Keeping Up with the MacLachlans

Food!

2007-02-21T19:02:00.000-08:00

For those of you who might not know, I love food! If I could eat all day (with about 3/4 of it being dessert), I would. When my alarm goes off in the morning, the first thing I think about (and the thing that most often gets me out of bed) is what I will eat for breakfast. Call me crazy, but I am definitely one of those fortunate souls who lives to eat, and not the other way around.

Not only do I love to eat food, I love preparing it. I love to bake more than anything, but cooking is also usually a joy. Now don't get me wrong; there are certainly times when I'd rather order a pizza for dinner than come up with something good to make for me and Joe, but usually, I love seeing what I can come up with off the top of my head. (A technique that is trumpeted on one of my favourite Food Network shows, Chef at Home, where Chef Michael Smith cooks without a recipe - letting fresh ingredients, whimsical desires and childhood memories lead him to creating tasty meals for his young family). I credit this still-emerging ability of mine to watching cooking shows when I was growing up, to pouring over cookbooks as if they are novels, and to my Mom letting me experiment in the kitchen. Through these, I learned what flavours go together; what naturally compliments or contrasts.

I'm still learning, of course. And I'm still watching my cooking shows. Other than wandering over to CTV to watch Lost on Wednesday nights, the TV rarely leaves the Food Network (www.foodtv.ca) - that wonderful treasure trove of cooking tips and baking techniques, of travel, competition, and entrepreneurs -- all with a food-focused flair that I just can't get enough of. It is here where I get many of my ideas; of using breadcrumbs and ground toasted almonds, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil as a crunchy, nutty, heavenly sauce substitute for pasta with richly roasted red peppers and oh-so-creamy goat cheese; or that boiling mere water with a couple of tablespoons of sugar will result in a golden, sweet caramel syrup that's the perfect topping for fresh peaches and blueberries, vanilla frozen yogurt and crushed oatmeal cookies.

My love for cooking is such that I can't wait to invite people over for a meal. While I do get super-stressed preparing these meals (as Joe has unfortunately witnessed) there really isn't anything better than working hard to produce something wonderful that everyone loves. There was a time when I wanted to be a chef, and I still dream of owning my own restaurant.

If I could eat all the desserts I wanted without gaining weight, I'd bake every day. I yearn to do so when I haven't in a while, and will often dream up excuses to make some apple spice muffins, a batch of chocolate chip cookies (thanks Aunt Sharon for letting me in on your secret to super-soft and chewy cookies every time!), or a lemon poppyseed pound cake.

And although I like to experiment with ingredients and techniques, I find that simple is usually the way to go. Which is something that was confirmed when watching tonight's episode of Iron Chef America, one of my Food Network addictions. In it, two experienced chefs face off, using one common ingredient and anything else they desire. Their dishes are judged by a panel of three, and a winner is crowned. Tonight's "secret ingredient" was ostrich. One chef used her hoity-toity fancy-schmancy ideas to incorporate the ostrich meat (their eggs where also used - one of which is roughly equivalent to 2-dozen chicken eggs), as most of the chefs on the show often do (think super-gourmet ingredients like foie gras, porcini foam, truffles and caviar). The winner, however, was a southern man whose upbringing on good ol' home cookin' still influences his cooking style. He used the ostrich in old fashioned pot pie; roasted it so it resembled a juicy roast beef with a delicate gravy; and ground it into ostrich burgers accompanied by homemade potato chips. He certainly added some new twists, but all in all, it was good, traditional comfort food - and the judges raved, noting his penchant for keeping things simple. He won by a landslide.

There's always room for experimentation -- for new ingredients, international flavours and unique twists on something old. But all in all, this southern chef's win tonight shows that deep down, what people really want (even if they try to pretend otherwise) is rich, delicious dishes that remind of us home, and familiar flavours that not only warm our stomachs but our hearts as well.
Until next time,
A.

A plug for my brother

2007-02-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

This is really cheating as far as posts are concerned, but I just wanted to bring everyone's attention to my brother's latest post on his blog. It's about music, and I'm sure many of you will have your own thoughts and comments. Check it out. There's a link on my site. (Just look for "Sean").

Since this post really doesn't tell you anything abut me, here's a picture of me and Joe at our place the day before Christmas:

Until next time,
A.

It's been a while

2006-12-22T16:07:00.000-08:00

OK, OK. I've been meaning to post something on this thing for quite some time now, but have never really felt motivated to actually sit down and write something. But since my friend Kristy from B.C. (who unfortunately I haven't managed to actually talk to for many, many months) chastized me for being so lazy, I figured I'd better post something, anything, even if it's boring. So don't blame me if it is.

Anyway, I'm trying to think of all the stuff that has happened since I returned from India in October. Hmm...Joe's parents came down from the Soo for Thanksgiving weekend. It was fun. They were the first ones to use the guest suite in the basement, so that was neat. We spent one day in Toronto, mostly just wandering around and then having dinner.

Joe turned 26 in November...he is now officially on his way to 30, which makes me feel like less of a cradle-robber. (Just kidding).

A TV crew from David Suzuki's The Nature of Things came to our house in the fall to film our house for a show that will air in the summer on "green" building. It was kind of neat, though not as exciting as I thought. I'm looking forward to seeing the show though. The house's architect brought the students from his class for a tour of the house. I had about 15 unviersity students wandering through the place...they thought it was all quite cool. And recently I've heard that a magazine called Wish wants to come take pictures of the house for a future article. I guess this house is quite a big deal.

I was asked to be a bridesmaid in Joe's brother's wedding in July. I was very surprised and touched and happy! It's going to be a super-fun wedding, I just know it. Can't wait! Joe is the best man, so it will kind of be like the wedding where we first met - I was a bridesmaid and Joe was best man at Joe and Marge's wedding. So romantic, eh?

My rabbit, Casey, is as cute as ever. His latest place to sleep is the bottom shelf of our book case. Adorable.

I had my first party in the new house in early December. It was a Christmas open house and I had about 30 people come by throughout the day. I cooked and baked my butt off that weekend getting ready for it! It was a great success though, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

I'm sure there is some more news, but I can't think of anything else right now. Joe and I are busy getting ready for Christmas, of course, and Joe is very happy to have some down time after being super-busy studying for exams and writing a gazillion essays for school. Thankfully, I'm on Christmas holidays now and will be until January 2nd. Hallelujah.

Anyway, I tried posting some pictures, but for some reason, it's not working. I'll have to try again later.
Until next time,
A.

Oh my gosh!!!

2006-11-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it. My favourite Hollywood couple (and one of my favourite Hollywood actresses) have announced their separation! Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe, after seven years of wedded bliss, are getting a divorce. They have two kids. So sad. Apparently he was cheating on her with a girl from his new movie...

Or maybe it was because she was tired of him practically swallowing her ear every time he tried to kiss her.

Oh crazy Hollywood. When will one of your marriages last?

Until next time,
A.

Home from India

2006-10-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

By now most of you know that I arrived home safe and sound from India a week ago Sunday. The trip was hot, tiring and very interesting. The people were friendly, the food was good (although I was thankful for the gift of toast and coffee each morning that restaurants have caught onto and are calling "The American breakfast", realizing that most westerners would rather not eat curried chick peas, spiced goat, and soupy dal first thing in the morning), and the countryside was beautiful.

I saw people riding elephants along city streets, monkeys loitering in trees, camels pulling heavily-laiden carts, cute little lizards zipping in and out from behind wall hangings to catch a cricket or other tasty insect, five people riding a Honda motorcycle on busy downtown streets (I'm serious - picture a small child riding infront of the handlebars, then the dad driving, then another child behind him, then mom sitting on the back sideways b/c she's wearing a sari and holding a newborn in her left arm), women and girls carrying water jugs, pots and just about anything else on their heads, cows sleeping in the middle of the highway, dead dogs splattered on the street just like our raccoon or squirrel roadkill, row upon row of fruit and vegetable carts, huge piles of grains and beans in small shops, and mounds of vibrantly coloured spices sold by sari-dressed women in various town bazaars, stinking slums, gated mansions, creeping flowers and tangled vines, towering palm trees, garbage-strewn rivers, insane traffic, beautiful women, TV commercials for skin-whitening procedures, candy shops and childrens' rides, sandy beaches, the towering, awe-inspiring Taj Mahal, cell phones, business men on airplanes, homeless men sleeping in parks, dazzling new shopping malls beside tar paper shacks, Hindus dancing before their gods after dark at one of their many festivals, temples and churches, universities and hospitals, wealth and poverty...the list could go on and on.

Suffice it to say that India is a complex, paradoxical, interesting place. Some of it is noisy, smelly and busy, while other parts are calm, peaceful and smell of freshly cut hay. I have a zillion pictures to share, but I'd better only post a few of my favourites. Enjoy!

Until next time (which, let's be honest, might not be for a long time),
A.

The summer so far

2006-08-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

Wow. It really has been ages since I've posted anything on this blog. I still don't really have anything very exciting to say. Joe and I have been busy packing, getting ready for our move at the end of August. Can't wait.
I finally meet my "little sister" next week. The process to become a "big sister" has been a long one, and I'm really looking forward to actually starting the relationship.
Joe goes back to school full-time this fall. We figured we'd try to swing it so he can be finished sooner. He's only going to be working part-time, which will be nice, b/c it means we'll get to see each other a bit more.
My parents have moved into their new house and it's super-nice. I love it! I actually spend quite a bit of time there, and always joke with them that they can come live in the apartment and Joe and I will take their house. That never goes over too well. It's nice to have them close by.
The summer has been busy with work, covering conferences and such (meaning more time away from Joe), and going on holiday. In July, we went up to Sault Ste. Marie for a wedding of a friend of Joe's, and to see Joe's family. Wish we could have stayed longer. From there, we went camping the same place we did last year - Restoule Provincial Park, about an hour outside of North Bay. It was fun, but a bit too long and we got rained on - hard!! - for a couple of days which was really quite miserable. (I thought so anyway. The others - Greg, Kristan, Marge and Joe - were able to keep their spirits up a bit better than I, who was entirely ready to pack up and leave after a full day of torrential down pours.) Anyway, we stuck it out, and were rewarded with good food, good swimming, good camp fires, a great view at the summit of our hike, deer-spotting and even a trip into North Bay where I got the most awesome pair of Gap jeans for only $20! That alone made the trip worth it. :)

I still have one week of holidays left, just before we move. Greg and Kristan (Joe's brother and fiance) will be coming down, before heading back to Nunavut for the school year. Should be fun.

I'll end it here, and leave you with some pictures of the summer -- from the wedding, from camping and from Joe's parents' place. Oh, and one from Kristan's cottage. Enjoy.

Until next time,
A.

Just saying hi

2006-07-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

I don't have any news for anyone, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm alive and well (although I am sweltering in my fifth-floor apartment with no air conditioning in this 41-degrees-with-the-humidity weather we're having).
I'm looking forward to going up north, going camping and just generally being on holidays. Sleeping in is the best.
Hopefully I'll have something interesting to post soon!
Until next time,
A.

Some more about poverty because I'm sure you've missed my rants

2006-06-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

My friend Kristy, who I met in Alberta nearly 10 years (!) ago while at college there, recently posted a thought on her blog about what to do when asked by a homeless person for some change. Click on the link to her blog at the left of this page, and scroll down to her post entitled, “What should I have done?” to read more.

Anyway, instead of posting my reply on her site, I figured I'd take a little more room and continue the conversation right here. That said, I don’t think many people know what to do in this situation – I certainly don’t, and I usually feel bad whenever I’m confronted by it. You can barely walk down the street in Toronto without being asked by someone if you have any spare change. I must admit, I generally just say sorry and keep walking. But should I? Who knows what the best response is. Will they use the money for food? Cigarettes? Alcohol? Is it even any of my business what they do with it? People don’t monitor how I spend my change. Sometimes I wonder if it would be good to just talk to them; to acknowledge that they exist and find out a bit about them. But then I think, if I were in their situation, would I want to be bothered in that way? Or just left alone - already depressed and humiliated that I had to beg on the street in order to survive. Even if this were the right thing to do, I doubt I’d have the courage to actually do it -- not in that situation, anyway. The same goes for buying them a meal. I think it’s a great idea, but again, I can’t picture myself actually following through.

What is it about living on the street that is so revolting to most of society? When I’ve been in homeless shelters or drop-in centres, I have little trouble talking with the people who are there. I can talk freely, as though we are friends from the same walk of life. Why is an encounter on the street any different than this?

Some people I know involved in street ministries have said they won’t even give people a bus ticket if they ask, because they will most likely go sell it on the street for $2.00 or less - just enough to buy a baby food jar full of solvent (to sniff).

It is a sad state of affairs when human beings are driven to such desperation; when life no longer holds any hope or promise of good things to come. Will giving someone your spare change make a difference? I doubt it. I think the best thing is to find a charity you really believe in and is doing good work, and help that way (or even volunteer for such a charity). This makes me think of an article I read in the Globe and Mail on the “Top 40 Under 40” – an annual listing of the top business and non-profit leaders in Canada under 40 years of age. One guy, Craig Kielburger, chair and founder of Free the Children, Toronto, and only 23 years old, had this to say: “I think my parents were teachers both inside and outside the classroom. We’d walk by a homeless person and my mom would actually stop and talk to him or her, ask their name. My mom was nurturing the idea that that’s a person. When you look into their eyes and know their name, you have to acknowledge them.”

What better gift can a parent give a child than a heart of compassion, kindness, altruism and love?

I think Craig’s got it right: The main thing in all of this, no matter what action you choose, is to remember that the homeless person, the drug addict and the alcoholic really aren’t that different from you and me. To forget that is to forget we are all human, and when we pretend that the homeless don’t exist, we lose all hope of actually fixing the problem.

“There but for the grace of God, go I.”

Until next time,
A.

The chilly but fun long weekend

2006-05-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

For the Victoria Day long weekend, Joseph and I rented a cabin with Marge and Joe just north of Kingston. It was great! The weather wasn't exactly cooperative, but it didn't stop us from doing all of our favourite activities: eating, watching movies, playing cards and Cranium (I love that game!), having a camp fire, going for walks, and lots of talking. We even set off some fireworks. The cabin wasn't winterized, so the temperature outside was basically what it was inside (although we did have a small heater to plug in), so we were definitely a bit chilly! But all in all, it was a super-fun weekend. I can't wait to go camping in July with the same group of people, plus Greg and Kristan. Who knew camping could be fun for a girly-girl like me?

Anyway, I didn't end up taking too many pictures from the weekend, but I'll post a few that I did take. They are of the cabin (ours is on the right), Marge and the resident dog "Ditch" who had been sprayed by a skunk and didn't smell too pleasant (although it didn't stop Marge from loving that dog anyway!), and a porcupine (!) that was slowly climbing a tree when we went on a short hike. Cute.

Until next time,
A.

Home at last

2006-05-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

I landed in Toronto on Sunday night, at about 11:30. I was (and am) happy to be home. It was a long, very busy trip, but it was also a great experience. I won't say too much about it here, as I don't want to spoil anything for my articles! Suffice it to say that I have a lot to write about.

As for the comments on poverty I made in my last posting, I have come to realize that God has been putting it on my heart in the last year or so to figure out some way to help improve the situation. As Greg mentioned in his response to my thoughts (see comments from my last post), it is a challenge to help in a constructive, truly useful way that actually makes a difference long-term. Choosing reputable charities that are doing responsible, effective, meaningful work is one way to do this, but I feel that I shouldn't stop there. I guess this is one reason why I'm becoming a Big Sister -- my "little" (as they are called) won't necessarily be poverty-stricken, but I assume she will have some sort of challenge to overcome. As Greg also mentioned, praying for God's guidance in this area cannot be stressed enough, and is something I should really do more of. Once you start really looking for ways to help, I think opportunities present themselves quite regularly. I currently have a few other ideas in mind, but I'd better discuss them with Joseph before committing myself to anything here!

I think it was Joseph who first kind of tweaked my curiosity regarding the poor when he told me quite some time ago that he wished he could help all the homeless guys on the streets of Toronto, and how he'd talk to each one of them, help them if they asked, and give them whatever tools and resources necessary to get a job and straighten out their lives. (I hope he doesn't mind me saying this!). More recently, I toured a mission of the Presbyterian Church in downtown Toronto called Evangel Hall, and interviewed a man whose life has improved since going there. It made me realize that change is possible.

And of course, my trip to Ethiopia was my first real glimpse into the depths of poverty, and how the desire for survival leads people away from their homes in rural/isolated areas to the city, where they think prosperity is promised, but is never actually realized (much like Natives in Canada leaving reserves to find a job in the city, only to be rejected, beginning a dizzying downward spiral).

All of this said, I'm certainly not of the camp that believes all riches are bad, and that we can't enjoy little luxuries if we really want to help those less fortunate. I believe God blesses us in a multitude of ways, and those of us who are well-off (which we are, compared to most of the world's population) have simply been given the means to help others.

Anyway, I feel like I'm starting to preach again, so I should end it here. I am still learning, figuring things out, and determining what all of this poverty stuff means to me. It's most definitely an interesting excursion.

Until next time,
A.

"He [God] sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means, at the point of highest reality. A chastity or honesty or mercy which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Pilate was merciful until it became risky." - The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis

Onto the next city (and getting preachy about poverty)

2006-05-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

Tonight is my last night in Winnipeg. I'll be driving to Kenora, Ont. tomorrow morning. Everyone says I'll love it because it's a gorgeous tourist town along the lake. I'm looking forward to seeing a new place, although now that I'm getting comfortable navigating my way around downtown Winnipeg, I have to leave. Still, my time here has been educational, eye-opening, fruitful and enjoyable. I have already met so many amazing, dedicated people who are doing God's work, and have spoken with people who have turned their lives around after years of painful, dangerous and tumultuous times. I think I have enough information to fill a book, and I'm only halfway through my tour. Who knows what the rest of my time out here will bring.

Since being here, I've been thinking a lot about poverty and how it seems impossible to break out of its seemingly never-ending cycle. Poverty all too often begets poverty -- little education leads to not being able to devise a budget or write a resume, which leads to no job (or one that pays minimum wage and can't support anyone - not even a single adult), which leads to living in a troubled neighbourhood, which leads to difficulty keeping kids out of trouble, which leads to more crime in the neighbourhood including drugs, alcohol, gangs, murder and suicide, which leads to reckless behaviour, which leads to teen pregnancies, which leads to even less money and support, which leads to dropping out of school and little education, which takes us back to the beginning. Add to all that language barriers if talking about Aboriginal or immigrant populations, little access to computers, phones and resources, a survival mode which leads to increased temptation of a life of crime, which only brings a person farther away from picking themselves up. Even if someone wants to make a change, the cards truly are stacked against them. But you all know these things. No wonder Jesus commanded us to help the poor, to care for the sick, and to help the least. There certainly is no shortage of need.

Even in Sodom, where sexual immorality is so often held up as its reason for destruction, I think the town's greater sin was much more:
"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
-Ezekiel 16:49

The Old Testament is filled with references to helping the poor:

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses."
-Proverbs 28:27

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
-Proverbs 31:8-9

"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land."
-Deuteronomy 15:11

And of course, Jesus:
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.'"
-Matthew 25:41-45

Perhaps we all need to open our eyes a little more widely to the need around us. I think recognizing the extent of the problem (which I'm just beginning to understand) is the first, critical step. Without that knowledge, we will have no desire to act.

Enough said for now.
AM.

Winnipeg

2006-05-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well here I am in jolly old Winnipeg. It was 2 degrees when I flew in on Thursday. It was about 20 degrees in Toronto, so it was quite a shock! It has warmed up nicely though and today (Saturday), it is sunny and warm.

Anyway, the Canadian Church Press conference is now over. We finished this morning. It was quite good. Good speakers, good entertainment, good tips. And great awards banquet! I shockingly won three awards! I got a third (which we still get a certificate for) for a news story I did on Sharia (Muslim) law. I got a first for my Israel story (which I was really happy about) and another first for the same story I won for in Florida - the girls and bullying story. What a great treat. I was quite pleased!

But now I have to shift my focus to the next story - the one on native ministries that I begin working on tomorrow. I'll start in Winnipeg visiting an inner-city drop-in centre visited mostly by Aboriginals. I'll be there on Sunday for worship and small groups. That should be interesting.

Anyway, the Kentucky Derby is on TV right now, so I really have to go watch it. One of these days I'll actually get there to watch it in person.
Until next time,
A.

Away for awhile

2006-05-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Florida on Thursday night and am now packing for my mid-west trip on Thursday! Not much down time. Oh well. At least it keeps me busy. This trip will start in Winnipeg, where I'll attend the Canadian Church Press convention, which runs until Saturday. Hopefully there will be awards in my future!
I stay in Winnipeg for a few days after that to visit two of the Presbyterian Church's native ministries, then I drive to Kenora, Ont., to visit a friendship centre and to see where the church's Indian residential school used to be. After that, I drive all the way to Saskatoon, stopping along the way to see another school (which is still standing), then visit another inner-city native ministry. The day after, I drive up to Prince Albert and to Mistawasis to visit a reserve, and then finally head back to Saskatoon and fly home. I'm going to be busy! Hopefully it will give me tonnes of information and ideas for the stories I'll be writing when I get back. Native issues are big in the Presbyterian Church right now, but the magazine hasn't said much about it in the past (certainly not anything in-depth). So that's where I come in.
As for Florida, in case any of you were waiting on the edge of your seat to see if I won anything at the Associated Church Press convention, well, I did! Not for the Record, but for a freelance article I did on girls and bullying for Glad Tidings -- the magazine of the Women's Missionary Society (also with the Presbyterian Church). I didn't even know they entered the article, so it was a nice surprise.
Anyway, I probably won't have much time to write in the next week and a half or so, but I thought I'd give my faithful readers :) one last thing before I leave.
Until next time,
A.

Florida

2006-04-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings from sunny, hot, humid Florida! Of course, the hotel is so cold you practically need a jacket while wandering the halls, but immediately want your bathing suit when you step outside. Still, the heat is nice for a change.

I don't really have much to say so far, and I forgot the cable for the camera, so I can't download any photos yet. Anyway, it is my second day in Orlando at the Florida Mall Hotel for the Associated Church Press convention. This is my second convention (I went 2 years ago when it was in Toronto). The people are nice, the food is good and the experience is a worthy one.

As soon as I'm done blogging I'm going to workout. I can't decide if I want to use the pool or not though. The best part about this hotel is that it's attached to a huge mall!! It's great! I can go shopping whenever I want, even if I only have a few minutes! I already bought some shoes and there's another pair I'm eyeing. It's a good thing that Joseph is so good about pretty much letting me buy whatever I want! (Within reason of course).

I was taking some pictures outside the hotel today (there really isn't anywhere to walk to - the hotel is kind of on its own; it's not in a downtown area where there's a milion things to do outside your door - hence the mall). Anyway, I was taking pictures of the gardens and saw a bunch of tiny lizards scurrying around. They were so cute! I took a bunch of pictures of them among the flowers, so you'll have to stay tuned for those.

Our group just came from worship. The music was great and the speaker was a Baptist minister from here in Orlando. She was fantastic! Everyone was absolutely on the edge of their seats - she had our undivided attention. Her sermon was about a story in Numbers 27, where 5 sisters approached Moses about their inheritance in the Promised Land, as their father died and therefore they had no right to any of the land that was to be coming to him. These 5 brave women took their concern to Moses, and Moses dutifully asked God for an answer. God told Moses that the women were right, and would receive their father's inheritance as part of the tribe of Israel. What a great story! She then referred to chaper 8 in Luke, where more women are named as faithful servants of Jesus. She tied it all together by noting that all of us have a part to play in God's plan, and that the plan is only perfectly carried out when we all work together; bringing our strengths and gifts and unique personalities to the table (as the 5 named women all brought certain qualities that resulted in a successful resolution to their problem). When we all work together, she said, we can be a voice for the voiceless, we can recognize problems and speak up and affect change. (Remember, she's speaking to a bunch of journalists who often have the ability to do just that). She kept repeating that as God's children, we are called to be different and we are called to do differently, and when we all work together for the greater good, things happen. Anyway, I obviously didn't say it as well as she did, but trust me, it was a fantastic sermon - probably one of the best I've heard (which was greatly buoyed by her enthusiastic, energetic preaching style!).

Enough rambling though. I apologize for this somewhat boring blog entry! I figured I should write something though while I'm in Florida.

Until next time,
A.

Random photos

2006-04-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

In an effort to share some photos from past trips, visits with friends and the like, I've decided to just post a a mish-mash of photos that really don't go together at all. Now that my husband's blog is such a big hit, I have to do something to keep people looking at mine! And since photos is really the only thing I've got, I thought I'd better throw a bunch up here.

Perhaps one day the photos on here will be even better, thanks to some private instruction I'm currently receiving from a photographer friend of my boss. This guy teaches digital photography at Ryerson University. I had my first lesson today. We went donwtown and just shot whatever. It was interesting - lots to learn though. I have my boss' fancy-schmancy camera for the weekend, so I'm going to play around with it and see what I can do. Maybe soon I won't just win awards for my writing, but for my photography too! (Read: shameless bragging).

Anyway, the only other newsy update I can think to tell everyone about -- although I think most of you already know this -- is that I'll be going to Florida at the end of the month for a conference and awards night, thenI'm back home for about a week and then off to Winnipeg, Kenora and Saskatoon for another conference and awards night, and then to research a story I'm going to be working on about native ministries and the church. I hope it goes well.

That's about it.
I hope you all have a safe and blessed Easter!
A.

P.S. I guess I should briefly describe the photos: at the top are my friend Sara's super-cute kids, Sierra and Ethan, and that's Sara next to them. Next row is my friend Kristy. These 4 were taken last summer when I was out in Alberta for work. The next one is Justine, at her wedding (obviously) last May. After that is me, Joe, Marge and Joe S. in Ottawa, skating on the Rideau Canal this winter. Next is Joseph at my cousin's wedding in 2004. And after that is the MacLachlan boys - Brother Greg, Dad Bob, Joe and Brother Andrew. This was taken at my parents' place 2 Christmases ago. I could post more, but I'm sick of blogging for the night, so you'll just have to wait for more!

More Ethiopia photos!

2006-04-07T16:51:00.000-07:00

I just have to post more photos from Ethiopia - I have so many favourites! So here are some landscapes.
A.

Ethiopia

2006-04-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

It's been about 2 1/2 years since I went to Ethiopia. I travelled there on my first international journalism assignment with the Presbyterian Record - the magazine I currently work for. It was a study tour for the other participants -- a time for church-goers to see the effects of a charity they support. In this case, it was the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB - www.foodgrainsbank.ca); an agency made up of 13 member churches (of which the Presbyterian Church is one), that provides food to countries in emergency situations as well as providing "food-for-work" programs, that enable long-term development of communities. It is a great organization, doing good work, which I saw with my own eyes in Ethiopia.

Even though I was only in this East African country for two weeks, it remains close to my heart. It is a fascinating, beautiful place made up of amazing people. Although poverty is rampant there, the country was not what I expected. There were rolling green hills, relatively modern hotels, colourful gardens, breath-taking landscapes and smiling people. It was a far cry from the sad scenes we saw on TV during the famine of 1984-85, when starving children with bloated bellies and flies on their faces left many thinking this is all Ethiopia had to offer. Ethiopia's story is indeed a sad one; constant drought makes famine an always-present reality, while land that has been worked so consistently for thousands of years, that it simply has nothing left to give. Trees are cut down, soil is eroded, farming practices are those of Biblical times and crop yield, therefore, is often low. Where CFGB and other aid agenices have been working, communities have updated farming practices, better tools and water conservation and storage capacity, insuring farmers can irrigate their crops even during the dry season. Despite the often sad reality, Ethiopia is still a beautiful place, filled with warm, friendly people.

Ethiopia is also a country that prides itself on its deep religious roots. It is said to be one of the first places to hear of Christianity (and quickly developed this faith as its national religion -- the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is still a strong force in the country) and legend says the Queen of Sheba (part of present-day Ethiopia) had some kind of interlude with King Solomon, and that the long-lost Arc of the Covenant resides there. Religious holidays are almost as common as weekends, which often interfere with work productivity.

Ethiopians are a proud people -- partly stemming from the fact that it is the only African country that was never colonized (save for a short-lived Italian occupation in 1936), and their pride -- along with amazing generosity -- can still be seen today.

I could write pages more, but figure I should stop and just post some pictures. One more thing: Ethiopia has the most delicious coffee you will ever taste (in fact, it is credited as coffee's birth place) and the coffee ceremony is an important part of Ethiopian culture.

Until next time!
A.

Got my blog back!

2006-03-23T15:52:00.000-08:00

I'm glad to see that Joseph succumbed to my subtle urging and started his own blog, leaving mine for pretty pictures and friendly comments. True, my blog will no longer be funny, but it will be mine again! Who knew one could be so possessive of their own little corner of cyber space?
Anyway, to show that I still love my husband despite booting him off my blog, here are some more pictures from our wedding. Enjoy!
A.

2006-03-22T23:51:00.000-08:00

Upon looking over our past postings on this blog, I received an astounding revelation. The content that Amy has posted is vastly different from the posts that I have, for the last little while been making. While Amy enjoys posting pictures of her rich cultural experiences, I have enjoyed ridiculing and berating things that probably deserved it in no way whatsoever.

In any case, my point is that I’ve decided to begin posting my barely coherent tirades and some other rubbish on my own blog. So from now on friends and family can read my posts and not laugh at http://joemacl.blogspot.com.

Also, in case anyone was wondering, I moved my previous posts of The Daily Kudos over there.

-J

More images from Israel

2006-02-26T11:01:00.000-08:00

Now that I have a few minutes to myself, I thought I'd post a few more photos from Israel. Enjoy!

The first photo is of an old synogogue at Masada - the fortress King Herod had built for himself. He never had to actually use it, but a group of Israelites used it around 70 A.D. when the Romans were fighting them. It was the last Jewish stronghold in that war, and the Israelites managed to hold off the Romans for four years. The story goes that just as the Romans were about to overtake them, the Israelites gathered in the synogogue and kiled themselves and each other - men, women and children. They figured it was better to die free then to be taken captive by the Romans. It was sort or eerie to sit in a spot where so much bloodshed once took place.

The second photo is the Western Wall, which used to be part of the Temple in Jerusalem. People gather here for prayer -- the men on one side and the women on the other. The wall is filled with tiny pieces of paper -- prayers of people who visit the wall and stuff them into any crack or hole they can find. The wall is one of the most sacred places for Jews.

The third is a view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. The golden dome is the Dome of the Rock, or the Alaxa Mosque. This is where the temple once stood.

The fourth is just a picture of the market it Old Jerusalem. It doesn't do it justice. The cobblestone laneways were filled with people, and tonnes of sounds, smells and vibrant colours. You could buy just about anything here - fresh fruit and vegetables, pungeant spices, baked goods, falafels, silk scarves, jewellery, and souvenirs. Such streets were interspersed with centuries-old seminaries, Jewish schools, private homes, and sacred stops along the Via de la Rosa, or the Way of the Cross: where Jesus walked on his final day.

The fifth photo is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; where Jesus' tomb is believed to be. The church also contains the spot where Jesus's body was dressed for burial.
A.

Trying to actually get the photos posted!

2006-02-23T12:12:00.000-08:00

One year since Israel

2006-02-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

In honour of the my one year anniversary of arriving in Israel, I thought I'd post some photos from my trip. My 10-day working vacation was amazing -- seeing the Bible come to life in Jerusalem, Galilee, Caesarea, Nazareth, the Dead Sea and the Judean hills was a memorable experience to say the least. And I can't say enough about the food -- fresh goat cheese, olive oil, oregano, hummus and pita, figs, dates, apricots and wine were all available in abundance. What more can I say? I'll let the photos do the talking.

The first photo (from the bottom) is the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea in Caesarea, where Paul was imprisoned.

The second is taken while sailing on the Sea of Galilee (known to locals as Lake Kineret). The water was so peaceful and still, it was hard to imagine the violent storm that Jesus calmed for his apostles.

The third is the Dead Sea, viewed from my hotel room balcony. It was a great view! And the sea was so much fun to float in (which is really all you do - it's too difficult to swim, unless you stay on your back). The fourth photo is also the Dead Sea at sun rise the next morning. It was beautiful.

Until next time.
A.

Finally...another post!

2006-02-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I really don't have much to share this evening, but I thought I'd add some more photos. The first couple are from Christmas -- one of Joe and me at my parents' and another at Joe's parents' place in Sault Ste. Marie. That photo also has our good friends Joe and Marge (right) and Greg and Kristan (left). Greg is "my" Joe's brother. It took awhile to get this photo as the boys are always goofing around, apparently finding it almost impossible to contain their energy for the amount of time it takes to take a picture. It was a good day.
A.

Casey

2006-01-25T19:09:00.000-08:00

A belated Happy New Year to all! My apologies for taking so long to update this blog. I simply haven't made the time to do it. The time leading up to the holidays was busy. Christmas was busy. After Christmas was busy. At least it keeps life interesting.
Despite this busyness, Joe and I have managed, for the last few Saturdays, to do our favourite thing: nothing! This is what we most love to do on Saturday. Sleep in. Get up late. Have a big breakfast. Read. Watch some TV or more recently, play a video game. Talk. Perhaps go back to bed. Have dinner (skip lunch because breakfast was so big). Go for walk at night if weather is good. Go to sleep for the night. Pretty great!
This one day of extreme laziness is perfectly modelled for us on a daily basis by our cute and oh-so-loveable rabbit, Casey. All he does is sleep and eat. He must think he's a cat. I've never had such a lazy rabbit. He sure is cute though! I've attached some photos to show just how cute he is (although they really don't do him justice).
Enjoy!
A.

Remembering the Dominican

2005-12-08T19:07:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of our time in the Dominican Republic on our honeymoon. We were supposed to go to Cuba, but had to cancel last minute because of a hurricane there. Our travel agent advised us to go to the DR instead, so we did -- and were hit with a tropical storm on our third day there! Things went downhill as soon as the storm hit -- no power, no air conditioning, flooded restaurants and hotel rooms, fallen trees, pools filled with debris, no activities and lots of rain!! Add to that a leaky ceiling in our bathroom directly over the toilet, and getting sick from the super-greasy food, and we couldn't wait to go home! Our first two days frolicking in the ocean were fun, but we still have trouble looking back on the rest of it and laughing. Hopefully we'll be at that point some day!
At least we got some good pictures -- and this one is one of my favourites of Joe. He managed to keep his cool and tried to keep a smile on his face throughout the ordeal, even though I was terribly ticked off! His amazing patience shone through even then -- and it was his first taste of how difficult I can be sometimes. He definitely passed with flying colours. That's one positive thing that came out of the trip -- we learned a lot about each other and became much closer because of it.
Until next time,
A.

Some photos to tide you over...

2005-12-08T19:00:00.000-08:00

Here we are at a friend's wedding in September -- the same weekend we got married, actually (but one year later).

One little problem...

2005-12-08T18:55:00.000-08:00

OK. So I can't figure out how to publish the C.S. Lewis essay to the blog! I'm out of ideas. I will have to enlist the services of my brother to figure out how to do it. Until then, you will just have to wait to read the essay Joe is referring to. Stay tuned!
A.

Joe speaks!

2005-12-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

Good day all…now that I’m done my classes for this semester I thought I’d use a little of my free time to add something to our blog. The article below is a very appropriate piece of writing, obviously because of the time of year, and also because Amy and I and some of our close friends have decided to boycott the commercial side of Christmas this year.

This is an essay of sorts by C.S. Lewis (who, incidentally I have been a huge fan of for years – not just since the Hollywood popularization of Narnia). Herodotus was a fifth century BC historian; much of what he wrote are accounts of different cultures he encountered while traveling.

I think – barring Nike asking us for advertising space on our blog – that it’s legal for me to put this here. Just in case though, please don’t tell anyone at W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. that their copyrighted material is on our blog. :)

Wishing you all a stress-free holiday season.

-Joe

The first photo

2005-11-02T18:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I've finally chosen a photo to post -- and it's one of my favourites. Obviously, it's of Joe and I on our wedding day, walking up the aisle after being pronounced husband and wife. We were married at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Brampton. It was a perfect day!
Eventually, I hope to figure out how to post more wedding pictures in one spot via a link on this page. I'm sure you can't wait. Stay tuned!
A.

I just can't get enough

2005-11-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

Well, this is only the second day of my blog's existence and I am already addicted! Give a writer another medium through which to voice her thoughts and this is what you get! I could easily spend copious amounts of time checking my blog, posting here, reading comments and visiting sites of family and friends. I'm definitely hooked.
My brother, Sean was kind enough to link my site on his blog. I will return the favour when I figure out how to include links in the way I'm envisioning - which I think involves figuring out html code. That's beyond me. I shall need a lesson from Sean, who is much more computer savvy than I.
I hope to get some photos posted tonight, but I make no promises. I'm glad to see that some people have already visited the site and have even posted their thoughts. Great! As my friend Margaret Sambol said, "Isn't technology grand?"
Yes. It is.
A.

And so it begins

2005-11-01T17:54:00.000-08:00

At the urging of my good friends, Sara Paterson and Kristy McCarter, and enjoying Sara's blog as well as my brother, Sean's site, I have decided to start my own. Joe (my husband) and I have friends and family we don't see very often, and I thought this would be a great way to share photos and news with each other. Hopefully I will find the time to actually keep this thing up to date.
For those of you who can't remember dates, Joe and I were married on September 4th, 2004, and it seems we always have something about our lives to pass along. Let's hope this continues, giving me interesting things to share.
I plan on posting photos from our wedding and our (somewhat disastrous) honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, as well as pictures of our rabbit, Casey, family and friends.
Until then, all the best to you all.
A.