Independence Day Comes Early!

This year, so many changes have transpired in my life and in the life of my family.

We are almost completely organic.

We buy as many products as possible from our local community.

We are growing our own food and sharing what we have with our neighbors.

We are on a summer church fast. Instead of attending our neighborhood church, we hold a Sunday brunch in our home. We celebrate the Sabbath with good food, good friends, and lively biblical discussions.

We are investing more deeply in the lives of our neighbors, and as a result we are finding ourselves taking on issues like hunger and homelessness (among other things).

Our oldest daughter is now licensed to drive.

I've been angry with God for some time now. Angry with my church. Angry with the universe. Just freaking, blood boiling angry. For too long now, that anger has colored my world and my soul. I think however, that the rage is finally beginning to cool.

For the first time, I think that I am finally moving through the loss of my own health, the loss of our church community, into something new and completely different. Something good and whole and full of promise.

Of course, those of you still reading my blog have no clue about much of what I'm writing. I haven't been sharing my life's journey for some time now. For better or worse, I think that is about to change. I feel the words and the need to begin writing again. I feel the itch and the nudge to share what's rolling and festering in my fucked up little heart.

I think it only fair to warn everyone that I've changed this past year. I've been through a fire of sorts, and I'm different somehow. I can't pretend anymore. I won't apologize for who I'm becoming either.

If off color language and humor disturb you, then quit reading. If you aren't interested in my spiritual questions and struggles, move along. If being honest, authentic and true to myself bothers you, then bugger off.

Today, my Independence Day comes early!

The Resurrection Way

Last week, on the morning of my 45th birthday, a fire broke out on H Street in Philadelphia.

Families lost their homes, businesses and community centers. While I luxuriated in my morning bed, an entire neighborhood was devastated by smoke and flame.

What follows is a video clip with fire footage, as well as various commentaries made by community members. Although this video is fairly long (over five minutes), I encourage you to watch and to listen.

Listen, and pay close attention to the woman who describes how her home was spared because a community garden bordered her home and prevented the flames from spreading.

Listen to the voices that speak words of hope in the face of such devastating material loss.

Listen, as Shane Claiborne, author of "The Irresistable Revolution" and founder of "The Simple Way Community" describes how this neighborhood will rebuild because the people who live there choose to practice resurrection living in the face of a world that seems bent upon its own destruction.

Listen, and if you have the resources, please consider making a financial contribution.




Click here if you would to make a donation to Simple Way's rebuilding and revitalization efforts.

Kitty Cat Caring

Well now, just how caring are you?

According to the "Kitty Goods Picture Test", I am pretty darn caring.

I scored 70%, which means that my care level is at the most appropriate level!

Bully for me!

Take the test.

It's kind of fun!

Sunday Brunch

We've started a new tradition in our home.

For the summer at least, we are hosting a Sunday brunch instead of attending church.

Our brunch goes like this....

Each week we choose a recipe. This week we made rommegrot, a Norwegian sour cream pudding/porridge. We served our rommegrot with link sausage, toasted english muffins and strong coffee. It was deeeelicious!

After our meal, our oldest daughter read the story of Ananias and Saphira from Acts. What followed was a very healthy and dynamic discussion about the fine art of lieing.

Next week?

Well, we are making a three cheese and red pepper quiche with a grated potato crust. Our six year old is selecting the Bible reading.

Don't you wish you were joining us for Sunday brunch?

Spread the word!

I'm fat.

I weigh 226 pounds.

...and you know what?

I'm not letting my fat weigh me down.

I'm living my best life now.

Check out what Joy Nash has to say....she's living her best life now too!

Where Would You Land?

Well now, I happen to have loved Dante's "Inferno" when I read the poem years ago.

Thus, when I found this little "quiz" I was very curious to see where I might land in Dante's tiered version of Hell.

It is with great relief that I announce to the blogging world that I, Jerri the contrite, would land in Purgatory!


The Dante's Inferno Test has sent you to Purgatory!

Purgatory
You have escaped damnation and made it to Purgatory, a place where the dew of repentance washes off the stain of sin and girds the spirit with humility. Through contrition, confession, and satisfaction by works of righteousness, you must make your way up the mountain. As the sins are cleansed from your soul, you will be illuminated by the Sun of Divine Grace, and you will join other souls, smiling and happy, upon the summit of this mountain. Before long you will know the joys of Paradise as you ascend to the ethereal realm of Heaven.

Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very High
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	High
Level 2 (Lustful)	Moderate
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Low
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Low
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante's" Inferno Hell Test

Why?

Why show this video?

Why bother to watch this video?

Why?

...because right now, somewhere, a child suffers....

...because more often than not, we have to see the images, actually see the faces before we "get" it.

....because there has to be an answer to this madness.

Jesus, help us.

Maitake Mania!

We are very fortunate to have found an organic mushroom grower in our area.

Thus, our family has been happily exploring the wild world of edible fungi.

Tonite we grilled some Maitake mushroom and I must say that it was absolutely, positively, freaking fantastic.

It was so simple to prepare too.

All I did was chop up one Amy's chicken, jalapeno and pepper jack cheese sausage. Then I mixed a little roasted garlic with some olive oil. The next step was to stuff the sausage in between the petals of the mushroom, drizzle the olive oil all over the top, wrap in foil and grill for 14 minutes.

Once I pulled the mushroom off of the grill, I put a little grated jalapeno jack cheese and top and voila! A culinary masterpiece was born.

I'm not kidding either! This really was freaking fantastic to eat!

Tomorrow I plan to pick up some lion's mane mushroom for Sunday's omelettes!

Don't you wish you were having Sunday breakfast at our house?

Yum, yum!