Monday, November 28, 2005

Ethiopian Chow

My beautiful date and I strolled into MOYA ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT Friday night on a whim. After glancing at the menu at the door and not understanding anything on it, we excitedly took a seat and waited to order. The atmosphere was pleasant with a little oil candle on the table. Our waitress, adorned in a colorful head wrap and welcoming smile, offered a few suggestions off the authentic Ethiopian menu. We decided to share a Ye' Atkilt Moya beye'aynetu and a Ye'Doro Moyachinn Ye'Doro Moyachinn. The first was a vegetarian sampler and the latter a chicken stew. I later found out that everyone shares in Ethiopia. In fact, I would have had to specially request separate plates if I didn't want to share.

After 30 minutes or so, our server brought out a large white platter that could have easily held a 15lb turkey. It was laced with Injera, a soft unleavened crepe-like sourdough bread. Around the edges of the platter were rolls of Injera that looked like gauze from a first aid kit (but light brown). A basket with several rolls of Injera sat next to the platter. My date and I looked at each other with wide eyes wondering what in the world we had just ordered. Our server then returned with several small dishes and proceeded to dump piles of mystery goop all over our platter directly on the unrolled Injera. The idea is to tear off a piece of Injera and use it to pick up a bite of food from the platter. Our platter included all of the vegetarian dishes as well as the chicken stew dish (served from a clay pot and dumped onto the platter like the other dishes).

Included on our platter was:

Ye'missir wett & Tiqil Gomen - Seasoned lentils with a cabbage-potatoes-carrot side

Moya Le'Tena - Spicy collard greens with golden split peas

Ye'Doro Moyachinn - a thick spicy stew with a boiled eggs and a part of a chicken leg

The food was phenomenal. We ate until we groaned from being too full. Our server helped two more foolish Americans experience her incredible culture and her subtle grin of satisfaction proved it. This new experience bumped Ethiopia higher on my list of countries to see before I die.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Stop focusing on what NOT to do

Check this out...

"I was alive once without the law but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died." Rom. 7:9

I originally thought that Paul was speaking of being born physically as a baby, learning what the law said, and then realizing that he had been born spiritually dead. Today, I've changed my mind on this mainly because of that word "revived." How about this?...

"I was alive once" refers to when Paul got saved. He became spiritually alive. However, when the commandment came (or the law if you prefer) then sin revived itself and he died. What's the difference??.. Well..

I am saved. I am alive. However, when I get caught up with the law ("don't do this, don't do that") then sin suddenly revives in my life and I die. Whenever any of us focuses on what NOT to do, we will eventually do it to some degree. Focusing on the law is like looking at a menu of sin so that my flesh gets to pick what looks tasty today. MMMM Tuesday is the Fish Special. I think I'll have a lust platter with a side of mixed pride w/ ranch today. Follow? In this verse, Paul was spiritually alive without the law (i.e.: grace) but the commandment came, sin revived in his life, and he fell flat on his face. Do you do this? I sure do.

Now dig this..

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Rom. 8:12,13

What is a debtor? It means you owe somebody something. So, we are NOT debtors to the flesh. I don't owe my flesh squat. If I focus on it and what to protect it from, I will fall flat on my face. Here is the secret, Gang..

Focus on the Spiritual and not on the flesh. I need to keep my eyes on the Lord and get wrapped up with Him. As soon as I stop trying to 86 my sin and I just trust Him to handle it, I'll find victory.

Now, this does not remove my personal responsibility to keep sin out of my life. Rather, it helps me focus my time on someone who has the ability to fight it for good. God will then change my heart to walk the way He has called me. AND, when I do trip up, I can rest in the fact that there is no condemnation for me in Christ.

Thursday, November 10, 2005

fish

I don't understand why raw fish tastes so good. A fish is a weird animal that flops around and craps a lot. It's so-so when cooked but MAN it's good raw. I just dished out $25 for some and I could have eaten twice as much. It is certainly the only food I've had (besides Indian) that gives me a body buzz afterwards. I'm not sure if it's a chemical thing of just my body rejoicing at such an incredibly healthy meal. I felt like I had the energy to run a marathon and the heart to save the starving children of the world.