Hey all,
I know it's a bit early for Christmas articles, but that's part of the fun of the writing/publishing world! Please come and visit my recently published articles because they are new and a bit lonely!!!!! Just click on the pretty links below. Thanks for reading-Enjoy!
2d/Antonia
Recently I had the opportunity to attend Gilgal Gospel Mission's (GGM) annual banquet held at ParkviewCommunityChurch in Glen Ellyn. My husband Bill has been the go-to guy for the set up of this yearly event for a few years now, and this year it was impressed upon us that our presence would be greatly appreciated.
It was a night of wonderful Indian food, great conversation, and a sincere message given by Christobel Russeliah, who founded Gilgal Gospel Mission, or GGM, with her late husband Rev. Dr. Chelliah Russeliah. After her husband passed on in May of this year after a long battle with illness, Christobel decided to continue the mission they set out on together 35 years ago-to reach the untouchables, or Dalits, of India, to teach them about Jesus and bring them hope.You can check out her website at the link below to learn more.
She is steadfast in her journey to reach and love the unloved ones of India-and unwavering in her faith. She is admirable no matter what your faith happens to be-simply because she is a kind, generous and loving person. In my opinion, Christobel is one of those truly honestly good people that you don't run into every day. She is a missionary, mama, and grandma also. Please allow me to introduce my sweet friend who lives her life to serve the young, despised, and poor of her homeland.
When Christobel was a small girl, she had an unusual upbringing. Born into a nice middle class family, she was given a good education and a loving home. Sounds pretty normal, but further details explain my observation. She was encouraged as a child to speak directly to her father, and to be outspoken and bold. In the Tamil state where she grew up, this was not common. There, the cultural norm for women was very rigid and defined-the roles females play seem limiting and hard to break free from to my American-girl mind. According to Christobel, globally, women coming up in leadership is not easy- but coming up in leadership at all as a woman in South Indian tradition is very hard.
Somehow, she did it. If you ask her how she grew to become an influential leader in the mission field, she'll simply say it was God's will.
As a new bride at the age of 21, she joined her husband in his daily duties as an Anglican pastor in a large church. Rev. Dr. Chelliah was just 25 at the time of their marriage, but already he had planted a handful of churches starting at the tender age of 16. Daily compulsory house calls were expected of the young pastor, and by 6:30 they would go out to visit the flock. Their Anglican church was large, and every person who attended was of upper-caste, well educated, and spoke English.
Chelliah and Christobel had a bigger goal they were working towards, though-reaching the unreached ones. And by unreached, I mean untouched-literally. The untouchables, or Dalits, were largely ignored-the young couple knew this, and saw a clear vision of the work before them. They knew in their hearts that God was leading them to preach the gospel to the Dalits, and many others residing in remote villages of the southern states of India.
Christobel may have started as a young housewife, but with the encouragement of her husband, she soon ventured out to far flung villages to tell them about God. During our visit, she recalled the many times she'd have to calmly walk past military bases in order to find the remote Hindu villages, often visiting and talking with many folks who lived in one room huts that had stood since the land was colonized by the British. She told me that yes, she was a bit nervous walking past the military men, but she stood firm in her mission to show compassion to the unloved ones of her land.
Why she does what she does:
Christobel has an unshakable faith in God. She truly thrives in her work. She believes it is the goal and purpose in her life-that's why she was created. Whether she is praying with a person who has not been acknowledged by another in years, helping a child in the orphanage she runs, or spreading words of hope, she is in her element. She is her work, and the work is her.
I asked her if her gender plays a role in the difficulty of her profession and interest. To this she looked at me with her strong, yet warm brown eyes, and told me something I'll not soon forget. She said:
"Women can do anything if their desire is right."
For a lady who was brought up in a very traditional community, that kind of thinking is very forward.
Of course that led to my next question, what she hopes to contribute to the next generation of women?
Her answers were simple, direct, and powerful.
Be courageous.
Keep God in the center of your life.
In every single direction, fulfill God's calling in your life.
Be sincere, honest, genuine, and pure of heart before the sight of God.
Go with what you have, like Gideon.
Who? I thought to myself. As a Sunday school teacher, I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'd only learnt about Gideon by a Veggie Tales movie. (GAH! That hurt to write.But, I have to be honest.)
That and, aren’t Gideons a bunch of old guys who distribute those little vinyl-covered Bibles in hotel rooms? Wanting to honor my friend, I sat down, did some reading and research, and found out about him. Turns out, Gideon sort of reminds me of me.
Gideon was a man who initially lacked self-confidence, but was taught by God to believe in himself and to do God's will. His full story can be found in the Book of Judges in the old testament of the Bible. Gideon is given the seemingly impossible task to conquer a large army who had crossed the Jordan river to battle him and his people. (This is after he had crushed the false idols that the people worshiped.) Gideon was told to win the battle, and free the Israelites. Gideon had a large body of warriors to help him out, but God told him he had too many men backing him up, and instructed Gideon to dismiss the men who were afraid. In verse 3, chapter 7 Judges, I read "And there returned of the people 22,000, and there remained 10,000."
Okay, so Gideon's forces were cut in half. Victory could still be his. If God told me to have a battle royale, I'd be okay with 10,000 people backing me up.
Then, God told him to bring all the men to the water, and perform a little test. Gideon was to bring the men to the water for a little drink, and those who lapped up the water like dogs, face first into the water, were to be sent home. Only three hundred guys brought the water to their mouths with their hands. I can imagine Gideon's mental response to the other 9700 dudes who lapped it up like thirsty dogs. "Jerks! Use your hands!"
Kinda makes me think of guys drinking milk straight from the carton, but I digress.
Anyways, with his now limited resources, Gideon was able to free the Israelites with only three hundred men.
My point in bringing up this story is not to proselytize; I think you all know me better than that. My point is, in her own way, Christobel is trying to say, don't give up, even when the odds seem stacked against you, even when you feel ill-equipped to do your task at hand.
Whether your task is changing one more diaper, untangling one more wet knotty shoelace, or searching for one more way to help your child learn to spell.
Persevere when you need to complete your "impossible" tasks-like washing those five loads of laundry before company comes over, budgeting so you can make the enormous bill that's due by Friday, or sorting out your feelings regarding a sticky family situation that's ultimately going to hurt somehow.
Stand firm in your spot, should you need to decide how much to keep back, which parts to share, what amount to give in abundance, how many to store for that rainy day.
Set your sights solid on how to defend, when to intervene, or how to help the ones you love reach that elusive compromise.
Be encouraged to do what your heart knows is right, resist waffling to conform to popular opinion, and remember that bit about reaping what you are sowing.
Don't waver in your belief in your gifts, your abilities, or your endurance. You can do it, keep on truckin', don't give up, never say quit.
Continue your good fight, remember your purpose, become the path.
Because when our desires are right, we as women can, and have, done just about anything. We've been at it for centuries, and we shouldn't stop now. We can't!
I have been honored to speak with Christobel, a woman who has lived those words I just typed up there. She has unapologetically stood for what she believes in, and offered hope and comfort to a people who might not have been reached if not for her compassionate spirit. No matter what your spiritual beliefs are, I hope you have enjoyed reading about this special, strong lady. I hope she inspires you to do your best, and to stay strong in your own daily battles. I sure enjoyed writing about her. She is an example of love and kindness to me, and I'm glad to know her.
Of course, we have one last question-What is your favorite food?
Christobel related to me that when she was younger, she had a very healthy appetite. Now, not so much. In fact, since I first met her two years or so ago, during the occasional times we've seen each other, I have never seen her eat!
She is content to eat just a little, since she feels so fulfilled by her work. But, she does enjoy a dish of India called Biryani, which is rice cooked with veggies, and chicken or lamb, with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, cloves, and many other varieties, depending on the recipe's region of origin.
Of course, you may enjoy Christobel's favorite American dish, too-veggie pizza.
Veggie Pizza ala Me!
Sometimes we make varying types of this meal at my house when we are busy but still want home-cooked food.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut a large French bread loaf in half, as if making a sub sandwich. Lay the long halves side by side on a baking or cookie pan, and trim if needed to fit in your oven.
On the loaf halves, spoon pureed or crushed tomatoes on for sauce, straight from the can. Add some spices like basil, oregano, and marjoram. Do sprinkle on some sea salt, if you wish. Try some hot peppers if you are feeling adventurous. Next layer on some sliced or diced veggies-you may want to try green pepper, onion, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli and black olives. You can even buy most of these veggies pre-chopped in the frozen aisle-just remember to thaw them first if you go this route, to ensure proper baking times.
Then add some shredded mozzarella or sliced provolone, and pop in the oven for about 10 minutes, then check the cheese-if it's melted and golden at the edges, you're all done. Or, if you like your veggies cooked a bit longer, try leaving the cheese off while baking the pizza for the first 10 minutes-then take the pizza out of the oven, add some cheese to the loaves, and place them back in for about five more minutes. Voila! Veggie pizza with a minimum of fuss.
Sorry about the movie reference-since I'm a Libra, and this is a picture of a nacho that I made, I thought...oh never mind.
Ahem.
Anyhow, here's how to make a delicious plate of nachos from the ground up.
refried beans-2 cans of kidney beans, good dash of paprika and cumin powder-if you wanna be a purist here, I suppose you could soak your beans of choice overnite and smoosh them the next day, but I use the canned ones. Just plop them, drained, into a food processor and make a bean smoothie...then pour into a pan that will hold them, add the spices, and simmer on a very low flame until warmed through.
meat-if you don't like meat, please skip this part. Otherwise, brown 1 pound ground meat of your choice, (I used lamb here) and spread it out on your skillet, to evenly brown the meat until no pink remains. Then add as much cumin as you like, (I put about 2 tablespoons in there) and paprika to taste, a dash of sea salt, a few sliced cloves of garlic, and when the meat is no longer pink inside, you're good to go.
guacamole-3 ripe avocados, good sized bunch of cilantro, juice of 2 limes, good pinch of sea salt, 4 peeled garlic cloves. Slice avocado in half, discard seed (unless your kid has a need for a show and tell item-see the bottom of this recipe) scoop out the flesh, and puree one at a time in the food processor. Then while it's running and you have the cover still secured in place, add the juice of two limes, then one after the other, the remaining avocado flesh. Then, while still running, add the cilantro leaves, the pinch of sea salt, and the garlic cloves. There! Flavorful without being overpowering. Spice it up with a bit of Jalepeno if you must.
salsa- combine in a bowl the following ingredients: 5 chopped roma tomatoes, finely chopped onion to tase, good bunch of cilantro leaves, a dash of olive oil, sea salt, chopped jalepeno (if you want it spicy, leave the seeds/core in, if not, remove them first. And wash your hands right after you are done handling the Jalepeno because you run the risk of rubbing your eye or nose and that stings. Ask me how I know.) Stir it up and put a cover on the bowl, let it sit in the fridge a while. It will get a bit loose and watery, but that's okay-that is the consistency you want-just stir it again before serving.
You may also want to include shredded cheese and sour cream. I'm still working on a recipe for sour cream, and I haven't figured out how to make anythign but cream cheese, so when I figure out how to make hard cheese that's shreddable, I'll certainly post about it.
Then assemble your lovely ingredients, pile the toppings over your favorite brand of tortilla chip, and enjoy!
And now, for the avocado incident...
Actually it was an avocado seed incident. When I was in second grade, our wonderful teacher, Mrs. Rowe, decided we should have show-n-tell each week. I decided to bring an avocado seed for some reason. Probably because my mom was on an avocado kick, and as soon as I spotted that thing, I thought, "Wow! That's the biggest seed in the universe! I gotta bring it to class!" or something.
So, the big day arrives, all is well, I show the seed, get the appropriate number of oohs and aahhs and that is that.
Back to the daily grind.
Back to math, cursive writing workbooks, learning about Thanksgiving. Yum! cornbread. (already a little foodie.)
Caught the flu, one week out.
Back in school, Christmas pageant, paper chains, construction paper stocking, what are you getting for Christmas? Yay! Chistmas break! Thank you Jesus for being born during the month of December! Counting down the days, hot chocolate, getting frostbite while ice skating, I hope Auntie Mae doesn't serve that awful pudding that's not really a pudding at dinner this year then all of a sudden it's January 1979 and we have to go back to school.
And clean out our desks.
And there it is, waaaaaay in the back of my desk, behind the papers, the forgotten crayons, and the little pencil box.
The avocado pit. Of despair.
I must say, I got better reviews the second time when I unearthed the decrepit thing once the garbage can made it's way past my desk. Got way more oooohs and aaaahs that time. It still stank, though.
So, I learned my lesson, and throw them away RIGHT AWAY now that I'm all grown up.
No more petri dishes in my desk drawers, nu-uh.
Gotta love the experiences of childhood. They teach us so much.
I love the smell of avocado in January, it smells like.......history.
We had a stay-in-your-jammies kinda day yesterday. It just seemed right. After helping Olivia edit her science experiment report, I made us a snack, and O got dressed to go outside and explore. About fifteen minutes later, I was invited to come out and 'help'.
I'm glad I did! O had decided to build a little lean-to, using fallen branches and leaves from our now overgrown backyard. Toward the end of summer, it gets really hairy back there, with vines on the fence, the veggie garden all pooped out, and my champion Yucca plant just ready to shed more fibers and 'hairs' than the cat. (More on that later.)
So, we dug three little postholes for the main branches, secured them in the ground, and began to weave. The result was the picture above-just enough room for one girl to escape the first raindrops of the afternoon that began to fall as we finished our project. I like the fact that the happy little tire swing is within easy reach. Makes it seem more homey, somehow. Below is a picture of the backside.
I remember building little things like this when I was a kid, and I'm so glad O enjoys that kind of activity too. For more ideas, I think we may have to re-read one of my favorite books of all-time, Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties, The classic guide to building wilderness shelters, by D. C. Beard. I discovered this little book years ago before I became a mama. It is chock-full of descriptions, illustrations, and stories about outdoor architecture. A very good read, and quite useful as a primer for your budding outdoor architect.
Two new features for your reading pleasure...first, check out the poll on the right. Since I love talking about, writing about, and eating food, I thought it would be cool to see what kinds of food you like. This time you'd be voting on desserts. The dessert with the most votes will be featured in a new recipe on my blog.
Also, I've just started to build a pantry in here-it's a little cupboard filled with goodies for you to explore-check it out, and let me know if you reccomend any useful sites. If I like 'em, I'll put them in the pantry. Thanks again for reading and have fun! Antonia
Welcome to my new weekly feature-Magnificent Mama Mondays, where each week you will get to read about a different woman who has impacted her family, community and world.
In this day and age of mixed messages targeted at girls, I thought it would be cool to do a regular feature on my blog-a series of interviews of some strong, successful women I know. I greatly admire those with the entrepreneurial spirit, and will be highlighting ladies who not only have a strong sense of self esteem, but a great work ethic and abundance of creativity.
So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce Dawn Wilczek, a website designer. I have known Dawn for several years-in fact, we went to grammar school together. She is a sweet lady who has a big heart, a level of understanding of computers that amazes me, and she's also a wife and mama.
Introducing…
Dawn Wilczek
Antonia: How did you get your start?
Dawn: I started in a position at a company as a Sr. Internet Assistant and had no idea what I was doing. My boss, Pam Richmond, taught me everything. She was super patient and understanding. I have always been a natural with computers and understanding how they and software work so teaching me wasn't too difficult - or so I assume. Once I got the basics down I decided to start making money outside of work doing what I was learning at work.
My first site was very simple and elementary but it was the gateway to more business. I had to do a few of the first ones for free just to get started and to add clients to my list. Once that happened it was mostly friends of friends and word of mouth that helped me get more clients. If it wasn't for Pam I wouldn't be where I am today.
A: Why do you do what you do?
D: I absolutely love being creative with my natural computer talent and even more so, I love the tedious work of typing in html code and implementing my design into that code. My mother told me, "Always do the work that nobody else wants to do and you'll always have a job." Which would be the tedious work that I've grown to enjoy immensely. Typing in the code and getting the site design to work with the code takes a lot of concentration and I view it as a meditative-like feeling - it calms me and makes me concentrate.
I also like to be able to help out small businesses who really don't have a large budget for a website. I charge considerably less than most other web designers. I always try to go above and beyond the expectations of my clients because I enjoy their appreciation. Most all of my clients have become very good friends of mine and I will do anything for a friend.
A: Does your gender play a role in the difficulty of your profession/interest?
D: I don't think my gender does anything for me except for giving me the compassion and care that women naturally give to their friends and people in general. We're a very caring gender and by being like that it helps my clients feel comfortable with me and know I'll do my best to make them happy.
This just isn't a job, its a hobby and a way to give to others who need the help. I have used the payments from my clients to send in charity donations to St. Jude and the Humane Society. Very important to give back.
A: What do you hope to contribute to the next generation of women?
D: I'm not sure what the next generation would benefit from me, but I would like my daughter to learn how to be a giving, imaginative and friendly person from me and what I do. I would like her to take any of her natural talents and use them to create a warm happiness inside her.
Everyone has a natural talent, its just that some don't know what it is. I didn't know that I would enjoy what I do before I started learning it. So I think its important for anyone who is struggling to find their happiness in what they do then try everything - you'll find something that makes you feel happy, accomplished and whole.
A: What is your favorite food?
D: My favorite food? Pastries. Any kind of pastries - baklava, chocolate cake, eclairs, etc. Hey, wait, those always makes me feel happy and warm inside too. Better to design websites than eating pastries all day I guess.
Hmmm....a girl after my own heart-I like pastries and using my natural talents too! Speaking of which, here's a little recipe that I got from my Nana Eleanor (she just turned 89 in September!!!) that might fit the bill for a pastry craving...
Kolacky Cookies for my friend Dawn
1 large package cream cheese
1/2 lb. butter
1 1/2 cups flour
mix all ingredients thoroughly, and let stand in refrigerator overnight. Roll dough to about 1/2 inch thickness, use a small glass to cut out circular cookies, press your thumb in the center of each to make a little well, and fill with fruit preserves. Bake in a 350 degree farenheit oven for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges.
Thanks Dawn, for taking time out of your busy schedule so we can get to know you. It's always been a little secret dream of mine to highlight local people in this way-so many celebrities get all the fanfare for their goofy and often embarrassing escapades-in my opinion, it's time we took the focus off them and instead set the spotlight on real-life heroines. I'd rather read about people who define success by their own terms, instead of those that rely on becoming famous because of manufactured insta-success. The real, honest stars of everyday life, the ones who shine in their efforts, attitudes, causes and work. Dawn is one of them.
It never ceases to amaze me how true the statement of "Plus ca change, plus cest la meme chose" rings true. (For all you non-Frenchies, that's loosely translated in English to "The more things change, the more they stay the same") I'm sure my darling sister the French major will correct my spelling and horrific grammar on that one.
Today is my 37th birthday. And while a lot of things have changed, some concrete things have stayed the same. My body is more relaxed, my back aches more, and I have a fine crop of grays showing near my scalp since I decided not to color about six months back. I'm cultivating them like wheat.
But, while my outsides have changed dramatically from, say, twenty years ago, some things have not changed at all. Like the need to wear glasses, my hairy toes, (sorry! Hobbit foot alert!) and my inability to grow a fine set of fingernails.
Similarly, my mind has changed, and not changed as well. Twenty years ago I did not have the same set of beliefs I do now, but I still rallied passionately for what I believed in at the time. The focus has not changed, but what I have my focus set on has. I'm still sharply set on going toward what I think is right, but my definition of 'right' has changed.
One thing that has been constant through all my life, and that's my family. They are and always will be funny, strong, intelligent, at times extremely goofy, some of them have died, some have just come into the world, and I love them all. Times may have changed, but they are always there.
My lovely sister called me today to sing "Happy Birthday" to me over the phone, just as she always has done ever since she moved out of the house when she was twenty. She's 45 now, and still singing. If I ever have to endure a birthday without that sweet ritual, it will certainly undo me. I look forward to it every year! It's not that she's the best singer that early in the morning, either. (Sorry Ria!) It's the fact that she cares enough to do it, year after year, helping me start my special day with a tone of love and acceptance. I hope that part of my life never changes.
So, this is what 37 looks like...somewhat stretched out, grayed, a bit beat up around the edges, rough-hewn yet becoming smoother everyday by the force of life's unrelenting insistence to sand me down through experience and interaction.
I love it.
P.S. Happy Birthday to David Lee Roth, also a 10/10 birthday kid. Betcha didn't know that little factoid, huh? What famous person shares your birthday?? Leave a comment and let's see who we come up with.
I have finally finished my first ever hand-knitted sock!! Olivia was so happy to have it sized to her foot. Turning the heel was not as difficult as I thought it would be, and the whole process went rather quickly once I got a rythym going. This project heralded two firsts for me-this was the first time I used five needles, and they were made of bamboo, to boot.
A very cool, portable new hobby that will see me through the winter, I'm sure. The whole thing took me about two weeks from start to finish, and I'm sure my time will decrease since this first one was a learning process.
Now I just have to get the second one done, and she'll have a complete set.
