Today is the first Monday of Advent. For this season, I'll try to post a Jesse tree picture and reflection each day.
Today is a picture of Mary and Jesus in the middle, surrounded by various prophets and kings of the Old Testament that each prepared the way for Jesus. The season of Advent can be explored by meditating on each of these prefigurements, foreshadowings, and how each gives us a glimpse into who Jesus is.
*I'm about halfway through this book of poetry. Ted Kooser lives near where my dad grew up in Nebraska. His poetry is simple but very evocative of the area and a way of life mostly gone now, but still on the fringes of my memory as I was growing up.
*This week is the musical (I know, I keep saying that), so this is a minimal post.
*Tomorrow is going to be frozen chicken strips and a bagged salad (Asian crunch, my favorite).
*Tonight is bierocks/runzas that my mom made for me a couple weekends ago and I threw in the freezer. I warm them up for 30 minutes at 350 in the oven. I like mine with Dorothy Lynch dressing.
*Last night I made baked potatoes and we had them with leftover chili.
*Tuesday night the Son made strawberry stuffed french toast. He's a decent cook but struggles to remember when he is feeding other people to start early enough to finish at the meal time, so his meals tend to be about an hour late.
*Monday night we had leftovers because...
*Sunday we ate Mediterranean from Old Jerusalem Cafe, and Saturday the Husband and I had a date night to Garrozzo's in Overland Park. Both were delicious but we ordered way too much food at both places...on purpose to have leftovers to carry us through.
*It's musical week, and I took the next weekend off from playing for Mass, so it's just all musical all the time. I'm most nervous about "All Through the Night" and the dance on "Blow Gabriel, Blow." As of Saturday night it will all be over!
Right now cleaning house is the last thing on my mind, but about a month ago a sister came to stay with some of her kids and I wanted to let them know I was all ready for them, so I took a picture of their prepared beds.
St Elizabeth of Hungary is today's saint. Born in Hungary and married very young to Louis of Thuringia, she had three children and took care of the poor in a hospital after her husband died. Alive in the 13th century, she seemed to share the concern of other kings and queens that their wealth was actually an impediment to getting to heaven if they weren't careful to take care of others.
I'm usually a couple weeks behind when I post a picture on Fridays. I had been posting a book, but this week I'll wait and do a book pic next week. This is marvelous food and my "I Voted" sticker from two weeks ago. We didn't have any "important" elections voting is still really important. I investigated our local water board and the board for the local community college and then voted on my way to work.
*Tomorrow night I don't know what we are having; I'm out of ideas and energy for the week already.
*Tonight we are either having food from the Moonlight Market downtown OR some poblano and pinto tacos. I've made these tacos before and they are pretty nice; I use green bell peppers and one poblano pepper because all poblano tend to be too spicy.
*Last night the Son made chicken and noodles. We found it a little bland, but it was easy enough to put together. He cooked the chicken and noodles separately and then put the casserole together and cooked it. I liked it enough to bring it for lunch today.
*Tuesday we had Lime Chicken Tacos. I cooked the chicken while at work, came home in the afternoon to shred it and pull everything together, and then had it when I got home from sitzprobe that night at 9:45. This is a pretty low-effort, high result recipe that doesn't have too many leftovers.
*Monday was Great Northern Cornbread with Bacon to go with the chili I made the night before. I'm cooking my way through the Cook's Illustrated Baking Book, and I'm slowly working through the quick breads. This was my first night with long practice, which is the par for the next two weeks.
*Sunday I made a big pot of chili. This is one of the husband's favorite meals when it gets cold, and it got down to 30 degrees this weekend so it was time! The hardest part is stirring every 15 minutes for 3 hours. In general chilis and stews are low effort high reward along with being even better the next day.
Lineup for the week:
1. I'm continuing to play through one song a day from the new songs in the 2026 OCP Breaking Bread. I think I'm about 5 songs from finishing that task.
2. I'm playing three songs a day to get ready for two Masses this weekend at two different churches. We are getting into the readings from Revelation and Daniel so lots of "Christ as King" songs in the lineup along with songs about living as a Christian.
3. Musical! Last night was our sitzprobe, with the cast and the student pit orchestra and the professionals. We played for almost 4 hours. My hands hurt, my legs have cramps from keeping steady beat. It was a lot of fun. Tonight it's just me with the cast trying to figure out transitions and covering music.
4. Working toward Christmas concert: I'm only playing one song a day to polish until the musical is over.
We replaced our original sliding glass door, getting rid of the metal frame, and now we have so much more protection from the heat and cold. It's marvelous.
Leo was pope from 440 to 461. He is responsible for the Tome of Leo, one of the earliest examples we have of recognizing the primacy of the pope. He also oversaw the Council of Chalcedon which articulated the Hypostatic Union of Christ having two natures and one Person.
Since they tore down and rebuilt the grade school across the street from us, farther down the block, we can see such beautiful sunsets. Right now I also get to see the beautiful sunrise. I appreciate getting rid of daylight savings time, but my body struggles for about a week to adjust to the new schedule.
*Sunday we had spaetzle and corn and maple glazed pork tenderloin. The pork was quite good! There was a little fuss but the result was worth it. I also made butter pecan breakfast bread for the Christmas stash.
*Monday night we had tomato soup (Campbell's) and grilled cheese. We always do our grilled cheese on the panini press now. It's faster and crunchier. We used cheddar and provolone.
*Tuesday night the Son made crunchy pea salad. He's currently cooking once a week, building his repertoire and saving me from one night of cooking. I'm pretty grateful. We felt like the onion was a little too strong, we either needed to pickle it or reduce the amount or cook it.
*Last night was leftovers and Sonic drinks and sides.
*Tonight we're having a makeshift stir fry. It's leftover pork from Sunday, water chestnuts, onion, bell pepper, mandarin oranges, and a sauce I'll make up. I'll also make rice.
*Tomorrow is just me so...leftovers if we still have pasta OR maybe a salad from Chik-Fil-A.
*We are done with the concert and our two Masses! We are, as of today, 2 weeks from opening night for the musical. We are about 6 weeks from the next concert. So my music practice consists of:
*One new song from the 2026 Breaking Bread hymnal
*Two songs from the coming Mass on Sunday (I'm playing two Masses at the same place so my burden is less this weekend)
*One piece from the Christmas concert (this will increase once we are closer to the concert and past the musical)
*Up to half of the musical (there are 12 pieces roughly per half, and I'm up to playing 10 pieces a day)
About 4 years ago Jan and I built an atrium, the first one at this school, in a little conference room at the top of the stairs. This year I had to move it to a much bigger classroom and still make it cozy for the 3-6 years old. How did I do?
St. Martin de Porres lived in Peru from 1579 to 1639. Born to a nobleman and a freed slave, his mixed race kept him from being a full Dominican brother, instead being appointed a doorkeeper and a Tertiary. His humility and embrace of menial tasks sets an example for all of us of our true position before God and the joy that can be found in embracing unfair crosses.
