A Musician’s Best Friend

Posted on April 21, 2014 by admin

A few weeks ago a friend of mine sent me an article to look over that discussed a specific problem for single missionaries. I am in the middle of preparing a blog post about it so today I am presenting a tool I use in my ministry here in Portugal.

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That tool is a handy little program called Noteworthy Composer. https://www.noteworthysoftware.com/

This program was the best $40. I ever spent for a program. I have used this program many times in my work. I has allowed me to make background music for singing, write original music, rewrite music with Portuguese lyrics, and make medleys for special music. In short, it has been very useful over the years.

The program allows you to write sheet music with ease. It is not a difficult program to use or learn and can be of great benefit to anyone who is a musician. Especially if they also compose music. On top of writing sheet music, you can insert lyrics in English or another language. This has helped me create music for which I only have an English source but to use Portuguese lyrics.

The file when created can be saved as a MIDI file and then played through a MIDI instrument. From there it can be played back into the computer and recorded as an mp3 or other audio file. (You should see my piano when I am doing this. It looks like it sprouted wires overnight.) The music may be a bit canned but that can be compensated for a bit with the composition.

I understand that not everyone out there will find this program useful but if you are a musician it can be your best friend. What are tools that you have found useful in your ministry?

Planning a Menu for One or Two

Posted on April 7, 2014 by admin

Menu planning has long been held as one way to be frugal with your dollars and eat healthy. Just a quick search on the internet will bring you dozens of ideas and tips to utilize this tool. However, most of the menu planners are geared toward families. What happens when you are a family of one or you suddenly have an empty nest with only you and your spouse? Many women experience this when their children have all left the house and now, instead of cooking for x number of people, they are cooking for two. Does this mean we, the few, cannot use this tool to frugality? No. It does mean we will have to adapt the practice though.

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Tips to Menu Planning for One or Two People

Used to making a meal for a large family? One way to utilize this habit is to make meals in bulk and freeze them for later. Many meals can be frozen and then heated later for a meal. A little research on the internet can net you thousands of recipes that can be made ahead then frozen. My favorite is lasagna. I can make a large pan of lasagna, cut it up into pieces and freeze the pieces separately. Later when I need a meal, I take it out pop it in the microwave and a few minutes later I have a hot meal.

Many people do not like to eat the same foods two days in a row. This is why menu planning for a single person is so complicated when most recipes make at least 4 servings of food. What can a single person do to mitigate the waste? Again freezing is an option. Making two such meals and alternating days in which they are eaten is another option. Sharing cooking duties with a single friend is another option (with this option you cut expenses and the cooking time).

If I am like most single people, the one thing that bugs me the most about menu planning is fresh fruits and veggies. I find myself many times throwing out rotten fruit and vegetables because I could not consume them before they went bad. This is where a freezer can also come into play. If you live in a country where frozen vegetables are available, use them. If you do not, this idea may take a bit more work, but will be so worth it in the end. Freeze your own vegetables and fruit. A little research in cookbooks or on the internet can provide you with ways in which you can preserve your own frozen fruits and vegetables. (They end up being healthier in the long run because you know what is being put into your freezer.) The only exception to this is lettuce. I have yet to find a practical way in which I can preserve lettuce for salads. When I do I will be sure to post about it.

Menu planning for singles requires thinking outside the box. With a little imagination and planning, a single person or a couple can use this handy tip.

Tools that are Handy for Making Meal Planning for One or Two a Success

The first tool I have already mentioned, a freezer. This does not have to be a large freezer, but a freezer is a very helpful tool to have when planning meals for one or two people. While many people know that a freezer is useful for a large family, many do not realize its usefulness for single people. As I mentioned earlier, a large meal can be prepared then frozen into smaller portions for later consumption. I use this tool all the time for my own meal planning. Lasagna, soup, muffins, pancakes, waffles, baked goods, fruit, some veggies, meat in individual portions, and much more can be stored in the freezer. Just be aware that some items only last a few months in the freezer while others last almost a year.

The second tool that has made menu planning easier for me, has been my microwave. I can make meals ahead and pop them in the microwave when I need them. This useful tool is used mostly in conjunction with my freezer. (One thing I do not put in the microwave though is bread. It will dry out and be hard as a rock if you do. Just a friendly warning.) What if I do not have a microwave or they are not available where I live? Most things can be heated on the stove or in the oven. How do you think your ancestors heated food? A microwave just makes it easier.

The third tool I find useful is a small crock pot. When I first came to the field, I had a crock pot that my mother had left me. It was huge. Way too large for a single person. I was able to obtain a small crock pot from England and I have used that tool almost every week since I received it. It cuts my cooking time by cooking while I am busy doing other things. I can make a meal for just myself or for more with just that one tool. In fact, it makes the chicken pot pie filling much easier to make.

I hope these tips have been helpful to you as you plan your meals. Please, let me know if you have any other tips that have proven useful over the years. Maybe you have found a way to keep lettuce longer!

Tips and Tools for Ministry

Posted on March 31, 2014 by admin

With this series of blog posts I want to share some of the computer programs and ministry helps I have found useful. My ministry centers around three things, children and teens, music and translation. While your ministry may not center on the same three things, some of the programs and helps I have found useful may be useful to you.

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The program I would like to talk about today is Corel Draw. Many times missionaries do not have access to the types of materials they need. Sunday school materials, games, bulletins, Christian artwork, book markers, illustrations, booklets, pamphlets, and other such items are either too expensive or not found in the language of your people. I know that when my parents first started out on the mission field in Portugal, there was little available in Portuguese. Thankfully more and more is available from Brazil, but even so getting into Portugal or Mozambique can be cost prohibitive.

This is where a program like Corel Draw can come into play. The initial investment can be a bit steep, usually costing from $100 to $200, but the benefits more than pay for the program. It enables you to make all of those items for the cost of your time and the ink and paper to print them. Just in the 6 years I have been on the field, I have used this program to make book markers, bulletins, booklets, games for junior church, memory verses, backgrounds for power point, and much more. It is a versatile program with a thousand and one uses. It can also save you a lot of money spent on materials or postage to get those materials.

In a first world country like Portugal or the United States, getting items printed involves going to a local print place and telling them how many copies you need. However, in a developing country or a third world country such luxuries are not available. So if you are going to use a program like Corel Draw, you will also need a printer and maybe even an ink supply. This can seem like an enormous investment of money and time, but the rewards are worth it. Using materials you have created can bring another to salvation. After all, that is our purpose. The program and printer can be tools in the Master’s hand.

One thing I would advise if you are going to use a program such as Corel Draw. If possible, take a course on using the functions or buy a book for ‘Dummies.’ The more you know about your program the more you can use said program and the better your product will be.

What are some of the tools or programs you have found invaluable on the field? Let me know and I will include them here on this series.

Singleness

Posted on March 24, 2014 by admin

In the beginning of May, our church will be hosting a youth conference. Our theme is on Christian Dating. (I understand the debate between dating and courtship. However, in Portuguese there is really only one word and it translates into dating but can mean courting as well.) We asked the special speakers to speak about the problems facing Christian teens today in this important area. Why am I talking about dating on a singles blog? Because this is also part of the challenge that faces us as Christian singles in ministry.

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I cannot count the number of times that I have been asked why I am not married. Or the number of times I have been told, ‘I know a nice man you need to meet.’ Only to hear the answer, ‘No’ when I ask if this man is involved in world missions. Should I stop following God’s will for my life just to get married? NO! Being single in a couples oriented society is not easy. (I am not talking about society at large but the society of the church.)

For most Christians, God has been preparing for the other. However, it is not always in the will of God for some Christians to marry. Some He has given a different task. ‘Go through life single and serving Me with all that you have. I am enough for you.’

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

I know Paul is specifically talking about his thorn in the flesh, but being single is not the easiest task in the world. (Just like being married requires work.) If God has asked you to be single for Him, He will equip you with the grace to get through it. Just like He did with Paul. All we need to do is ask.

The temptations to stray abound for singles as well as for married couples. Just like a husband and wife need to keep themselves for each other, a single person must keep themselves as well. Why? Because our relationship with Christ demands that we keep ourselves unspotted from the world. We have the same restrictions placed on us that are placed on married couples. Paul said it best when he said:

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4

Many people in this world may mock you for your choice to remain single and serve God. I am sorry to say, even some Christians will mock you. However, I do know that God will bless you if you choose to follow Him and do His will. He asks us for everything of ourselves, but when we give everything, He gives back everything of Himself. That is a lot of blessing for one lifetime.

Will staying single and serving God be easy? Of course not. Being married isn’t a bed of roses either. If you were to ask couples who have been together for several years, I bet the one thing they will say kept them together was hard work. But being married and out of the will of God is a worse road to follow. On the flip side, if God does have that special one for you and you walk away from that to be single, you are just as much out of the will of God as a single who should stay single and doesn’t.

What is your take on singleness? Please leave a comment and let me know.

Serving Up Food Cravings

Posted on March 17, 2014 by admin

When you live in a country not your own, you tend to miss certain things about your home country. Of course, this works in reverse as well. When you are in your home country, you miss things about the country in which you serve.

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The last couple of weeks, I have been missing Greek food. In particular, gyros. So what do you do when you crave a certain food item and you can’t just go out and buy it? You start searching recipes sites for recipes to make what you are craving.

Since I was craving Greek, I will be sharing some of the recipes I found for Greek food. These are only the ones I have tried with any variations I used.

Tzatziki Sauce – recipe from Allrecipes.com – link http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cucumber-gyro-sauce/detail.aspx

The only thing I changed on this recipe was to add a pinch of salt. Without it the sauce is a bit bland even with the garlic.

Souvlaki Chicken – recipe from Allrecipes.com – link http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-souvlaki-gyro-style/detail.aspx

This recipe requires balsamic vinaigrette. This is not something that is available in my country but I can get balsamic vinegar. So I made my own vinaigrette and continued with the recipe. I have to say it is one of the best things I have put in my mouth. (No brag just factJ)

Pita Bread – recipe from Allrecipes.com – link http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chef-johns-pita-bread/detail.aspx

This is a yummy addition to my cooking lineup. I did notice that the thinner you roll the bread the better it worked.

The one spice I cannot get here, I brought with me from the States. That spice is dill weed. All the other ingredients I was able to find here or find an acceptable substitute.

The best thing is I got the craving out of my system and found some new recipes to add to my cooking repertoire.

What are some of the foods you miss? Let me know!

Submission: What is my responsibility as a Single?

Posted on March 10, 2014 by admin

First, I apologize for not posting last week. I was at our winter retreat with our teen group. It is kind of hard to post from the back of beyond.

Now, on to the topic for today. Submission. I know. It is a dirty word to some, but it is important to our lives as Christians. A couple of weeks ago, my coworker preached on this subject. He was talking about the relationships between family members such as husband and wife, parents to children. I got to thinking about my specific situation. I do not live with my parents and I am not married. Does this concept apply to me? Even without delving into my particular situation, my coworker answered my question for me. You see, the passage he was speaking from in Ephesians 5 says first that we are to submit ourselves one to another. Even though I do not have a husband or children, submission should still play a part in my life.

The latter part of Ephesians 5 talks specifically about the family dynamics. Where do we fit within the family structure? Husband is the head of the house, wife is second ‘in command,’ then come children. However, the marital relationship is likened to Christ and His Bride, the Church. Even though I am not married and for all intents and purposes am the head of my home, I still have a relationship with Christ. Submission enters my life with my relationship to Him. He should be the head of my home, just as He should be the head of every Christian home.

Submission also comes into play with verse 21 of chapter 5.

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

I may not have a husband to submit to, but I should be submitting ‘one to another.’ In the life of a single missionary this includes, your home/sending church, your coworker (especially if you are a woman), the authority of your mission agency (if you use one), and the government of the country you live in (see Acts 4:19-20 for civil disobedience). I am sure I have not mentioned all the instances where submission is required, but you get the idea.

Before I go any further, I would like to define the word submission. You know me, word lover. This is the definition taken from Webster’s 1828 dictionary.

SUBMIS”SION, n. [L. submissio, from submitto.]

1. The act of submitting; the act of yielding to power or authority; surrender of the person and power to the control or government of another.

Submission, dauphin! ‘‘Tis a mere French word;

We English warriors wot not what it means.

2. Acknowledgment of inferiority or dependence; humble or suppliant behavior.

In all submission and humility,

York doth present himself unto your highness.

3. Acknowledgment of a fault; confession or error.

Be not as extreme in submission, as in offense.

4. Obedience; compliance with the commands or laws of a superior. Submission of children to their parents is an indispensable duty.

5. Resignation; a yielding of one’s will to the will or appointment of a superior without murmuring. Entire and cheerful submission to the will of God is a Christian duty of prime excellence.

Submitting is an action. It requires strength to perform. Those who think submission a weakness have it all wrong. For a strong person to submit to anyone else requires an act of will.

Sometimes submission means giving up something you love or want. I am specifically thinking of when Paul said not to use our liberty to cause a brother to sin. It could also be applied to a single person giving up marriage to follow the will of God. God is the only one who can tell the future. Because of this, we should submit ourselves to His leading.

To sum up, a Single person does have a responsibility to submit.

To Christ
To one another in the fear of God
To earthly authority that does not conflict with Biblical authority

Submission should not be a dirty word in our lives. It should rather be an act of worship to God and of love to our fellow men. It requires us to be strong emotionally and spiritually.

I have been preaching to myself again, but I hope you are blessed from my thoughts on submission. What do you think about this subject? Please let me know.

Safety in a Dangerous World

Posted on February 24, 2014 by admin

This blog post is for a friend who is going through a crisis right now.

Safety, is it possible to be safe as a single in the dangerous world in which we live? I think it is. Here are some practical tips I have heard over the years.

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Be Aware

One of the first things they teach you in self-defense class, be aware of your surroundings. You can prevent a lot of problems safety wise by just being aware of who and what is around you. Being aware means you note the people and objects around you. Does something stand out as out of place or wrong? Might want to avoid or run from whatever it is.

Trust Your Instincts

God gave you those instincts for a reason. Use them wisely! Something does not look or feel right? It might be better to run than to hang around and find out what is wrong. I have heard many times that a woman’s instincts were telling her something was wrong and she ignored them to her sorrow.

Do Not Travel at Night

Especially for a single woman, traveling at night can be dangerous. This piece of advice was given to me by another single missionary who has been traveling alone for years. Stop before the sun goes down. Make hotel or accommodation arrangements ahead of time. Get gas before stopping for the night. That way if you travel early in the morning you will not have to fill up in the dark.

Your Safety is in God’s Hands

A few years ago, I found this verse in Proverbs.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. Proverbs 21:31

To me this verse says, Do all you can to keep yourself safe, but God is the only one that can keep you truly safe. Whether traveling in the States or overseas, God sees all and knows what situations you will face. If you are in His will, the only things that can harm you are the things He allows. Yes, this may mean facing trials like Job faced, but God is in control and He will give you what you need to come through the trial.

If you are going through a tough situation safety wise, remember that you are not alone. God walks right beside you. You must trust that what He allows is for your good and that He will be glorified through you if you only remain faithful to Him.

If you have any safety tips to share, please comment!

Serving Up a Favorite

Posted on February 17, 2014 by admin

mwright1881from allrecipies.com

Thank you for allowing me to take a week off for recovery. The surgery went well and the week of recovery allowed me to get back to normal. I have material for a blog post out of that experience but I will be saving it for a later date. Today I want to share with you one of my favorite recipes. As with all good recipes, I have modified it and made it my own. So here it is, Chicken Pot Pie.

This is the link to the original recipe. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-pot-pie-ix/detail.aspx

Ingredients:

1 pound skinless, boneless chickenbreast halves – cubed

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2.	In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3.	In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4.	Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5.	Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Printed from Allrecipes.com 2/17/2014

This recipe can be cooked in a slow cooker or on the stove top. It makes about 4-6 servings for me. In other words, I have meals for about a week out of this one recipe. It also freezes well. I usually do not make it as a pie but rather bake it in a deep dish with drop biscuits on top. I have modified it to use beef and turkey instead of chicken, but I imagine the possibilities are endless with a recipe like this one. Just imagine what kinds of veggies you like that will go with chicken, pork, beef, turkey, or ham. Maybe you don’t want meat in it, then load it up with all sorts of good vegetables and let it cook.

My variations are as follows:

Use beef instead of chicken with green beans instead of peas.

Use turkey instead of chicken.

I have a friend who is gluten intolerant and instead of flour you could use corn starch to thicken the gravy. Watch out for the Chicken stock though. Read the ingredients as it may contain gluten. Then instead of pie crust or biscuits, enjoy a hearty chicken stew.

The recipe itself takes a bit of work, but the rewards are well worth it. Please let me know if you come up with any other variations. I love to experiment and as I said this recipe is a favorite.

Life Inside Out Part 2

Posted on February 3, 2014 by admin

Last week I talked about being away from family during a major life event. This week I will be continuing the topic with some insights I have had into the grieving process.

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Since I came to Portugal in 2008, I have lost two grandparents, my dad’s mom and my mom’s dad. Both times I was not able to get back for the funeral, but because of God’s grace, I was able to see each of them mere months before they died. These are some of the lessons I have learned along the way. I hope they will be a blessing and help to you in a dark time in your life.

Time is precious

Time is fleeting. We only have so much of it before it is gone. Each day is only 24 hours long. Each week 7 days, etc. The good news is every person is given the same time, the same 24 hours and the same 7 days. The bad news is we never know when our time is up. Because of this we need to make the most of the time we have been given. Even though I was unable to go to either funeral, I was able to spend some time with each grandparent shortly before their deaths. Spending time with someone shows you care. Remember, you only have so much time and to use some of that time to talk and be with someone else tells that person that you care.

The grieving process is a process

It never hit me until I was actually going through this process that it was a process. This means it will take time to heal. The length of time is different for everyone. The really curious thing I discovered during the process was that you could go days and be fine then the next day you are in tears. With the recent death of my grandfather, I find myself at odd times being reminded of him and then breaking out in tears. It does not happen every day, just at times when I am reminded that he is no longer on earth.

The process is different for everyone

Everybody is different. We are all unique. Because of this, the way we handle grief will be different for each person. I am able to cry and relieve the sadness. A friend of mine tends to bottle it all up. Keeping busy is a relief for some. Some are prostrate and have difficulty getting through each day. The important part of this process is to let yourself grieve, realize it will not heal overnight, and even when it does heal, there will still be a scar.

As a missionary, I am in a unique position. Family and friends, who live with and around the departed family member, deal with the loss every day. They become accustomed to that person’s absence. Missionaries do not have this opportunity and so when they go back home, they are hit with the loss all over again. This is a part of the process I had never considered until I spent Christmas with my sister’s family in the same town my Grandmother had lived in. While the family in the area had become accustomed to her absence, I had not. I have to say Christmas that year was not one of my favorites.

The best thing I have learned through this process, it does get better. Even though there will always be that scar, there will come a time when you can say, ‘I still miss them, but I can go on. I may not be the same because this has changed me, but I can face going on with my life. One of the things that has helped me this time, has been this blog. Being able to write about losing my grandfather has helped me deal with the grief of losing him.

On a side note, due to an upcoming surgery, next week’s blog post may be a day or two late.

Life Inside Out

Posted on January 27, 2014 by admin

We have all seen a person who struggles with an inside out umbrella. The wind catches it just right and BAM! Inside out. Life is like that sometimes. Things seem to be going smoothly then all of a sudden, our lives are inside out and upside down. Why am I talking in raining metaphors? Well, one reason is it has been raining like crazy here. Second reason is most of us associate a rainy day with sadness, which leads me to talk about my topic.

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One of the hardest things for a missionary to face is being away from family. If you are single, it is especially hard as you have no immediate family around you (like spouse and kids). The next hardest thing is being away from family during a major life event. This could be the death of a loved one or the birth of new family member. Skype only gets you so far before you want to talk to your family face to face and give them a hug.

It seems like the past couple of years, I have been faced with both of these cases. I feel torn. I want to be with my family, but I know this is where I am supposed to be. I want to be in several places at one time, but I am only one person. I can only be in one place at a time. The one of the hardest tests for me was when my sister’s husband was deployed and she was at home with a new baby and a toddler. There were times I wanted to jump through the computer screen and give her a day off from worry and loneliness.

How can we deal with the times where life turns our umbrellas inside out? One way is to get mad at God, give up and go home. This is the easy route, the tempting route, the route that says, Curse God and die. This route leads to personal and spiritual failure.

The other way is to say, God has a plan and I will only be fulfilled if I am doing that plan. Yes, it is painful. Yes, it is at times lonely. Yes, there are times you want to scream, Why me? Why my family? Why? Sometimes we never hear the answer to the Why me? But I can tell you that God is right there beside you and right beside your family. He walks with us and will carry the load much better than we can. We just need to give it to Him.

There are so many times in life when we feel crushed by the weight of the load on our backs. We don’t have to feel this way. God is ready and able to carry these burdens and cares. Remember in 1 Peter 5:7 He says,

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Then again in Matthew 11:28-30;

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

When life seems inside out, look to God. He can help you look past the rain to find the rainbow of His care and promise.

I have been preaching to myself again with this blog post, but if it was a blessing to you, will you leave a comment? In the meantime, I am off to give my burdens to the Ultimate Burden Bearer.

Serving Single

Single Missionaries serving around the world