The Kingdom of God is a Pot of Onions

On adjusting expectations, searching the skies, and this week's menu.

Howdy, Dears.

I set out to write you this letter, and as it always happens, I ended up needing to think on it for a while before I could type actual words. It’s a good kind of interesting to figure out what to write here. I don’t claim to have a system. (For anything, really.)

What I know about this cozy space we’re carving out is that I want it to be welcoming and I want there to be food. I want to give you a real glimpse into my life, my self, not because I think it’s special or interesting, but because documenting daily life is a valid way of honoring it.

There are times I have Big Thoughts, and when I do, I’ll spill them. But usually what I have is soup. Crumbs. Feelings.

I often worry this translates into “boring.”

But then I think, oh, whatever. Boring is underrated, if you ask me.

This is why I like you best. (shhh!) Because I feel free to come just as I am. And I hope you do, too.

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So, today.

Today the sky outside is a piercing blue. I know this because I went for an hour-long walk with my friend Karen, grateful to be pulled outside. The air was snappy, the leaves crunchy. We wore our masks to the detriment of Karen’s fogged-up glasses and my runny nose.

I never regret a walk. I’ve never come back and thought, “Well, that was a waste of time.” My hips were yelling at me a little, which means I need to do this more often, but the air and the space to imagine was more than worth it.

Our walk was also a reminder to keep finding ways to stay connected to the people who make my life sing. Karen and I are both introverts. We talked about how easily we slip into not going anywhere or doing anything or talking to anyone. That’s our comfort. But just past the edges of comfort is disconnection. Isolation. Loneliness.

We have to fight against ourselves, sometimes.

I never stop needing reminders to fight for the sake of community, even when it looks different than what I might wish.

Monday night we made our “official” return to Misfit Bible Study.* Though we’d met a few times here and there in parks or over Zoom, this was the first time since March that we’d been in our regular space in the church basement. Three of us showed up - me, Cory, and Greg.

Relief washed over me. The familiar scents and sounds. The kitschy 80’s church vibe, sea-foam green pain, mauve accents, burgundy chairs. We were home again.

And yet…it was different. Our rowdy crowd has been whittled down. It was impossible to not remember the best of times - Becca playing her accordion, our impromptu dinner feasts, new babies, sporadic tears, wild kids, feisty-but-kind theological disagreements. I love us so much.

This Monday was a celebration and a sad song. Both things true at once.

We found ourselves circling back to the idea of the Kingdom of God. What is it, really? What does it look like? How will we recognize it? Where do we sign up? (I have onions cooking on the stove right now.** They keep cooking down, smaller in size, but richer and better. I’m struggling mightily not to say something like, “The kingdom of God is like a pot of onions…”)

Lately, I’ve been hunkered down here, on the now-and-not-yet kingdom. I was taught to see it as an easy concept, but it’s not. When we reduce it down too quickly, we miss part of the mystery and magic.

I don’t have onions (GUYS, THIS IS A TYPO BUT IT’S TOO PERFECT TO DELETE! Let’s try that again…)

I don’t have answers. But I did stumble on this yesterday:

“But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.” Romans 8:20b-21

Coming off a week with a serious COVID scare in our midst, (I just read today that my county is 2nd worst in the nation right now in positive test increases. Our family is still safe, but many around us are not) in addition to the general funk permeating everything else, this settles something for me. At least for today. “Freedom from death and decay.”

All things new.

I like it. That’s worth risking some hope.

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{Typical dinner at our house. Cory worked late last night and the kids were all cranky so I brought out a table runner and candle to spruce things up, so actually, this is fancier than normal.}

Dinner, etc…

Here’s my menu for the week. I know I’m getting this out to you late on a Wednesday, but maybe it will solve something for you next week? (Incidentally, the meatballs in my last letter were a huge hit and I plan to make another big batch to throw in the freezer for a rainy day. And by rainy, I mean snowy. And by snowy, I mean:

Sunday - Cory and I snuck out for Thai takeout and a trip to Target!

Monday - Chili cheese dogs

Tuesday - Slow cooker white chicken chili, apple cake (we went for it with the honey butter. Delish! Highly recommend for dessert and breakfast with tea.)

Wednesday - Chicken lentil tacos with pickled onions (slice red onions thinly, toss into a jar with juice of one lime and half a teaspoon of salt. Shake. These will keep for a while and you’ll want them on all things taco-ish/Mediterranean or your money back.) ***Update: we just had these for dinner and they were super simple and so yum! I haven’t done a lot with lentils in the past but I will make these again. We topped them with sour cream (plain, I didn’t have time for their fancy version,) avocado, and two kinds of Cholula. And I used just one (giant, but still) chicken breast in last night’s chili and one for these tacos. Trying to cut back on meat, for all the reasons.

Thursday - Indonesian beef bowls with rice

Friday - Something with caramelized onions. :)

Saturday - Takeout, if I have my way

Finally,

Does anyone have a cure for chronic fruit flies? WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Me.

They are everywhere. And yes, we have our standard basket of fruit on the table. But it’s not old or raggedy. And they’re not just in the kitchen! Oh, no. They’re in the bathrooms. They’re in our bedroom. We are officially plagued.

Help. Please help.

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Stashables - vol. 3

Get yourself to DQ immediately for a pumpkin pie blizzard!!! My friends Jason and Courtney swore by them, and though I’m not usually a huge pumpkin pie person, I trust them. They did NOT let me down. I got the Mini size, and it was perfect.

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*Those of you who have read The Ministry of Ordinary Places might recall I wrote a whole chapter about The Misfits. If anyone here hasn’t read it yet, I’d love to give one of you a copy! Just leave a comment asking to be entered. Continental US, only. (Sorry, Simon! We love all of you across ponds and borders!)

**About the onions, you might remember my riveting Caramelized Onion Stories on our secret IG account. :) I’m really enjoying it so far and we’ve only been infiltrated by one rando bot-dude, who I immediately cast into the virtual ether.

As always, thanks for being with me here. Please spread the word if you know someone who might like to join us!

In blue skies and fruit flies,

Shannan