Every Sunday after church we have a meal together.
It's great to have some time for fellowship and a good way to not have to worry to much about cooking on Sunday. Sometimes one bring something and another time someone else (most of the time Marjo has made something though- she is the super mother number one). It also make us plan better, doing the cooking on Saturday and then just eat and enjoy when Sunday is coming.
Anyhow this past Sunday I was doing this "Chickpeas from Marrakech" from the Swedish cook book "Kärlek, Oliver och timjan" by Systrarna Bergenström. If I may say it myself it was realy good so here is the recipe :-)
For 4-5 people
6-8dl home cooked chickpeas or 2 cans of cooked
150g spinach or chard
1 heaped tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 medium yellow onions
5 peeled garlic cloves
1 red or yellow pepper
1 can of whole tomatoes
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
3-4 tbsp chopped cilantro
lemon wedges
Chop the green spinach or chard leaves (cut off rough center nerves). Measure out all the spices in a small dish. Set all this aside.
Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Core and slice peppers. Share the tomatoes into rough chunks.
Heat a little oil in a wok, add garlic and onion and stir. Fry 1-2 minutes, add all spices and stir again. Raise the heat a little. Add the chopped peppers and chickpeas. Cutter for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes with tomato broth. Pour into water and salt. Cook everything for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the spinach gently. Season to taste. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with rice, couscous or bulgur and lemon in generous wedges.
And recipe number two is the most simple recipe and delicious that I found online today. Thank you Jens Schedin for adding it to Tasteline.
Pasta with tuna and pesto
0.5 jar sour cream
1 can tuna in water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp pesto
1 garlic clove
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch black pepper from the mill
Heat the sour cream in a pan. If you use tuna in water, pour off all the water from the tuna. Add the olive oil to the sour cream. Add the pesto when it begins to simmer and then the garlic. Grind some black pepper over. Salt possible.
Add the freshly cooked pasta and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with the tomatoes with a little balsamic vinegar and some good bread.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
new colors
A couple of weeks ago Marjo and myself (Lena) made a trip to Thessaloniki.
We had a great time with shoping and lots of good food, time to talk and we went to the cinema!
We were feeling very spoiled and enjoyed every minut of it!
Our main goal with the shoping was to find something new for the church -we felt it needed some colors.
We first went to Leroy Merlin and was looking at their fabrics and curtains -no they didn't have anything we thought would fit. Soon enough we moved on to Ikea and this is where we did our serious shoping :-) We already had a new cover for the sofa (that me and Kenneth didn't need anymore since we moved out of our appartment). We can't say we had a lot of options but in the end we where happy with what we bought. All we really bought was fabric for the cushions -but I was busy for a few days making them. And! we bought lamps. The old ones was in really bad condition and in a couple of rooms there was no lamps at all.
In the hall we chose a pink color that was nice with the gray we already had. In the church hall we needed blue since we thought that it is the best to go with the brown in there.
After making the cushions we were planing to paint one of the walls in the "hall". We had in mind to do it in another pink color but then we thought it might be to much pink so we made it green. We like it.
(Unfortunately the blind is broken and we can't get it up so we still haven't seen the new color in daylight.)
We had a great time with shoping and lots of good food, time to talk and we went to the cinema!
We were feeling very spoiled and enjoyed every minut of it!
Our main goal with the shoping was to find something new for the church -we felt it needed some colors.
We first went to Leroy Merlin and was looking at their fabrics and curtains -no they didn't have anything we thought would fit. Soon enough we moved on to Ikea and this is where we did our serious shoping :-) We already had a new cover for the sofa (that me and Kenneth didn't need anymore since we moved out of our appartment). We can't say we had a lot of options but in the end we where happy with what we bought. All we really bought was fabric for the cushions -but I was busy for a few days making them. And! we bought lamps. The old ones was in really bad condition and in a couple of rooms there was no lamps at all.
In the hall we chose a pink color that was nice with the gray we already had. In the church hall we needed blue since we thought that it is the best to go with the brown in there.
After making the cushions we were planing to paint one of the walls in the "hall". We had in mind to do it in another pink color but then we thought it might be to much pink so we made it green. We like it.
(Unfortunately the blind is broken and we can't get it up so we still haven't seen the new color in daylight.)
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Is it worth it?
Wednesday and time for the teen gathering.
Neither I nor Kenneth think of ourselfs as youth leaders, but we think it's fun when a bunch of young people are coming to church! It's worth our time here.
Last week it was only three (but of course, three very precious ones), we played some games and Kenneth was asking what they're passionate about. What is it that engages? Are you taking the time to learn about and give time to what you think is important.
Yes a good question to ask yourself. How small you might think your influence in society is, one can still make a difference. And if not to make a difference for others you make a difference in you own life, knowing you have done what is right. You have followed your own heart.
And two days later, my own challenge arrived in the mail. I got a cd from a friend -Hold on. A cd that has sprung up from a passion, a burden for others. Nefarious/ Exodus Cry that produced this cd is an anti- trafficking organization.
To me it's easy to let it pass, I have no real reference points so it is difficult to understand. But at the same time you can not ignore it when you see it, read about it or listening to the lyrics of this cd. What is a far away emotion for me is real life for someone else.
"Justice will fall down like rain. He will break every chain. Don't you think for a moment He doesn't see your pain. If He can carry the weight of the world on His shoulders I know that He'll be able to carry you through There's a hope that's growin' even though it goes unspoken, there's a future that's golden, just keep on holdin' /restoratioin's for the broken, recordin' no regret. Don't give up, it's not over yet, we carry your burden in intercession, let's reflect."
Neither I nor Kenneth think of ourselfs as youth leaders, but we think it's fun when a bunch of young people are coming to church! It's worth our time here.
Last week it was only three (but of course, three very precious ones), we played some games and Kenneth was asking what they're passionate about. What is it that engages? Are you taking the time to learn about and give time to what you think is important.
Yes a good question to ask yourself. How small you might think your influence in society is, one can still make a difference. And if not to make a difference for others you make a difference in you own life, knowing you have done what is right. You have followed your own heart.
And two days later, my own challenge arrived in the mail. I got a cd from a friend -Hold on. A cd that has sprung up from a passion, a burden for others. Nefarious/ Exodus Cry that produced this cd is an anti- trafficking organization.
To me it's easy to let it pass, I have no real reference points so it is difficult to understand. But at the same time you can not ignore it when you see it, read about it or listening to the lyrics of this cd. What is a far away emotion for me is real life for someone else.
"Justice will fall down like rain. He will break every chain. Don't you think for a moment He doesn't see your pain. If He can carry the weight of the world on His shoulders I know that He'll be able to carry you through There's a hope that's growin' even though it goes unspoken, there's a future that's golden, just keep on holdin' /restoratioin's for the broken, recordin' no regret. Don't give up, it's not over yet, we carry your burden in intercession, let's reflect."
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Cradle of civilization?
I have friends who are missionaries in Africa's deepest jungle. Compared to them I often feel very privileged - thinking of all one have access to.
But it does not always feels like one lives in the "cradle of civilization" ... It is not without that many times in Greece I rather feel like a couple of decades behind in time -when you see an old man load firewood on his donkey or how other hard work is done by hand.
This week the water froze on the property where we live. Pilidis had no water and that's when you realize how much water you use! First of all for drinking and cooking, then to do the dishes, and you want to wash yourselves including your clothes -you want to be able to flush the toilet every now and then... I'm telling you, it's a lot of water in one day! Water that we have collected from down town and the from the neighbors. It has not been any great trouble for me and Kenneth, we handle the most of our needs downtown in the church -both when it comes to cooking and visits to the toilet. The real hero is Marjo, wife and mother of tree teenagers. Well, water is of course easy to get when you have a car. But last Thursday it was the children's prayers that was heard, it was thick with snow on the ground and with the steep hill leading down from our house it was not thinking about getting anywhere with the car. But the kids were up and out faster than ever, ready to have fun and play in the snow. And Limenas was beautifully dressed in white beneath our feet. And while donkeys and man power brings my thoughts to olden times, it is also in some way characteristic for the good life. A life where you do not consume more than you need, where time will take its course and where each person's contribution makes a difference.
This morning the snow was gone, it has been raining all night -life returns to normal, the water pipes have defrosted and we were able to flush the toilet again.
But it does not always feels like one lives in the "cradle of civilization" ... It is not without that many times in Greece I rather feel like a couple of decades behind in time -when you see an old man load firewood on his donkey or how other hard work is done by hand.
This week the water froze on the property where we live. Pilidis had no water and that's when you realize how much water you use! First of all for drinking and cooking, then to do the dishes, and you want to wash yourselves including your clothes -you want to be able to flush the toilet every now and then... I'm telling you, it's a lot of water in one day! Water that we have collected from down town and the from the neighbors. It has not been any great trouble for me and Kenneth, we handle the most of our needs downtown in the church -both when it comes to cooking and visits to the toilet. The real hero is Marjo, wife and mother of tree teenagers. Well, water is of course easy to get when you have a car. But last Thursday it was the children's prayers that was heard, it was thick with snow on the ground and with the steep hill leading down from our house it was not thinking about getting anywhere with the car. But the kids were up and out faster than ever, ready to have fun and play in the snow. And Limenas was beautifully dressed in white beneath our feet. And while donkeys and man power brings my thoughts to olden times, it is also in some way characteristic for the good life. A life where you do not consume more than you need, where time will take its course and where each person's contribution makes a difference.
This morning the snow was gone, it has been raining all night -life returns to normal, the water pipes have defrosted and we were able to flush the toilet again.
I am grateful for what I otherwise take for granted. (sorry, I don't have any pictures of snow or happy, playing children...)
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Our trip through the camera lens
Our first stop was England. We stayed with friends that Lena met in Brussels 15 years ago when she was there working as a nanny. Nigel was in the same cell group and now we also got to meet his beautiful family! We also met another couple from the same cell group that also are back in the London area now. They took us around the city and showed us everything that a turist needs to see :-) And we had a nice "Fish and chips" together. Good meeting you all again!Unfortunately, I have no good pictures of these friends as well as others we met during the trip but failed to get a picture of (Pleace excuse the bad picture quality on some pictures. I, Lena, has taken most of the pictures but have not quite learned yet to handle light settings, etc.
Below a picture of St. Paul Cathedral and the Salvation Army headquarters, where my father used to work for more than 40 years ago.
When we arrived to Sweden we had a few days of snow
-not much but we did have some snow!
Hans is getting our tree from the forest. Good job Hans!
-not much but we did have some snow!
Hans is getting our tree from the forest. Good job Hans!
By Christmas all the snow was gone but we had a nice time anyway.
Dimitri arrived to Sweden
and we where happy to take him to all the sights in Stockholm.
and we where happy to take him to all the sights in Stockholm.
I'm also happy my neice was able to join us for our "Sweden tour". She came with us for about 10 days and must have been very tired when it was time for school again :-) (since all of us where tired after this week)
Met up with Bennit (a sweet lady, a former colleague to Kenneth and a great supporter of our job in Thassos) at a "New Year race" in Vallentuna. Her son did a good job and ended up as 5th runner.
Being so near Brottby we thought we might visit the Schut family. We found them on their way from the airport (thay been in Holland to visit family on the Christmas brake) and still we where invited for a lunch in their house. What a lovely hospitable family!
For the second year running we celebrated the New Year with Ristholm. A nice tradition. Ristholm stayed in Thassos for a few months last winter so it was good to have time together again. And we enjoyed Carina's good cooking and artistic touch on everything during the night.
1 of January we celebrated Sunday service in New Life.
Kenneth was part of the worship team
(every one on stage has been visiting us in Greece,
everyone but Andrea- it's a sign Andrea, you got to come visit us!)
Kenneth was part of the worship team
(every one on stage has been visiting us in Greece,
everyone but Andrea- it's a sign Andrea, you got to come visit us!)
Dimitri was learing the Swedish word fika (coffee and sweet).
In New Life we always have fika before the sermon begins.
In New Life we always have fika before the sermon begins.
And Dimitri was preaching on coming to your braking point,
that is when God realy can break through.
that is when God realy can break through.
Lenas best time in Sweden was here in Eskilstuna when she got to meet her sweet Louise! (Lena and Louise were sharing a flat for seven years)
From the team that was visiting us in May we got to meet three lovely faces. Josefin was one of them. At first we didn't get the chans to meet but then she came up with this brilliant idea, she came with us in the car as we were going from Stockholm to spend our last days in Örebro. We had a few hours together before she took the train back home.
On our way to Örebro we visited the uncle and aunt of Lena.
Dimitri is shown one big bible.(above).
Dimitri is shown one big bible.(above).
In Örebro we where staying with friends that has been to Thassos many times and feels like part of our church down in Greece (down). Now we where able to visit thier church.
We also got the chance to meet up with friends from Göteborg that was in town
Preparing for Greek night. We're making some good greek treats mmm sovlaki, tzatsiki, feta...
Our last night before arriving to Greece we where staying in the lovely bed and breakfast, Grange Guest house in Bishop's Stortford, a beautiful British town.
Home sweet home
Home sweet home, they say. But what is home? It's been good to be home in Sweden, eat Swedish food, meet friends and family. But it has also been a bit tiring having to travel around so much, sleeping in new places and meet new people. At three locations we had meetings and talked about our work here on Thassos. Three very different and very pleasant gatherings. It was not always so structured and especially not as it struggled with the technical. But we trust that God did what he wanted to do even when the presentation was stumbling. A big thank you to the technical friends that was helping us along the trip. And it feels good that we got a lot of nice feedback -people that got encouraged by what we do.
Towards the end of our trip we started to feel a bit homesick - longing for Thassos. That's where we have our things, church, friends and our cat. However, it is hard to come back. Partly, because we are tired from the trip, partly because we are back to work with all that entails in terms of responsibility and a spiritual struggle.
Both Thassos and Sweden are our home! but both may look strange at times. When we at the beginning of the week met with "our youth" again after not seeing them for three weeks it felt good to be back. This is where we have our calling for now, we may in a few years again call Sweden our home for real but for now we live in a caravan in northen Greece.
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