Noah's Wife

For our Young Adults Worship Night coming up, we are focusing on some of the miracles within our everyday Bible stories. So often, we, as Christians, take for granted the amazing complexity of the miracles that God has preformed in our forefathers. My task is to reveal the supernatural phenomenon of Noah's flood through a perspective not often thought of - Noah's wife:


THE STORY OF NOAH’S ARK FROM HIS WIFE’S PERSPECTIVE

"For one hundred and twenty years we were scorned. Imagine! One hundred and twenty years! Aaah...it was the best of times, it was the worst of time. (pauses)

My poor husband couldn’t even walk to the market without mockery being hurled at him across the market square. “Hey, Noah! When’s this rainstorm supposed to be coming?” “What do you have there, Noah? More building supplies for your ark?” Still, my husband managed to hold his head high and bravely spoke of the Lord’s coming destruction.

My three sons? (sighs) Oh my poor children! There was a time at the beginning when all the neighbour kids would flock around them, interested in the “building project” that my boys’ father was constructing. It didn’t take long, though, until the children’s parents warned them to stay away from my sons and the monstrous shell of a boat that towered in our fields. Yet, as the years passed on, my sons clung to the promises of the rain and the revenge of our most holy God. I’m amazed, to this day, at the Lord’s goodness for keeping our sons faithful to Him.

As for me, well, there is nothing quite like the gossip of women! And oh, how it spreads! When Noah first started to build the ark, most of the women in my social circle just dismissed it as another “manly” building project. However, once the frame for the ark started to take shape, it threw a shadow over my friendships. I always knew when my family was being talked about, because as I would walk to the well each morning, the other women would stop to stare at me, whisper to each other, smirking as they quickly shuffled out of my way.

It was as if we had a disease! They were hard times, but times that definitely brought us closer together as a family, and closer to God. I smile now when I think of the way we boldly proclaimed the inevitable destruction that God was going to bring upon mankind. We had no shame.
No matter how hard and long we preached to our neighbours, nothing seemed to sink in. It was draining. There was nothing that we wanted more than for our former friends to believe that God’s punishment was coming!

It was an ordinary day when Noah and I awoke to the strangest of sounds. Imagine our disbelief when we looked out our window and saw animals of every kind, spreading out as far as the eye could see, all heading towards our boat. Imagine how it felt when the first rain drops started to fall! Up until that time, we never knew what rain was!

We were ecstatic! God was fulfilling His promise! And yet...I couldn’t help but feel sorrow wash over me as I thought of all our neighbours! Noah and I grew up with some of these people! For close to 600 years we had all toiled and worked the earth together...and now, their evilness had brought upon THIS. (sighs)

I can still hear the echoing thud of the ark’s door as it shut. The chaos of hungry animals and the pelting rain above us could not drown out the cries from outside the ark as the waters rose. What was even worse was the deafening silence after a mere hour of rainfall. I shudder to think of what it must have looked like beyond the sturdy walls of our ark.

It was over a year before we ever saw or walked upon dry ground again. My feet were wobbly as I stepped out of the ark, unsure of the muddy ground beneath my feet. We were exhausted. And yet, in that desolate landscape, all Noah could do was kiss the ground and sing praises to our God. We even erected an altar to thank our Lord for being faithful to us. Just when we were thinking that God could not provide us with any more miracles, we were dazzled by the most beautiful one of all!

The sky was awash with vivid reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues and violets that stretched from east to west. I remember looking at Noah and seeing the glow of this miracle reflected in his face. I recall kicking off my sandals, raising my arms as if to embrace the hues arched above me, and laughing. I twirled around, feeling the mud squish through my toes – thinking it was the most beautiful feeling I had ever felt. And there, on the top of that mountain where we rested, I fell to my knees and thanked God for His faithfulness and His breath-taking hope."

Twenty-Three Years!

Not too many people can say they've had the same best friend for the past 23 years. But, today I want to celebrate just that! She has been with me through thick and thin - through our toddler years, into grade school, the awkward high school years, the newness of university, and now, as we both celebrate married life together!

Here are some pictures of our many adventures together over the years:

Happy 24th birthday, my friend! Tonight - let's raise a glass to another 23 years of being BFFs!

Bread of Perfection

The golden loaves glowed on my counter top. The comforting aroma of freshly baked bread saturated my kitchen. I couldn't help but feel a little proud as I stood back from the sweltering oven, hands on my hips, and admired my most recent culinary triumph.

The bread was still hot when I sliced thick slabs off, smothered in butter and raspberry jam. Perfection on my plate.

Before I took my first bite, I heard His voice.

"I am the bread of life." He whispered.

Thoughtfully, I chewed upon sustenance, both physical and spiritual:

John 6:48-51 "I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that comes down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world."

My forefathers and I are one and the same. So often, I am content to scrape an existence in the arid desert, comfortable with consuming heaps of manna. From my plate of hard, wafer-like morsels, I can barely lift my eyes to the heavens to taste the Living Bread, broken for me. Instead, I focus on finding, striving, inventing any little way that I can make the manna lying at my feet taste sweet. My efforts to satiate my gnawing hunger is in vain, and it isn't long before my hands grasp at those pieces of manna once again. I cling to those hardened crumbs, forgetful of their failure to sustain me. Oh, I am such a manna eater!

The slop of this world clings to my lips in the form of manna, yet the most beautiful invitation is extended to me, to those who echo the footsteps of the Israelite forefathers. If I stop for but a moment from my vain efforts to sweeten my life on my own, the smell of Perfect Risen Bread wafts down from Heaven and envelopes me.

The taste of manna lies heavy and dry within my being, and yet, I hunger for this Bread - this broken Bread that the very crumbs I am unworthy to eat. With each moment I spend breathing in the Holy Sustenance, I experience the Life living within me. Paltry and measly is the plate of manna that I had been "feasting" upon before. Any traces of my desert fare, I wipe away.

Before me, the table is set. With His nail-printed palms spread, the Inviter entreats me to His simple banquet. With those same mangled hands, He breaks the Living Bread: "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good."

Faithfulness Shines Through My Window

It's the sacred time between inky blackness and muted morning. Quietness shrouds the house. The hustle and bustle of breakfast and getting J out the door for work has lulled. In the chilly morning air, I've waved from the door, watching J's car slowly pull out of the drive. I follow with my eyes until I can't see his car anymore, only the pools of red reflecting on the pavement as he brakes for the stoplight. And then he's gone. Quietly, I close the door.

The remnants of a busy morning are scattered. Dishes in the sink, J's towel slung lazily over the bathroom door, the bed unmade. I close my eyes to the clutter and head to the living room.

It's always the same corner of the couch each morning. I wrap my hands around a steaming mug of coffee, bundled beneath a cozy afghan. Here, I wait. I listen. For Him.

The view out my window shows fog pulling its whispery fingers away from rooftops. The murky gray and blue shadows blend into blushed yellows and pinks. There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Each morning the sunrise is different. But each morning, it's a gift from Him that I see unfolded through panes of glass.

Spoken words flow as I pour out my full heart to my Lord, my Renewer of Every Morning. Morning by morning, new mercies I see!

From His Love Letter, I read - His voice reverberating through my fingertips, my mind as I caress each word. As the daylight grows stronger, I gently close His Letter, nurturing His truths in my heart. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow!

I breathe in the stillness before the routine of my day sets in. Thank You, O God my Father! Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Now - I am ready.

Stomach + Heart = Love

I'm a sucker for Valentine's Day. I totally buy into the notions and myths of chubby little cupid with his bow and arrows, tacky heart decorations, flowers, love letters etc...Since yesterday was our first Valentine's together as a married couple, we wanted to make it a little extra special.

For me, all the loving started last week when J came home with my new beloved can opener and chocolates! On Friday he came home carrying a bouquet of 12 long stem roses...absolutely breath-taking!

With painstaking creative genius, on Saturday afternoon J presented me with this:

I was thoroughly impressed! As an engineer, for J to get all "arts and craftsy" was a big leap out of his comfort zone! (Might I add that he even composed the little poem Even though the seasons change, my love for you remains the same.) I was definitely swept off my feet!

However, I was in a frenzy as to what I should do for J for Valentine's Day. Let's face it - Valentine's Day really isn't a day that was invented for men. Unlike myself, J has not bought into the whims and fancies of lavish bouquets and copious love letters. If I were to give him the same beautiful arrangement of roses that he gave me, I know for a fact that his reaction would not be nearly as satisfying as mine. Instead, the age old saying "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach" led me to the kitchen, where I was sure that a tasty culinary creation would melt J's very heart strings.

I started first off with making Raspberry Crumble Bars:

Raspberry Crumble Bars

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup shortening
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

- In a large bowl, combing the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in eggs and extract. Press two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining sugar; add berries and gently toss. Spoon over crust. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.
- Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.

I give these bars two thumbs up! The raspberries keep it fresh and tangy, but the addition of almond extract gives it a rich, buttery flavour that melts in your mouth! Perfect with a cup of strong coffee!

I spent the better half of my day preparing for our meal. Thanks to Taste of Home website, I was able to find delicious Valentine's recipes for two.

We started our meal off with Cranberry Almond Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette:

Cranberry Almond Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

enough mixed spring salad greens for 2 people
sliced mushrooms
dried cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped onion
slivered almonds
Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing:
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon raspberry preserves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper

This salad was nice and light. I was pleasantly surprised with how the dressing turned out. At frist, I thought that it may have had too much olive oil, but I chilled it for a few hours, and the raspberry flavour seemed to infuse quite nicely with the rest of the ingredients.

Followed by our salad, we had Steaks with Molasses-Glazed Onions, Twice Baked-Baked Potatoes, and mixed veggies.

Steaks with Molasses-Glazed Onions

2 bacon strips, diced
2 beef top sirloin steaks (6 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon molasses

- In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon; drain the skillet, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in the skillet and 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle steaks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In the skillet, cook steaks over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side, or until meat reaches desired doneness. Remove and keep warm.
- Add onion and reserved drippings to the skillet; saute until tender. Add the vinegar, molasses and remaining salt and pepper; heat through. Serve onion mixture with steaks; sprinkle with bacon.

The topping on the steaks was absolutely divine! The onions tasted almost like caramel, with a hint of spicy tang. I will definitely be making this recipe again!

Twice Baked-Baked Potatoes

2 medium baking potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 bacon strip, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced chives
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

- Bake potatoes at 37 for 1 hour or until tender. When cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato and discard. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell.
- In a small bowl, mash the pulp with butter. Stir in the milk, bacon, onion, chives, salt, pepper and 1/3 cup cheese. Spoon into potato shells. Top with remaining cheese.
- Place on baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

These potatoes were to die for! Creamy, rich goodness within a crispy shell, baked to cheesy perfection! Yum!

Let's just say J was extremely excited for his meal:

We finished our meal off with Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce:

Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup white wine, or white cranberry juice
2 medium pears, peeled and halved
3 tablespoons seedless raspberry spreadable fruit
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
fresh raspberries to garnish

- In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar and wine to a boil. Reduce heat; carefully add pears. Cover and simmer for -10 minutes or until tender. Remove pears and reserve cooking liquid.
- In a small bowl, combine spreadable fruit and vanilla. Stir in enough cooking liquid to form a sauce consistency. Cover and refrigerate sauce and pears separately until chilled.
- Remove sauce from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Place two pear halves on each dessert plate; top with sauce. Garnish with raspberries.

This dessert was the perfect end to our meal - sweet and light, with a satisfying hint of vanilla flavouring.

At the end of the night, I think the saying holds true - the stomach, when happily fed, will heartily love. At least for my man it does. Mission accomplished.

Can Opener Catastrophes...(aka Pasta with Hot Sausage Sauce)

Supper for J and I did not happen until approximately 8:30 last night. It was all the fault of the can opener.

I've been needing a new can opener for quite a while now, but somehow, it never reached the list of things to buy. Until yesterday, I had my old one for over 2 years and it had definitely seen better days. The teeth were all rusted, the wheels would hardly turn, the handle got stuck, I would have to hold it at weird angles to actually get it to grip the can, the list goes on and on...

Four o'clock rolled around yesterday afternoon, and like I usually do around that time, I started to make supper. I've found that if I start preparations for supper around 4, by the time J comes home from work, the table is set, and something steaming sumptuously comes from the oven.

The particular recipe I was making last night called for whole peeled tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce...all from a can. And so began the wrestle with the lousy can opener. 20 minutes later, the first can was mangled, twisted, distorted - crushed tomatoes seeping out of the gashes that the can opener managed to shred through. Every time I managed to turn the handle on the can opener, the can received such a jolt that tomato juice spewed from any opening possible, splattering against my clean white cupboards. Finally, I gave up. I was frustrated. My wrists felt sprained. My kitchen was dirty. And there was no way that supper would be ready by the time J came home.

Instead, I called J and vented my frustrations about the "stupid" can opener, the dirty kitchen, and the food that was inevitably never going to reach the table, much less our bellies! He promised to bring home a new can opener. (Which he did - might I add that it is the "Cadillac" of all can openers! Bright red, Kitchenaide, the best one in the whole store!)

It wasn't until close to 7 that J came home, can opener in hand...as well as a box of early Valentines Day chocolates (might I add that he is the "Cadillac" of all husbands out there?!). After unsealing the remaining cans and a not so ceremonious disposal of the old can opener, supper was ready...a mere hour and a half later. Despite everything, the meal was absolutely delicious!

So, here's to great food...and even greater can openers!

Pasta with Hot Sausage Sauce


1 pound hot Italian sausage
2/3 cup red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced capers
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed, liquid reserved
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste
1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta (I used penne)
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

• In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until evenly brown.
• Mix the red onion, garlic, and capers into the skillet, and cook until onion is tender. Mix in the mashed whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and red wine. Season with basil, parsley, oregano, red pepper, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place the ziti (or whatever kind of pasta you choose!) in the pot, cook 10 minutes, until al dente and drain.
• Serve the sauce mixture over the cooked pasta. Top with Romano cheese.

Experimental Prayer

J and I had the opportunity last week to take our YACC (Young Adults College and Careers) group through an interactive prayer night.

I have found that prayer can be one of the most daunting topics to approach amongst a Christian group. It seems  that we get so caught up in the "rituals." Close your eyes, fold your hands, use lots of big words (like sanctification, redemption, justification etc...) to make you sound smart, etc...The most frightful thing about prayer can be the very notion of praying OUT LOUD. Or even worse, in front of people.

Consequently, J and I wanted to tackle this obstacle, allowing people to know the beauty of communicating with our Creator, without the list of "do's and don'ts" lingering above. So, we constructed an interactive prayer night where each individual spent time at 9 different stations. Ideally, it would be nice to do this all in one big room (similar to a prayer labyrinth) but instead, J and I sectioned off 9 of the Sunday school classrooms at the back of the church and people moved from room to room as they pleased.

STATION 1: MAP

At this station, we had the YACC-ers pray for our city.  We had set out a large map of Kitchener Waterloo and around the map were pictures of different organizations within the city that helped the needy. (The Food Bank, ROOF, Ray of Hope etc..) The individual then read through Matthew 5:3-10, allowing God to impress on their heart the needs within our own city.

STATION 2: LISTEN

Here, the person meditated on Psalm 46:10 (Be still and know that I am God). We had instrumental music in the background, with all the lights turned out and only a few candles burning. This station was supposed to infuse peace, relaxation, knowing that God is in control.

STATION 3: WORD

At this particular station, we had laid out three different scrabble boards. The individual was to reflect upon the verse Isaiah 9:6. They were to think of words that they would use to describe God based upon His presence in their life. Whatever word(s) came to mind, the individual was to put on the scrabble board. As a result, the words connected (Scrabble style) as a symbol of how each individual has experiences of God to share with others.

STATION 4: CONFESSION

Here, we encouraged people to confess their sins/struggles while living in a broken world. Two passages were given (1 John 1:8-9 and Psalm 32:3-6) to stimulate their hearts to confession. They then wrote down whatever they felt needed to be confessed, and then, shredded it in the paper shredder. This station was to be one of repentance, and yet, a place to feel God's mercy.

STATION 5: REFLECTION

This station was composed of three mirror set on chair in different corners of the room. The young adult was invited to sit in front of this mirror to examine their reflection. They were encouraged to praise God for the amazing creation of themselves, realizing that they are 'fearfully and wonderfully made.' As well, they took time to ponder Proverbs 27:19, asking God to show them whether or not their lives were reflections of Christ or not.

STATION 6: H2O

Here, the individual was to think about how every prayer offered to God mixes with the prayers of all of God's people around the world. (They meditated on Matthew 18:20 and Ephesians 6:18) They were to consider how amazing it is to know that prayers do not know the boundaries of tie or space and so all become one! The person was then encouraged to think of a person, place or situation that they wanted to life up in prayer. When they were ready, they were to pour water from one of the pitchers into one of the bowls, watching as the water from other people's prayers mixed with their's - uniting as one. 

STATION 7: BURDENS

At this station, the young adult focused on Matthew 11:28. Here, they were encouraged to write down their burdens that they wanted to give over to Christ. They then wrote the burdens on post-it notes and stuck them to the cross of Christ, as an act of freeing themselves from doubts, fears, obligations, worries etc...that were keeping them from proper communion with God.

STATION 8: TIME

This station was intended to sober the individual into realizing how fleeting their time here on earth truly is. They were to meditate on Psalm 39:4-6, asking God to show them ways that they could make the most of their time here on earth by bringing glory to Him. Thoughts of heaven and eternity (and where you will spend it) were encouraged. They were inspired to spend time in prayer, asking God to show them the importance of the time they have here on earth.

STATION 9: PICTURES OF JESUS

We had set up at this station a projector that showed different images of Christ through the ages. Some of them were quite interesting (pictures of Jesus made from bar codes) or quite intricate (pictures of Jesus painted from the Renaissance). People were encouraged to think about their own understanding of Jesus and their call as a disciple of Christ. They were to consider the images that affirmed their understanding of Jesus and the ones that challenged them. Ultimately, they were to focus on John 14:6, knowing that there is only one way to the Father - through Jesus Christ. 

At the end of the evening, J and I felt that the interactive prayer night was a success. It was intended to be more of an experimental way to get acquainted with prayer. However, as a Christian, it is important to know that we are to be ready to pray in all situations...even in those more awkward situations. In fact, we are to pray continually (I Thessalonians 5:17)! But perhaps this night was used to open the eyes of someone to know how incredibly, beautifully simple communication with our Saviour can be!