Unexpected valentine joy

I think Valentine's Day makes more people act nicely toward each other for at least one day, but part of me is still skeptical. I never wore black on February 14 in my single years, but I remember feeling sad that people felt they needed to invent a day when couples could show off their coupleness. Now I understand, the charm, of course, and am thankful for a prompt to celebrate the love David and I share.  (Still, there is no day for singles to celebrate their singleness. And even if there were, Hallmark would find a way to capitalize on it.)

But if Valentine's Day prompts people to love on others in general, it does make the middle of February in the north much sunnier and more pleasant. And that's what happened in my church this morning, just moments before the praise music began.

Mark, a man in his 20s or 30s with special needs, had wandered up to me as he does each Sunday, usually repeating some phrase or sentence while he looks at me sideways with a halfway smile. And this Sunday he approached already saying something I couldn't hear because of the prelude. "What?!?" I said loudly. "I can't hear you." "Happy Valentine's Day!!" he said again, also loudly. "Oh, you, too!" I exclaimed, pointing to a heart brooch on my sweater.

He nodded and took his seat in front, as usual. And then a church lady wandered down the aisle, pausing as she turned to Mark. But instead of the usual handshake and how-de-do, she leaned over sweetly and planted a big one right on his cheek. In front of the whole church, while God, I'm convinced, smiled down on this Valentine surprise, laughing joyously at the way one of his creatures loved, and loved well. Mark kind of stood up halfway and turned toward our police-officer friend who was sitting right in back of him, gesturing excitedly toward his cheek. He was beaming.

My heart quickly filled with hope and song, the music enveloping us, reminding me of what one loving gesture can do. Of what Jesus' love can do in our hearts when we open it up to Him and discover a bit of what it means to let this magnificent God-love dribble out of us and on to His children around us. At the supermarket. In our cubicle. In the kitchen. And sometimes dribbling over on another of his precious ones, right before a church service begins. I can still see Mark's smile and it fills my heart with cheer. Honest to goodness, it might possibly carry me through the entire week ahead.

I John 4:10-12, The Message

This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!

Crunchy granola types

I recently read a quote that said women can bring home the bacon and fry it up in high heels. Made me laugh, honestly. The best cooking that occurs in our household is done by the husband, who also goes by "David." I cook, too, but I find myself constantly deferring to his superior abilities in the kitchen.

And since we started eating a more plant-based diet, I've taken to laughingly referring to us as "crunchy granola types." How else did the husband lose 25 pounds after getting married? Yup, we changed what's in our cupboards and our fridge. The more we've been talking about it, though, the more we've come to the conclusion that eating healthier (and of course we have days when we don't) is a matter of simple stewardship of the bodies God has given us (Romans 12:1).

That said, we have literally become "crunchy granola types" for breakfast. It's homemade, it's filling, and let's just say it keeps everyone in this household regular. Enough said.

And now, we're sharing our recipe with the world. You can top your yogurt with it. Put it in a nice jar as a gift. Add a little crunch to your morning routine. Without further adieu, here it is:


 The Burdens' granola recipe:
(makes 14 cups!)

-10 c. oats

-1 c. chopped almonds

-1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

-1 c. sunflower seeds

-1 c. ground flaxseed

-2 T. cinnamon

-1/2 c. oil

-1 c. honey or agave nectar

-1/2 c. water

-1 1/2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, and if using, flaxseed meal.

In a separate bowl, mix oil, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined and lightly moistened. Bake for about 25-30 minutes on jelly roll pans, mixing halfway through. Remove from oven when golden brown. Keep in airtight container.

(Note: you can experiment with cutting down fat by reducing nuts and oil, and reduce sugar by using less honey/agave nectar and more water. You can also go more healthy if you have a sturdy blender that can whiz dates and water, then coat the dry ingredients in that and bake.) 

Enjoy!

True stories from the preacher's daughter

Last summer I started reminiscing about my life as a preacher's daughter, and what came out of those true-life posts (on my former blog) tickled the hearts and sentiment of many loved ones. From funeral parlor pickles to make-believe, shrill soloists and generous parishioners, I offer them to you here for your reading pleasure.

And I promise, they are all, utterly TRUE. Ah, simpler, more convivial times...

True stories from the preacher's daughter, part 1

One Sunday Morning (city church)

True stories from the preacher's daughter, part 2

Normal is Just a Setting on the Dishwasher

True stories from the preacher's daughter, part 3

Flexing our Make-Believe Muscles

True stories from the preacher's daughter, part 4

Gifts that Keep on Giving

True stories from the preacher's daughter, part 5

The Udder Truth (country church)

"What do you do?" and "Do you have any kids?"

These are the top questions that reach my ears day-in and day-out. And as much as I hate those questions, I'll admit, I sometimes ask them myself. Although less frequently these days. I suppose I've become a bit more sensitive on these subjects.

A few years ago, it was somewhat easier to answer these questions. I could say that I was working in the Christian publishing field with a major Christian publisher and be done with the first one. As for having any kids, I'd say "I'm not married," and that would shut them down fast.

Now things aren't so easy...or as simple.

Those who know part of my story have heard that I met my husband on eharmony.com and after knowing him for 11 months, married him, and moved three hours away from everything I knew. And this was, frankly, one of the smartest things I have done in all my life. He's amazing, a keeper, a faithful partner in all things.

But then I moved...found myself sitting in a car insurance office transferring my insurance over to his...and the inevitable happened. "So what do you do?" the woman asked. To which I didn't actually reply because I had no idea what to say. I wasn't yet freelance writing, I had left my job, and I was actually getting settled in to my new home.

"Let's say you're a housewife," the woman casually said.

"No!" popped out of my mouth before I could censor myself. "Don't put THAT down!" And the husband began to laugh, guffaw really, his face all lit up with a mischievous grin. After he recovered, he told the nice lady to put down "freelance writer," thereby saving my sanity and the joy of my new marriage, in one fell swoop.

But to be honest with you, I still haven't recovered from that incident, and I'll tell you why: my life has not consisted of tending to a home as my primary occupation, and I'm not sure it ever will, although it could for a short season. And, truthfully, I do believe that I am presently a "homemaker" and "a seminary student" and "a freelance writer" and "a sometimes chaplain" and a "biblestudy teacher" and a wife, a sister, a daughter, and a friend.

Truth be told, my life is a great hodge-podge of activities these days, and it's a wonderful life. Just not easy to define. Not easy to categorize. Not easy to pin down.

And when I am asked if I have any kids, I say "no" or "not yet," and risk the stares of those who think I'm too old to be considering children. And then I smile, take a deep breath, and remind myself that I am my Abba's daughter, made in His image, as a strong ezer (helper, warrior, and rescuer) in the service of His Kingdom. It may not sound like much to the world at large, but in my heart it defines who I am, my next act of service for Him, and the importance of the work He has put before me, however varied and inconsequential it might seem.

"What do I do?" I literally ask my heavenly Father to order my days. "Do I have any kids in my future?" Maybe you should ask my Father in heaven. Only He knows. But either way, He'll be entirely good. That's one question I can answer before it's even asked.

Living in the right world

"Two commands direct us from the small world of self-help to the large world of God's help. First, 'Come, behold the works of the Lord...' The second command is, 'Be still and know that I am God.'"

-author Eugene Peterson

Twitterific

I've been harrumphing about this twitter thing for a long time. I'm still nigh unto convinced it could be the world's worst time waster...still, I've also been convinced it is the best networking/community tool on the web. So I'm giving it the old college try, thanks to the social media consulting I do.

The Smart Girl's Guide to Twittering ebook got me started, and I must say, it was worth the $19.95. Fun, festive, full of everything I need to do, and more. It certainly does make a girl wonder: what can't I do on twitter? Budgeting, twit-parties, friend-making, resource sharing, free giveaways, etc. There is, alas, some happiness involved.

So, if you don't believe that twitter is the craziest thing ever, and if you're about to take the plunge, won't you join me? I'd love to have more likeminded friends at:

twitter.com/suzanneburden

You, too, can learn how to tweet unto others as you would have them tweet unto you. See you there!

Something spiritual is happening

I don't know where to begin, but nothing this week turned out like expected. I was due to complete one more week of physical therapy for the lymphedema in my leg, and the insurance company, inexplicably, canceled it.

Remember the quote on my blog that said there is no plan B? I told my therapist that Tuesday morning when she showed me a few tips and I said goodbye. Said God must have other plans. And He did.

Later in the day, I received an email from our church saying that someone needed  help, personal one-on-one ministry in a crisis situation. I realized my schedule was considerably freed up, so I called, and the rest of my week was turned upside-down.

There was spiritual warfare going on. My car wouldn't start (never happened before or since) at the most crucial moment. But it sputtered to life on the second try. I saw the Holy Spirit move multiple times, not the least of which is that I had any words to say or wisdom to offer in a situation I had never encountered before. I invited someone into our home. It was messy. It was right. The intention I wrote for New Year's about being willing to join God in his work even when it made me uncomfortable was tested. I was blessed. Any love I poured out in the name of Christ was returned to me.



Sunday school members brought meals, I spent hours conversing with one of God's creatures who needs Him desperately. Something spiritual is happening in our church, walls are coming down, church members are going outside the four traditional walls of worship to carry God's love to unexpected people, places, and situations. And, I for one, want to experience the brokenness I read about in Jim Cymbala's Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire--the brokenness that proceeds repentance and revival. I want to be one of the Jesus-followers who sees God moving and joins Him in His work, no matter the cost.

I long to see hearts and lives healed, flourishing in the freedom of Christ, standing in the dignity that comes from bowing the knee to an audience of One. Something spiritual is happening. And it's very, very good.