I returned from a short visit to South Louisiana earlier this week with two things: 1. A re-confirmation of my inability, even as an adult and after not having been in church for about a bazillion years, to keep my eyes open and my ears from hearing Charlie Brown's parents once the sermon starts. God created the heavens and the earth, right? So if it's all the same, I'll just go ahead and worship that with my Sunday morning trail runs. Save myself the trouble of putting on heels and mascara that early in the day, besides; and 2. A passel of cucumbers from my green-thumbed father-in-law's most excellent garden.
I've never been much of a fan of cucumbers, but I have to say, straight out of the garden? Delicious! Except, what the heck am I going to DO with all of them?
So hit me with your best ideas.
15 comments:
Problem One: Try attending a Bible-Believing Soul-Winning Exciting Evangelical Church.
Problem Two: Pickling! Maybe you could come up with a way to pickle cukes, chilis and other ingredients together for a new product.
If I go to Church, I need singing! As in Gospel. As in, keep me awake and focused.
As for cucumbers. Er, I'm not a big fan of them but I get that 'real' ones probably taste better. However, I was at a dinner a few weeks ago and was served an amazing quinoa and cucumber salad. It was faulous.
I love cucumbers~! Mmmmmmmm.
My mom used to slice them thin and then pour in a dressing of some sort -- vinegar based maybe?
Slice them and put them on your sandwiches. In fact, cucumber sandwiches!
Or try making a chow-chow or similar.
Me, I like them best fresh with just salt and maybe a dusting of pepper. Mmmmmmm. Nothing like a fresh crispy cucumber.
Re church, I'm getting more with you all the time. Something isn't inspiring me to go to ours lately. No real reason. I usually find peace in the Episcopal rituals but lately needing something "more".
Troll: That's all I need: someone shouting and thumping at me. (I'm pretty sure Jesus used his inside voice while preaching to his peeps.) I did think about pickling, which I love. But S.B., he no likee. Then again, tough, right?
Boxer: Yes! Gospel singing is the best. There was a choir here, but it was all that modern worship music, which I hate. Hmmmm . . . maybe couscous and cucumber?
Pam: I forgot about cucumber sandwiches. With butter, if I recall correctly? Without opening up a whole can of worms, here, I guess I just don't understand the reason for going to church, period. What does it have to do with one's faith in God?
I advocate this trinity: cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Marinated in vinegar. Add a bit of sugar, herbs, or Hatch chiles, as you choose.
If I had a bowl full, it would perk me up right now. It's been a long week . . .
Slice cold cucumbers an put them on your tired eyes--good beauty trick.
Moi, communin' wif' God as ya admire His handiwork is wunnerful...jes' keep in mind that worshipin' the created (earth) ain't the same as worship of the creator.
Main trouble is overly "modern" churches. When the focus is God not man, thangs perk up.
Sorry for the length.
We all too easily make an idol of our understanding, and our theology becomes the thing in which we place our faith and trust. We believe that it rather than God will save us, and faith becomes simply a matter of having the right understanding. In the past, such idolatrous faith in our own understanding had murderous effects. People killed one another in the name of Jesus because they thought they were defending the gospel rather than a historically and culturally relative perspective of the gospel. Fortunately, we now know that our understanding of everything, including the gospel, is perspectival and what we most often defend is our ego’s attachment to that perspective rather than the gospel itself.
--from James Danaher, Contemplative Prayer
I love Eggy invoking the trinity on the matter of cucumbers. And on the matter of cucumbers, I got nothing.
Eggy: I hear ya. This sounds like a delicious pick-me-up, though, and I always have those three ingredients on hand. Thanks!
Aunty: I used to actually enjoy mass because it was RITUALIZED, establishing the right kind of somber but reverent atmosphere for quiet contemplation of one's faith. I can't speak with full authority about what's going on in today's churches, but the words "modern" and "church" don't really belong together as far as I'm concerned. And I would like to politely suggest that perhaps, if God indeed exists in all things, a reverence for his creations is the same as a reverence for Him.
Czar: I like that a lot. It's going on the fridge.
Moi,
Amen to the first thought! ( an --youse correct, "modern" an church doan go in same sentence. it should be timeless)
As to the next, close, but a wee quibble--reverence an worship ain't the same thang.
Come on by the Porch when ya can--Uncle's Haiku theme is announced.
I like Aunty's sentiment about how church should be "timeless". And I think there are times in our lives where we look for something above us, or something more, or something that is greater than ourselves. If running through nature does that for you, good going. I don't do modern churches either, and love the rituals in the Anglican churches (of course). But going through some European cathedrals recently was inspiring. Maybe I will try our local cathedral and see if it perks me up some.
MEANWHILE. Snark station open if you watched PR. Mainly, I think they tried to make a macho rock band look gay.
make a chilled cuke face spritzer. went down the atchafalaya today with a real good looking cajun today. thought of SB and you
Skeeter Bit Bayou Floater--whar'd ya find that cajun?
Aunty: Deadline mosquitoes nipping at my skin again; I'm going to do my best to participate this week.
Pam: Yeah. Ritual. I needs me ritual. Or it just seems like sitting in class or going to an after school dance.
Skeeter: Don't you just love saying Atchafalaya? And looking at cute men?
if it weren't for the men in my family (including my 14 year old) singing in the church choir i wouldn't go ... :-)
i like cukes. i usually just eat them raw when i come across a garden fresh one. i do know there are cucumber jelly recipes out there. what that's like i have no idea though.
Foam: Hmmmm . . . never tried cucumber jelly! I like a good choir, too.
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