It's Advent Time!

It's Advent Time! The brief weeks before Christmas that as children, we would spend in giddy anticipation of the BIG DAY of presents. The days were marked down with calendars - chocolate filled or otherwise. Then, as we shifted from the role of being primary present receivers into the role of being the primary present givers, aka adults, this period became a challenging race against time to get all the shopping, decorating, card-writing, and baking done by the BIG DAY. At church, the weeks flew by in a flurry of angel's wings and shepherd's beards as everyone practiced and prepared for the Nativity play. The Advent season slipped so easily into a season of stress and impossible expectations. 




But did you know that Advent is actually intended to be a season not unlike Lent? A time set aside for quiet contemplation and self-examination. A time to stop and take stock of where we are on our journey. To assess whether we are on the right path or even moving forward. 

Are we even conscious of the journey or the destination? Perhaps we have allowed ourselves to get swept up in the norms and practices swirling around us without giving much thought to why we are doing it all and to what end? While it's true that Christmas is a season of giving and celebrating together with friends and family, let's delve a little deeper to find the eternal point of it all. The "reason for the season", if you will. But to do this, we have to permit ourselves to stop for a spell.  

The wise men or three kings of Orient set off, guided by a star. I wonder what they did on cloudy nights when the star was not visible. Do you suppose they just kept moving frantically in some vague direction that felt right? I doubt it. Or maybe they did and wasted time going in the wrong direction, only to double back and re-orient themselves. I'm pretty sure that they learned quickly that it was better to stop and wait out the clouds than blunder along in some aimless direction. Perhaps that's why they were called the wise men...



What about us? Can we still see the star? Have we ever seen the star or did we just find ourselves moving somewhere at some point along with everyone else, never wondering where we were headed or why?

There is a definite point to it all and there is a specific destination but even with our best intentions, we can miss it completely and end up someplace entirely different. 

Pick your head up, loved one, and look ahead. What do you see? What lies at the very end of your path? After all the frenzied striving, elaborate planning, and intense effort where will you end up? Is it just a grave you see or are you perceiving beyond it?


Maybe your path is just a circle of the same, repeated day after day, year after year. Pick up your head, loved one, and look for the star. It's there, just waiting to show you the way!


Or is everything around you dark? No stars, no paths, no destinations, nothing. Don't despair, loved one. You are not abandoned or forgotten. You are not invisible. He sees you right now, loved one!


Light the first Advent candle and spend a moment in a simple prayer - "Where am I? And where are You, Jesus?"

Jauhenlihakastike ja peruna (or Finnish ground-beef sauce and potatoes)

This is one of those comfort foods that can fix just about anything that ails the heart. It's quick to make and guaranteed to disappear even faster.

INGREDIENTS:

Sauce:
1-2 Lbs. ground beef (buy the best you can afford, i use 80%)
2 Tblsp. - 1/3 cup of flour (reason for range explained later)
Beef and/or chicken bouillon cubes or powdered (1-2 cubes; 1-3 tsps.)
1-3 cups water
Just a dash of browning sauce (Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master, or soy sauce works in a pinch)
Dash of Worcestershire
Salt & White Pepper to taste
Allspice or nutmeg (optional)

Mashed Potatoes:
Potatoes - as many as you need to feed everyone
Milk - eyeball it according to the amount of potatoes, 1/2 cup - 1 cup usually
Butter - 2-4 Tblsps.
1-2 cloves of garlic (peeled)
Salt to taste

Sides:
Sliced tomatoes and/or cucumbers
Steamed bag of veggies of choice


First peel the potatoes, rinse them and cut them up into smallish chunks (the larger they are the longer they take to cook). Put them in a large pot, fill with cold water until it just covers the potatoes, set on stove to high, add a generous amount of salt into the water, and the peeled garlic. Cover & bring to boil; then turn heat down so water doesn't boil over and make the sauce while the potatoes bubble away until soft (fork goes through easily).

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. (If you are using super lean meat, you may need to add a little butter to the pan). Turn the heat down a bit and drain excess fat leaving just about 2-3 tablespoons of liquid in the pan. Push all the meat around to the sides of the pan so there is a little puddle of liquid (fat) in the middle of the pan. (If you accidentally drained too much off, you can melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in the middle of the pan). To this liquid, add your flour.
[Depending on how much gravy you want to make determines how much liquid and flour you will need. If you have very little meat but want to stretch it out, then make more gravy by starting out with more liquid and adding a generous amount of flour (1/4 - 1/3 cup). If you just want to make a little gravy with the ground beef, then only add a tablespoon or two of flour into less liquid.]

Stir the flour in until it is completely incorporated with the fat, mix it all into the meat. Now begin adding water and mixing it with the meat until you have the consistency of gravy you want. Be careful not to add too much water because it may end up being too runny and you can't walk it back once you've made soup of it all.

Add your bouillon and the browning sauce (sparingly - a little of this goes a long way!) until you have it the color you like. Check for salt and add according to taste along with white pepper. A little nutmeg or allspice add nice warmth to the gravy but don't add too much. 

Your potatoes should be well cooked by now - check them to make sure and then drain the water out of the pot. Heat the milk along with the butter in the microwave for about 1min. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or ricer - the garlic will add a nice flavor and will mash along with the potatoes. Add the heated milk & butter. Check for salt and add as needed.

Serve with sliced tomatoes and/or cucumbers. Happiness on a plate! 

[You don't have to mash the potatoes, just serve them boiled with butter and a little parsley. You can also serve this over macaroni or spaghetti if you don't have potatoes handy.]

Mummi's Voipulla Recipe (Finnish Butter Buns)

This is a simple and relatively quick version of the traditional Finnish pulla recipe. It uses very little sugar, minimal kneading (practically none), and is light on flour. Once you've done one batch, you will be doubling this recipe every time because these are irresistible.

INGREDIENTS & STEPS:

1 pouch active yeast

1 cup warm milk (don't let it get too hot or it will kill the yeast)

1 Tblsp. sugar

Put these three in a large bowl and let stand in a warmish place until the yeast has activated (surface will be covered in bubbles). Should take about 10 minutes.

1 stick butter, melted but not hot (gotta keep the yeast alive)

3 cups flour (bread flour or unbleached is best)

1 tsp. salt

(Keep a raw egg, 1/4 stick of butter and some sugar handy - raw sugar is great if you have it. You'll need these later!)

Mix the butter, flour & salt into the yeasty milk. If you can get it to stick together with less than 3 cups of flour, then leave it at that. The less flour you use, the lighter the pulla will be.

Now let the dough rise in a warmish place until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take out two cookie sheets and cover in parchment paper.

Punch the dough down, give it a few happy rounds of kneading. Then take little chunks and roll into golf-ball sized buns, placing them at a generous distance from each other as these will double in the oven. Then let them rest for about 10 minutes.

Take a small teaspoon or espresso spoon (if you have it) and take a small nugget of butter and press it into the center of a bun. If you don't own a small teaspoon, flip it around and use the other end to press the butter into the bun. Once all the buns are "butter-eyed", crack the egg in a teacup and mix it up with a fork or whisk, then brush each bun with the egg. Finally sprinkle some sugar on top and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the buns are golden brown. 

Finns traditionally add cardamom to the dough but we grew up with non-cardamom pulla it so i left it off the recipe. Also, if you are able to obtain pearl-sugar, it will make your butter buns look fancy and more authentically Finnish than using regular, raw, or brown sugar. I have seen it sometimes at IKEA, of all places! But more often than not, i've made do with raw sugar.

 If you want to make Finnish korvapuusti (cinnamon rolls), go a little heavier on the flour and knead the dough more because it has to be rolled out into a rectangle. Spread butter over it, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon, and then roll it up from the long edge, cut into diagonal slices and stand them up on the baking sheet it the thinner end pointing up. Let rest, brush with egg, top with sugar and bake until golden brown. 



 Last words: It seems that every time i bake up a batch of these, there is at least one pan that ends up being buttered and sugared before the egg wash. You definitely do not want to do the egg wash before the butter-eye because the butter will just slide off the bun. However, it is possible to swipe some egg on a sugared bun if you accidentally go sprinkle-happy and forget the egg brush step...unless you've covered the bun in sugar, then you'll just have to settle for a matte bun. Finally, if you don't have any eggs, milk will do the trick in a pinch.

Happy Baking!!!

I Can't Believe It's Vegan Chili!!

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil
1 onion (medium or large)
1 red and/or green pepper (capsicum)
2 chipotle peppers (sold in small cans)
4 - 5 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

3/4 - 1 cup bulgur wheat

1 can crushed tomatoes 28-ounce

2 cups of water

1 can diced tomatoes 15 ounce

Salt to taste

2 cans favorite beans 15-ounce, rinsed and drained

Secret ingredients that add a twist: use beer instead of water; add a square of cooking chocolate or a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder.

Topping suggestions: shredded cheese and/or sour cream - mind you, now it's no longer vegan...

Chop up the onion and green peppers as fine as you like it. Chop the chipotle peppers on a separate cutting board as fine as you can, (protect your hands and eyes). Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven and sauté the onions until tender. Add pepper, garlic, chipotle peppers, and seasonings - don't scorch 'em just heat them until fragrant. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the can of diced tomatoes; add bulgur wheat and water and bring just to a boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer covered, for about 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally, adding more water if needed - the bulgur likes to stick to the bottom of the pot so make sure you have enough liquid to keep things unstuck. Once bulgur wheat is soft, add the beans and heat up; salt & season to taste; serve.

Mum's Recipe for Finnish Fish Soup (Kalakeitto)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg. of frozen Tilapia, Salmon, whatever your favorite fish

5-6 potatoes

1 onion

water

milk, half'n'half, or heavy cream

Knorr chicken bouillon

dried or fresh dill

dried or fresh parsley (optional)

salt & white pepper

butter or oil for sautéing 

Serve with a fresh-baked loaf of sourdough or Finnish rye bread with good butter.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-size pieces. Set them aside. Chop up the onion as fine as you like it. Get a large pot or a heavy duty dutch oven. Heat the butter or oil and sauté the onion in the large pot until tender (sprinkling a little salt on them helps the process along). 

Now add water, filling the pot up to about a third or half with water. Throw in the potatoes, add a couple of bouillon cubes, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium, cover the pot and cook the potatoes until tender. (Depending on the size of the potatoes but this will probably take about 10 minutes or so).

Time to add the frozen fish! (Thawed or fresh fish is fine, too). Most of the fish will break up on its own but you can break it up into smaller pieces once it's cooked. Add about a cup of milk, little less if using half'n'half and only about 1/4 - 1/3 cup if it's heavy cream. Add some white pepper and salt to taste (a light sprinkle of chipotle pepper would warm it up nicely). Add the dill (and parsley). Let simmer on low while you set the table and slice up the bread. Call the troops and ladle out the soup! 

Tankful of Thankful

This journey of mine is not a solitary undertaking. Before i ever drew breath, faithful souls were already praying over me and my eventual travels. From the moment i was born, various arms and hearts have carried me along, their prayers shielding me from harm. My parents poured out their hearts, energies, and wallets to provide me with a care-free, inspiring, and abundant life. They shared freely of their wisdom and faith. They patiently received the insults and offenses of my prideful ignorance and foolishness, and lovingly restored me to a right mind and heart. Even today, their prayers and care support my every step. Their vigorous diligence as faithful servants remain as my guidepost in my continuing journey.
Though i cannot see behind the next bend along my path, i know that my aim remains the same regardless of what lies ahead.

Along the way i encounter many fellow travelers who each in their own way share the path with me. Many provide sweet fellowship, others share their wealth & wisdom to aid me on my way, and some help me through treacherous passes. I delight in each encounter and cherish the moments and miles that i am able to wander with them.






Though my journey is my own and no one else can walk it for me, i have traveled a long spell together with another who has provided me with protection, sustenance, and companionship. My ranger companion is a cherished gift and should my thankfulness falter, i am gently reminded when we encounter others on the road whose travels are fraught with frustration and fighting, or consuming loneliness.

Each morning promises brand new vistas. Even in the most desolate chapters, there is always something at work and hidden treasures to be discovered. One must not be deceived by the seemingly endless miles of the same-old-same-old. It is never really quite so. Hopelessness and despair set in when one begins to believe that mirage, and i am eternally grateful for the times when i have been pulled out such debilitating traps by the saints and angels sent along to aid me. The most unexpected twists can appear out of nowhere and entertaining wanderers suddenly arrive upon the scene to help spend down the miles because the Trail-Master is never constrained by geography or weather.

I don't know how long my journey is until i reach the end, but i do know that as long as i do my best to keep my tank full of gratitude, this adventure will not disappoint and the destination will be even better than the journey.

Shut Up! If you want to be my friend

"Don't let your pets drink antifreeze. Ingesting antifreeze can lead to kidney failure, coma, and death."

"Don't let children remove hornet's nests. This is a dangerous job for adults only."

"Poor nutrition causes negative physical, mental, and emotional effects."

Are you offended by these statements? Do you find that the speaker is oppressing your freedom and spoiling your day with arbitrary rules that make no sense at all?

Do you think it's cruel to forbid dear Rover from enjoying a sweet beverage or intolerant of you to yell at the top of your lungs "STOP!" before your little one grasps a hornet's nest? 

Have you ever wondered why the statements above in italics are generally not a source of offense to most people? What is it about those statements that has us agreeing with them rather than mounting a loud and ugly protest to squelch such intolerant and controlling speech?

Though i have never tasted antifreeze, by all accounts it tastes sweet and it looks an awful lot like my favorite soda, Mountain Dew. I bet it tastes a lot like Mountain Dew, as well, except without the carbonation. What if someone just made up the story that drinking it can kill you? What if it was made up by someone who just wants to spoil everybody's fun?
I bet a tiny sip won't hurt anyone. And if my dog wants to drink some, who am i to stop him? I want him to be happy and telling him no would only make him sad and might make him think that i'm not his friend.

And I really can't stand it when my child's beautiful eyes well up with tears and her bottom lip quivers because I've shouted at her. I'm never, ever going to shout at my kid, no matter what. I will never do anything that would bring a tear to her eye. I want her always to think of me as someone who wants nothing but her happiness, all the time. "Go ahead dear and play with that hornet's nest to your little heart's content."

As for my best friend. Though it's true that he can't walk anymore and some know-it-all doctor thinks that he's probably going to die soon, I am sticking by my 400 Lb friend. I think it's really horrible of the doctor to tell him that he shouldn't be eating 3 pizzas a day and drinking all that soda. You cannot possibly imagine how important it is for my friend to start the day with a dozen doughnuts. No one understands that it causes him actual physical pain to not eat what he wants, when he wants it. I am proud to say that I have his favorite pizza place on speed dial and I would gladly bring him a pizza whenever he wants one, or three.

You may be thinking that i am just making matters worse instead of helping but you have no idea how upset people get when you try to tell them no. And above all else, i don't want to upset anyone!

More and more of us are ignoring, or worse, shouting down warnings because we don't know what we are talking about. We are rejecting the messages because we are ignorant. We have lost the plot and are unable to place the warnings into the proper context where the message would make sense and scare us straight if we caught a glimpse of the big picture. To make matters worse, we condemn the messengers and shame them into silence with taunts and mockery, while we continue to march ourselves and our loved ones the poisoned punchbowl, laughing all the way. 

We have threatened and belittled the truth-speakers into muzzling themselves if they intend to interact with us in any way. We have bullied them into accepting our perverted and twisted reality as right. Instead of considering for a moment that the poison we are ingesting and feeding to our children might be killing us, we point an accusing finger at the messengers and blame them for the death. The effects of the poison are plain to see, except to the one who is under its destructive influence. Just because the death is not instantaneous does not mean that it isn't doing its job just the same. 

Is it possible that the warnings, even when shouted at us sternly with alarm might be for our own good? Or have you made it clear to your friends that if they want to remain your friend, they better keep their stupid opinions to themselves?

Midlife Unemployment Crisis

Last fall, I found myself joining the ranks of the gainfully unemployed. The company wide layoffs were due to an acquisition by a bigger company and I was part of the workforce reduction plan. As an adventurous and happy-go-lucky person at heart, i took the news with some apparently unusual glee and excitement about what the future would hold for me. I had spent ten very satisfying and edifying years with the company and i was ready to embark on a new adventure. It was comforting that my ten years of employment at my previous post afforded me with a steady severance check for a few weeks, so i bounced out of the door with skip in my step and a cheery disposition. 


I felt utterly confident that another job would not be far off and that with my wealth of experience, i would be able to land something even better for more money. This is what everybody kept telling me. "You are so knowledgable", "You have such a fantastic set of skills and so much experience", "You are a really fast learner and a hard worker" - all true statements, but something else that was also true was not being mentioned, namely that i am 50 years old. Our labor laws prevent candidates and employees from age discrimination but let's face facts, unlike recent college grads, we middle-aged geniuses only have another 15 years, at most, to contribute to the company. That is a valid consideration when calculating the cost of on-boarding and training a new employee. Also, with this many miles on the engine, it's a pretty fair expectation that something's going to start going either with the employee herself or their equally aged spouse. To assume that hiring managers don't consider these matters at all is a bit naïve.

So, what is one to do? How can you compete with inexorable advance of old age nipping at your heels?

Contributing to this angst is the expectation that one should have achieved a certain level of financial status and security by this age. It's the propaganda we were fed for decades, which led many to suspend all pleasures in the prime of life in order to ensure the blissful leisure in their golden years. Others made bargains with the devil and joined the ranks of mercenaries, doing whatever it takes to make the biggest bucks possible. It's hard to look at their security and not feel a little bit envious. After all, it's not as if i didn't work diligently at the jobs i was given to do or endeavor to acquire additional skills and knowledge. The difference is that i just couldn't get motivated enough about money to take the same steps as they did. Money to me is a necessary evil but nothing i have ever been able to chase or spend too much time thinking about. Spending time calculating retirement income & setting a career path accordingly stupefies me. And because i could never bring myself to charting my work-life this way, i am now wandering the wilderness without a clue about tomorrow. 

Every life has its own set of storms that buffet us to and fro, or even carry us far off course. Vile winds assault and ominous clouds obscure the sun. It's easy to become despondent & fearful. Storms are dangerous and sometimes deadly. Common sense dictates that storms are to be avoided at all costs because they can be so unpredictable and volatile. We devise ways to protect ourselves in and from storms. 
We buy insurance to protect our assets (money) from the ravages of disasters. We go to great lengths to account for and preserve ourselves from every possible calamity. Insurance companies create stunning profits from the business of fear. 
We expect perpetual sunshine and calm seas, and when this doesn't materialize, we demand restitution. Life must return to sunshine and calm seas as soon as possible and remain so, as long as possible. And yet, for so many, many people outside of our little circle of happy-happy-joy-joy, life is one relentless storm after another. It's grey skies most of the time with scant hope of sunshine. How do these people survive, much less thrive? Where does their hope and perseverance come from? How do they keep smiling and standing firm?

What we cannot see is their anchor beneath the waves. An anchor that holds them firmly and securely in spite of the surging waves. An anchor that can withstand any storm, lodged immovably in the bedrock, where all is peaceful and calm.


Without this, all the machinations and strategies are but flimsy floatation devices that we clutch on to for dear life. We spot someone with a slightly bigger and more secure looking life-preserver, and we decide that if we can get one too then we will be alright...until we spot an even more amazing life-preserver. We carry these life-preservers around with us just in case we might need them, if and when the next storm hits. We figure out ways to make someone else pay for the life-preserver because they owe it to us. We turn vicious should anyone threaten to take away our life-preservers. Should the worst happen and we suddenly find ourselves bereft of a life-preserver, we are driven to edge of desperation and terror.

What do the anchor-people think about these floatation devices and our dependence on them? Diving a little deeper, is it possible that the anchor-people interpret and experience the storms differently than the floatation-people? What if we could learn to live through the storms like the anchor-people? Would it be possible for us to trade in our floatation devices for an anchor?


This is my real mission. This is my current job and it's going to be my career from now on.

  

Past the Point of No Return

I submit for your consideration the following list of books which proved to be profoundly transformational. Books which caused me to view absolutely everything in a new way; books which challenged me to the very core of my being and set me on a course from which i have neither wavered nor departed from again.

Without further ado and in no particular order:

1. Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright


2. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard


3. The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis


4. Love Wins by Rob Bell


5. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence


6. Quotidian Mysteries - Laundry, Liturgy, & "Women's Work" by Kathleen Norris


7. Jesus Rediscovered by Malcolm Muggeridge



8. The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God by Frederica Mathewes-Green


 9. Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail by Robert E. Webber & Lester Ruth




10. Dancing Naked in the Mind Field by Kary Mullis (though this one is not a Christian book as such, it is a profoundly thought-provoking, as well as, entertaining book challenging our notion of scientific "facts" - truly transformational to how i perceived the world).   


My latest addition:
11. New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton


I could try to write about why each of these was pivotal in my life but i know that i cannot even begin to do these books justice by a blurb. I invite you instead to step into these books and discover for yourself the marvelous possibilities contained therein. 

I remember always being astonished when Jesus asked the sick whether they wanted to be healed. To my childish mind, it seemed like such a DUH! question. I have since learned that many (far too many) don't actually desire healing. I can't think of anything sadder.

                               
                         

 

                                     

  

Is this Paradise - Part 1

"Is this paradise?" Well, if it isn't, this is probably the closest thing to it.

I enjoyed my first real vacation ever in honor of my 50th birthday with a 12-day visit to Hawaii. My traveling companions included my youngest child and my parents (later, my brother and his family joined us on the island of Kauai).

We arrived in Honolulu on July 29th to the most perfectly balmy and breezy day. Our accommodations in Waikiki on Liliuokalani Avenue were just a few short blocks from the glorious Kuhio beach park, where the swimming could not have been better for kids and those who don't like ducking waves. Just head toward Kalakaua Avenue, along Liliuokalani to get to the beach. 

Though Waikiki is very much like Rodeo Drive with ridiculous high end designer stores and towering hotels, there are delightful surprises to be found if you just keep your eyes peeled. We stumbled across a Farmers' Market at King's Village with incredibly delicious fruits and foods for sale. 
There are little shops with beautiful Hawaiian dresses & shirts, art work, and jewelry. It's nestled in between the tall hotels so just ask a local for directions if you can't find it. One of the best finds in Waikiki was the Moku Surf Shop on Koa avenue. Learning to surf was on my daughter's short bucket list for Hawaii and we happened to be talking about that when we wandered past on old surfer-dude from Vancouver, B.C. who directed us to Moku Surf Shop. It was late in the evening but they were still open and i booked her then and there for a private surf lesson the following morning. Kamalu was an amazing instructor and took her under his wing out in the surf. She was thrilled about conquering the waves and i got to watch the lesson from the comfort of a beach chair. Win-win! 

Our reason for coming to Oahu first was to visit Pearl Harbor. 
After some extensive research, I concluded that it was best to forego renting a car (thus saving ourselves the additional cost of parking and trying to get around a rather congested city), opting to bus it to Pearl Harbor instead. Though the trip took us over an hour, we hopped on the first bus of the day and paid our $2.50/pp fare  for a leisurely ride through Honolulu. Tickets to Pearl Harbor are free but they are handed out on a first-come-first-served basis with a set limit of tickets per day. By the time our bus reached Pearl Harbor at 7:30a.m., a long line of people had already queued up for tickets. We quickly ran to join the queue, only to be told that all purses & bags, except for cameras & wallets had to be checked into storage for a $5 holding fee (cash only!). I later noticed that many had opted to wear cargo shorts & pants with good reason - if it fits in your pocket, you can bring it in. We finally rejoined the queue and received our tickets for the 1p.m. tour of the memorial. Now what? We had over 5 hours to kill and it didn't make sense to return to Waikiki only to turn around and come back so we dropped the money on a tour of the USS Missouri - a retired battleship docked at the naval station (Tickets to the Mighty Mo are $27/adult; $13/child). Though this was no cheap excursion, I think that it was well worth the price. We opted for the self-guided tour which freed us to roam the ship at our own pace and linger to explore to our hearts' content. The Japanese surrender was signed on the deck of the Mighty Mo as it was anchored in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. There is a plaque designating the spot.
The fairly new Kamikaze exhibit was gripping to watch, contemplating the fate of so many young men caught in WWII's raging maw. The entrance to the exhibit is in the stern of the ship. 

Give yourself plenty of time to explore the bowels of the ship, from bow to stern. There is a lot to see from the mess hall and sleeping quarters of the navy guys to the officer's quarters and lounge. Take time to ask questions from the volunteers - they are a treasure trove of interesting facts and tidbits. Bring along a bottle of water and wear comfortable shoes. 

For best choices in dining, stop at the cafe in the Pacific Aviation Museum. There is a lunch wagon at the Mighty Mo with pizza slices etc., and a couple of spots at the Welcome Center too, but be prepared for limited choices like pre-packaged sandwiches, hot dogs, and soup. 

The visit to the USS Arizona Memorial is moving. You will queue up for a short movie at the Welcome Center after which you will board a ferry for a short trip to the Memorial. Resist the temptation to video and photograph everything, rather let yourself experience the moment and contemplate the fate of those who rest beneath the waves. There are postcards, magnets, videos, posters and more available at the Gift Shop for an affordable price which capture the experience better than your iPhone and free you to be present in the moment. And please, please, please consider your outfit. This is an active military base and a cemetery so take some pains to look respectful and decent. Please. 

Next blog - Iolani Palace. Till then, Aloha! 

Sin in Heaven?

Are we going to be able to sin in the new Kingdom? Dallas Willard & Gary Black Jr. say yes, however, both agree that when we understand sin for what it really is, it will lose all its appeal. That we will feel no more tempted to sin than we would feel tempted to drink out of the toilet bowl or stab a pen in our eye.¹

Down through the ages, God has been manifesting Himself to us in all His glory. Until we actually catch a glimpse of Him for Who He Is and who we are in relation to Him, we will be unable to understand sin for what it really is and why we cannot resist the persistent temptation to keep stabbing pens in our eyes and drinking out of the toilet bowl. Adding insult to this injury is our perverse desire to proclaim these actions & desires as good and sanctioned by God. 


Our only hope of freeing ourselves from this morass is to pursue God with our entire being - body, soul, & will. No holds barred, no baggage, no non-negotiables.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)
God's terms, not ours, no matter how difficult and impossible it seems. For this we need Christ because on our own, we will surely fail. And He will make the impossible possible. He will perform that miracle of transformation & healing, if we truly want to be healed.

It's very simple really: Our will or God's? Our wisdom or God's? Our way or God's?
Where these two diverge, even slightly, we have departed from following Him and we are pursuing something else. And all the arguments, feelings, and opinions under the sun cannot change the sovereignty of God. He is God, the Alpha & Omega, the One who made Pleiades & Orion. Isn't it obvious to any thinking person how ludicrous it is for the creature to presume to school the Creator on what's right and wrong?

It's about diving into what Willard calls a "God-bathed Kingdom reality". Think about that for a moment, reflect on what it looks like and how it differs from the world-bathed kingdom reality we have constructed. Quoting Dallas Willard again: "At some point, we have to come to the point, deep in our souls, of realizing that the pain of perceived change is less than the pain of staying the same."

We choose wrongly because we don't understand or know God. Rather than choosing life, we choose that which brings deadly ramifications. But when we seek God with our whole heart, when we want Him above all else and we want to do what He wants above all else, we will find Life and sin will have no power over us. We can choose this right now and be forever transformed. Join the Divine Conspiracy! 


He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land-- the LORD is his name. Amos 5:8

Offered for your consideration:

1. Seminary Dropout - Shane Blackshear talks with Gary Black Jr.  (11:30 - Sin in eternity)
The Divine Conspiracy and The Divine Conspiracy Continued