All posts by Tim
Low Carb
A bunch of us in this household are trying to lose some weight. When I had surgery about 18 months ago, I lost 30 pounds, but I have gained most of it back, especially over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. So we’ve been trying to eat according to a plan that limits our carbohydrate intake.
As it turns out, I like carbs. I am terribly fond of sweet and starchy foods which (who knew?) are both high-carb. So my habit of eating ice cream every night had to go.
It looked so promising — “Triple Chocolate” — what could go wrong with a flavor like that?
It has been several months now, and I’m stuck at about the 8-pound mark. I can’t seem to drop below my pre-Thanksgiving weight without (gasp!) going hungry for extended periods of time or exercising (or both). Every time I start to lose some weight, I sabotage myself and gain it all back. It is very discouraging.
So you can imagine my delight when I found this low-carb ice cream at the store. I love the main-stream and the ‘light’ flavors of Dreyers ice cream, and I really miss my evening dessert — this seemed a perfect answer to my dilemma.
Sadly, it doesn’t taste very good. It really isn’t much like ‘real’ ice cream. It tastes about the way you’d expect it to taste, when you read those fateful words: “No sugar added”. No sweet, creamy goodness — just a half-hearted mockery of what ice cream could have been.
So we doctored it up a little with some Nestle Nesquik. A good dusting of Nesquik covers over a multitude of culinary sins.
Just a spoonful of Quik makes the medicine go down …
And since (as you can clearly discern from the label) the Nesquik now has 25% less sugar, we’re even better off! With these kind of dieting strategies, we’re practically guaranteed to lose weight fast!
I’ll keep you posted.
Project 365, Day 97
Tim
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He is Risen, Indeed!
We spent most of the day at The Refuge, visiting my parents. Daniel got up and went to the early service, and then David and Sarah volunteered at church during the middle service. (This was in response to the “Sit One, Serve One” initiative — our church had five Easter services, two on Saturday evening, and three today).
Kathy and I stayed home, having been to one of the services last night. Kathy had a bunch of food items she wanted to contribute to the feast, so we spent a couple of hours assembling those dishes. Then off to the Duckabush!
Arriving at the Duckabush, this was the sight that greeted us at the top of the driveway.
We had a lovely visit — feasted on ham and lamb and a host of other things. We chatted with my folks, helped them get their new cellphone set up, and even had time to film some of David’s student government commercial. It was sad not to have Joshua and Rachel with us, but I hear that they spent time with Aunt Liz and the cousins, so they were not neglected.
Mom made her traditional lamb cake for dessert, which was warmly appreciated.
Now we’re home again, and the new week starts tomorrow — back to work, back to school, back to regular life.
At lunch, my Dad asked this question: “What difference does it make to you, that Jesus rose again from the dead?”
We spent quite a bit of time talking and thinking about that. I guess it is no surprise, that one of the not-so-secret code phrases that Christians around the world exchange at Easter is:
“He is Risen!”
“He is Risen, indeed!”
If Jesus did not rise, then we would have no assurance of being resurrected ourselves. We would not know that God had accepted Jesus’ death on the cross as payment-in-full for our sins. We would presumably have no relationship with God, and no reason for hope.
But He is risen, indeed. So everything is different.
Project 365, Day 95
Tim
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Good Friday Roots
My Dad was an Army Chaplain, so my family moved around a lot when I was a kid. As I spent a few years in college, then a few years in the Army as an enlisted man, then a few more years in college, it seemed normal to me that I moved around a lot, too.
Washington born and bred, David knows only the Duckabush and our current home, but he is a snappy dresser.
When Kathy and I were married, my first job was in Connecticut. After a few years there, we moved to the Detroit area, to be near Kathy’s folks. Five winters in Michigan was enough for me, and I convinced Kathy that we should move to Kirkland, Washington (in theory, to help with the establishment of the Refuge, a Christian retreat center my parents were building). Soon we built a home on the Olympic Peninsula, and moved again.
We lived nearly five years in the Duckabush valley, but I lost my job with AT&T Wireless, and we decided to move closer to ‘civilization’ when I started working at Amazon.com.
Sarah was only two when we moved to this house. If we didn’t visit, I’m not sure she would remember the Duckabush at all.
Now we’ve been here in Lakewood more than ten years — by far the longest time I have lived anywhere. And I’m discovering that putting down roots has its benefits.
I was sitting in our Good Friday service at church tonight, a few rows back from our usual row, but still on the aisle, which I strongly prefer. Communion was served at the front of the church, instead of by passing the plates, as we occasionally do for special communion services. We went forward early, since we shared a row with another family who was also not shy. Afterward, watching the other church members return to their seats after taking communion, something rather strange and heart-warming happened.
I began to notice how many people would meet my eyes and smile, or would take the time to shake my hand or punch me on the shoulder as they passed by. As an fairly extreme introvert, it is not uncommon for me to walk through a crowded room, and to avoid being greeted or speaking to anyone. At work, whole days have passed in which I have not spoken to another human being. (Admittedly, I work with engineers and programmers.)
We’ve made a lot of good friends, here at Lake City.
It touched me strangely, to realize that my years here at this church have made me known in a way that I have never really been known before. One good friend slapped me on the back of the head when he passed by, while another greeted me by name. I pretended to trip several others, as they returned down the center aisle. One of the ushers took the time to shake my hand as he passed forward. Our pastor touched my shoulder as he walked behind me (he was sitting with the congregation tonight, since one of the elders was preaching). Even after the service, there seemed to be a significant number of people who were genuinely glad to see me and wanted to talk with me.
Fortunately, no one wanted to use me as a climbing wall, as happened to some.
I really love being part of the family of God. I imagine that is how Heaven will be, 24×7 — people greeting one another and joking with each other in joyful fun, enjoying an intimacy deeper than the closest of families.
She’s a little young for Daniel, but seven-year-old Zoe might be worth the wait, if we could afford her dowry.
Until then, I think I could do a lot worse, than to be warmed by the love and kindness of my current church body.
Project 365, Day 93
Tim
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Serendipity?
We went out to dinner to celebrate Daniel’s new job at our favorite Thai restaurant about 20 minutes away. It is well worth the drive — they make the best Panang Beef, Cashew Chicken, Phad See Ew, and Phad Thai in the area (our favorite dishes). As an added bonus, they make delicious fresh spring rolls (which Kathy really enjoys).
Kathy, David, Sarah and I had speculated at some length as to whether Daniel would prefer to have dinner at Chili Thai or Red Robin, but in the end we all agreed that he would choose Chili Thai (and of course, he fully realized our expectations). However, as so often happens, this simply raised another question: what would Daniel order?
It is always fun to celebrate the blessings that God brings into our lives, especially at Chili Thai.
Traditionally, Daniel prefers Phad See Ew, with its broad noodles and sweet, smoky flavor. But ever since he traveled to Thailand last summer, he has been favoring Phad Thai. Sure enough, when we got to the restaurant, he was very conflicted.
“Should I order the Phad See Ew, or the Phad Thai?” he agonized, an expression of real pain on his face. Clearly, the idea of not having one of the two was very distressing to him.
“One or the other,” I reproved. “I’m only paying for one.” My generosity has its limits, after all.
Ultimately Daniel decided to go with the Phad See Ew, and hoped to trade with David and Sarah (who invariably set their faces like flint against anything that is not Phad Thai).
But when our meal arrived, we were shocked and surprised (and somewhat delighted) to receive an extra plate of Phad Thai. The waiter apologized and began to take it away, but I can recognize serendipity when I see it. Sometimes the hand of God moves, and it seemed obvious to me that God wanted to honor Daniel with an extra order of Phad Thai.
Daniel had already shared some of his Phad See Ew with everyone at the table, so I don’t think any of us begrudged him the extra helping. I can imagine God chuckling to Himself, and nudging one of the angels. “Just wait ’til you see his face, when he realizes he doesn’t have to choose between Phad Thai and Phad See Ew.”
Sometimes the best way to make a choice between two good options is to choose both.
I did end up paying for the extra order, but I don’t begrudge the restaurant or picking up the tab for God’s generosity to Daniel. God has certainly picked up the tab for me, many times more than once. 
Congratulations on the new job, Daniel!
Project 365, Day 91
Tim