One of the things I most admire about my son are his convictions. For William most things are black and white, very few grays. So he doesn't have trouble correcting people when he thinks they are out of line. And although at the moment his spiritual life is still at little touch and go, (He decided after he turned five that he does not know how to pray). Sometimes I get this little glimpses of hope, that maybe somehow a spiritual legacy will be passed on. Last night William came to me and said, "Mom, there are all these people on our street that don't know God and are doing bad things. We need to make a sign so they can know what to do"
Here is the list, that he came up with in his own words. It satrted out in English, then he decided he should switch it to Russian so people would understand, so five down has been translated from his Russian original. We posted it by the bus stop near our house. It may come across a little legalistic, but hey, he's five!
1. Don't cook food that will make people sick
2. Don't smoke
3. Don't drink beer
4. Don't say bad words
5. Don't be mean
6. Don't take things that aren't yours, but you want them to be yours, don't do that
7. Love God
8. And know God always, and know He is everywhere
9. Don't stick your tongue out at people
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Borscht
Borscht is one of the symbols of Ukraine. And although borscht is usually associated with beets, there are dozen of variations, including green borscht and borschts served cold. The Ukrainian Orthodox church as well as many of the protestant and evanglelical church here in Ukraine observe a 40 day fast before Christmas (celebrated January 7). The fast includes obsatining from meat, fats, and sweets. The following is a borscht apporiate for the Advental fast, you'll find its low cal. filled with vitamins and delicious. Give it a try! (Don't let the beets scare you)
1 boullion cube (chicken or beef)
4 medium potatoes- peeled and cubed
1 medium beet peeled and grated
1 large carrot peeled and grated
1 white onion diced
3 cups shredded cabbage
4 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried dill
2 cloves of garlic diced
Fill a large soup pot with 3/4 full with water, add boullion cube and bring to a boil, once water is boiling add potoatoes. In a large saucepan heat sunflower oil, add beets, carrots, onion, cabbage, tomato paste and water. Stir well, salt and cover. Allow to simmer for 15-20 mins, stirring occsasionaly. Add sauteed vegetables, salt, pepper, dill and garlic to the soup pot, turn on low heat, cover and all to simmer for 30-40 mins.
Borsht is traditionally served with chopped dill, parsley and a spoonful of sourcream on top. Serve with garlic bread to really bring out the flavor. Enjoy!
1 boullion cube (chicken or beef)
4 medium potatoes- peeled and cubed
1 medium beet peeled and grated
1 large carrot peeled and grated
1 white onion diced
3 cups shredded cabbage
4 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried dill
2 cloves of garlic diced
Fill a large soup pot with 3/4 full with water, add boullion cube and bring to a boil, once water is boiling add potoatoes. In a large saucepan heat sunflower oil, add beets, carrots, onion, cabbage, tomato paste and water. Stir well, salt and cover. Allow to simmer for 15-20 mins, stirring occsasionaly. Add sauteed vegetables, salt, pepper, dill and garlic to the soup pot, turn on low heat, cover and all to simmer for 30-40 mins.
Borsht is traditionally served with chopped dill, parsley and a spoonful of sourcream on top. Serve with garlic bread to really bring out the flavor. Enjoy!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving
So if you're wondering how we celebrated Thanksgiving.. we didn't. After years of trying to assimulate something similar to Thanksgiving, and always feeling a little disappointed at by evening, I decided a few years ago to stop celebrating.
I had been a missionary for two months when I celebrated my first Thanksgiving in Ukraine. I was invited to a missionary's house, it's was sort of a friend of an aquantice thing, everyone there was married, homeschooling and living in sort a "little America", I felt totally disconnected from the group.
Then there were the years that I tried to do a tradtional Thanksgiving meal for my Ukrainian friends. Nobody really understoond dressing, weren't sure how to eat it with the sweet sauce, and in general it just wasn't the same.
Growing up Thanksgiving was a big deal, all the extended family came got together. We had the traditional kids table and adults table, the whole day was spent grazing, watching football, playing games, napping and doing puzzles. Moat of us stayed the night, there were a lot of us and as kids we would sleep on the floor on stacks of blanket. For me Thanksgiving is about extended family. The fact that I'm far aways makes it hard. And it makes me homesick, which is something I don't experience much here.
So every year, I say "this year I'm not celebrating Thanksgiving" Don't get me wrong, I'm teaching my kids to be thankful, and our church has a holiday in September, where we thank God for the blessing He has given us throughout the year. But I try to just forget about the last Thursday in Novemeber.
However, every year, before the sun as even risen on the New World, Ukrainians start calling me, texting me, congratulating me with Thanksgiving. About noon Andrey starts snooping around for the turkey, despite the fact that I have already explained to him more than once "WE ARE NOT CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING!" But he will not be sustained. He loves to eat, and he loves holidays that are about eating, so about 2 pm he begins to make food suggestion, by 4 pm he starts offering to cook. This year, at about 9 pm local time, I told my kids the story of the first Thanksgiving and then we sat down to a meal of french fries and chocolate cake, compliments of Chef Andrey. It was nice, and somehow fesitive. And we had chance to verbalize everything we are thankful for, which turns out to be a lot, especially considering that A&M won yesterday !
I had been a missionary for two months when I celebrated my first Thanksgiving in Ukraine. I was invited to a missionary's house, it's was sort of a friend of an aquantice thing, everyone there was married, homeschooling and living in sort a "little America", I felt totally disconnected from the group.
Then there were the years that I tried to do a tradtional Thanksgiving meal for my Ukrainian friends. Nobody really understoond dressing, weren't sure how to eat it with the sweet sauce, and in general it just wasn't the same.
Growing up Thanksgiving was a big deal, all the extended family came got together. We had the traditional kids table and adults table, the whole day was spent grazing, watching football, playing games, napping and doing puzzles. Moat of us stayed the night, there were a lot of us and as kids we would sleep on the floor on stacks of blanket. For me Thanksgiving is about extended family. The fact that I'm far aways makes it hard. And it makes me homesick, which is something I don't experience much here.
So every year, I say "this year I'm not celebrating Thanksgiving" Don't get me wrong, I'm teaching my kids to be thankful, and our church has a holiday in September, where we thank God for the blessing He has given us throughout the year. But I try to just forget about the last Thursday in Novemeber.
However, every year, before the sun as even risen on the New World, Ukrainians start calling me, texting me, congratulating me with Thanksgiving. About noon Andrey starts snooping around for the turkey, despite the fact that I have already explained to him more than once "WE ARE NOT CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING!" But he will not be sustained. He loves to eat, and he loves holidays that are about eating, so about 2 pm he begins to make food suggestion, by 4 pm he starts offering to cook. This year, at about 9 pm local time, I told my kids the story of the first Thanksgiving and then we sat down to a meal of french fries and chocolate cake, compliments of Chef Andrey. It was nice, and somehow fesitive. And we had chance to verbalize everything we are thankful for, which turns out to be a lot, especially considering that A&M won yesterday !
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