Leek Soup

This is very loosely based on a traditional Welsh recipe. All measurements are approximate.

For each person

1 medium size leek

1 medium potato

1 thin carrot

1/2 oxo cube or other bouillon cube or just leave it out

1 cup water, maybe a little more

1/2 cooking or granny smith or Cox apple

optional

2 small mushrooms

1 rasher bacon cut into small pieces

1 tbs chopped parley

1 tbs grated cheddar or other strong cheese

1 tps cream or crème fraîche or sour cream or yogurt

pepper

Put the water into a saucepan,

chop the potato into chunks about 1 cu inch.

place in water and start bringing to the boil.

chop the leek and add to potatoes

chop the carrot and add to other vegetables.

Add the bacon if being used.

When the water is boiling add the bouillon cube, stir until it has dissolved

Chop the apple and add to the pot.

Slice the mushrooms and add.

Season with pepper

Whilst all this is cooking chop the parsley and grate the cheese.

When the vegetables are soft mash with a potato masher. I suppose you could liquidize it.

Serve, add the cheese, cream and parsley in that order.

St David

Psalm 16:5-11
Proverbs 15:14-21

1 Thessalonians 2:2b-12

Mark 4:26-29

1 Thessalonians 2:2b-12

St David was a sixth century Pembrokeshire monk. His monastery was on the site of the current St David's cathedral. All the stories about him suggest that he was a gentle person spreading the gospel by example as well as word. He was a respected leader. He is celebrated throughout Wales and wherever there is a Welsh person or a person like me who purports to be Welsh, today, 1st March.

On the 1st March we had no lessons. The day was the culmination of weeks of hard work for it was the day of the school Eisteddfod. We gathered together in the school assembly hall, seated by 'house'. The results were read of the competitions in embroidery, knitting, sewing, cookery, poetry, essay writing- I cannot remember them all. On stage were the finals of the poetry reciting - in English and Welsh, singing- duets, solos, ensembles. I think over the years I was awarded prizes in knitting, embroidery, cookery, and reciting a poem in Welsh. It was a traditional Welsh day. Obviously it was a day to remember since I am writing about it 40 years on. The connection and St David and an Eisteddfod might be tenuous but St David excelled and tried his best at everything he did because he was doing it for the glory of God. He was a father to his monks. I think that almost every Welsh person still thinks of St David as a father figure.

Why the daffodils? Wales has two national emblems, the daffodil and the leek. The rebels wore a leek to school on St David's Day the rest of us wore daffodils. I have a vase of daffodils and we shall eat leek and potato soup tonight, a variation of a welsh recipe. I shall post it when I have written it!

Puddles

Psalms 8, 24, 29, 84

Genesis 41:14-45

Romans 6:3-14

John 5:19-24

Psalm 84

Today is a day of rain. Be it autumn, winter or spring there are plenty of puddles in the forest. The sightings of the sparrows, blue tits and great tits, chaffinches and robins (the little european type) are just a memory of the last few weeks. Eighteen years ago I would not have remarked upon seeing one of these little birds but after such a long time away from their familiar sights it is as if they are saying "Welcome back".

My home has been elsewhere, on a different continent and even now though I am nearer to my origins in location and weather the language barrier is a constant reminder that I am still an alien. But this is where we live, where I go about my daily business, shop and travel on trams. I would say that this is where I am building my nest except that most of the materials for our nest are still in a container somewhere in Houston. In May we should move into our house, the place where we shall "dwell". Home is a tough concept. Some birds reuse the nest of a previous years, others build a completely new nest in a different place.

I trust God to be with us in our new nest. The world is a small place.

"The Lord is a sun and a shield". It is nice to be reminded of this on such a wet and rainy day.

I don't like this

Psalm 55, 138, 139

Genesis 41:1-13

1 Corinthians 4:1-7

Mark 2:23-3:6

Genesis 41:1-13

Have you ever said you would do something for somebody and then got so wound up in your own life that you totally forgot your promise. Through your self-centredness you caused unnecessary hardship and discomfort. I have and I am not going to talk about it. They are places into which I do not like to delve.

However, maybe it is alright in the big picture of life. Pharaoh listened to the wine-bearer's story about Joseph because it was of interest to him. If the same story had been mentioned to him two years previous when he had not had his scary dreams he might have totally disregarded Joseph's plight.

One never knows but that is not an excuse to leave undone those things which should be done.

Mud and more mud

Psalms 40, 51, 54

Genesis 40:1-23

1 Corinthians 3:16-23

Mark 2:13-22

Psalm 40

After weeks of snow and now days of rain we have plenty of mud. It is still boots on for walks. The pathways are just too slippery for shoes. Whilst the snow was melting we had inches of slush. For some reason Ernest thought this was great fun and tried to slide around on the slush. Reckless for most people and dogs but especially so for one who is not supposed to leap and jump or take risks with his back. I on the other hand walked gingerly down the side of the path clinging to the almost still crispy snow at the side. Now we have rain the best route is on the slightly raised centre part of the pathway where the stones and gravel have been least eroded. With a safe place to walk the soggy exercise is certainly pleasanter, I can enjoy the birdsong and the emerging buds.

Yes God is good and I do believe that beyond any metaphorical mud we encounter on our walk through life there is firm ground that can be reached.

What next?

Psalm 19, 46, 50

Genesis 39:1-23

1 Corinthians 2:14-3:15

Mark 2:1-12

Mark 2:1-12

I wonder how long the guy had been a paraplegic. He had some good friends. Did it take four of them to carry him because they were all so full of enthusiasm for the potential healing that the whole gang took him or because he had been lying down so long that he had got fatter and needed four people to carry him? Who looked after him, who was at home waiting for him to return- a wife, a mother?

There was no social security system so he would not have to go and register as no longer disabled. If his source of income was beggar then he had lost that. He would have to get a job. I wonder if he had a craft that he could resume, if his old customers would return to him or if they had found another supplier.

No doubt there was enthusiasm and joy at the release from the prison of his own legs. Dancing, running, leaping those were activities he would not have experienced recently. The pleasure of not being dependent on others for transportation, even to another part of the house - to the little room at the back. Jesus really changed his life.

It all started when Jesus said "Son, your sins are forgiven". He had done this because of the faith of those providing the legs, the friends who had brought the man to Jesus.

It is still the same. We might not be physically paralyzed but we can be so spiritually. In a rut and embarrassed about returning to our healer but our friends have the faith. Or let's have the faith for our friends.

Thanks again for the photograph Nome. I had a nice little ending about being able to get on a tram and was going to use the picture of the Google trip Planner being available in Brussels but then I discovered the photograph had a copyright. That little plug will have to return until I get home and take my own photograph.

Sunrise, sunset and the time between

Psalm 49, 119:49-72

Genesis 37:25-36

1 Corinthians 2:1-13

Mark 1:29-45

Mark 1:29-45

Today I watched the sun rise. Not in what one might say a spectacular manner. I have, early in the morning stood on the crest of the Grand Canyon and watched the growing light illumine the roses and yellows of the depths of the canyon. I have walked along the banks of the bayou in Katy and seen the red ball rise out of the horizon. Today was totally different. I was lying in bed drinking my tea with one eye monitoring the weather and the other on my Bible idly wondering what I would write. One of the panes of glass in the next building- we are on the tenth floor- seemed much lighter that the rest, it had a shiny white gold look about it. A few seconds later out of the formless glow came the shape of a rising globe until the whole sun was there rising up the building and starting its journey towards the left.

Jesus was up before dawn praying, planning his day, preparing to preach for that was the purpose of his visit,-to remind us of God's love. The miracles were a function of his compassion.

How shall I spend my day?