Friday Five from RevGalBlogPals

The Friday Five: Homage to the Top Chef!

posted by Revhrod

This Fall my family has been energetically watching Top Chef on the Bravo channel. My teenage daughter watches with the dream of some day being a chef. My husband watches because he loves reality shows and I mean, really loves them. Plus the whole competition thing really works for him. Me, I love cooking and good food. Every so often I get an idea from this group of talented young chefs who are competing for big money and honors galore.

The winner for this season was Hung. Not the fan favorite, but he won fair and square. In his bio, he says if he were a food "I would be spicy chili - it takes a while to get used to, but once you eat it you always come back for more!" With that in mind, here is this week’s Friday Five.

1. If you were a food, what would you be?

Devil's food cake with chocolate icing.
The SportsQueen said I'm a ribeye 'cause I'm tender.


2. What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where?

I was weeks pregnant when we came down the switchbacks from Nazareth. We stopped at a roadside place for falafels with chick peas. Morning sickness met motion sickness. You can imagine the rest. The word falafel still makes me nauseated.


3. What is your favorite comfort food from childhood?

Beef stroganoff made with strips of beef and lots of sour cream over egg noodles.


4. When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit?

A potato casserole made with cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream that is cooked in the crock pot. The only way anything makes it to a church potluck from this single preacher mom.


5. What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate?

Some Greek food in Athens that I still don't know what it was.

Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal?
That is completely context dependent but most of the time it is diet coke or tea. Mountain Dew used to be my drink of choice but now I'm in the diet drink crowd. Methotrexate means no alcohol for me but I used to like MangoPeach Margaritas.

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five

Friday Five: The B-I-B-L-E

Does everyone remember the old Sunday School song?

The B-I-B-L-E,
Oh, that's the book for me.
I take my stand on the Word of God,
The B-I-B-L-E.

I have been working on an expansive language version of the Psalms and the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office/Breviary. (For you non-liturgical gals and pals, that's a set of prayers for morning, noon, evening, etc., mostly consisting of Psalms and other biblical texts).

So I have been thinking a lot about the Bible recently, and how we encounter it as God's Word--or don't--in our lives, prayer, and ministry. (Great minds think somewhat alike this week, as yesterday's Ask The Matriarch post dealt with ways to help as many people in a community as possible engage with a scriptural text in preparation for Sunday worship).

So, in that spirit, I offer my first Friday Five. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's experience and reflection on these B-I-B-L-E questions:

1. What is your earliest memory of encountering a biblical text?

I think it probably was Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

2. What is your favorite biblical translation, and why? (You might have a few for different purposes).

I use NRSV all the time. I like NIV except for the places where male language is used "generically." I also like the NASB and The Message.

3. What is your favorite book of the Bible? Your favorite verse/passage?

My favorite is probably John because of the rich imagery. However, it drives me nuts when people choose to understand the literary devices in literal ways. Favorite verses/passages: Micah 6:8, Matthew 25, Gen 21:6.

4. Which book of the Bible do you consider, in Luther's famous words about James, to be "an epistle of straw?" Which verse(s) make you want to scream?

The books that are "questionable" Paul with all kinds of rules and restrictions that are probably culturally based. If new converts to Christianity do not have to become Jewish first, then the household shouldn't have to live by the culturally based household codes found in the writings of Greek philosophers in order live as a Christian household.

5. Inclusive language in biblical translation and liturgical proclamation: for, against, or neutral?

For inclusive language regarding humans without reservation. For language that is not limited to gender specific pronouns for God.

Bonus: Back to the Psalms--which one best speaks the prayer of your heart? More than once Psalm 139 has spoken to me in significant ways.

I got TAGGED! Fab Four Meme

Fab Four Meme

I've been tagged by Mid-Life Rookie This one is all about fours.

Four jobs I've held:
Post office "causal" (I got to met the mail truck at 4:00 am)
sales person for chain video store
teller
lifeguard for Christian camp on a lake

Four films I could watch over and over:
Secondhand Lions
The Bells of Saint Mary's
Any Indiana Jones movie
True Lies

Four TV shows I watch:
Damages
Battlestar Galatica
LOST
Heroes

Four places I've lived:
Harry Truman's hometown (not the birthplace)
Amelia Earhart's hometown (the birthplace)
Small town named for Liberator of Spanish South American
University town in middle of state off of I-70

Four favorite colors (added later)
Red
Orange
Kelly Green
Yellow

Four favorite foods:
steak
beef stroganoff
Ritzy chicken
devil's food cake with milk chocolate icing


Four websites I visit everyday: (or almost daily)
my.yahoo.com
revgalblogpals.blogspot.com
npr.org
Blackboard

Four places I would love to be right now:
(for me all of these imply people who are fun to be with)
On a cruise
In Ireland
with my sister (who could have a baby at any moment)
playing cards

Four names I love but would/could not use for my children:
Jake
Deborah
Susan
Billy