Scene from Babette’s Feast (movie on lavish grace) Frustrated. Too many ideas. Not enough time. Want to go far & wide. Two little girls & a husband. Life in Bellingham. It’s real, dirty, present & sacred. This space. Behind a screen. Unknown by many. Paddling to catch the current. My voice is lost.Continue reading “Learning to Feast with Him”
Category Archives: Hospitality
Allowing Your Strengths to Shine in Hospitality
braces never stopped her from dancing Life is full of imperfections. I was looking at a picture of my smile today and I noticed how it’s a bit crooked. My bottom left hand side goes up a bit more than my right side. However, I love my smile. I love that my teeth show, myContinue reading “Allowing Your Strengths to Shine in Hospitality”
My Hypocrital Judgemental Heart
We are staying at one of the nicest resorts/hotels one could imagine. When telling people where we were headed, I felt a bit uneasiness & embarrassment, due to the opulence of it all. It is the “other” world, not my world. And I wanted to make sure people knew that. How do we enjoyContinue reading “My Hypocrital Judgemental Heart”
The Makings of a Mess: Community & Hospitality
On Saturday, I had the privilege to be a guest speaker to college seniors in their upcoming transition from university to “real world.” There was a Q&A time and many had thoughtful questions. One young man asked those of us on the panel if “we thought living in community was essential/necessary post graduation? And ifContinue reading “The Makings of a Mess: Community & Hospitality”
Redeeming the Table on Food
How do I gather up my soul & mind, my convictions & biblical truth, my body & my appetite and bring it all together to formulate a succinct take on food? Of so many things that are debated & argued over, food is central to so many of them. We can see this withContinue reading “Redeeming the Table on Food”
A Longing Heart for Overworked Lungs & Sweat
I’ve been sick. Sick as in, “Can a cold really be worse than the flu?” sick. Body aching, fatigue & incoherent. Yet, I have thoughts, reflections & lots of posts I want to write about. Yet…I have no energy to write them. I wanted my next post to be about why food is integralContinue reading “A Longing Heart for Overworked Lungs & Sweat”
Sharing Hospitality at Redeeming the Table
You’ll notice the subtitle below the banner says, “sharing stories, hospitality & food with friend & stranger.” I spoke of the sharing stories/storytelling last week and promised to continue with the hospitality portion and food portion. But how does one tackle a topic so vast, so broad and a bit ambiguous as ‘hospitality?’ GoodContinue reading “Sharing Hospitality at Redeeming the Table”
Hospitality not Entertaining
What do you think of when you hear the word hospitality? What are the first images that pop in your head? I hope to dispell some of the false notions of hospitality; as well as, redefine and encourage those of you who think you either have the “gift” of hospitality or don’t. I thinkContinue reading “Hospitality not Entertaining”
Thankful with Sweet Potato Goodness (& so much more)
The words that penetrated my soul the most, “my sons were hungry and the only thing I could give them was water.” This was part of a guest speaker’s story. She was a small Honduran woman, measuring a mere 4 feet and 9 inches, but she made up for it with tremendous heart & conviction. Her name, Danubia Orellana Lopez, and she is apart of the Agros village of Brisas del Volcan.
Danubia was the speaker at the Agros International fundraiser dinner Ben and I attended at the end of October. It seemed fitting that we attended just days before we plunged into doing this 30 day challenge. Agros is an amazing organization, who seeks to empower people in Central America & Mexico through micro loans to purchase land. Many of these people, like Danubia, lived in the slums and had to wake up at 2:30 am to walk 2 hours to get to the farm (to which she & her husband worked for someone else), work an 18 hour day and only get paid $.40 a day. She recalls the times when payday arrived and the owner of the land wasn’t there to pay her & her husband. Those were the days when all she could offer her children was water to fill their bellies. She also recalled a time at the age of 14, when her mother only had 3 eggs to feed the 14 kids….I am truly blessed.
I can’t imagine that world. To feel absolutely defenseless and unable to give your children a basic necessity. Agros seeks to extend both physical means to these people who are willing to work REALLY hard to till their land; but, also give them emotional/spiritual means. They come in to teach the people how to cultivate the land, how to educate themselves, how to make financial deals, etc. What Agros does, is tell these people like Danubia, that if they are willing to want something more, then they can have it. More importantly, what Agros does & says to them, “You are worth it! You have value!”
Danubia spoke of telling her mother that she wanted to be a nurse when she grew up. Her mother said, “Danubia, people like us don’t dream, because our hearts just get broken.” After Agros came in to empower Danubia, her family & community, she and other women worked together to make the men realize that they are just as important & valuable as them. And you know what, after the women worked just as hard, the men realized that these women, their women, had dignity & value.
When I think about what Evangitality means–this is it. This is the global representation of it. It’s finding value, dignity & worth in each individual, because they are created in God’s image. It’s empowering them by giving them a hand up, and not a hand out. It’s not entitlement, because there are many people who choose to stay in slums so they can keep their TV or refrigerator. Instead, it’s for the people who want something more, who want to dream. Life without dreams isn’t a life worth living, and Danubia knew this.
Walking back to the hotel that night, I told Ben, “You know, the poor in America aren’t that poor. They still get assistance. They’re not putting their children to bed without food.” It has made me more thankful than ever. And that’s why I give thanks before my meals. I thank God that I have more than enough to fill my family’s bellies. So when I’ve been cranky during this 3o day challenge, or hear people whining about, “Oh, I ONLY get meat, vegetables, limited fruit & nuts, and eggs,” I’m reminded of Danubia’s words, “my sons were hungry and the only thing I could give them was water.” Oh how I have nothing to complain about, and everything to give thanks about.
I’m thankful for simple meals too. So simple it seems almost too good to be true.
A Year Ago: Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Sea Salted Caramel Frosting & Oatmeal Carmelitas
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Goodness (printable recipe)
This is for one sweet potato, but you could easily increase the amount and play with the ingredients. If you’re not a cinnamon fan, sub some nutmeg (but go easy on it) or add some smoked paprika.
Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
1 tsp coconut oil
dash sea salt
2 Tb pecans
sprinkle cinnamon
Directions: Bake a sweet potato on 350 for 30 minutes or so (check a source, I’m that person who pops it in and doesn’t worry about it). Do this the day before if you’re having it for breakfast. Remove the skin and cut up the sweet potato into chunks.
Heat up coconut oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the sweet potato & salt. Stir around letting it get a bit golden, about 3 minutes. Add some chopped pecans & a sprinkling of cinnamon. Cook for an additional 1 minute or so. Serve and enjoy!
Sour Cream Apple Crumble Bars
I will continue to love Autumn more than any season, and I don’t think it will ever leave, to which I’m grateful. The vibrant colors alone rap my heartstrings (doesn’t take much). And nothing says Fall quite like the wafting aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & cloves. Puddle jumping never seemed so invigorating. Then, there’s the visit to the pumpkin patch or apple orchards, while bundled up in “sweater weather” with the crisp air and crunch of the leaves with each step. Oh Autumn, can you stay like this well into late November? Autumn seems to call out, “come inside, bundle up, sip some cider by the fire, and be.”
How they smile for the picture
With the busyness of summer feeling a bit nomadic, Autumn let’s us know that it’s okay to be sedentary, to regroup and develop a game plan (fitting that football is in the Fall) of where you’re going next. I’m reminded of traditions being rekindled or brand new ones beginning. I know our family has been like running one 800 meter to the next without a time to catch our breath, much less time to ‘know’ one another. This season reminds me of how I can make room for the new college student who has moved to town as well; but, it reminds me that if my family is on a constant chase without any reprieve, then it’s pointless.
I rarely make dessert specifically to be eaten after dinner, but sometimes having dessert planned with dinner when you’re not having guests over can be…well, special. And I think making a dessert for my family, unannounced communicates that I think they’re pretty darn special. These Sour Cream Apple Crumble Bars are perfect for that. Plus, they taste better the next day. So, you don’t have to be in the kitchen making dinner & dessert all for the same meal. They’re wonderful, and these little gems are sure to procure you praise for at least a couple of days (reason enough to make them). I would love to hear what you do to usher in Autumn!
A Year Ago: Rarely for the Planned
Sour Cream Apple Crumble Bars (printable recipe)
This recipe is adapted from The Good Cookie cookbook. It reminds me of an apple pie baked from Dutch Mothers in Lynden, WA, but without having to deal with the rolling & chilling that comes from making a pie crust. The key is to let it cool to get the best overall taste.
Crust:
1 1/3 cups unbleached flour
1/3 cup unrefined evaporated cane juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp cold water
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Apple Filling:
1 pound Jonamac apples; peeled, cored, & sliced into 1/2 inch slices
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tb apple juice or cider
2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tb brandy
4 Tb unsalted butter
1/2 cup rapadura sugar
Topping:
1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup unrefined sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1/3 cup rapadura sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Sour Cream Mixture:
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
Make the crust: In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, & salt, combine 30 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, pulse 6-8 times. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk, cold water & vanilla. Then, with the food processor running, add the liquid and combine for 15-20 seconds. Dump the dough into a 9-inch square pan and pat it down evenly with your hands. Bake in preheated oven of 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Make Apple Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the peeled/cored/sliced apples, lemon juice, cornstarch, brandy, & apple juice. Toss it around and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the sugar to cook. Stirring constantly until there are no more lumps. Add the apple mixture and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, or till the apples are soft on the outside but still slightly crunchy inside. Empty contents into a bowl and allow to cool completely.
Make the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, cinnamon & salt. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork, stirring until the dry ingredients are all moistened. Set aside.
Make the Sour Cream Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk the egg until well blended. Add the sour cream, cinnamon & salt to the whisked egg and whisk till combined.
Assembling the bars: Take the sour cream mixture and combine it with the apple filling. Stir well and spread evenly on the baked crust. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sour cream apple mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and set. Cool the bars completely before serving. You can dive right in if you’d like; however, they taste so much better when they’re completely cooled.
Backdoor Hospitality 