Leandro shared some photos with me today of the fruit from his cashew tree. Very interesting… the yellow part is the fruit, which is sweet and juicy, called cashew apples, and the gray hanging off the bottom contains the nut, which is the seed. It is common in latin america to make a drink with the fruit juice; imagine seeing cashew fruit juice at the store when all you ever see is the cashew nuts. Someday I shall try some fresh cashew juice. Sounds refreshing, no?

:: read more on wiki ::

(photo credit: unknown)

It’s a chilly and rainy Shabbat in Costa Rica today. I love the rain and I love to listen to it as it drip drip drip drops on our tin roof; rainy days can be some of the most peaceful and warm days. It’s a nice to sit and listen to the rain falling curled up with blankets and big fluffy socks and something hot to drink. I think I shall do that now…. Shabbat Shalom! I hope you are having a wonderful and restful Shabbat. Enjoy the rain, enjoy the rest, enjoy the music.

John 8:32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

2 Corinthians 3:17 “But,” says the Torah, “whenever someone turns to YHVH, the veil is taken away.”a 17 Now, “YHVH” in this text means the Spirit. And where the Spirit of YHVH is, there is freedom.

Galatians 5:1  That the Messiah has freed us for is freedom! Therefore, stand firm, and don’t let yourselves be tied up again to a yoke of slavery.

Psalms 146:7 He secures justice for the oppressed, he gives food to the hungry. YHVH sets prisoners free, 8 YHVH opens the eyes of the blind, YHVH lifts up those who are bent over. YHVH loves the righteous.

Titus 2:14 He gave himself up on our behalf in order to free us from all violation of Torah and purify for himself a people who would be his own, eager to do good.

James 2:12 Keep speaking and acting like people who will be judged by a Torah which gives freedom.

HEY! I AM FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The TRUTH set me FREE so I am going to keep speaking and acting like one who is set apart according to the Spirit of YHVH, which is manifested in his Torah and his Son.

HEED THE WARNING:

Jeremiah 23 – 33 “When [someone from] this people, a prophet or a cohen asks you, ‘What is the burden of YHVH?’ you are to answer them, ‘What burden? I am throwing you off,’ says YHVH. 34 As for a prophet, cohen or [someone else from] this people who speaks about ‘the burden of YHVH,’ I will punish him and his household.” 35 So, when you speak with your neighbor or brother, ask, “What answer has YHVH given?” or “What has YHVH said?” 36 Don’t use the expression, “burden of YHVH” any more; for every person’s own word will be his burden. Must you twist the words of the living Elohim, of YHVH-Tzva’ot, our Elohim?

Whatcha need:

4 cups of coconut water

4 cups of milk

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1-2 cups of ice

1/2-1 cup of coconut meat (optional)

1/2-1 teaspoons of stevia (or honey)

A friend of ours has several coconut trees in his yard and too many coconuts for just him and his wife, so he asked us to come get some. When they are green they are actually called pipas, but the coconuts you get from the store in the states is the coconut inside the green/brown husk.

See the coconut meat and water? Coconut milk is equal parts of the water and the meat, btw. The ticos here just stick a straw in the hole and walk around drinking these, and there are vendors in the city who sell them like that.

Each pipa has about a cup or so of water in it. So we used three for this.

The coconut water has an odd flavour. It is hard to explain. I didn’t like it at first but after awhile it I grew to like it. And fresh coconut off a tree is way different than coconut from the store.

There is inside the pipa. We scraped out the meat from the shell. You can see the husk and then the actual shape of the coconut here.

So take all the ingredients

and put them into the blender and blend. Adding the coconut meat makes it a bit pulpy so if you just want a really smooth drink, leave that out. Same with the ice. I actually like to add just a little ice to the blender and then afterward add ice cubes to my glass.

Stevia also has an odd flavour. Something you have to get used to but right now I am trying to be on a low glycemic index diet, which means I have had to cut out a lot of things – honey being one of them. So I am using stevia. Not as great, but healthy and still good.

And there you go. I have added cocoa powder to this before too and it is really really good.

nom nom enjoy!

My dahling sister Rachel is now 18.

Holy.

Guacamole.

Batman.

It is so odd my little siblings growing up. I know of course they won’t stay little for long, but they will always be my little siblings. And, Rachel will always be my Rae-Rae (two-two is more like it, but don’t worry, Rachel I won’t embarrass you with calling you that hehe).

Rachel is an incredibly smart and fun person with a lot of character. She has oh so many talents and is good at a great many things.

I am glad to have her as a sister and as a friend. When we were younger Amanda and I were always doing things together with Rachel tagging along (or sometimes not at all; she was always quite content to play by herself), but as we’ve grown older we’ve grown closer together.

Life wouldn’t be the same without her!

If you don’t read Rachel’s blog, you should. She updates way more than I do and has way more interesting posts.

Rachel, I hope your next year of life is awe-some and blessed and full of new and exciting things!

Love, me

Ps. don’t kill me for posting that photo; you posted way funnier ones yourself. Besides it’s so cute! Sireeously. ;)

(photo credit: unknown)

“Rudeness is a weak man’s imitation of strength”

Love is patient and kind,

not jealous,

not boastful,

not proud, rude or selfish,

not easily angered,

and it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not gloat over other people’s sins

but takes its delight in the truth.

Love always bears up,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always endures.

Love never ends.

- 1 Corinthians 13 -

Love is a very simple concept. It begins simply.

It begins with giving of yourself. It is followed by simply acting on that concept.

“After all, life is really simple; we ourselves create the circumstances that complicate it.”

Esther did. She was used to save her people from annihilation, though she could have been killed herself.

David did. He was used to proclaim a victory for YHVH and keep Israel from being pillaged and taken into slavery, though he was just a boy.

Mary did. She was used to bring forth the Messiah, though a humble and simple life she lived in obedience to the commands.

Paul did. He was used to bring the good news to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, though he was a murderer of righteous people.

Start simple. Start by simply living… living in obedience to the commands and walking the way that is righteous.