Joshua and I have been asking the question lately “What is our calling?” This is a very broad topic, but the Bible teaches us very specifically how we are called as Christians, in Marriage, in the Great Commission and more. Joshua has just begun his Spiritual Formations class at Covenant Seminary (the on-line portion until we get to St. Louis).
The first assigned reading: The Call by Os Guinness. Appropriate to our recent search for purpose Guinness reminds us that there is no call without a Caller. He intimates:
” We cannot find God without God. We cannot reach God without God. We cannot satisfy God without God- which is another way of saying that our seeking always falls short unless God’s grace initiates the search and unless God’s call draws us to him and completes the search.”
God began a good work in us and will be faithful to complete it. Through struggle and doubt God remains faithful. He walks us through it all and we are not alone.
Well it’s official: we’re moving to St. Louis. We took a trip in March to visit and have been very busy preparing ourselves to go.
I have been looking for jobs teaching French and Spanish. I have found a “dream job” at a Christian High School and am currently interviewing with them over the phone. Pray for me! I really want this job. I have also found a three-year Masters program for Teaching certification. I would only take 1 course each Fall, Spring and Summer along with a semester of student teaching 1 day per week.
Joshua has been diligently buying books for his classes. Brushing up on Greek is a major goal. Of course, he has been whittling away at the seminary reading lists for years. He will so enjoy seminary. At last! We a plan to take a class together in August. I can audit many of his classes on-line, to keep current with him. What great table conversation, huh?
We’ve been taking advantage of our last months here as much as possible. We hit up the Philly any chance we get and hope to make it to NYC and the Jersey shore in the upcoming weeks. We’ll also be making our way down to Knoxville, TN for Joshua’s brother Drew’s wedding over Memorial day Weekend.
My family can be looking out for an Oklahoma visit in July after we’ve settled into our new St. Louis digs.
We figure if we can’t go back to Peru this summer to be all over the place instead….
If you didn’t know already, here I am to tell you: Joshua and I might be moving to St. Louis. Considering the way things are going at Westminster, with division and the huge loss of the Professors that attracted Joshua to Westminster in the first place, we have applied to Covenant in St. Louis.
We feel Covenant will be a better location closer to family, financially and socially more supportive. We plan to visit St. Louis in April and are awaiting acceptance to Covenant. I hope this move brings us closer to you. For those of you in Pennsylvania, we will miss you!
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken breast halves
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 quarts water
1 loaf white bread, crusts removed and cubed
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons aji amarillo chile paste
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
DIRECTIONS
Place chicken breasts, onion, carrot, and 2 cloves garlic in a large saucepan, pour in 2 quarts of water and slowly bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Skim off the foam which forms on top, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool. Strain the resulting chicken stock, discarding the vegetables.
Pour evaporated milk and 1/2 cup chicken stock into the bowl of a blender. Add bread cubes and puree until smooth. Add Parmesan cheese and walnuts; puree until smooth. Shred the cooled chicken and discard the bones.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in minced garlic and minced onion; cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and aji amarillo until heated through. Pour in bread puree and cook until hot, stirring frequently. Add more chicken stock if needed to keep from getting too thick. Season with turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes more.
Serve garnished with hard-cooked egg slices and sprinkled with kalamata olives.
I found this draft Katie started a few months ago and decided I’d post it in hopes that she finishes the story. If not, this clifhanger will have you running to Burdette-pedia for theories on how it ends!
So Joshua and I have taken up walking. I decided a while back that I don’t like running anymore, but I love walking… forever and ever. We hike a bit some weekends, but now we just walk around our area. I like exploring the neighborhoods and Joshua likes having a destination so on Wednesday we walked to the next town and ate Gyros.
We saw a few interesting things once we got to the Fried Chicken stand that happens to sell Gyros…
Picture the stand, completely tile cornerbuilding space with one booth. This is occupied by one Mexican Plasterer covered in Plaster. The window ledge has some seating occupied by 2 other Mexican Plasterers. They receive their orderes and leave we take our cue to go claim the booth for ourselves, however a woman dashes in with a porfolio and the race is on. We win. She asks if she can put her portfolio on the table, we ask if she would like to sit with us.
This thin, Black Woman, dressed eclectically pulls out her artwork for us to admire. I was suspicious she was peddling her wares, but no, she is just so proud of her work and wishes for us to admire it along with her. The sole subject matter of her work? OBAMA!
She went out and bought a tenpack of posterboard, newspapers, and magazines to create her masterpieces. These were sophisticated collages including used ballots she craftily requested after the election, various beads, and my favorite item, the penny. I can’t tell you how many pennies and beads fell on to that table as she explained each and every work she had. She assured us that she would send us information about her work. I asked her how (she had no way of caontacting us)? She said she would paper Mt Airy with flyers as soon as she secured an Art show at South by Southwest ( a local venue a block up the road).
This was an interesting meeting needless to say. I appreciated her sincerity. I know I chuckle to my self everytime I think about it!
It goes to show you how important this last election was.
Did you not pour me out like milk
and curdle me like cheese? Job10:9-11
I made my first batch of Indian Paneer using raw milk from Hendricks Dairy in Telford, PA. I hope to get a live culture and some rennet soon to experiment with a blue cheese or gouda.
So I (Katie) have been contemplating what I might write to comment on the year 2008.
It’s been the best year of my life thus far and quite a ride: Peru, Oklahoma: Engagement, Peru, Philly, Oklahoma, Marriage: Arkansas, Honeymoon, Oklahoma, Philly, South Carolina: August, Philly: New Job, South Carolina: Christmas and NEW CAR!!!
Here’s our Red Lady
Say bye bye to Rolanda
My Poor Old Honda Accord just could not pass inspection so we bit the bullet and bought a car that CAN! We are very pleased but I am having to learn to drive a stick. Pray for our safety and for Joshua, God bless him. He’s very patient with me.
Posted by medgar 
Posted by medgar 
Posted by medgar 
