This morning I opted to stay home from church. Yesterday was okay, but I never got a good chunk of time alone and needed it, so I am getting it today. I can't really explain the "why" of that. I just know that sometimes I just need the quiet and alone time to regroup. It has a been a couple weeks since I had that, so it is no surprise to me that I needed it this weekend.
Dale suggested that I listen from a sermon from SermonAudio.com, which I did. It was a sermon based on Psalm 31 about anguish. It was pretty good, and though there were a few things I didn't care for (like whatever version he was reading from made it very difficult to follow along, and even seemed to change words unnecessarily, but that is another issue altogether), overall I found some things to ponder and was fed spiritually. I didn't really agree with the application of his last point, either. Here is the link in case anyone is interested:
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=916072341446
There are thousands of sermons you can listen to on that site. Go, browse, enjoy.
Roadtrip Review: Adventures with Food
We had a very wide variety of food while away. In Maine Dale and I went out one night and at a local restaurant called Sun and Surf. It was right on Long Sands. They were opened for the first time the night we went, which happened to be Valentines' Day. We both got haddock and french fries and it was delicious! We knew the fish would be fresh since it was their first night opened (all the seafood is caught locally). I hadn't had haddock in a long time and it didn't disappoint. While waiting for our order we read some about the history of the place, and was impressed to learn that a huge boulder, during the hurricane of '79, came through the front of the building and had landed in the dining area, apparently not far from where we were sitting. As good as the fish was, the rolls were.. well, let's just say their forte is not in bakery goods. The only rolls I have ever had that were worse were the ones Dale and I had on our honeymoon at a Holiday Inn dining room. They were so hard you could have killed someone by throwing it out the dining room's tenth floor window. However, due to the amount of haddock and french fries that were served in the meal, the rolls were in no way needed.
If you like vegetables, you would love the vegetable stew that my stepmother's friend's husband made for us one night. It was so thick with veggies, and interesting spices, that I think even if you didn't care for many vegetables you would have eaten bowl after bowl of it. It had everything under the sun in it. Thank you Hank!
Dale and I also hit a steak house in Mass. called Jimmy's. We were in search of somewhere to eat after a trip to a museum (that will be in another post) and one of the ladies at the front desk recommended it. She had shown us a menu she had with her and we were afraid at first that it would be one of those Bar and Grill type places, with the emphasis on the Bar. However when we got there we realized that the bar was in a separate area from the "grill" and since it was 3 in the afternoon, most people were thinking about eating, not drinking. We were shown to a table immediately and sat down to a leisurely meal. I got broiled ground sirloin with sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers, and a side of rice pilaf and veggies. Dale got a sirloin cheeseburger, which was so good, "burger" didn't seem like an appropriate name. I was feeling quite tired, so got coffee and was enjoying a cup of UNINTERRUPTED coffee when I suddenly realize I was turning into my grandmother. Eating dinner (or was it lunch?) at 3 pm. and drinking coffee instead of soda.
One day we got pizza from Dominoes. Not much comment on that except the amount the kids ate was testimony to the usual superb quality we have come to expect from that pizza shop.
One of our favorite outings with food has been to take the kids to a Chinese restaurant in Maynard, Ma. that we are partial to. Now, you have to realize that with my mom, grandmother and our family, there was 10 of us for the poor waiter to get drinks for, seat, and be solicitous too. He was a kindly Asian man, who kept marvelling at the four generations at the table, and kept telling me how well behaved our children were. I refrained from telling him that it only seemed that way because they were all busy with their favorite pass time... eating. The food was excellent. I loved the crab ragoons and the tea. I think I drank a whole pot of it by myself.
While there we were amused by reading the Chinese Zodiac print up on our place mats. If ever you need to be convinced that astrology is a bunch of horsepucky, then I hope the following will help.
According to Chinese legend, ages ago Buddha summoned all the animals and honored those who came by naming a year for them. Each animal in turn gave its characteristics to people born in its year. So, according to the year I was born, I was born in the year of the pig. (no snide comments here, y'all). It gives some sundry vague characteristics and says to "choose the hare, ram or horse and avoid the serpent". AVOID the serpent. Hey, guess what year Dale was born? Not only that, but it says that those born in the year of the serpent are "very wise and very strong willed, physically beautiful yet vain and high tempered. The ox, rooster and dragon are fine, but the tiger and PIG will bring trouble." Those of you who know Dale should get a chuckle out of that. So according to Chinese legend, Dale and I should avoid each other. Of course, we have been happily married for almost 17 years. What do we know?
Oh, here is another good one. My dd Elizabeth was born in the year of the tiger. Okay, amongst sundry vague descriptions was this... " ... yet short tempered, often entering into conflict with others." Oh yeah, that is so accurate of her... NOT! She is the exact opposite of that.
Chinese legend is based on a false god (Buddha) and therefore isn't really good for anything but a good laugh in this case. But it can serve as an example to us to make sure that what we know, and do lines up with the True God and what He says in the Bible. It isn't a mystery, nor a legend. We can trust God to lead us in His perfect way, and to do what is right for us. Even if it means marrying someone from the year of the serpent. :)
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