Quick Takes Friday #3 Advent! (More or Less)
Christ in Iran, Healing feet, Accurate memes, Christmas cake, and where are those candles?
We watched our first Christmas movie last week and my daughter promptly produced a correction in the form of a Chesterton quote…
“It is the essence of a festival that it breaks upon one brilliantly and abruptly, that at one moment the great day is not and the next moment the great day is.”
Naturally I asked for the link, thoroughly enjoyed his discourse on Christmas turkeys, ignored his brilliant points about the proper timing of celebration, and watched another Christmas movie this week. But on the whole, my approach to Advent is calmer and slower than it might have been without prior blessed experience of a “festival that breaks upon one.” So…
Here are three quick takes that have nothing to do with Advent (though I’m sure you can creatively draw something) and one Christmas cake recommendation.
BUT WITH GREATER FORCE
Because I enjoy the music of Jess Ray, I once followed her songs down a rabbit hole to a documentary about Christians in Iran. I watched casually out of curiosity, but midway slowed down to take notes. Some of the interviews took my breath away as I realized that I might be listening to the voices of future martyrs. The film left me with a renewed fervor for Christ, for Church, for others, but also with questions about how to bring into the Catholic Church some of the beautiful truths discovered by these non-Catholic Christians who live under constant threat of martyrdom.
Watch the documentary here: Sheep Among Wolves Volume II
“If a false gospel could spread this rapidly and multiply this aggressively, then the gospel can, too. But with greater force. Because the gospel eclipses Islam’s ability to replicate itself in the hearts of his followers and believers because it’s true.”
HEALING FEET
If you know me, you know that I talk about feet a lot. As I’ve learned to care for and heal my body over the years, I’ve had to address significant dysfunction in my feet. To say it has been life changing is not an exaggeration. Increased knowledge and better habits and training have also helped me address upstream injuries and pain (hips, knees, shoulders, back) and I’m a better equipped mother and wife.
I could go on for days on this topic, but for those just dipping their toes in (ha), here’s a short article with some great basic info for feet. The topic is plantar fasciitis but the videos are great for general foot care. The Ready State is a fantastic resource for those wanting to recover function and strength…
How to Cure Plantar Fasciitis in One Week
Speaking of healing feet… my son is recovering from surgery from complete achilles rupture. (His wife was also recently diagnosed with placenta previa. Can you say a prayer for them both?) The surgeon said he was going to give him the Aaron Rodgers treatment and that made me happy. But really, my maternal instinct was more like: Hey, can’t you just encase him in bubble wrap? I feel like that’d be better.
WHEN MEMES KNOW US
I sent this meme to one of my adult kids who replied “I feel personally called out.” (You probably have to click through the email to see images) I replied that it was true but that it was surely my fault… or John Taylor Gatto’s. Probably both.
My homeschooled kids are eventually introduced to the work of John Taylor Gatto and his book, The Underground History of American Education. It’s a big messy book that is no longer published (you’ll have to find it used) but it’s worth the ride. I found the PDF so if you can tolerate screen reading for 400 plus pages, do it. He has additional books that are easier to read, share, and digest. You can also read his famous (and much shorter) 1991 article in the Wall Street Journal called “I Quit, I Think.” New York State Teacher of the Year goes rogue. It’s quite a story.
CINNAMON ROLL CAKE
Because I am a walking contradiction and talk about healing foods even while I pursue excellence in baking foods that I try not to eat…
Here’s a recipe idea that we recently made and loved. It would be perfect for a Christmas cake. (We like to make a birthday cake for Christ and sing with extended family.) Because we are a celiac household with a couple members who have autoimmune issues, we try to make delicious safe recipes with whole ingredients and no seed oils. Not always accomplished but we’re getting better. Here’s a compromise recipe that we adapted for a hurry up 19th birthday cake.
I didn’t really use the cake or frosting recipe but used them as guidelines…
Changes we made:
I used three cake layers but cut each one in half to make six layers and repeated all steps between each. Very uneven and I broke a couple and had to patch them up as you can see in the photo.
I did NOT (and will never) use vegetable shortening for the frosting, instead making my own with cream cheese, whipping cream, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar.
Increased the amount brown sugar filling to cover additional layers.
I didn’t use the author’s cake recipe. And since I am not skilled (yet) at making a delicious GF yellow cake, I used King Arthur’s box mix which I think is the hands-down best on the market. I would like to try this recipe for my next attempt at homemade GF yellow cake.
It occurred to me while writing that I have no idea where my Advent candles are and that I have only two days to find them or acquire new ones. I’m sure I put them in a safe place. Even so, odds are that we will be lighting birthday candles for our Advent prayers on Sunday. And it’ll be okay. He comes…
“Prepare the way. This is a call to enter into history. Again and again, history will yield herself to those loyal to the call, because she senses the presence of the Lord with the call and naturally tends toward lasting union with her true Source.” - Fr. Alfred Delp
Happy Advent, friends. Blessed be God!
Melody
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