what i’m into [feb – mar 2020]

I know everyone’s been on social media sharing what they’ve been up to in these times of social isolation, but my instinct has been instead to run the opposite direction so I don’t feel like my whole life is being taken over by Zoom.

So, to make up for it, here’s a list of what I’ve been up to the past two months, half of which was spent on my own 😀 :

Books:

A theology of the ordinary by Julie Canlis (3.5/5)

I really liked the premise of this book, and thus the first few chapters, which explores the theological underpinnings of a faith rooted in ordinary life. It’s a short read comprising three movements: creation, redemption and new creation juxtaposed against the three heresies of gnosticism, docetism and dualism. However, it was a bit too heady and felt weird that a book on the ordinary would feel so abstract.

Counterpoints: Four views on Christian Spirituality (4.5/5)

Those who know me know that I LOVE the counterpoints series. I discovered them last summer when I just DEVOURED the book on women in ministry while hiking in the Alps. They basically solicit the opinions of leaders that span the theological spectrum on a certain issue.

I picked this one out when I realized after an Explaining Faith session on Christian denominations that I knew virtually nothing about Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. The four views represented in this book are written by a Catholic, an Orthodox, a Progressive and an Evangelical, as they summarize the most important points of their practice but also comment on the essays from the other views.

Reading this series has grown my appreciation for the diversity in the church body, challenging me to be more generous and charitable in my theology while I still wrestle with my own convictions.

Jesus, justice and gender roles by Kathy Keller (4/5)

I read quite a few books on gender roles as I prepared to lead the Explaining Faith session last Sunday on women in marriage and ministry. This book was a compact summary of the complementarian view – very helpful!

The meaning of marriage by Timothy and Kathy Keller (4.5/5)

I didn’t have many high expectations for it, being completely honest, just because there just seemed so much hype around it as THE book to read for marriage. But it was a pleasant surprise, so yes I will be another voice in the evangelical milieu that recommends it 😛

Handle with Care by Lore Ferguson Wilbert (3.5/5)

Also had high expectations for this one because I really liked the premise of it, being that touch is powerful and we have unnecessarily shied away from it in Christian culture. I also really like Lore’s writing (and her podcast Good Enough), but I found myself skimming through paragraphs a few chapters in. Unfortunately.

Tell me More: stories about the 12 hardest things I’m learning to say by Kelly Corrigan (4.5/5)

I really liked this one. It was my first foray into Kelly Corrigan’s writing – but she writes in this witty but poetic, self-deprecating but hilarious way that makes you resonate with all the unflattering details of her life she dares to share.

And each chapter ends with something thought-provoking to chew on (after some good laughs).

Hunger: a memoir of (my) body by Roxane Gay (4.5/5)

Hunger is a raw, unfiltered memoir told from a perspective of an extremely obese woman. It was my first time understanding the day-to-day struggles that an obese person lives with, and the stories behind the weight gain. It was a challenging and moving read.

Everything that makes me happy I learned when I grew up by Ray Anderson (5/5)

My favourite book from the round-up! My bf brought it when he came up to visit (the 6th love language definitely has to be BOOKS :D) and I finished it in two sittings.

It was written in 1995 – so one of those timeless classics – and it feels like sitting down with a bespectacled grandfather as he passes down his wisdom. It’s about relational health but it ties together childhood trauma, spirituality and psychology in this very insightful and beautiful way.

Articles:

Medium: On luck, success and becoming a professor
Time: Robb Ryerse on why he cannot vote for Trump as an evangelical (Disclaimer: I do not normally keep up with U.S. politics, but I WAS struck this article and in particular, one quote. Ryerse asks rhetorically, “What good is it to gain the whole Supreme Court but lose our souls?”)
On Being: Mothers must guard their own solitude
The Cut: 78 new complex emotions (Laughed my way through a lot of this article, and identified with quite a few including buralysis)
The Gospel Coalition: Progressive Christianity – even shallower than the evangelical faith I left (Really compelling narrative of a man who deconstructed his deconstructed faith – read the article if you think that’s confusing!)

Specific to the COVID-19 crisis:

Praxislabs: Love in the time of coronavirus by Andy Crouch
Nature: The coronavirus in five powerful charts (a bit outdated since this was published a month ago, but still very informative)
Our World in Data (prob the most comprehensive data summary of the crisis I’ve seen so far)
Medium: Why you must act now (my sis sent this one to me in the beginning days of the crisis that alluded to how big it would actually get, which is crazy foreboding)
Harvard Business Review: That discomfort you’re feeling is actually grief (shoutout to Nahrie for this very emotionally intelligent article on processing COVID)

Music:

For some reason, Death by a Thousand Cuts by Taylor Swift made me really happy listening to it on repeat non-stop. I think it was because of the drum beat + cowbell + the off-beat piano melody thingy.

Recently discovered ISLY and love their sound! Similar to Isla Vista Worship (if you don’t know them, you should check them out!) This is ISLY’s song “Always Only Jesus” which we play a lot for pre-service-lude at our church.

Really anything from this album, although I’ve been listening to “Pur” and “Rois des Rois”:

VIRTUAL CHOIRS. Who knew that was a thing. Love this rendition of “It is Well with my Soul”

And on the lighter side, thought this was cute – a family’s COVID adaption of “One Day More” from Les Miserables (thanks Vic for the share!):

Recipes:

A few things I have been working on perfecting lately (all the recipes linked in its title)-

1. The Moroccan Pastilla

OK. So like my absolutely favorite dish while I was in Morocco was the pastilla.

We were in Marrakesh and it was cold and rainy. Much too hungry and desperate to be picky, we had dashed into a restaurant and hurriedly ordered whatever seemed good. One of those choices happened to be the pastilla, which I bit into and immediately exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, WHAT IS THIS.”

It’s a type of phyllo-pastry pie with a filling of ground chicken, onions, almonds, dates, sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar in this delectable combination of savory-sweet. For the rest of the trip, I ordered the pastilla whenever I could and vowed to re-create it once I got home.

So I did (although substituting tofu for chicken) and it still turned out really yummy! I cooked it twice for guests – although one of the times, I accidentally set it on fire (YES I mean it actually burst into flames and set off the fire alarm, because the phyllo pastry is pretty much like paper so please, be careful, and do NOT try to broil it.

2. The Vegan Macaron

This is a bit of a science experiment that uses aquafaba (the liquid from chickpea cans) instead of egg whites, and I haven’t completely gotten it down yet. Still doesn’t have the crunchy exterior or the rise of a normal macaron made with egg whites. But all who have taste-tested it have loved it so far.

I even tried to pipe it into a heart shape for Valentine’s Day – with ONE macaron still preserving its shape 😛

3. Seeded Multigrain Sourdough

I love baking bread. There’s something very intimate with kneading and watching your dough breathe and expand.

This is my favourite recipe to bake these past few months – I must have baked it 3-4 times, and had it dipped in olive oil, slathered in peanut butter or paired with some hearty pumpkin soup.

Here is a picture of the baby (albeit a bit burned on top :P):

4. Matcha Souffle Pancakes

Made this one for brunch yesterday! I just LOVE Japanese recipes, and anything matcha-inspired, really. Had it with some vegan butter and homemade strawberry-rose jam. Delish.

And that is all I have for now – hope you all are enjoying your Easter Sunday. He is risen indeed!!