Living Memory December 21, 2004

The guy I never should have gone out with.  The (first) time I hit the garage door with a car.  Watching my pet guinea pig get carried off by a neighborhood dog.  These are all memories that make me cringe.  What would it be like if I never had to think of them again?  What if I could somehow have those memories erased? 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a movie that poses, and somewhat answers, this question.  Actually, it’s more about erasing whole relationships, but the question remains – who would we be without our memory? Watching it last night with Brian, I was intrigued – the subject of memory always fascinates me.  It’s uncontrollable, yet absolutely critical.  Why do I remember things I want to forget and forget things I want to remember?  Brian’s dad always said that if you really care to remember something you will – a fitting remark from a man who could memorize The Raven, but had to leave himself notes on how to work the washing machine.  I get frustrated by the things taking up real estate in my brain. I don’t want to save space for plot lines from The Brady Bunch or lyrics from inane 80s pop songs.  I continue to hope that brain space isn’t a limited commodity, but the older I get the less optimistic I become. 

Thankfully, the things I don’t want to remember are far outnumbered by sweet memories.  Watching Ben play in the waves for the first time, laughing with Brian til my stomach ached on our San Antonio trip, the taste of my grandma’s raspberry pie, the smell of Ben’s fuzzy head as a newborn.  If the price I pay for these incredible memories is an occasional remembered hurt, slight or embarrassment, that’s more than a fair trade. 

Memory is a gift.  That fact hit home with me the other day when I received the Christmas letter my Aunt wrote for my 94-year-old grandmother, who lost much of her memory after a stroke two years ago.  She acknowledges it as her most distressing loss.  "Memories of adolescence and early marriage are there, but after these periods are big voids."

But my wise aunt didn’t leave it there.  She reminded us how wonderful it is to be able to live the moments that create these memories.  "If Eva could do one thing again, it would be to fry her own bacon and egg in a black iron skillet.  Maybe this can be a lesson to us, to appreciate the small joys in our lives." 

Hard-Core Advent December 16, 2004

Several years ago, I heard a compelling story about an Advent tradition and how it got started.  With a little Google-ing, I found a brief recap on an obscure church newsletter webpage. 

…the first advent wreaths were pine boughs woven around wagon wheels. Back in the old days, people would slow down when the days got this short and cold. They would take time off from traveling and working and move indoors, waiting expectantly for Christmas and the winter solstice to approach. Families would remove a wheel from their wagon, bring it inside, and use it as a frame for their advent wreath. This wheel was not only a beautiful decoration, but a powerful symbol of sacrifice….Imagine what it would mean for us in this day and age to pull the tires off our cars, bicycles, trucks and airplanes, sacrificing all the important work we feel we need to get out and do, and instead sit quietly at home preparing our hearts for the celebration of Christ’s first coming. How much more would we feel the spiritual power and symbolism of Christmas?

Instead of kicking into overdrive, what if I just kicked back?  Instead of doubling the size of my to-do list, what if I cut it in half?  This season finds me perpetually busy, but each year I try to move at least an inch or two closer to the above account.  By making quiet time a priority (with God, family and alone), I find myself naturally more reverent and ready for a season of Advent – that which is coming.

Crossword Answers December 14, 2004

If you’re  here searching for answers to the crossword puzzle in our Christmas card, thanks for your diligence and welcome!  Here are the clues and answers:

Across

5.  Destination of our family vacation this summer = Colorado
6.  Ben started his second year of playing this instrument = piano
10. Church where we work and worship = Fellowship
11. Our cat’s name; also tropical fruit = Mango
12. Number of years Lori and Brian have been married = twelve

Down

1.  Team we rooted for in the World Series = Boston
2.  Sport Ben played in the fall and spring = baseball
3.  Ben’s age = nine
4.  Ben’s team name = Angels
7.  Name of Ben’s school; also Texas state flower = Bluebonnet
8.  Ben’s favorite subject = science
9.  Ben started this grade in August = third

Click one of the links below for each of our weblogs.

Lori (you are here) > Brian > Ben

Thai Noodles December 7, 2004

Since I so often forget how I made certain impromptu dishes, I’m going to start documenting some of them.  Brian and I really enjoy the stir-fry rice noodle kits from Thai Kitchen and they have become a weeknight staple for us.  Last night, we tried a new flavor, toasted sesame, and really enjoyed it. 

I browned some tofu in sesame oil and then set it aside.  Meanwhile I cooked the rice noodles and drained them.  After that I stir-fried broccoli, red pepper strips, garlic and green onions in more sesame oil.  Finally, I added the tofu and the noodles to the pan with the vegetables and stirred in the water and seasoning according to the package directions.  After that cooked together for a couple of minutes, I served it with sesame seeds sprinkled on top. 

I was able to carry on a conversation during all of my cooking, which is my gauge in determining if something was truly easy to make.  It passed the test!