Valentine's Day Date ~ How We Roll

Les had to go to Texas last week for business.  This is the first time in our almost 27 years of marriage that we weren't together on Valentine's Day.  I had a sweet text really early that morning (he was two hours ahead) and he was home Thursday night.  Since he had yesterday off for President's Day we decided to celebrate then. I'm pretty sure this will not come as a surprise to many - our activity of choice was a bike ride!

Les loaded up the bikes and we drove to Ventura where we headed towards Santa Barbara.  It was cool with a very strong headwind.  It was a really tough slog, but I kept telling myself, "It's going to be fun on the way back."  After about 9 1/2 miles of straight into the wind, I was ready to turn around.  We stopped for a few pictures.  The ocean was really choppy!

We also saw lots of burned areas from last December's Thomas Fire.

Heading back to the car we had a fun tailwind and averaged about 17 mph (compared to about 9.5 mph on the way out.)  Total distance - 19.3 miles, number of laughs - too many to count!

Friday Foodie

This was a week for good eats around here.  I cooked the best spaghetti and meatballs I have ever made!  Everything was from scratch but so worth it.  I tweaked a couple of recipes to get what I wanted.  The meatballs were originally posted here and the marinara sauce was originally posted here.

Marinara Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juice included
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
4 - 5 tablespoons tomato paste, for thickening
few parsley leaves

Pour olive oil in large saucepan and sauté onions and garlic about 5 minutes, until lightly golden.
Add diced tomatoes to onion/garlic mixture. Over medium heat begin to simmer sauce. Add the sugar, dried basil leaves, chicken broth, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Continue to simmer 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, paste, and a few parsley leaves. With the lid on, turn the heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes.  While the sauce was simmering, I prepared the meatballs.

Italian Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3 tablespoons fresh curly parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl, form 2-inch round balls. Brown lightly in olive oil in skillet and add to sauce.

Because I wanted all the flavors to really blend, I made the sauce and meatballs in the morning and put everything in the Crock-Pot.  The delicious smells had us counting the hours until dinner time!

I wanted to take this meal completely over the top, so I also made Homemade Pasta:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Water
1 Egg
3/4 cups Semolina Pasta Flour
1 tsp salt

1.  Combine semolina and salt, add beaten eggs, water and oil. Mix to make a stiff dough.
2.  Knead 10 minutes or until dough is elastic. Wrap dough in towel or place in plastic bag and let rest for 20 minutes.
3.   Pass the dough through the flat rollers of the pasta machine until you reach 5 on the regulating knob.  The dough should be flexible, not stiff.

4.  Place the Fettuccine attachment on the pasta machine.  Roll pasta through, cutting strips.
5. Boil pasta in an 4-quart pot of boiling water with 1/2 tablespoon of salt added.6.  Drain pasta and top with sauce and meatballs.  Enjoy!!

We have eaten this twice so far and plan on having it again tonight, so there are at least six servings in the sauce (possibly 8.)  I made fresh pasta for our second meal and we have enough left over for tonight.  If you want to make this for a family or large group, double or triple the pasta recipe.  I've said it before, but nothing compares to fresh pasta!

The Alabaster Box

My Bible reading today included the verses in Matthew chapter 26 that talk about the woman with the alabaster box.  When I studied Women in the Bible in 2015 I was surprised to learn that there were two women who anointed Jesus with oil from an alabaster box.  I posted my original thoughts here.

I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about and studying this subject since then.  Last year I taught a lesson to the ladies at New Life Pentecostal in Honolulu about this.  I wanted to share those thoughts here today.

These accounts are recorded in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 7 and John 12.  The story in Luke is quite different from the accounts found in Matthew, Mark, and John. Only in Luke chapter 7 is the woman called a sinner. Her sins, according to Jesus, were many. There are interesting differences and similarities to these stories:

In both cases, Jesus is in the home of one named Simon. In Luke he is called a Pharisee. In Matthew and Mark, he is called "Simon the leper." Simon was a common name - there was Simon Peter, Simon the Cyrenian who carried Jesus' cross, and Judas Iscariot was the son of Simon - so it wouldn't be strange that Jesus visited the homes of two men with that same name.

In Matthew, Mark and John this takes place in Bethany, the city of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. In Luke they are in Nain, which was approximately 60 miles from Bethany.

There are other similarities in the stories as well. In both cases there were those who criticized. “Why was this waste made?” In Luke it was said “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. “

The beauty in both cases is what Jesus did. Jesus accepted the sacrifice! The sacrifice from the heart of a worshiper. Jesus never rebuked the woman who was a sinner but told the parable of the two debtors, concluding with "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.“ He said “Thy sins are forgiven.” He never spoke to the woman in the other accounts but said to those who criticized, “I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.”

Only in John is the woman called Mary. I believe the woman in Matthew, Mark and John was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.  Jesus had been in their home, she sat at His feet and He raised her brother from the dead. The woman in Luke was only known as a woman of the city who was a sinner. This may have been her very first encounter with the Master.

I think this makes the example of the alabaster ointment even more powerful. We all have an alabaster box. It’s our worship, our time, our talent, our finances. We’ve seen a brand new soul walk into a service and be deeply touched as they are in the presence of the Lord for the very first time. And we've watched “seasoned” saints worship beside them.

Just like what happened to those women, there will be those who will criticize and say, “What a waste! Why are you wasting so much time at the church?” Or there will be others who will look at your past and tell you that you aren’t worthy to touch Him.

No matter where we are in our spiritual journey, we always have an alabaster box to pour at His feet. And Jesus will always respond. He will grant forgiveness and healing. He won’t turn away from our worship.  May we have a fresh touch of the wonder of being in His presence. May we kneel at His feet again and pour out our thanks and praise from a thankful heart.