Rice Cooker

I've written often that men should listen to the women in their lives. Even as a proponent of this message, sometimes I find myself reluctant to at times. A big example of this in our household is in the arena of kitchen appliances.

One of the first contentions in our marriage was over how many kitchen appliances we have had in our life together. Each of us has attached ourselves to one such appliance or the other -- a rice cooker, griddle, juicer, coffee grinder, blender -- and sometimes the other spouse just wants to get rid of it! Lately, I have been on the side of minimalism, because let's face it: these things take up too much valuable counter space! We live in the biggest place we ever have, and have trimmed down our appliance arsenal, but somehow we still don't have enough space!

And then, in an undisclosed bout of frivolous spending, my wife ordered a rice cooker! After we left our last one in California for lack of use. What nerve!

I questioned her motives, but we are enjoying a more plant-based diet these days, and she thought something to cook large amounts of rice, quinoa, couscous, lentils, etc., would be nice, especially since it had a steamer on top for vegetables (and meat, should we ever return to the dark side). The purchase was made however, and so I reluctantly complied with open skepticism.

Well, it takes a humble man to admit when he is wrong; and I was wrong. That thing is awesome! Like healthy mad scientists, we are mixing and experimenting with different types of grains, all of which are easy to cook in the Oster. We also regularly steam broccoli and butternut squash (amongst other foods), most of which take a while to cook otherwise. The thing is a dream and I have to say, if you don't have a rice cooker/ steamer combo, think about getting one! Here is the one we bought. It is about as simple as you can get, and cooks just about anything well. (Sometimes the rice does burn on the bottom, but perhaps I'm not putting enough water in.)

An awesome dish Katie made with sweet potatoes, chick peas, quinoa, tomatoes, cilantro and this sweet hummus sauce.

Lately, I have been pondering and having conversations about the role of women and men in leadership in marriage. I am sad to find that, much of the time, men make decisions, some good and some bad, but largely neglect the input of their wives. As I establish my own role in this regards, and consider where the line between leadership and arrogance lies, I can't help but weigh heavily my wife's opinions. She researches the crud out of everything, and is so often on the side of right in hindsight, that I must take her input seriously.

And so I want to charge you, Reader, to do the same. She might not always be right, but it couldn't hurt to listen and have the humility to accept some change on her behalf. It may just keep you from some massive mistakes. Or maybe you'll just get another kitchen appliance.

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Stumbling Block

Take a look at these verses from Matthew 16:21-27:

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

This is a pretty common verse, but I never caught what exactly Jesus might be saying here. The word "stumbling block" hit me differently this time (as a block of wood might do). Often I read this as if a stumbling block is a thing commonly lying around that you trip over occasionally, a regular part of the household in a regular routine. But think about this: why would anyone willingly have a block of wood in their walkway that they frequently trip over, and not move it?! That is ridiculous. So there may be more to Jesus having used that particular phrase.

It brings to mind this verse from 1 Corinthians 8:9:

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Paul is talking about Christians using their liberty to eat or drink whatever, while other Christians may find the action a sin. There is a lot of backstory required, but what I want to point out is this second famous use of the word "stumbling block" in scripture. It is the same idea as Peter with Jesus: one "Christian" is doing something that is blocking another brother from progress, in an area that is likely a struggle for the latter. (Not that I am calling Jesus "weak," but just using it as a comparison.)

Jesus seems fairly harsh sometimes in the bible, and this passage is a good example of that. But think about it -- if Jesus was struggling with his approaching suffering (which we know he was, according to Matthew), then Peter struck a negative chord with him. The whole thing brings a level of humanity to our Savior that I appreciate. He struggled, just as we do, and it wasn't always easy for him. But as scripture later points out...

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

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Christmas is Over

Christmas is over. Obviously.

This year we had a bit of an extended season though, as we had a few Christmas celebrations with my family, before going up north to visit my wife's family, and then came home to an awesome and unexpected snow storm that gave my wife an extra week off of work. The whole thing was really amazing and a great way to end one year and start another.

However, as we took down Christmas decorations, Ellie had a little trouble saying goodbye to the holidays. I totally understand, as I have vivid memories of the day after Christmas (Boxing Day to our northern neighbors) being solemn and feeling a bit empty. Sure, I probably just came off of an awesome Christmas and had tons of new toys and video games to play with, but the whole expectation of the big day is really what makes the season magical. The older I get, the easier it becomes to let go and move on, looking forward to new adventures in the new year; but I can certainly sympathize with my three year-old.

Her experience this year speaks to me though, as I still struggle with letting go of other things -- some physical and others internal -- and move on. With the extra week of time together, for instance, we spent quite a bit of it cleaning house and getting rid of things. I went through my box of "keepsake" items: things more sentimental than practical. These are items I've carried over the years, but rarely do more with than occasionally take a gander at, reminisce, and then place back in the box or a bedside drawer. It begs the question: why do I keep these things? I'm not saying that keepsakes are terrible, but they can certainly add up.

The longer Katie and I have been married, the more simplistic we have become with our lifestyle. We moved our whole life across the country in two cars and a 5x8 U-haul trailer, but I think we desire to cut back even more. With these cuts, however, must come the release of some items that take up space in the closet. And with that release, as difficult as it may be, comes freedom.

A poignant fortune cookie from a trip to Mojo during the holidays.

As I mentioned in the last post, nature beckons us to move on and change with the seasons. The bible supports it too: 

...I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12b-14)

And so as we head into 2018, I pray that this year is filled with new adventures and experiences, part of which will inevitably involve moving on from what is behind -- be it clothes, toys, keepsakes, holidays, addictions, shame, relationships -- whatever may be hindering you from moving forward into all that God has for you.

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Snow

Isn't snow beautiful? Having never lived above 34-degrees latitude, I typically only get to see it on snowboard trips or when visiting my in-laws. This holiday season, however, I have gotten two solid snow storms in only a week's time, and in two locations. The gift has been such a blessing, and as I have gazed at the large fluffy flakes falling in droves, or scanned smooth blue rolling hills, covered in four inches and lit by a full moon, I think snow teaches us some things about God and life.

First: I struggle sometimes with the idea that God could love so many people at once. Often times I find myself in a congested space, or a downtown area, and I look around or at the apartments and town homes near me, and think, Even if God just loved all the people in this area, that would be an incredible thing. But to think that God loves a whole world's worth of people, and has been doing so for centuries upon centuries...well, that is certainly something beyond my comprehension.

But when I look at the thousands and thousands of snowflakes around me, and consider that each one of them is unique, I can't help but think that this is an illustration of the intricate details with which God creates. If he chose to give us this beautiful substance that totally transforms a location, and brings with it a feeling of peace and serenity, when it could have just have easily been clear/blue like water, or brown like mud, and in doing so created each snowflake as a unique piece of art -- maybe he could give us lowly humans attention in a similar way. It makes such a big love a little more possible in my eyes.

A flower on a bush from our from yard.

Second: Snow melts eventually, which can be a bit of a long dreary process. It usually slowly diminishes, getting dirty and icy. As that process begins, a sadness swells inside, as the longing that the pure white substance that makes everything more beautiful would stick around; the soft hue that sparkles in the sun bringing with it some kind of magical power of gladness that overtakes you, warming your insides in a fun fit of irony. Later, however, the wonder of when it fell fades, and before too long it is more like an afterthought of what once was, lying in the shade beside the highway in little grey clumps.

The whole process is like a microcosm of seasons. We may truly love summer and lament its passing as the leaves change colors and the air gets cool; or enjoy the cold air of winter as a nice break from the humidity of the hotter months. But seasons change and we have nothing to say in the matter (save moving to warmer or colder climates). Each season though, brings with it something different -- some aspects we appreciate and others we despise. Either way, it is change and change is good, because nothing lasts forever and there are times in life when we are forced to let go: of people, jobs, places, skills, situations, love. Watching snow come and go is good practice for the bigger and harder things to loose our grasps on in life, particularly because we know it will likely return, but we don't know when or for how long.

Yes, this season I have come to the conclusion that snow is truly a gift from God; for how else would something so beautiful and unique simply occur, unprompted or unwarranted? And like most of what God makes, snow is good in more than one way, the greatest one being a nurturer our souls, which is edged onto maturity and proximity with him as we ponder the beauty of his nature.

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Introvert

Recently I was invited to speak on a podcast about being a stay-at-home dad. It was super fun and I encourage you to check it out at that link, or below!

In the conversation, the concept of introversion/extroversion came up, and how that relates to being a stay-at-home dad. I said it was good, because in my 2+ years of doing it, I have spent a lot of time by myself or with only Ellie, much of it being when she could not speak in sentences. I remember telling Katie that I could really spend about two full days at home without leaving (save a walk to 7-11 for coffee or a trip to the park) and still be content. By the end of that second day though, I needed to get out. Katie, on the other hand, being an extrovert, could barely make it a day before needing some interpersonal interaction. As I have frequented parks and playgrounds, I have noticed that women tend to be alike in this (with exceptions, of course), often congregating at parks, making play-dates, etc. But without that intentional community-building, stay-at-home life can be quite solitary. As a result, I commented in the aforementioned podcast that being an introvert can be a very good thing in my case.



Lately, however, I have been struggling with my introversion, as I am rarely ever alone! The best definition of introversion that I have been told, is that an introvert recharges when alone, while an extrovert recharges when around other people. This certainly matches my experience, and so things like nap time, or letting Katie go out after Ellie went to bed have helped fulfill this need in the past. I would pour a nice scotch and whip out the computer for a good writing session, or maybe just watch Gotham. Either way, she would come home from a game night with friends and we would both feel rested and recharged.

At this point in our children's ages (2 and 3), I think that I have developed an expectancy that they should be old enough to play together, or even alone at times. Both have showed these tendencies, and when they do, it is kind of nice as I can catch up on things, maybe write a blog or pay some bills. However, these restful times are still the minority of our day, if they happen at all, and so I am finding myself rather spent when Ellie is hanging on my leg and wanting to play, even when Waverly is napping. Like a good introspective person, I was asking myself why I have been so stressed when all Ellie wants to do is hang out with me -- I should be flattered and heart-warmed! Two things occurred to me: first, Ellie is only 3 and friends are not coming over to knock on our door yet, asking if she can "come out and play." (Kids will likely text that request instead of walking over by the time she reaches that age anyway, sadly...) Katie, Waverly and I are her best friends, and so naturally she is going to want to hang with us all the time (Ellie is definitely an extrovert, like her mother). The second thing that occurred to me is what this whole post is about: I am an introvert and without my "recharge time," I will naturally become exasperated.

Does this look like a rested father to you?

And so the solution is also two-fold: first, exercise patience with my little ones. After all, they just want to spend time together, which is something I will long for some day. Second, I need to be more vocal about my needs to be alone. Sometimes it is easy as a parent to just give and give and give, because why not? That's what we're here for. We are grown ups and we can deal with a little stress and exhaustion if it means sacrificing for our families. However, this just isn't healthy, and at these levels of fatigue, I am simply not the best parent I can be. Though for folks like me, there is a certain level of guilt associated with these requests, it is okay to ask for time alone; for a surf or a skate session, or maybe to sit in a back room and read a book.

So if you are an introvert like me, I want to encourage you to be vocal! The request for solitude may just make you a better parent in the end.

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