7 Quick Takes

-1-
I made Thai chicken soup last night. Mmmmm. I'm slowly growing my pantry staples so that I can cook Thai food regularly because, really? It's that good. (Did you know you can get tubes of minced lemongrass that last three months in the freezer, but don't quite freeze solid, so you can just squeeze out what you need without defrosting the whole tube? Awesome!)

-2-
After chopping all my hair of this summer in the midst of 90 degree heat and the craziness of twinfancy, I'm now committed to growing it long again. And I'm fascinated by webites like this. ("Fascinated" is the right word - not sure if I'm impressed or dismayed that such a thing exists!)

-3-
Every day this month has been haunted by a weird dissonance for me: I can't ever forget where I was this time last year. I eat a meal, and remember the meals I ate in the hospital. I find my hands constantly busy caring for children, and remember the days when I didn't even get to see them. I cuddle the babies, with their fluffy hair and bright eyes and toothsome grins, and think about holding the fetal monitors for hours at the right angle, so we could know that their hearts were still beating.

It's all very weird.

-4-
I love coffee.

-5-
My eldest insisted on planting a sunflower on our patio a month or two ago. It's blooming now, a little blossom no more than a couple of inches across. That's what happens when you plant a sunflower in a shady spot in a shallow pot: you get something the size of a zinnia, rather than a ten foot tall giant. There's bound to be a sermon illustration in there somewhere. Only, I'm not sure if the point is that you won't grow well without the proper environment or that it's a miracle that even outside of the proper environment, some growth is possible.

Actually, it really reminds me of Jesus' parable of the seeds. Because pretty as it is, that sunflower's not going to produce any offspring. Hmm. Chock one down for the first interpretation.

-6-
After I posted my thoughts on Judah's story in Genesis, my husband contributed his thoughts here. Very short, but powerful:

Once upon a time, Joseph - Jacob's son - brought his family to Egypt. He brought them to Egypt because there was death coming in the promised land. It took many years, but eventually they returned to the promised land. He did not live to see it, but Joseph's children went on to become a great nation, and all the nations of the earth were blessed through them.

So, again, it came to pass that Joseph - Jacob's son - took his family to Egypt. He brought them to Egypt because there was death coming in the promised land. It took many years, but eventually they returned to the promised land. He did not live to see it, but Joseph's Son went on to become the great King, and all the nations of the earth are blessed through Him.

-7-
St. Brigid's Day is coming up. Anyone know where you can get some reeds?

Thanks, as always, to Jen for hosting!

peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell