Letter #6

November 2022

Notes from Me

+Some thoughts: I was thinking of the pressure we can feel to “make something of ourselves.” Everywhere we turn, we find the double-sided advice to A. not change a thing because we are perfect and B. make ourselves into some idealized version of ourselves. But as a Christian, I assert that through Christ, by faith, I am counted righteous already (2 Corinthians 5:21). I am not perfect but redeemed. And what if it’s not me, but my creator who makes me into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18)? Instead of striving to make something of myself, I want to make much of God.

+Listening: to this song by the Irish folk band The Chieftans. It is invigorating and lyrical and helps me tackle the evening dishes with a little more gusto.

With the Boys

+Reading: The older boys (5 and 6) and I finished reading Parade: A Stampede of Stories about Ananse the Trickster Spider by KP Kojo. We liked how each chapter built on the next, something you don’t always find in a collection of stories like this. This would be an accessible introduction to Ananse, the famous trickster from West African folk tales.

+Watching: Julia Donaldson’s book The Gruffalo (her best work, though we do like other titles, like Room on the Broom and Stick Man), was made into a show. The boys and I have only watched clips of some of the film adaptations on YouTube. But the videos are so well done (adding depth and humor to already excellent stories) that I think we’ll purchase the 26-minute The Gruffalo.

In the Kitchen

+Bread: I’ve been making Alexandra’s no-knead bread for a couple of years now. (Thank you to my friend Rachael for introducing me to Alexandra’s recipes!) This bread is simple to make and it is always good. You could use a regular loaf pan, but I use the recommended 1-quart pyrex bowls. I use this yeast and store it in the fridge. I also have this little scale. I’ve tried a few different kinds of all-purpose flour with no discernible difference. You could eat the bread in thick slices with butter or cheese or serve it beside a soup, like this one.

+Mateo’s Salsa: This salsa has the consistency of what you’d find at most Mexican restaurants (with a little bit of a roasted vegetable flavor.) It is my new favorite (the boys also like it). We get it in Medium at Costco.

Small Joy

Children have a way of turning received terms on their side. The other morning, my three-year-old son asked to wear “tiny pants,” by which he meant “shorts.” I would like to know why don’t we call them “tiny pants.” For that matter, why don’t we call pants “longs”?

Until next month,

Susie

P.S. This little pronunciation guide has helped us in our artist studies this year. (The Thinker is by Auguste Rodin - pronounced “Oh-goost” “Roe-dan”).