Saint Meme

Since Deb tagged me, here’s my entree:
The task is to name four of your favourite Saints, one who was well on the way to sanctity, is widely venerated already and very likely to be made a Saint in due course, and one who isn`t yet publicly declared a saint but probably should be made a Saint.

Favorite Saints:

St Mary of Egypt
St John the Wonderworker
St Jude (I still think of him as the patron saint of lost causes)
St Nicholas

On his way to becoming a saint:
Elder Porphyrios

Should be a saint:
Father Seraphim Rose

Falling down and getting back up

It’s amazing how the little things can upset our calm. I had planned a writing about something that I read in “Do Something Beautiful for God”, but instead, I have fallen in the same way that I have fallen over and over again. Now I just feel horrible about myself and wonder how I can ever stop doing the things I wish to stop doing. I know I’m not alone in struggling with besetting sins, we all have them. I just wish I knew how to fight it. Every so often, the struggle against besetting sin seems to overpower everything, even the light of God’s love. I just need to remember that He loves me even as I struggle.

Friday Feasts

vegan, fast-friendly
THAI TOFU CURRY

1 7oz pkg. firm tofu, cubed
1 Tbl. soy sauce
1 Tbl. canola oil
Marinate the tofu in the soy sauce for 15 minutes. In the meantime, put the following ingred’s in a food processor or blender, blend for about 10 seconds or so:

4 green onions, chopped
2 Tbl. canned, diced green chilis
2 dash garlic powder (or to taste)
3 dash ginger, dried
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1 Tbl. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbl. lime juice
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. soymilk, plain

In a nonstick pan, brown the tofu in 1 Tbl. canola oil until firm and sort of brown. Add the blender mixture and cook 20 minutes (covered) on low, stirring occasionally. Serve over basmati rice.

Which Church Father are You?

http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2007/04/03/which-church-father-are-you/

You’re Tertullian!
You possess many gifts, but patience isn’t one of them. You’re tough on yourself — and on others. You’re independent, too, and you don’t like to be told what to do. You wish the Church would be a little tighter in discipline. As for the pagans, you’ve pretty much written them off. Sometimes you think the Church would be a better place if you were in charge

Movie Meme

Found this meme at http://raaven.livejournal.com/490821.html

1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail

2. Name a movie that you’ve seen multiple times in the theater.
Serenity

3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie.
Edward Norton

4. Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie.
Nicholas Cage!!! Tom Cruise, Billy Bob Thorton

5. Name a movie that you can quote from.
Ant Monty Python movie, most Mel Brooks movies, Gone with the Wind, Emma

6. Name a movie musical that you know all the lyrics to all the songs.
Jesus Christ Superstar (don’t hate me folks, the indie TV station used to play it every Palm Sunday and the whole family would watch it)

7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with.
The Blue Brothers

8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see.
Serenity, American History X: if you like serious drama

9. Name a movie that you own.
With my husband, we probably own between 50-100

10. Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops.
Mark Wahlberg

11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in? If so, what?
Jaws

12. Ever made out in a movie?
not saying anything other than I was a very wild teenager

13. Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven’t gotten around to it.
Children of Men

14. Ever walked out of a movie?
I don’t think so, but I wanted to walk out of both Star Wars Episode I and the first of the Lord of the Rings movie.

15. Name a movie that made you cry in the theater.
Last of the Mohicans

16. Popcorn?
not any more

17. How often do you go to the movies (as opposed to renting them or watching them at home)?
It’s got to be really good, “babysitter worthy”, usually once every 6 months or so

18. What’s the last movie you saw in the theater?
The Prestige (wanted to walk out of it)

19. What’s your favorite/preferred genre of movie?
Sci-Fi or Historical Romance

20. What’s the first movie you remember seeing in the theater?
Raiders of the Lost Ark

21. What movie do you wish you had never seen?
Underworld: Evolution

22. What is the weirdest movie you enjoyed?
Dark City

23. What is the scariest movie you’ve seen?
Recently, the Exorcism of Emily Rose, but I went through a phase in high school where I saw every slasher film that came out

24. What is the funniest movie you’ve seen?
That’s a tough one, my top 3 are Blazing Saddles, Kung Fu Hustle and Airplane

Yeah, books!

I ended up ordering “Do Something Beautiful for God” and “Encountering Women of Faith”. I know the second one was on the original list, but I was looking for a book on women saints and someone told me that “Saints and Sisterhood” wasn’t what I was looking for. I haven’t been dedicating time to edifying reading lately, but since the remodeling work has disrupted most of my regular household duties, I think I’ll be able to fit the reading in.

Doing the things we love for money

Over time, I have earned money through my various hobbies. For my sewing, every time I have taken on a commission, it always ends up with me not enjoying the sewing and not being very happy with the end result and if the client is a friend, it ends the friendship. The strange thing is that when I take on friends as hair styling clients, this never happens. Maybe this is because I have experience working in salons and now how to develop a real working relationship that is separate from the friendship? I don’t know. Recently, a friend hired me to hand-dye some garments for her kids. In the past, when I have sold dyed garments, I would dye them and put out the good ones for sale. The type of dying I do isn’t an exact science. It’s more like an experiment in color. Some things work, some don’t. (do a search on low immersion dying, that will explain alot!) Again, it has ended in disappointment. One garment turned out nicely, but not exactly what she wanted. The second came out very muddy and I don’t think she’ll like it. What was so disappointing is that it changed how I felt about the dying experience. Normally, I kinda throw things in and wait with baited breath to see what happens. It’s exciting. The boys LOVE seeing the results, even if the garment is in girly colors. I love seeing how the colors blend or which one dominates or the subtle patterns. This time, I had knots in my stomach the whole time. Now, I have knots in my stomach thinking about the disappointed look on her face. I guess it’s pretty clear to me that I love these hobbies because I don’t HAVE to do them. They are my source of beauty and I don’t want someone else to judge their beauty.

Next Book Order

Having been inspired by my friend http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/debdillon/ to get back to reading real books (as opposed to trashy romance/vampire novels)I’m planning my next order to www.Light-N-Life.com. As the pocketbook only permits so much, I’d love to hear reviews of any of the following books:

Do Something Beautiful for God by Fr. Anthony Coniaris

The Apostolic Fathers by Fr. Jack Sparks

Discovering God Through the Daily Practice of His Presence by Fr. Anthony Coniaris

The One Thing Needful:Meditations for the Busy Woman by Colette Jonopulos

Begining to Pray, by Anthony Bloom

The Purple Mantle by Aliki Kafetzopoulou (it’s listed as Christian fiction)

Saints and Sisterhood: the Lives of 48 Women by Eva Catafygiotou Topping

I’m also interested in recommendations!

Friday Feasts

I wish I could give credit where it’s due, but I can’t remember where I saw “Friday Feasts” first. I hope to make the Friday recipe a weekly regular. Normally, it will be a fast-friendly recipe, but of course, since it’s Bright Week, today’s recipe is not fasting. Today’s recipe is an ongoing search for the perfect jerk marinade. My father-in-law makes the best jerk chicken I’ve ever tasted. Unfortunately, he uses a bottled marinade that he gets in the Islands. Over the years, I’ve tried many. This one sounds pretty good, but not nearly as hot.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken

4 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
Marinade
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbl sugar
In a medium bowl, stir together spices
To spice mix, add:
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 tbl olive oil
juice of 1 lime
1 cup finely chopped onion

Stir well to make marinade. Add chicken and chill for 8-12 hours or overnight. Grill or broil 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through, or until no longer pink.

Home Demolition

Oh, this is going to try my patience! On Tuesday, the contractors came to star work on the bathroom. Yesterday, the plumber was jackhammering on the shower floor. Today, the basement waterproofing guys arrived. They will be jackhammering ALL DAY! They are tearing up the perimeter of the basement to install drains and a sump pump. I know we need it. We can’t finish the basement if it floods every time we get a moderate rain, but this is driving me, and the dogs crazy. I know the day will end with a major headache. Oh, and don’t forget the TV turned up way loud so the little munchkin can hear the TV and the water turned off so the plumber can work.