Expressing My Love for Indian Food

Indian food.
A lifetime love.

I was one of two blonde kids (my brother was other) who, at age 6 and 2, would go into a Chicago Indian restaurant and devour the tandoori chicken.  Our last time in the restaurant, the servers brought us a complimentary second platter.  Divine.

Whenever I make a visit to Columbia, Punjabi Dhaba is a necessary stop.
Best. Indian. Buffet. Ever.

I'm home for Thanksgiving.  We have an Indian friend, Pawan, eating with us.  He decided to grace us with a few Indian dishes.  Oh my heavenly day.  The spices in my mouth were like standing in a room full of rich colored, Indian scarves and rugs.  I commented that the food was heavenly.

I hope heaven and the new earth have Indian food.
The food is so close to perfection.

Augustine and Anne: Separated by Reality and Centuries

I've begun re-reading Augustine's Confessions.

I read part of them for a class my Freshman year of college (I was supposed to read them all).
Then, last year in Medieval Philosophy, I read most of them again (except for part of book XII and all of book XIII).

During in-class discussions my sight was broadened.  I began to see the bigger picture and themes of the book.  I'm thankful for that, because when reading something deep and new, it can be difficult for me to see the overlying themes.

Thanks to Augustine, I realized my whole life I had unconsciously assumed Heaven was eternal (I know, I know, the old Heaven and Earth will pass away).  But, by reading Augustine I realized, Heaven, as does everything else, exists because God sustains it.

I was flipping through the pages the other night and an excerpt underlined in blue ink jumped out to me.  It said,

"For though they cling together, no friends are true friends unless you, my God, bind them fast to one another through that love which is sown in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us." (Book IV, section iv)

While reading it a particular friendship came to mind, but after pondering it a while longer, many friendships came to mind.  Anne Shirley would call them a kindred spirit.  I have different levels of friendships with people.  However, I am truly thankful for a handful of friendships that will continue (I hope and pray) despite distance, time, age, decisions, spouses, children, etc.

In the Waiting, In the Pain

"What a day this will be when we all are set free from our world of sin and pain..."

Those are words from a gospel song a local group used to sing.
This day, tonight, they are encouragement.  One day the freedom we have in Christ will be experienced fully in the form of a new Heaven and a new Earth, and we who believe will have new bodies.

Dear Dear Practically-Family-Friends have experienced great loss this week.
I play this for them, for me, for all who are experiencing sorrow, hurt, or anything other than joy.