Winter Rest

“Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” Psalm 116:7

For many people, this time of year is challenging, especially for those who live in northern, colder climates (like where we live in Western Pennsylvania).  The days are short, and the nights are long.  Gray clouds often mute even the brightest day, creating a heaviness that can weigh on people. (For resources on treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), click here).

Yet, something about winter’s lack of light energizes me.  Some of my energy may stem from setting New Year’s resolutions for myself (even though theologically I know that we are born anew every day).  But this does not fully explain my experience last winter when creative energy burst out of sitting in the lack of light. 

After a busy season of planting and harvesting in our backyard garden, I sat in our living room early one morning.  The room was not lit; there was only a faint glow of the winter moonlight coming through the window, causing my focus to narrow to the space right in front of me.  As I quietly sat there, my imagination wandered.  Where?  Of course, to one of my favorite things—plants!  I thought that like humans, plants also need time without light to grow.  As I sat with the lack of light, day after wintery day, I delved into the interconnectedness of people and plants, and in the process discovered a source for my revitalized energy.  This led to me writing a piece last summer entitled “From the Ground Up: Digging Deeper into our Body-Garden Connection” as a guest blogger for Columbia Theological Seminary.  So that we can dig into the richness of this interconnectedness more deeply, I chose the “People-Plant Connection” as the theme for HSHC’s 2023 newsletters.

Here are several People-Plant Connections to start off this new year:

• Sunlight is a key triggering element for humans that lets us know when to sleep and when to wake.  The same is true of plants.  “Just like humans who work during the day and get their shut-eye at night, plants also work on the cycle of the Sun, and are known to have genes that switch on and off in what is known as a circadian rhythm” [1].  
• During the night, both plants and people rest, which promotes growth.  “Sleep allows the brain and body to slow down and engage in processes of recovery, promoting better physical and mental performance the next day and over the long-term” [2].  “When the sun goes down, the plant’s focus shifts [from absorbing energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis] to delivering glucose throughout the plant;” giving it energy to grow [3].
• Healing happens while plants and people sleep.  “During deep sleep, your body works to repair muscle, organs, and other cells.  Chemicals that strengthen your immune system start to circulate in your blood” [4].  Likewise, “trees often relax and let their branches droop when the sun goes down” [5].  

This brings me back to the theme of this newsletter and how an unlit space during an overcast season helped me discover my energy.  I learned three seasonal rhythms that hold true for me:

•     More rest – Longer nights make it easier for me to get more sleep.
•     Less activity – Less gardening not only provides rest for my body but also gives me more time to focus my mental energy on other things.

•     Less light to illuminate other objects, creates more space for me to grow in my relationship with God.

As we continue to move into this new year, I want to encourage you to consider: what does more sleep, slowing down, and creating more space to grow in God look like for you? What rhythms of winter do you embody?  

Peace,

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

If you would like to learn more about what plants are doing at night, here is a quick and insightful overview:

1:30-minute video clip, “Do Plants Sleep?” 

¹ https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/do-plants-and-trees-sleep.html

² https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/what-happens-when-you-sleep

³ https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/do-plants-and-trees-sleep.html

4 https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/ss/slideshow-sleep-body-effects

5 https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/do-plants-and-trees-sleep.html

Recipes (Healthy for You and Your Budget)

• Creating your own vegetable broth is quick, easy, reduces food waste, and can save you money!
• Other ways to utilize fruit and vegetable scrap (plus, another kitchen scrap vegetable broth recipe): How to Use Food Scraps to Reduce Kitchen Waste

Tofu “Feta” Cheese

Ingredients

• 15oz/16 oz. firm/extra firm tofu
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (distilled vinegar works, too)
• 1 TBSP Greek seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions:

• Drain tofu.
• Chop tofu into ½ inch cubes.
• Put tofu in a tall jar (24 oz. or larger) or glass bowl with lid.
• Put spices in the jar/bowl with the tofu.
• Add the liquids.
• Put lid on jar or bowl and gently turn it upside down and right side up a few times to mix the ingredients.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight. Give it a stir or a shake every few hours (or so) to ensure all the cubes become marinated.
• Enjoy! You can keep the leftover tofu in the marinade for at least a week in the fridge; it becomes more flavorful as it sits.

Mint Ginger (Kashayam) Tea

(2 servings)

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed with whole spices to boost immunity among other health benefits.

Ingredients

• 16 oz water
• 2 sprigs mint (12-18 medium/large leaves)
• 1 tsp ginger (fresh, finely chopped or grated)
• ¼ tsp coriander (whole seeds)
• ½ cinnamon stick
• Optional: 
  • 1 tsp raisins (chopped)
  • 6 whole walnuts

Instructions:

• Chop ginger into tiny pieces and chop raisins (if using).
• Heat water to a boil. 
• Using a tea pot or cooking pot, pour water over mint leaves, ginger, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, and raisins.
• Cover and steep for 3-5 minutes.
• Garnish with 3 walnuts.*
• Enjoy!

*Note:

• The original recipe recommends serving this with 3 walnuts because the natural fats in walnuts (and other nuts) appear to increase the bioavailability of fat-soluble phytonutrients found in plants.

Adapted from: NutritionScience.in

Lentil and Barley Salad

(12 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry green lentils 
• 1 cup barley* 
• 2 cups greens (Swiss chard, collards, kale, lettuce) of choice (chopped; raw or cooked) 
•  1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley (chopped) 
• 1 small onion (chopped) or 2-3 green onion (chopped)
• 1 apple (diced) 
• 1 cup pomegranate arils/seeds (when in season) or ½ – 3/4 cup dried fruit (pomegranate arils, golden raisins, apricots)
•  1/4 cup almonds* (chopped, sliced, or slivered) 
• Optional: 
  • Salad topper: tofu feta (link to recipe)
  • Add roasted (and cooled) vegetables of your choice (sweet potatoes, carrots, whatever is in season)

Dressing

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 2 TBSP Dijon mustard
• 2 TBSP Date paste*
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Combine the lentils and barley with 5 cups of water.
• Bring to a boil and then cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the lentil and barley are done, about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
• In a mason jar – add the apple cider vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, date paste, salt and pepper (to taste).
• Shake vigorously until emulsified and combined.
• Combine the cooled barley and lentils, pomegranate arils, greens of choice, cilantro/parsley, apple, almonds, and roasted vegetables (if using).
• Dress with the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly to combine.
• Serve cold or at room temperature.
• Optional: Top salad with tofu feta

*Notes:

• To make this gluten-free – substitute the barley with brown rice or my favorite combination (1/3 cup of each buckwheat, millet, and amaranth).
• To make this nut-free – use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead of almonds.
• Date paste substitute – add 3-4 med-size dates (chopped) to the dressing recipe and 1-2 tsp. of water.  Then instead of shaking the dressing in a mason jar to mix the ingredients, blend the dressing using an immersion blender.

Adapted from: ParsnipsandPastries.com

Fig, Date, and Walnut Bread

(Makes 1 loaf)

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup water or tea (black, green, herbal, whatever you like)
• ½ cup dried figs (chopped and any tough stems discarded)
• ½ cup dried dates (pitted and chopped)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free, all-purpose flour)
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup almond butter (or ¼ cup almond flour mixed with 2-3 TBSP plant-based milk) or sunflower seed butter (nut-free option)
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup date paste (or 1/2 cup chopped dates blended with a couple of TBSP of water)
• ⅔ cup fresh orange juice (from 2 to 3 oranges)
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ¼ tsp salt

Optional:

• Top with sunflower seed “cream” cheese and a few dashes of cinnamon.*

Directions:

• • Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • In a small saucepan, heat water or tea over medium-high heat.  When it just starts to bubble, turn off heat, and leaving pot on the burner, add chopped dried figs and dried dates.  Leave them to soften while you continue with the recipe.
  • Put chopped nuts into a shallow baking pan and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until walnuts are brown and rich smelling.  Remove from oven and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, sift together whole wheat flour and oat flour, baking soda, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • In another bowl, mix together orange juice, date paste, almond butter, and apple sauce. 
  • Add wet ingredients to dry ones.
  • Drain figs and dates and add to batter. 
  • Gently add walnuts and stir just till combined. 
  • Pour into prepared loaf pan.
  • Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is golden and puffed and an inserted tester comes out clean.
  • Enjoy!*

   

  *Notes:

  • For a sunflower seed “cream” cheese recipe click here – Omit the garlic! And, you can use raw sunflower seeds instead of “sprouted.”
  • Wrapped well, bread freezes well or keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, but judging by the audience last week, tends to be consumed immediately.

   

• Adapted from: VegKitchen

How Are We Being Called To Fill Our Plates This Holiday Season (And Beyond)?

This past summer, my brother lent me a book that he thought I would enjoy titled Slow Church.*  It came out in 2014, so it has been around awhile, and some of you may have already read it.  Upon reading the first few pages, I not only immediately resonated with the authors, but found myself wanting to speed through reading a book that was focused on slowing down!*

The premise of Slow Church is to challenge communities of faith to “ask ourselves tough questions about the ground our faith communities has ceded to the cult of speed,” to invite us to consider the consequences of these actions (such as a decrease in meaningful connections), and to ask us to “rethink the ways in which we share life together in our church communities.”

Slow Church, as well as several other “Slow Movements” (ex. slow schools, towns, lives, etc.), were inspired by the language and philosophy of the Slow Food Movement, which “is a global, grassroots organization, founded in 1989 to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from and how our food choices affect the world around us.”

In a nutshell, what these “slow movements” have in common is their emphasis on the importance of meaningful relationships within the contexts of our churches, communities, the food we eat, Creation, and with God.

We are about to enter the holiday season, a time when many things seem, figuratively and literally, to stack up on our plates – preparing for the arrival of guests, endlessly long to-do lists, countless rich foods, etc.  This is when many people find themselves just trying to hold on the best they can and/or “ingesting” what is put in front of them until they make it into the new year… where they then hope to regroup!  We want to encourage you, as these “slow movements” suggest, to slow down.  Hopefully, this practice will help you to have a healthier/more sustainable pace through the holiday season, which will allow you to be more intentional about what you are putting on your plate (again, figuratively and literally) as well as afford you the opportunity to spend more time on the important relationships in your life.

Here are several reflections for your consideration:

• Before putting something on your plate (figuratively and/or literally), think about how it may make you feel later.  Is it going to be nourishing?  Energizing?  Joy-filled?  Or, is it going to make you feel sluggish and/or weighed down?
• How sustainable (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, environmentally, etc.) are the items you are putting on your plate?  Are there healthier alternatives you could choose instead?  For some examples, check out:
  • Tips for Maintaining Healthy Habits During the Holidays
  • 12 Ways to Have an Eco Friendly Holiday
• Consider participating in an Advent Fast (some resources for this are provided in this edition of our newsletter).
  • This spiritual practice is not only a part of the Christian tradition (although it is often overlooked), but it is also a wonderful opportunity to slow down and consider what one is putting on their plate in preparation for the coming of Christ and in anticipation of the new year.

May all be well with you this holiday season and into the new year!

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

“You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,” (James 1:19)… and slow with what we put on our plates.

*While I liked the overall premise of the book, there are some aspects of it that aren’t feasible for many communities of faith (example – they strongly emphasize the importance of “local” – attending a congregation close to our homes and shopping and working as locally as possible.  These are all great ideals, but not realistic for a lot of people).  As one reviewer wrote, and I agree, the greatest strength of this book is to use it in a small-group setting, where the ideas mentioned in the book can help to generate new possibilities that are fitting for the congregational context.

100+ Years of Wisdom

When Travis’ maternal grandmother turned 90, his family decided to establish a call schedule so that different family members could check in with her each morning and evening.  Since she was still living at home, this gave everyone the opportunity to make sure she was okay and see if she needed anything.  At the time, I volunteered to take one of the time slots because I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to get to know her better.

Fast forward 12 years… I’m still calling Granny (what she told me to call her) every Monday morning!  Yes, it is truly amazing: at the end of August, she turned 102 and still lives at home!

During our conversations over the past dozen years, we have covered a lot of ground together (both literally and figuratively, as I have called her not only from the three different states in which I have lived during that time, but also while traveling both domestically and internationally).  We talk about everything: the weather, what we did over the past weekend, and our plans for the upcoming week, as well as what we’ve recently read or learned.

Several weeks ago, she asked how our backyard garden was coming along.  I gave her a brief update about what we were harvesting (tons of tomatoes and raspberries!) and I also shared how busy it was in the garden, with all of the birds (one of her favorite subjects!), butterflies, and bees bustling about.

Upon hearing this, she paused for a moment and then said, “You know, Karen, there is a tremendous amount of life happening outside, all around us, that I think a lot of people are missing,” followed by the question she often asks me after making a statement: “What do you think?” 

“Granny, I couldn’t agree with you more!”

Our conversation continued as she shared a brief account of some of what she had already  observed outside her sunroom in the few hours she had been awake that morning – the variety of birds that had visited her birdfeeders, the number of squirrels fussing with one another, the people who had walked, run, or biked by her house (many of whom wave to her each day as they pass), the color of the morning sky… outside is, indeed, full of life!

As many of you know, during the month of September, HSHC is holding our 4th annual Miles For Ministry challenge and annual fundraiser.  This year, we picked the theme “Move Out” precisely for the reason that Granny mentioned: there is a tremendous amount of life happening outside, which is easy to overlook if we aren’t paying attention.  

The consequences?  Not only do we miss out on the many personal health benefits of being outside, but we also fail to see the daily reminders of how totally interconnected the wellbeing of all Creation is.  Out of sight, out of mind!

If you have not yet registered for our “Move Out” challenge this month, it is not too late!  You can still make a commitment to yourself (and to God) to spend more time outside during the rest of this month (and, hopefully, in the months to come!) by participating in activities that not only bring you joy, but also promote greater awareness and appreciation for the abundance of life that surrounds us all.  

As you know, your support, in the form of prayers, encouragement, financial contributions, and letting others know about HSHC, helps us continue “Moving Out” into our vocation of improving the health of seminarians, congregations, communities, and the Creation.  Please click here if you would like to make a gift towards these efforts.  

We look forward to seeing you outside!

May all be well,

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.” – Proverbs 23:12 (ESV)

• Creative way to use seasonal tomatoes!

(click image to enlarge)

Recipes from www.liveeatlearn.com.