Triple O

I guess a post about God on a Sunday might be apropos.

I took a Philosophy class Freshman year.  It was like a lot of things to me: sounded good but didn't actually want to do the work, y'know?  I do remember a few things, including the frail, blond, mistachioed professor, who I am sure was always picked last for kickball.  He hunched his shoulders, held his left elbow in his right hand, left hand cradling his chin.

Rene Descartes and the "Triple O" God.

Omnipotent.  All powerful.    Check.
Omniscient.   All knowing.    Check.
Omnipresent. Ever present.  Check.

Got that.  Could this not almost be the same as Evil?  I mean, when I say God, I always think "Good."  Does anyone say God and mean "Wicked?"  If I'm going to worship someone, if I want some - Someone - on my side, then I think I'd want Good.

Unchanging.
Truthful.
Loving.
Compassionate.
Patient.
Peaceful.
Kind.
Forgiving.
Righteous.
Fair. *

And El-Shaddai.  There's a beautiful song made famous by Amy Grant.  The traditional definition says"God Almighty."  But there is thought that it's roots are in the word for breasts and fertility, in addition to the notion that God is the God of all things, who provides all and enough.  So the thought is that God is an almighty God, who gathers us to His breast, like a hen with her chicks, providing us all we need.  What a beautiful picture of Him.

And I want more than those three O's.


*Exodus 34:6-7

Skins

Boo's dinner:
Salmon grilled in olive oil with only a sprinkle of sea salt
Fresh cucumber slices
Roasted red potatoes
Salmon skin grilled to crisp chips in olive oil with a sprinkle of sea salt

Gone Fishin'

That last post was about six different posts smooshed into one.  I'm "going fishin" this weekend but I'LL BE BACK.

In the meantime, enjoy my recent Blackbelt activities:

I've always loved gold, but it's very in fashion now.  Recent purchases, not on sale but all inexpensive at NY&Co.

I love this silky tunic top!  I'm on the prowl for white capri leggins to finish it off.  Top, by NY&Co. for 50 cents at a yard sale, Talbot's espadrilles bought at the end of last summer for under $25:

(The gold bracelet, I actually paid real money for at the Smithsonian Institute.  Every once in awhile, I am forced to do that!)

And finally, a brand new pair of Born, black patent flip-flops for $3 at a local thrift store  Liberty Thrift:

See you soon!
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Need More O-s

Omnipotent
Omniscient
Omnipresent

The "Triple O" God a la Descartes. 

All powerful.  Check.
All knowing.  Check.
Ever present.  Check.

Patient?
Kind?
Fair?
Loving?
Righteous?

What is your picture of God-god-supreme being?  Do you know enough to know that indeed, you don't know?  That you can't know?  In my world, He is knowable through the Bible; His Word.  So I get the ideas of kind, patient, bears all things, righteous, compassionate from The Scriptures.

What is your picture?  Do you create your own vision and expect this god to fit into it?  Or is your god bigger than your imagination? 

If this god is high and wide and deep and beyond our full comprehension, then is there anything we can do to reach this Being?  Is this Being completely pure?  completely good?  completely just? Then can we jump high enough to reach this Being?  What can we do to be accepted?  Can we fast enough?  Bear enough children?  Give enough money?  Light enough incense?  Spin enough prayer wheels?

I contend that if God is God, there is nothing I can do.  Not the God that I know.

This God, must reach down to us: pitiable, little creatures.

Summer in a Bowl

I wait all year for this. Nothing else except fresh tomatoes from a garden will do.

When I traveled in Spain too long ago, I tried gazpacho everywhere I went and never met one I didn't like! They were each a little different - chunky in one place, smooth at another, served with crusty bread here and a little spicier there. All delicious and fresh!

Like summer in a bowl!

Grace likes gazpacho chunky with a zing!

I use about 4 or 5 large tomatoes.  Fully ripe.  If over ripe, I peel the skin off.  I remove most of the green seeds because they don't look too appetizing.  Then I break them apart, readying them for blending in the food processor.

There are things that go in the food processor, and things that get mixed in at the end.

I get an English, or seedless cucumber and dice half for mixing and cut up the other half for blending in.

Get some fresh herbs - we have them in tubs outside my kitchen door.  (Don't bother if you only have dried.)  Here, I have (from left) parsley, oregano and basil. 

Now let's get everything ready to assemble:

These are for blending: tomatoes, of course and some of the cucumbers, onions, scallions and parsley.  You'll also want to drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil and the balsamic vinaigrette.





These are for mixing in: diced onions, cucumber, the herbs and scallions.  Green bell peppers are nice, too.  Black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, cumin.  Reserve these for later.




The 'blended' items should look like this, a little chunky, not too smooth.



Put everything in a large bowl, then mix in the rest of the 'mixing' ingredients.  Chill for several hours before serving.

OLA!  SUMMER IN A BOWL!

Ingredients:
4-5 ripe tomatoes
1 English cucumber
1 medium green bell pepper
2 scallions
1/2 large sweet onion
1 lime
1 T balsamic
1/2 c EV olive oil
parsley, basil, cumin, salt, black pepper and cayenne

The Right to Choose

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"I choose to love you.

I do.  Some moms?  They get pregnant; have a baby in their tummy by accident.  Like your tummy-mom.  She wasn't ready to have a baby.

I choose to love you."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do.  I chose to call the adoption agency.  I chose to fill out all those forms, to make copies, to mail them, to travel to different offices, to make all the phone calls.  I chose to buy airplane tickets, get on a plane, to pick you up.

I choose to love you.

But you don't have to love me.  That's your choice."

He lifts his head from my lap and his cheeks are flushed, his body radiating the odor of fear.  His round cheeks, his unbridged nose are covered with weeping.  Not a rivulet or shiny drop, but awash like the streets in a rainstorm.

We sit like that, him surrendering to my love, boneless, heaped over my shoulder, wetness upon my shirt.

I didn't know what the words would do; what the tears would wash.  But today, yesterday and the day before, he holds my hand as if he chooses to love me.

Do Not Adjust

the color on your screen...

There's a farm practically in my back yard. They have a road side stand. The watermelon is picked by hand, one by one when each one is ripe. I wait all summer for these yellow melons.  They know me there as the watermelon lady.

Fly

Catching fireflies with cousin.  These are precious times.

Six Years

The Apple of My Eye

Adam was lonely. Despite all the animals. I guess a dog is not man's best friend.  So God made a woman just. for. Adam.  A soul mate.  God who merely thought and it happened.  God who did not ponder and wonder but was wholly complete in thought, word and deed.  He made a creature that would completely fill Adam's needs.

Then the serpent came and pointed to the forbidden fruit.  Eve looked at the fruit and it looked good to eat.  How many things were there in the garden that were good to look at and good to eat?  It was only when the serpent pointed that forbidden one out that maybe Eve started to want it.  It's like going to the mall...you see all these things you never knew you had to have! 

Eve was living in paradise.  PARADISE.  Do you understand the circumstance?

Perfection.  Living someplace that was perfectly designed for her, for him.  Living with your soul mate.  So much so that they had no name for each other.  It was only after the fall, when there was a separation that they needed an identifier.  There was no death.  No aging, no wrinkles, no imperfections. I bet she never had to say, "Adam, does this make me look fat??"

And yet.
And YET.

She had everything, but it wasn't enough.  She had to have that other fruit.  Is the Genesis Garden of Eden a true story, a myth or an allegory?  What does this story say about us as a woman?  Do you see yourself in Eve?  I do.

I pondered this as I tend to do.  Percolate.  Simmer.  I have a wonderful husband, a marriage blessed by God, a beautiful earthly home.  I really cannot ask for a more fabulous husband - one who loves me, who cares for me, takes care of me, is patient with me.

And yet.
And YET.

I want more.  I want him to be neater.  My bedroom usually looks like a laundry bomb went off.  Over the years, I just could not keep up and slowly gave up.  I was going to fight and nag every day or I was going to accept it.  I chose to accept it.  But not really.  It eats away at me in a deep, dark corner of my being.  Dissatisfied, unhappy.  This is my home!  My nest!  My sanctuary!  Blah blah blah.  Yadda yadda yadda.  Am I not just. like. Eve??

Oh, the fruit of a perfectly clean bedroom looked good to me.  And I wanted it.  I recognized that desire for something more than I have, something else to make me happier, even though I am in Paradise!  I have turned away from that fruit and to enjoy all the goodness of my world that God has blessed upon me.

I love you HH.  Even if your chair is piled high with clothes.