While I never encountered French toast in France, it is traditionally made with French bread. Perhaps that’s where the name comes from.

As with so many delicious recipes, this is really not very good for you. But hey, you’re not making a habit of it, are you?

Amazing Orange French Toast
Adapted from Morning Food, from the Cafe Beaujolais* in Mendocino, California

1 baguette, sliced into 1 inch slices
4 eggs
1½ C milk
¼ C orange juice
¼ C sugar or substitute
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Pinch salt
Butter for sautéing

Set the slices of baguette into a shallow pan. Whisk together all other ingredients and pour them over the bread. Coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Heat butter until foaming. Add bread and sauté over low-to-medium heat, turning when golden brown. (Serve custardy inside, or microwave 1 minute to dry and completely cook insides.) Serve with warmed maple syrup, orange butter sauce, or fresh fruit.

Orange Butter Sauce
1 C orange juice
½ C brown sugar or substitute
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind.

Combine everything in a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. If you cook it longer, it becomes more syrupy.
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* This used to be an incredibly good restaurant, known far and wide. The original owners have since sold the place and moved to France. I have no idea what the food is like now.

Among the approximately 200,000 words in the English language (give or take a few), “Dord” is unique.

Oh, it’s in the dictionary, or at least it used to be, right there between Dorcopsis (a genus of small kangaroo) and doré (meaning gold). But it doesn’t mean anything. In fact, it was there by accident. Dord isn’t really a word.

Turns out that for five years, from 1934 through 1939 , Webster’s New International Dictionary mistakenly included dord as a real word, defining it as a noun meaning density.

How could a nonexistent word suddenly appear in the dictionary? Apparently, Webster’s chemistry editor, Austin M Patterson, wrote a note to the other editors telling them to include the letter D or d as “density” in the new edition being prepared. Perhaps the reader needed bifocals—in any case, the letters were read as a single word, “Dord.” The hardworking editors classified the word as a noun, invented a pronunciation, and the rest is history.

The way the slip-up got noticed is just as interesting. In 1939, an editor noticed that the word Dord lacked an etymology. Did it just appear out of thin air? A bit of research determined that yes, it had! By 1940, dord had been deleted, although it continued to crop up in other dictionaries for several more years.

Personally, I think dord is an excellent word, and should surely be assigned a meaning. One blogger (named Jason) decided to do just that, and calls his blog “dord defined”— dord (dôrd), n. density of mind; chiefly exhibited by one who attempts to demonstrate supposed knowledge –adj. dord’ish

What definition would you give to dord?

The Bible is full of examples of God having secrets, ranging from the mystery of his plan for mankind to the timing of the Second Coming. There are even cases of God telling people to keep secrets. Those aren’t the kind of secrets I’m talking about here.

The secrets that God hates are those we think we are keeping from Him—or sins we are hiding from one another. God assures us that nothing can be hidden from His sight. Jeremiah 23:24 reads, “’Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.” If we think we’re keeping secrets from God, we are only fooling ourselves.

Nothing done in secret will stay hidden forever. The Spirit will bring such things to light. Ted Haggard is the now infamous former pastor of New Life Church here in Colorado Springs. This happens to be our home church, and we spent seven years there under his leadership. While he is well known for his indiscretions, Pastor Ted preached a lot of excellent sermons. Ironically, one we will always remember was about secrets. He eloquently exhorted us to never try to hide sin. Unfortunately, his life ended up providing an unforgettable illustration.

Luke 12:2-3 reads, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”

Along with the eventual embarrassment of exposure, the problem with having secret sins is that they fester. Lies pile upon lies, while the corruption inside us feeds on itself until our consciences are seared. Secret sin blocks our communication, not only with God, but with one another. Little by little, we die.

Confession is a lost discipline in most evangelical churches. We would do well to relearn its importance. James 5:16 exhorts us to confess our sins to one another so that we may be healed. I believe this healing is not only physical but also emotional and spiritual. While there is no benefit from going into the gory details of our sin, there is something freeing about having nothing to hide, whether from one another, or from God. It robs Satan of any power over us. In a marriage, that transparency is the precursor to standing before one another naked and not ashamed.

This issue has surfaced in several of the relationships. In one case, a loose tongue revealed a significant lapse in the life of my friend, one she had been reluctant to share with her boyfriend. This led to a crisis in their relationship. In an impressive act of courage, full confession was made, repentance was demonstrated, and forgiveness was asked for and received. Grace carried the day. As a result, the couple has grown stronger, closer to God and to one another. There is a deeper sense of oneness, a new level of trust, increased respect, and much joy.

Unresolved issues are also largely to blame for the problems of the couple who is struggling. Baggage from past events has created a rift, not only between the two people, but in both their relationships with God. We’ve prayed and counseled; the outcome will largely depend on their decisions.

Of course, many issues are involved in forming Godly relationships. But these two themes—submission and transparency—seem to be paramount.

Maybe it’s the gray hairs, maybe it’s our 31 years of marriage (and we still like one another!), but Pete and I are being asked for wise counsel in all these relationships. I count this a huge responsibility, and I’ve spent a lot of time begging God to direct my words. (I’m especially asking for godly wisdom, the courage to pass on what He tells me, and a lot of love for everyone involved.)

In the middle of all this relating, I’ve come to realize that there are some commonalities. I would like to address two critical issues in particular: submission and secrets. Today I focus on submission.

Paul’s well-known directive for wives to submit to their husbands is preceded by an all-too-often overlooked command for believers to be submitted to one another. And the only way anyone with a backbone can submit to an imperfect human being is to first be submitted to God.

This principle was illustrated in two of the couples we’re involved with. Both started out with major differences of opinion on the desirability of children. In one case, the man wanted kids, while the woman did not. In the other couple, the woman already had children, and the man was averse to fatherhood. In both cases, coming to an agreement on this very significant topic was necessary for the relationship to continue to grow.

It never fails to amaze me how God can change hearts. The man who was vehemently opposed to fatherhood gave God permission to make any needed changes in his attitude. God loves prayers like that! In this case, God clearly supports their deepening relationship, and the man is now deeply in love with his intended’s children, taking an active role in their lives. I know he will be an awesome daddy to them!

In the other case, things aren’t quite so decided, especially since neither partner already has children. However, both of them have the issue on the table, making it subject to God’s resolution. I can’t wait to see what happens.

I’ve been hearing a lot of comments like these lately. Many of our close friends are at the end of their financial ropes, and the cords are fraying. While my husband and I are doing all right—we’re paying all our bills, at least—we too are feeling the effects of a challenging economy and several years of missing income.

I knew when Pete made the switch from commercial consulting to full-time ministry that our financial situation would change. We were used to being somewhat frugal—at least we thought of ourselves that way—but this would be on a whole new level. Sensing God telling me we needed to simplify our finances and learn to live with less, I sought counsel from older (and hopefully more mature) members of our church. And I was astonished that no one had any advice for me. All I heard was, “You’re doing fine!” Really?

Then we moved to Colorado with no more consulting income and only part of our support raised. Talk about crash courses. I learned a whole new way to look at money. I learned that I really didn’t need to buy as much as I thought I did. I learned to make do, and live without. And to be honest, I thought I now understood all there was to understand.

Then our income stopped completely. And once again, I realized that I didn’t know nothin’ yet. When you have no income, you can’t budget. Any expense is subject to scrutiny. No buying decision was so big, or so small, that we didn’t bring it to God and inquire about it. Do I really need a new sponge? How about groceries? Can I splurge on a roast, or will we have eggs again? Do we need a newspaper? How about two cars—or can we survive on one? Should we visit supporters? Should we sell the house?

God led us step by step, and we survived with our credit score intact. We never lacked for anything we really needed. God is faithful.

Over the next few months, I’d like to share a few “tricks” I learned during this time, ways to save money that I don’t see in the popular magazines and websites. It wasn’t a matter of substituting daisies for roses every week, or buying everything at a membership warehouse. We had to change our lifestyle in a number of rather significant ways.

The first thing we did was sit down and divide all our expenses into two categories: “mandatory” (at least for the time being) and “discretionary.” Mandatory expenses are things like food, medical care, and housing. Discretionary expenses include entertainment, vacations, and most clothing. How you divide things is a personal opinion, but be open to what God may be telling you. We have very few actual needs. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Try re-examining your monthly expenses. They may seem small, but they can really add up over time. For example, do you have to have that newspaper or magazine subscription? I loved reading the paper with my breakfast, but we decided to save the $100+ cost per year. Now I read my news online. An unforeseen benefit is that I can scan feeds from a variety of sources, and get a more balanced perspective on what’s actually going on.

We don’t watch much TV, so we don’t have cable or satellite (we do have an antenna on the roof, which gets us local stations). Not much loss there, and it saves us between $600 and $1200 per year. I’ll come back to entertainment in my next post on this topic.

Staying in shape doesn’t have to be expensive. Skip gym fees by walking outside when weather permits. When it’s too hot or cold, my friends and I hit the mall instead… and we go before the stores are open, so there’s no temptation to stop and shop. Pete enjoys lifting weights for his exercise. We did a little homework and came up with a very inexpensive set of elastic bands that accomplish the same muscle-building results, with the added advantage of being easy to pack for trips. Yes, I miss the swim club we enjoyed in California, but sometimes spending less involves a bit of sacrifice.

Since they all have cell phones, none of our kids has a land line any more. We still do, but that’s because we live out of town, and cell coverage is sketchy. We revisit that expense every year, though, as service improves. And speaking of cell phones, they are a huge expense that didn’t even exist 20 years ago. Of course a data plan is nice, but can you survive without it? Don’t just consider the initial costs of the phone and start-up fees. Look at how much that phone plan will cost you over its entire lifetime. Most are well over $1,000!

It pays to shop around for insurance as well. Compare prices. Everyone claims to be the cheapest, but obviously that’s impossible. We have our car insurance through AAA. Even with the added cost of membership, it was significantly less per year than the closest competitor. Bundling your home or renter’s insurance with your auto coverage will usually save you money. Be sure you are receiving any discounts you qualify for.

Your biggest monthly expense is probably your rent or mortgage. Here, one decision can affect you for years. I’ll come back to this in the future, but for now I’ll just suggest that you err on the side of caution. Commit to less than you can currently afford. Most financial advisors recommend budgeting one-fourth to one-third of your monthly income to housing. If you have a spouse or roommate contributing to your expenses, consider that one of you could lose a job, or that your roommate may leave. Be sure you can cover your payments on one income, at least for several months.

We have been getting regular paychecks for a year now. I admit it’s a relief. I can set up automatic payments for our bills and not wonder if the account will have enough money in it when they go through. We’ve caught up on a lot of delayed purchases—new glasses, visits to the dentist, clothes without holes and stains—and we’ve even had a little allocated for discretionary spending. It was wonderful to spend two nights in Gunnison for our anniversary last month.

Still, the basic principles I’ve learned from being stretched continue to hold true. Treat money as a resource we are responsible to God for. Check with Him before spending. He may have another way to meet the need, one that won’t cost anything. Obey His priorities. Realize that He loves us, and will act in our best interest. And finally, be sure to be thankful for all He provides.

(The photo is actually of Pete’s hand, from several months ago, but the tarantula is the same individual that I held recently.)

If you have been following my other blog, Mountain Plover, you know that I am generally terrified of spiders. In an effort to overcome this phobia, I have been intentionally learning more about them. Last February I wrote about tarantulas, illustrating my post with photos I took through the glass walls of a terrarium. It was a beginning.

In July, I wrote about how spiders are beneficial to us gardeners. Again, photos accompanied that post. This time, there were no glass barriers between my camera lens and my subjects.

Most recently, I visited the Butterfly Pavilion in Broomfield, Colorado. Along with over 1,000 species of butterflies, the Pavilion is home to a variety of other invertebrates, including spiders. Along with such impressive (and very scary) tarantulas as the Salmon Pink Birdeater (shown here), they have a nice, placid Chilean Rose Hair named Rosie. She is their “tarantula ambassador.” You can get in line, hold out your hand, and they will gently place her on your palm.

I realized that holding Rosie would be a major step in overcoming my arachnophobia, so, with a quick prayer for courage, I got in line. (Mind you, I wandered around taking pictures for about 15 minutes first, getting up my nerve!)

There were two eager tarantula-holders ahead of me. The first was a 2-year-old girl. While she was too young to hold Rosie by herself, her mom (who looked to be about 25) was happy to help. Together they held out their hands, with mom’s hand cupping her daughter’s small one, and Rosie paid her visit. Both mother and daughter were smiling.

Next was a boy of about nine. He was nonchalant about the whole thing, discussing the ins and outs of tarantula ownership with the volunteer running the encounter. Meanwhile, Rosie wandered up and down his arm, exploring a bit. (She filled his palm.) Prodding her by her back legs, the volunteer urged her back onto his own hand. Then it was my turn.

I explained that I was overcoming a fear of spiders, wanting to disclose my hesitations in case I freaked out at the last moment. Then I held out my hand, and Rosie was deposited onto my open palm. I stared in disbelief. I was actually holding a huge spider!

The volunteer asked how it felt. “Like a mouse with extra legs,” I replied. And it did. The hairs felt like fur. She was so light, I could barely feel her presence as her legs danced on my skin. The volunteer scooped her back—and I realized I was disappointed that it was over already.

A quick glance told me no one else was in line, so I held my hand out again, and repeated the whole experience. It was actually all right. I was all right. This was nothing to fear.

With Rosie back in her terrarium, I received my “I held Rosie” sticker and headed off to text my family. I wanted them to know what I had accomplished. I admit, I was feeling pretty proud of myself.

Sometimes we fear things for a reason. I have a healthy respect for black widow spiders, rattlesnakes, and mountain lions. Those are all things that can really harm me, and I should be afraid of them. Other times we are afraid for no good reason. I recently read a blog about a youth pastor afraid of foam! My daughter’s friend is terrified of birds, and my mother screamed at the sight of snakes, even harmless ones.

I can find myself afraid and anxious over the most trivial matters, as well as some pretty big issues. It’s the litany of the “what if’s.” What if I can’t find the address where I’m going? What if I get lost? What if they don’t like me? What if I fail? What if?

I am choosing not to let my baseless fears control me. When my mind starts asking “What if?” I consciously decide to pray and turn it over to God. He is watching over me, He is in control. He can handle whatever life throws at me, and I can trust Him to take care of everything. I don’t need to be afraid. ^“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Tim. 1:7).”

As I sit here typing, there is a small black spider spinning a web between my computer monitor and the origami hummingbird suspended above it. I don’t plan on picking it up… but I think I can let it stay here. Maybe it will catch some of the annoying gnats that have come through the window screen.

If you remember, it was October, 1992. Pete had been invited to a mission conference to be held in San Jose, Costa Rica, that included representatives from every Latin American nation….

Having finally made it to Costa Rica, we were proceeding smoothly through customs when the inspector decided that Pete’s large box full of used, donated floppy diskettes looked too valuable to allow in without paying duty (and going through the attendant red tape.) Our limited Spanish was simply not up to explaining that the materials were used, had no commercial value, and were vital for providing computer backups during the international conference we were about to attend.

At that point, our host family arrived to meet us. After a few minutes of explanation, the inspector agreed that yes, the materials perhaps could have been let into the country without delay. Unfortunately, while he was sorry, there was absolutely no way to undo the paperwork process once it had begun. In order to avoid bribery and corruption, new rules stated that the red tape could not be bypassed for any reason.

Our hosts were crushed. As the husband, Randy, explained, it took weeks, if not months, to get something through the Costa Rican customs department. They had already been waiting ten months for a vitally needed van to clear customs.

We finally left without the diskettes, planning to come back the next day to begin the paperwork. Perhaps they could be used for something else eventually.

In the wee hours of the next morning, another airplane arrived from California. On board were two conference participants: A North American observer, and the conference’s Nicaraguan representative (who lived in the USA). The US citizen was welcomed into the country, but… “What?? You’re a Nicaraguan citizen and you don’t have an entry visa? I’m sorry, but you should have known the rules were changed last month. Nicaraguans can no longer enter Costa Rica without a visa. It doesn’t matter who you are, or how important this conference is—you may not enter the country!

The Nicaraguan was taken back to the airplane for a return flight to Los Angeles. As the plane pulled back from the gate, the observer left the terminal, thinking, “How sad that he couldn’t come. He was a key participant….”

But God…

Early the next morning, Pete and Randy headed back to the airport to begin the process of retrieving the floppy disks. They managed to see the director of the customs service, but even he was unable to expedite things. He estimated that if if everything went perfectly, it would take at least a few days. (Randy was rather skeptical about this, since they had said much the same thing about his 10-months-missing van!)

Pete and Randy went from place to place, threading their way though the customs-clearing maze. A different person handled each part of any transaction—one filled out the form, another took your money, another gave a receipt, another entered the data in the computer, etc. In their wanderings, they just “happened” to be walking by the terminal building when the rather frustrated North American observer came walking out.

After quickly sizing up the situation, and an even quicker prayer, Pete and Randy ran inside the airport. Miraculously, Randy was able to use his conference credentials to gain admittance for the Nicaraguan, who was retrieved from the plane already on the runway!

This certainly gave us a better understanding of why God might have allowed the diskette problem to occur—otherwise, the Nicaraguan would have been winging his way back to LA. Wow!

With that bigger problem solved, we wondered if we’d get the diskettes in time for the conference.

At this point, a true miracle of efficiency took place. Every scrap of paperwork, every review, every signature, stamp, fee payment and inspection was completed, with smiles, before lunchtime! Our host had never seen the customs office work so well (and he hasn’t since, either, since his van languished for many more months). The disks were released in plenty of time to be put to their intended use.

It is easy, in retrospect, to see God’s wonderful sense of timing and the fact that He was lovingly taking care of these situations, even as it appeared that disaster was imminent. But how often are we able to approach these situations with joy, knowing that God is in control and will redeem the situation in His own way?

I hope that, as we collect more of these memorial stones, we can learn to place ourselves in God’s hands. Doing so will make every obstacle no longer a source of stress and aggravation, but truly an exciting adventure of praying and watching God at work.

It was October, 1992. Pete had been invited to a major mission conference to be held in San Jose, Costa Rica, to provide technical training for the attending missionaries….

Our whole family [Pete, myself, and our two elementary school-aged daughters] got up at about 4 a.m. for the hour-long shuttle ride to the airport. We arrived at 5:30 for the 6:45 flight. As we collected our luggage, we suddenly realized that Pete’s black computer bag was not among the suitcases. That computer was rather critical to the success of a trip that was mainly technical! Yet, there was simply no time to go back home and get it.

After a quick prayer, Pete ran to a pay phone [this was 1992 remember] to call my good friend down the street. Perhaps her husband would be willing to break into our home, grab the bag, and drive it to the airport. The telephone rang and rang… little did we know that this night, as they often did, they had turned off the ringer so they wouldn’t be disturbed in their sleep.

But God…

Having wakened early, my friend’s husband (not yet a believer) decided to pick up the phone for no apparent reason! He was quite surprised that there was somebody on the other end wanted to talk to him. The conversation was rather confused, going something like this:

Pete: Hello?
Friend: Hey! There’s somebody on the phone!
Pete: Well, yes, I just called you!
Friend: But the phone never rang!
Pete: Then why did you pick it up?
Friend: I don’t know… this is really weird!

In any case, he agreed to try to deliver the bag. Thank you!!!

The kids and I proceeded through security and on to our gate, while Pete waited on the curb. Time passed. The flight started boarding. More time passed. The three of us got on the plane, stowed our bags, and buckled our seatbelts.

The gate agent announced her final boarding call…

With literally seconds to spare, Pete came running up to the gate, down the ramp, and plunked into the seat next to me, computer in hand. Talk about relief!

And our friend’s non-believing husband had something interesting to think about, knowing that he had been used by God to redeem a potentially disastrous situation.

I love hearing stories about God at work in our lives. What’s yours?

Since I garden, I usually have plenty of zucchini to use and to share. As a result, I’m always searching for new recipes to put this profusion to good use. My standard zucchini recipe is to sauté it with caramelized onions and garlic, then top it all with Parmesan cheese. While that’s definitely delicious, a little variety helps keep everyone enthusiastic.

At the same time, we love to eat Mexican food. While rice and beans are great, most Mexican menus are very short in the veggie department. We all need to eat more veggies.

This recipe for sautéed corn and zucchini solves both problems. It uses up plenty of squash, and pairs beautifully with enchiladas and other Mexican main dishes.

Mexican Corn & Zucchini

3 Tbsp. olive oil
½ medium-sized onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 or 2 zucchini, quartered the long way, then cut into bite-sized pieces
2 C frozen corn
Salt & pepper
Taco sauce, Tabasco, cayenne, salsa, or some other source of heat, to taste
Chopped cilantro, optional

In a large heavy skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil until it softens and begins to brown. Add the pepper and zucchini and cook over fairly high heat, stirring and otherwise keeping it moving so it doesn’t burn, until almost done. Add the corn and continue stirring until everything is hot and starting to brown slightly.

Season the skillet contents with salt and pepper to taste, then carefully up the spiciness of the dish to meet your preferences. Sprinkle with cilantro right before serving. Serves two veggie lovers or four normal people.

The third chapter of Joshua relates the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River into the promised land. In order to get all those people across from one side to the other, God stopped the flow of water. Instead of rushing by in torrent, the river piled up into a wall far upstream while the tribes walked across on dry land.

While the Jordan miracle was perhaps not quite of the same magnitude as the parting of the Red Sea, it was still an extremely significant milestone in the history of Israel. Moses led the people out of slavery; here Joshua is leading them into the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Such an important event needed to be remembered, so God instructed Joshua to have twelve men, one from each tribe, collect twelve stones from the middle of the river bed (See chapter 4). They carried these stones to their camp and set them up as a memorial. Joshua 4:24 explains, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

Like the Israelites, we have short memories. We can fall on our faces to proclaim God’s glory one day, and manage to doubt Him the next. We too need memorials in our lives—tangible reminders of times when God demonstrated his power. Perhaps it was an answer to prayer, or provision in a time of need. Maybe He taught us an important lesson, or showed His love for us in a particularly convincing way.

We don’t need to have a rock pile in the backyard (although that might be a good idea). There are plenty of ways to remember what God has done on our behalf.

Because we are faith-supported missionaries (at least in part), Pete and I (semi-) regularly send out prayer letters. This morning I spent some time reading back over almost twenty years of stories about life’s challenges and God’s answers. Some events still stand out as major landmarks in our family history, while others have been mostly forgotten (and I forget more, the older I get!). The overwhelming impression, however, is one of God’s faithfulness. That puts our current trials into perspective.

Keeping some sort of record of God’s answers to our prayers is a faith-builder. When confronted with an obstacle, a need, or a scary situation, we can look back and remember how God has overcome, provided, or fought battles on our behalf. While He doesn’t always do what we think is best at the time, we can rest assured that he has our best interests at heart, and the situation is totally under His control.

In addition to the letters we send our supporters, I also keep a journal. Being private, it contains much more of the nitty-gritty of day to day life—my hopes and fears, times I trust and times of doubt, prayers and answers to prayers. I can go back and read where I was a month or a decade ago, and see where God has proven Himself trustworthy, over and over again. Therefore, I can trust Him now.

Both our letters and my journal are my memorial stones. What do you do to remember God’s faithfulness?