Sunday, March 20, 2011

Separation Anxiety

I had a dog one time that was a bit on the insecure side. Because of this he became obsessed with a need to be with me all of the time. As much as I tried to impress on him that I was only going to be gone for a short while and that I would soon be back; being a dog, he didn't understand a word I said. He only new that one minute I was there and the next minute I wasn't. They call it separation anxiety. When left alone, or even when with another dog, he would become anxious to the point of frenzy. With his mind in a panic of my absence he would dig at the door or find anything of a size to pull away and chew into pieces. Most of the time it was a magazine, a paper product of some sort, or one of his toys.  Even when confined to a dog kennel, he would gnaw on the chain link and often push against the bar of the door to bend it open enough to squeeze out. Then he would sit at the door waiting for me to come back.

From what I understand, toddlers at a certain age will also go through a separation anxiety when they lose sight of their mother. Although I have never had children, I have witnessed the screaming terror of a child realizing that his mother is no longer in the room. For the most part, children will grow out of this and eventually get to an age when they actually prefer that their mother not to be around at all. But dogs emotionally remain at the age of a human toddler. They make drugs now to help reduce the stress of separation anxiety in dogs, but at the cost of semi-sedation.

Sometimes I feel like I have separation anxiety when it comes to God. I know He loves me and I have experienced a true relationship with Him in many deep, but spiritual ways. His physical absence in my life at times becomes a frustration. I also know that He has promised that He will come back and we will be forever together. But, I still sit and look out my life's front window and can't help but feel the anxiety of anticipation for the physical reality of His presence. I've always heard things like "God is in control", and "it is all in God's timing". God knows that in the big picture of things it won't be long, and there will come a time when there will never be any separation. When my dog frets over my not being there I don't find out till I see him again how he chose to handle his anxiety. But God in his power and position can see me in my times of life and knows of my separation anxiety. I'm sure He really doesn't want me chewing things up or sitting and staring at the door; or in this case of cosmic eternity,the ceiling. He knew that this sort of thing might happen. That is why He implanted in us the Holy Spirit. It's that internal nudging that tells me to stop staring at the door and enjoy life for what it is. I've got a good home, a loving family, and the ability to have fun and enjoy life.

I'm also reminded of the separation anxiety I had as a child when I went to summer camp. I didn't want to go. But my Mom and Dad told me that I would have fun and that they would pick me up at the end of the week. Soon after meeting new friends, rowing boats across the lake, and roasting marshmallows under the stars, that anxiety of leaving home never entered my mind.
Well, this world is one big camp. There are new friends around every corner, lots of arts and crafts, and always with the promise of home at the end. Whenever I get that feeling of separation anxiety, the Holy Spirit sits me down and tells me that I should go and have fun; he will be there to pick me up at the end of camp.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

How is sin like canned peas?

Okay, my mic is good. Just count me in Nick. Five, four, three, two...

Welcome back. We have here in kitchen stadium the distinguished Iron Chef Bobby Filet, of the famous Mesa Grill, and on the other side is Iron Chef Gordon Damnsay of Hell's Kitchen. Today's secret ingredient is: The humble PEA. They have before them a selection of fresh peas, dried peas, and lastly canned peas.

These contenders have an hour to produce for our judges three dishes utilizing the pea as their theme ingredient.
On our left it appears that Iron Chef Bobby Filet is preparing what looks like a classic oriental salad using Ramen noodles, cabbage and snap peas. He is keeping it safe here so far. Let's take a look at what Chef Damnsay is doing.

Ah, Gordon has chosen to take canned peas and put them into the sorbet machine with some mangoes, passion fruit, and pistachio nuts. Bold move. We will see if this combination works for him or against him.
But wait, Chef Damnsay is now smashing a hand full of peas into the face of one of his assistants. Let's see if we can hear what he is saying.
"I told you to use CANNED PEAS! Figure it out you IDIOT! If you think that you are going to waste my time with your righteous need to use fresh ingredients, you are sorely wrong. Get the hell out of my kitchen!"
I guess ovens aren't the only hot thing in kitchen stadium tonight.
With only thirty minutes on the clock now, each of our Iron Chefs have their teams scurrying to complete their assigned tasks in order to make this pea theme a delight for taste as well as appearance. Too bad it's not St. Patrick's Day for this one.

Ladies and gentlemen, this does not happen very often, but our chefs have both chosen to include as one of their dishes a split pea soup. The difference here is that Chef Filet must have had that in mind from the beginning. He has just removed a ham hock from a pot of perfectly boiled dried peas with carrots, onions, and celery. I must say, it smells delicious too. Chef Damnsay, has decided to go with canned peas in order to get his final dish prepared and ready for presentation in time. How will these two means of preparing the same dish compare with our discerning expert judges?

Time is UP! When we come back, Chef Filet's dishes will be going before our panel of judges.
5,4,3,2...First up we have appetizers. One of which consists of caviar that has been spooned into a hollowed out pea shell and rolled up with an outer layer of thinly sliced prucetta. The second is a perfectly seared scallop skewered into the center of a snow pea and drizzled with a honey garlic soy sauce.

Now the oriental Ramen salad. The judges seem very pleased with the balance of crispness and tartness this salad offers to the palate.
Next up is Chef Filet's pea soup served with his own take of the ever popular BLT. In his version he uses a rosemary and sun dried tomato focaccia bread, sauteed Portobello mushrooms, lightly blanched peas, crispy smoked bacon, and topped with a mound of lemon grass tossed in a raspberry vinaigrette.

So far the judges like his dishes and are actually cleaning their soup bowls up with the last bite of their BLT sandwiches.
Now it's time for Chef Damnsay to impress the judges.
He has chosen for his starter spanakopita. But instead of spinach with feta cheese he has used canned peas. I think the fact that all three judges have taken only one bite and left the rest, tells us that this choice of substitution fails by comparison.

Now he will attempt to cleanse their palates with his canned pea passion fruit sorbet. Oddly enough,it has a very pleasing appearance. But will that....oh, that's a first. The judges are actually spitting their sorbet back onto the plate.

Let's see if his split pea soup will win them over. Hmmm, by the grimacing looks on their faces I think the answer here is a definite "NO".
The judging is over and only one question remains...whose cuisine will reign supreme?

The answer here is obvious. The answer to the question "how is sin like canned peas?" is also obvious. Fresh is always better than canned.

Better Late Than Never

While at the pool today, I was talking to a woman who was also was there because of a New Year's resolution. Except this year, she decided to take the guilt out of any possible failure and keep it positive. Her New Year's resolution is "better late than never".  Here it is the first day of March, and and she just got her Christmas cards out in the mail last week....better late than never.

It got me to thinking just how this new approach to change would work.

 I will tell members of my family that I love them every time I see them....better late than never.

This year I will eat right, drink more water, and exercise....better late than never.

I will floss my teeth at least once a day....better late than never.
 
I will de-clutter my house by taking on one room at a time....better late than never.

I will take pictures of those items I always thought should be sold and list them on eBay...better late than never.
 
When the change oil light comes on in my car, I will take it in for service sometime that week....better late than never.

The fuel light came on in my car. I will get gas tomorrow....better late than. Uh oh.

When I get the renewal notice for AAA I will send the check in as soon as possible....darn.

I will charge my phone when I see the battery is low....oh crap.

By the time I walk two miles in the pouring rain to the nearest gas station and return to put gas in my car so I can make it back to the gas station and fill up the car with gas so I can make it to the AAA office to renew my road side assistance policy and still have time to get to the Jiffy Lube to get the oil changed in the car, then stop by the store to pick up fresh fruit, vegetables, bottled water, and rice cakes, I will still have time to get to the Dairy Queen and have a Chocolate Caramel Pecan Fudge Lava Sundae...
better late than never.