Tempering:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard (you're supposed to use mustard seeds, but I've used ground mustard)
• Red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want it - I'm not a spicy fan, so we just put in a few)
• 1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 lime juiced (or a lemon works too)
• cilantro leaves (to taste)

How to make it:

Rinse the lentils, then, in a large pot, combine squash, lentils, tomato, coconut, turmeric, cumin, and enough vegetable stock (chicken broth would work too) to cover. Bring to a boil, and then simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and simmer 10 minutes (squash should be soft). 

The tempering (I had never done this before - and it's kind of fun!!): In a small frying pan, warm the oil until it's hot. Add the mustard (or mustard seeds) and the red pepper flakes, garlic, and salt. Pour the contents into the soup (including the salt) and then spoon a ladleful of soup back into the frying pan (it will sizzle so don't get too close!) and then pour it back into the pot.

Cilantro is an excellent topping and I think other things like honey would be delicious too (I've just put the honey straight in the pot and it adds a nice flavor). You can serve this over rice, or even without it - it's pretty hearty :)

Another one of my favorite's is this one from Family Circle Magazine:

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients: 

• 1 large butternut squash; cut into wedges
• 3 tablespoon oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1 peeled, cored, and chopped apple
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup apple cider (or apple juice)
• Salt, ginger to taste
• Sour cream and cilantro = optional toppings

Here's how you do it:

Peel and seed the squash and roast in the oven with 2 tablespoon oil @ 350 for about an hour (maybe more - it should be soft). Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a soup pot and once it's hot, saute the chopped onion and garlic. Then add the roasted squash, chopped apple, chicken broth, and apple cider. Simmer 30 minutes (apple should be soft). 

Puree in food processor (or, what we do is use the "magic bullet" mixer - quite handy for this recipe so you don't have to take the soup out of the pot!). Add salt to taste and serve with sour cream and cilantro.

My one problem with butternut squash recipes is that they can be a bit time consuming when you have to peel, cut, and roast the squash. However, if you plan your time out well, you can roast the squash a day in advance -- or maybe just earlier in the day. And if you have a good knife, the peeling isn't too bad (that was NOT the case in my apartment so I opted for frozen squash to save my fingers and sanity. I know frozen defeats the purpose, but it was still good :))

Now I was Sittin, Waitin, Wishin...(thank you Jack Johnson)

Thank you Hilary for inspiring this post. Read it here to see what I'm writing about :)

I'm waiting and wishing - that might be the best way to describe this season of life: waiting to know where I should apply for work, waiting for new friendships and community, waiting to catch a bigger glimpse of how God is going to use the puzzle pieces in my life.

And I find myself wishing too -- wishing that the waiting period would be just a tad bit shorter, wishing that I had faith like so and so or the relationship that person X has, wishing that I had a better idea of what I want to do with my life and could answer the question: where do you see yourself in 5 years? without so much hesitancy.

Last week my friend Hilary blogged about this kind of wishing -- and how we compare what we have been given (she calls it all "gifts"):

I think that all those young college graduates, young professionals, the promisers, the rooted and winged, all of us waste time wishing we could trade lives with each other like lunchboxes. We all wish for a different wild gift. We all wish we had the kind of hard but beautiful someone else is living.

This summer I read Lauren Winner's recent book Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis. I highly recommend it. Winner is an honest author and I think that's what I appreciate the most about her - there's no beating-around-the-bush with her and that's refreshing. Here's a particular quote I loved:

Maybe God has given some people belief like a pier, to stand on (and God has given those people's steadiness to the church, to me, as a reminder, as an aid), and maybe God has given others something else. Maybe God has given to some this humming sense that we know nothing, this belief and disbelief a hundred times an hour, this training in nimbleness (and maybe that is a gift to the church, too)" p. 15

My gift, my contribution to the church, to society, to my family and friend, is not the same gift that others bring. My gift is not a high level job. My gift is not a romantic relationship. My gift is not grad school. My gift is not DC or Boston or Baltimore.

But my gift is many good things: my gift is being home, my gift is being able to train for a half marathon, participating in a new church, writing letters to people I love and miss. My gift is the beach and making pumpkin butter and sweet potato bread.

I think Winner is right - God has given some people "belief like a pier to stand on" and others "something else." That "something else" isn't lesser and the belief isn't better - they are each a different gift.

I've been using Hilary's word "gift" throughout this post, and I think it's a good word to use. I don't mean to sound glib about hardship or discomfort or the sense of being overwhelmed. I think honesty is important and choosing thankfulness doesn't mean we cover up the tears. But I think the word gift helps me focus less on what others have that I don't, and more on what I have been uniquely given.

"Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure"

Psalm 16:5