One final (belated!) reflection as we prepare to celebrate this joyous feast of Christmas! Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121811.cfm.
"Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever" (2 Sam 7:16). You can't "out-give" God - as David surely realized when he expressed his desire to build a house for God and was told instead that God would turn David's line (bayit, "house" in Hebrew) into an everlasting royal dynasty. True to his word, as long as there is a king in Judah that king is a descendant of David. Fourteen generations later the Babylonian exile strikes a devastating - but not fatal - blow to the kingdom and especially to the royal line. When the exiles are allowed to return and rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple under king Cyrus of Persia they do so under the leadership of Zerubbabel, a descendant of David. At this point the Davidic line goes underground, so to speak, and the identity of the heir to the throne is no longer public knowledge - or at least it is no longer recorded in Scripture. So the next time you are sitting in Mass listening to the beginning of the gospel of Matthew (this very Christmas Eve, if you get the long version of the gospel reading) and the priest or deacon is rattling off that list of tongue-twisting names, imagine the shock and excitement of a first century Jew hearing that genealogy: "And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel" - so far so good, this is well-known history - "and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim..." (Matt 1:12-13 RSV). What?! God really is faithful - the line continued, and there is no longer any question who the rightful ruler of Israel is: "and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ" (Matt 1:16).
That's all well and good, you might say, and it's nice to know that those genealogies aren't included just to trip Father up while he's proclaiming the gospel - but Joseph is only Jesus' foster father, and so shouldn't we be more concerned with Mary's genealogy if we're going to try to establish Jesus as the fulfillment of this prophecy to David in 2 Samuel 7? There is a tradition that Mary is also of the royal line, but although Joseph is not Jesus' biological father his genealogy is of primary importance in this case. Joseph is the legal heir of the Davidic throne, as evidenced by the genealogy in Matthew 1, and Jesus is his legal son - therefore Jesus is the legal heir of the throne, regardless of Mary's lineage.
This beautiful fulfillment of the promise to David in Christ Jesus is part of the "revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages but now manifested through the prophetic writings" to which St. Paul refers at the end of his letter to the Romans (16:25-26).
All of this explains how the angel Gabriel is able to tell Mary that Jesus will receive "the throne of David his father" in this Sunday's gospel (Luke 1:32). As the mother of the new king, Mary holds the royal office of giberah, or Queen Mother. Gabriel honors her in his greeting and calls her κεχαριτωμενη (kecharitomene) in the Greek; the RSV and NAB translate this as "full of grace," but the verb tense is past perfect, which makes the literal translation "one who has been and continues to be graced." This verse provides an important foundation for the dogma of the Immaculate Conception: that Mary was conceived without original sin and remained sinless throughout her life (by the power of God and the saving sacrifice of Christ working back in history, not by her own merit - an important distinction!).
Another key Marian doctrine with a foundation in this passage is the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity. The Church teaches that Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ. Mary herself gives us a clue concerning this in her reply to Gabriel's announcement that she would have a son. Mary responds, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" (Luke 1:34). St. Luke has already told us that Mary is betrothed to Joseph (1:27). Our modern concept of betrothal is that of an engagement: a plan to marry, but not yet a marriage. However, in the first century Jewish world marriage was a two-step process. The first step was betrothal, which was essentially the marriage without the wife going to live in her husband's home. For a husband and wife to consummate their marriage during this period may have been looked down upon, but it would not have been unheard of. For Gabriel to tell an engaged woman that she would bear a son at some point in the future would not have been surprising; to give the same message to a woman who was essentially already married should not have elicited a response of "how can this be?" Mary's response only makes sense if she was not planning on having relations with her husband. This supports the tradition that Mary had made a vow of perpetual virginity.
This passage also echoes the theme of God's house in the language about the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary - this is the same language used when God's presence descends on the Tabernacle in the wilderness and on the Temple in Jerusalem. This points to Mary as the new Ark of the Covenant. The original Ark contained a jar of manna (bread from heaven), the tablets of the law (God's word), and Aaron's budding staff (priestly authority). For nine months Mary carried in her womb the true Bread come down from heaven, the incarnate Word, and the new and eternal High Priest.
To end I'll leave you with the last verse of my new favorite Advent/Christmas song, A Messenger to Mary Came (full lyrics here: http://www.wyomingcatholiccollege.com/Portals/0/Member_Christmas2.pdf, I also highly recommend the CD!):
With that, the angel parted thence
And Mary wondered in her heart;
'As God in his benevolence
Has chosen me to play this part,
So let me follow undeterred
According to the Father's word,
And show him right obedience.'
Have a merry, blessed Christmas!!!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Advent Reflections III
I'm pretending this isn't over a week late... or pretending that some deeper significance about waiting can be drawn out of a very belated reflection...
The readings for the Third Sunday of Advent can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121111.cfm. This third Sunday is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word meaning "rejoice." In the midst of this penitential season of Advent we take this day to rejoice that our hope is near - it is almost Christmas, but also as we await the second coming of our Lord we rejoice that He is ever present with us in the Eucharist.
The first reading for this Sunday is another thrilling reading from Isaiah. It is also one of the easiest Old Testament prophecies for which to pinpoint a fulfillment in the New Testament: in Luke 4:16-30 Jesus reads this passage from Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth and tells us point blank, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21 RSV). This passage proclaims a Jubilee year - the time legislated in Leviticus 25 to be celebrated ever fiftieth year to remind the Israelites of the freedom granted them in the Exodus and to prevent them from being reduced to the kind of slavery they experienced in Egypt. The failure to observe the Jubilee year was one of the reasons the kingdom of Judah suffered the Exile (cf. Jer 34:8-22), and so this prophecy from Isaiah about the coming messiah (anointed one) who would proclaim the Jubilee year (year of the Lord's favor) offered much-needed hope. Jesus initiates the ultimate Jubilee, freeing us from the bondage of sin and death.
In the second reading St. Paul talks gives the Thessalonians - and us - some much-needed advice for waiting. The Thessalonians excelled in the virtues of faith and love (cf. 2 Thess 1:4), but they needed some counseling in the area of hope. In this passage St. Paul tells them how they are to conduct themselves in waiting and hoping for the return of Christ. As we rejoice in the presence of Christ with us, prepare to celebrate his birth, and continue to wait and hope for his second coming, this counsel guides our behavior as well. We are living in the messianic jubilee, but that is an exhortation to vigilance rather than a free pass to do what we will. We too must continue to pray, give thanks, discern the good, and avoid evil. All of this is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
The gospel sounds like an echo of the previous week's gospel as we hear John's account of the ministry of John the Baptist. This passage gives a beautiful picture of the Baptist's humility as he is questioned concerning his identity but shifts the focus from himself to "the one who is coming after me" (John 1:27). However, one of his answers can be a little confusing. The priests and Levites ask John if he is Elijah because the last prophecy they received was a promise from the Lord that he would send Elijah before the coming of the messiah (Malachi 4:5). So when John the Baptist appears at the Jordan River - the last place where Elijah was seen before being taken up to heaven - dressed in the same type of clothing as Elijah, eating the same type of food as Elijah, proclaiming the same type of message of repentance as Elijah - the Jews have good reason for thinking that Malachi's prophecy may be fulfilled, and the arrival of the messiah may be imminent. Jesus himself says that John was Elijah (Matt 11:14, 17:12-13). Why then does John deny that he is Elijah when he is asked? A clue may be found in Luke's gospel. The archangel Gabriel tells Zechariah that his son John will "go before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17). Clearly John is being associated with Elijah in fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy, but he is also clearly not Elijah in a literal sense. John may be responding to an assumption of his questioners that Elijah himself will literally return, therefore he answers that he is not Elijah.
This third Sunday of Advent is also an opportunity to remember an important liturgical fact: real men wear rose :)
The readings for the Third Sunday of Advent can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121111.cfm. This third Sunday is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word meaning "rejoice." In the midst of this penitential season of Advent we take this day to rejoice that our hope is near - it is almost Christmas, but also as we await the second coming of our Lord we rejoice that He is ever present with us in the Eucharist.
The first reading for this Sunday is another thrilling reading from Isaiah. It is also one of the easiest Old Testament prophecies for which to pinpoint a fulfillment in the New Testament: in Luke 4:16-30 Jesus reads this passage from Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth and tells us point blank, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21 RSV). This passage proclaims a Jubilee year - the time legislated in Leviticus 25 to be celebrated ever fiftieth year to remind the Israelites of the freedom granted them in the Exodus and to prevent them from being reduced to the kind of slavery they experienced in Egypt. The failure to observe the Jubilee year was one of the reasons the kingdom of Judah suffered the Exile (cf. Jer 34:8-22), and so this prophecy from Isaiah about the coming messiah (anointed one) who would proclaim the Jubilee year (year of the Lord's favor) offered much-needed hope. Jesus initiates the ultimate Jubilee, freeing us from the bondage of sin and death.
In the second reading St. Paul talks gives the Thessalonians - and us - some much-needed advice for waiting. The Thessalonians excelled in the virtues of faith and love (cf. 2 Thess 1:4), but they needed some counseling in the area of hope. In this passage St. Paul tells them how they are to conduct themselves in waiting and hoping for the return of Christ. As we rejoice in the presence of Christ with us, prepare to celebrate his birth, and continue to wait and hope for his second coming, this counsel guides our behavior as well. We are living in the messianic jubilee, but that is an exhortation to vigilance rather than a free pass to do what we will. We too must continue to pray, give thanks, discern the good, and avoid evil. All of this is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
The gospel sounds like an echo of the previous week's gospel as we hear John's account of the ministry of John the Baptist. This passage gives a beautiful picture of the Baptist's humility as he is questioned concerning his identity but shifts the focus from himself to "the one who is coming after me" (John 1:27). However, one of his answers can be a little confusing. The priests and Levites ask John if he is Elijah because the last prophecy they received was a promise from the Lord that he would send Elijah before the coming of the messiah (Malachi 4:5). So when John the Baptist appears at the Jordan River - the last place where Elijah was seen before being taken up to heaven - dressed in the same type of clothing as Elijah, eating the same type of food as Elijah, proclaiming the same type of message of repentance as Elijah - the Jews have good reason for thinking that Malachi's prophecy may be fulfilled, and the arrival of the messiah may be imminent. Jesus himself says that John was Elijah (Matt 11:14, 17:12-13). Why then does John deny that he is Elijah when he is asked? A clue may be found in Luke's gospel. The archangel Gabriel tells Zechariah that his son John will "go before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17). Clearly John is being associated with Elijah in fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy, but he is also clearly not Elijah in a literal sense. John may be responding to an assumption of his questioners that Elijah himself will literally return, therefore he answers that he is not Elijah.
This third Sunday of Advent is also an opportunity to remember an important liturgical fact: real men wear rose :)
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Advent Reflections II
Better late than never :) Readings for the second Sunday of Advent: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120411.cfm
One of my favorite things about Advent is all of the readings from Isaiah - and this Sunday's readings include one of my favorite passages. I love the opening words of this Sunday's first reading from Isaiah: "Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God" (40:1). I get a thrill every time I hear this verse. This is truly one of those "life verses" that jumps right out of the Bible and speaks directly to me - a reminder that the Bible is indeed God's love letter to me. But even more important than the moral sense of my own comfort are the literal and allegorical senses of this passage. Isaiah has just spent the past 39 chapters informing the kingdom of Judah of their impending exile as a consequence of their sin and lack of repentance; this first section is often called the Book of Woes, as it is full of Judah's unfaithfulness to God. But chapter 40 takes a new tone and offers comfort (giving chapters 40-66 the name of the Book of Consolations): God will not abandon Judah, even though they have broken the covenant. God will remember his promise to his people and send them a savior - Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who will feed his flock and gather and lead us with care.
The second reading, from the second letter of St. Peter, is an elaboration on this comfort promised by Isaiah: "The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard 'delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (3:9). So many times in my life it has seemed like God was indeed delaying his promise. But just as God did not delay his fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy of salvation but rather waited for the fullness of time in which to deliver his people, so also in my life God's blessings come in his perfect time, not mine. Surely Israel would have been thrilled to receive the messiah when they returned from exile in Babylon instead of waiting another five centuries, but although that would have been a good, it would not have been God's best. The messiah was to come not only to save and lead Israel but to gather all the nations into the worship of the one true God. And so in the fullness of time Jesus came and founded his Church, in the midst of an empire that would facilitate the spread of the gospel and an intellectual tradition that had reached as high as the human mind could on its own.
This reading includes a slightly confusing statement: "conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God" (3:12). Wait... we can make Jesus return sooner? In a certain sense... yes! St. Peter gives the reasoning behind this in the verse quoted above: "he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (3:9b). Conducting ourselves in "holiness and devotion" hastens the "coming of the day of God" because God desires that "all should come to repentance." While it can be easy to look at how broken our world is and to think that the end has to be near (how much worse will God let things get before He returns?!), this passage from 2 Peter instead indicates a different way of looking at it: the sooner we allow God's grace to transform our own lives and invite our family and friends to allow Him to transform their lives, the sooner Christ will return.
The gospel reading from Mark gives us a picture of just what kind of messiah God has sent for our comfort and salvation. After a lengthy description (for the concise St. Mark) of John the Baptist identifying him as the new Elijah (promised in Malachi 4:5, the last prophetic word in the Old Testament), John states that "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals" (Mark 1:7). This statement gives us insight into the humility of the Baptist and the dignity of Christ, but it also goes further. The Greek word which both the NAB and RSV translate as "worthy" is hikanos - which more specifically means "sufficient." To quote my Greek professor, the rugged John the Baptist, dressed in camel hair and eating locust (something even the toughest men I know would probably rather avoid), is saying "I am not man enough to even untie the sandal of the messiah." What does this tell us about Jesus? Well, basically that The Passion of the Christ is a better depiction than Jesus Christ Superstar - but you don't need to know Greek to figure that out!
Come, Lord Jesus!
One of my favorite things about Advent is all of the readings from Isaiah - and this Sunday's readings include one of my favorite passages. I love the opening words of this Sunday's first reading from Isaiah: "Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God" (40:1). I get a thrill every time I hear this verse. This is truly one of those "life verses" that jumps right out of the Bible and speaks directly to me - a reminder that the Bible is indeed God's love letter to me. But even more important than the moral sense of my own comfort are the literal and allegorical senses of this passage. Isaiah has just spent the past 39 chapters informing the kingdom of Judah of their impending exile as a consequence of their sin and lack of repentance; this first section is often called the Book of Woes, as it is full of Judah's unfaithfulness to God. But chapter 40 takes a new tone and offers comfort (giving chapters 40-66 the name of the Book of Consolations): God will not abandon Judah, even though they have broken the covenant. God will remember his promise to his people and send them a savior - Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who will feed his flock and gather and lead us with care.
The second reading, from the second letter of St. Peter, is an elaboration on this comfort promised by Isaiah: "The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard 'delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (3:9). So many times in my life it has seemed like God was indeed delaying his promise. But just as God did not delay his fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy of salvation but rather waited for the fullness of time in which to deliver his people, so also in my life God's blessings come in his perfect time, not mine. Surely Israel would have been thrilled to receive the messiah when they returned from exile in Babylon instead of waiting another five centuries, but although that would have been a good, it would not have been God's best. The messiah was to come not only to save and lead Israel but to gather all the nations into the worship of the one true God. And so in the fullness of time Jesus came and founded his Church, in the midst of an empire that would facilitate the spread of the gospel and an intellectual tradition that had reached as high as the human mind could on its own.
This reading includes a slightly confusing statement: "conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God" (3:12). Wait... we can make Jesus return sooner? In a certain sense... yes! St. Peter gives the reasoning behind this in the verse quoted above: "he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (3:9b). Conducting ourselves in "holiness and devotion" hastens the "coming of the day of God" because God desires that "all should come to repentance." While it can be easy to look at how broken our world is and to think that the end has to be near (how much worse will God let things get before He returns?!), this passage from 2 Peter instead indicates a different way of looking at it: the sooner we allow God's grace to transform our own lives and invite our family and friends to allow Him to transform their lives, the sooner Christ will return.
Come, Lord Jesus!
 |
| Not in line with John the Baptist's statement... or much of anything Scriptural... catchy tunes, though! (credit: http://www.religionfacts.com/jesus/images/jesus-christ-superstar.jpg) |
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Advent Reflections I
Happy New Year! As the first Sunday of Advent, today is the first day in the new liturgical year. The readings for today (which can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/112711.cfm) set the tone of watching and waiting for the rest of this holy season.
I love how Isaiah's lament over Judah's sinfulness in the first reading is answered by Paul's assurance that Christ will keep us firm to the end in the second reading. This juxtaposition illustrates the relationship between Law and Grace; as St. Augustine said, "The law was therefore given, in order that grace might be sought; grace was given, in order that the law might be fulfilled" (Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter, 34). Israel failed to remain faithful to the law, but Christ perfectly fulfilled the law - and we are offered the grace to join our lives to his and participate in his perfect obedience. This requires us to watch vigilantly for the coming of our Lord, as He instructs in the Gospel. This year there is another application for the command to be vigilant: with the new translation of the Mass beginning today we must all be extra vigilant during Mass in order to not be caught unawares with an "And also with you" instead of an "And with your spirit"! :)
In this season of Advent we meditate on and prepare for the coming of our Lord in three different ways. The most familiar preparation during Advent is our preparation for Christmas, when we remember and celebrate Christ coming to us in history. Advent is also a time to take a close look at how we recognize the presence of our Lord as He comes to us each and every Mass in the Eucharist. Am I truly prepared to receive him? He is really present - but do I take his presence for granted? Finally, we begin the new liturgical year with a focus on the end: am I prepared to meet our Lord when He comes again in glory (or when I meet him at death)?
In the midst of all the holiday preparations - and all the end-of-semester business for both Alex and myself - it seems nearly impossible to find time to really prepare to celebrate the joyous mystery of Christmas. But I am determined that this year (unlike every other year where I say the same thing) I will truly appreciate Advent; on Christmas Eve I will not find myself saying "Christmas? But I'm not ready!" Hopefully the fact that we completed most of our Christmas shopping yesterday is a good sign of spiritual preparations to be completed in a timely manner as well :)
I love how Isaiah's lament over Judah's sinfulness in the first reading is answered by Paul's assurance that Christ will keep us firm to the end in the second reading. This juxtaposition illustrates the relationship between Law and Grace; as St. Augustine said, "The law was therefore given, in order that grace might be sought; grace was given, in order that the law might be fulfilled" (Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter, 34). Israel failed to remain faithful to the law, but Christ perfectly fulfilled the law - and we are offered the grace to join our lives to his and participate in his perfect obedience. This requires us to watch vigilantly for the coming of our Lord, as He instructs in the Gospel. This year there is another application for the command to be vigilant: with the new translation of the Mass beginning today we must all be extra vigilant during Mass in order to not be caught unawares with an "And also with you" instead of an "And with your spirit"! :)
In this season of Advent we meditate on and prepare for the coming of our Lord in three different ways. The most familiar preparation during Advent is our preparation for Christmas, when we remember and celebrate Christ coming to us in history. Advent is also a time to take a close look at how we recognize the presence of our Lord as He comes to us each and every Mass in the Eucharist. Am I truly prepared to receive him? He is really present - but do I take his presence for granted? Finally, we begin the new liturgical year with a focus on the end: am I prepared to meet our Lord when He comes again in glory (or when I meet him at death)?
In the midst of all the holiday preparations - and all the end-of-semester business for both Alex and myself - it seems nearly impossible to find time to really prepare to celebrate the joyous mystery of Christmas. But I am determined that this year (unlike every other year where I say the same thing) I will truly appreciate Advent; on Christmas Eve I will not find myself saying "Christmas? But I'm not ready!" Hopefully the fact that we completed most of our Christmas shopping yesterday is a good sign of spiritual preparations to be completed in a timely manner as well :)
Many or all?
I LOVE the new translation of the Roman Missal (although I am less than enthusiastic about some of the musical settings for the new Mass parts, but modern music and the Mass are a diatribe for a different day). I look forward to everyone becoming more comfortable with the changes so that once again there will be a unified response during Mass, instead of a hesitant mumbling which comes across as "Andalsowithyourspirityou."
As a good friend pointed out today, one of the more drastic and potentially confusing changes seems to be during the Words of Institution. During the consecration of the chalice the priest now says, “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.” In the old translation the priest said “It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.” This change from “for all” to “for many” more literally translates the original Latin, but it may be rather shocking to many Catholics. Is the Church saying that Christ only died for some?
As St. Paul would say, me genoito! (By no means! or No indeed!) The Catholic Church teaches, as the Bible clearly states, that Christ died for all (see, for example, 1 Tim 2:6, “[Christ Jesus] gave himself as a ransom for all…” RSV). However, we must each accept this gift so that Christ’s blood is not simply poured out but is poured out for “the forgiveness of [our] sins.” He died for all, but not all choose to benefit from his death. The original Latin of the Mass and this new translation both point to this reality.
The Latin in the Mass refers to Matthew 26:28, "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (emphasis mine). The Greek is polloi, literally “the many.” In this verse Jesus is associating himself with the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. The Septuagint uses polloi three times in Isaiah 53:11-12 (only two of which are translated in the RSV): “He shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great (literally he will be given many), and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” The repetition of many here highlights the contrast between the one righteous servant of God and the many who benefit from his sacrifice; the wording in the Mass preserves this juxtaposition. We are reminded of the gift we have been given to be numbered among the many.
For more information on Scripture in the Mass, as well as a better understanding of the new translation, I highly recommend Dr. Edward Sri’s A Biblical Walk Through the Mass (http://guidetothemass.com/information/new-translation/3/study-program-bible-biblical-faith).
Monday, November 21, 2011
Playtime!
It's hard to believe our little one is over 10 months old now! Here's a video of Michael enjoying two of his favorite things: blocks and books.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Too good for breakfast!
What do you do with a zucchini that's almost as big as your 8 1/2 month old? Why, make muffins, of course!
My mother-in-law gave us a giant zucchini from her garden. Maybe it's really not that big for a good ol' home-grown zucchini, but I'm used to the dinky little ones you buy at a grocery story - and this one was seriously huge by those standards. How convenient that my mom has an amazing zucchini muffin recipe! So last night after getting Michael to bed I was so excited to start making some muffins. I had already decided to blog about the zucchini adventure, because I had thought up a perfect photo of a plate of muffins and the huge zucchini - very artsy (yes, Alex and I are still hooked on the Food Network - so what?). I was able to enjoy the thought of this perfect photo for all of a minute before I realized - as I'm sure you already have - that I needed to use the zucchini to make the muffins, thus destroying my perfect photo. Boo! And yet, you see the photo above! No, I did not go back to my mother-in-law and ask for another ginormous zucchini just so I could take a picture (although I thought about it). What this photo doesn't show you is the chunk (2 cups worth, to be exact) that I took out of the back of the zucchini to make my muffins - all the while leaving the majority intact for the photo op. I was quite proud of my problem solving skills :)
I had forgotten how good these muffins are - I don't remember the last time I had them. But they are way too good to just have them for breakfast. In fact, they're practically dessert. The half batch I made last night (only one egg in the fridge - sad day!) is already gone (Michael and I shared the last one for a treat after lunch). On the agenda for today: go to the store and get more eggs, then bake more muffins tonight. (Of course, that depends on the cooperation of a certain little boy who absolutely refused to take a nap this morning - despite being ridiculously tired. To be more precise, he was perfectly happy to fall asleep in my arms, but refused to stay asleep or go back to sleep once I put him down in his crib. The jury is still out on where exactly he gets his stubbornness ;)) After shredding the entire zucchini (by hand - new on my wishlist: a food processor) I ended up with enough for six more batches of muffins - hip hip hooray! This plethora of shredded zucchini goodness is now safely in my freezer in two cup portions (the measurement for one batch of muffins) to be pulled out whenever we need a quick muffin fix.
So, for your culinary edification and delight, here's the recipe (courtesy of my mom, with the disclaimer that she says she probably got it from someone else, but doesn't remember from whom):
2 c unpeeled, shredded zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 t vanilla
1 c sugar
2 c flour (white or wheat - I do half and half)
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
1/2 t soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c oatmeal
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar. Mix flour, spices, soda and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Blend zucchini into egg mixture alternately with flour mixture. Do not over blend. Fold in oatmeal. Spoon into muffin pans lined with baking cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly brown. Makes approximately 2 dozen muffins.
Enjoy! They go particularly well with a glass of iced chai or a cup of Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset tea (decaf, for the sake of the little insomniac and the sanity of his parents) :)
My mother-in-law gave us a giant zucchini from her garden. Maybe it's really not that big for a good ol' home-grown zucchini, but I'm used to the dinky little ones you buy at a grocery story - and this one was seriously huge by those standards. How convenient that my mom has an amazing zucchini muffin recipe! So last night after getting Michael to bed I was so excited to start making some muffins. I had already decided to blog about the zucchini adventure, because I had thought up a perfect photo of a plate of muffins and the huge zucchini - very artsy (yes, Alex and I are still hooked on the Food Network - so what?). I was able to enjoy the thought of this perfect photo for all of a minute before I realized - as I'm sure you already have - that I needed to use the zucchini to make the muffins, thus destroying my perfect photo. Boo! And yet, you see the photo above! No, I did not go back to my mother-in-law and ask for another ginormous zucchini just so I could take a picture (although I thought about it). What this photo doesn't show you is the chunk (2 cups worth, to be exact) that I took out of the back of the zucchini to make my muffins - all the while leaving the majority intact for the photo op. I was quite proud of my problem solving skills :)
I had forgotten how good these muffins are - I don't remember the last time I had them. But they are way too good to just have them for breakfast. In fact, they're practically dessert. The half batch I made last night (only one egg in the fridge - sad day!) is already gone (Michael and I shared the last one for a treat after lunch). On the agenda for today: go to the store and get more eggs, then bake more muffins tonight. (Of course, that depends on the cooperation of a certain little boy who absolutely refused to take a nap this morning - despite being ridiculously tired. To be more precise, he was perfectly happy to fall asleep in my arms, but refused to stay asleep or go back to sleep once I put him down in his crib. The jury is still out on where exactly he gets his stubbornness ;)) After shredding the entire zucchini (by hand - new on my wishlist: a food processor) I ended up with enough for six more batches of muffins - hip hip hooray! This plethora of shredded zucchini goodness is now safely in my freezer in two cup portions (the measurement for one batch of muffins) to be pulled out whenever we need a quick muffin fix.
So, for your culinary edification and delight, here's the recipe (courtesy of my mom, with the disclaimer that she says she probably got it from someone else, but doesn't remember from whom):
2 c unpeeled, shredded zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 t vanilla
1 c sugar
2 c flour (white or wheat - I do half and half)
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
1/2 t soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c oatmeal
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar. Mix flour, spices, soda and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Blend zucchini into egg mixture alternately with flour mixture. Do not over blend. Fold in oatmeal. Spoon into muffin pans lined with baking cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly brown. Makes approximately 2 dozen muffins.
Enjoy! They go particularly well with a glass of iced chai or a cup of Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset tea (decaf, for the sake of the little insomniac and the sanity of his parents) :)
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Dakota Adventure #2
After being home for almost a month I'm finally getting around to this post about our second road trip of the summer. I'm actually fairly pleased with myself that it's only been a month...
In mid-July we headed north for a two week Dakota Adventure consisting of family, fun, regressing to waking up every 90 minutes at night, weddings, and more family. We had an absolute blast (minus the sleepless nights, but after another two weeks at home we're pretty much back to "normal" - for us). We spent the first week in Lead, SD with my family - including my parents, who were spending a week in the Hills as well - and the second week in Mottt, ND with Alex's grandparents.
First, South Dakota.
We spent a lot of time playing and relaxing in Great Grandma and Grandpa Rappana's backyard. Michael was leery of the grass for all of one evening, then he wanted to explore it... and eat it. Grandma and Grandpa got in some good playtime keeping Michael entertained on his blanket.
There were also many ladder ball tournaments - maybe Michael will join in next year.
We had our very first taste of watermelon - and we loved it.
We hiked Harney Peak with Grandma and Grandpa. Michael was a trooper - he cooperated by sleeping for almost all of the ~4 hour hike. Daddy was a trooper too - he carried Michael for the whole hike, with a blanket draped over his sleeping passenger to keep the sun off him (Michael was not a fan of his hat).
Above: Superhero Daddy. Below: Sleepy little hiker.
We thoroughly enjoyed our week with Great Grandma Maxine...
...and Great Grandpa Chuck - as well as the rest of the Rappana clan :)
In addition to quality time with the Rappana side, Michael got to meet many of his relatives on the Mattox side at the reception for my cousin Zarah's wedding. He was his usual cheerful self despite the hot weather and it being so close to bedtime. Alex and I have no idea how the two of us ended up with a baby who is quite the little social butterfly... is it a case of two negatives equaling a positive?
Of course Zarah and Jeff were the stars of the show, but another very special guest was Great Grandpa Jim Sayre, all the way from New Mexico. Michael was quite fascinated with both his hat and his beard.
After our lovely week in Lead we headed up to Mott. The Cranes were gathering to celebrate Alex's cousin Molly's wedding. The three of us arrived several days before the rest of the crowd, and we got to spend some quiet days visiting with Great Grandma and Grandpa Crane.
A major event of this week was Michael getting his first taste of steak (steak not processed by Mama, that is). Michael sucked this chunk of meat dry, and he has been quite the little carnivore ever since!
Snuggling with Great Grandma Shirley.
Watching the news with Great Grandpa Charles.
Four generations of handsome Crane men!
...And several of the beautiful Crane cousins trying enthusiastically to get Michael to smile for the above generational picture.
Michael enjoyed the festivities at the reception. No, he did not drink the beer, he just chewed on the rim of the glass - I promise; he did, however, stay up waaaaaaaaaaaay past his bedtime!
It was an amazing trip, and we were glad to get home at the end of it. We are so thankful for our family!!!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Comfort food
Last night I made pot roast and baking powder biscuits for dinner. One of my favorite things in the whole world is cooking a beef roast in the crockpot and having that amazing smell fill up the house all day long. And baking powder biscuits were one of the first things I learned to make on my own - right up there with pancakes (from scratch, of course). Last night's variety included cheese, garlic powder, and a dash of oregano - an improvement on the recipe since I learned it at 10.Both of my boys were big fans of the meal. The ultimate compliment was Alex eating it without any hot sauce - and those Crane boys love their hot sauce. Michael sat patiently with us in his high chair at the table while we enjoyed a leisurely dinner - and he expressed his enthusiasm for the menu by scarfing down bits of everything - carrots, potatoes, meat and biscuits. He hasn't quite mastered the pincer-grasp yet - and the small pieces were very hard to pick up - but if you hold a piece of food in front of his face he'll open his mouth wide like a little bird, and when that fails he'll reach out and pull your hand to his mouth until he gets the food. It's quite adorable.
We love our comfort food.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Soccer Season
It's summer, and that means - SOCCER! I've been dragging the boys to a couple Rapids games this summer... okay, maybe it's the other way around... okay, no dragging involved, we all love it for our different reasons. Alex, of course, loves the game. I love the night out with my boys and watching Alex watch the game; I'm learning to love the game too :) Michael loves flirting with anyone who will make eye contact with him. And, much to our surprise and relief, our little social butterfly barely even blinks when they fire the cannon or the crowd goes wild for something. We attribute this to early and on-going noise-desensitization courtesy of the Crane uncles. Here are some pictures from our two soccer adventures thus far this season.
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| Our first game as a family: Michael and his friend Josephine enjoying the game |
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| Spectacular triple rainbow as we were leaving for our second game, accompanied by Aunt Dene' & Uncle Ty |
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| Two handsome soccer fans |
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| Chilling with Aunt Dene' & Uncle Ty, waiting for the game to start |
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| Soccer games are intense! |
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| Checking with Uncle Ty for his analysis of the play |
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| Mama & Daddy enjoying the game as well |
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| Godparents and Godson... who is apparently too intent on the game to look at the camera |
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| A gorgeous night for a soccer game |
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| Touchdown! Wait, wrong game... GOAL!!! |
Food!
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| Michael gets his first taste of "solid" food - bananas mashed up and thinned out with breast milk |
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| avocado aftermath |
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| carrot face |
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| one of our favorite baby-gadgets: the amazing mesh teether, currently featuring a frozen puree of apricots and prunes |
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| our first taste of meat: a bit chunk of steak to chew on - it was a HUGE hit |
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| we LOVE butternut squash! |
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
'Tis the Season...
...For thunderstorms! We have been enjoying a week and a half of daily thunderstorms. The cooler weather that comes with the rain is a welcome relief from the hot weather we had in June, and Alex and I have been enjoying a nightly ritual of standing out on our balcony watching the lightning. Michael has been enjoying the storms as well. He is fascinated watching the rain fall, and he doesn't mind the thunder whatsoever. Mama and Daddy are very proud of their boy! He doesn't even startle at thunderclaps loud enough to set off car alarms. This laid-back attitude toward flashes and loud noises came in very handy on the 4th of July as well.
Here are some pictures of the little storm-lover sitting and watching the rain fall:
Here are some pictures of the little storm-lover sitting and watching the rain fall:
Dakota Adventure #1
In June we spent a week with Grandma and Grandpa at Black Hills CFO outside of Keystone, SD. It was a rough week sleep-wise - sharing a one-room cabin with four other people wasn't the optimal sleep environment for Michael - but other than that it was an amazing week. Here are some snapshots:
Michael was a champion traveler, and Sir Prance-a-lot was a great travelling-buddy.
Happy campers!
Hanging out with Grandma.
Snuggling with Daddy during Rhythms.
Nap time with Grandpa!
We enjoyed some amazing thunderstorms during the week.
Singing a sad song in the stroller.
More happy campers!
Taking a break from chewing on Mama's name tag to chew on her her hand.
Some pre-bedtime fun.
With Grandma and Grandpa (and many friends) to hold Michael, Alex and I got to spend some extra time together sans-baby.
Michael was a champion traveler, and Sir Prance-a-lot was a great travelling-buddy.
Happy campers!
Hanging out with Grandma.
Snuggling with Daddy during Rhythms.
Nap time with Grandpa!
We enjoyed some amazing thunderstorms during the week.
Singing a sad song in the stroller.
More happy campers!
Taking a break from chewing on Mama's name tag to chew on her her hand.
Some pre-bedtime fun.
With Grandma and Grandpa (and many friends) to hold Michael, Alex and I got to spend some extra time together sans-baby.
We had such a wonderful week, and can't wait for our next Dakota Adventure!
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