It was a nice Sunday. I was fasting so I didn't have dinner last night or breakfast today and I thought I would be starving when I got home and I was hungry... but not starving. When we fast with earnest intent on the people and thing we are fasting for and about, it changes our physical desires as well as our spiritual desires. We fast as a family once a month and as I mentioned before, little ones, pregnant ladies, and sick-o's don't fast. So... zero calories on the breakfast this morning.
I enjoy the youth I teach at church. They are the poster children of hope, of future dreams unrealized yet, and of great things yet to come. It really is a privelege to be a teacher in any walk of life and we often learn far more than our students ever do. We talked about Rebekah and Isaac today and almost-teenagers love a good love story. I asked them if they knew what prearranged marriages were and was surprised that they did. They had heard about them in other countries. I asked them how they would feel having a prearranged marriage.... not so much. They did not like that idea at all. Then we talked about the servant of Abraham and how they would feel if they were him and their boss said, "Okay, go get my son a wife but not from around here." They were uncomfortable with that too. So the servant prays and knows that the "wife" will be a woman who offers to water his camels. Of course we have to talk about camels. Watering them is not a one bucket from the well scenario. When they stop to drink they consume 30-50 gallons per drinking. Their hump stores about 20 gallons. We had to discuss this. It says he had camel(s)... not a camel... so she's going to be hauling a lot of water.
He gets there and hopes someone will show up. We read the story in Genesis. Not only does a woman show up and offer to water his camels, but she is "fair" (we discussed this meant she was beautiful) and she was a virgin. We didn't go there... I just said that she was single and had never been married. Mom and dad can give the other details. Then she invites the servant to dine with her family. He retells the whole story to her family (which is related to Abraham) and I asked the kids what they would think if some guy came to dinner and told them that about their sister. They said they would think he was crazy. Then we read that the family thought he must be blessed by the Lord... and this was meant to be. What faith. A faith missing today. If that wasn't enough, the servant said (and I paraphrase) okay, thanks for the food, I need to take the bride-to-be and run. The mom and siblings of course asked if they couldn't wait a while... after all they had just learned she was to be married and leave. Again my students were surprised as well. He said he couldn't wait. They called Rebekah in and she said she would go (showing her crazy faith). Today we think of that as crazy behavior, but I think they would think some of our behaviors and customs are crazy as well. Each to their time. :D So the great love story began and Isaac loved her or so it was written in Genesis.
I had a great conversation with them and we made links for thier own chain out of the qualities they want in their future spouse. I know they're young (12), but they're still at the age where they don't quite know everything yet (that hits in 2 years) and where they are willing to listen. Their lists were quite impressive and not nearly as superficial as I had thought some of them might be. I guess when they compared their lives to Rebekah and Isaac, they were just happy to get to pick their spouse. Oh the things we take for granted in this beautiful free country we live in.
For dinner I had the baked ham and was aware that it was loaded w/sodium, so had two thin small slices and focused more on the potatoes. Had a full cup of those w/just a little gravy. I decided not to put the broccoli into a casserole or sauce because of the sodium in the ham. Instead I layered a small glass roaster with a package of fresh mushrooms (sliced), then a small thin zucchini I sliced, then some broccoli I cut up, then finally I sprinkled some baby carrots across the top. I seasoned it with lemon pepper and added 1/4 cup of water. I covered it w/wax paper and cooked it in the microwave for 15 minutes. Then I tranfered it to a skillet and sprayed a little spray butter on top, turned it and cooked it on low-med heat just until all the water was gone. I didn't use any cooking oil and the vegetables were just right and very good.
The kids love to squeal and run around when the cousins are all together. It's noisy, but it's a wonderful noisy. After they played a while and we got things cleaned up, I got out the bananas for their treat: CHOCOLATE DIPPED BANANAS. I would recommend this activity for any family. What fun and it's so easy.
1) put a cookie sheet lined with wax paper in the middle of table and use a toothpick to draw off "their corner"
2) give them each a banana that's been cut in half and still has the peel on it (so they can peel it themself before you start painting w/chocolate)
3) give them each two popsicle sticks (we found it's a waste to have them do more than one whole banana because they lick their fingers, etc. and no one else it going to eat their bananas when they're done!)
4) I gave them each a glass banana boat dish I had but you could also use paper plates
5) Divide the melted chocolate chips (I zapped them in the microwave two minutes and stirred) evenly between all the kids
6) give them each a butter knife to "paint the banana" or whatever utensil you feel safe giving them if they're not very old (but you are doing this with them to supervise)
7) PAINT THE BANANAS w/choclate
8) Add sprinkles and put on the wax paper
9) put them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes and the shell becomes hard like dipped ice cream. They loved it!
After that Stacy (my eldest son's wife) took the kids to the park and my son and I discussed his topic for his upcoming speech in his college speech class. Guess what it is.... obesity in America. Oh! Boy do I have plenty of advice for him. He was a standout athlete in HS and went to state in three sports his senior year, so he's all about the sports and exercise side of it, but I put my two bits in about the other side of it. We had a great family discussion about it too and he received lots of helpful ideas. It was a nice Sunday.
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