I guess I am raising my hopes up, but if I do a diligent research, I am sure we can somehow afford it. The first thing is finding a good job!
Please keep us in your prayers as this search continues...
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Job Hunt
These last few days have been spent searching for a job. I am uncertain as to what to do, since I am only looking for a temporary position, however, I am a bit high maintenance (as Marie calls me) because I want to get a good-paying job. I am most certain I can get an OK paying position, but our lease is due for renewal within the next few months, and quite honestly I am tired of living in a place that does not belong to me. I would like to buy our first home, but without a job, that seems relatively impossible. Marie and I were driving back home on Saturday, and we came upon an open house. We were NOT searching for homes, but it looked really inviting, so we stopped and the realtor came over and said we were welcomed to look around. He showed us the property and we absolutely loved it. It is a little more than we could possibly need, but it could be a good investment property. The home has a FULL basement (which if you live in AZ, you know that is a very RARE find) which features an outstanding playroom, dance/work-out area, THREE bedrooms, one bath and one home office, in addition to the entertainment area, and fireplace. On the main level it also has a really spacious master bedroom, three more bedrooms and 2 baths. A nice (SMALL) kitchen, double fireplace, dinning area, breakfast nook and a formal living room. The backyard was somewhat small, but there was a large swimming pool (which is also quite nice in Scottsdale), and 3 car garage. Yeah, I know, big house for the two of us, but as I mentioned earlier, we could definitely close the basement and add an entrance to the basement and easily turn it into a duplex. Get a couple of roommates to share rent and we could be on our way to becoming homeowners!!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
What's so Great About Christianity?
For those of you who want to understand more about the new wave of atheism, you absolutely must watch the following interview. Conservative speaker and writer Dinesh D'Souza explicitly describes the idea of the war against religion, so Christians can understand what we are up against.
This other video explains the recently released book by Dinesh D'Souza. It has been in the NY's best seller.
Dinesh D'Souza mounts a spirited intellectual defense of Christianity in the face of its many detractors. He argues that Christianity and modern science are really not in conflict, and he explains how questions about the origins of the universe, and about evolution, can be reconciled. Atheists who attack Christianity's historical excesses are, says D'Souza, misreading and misinterpreting history for their own ends, and he claims that it is atheistic regimes that have been responsible for the terror and mass murders throughout history. In D'Souza's eyes, the atheistic stance is tired and worn, and, in his view, it is Christianity that offers a viable hope for the future.
I have not yet obtained a copy, but I am eager to, as I am currently reading his predecessor best seller. "What's so Great About America?"
This is actually my second time reading it, as it is very "juicy" and cannot get enough of it.
A MUST read for all conservatives.
You can also read D'Souza's blog. Please click here to be redirected. I have added it to my favorites.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Welcome to the “Real World”
We attend Phoenix First Assembly of God, and absolutely love to be a part of such great world known ministry. Our church has developed a system in which people can interact with minded-like individuals. There are small groups called “Fusion Life Groups,” which meet on Wednesday nights and are primarily related to a particular topic of interest. Now, I know that most Christians, when they hear the word “Small Groups,” feel as though it is all about a bunch of crazy radical people trying to find friends, weird outcasts, or simply do not feel that they fit in with anyone in their groups, this is one of the reasons why our church implemented these topic-based groups, so members can have a sense of belonging. The series for this month is called “Welcome to the Real World,” hence the title of this post.
Marie, my siblings and I are considering becoming a part of the leadership of such ministry (Life Groups). We realize that, while the 130+ groups have covered most topics, there is one that has been neglected, perhaps because it is very controversial, nonetheless, extremely important in the society in which we live; that is “politics.”
We are seriously considering leading a group for people who are into, or want to learn more about politics; despite of the fact that we are of no erudite nature, we strongly believe there is an enormous misconception about politics in church (generally speaking), not to mention the need to teach politics from a Godly perspective. We know this is a challenging task, but we truly think it is absolutely worth the effort. As Christians, we have a serious responsibility in taking a part of our nation’s governmental decisions, actions and beliefs. We will be held accountable by our future generations, should we give these responsibilities little thought and leave them in the hands of the secular world.
A lot of Christians are confused and simply decide to either ignore politics or take a neutral stand because they don’t understand, others have never been educated or exposed to politics, or have been brainwashed by the bias media. The problem in America is that we are deviating from our conservative principles and have become accustomed to the political correctness wave.
Our Nation was founded on Christian principles, therefore it is imperative to take a stand as believers, and not let the left wing infiltrate worldly ideals such as: communism, socialism, big government, dictatorships, and so on. These issues are extremely serious, and Christians MUST have a clear understanding of the importance of such issues. Some believe politics should be left outside the church, whereas, we know our Founding Fathers were strong believers, and it was because of their impeccable Christian foundation that God allowed us to be set free from our oppressors.
Marie, my siblings and I are considering becoming a part of the leadership of such ministry (Life Groups). We realize that, while the 130+ groups have covered most topics, there is one that has been neglected, perhaps because it is very controversial, nonetheless, extremely important in the society in which we live; that is “politics.”
We are seriously considering leading a group for people who are into, or want to learn more about politics; despite of the fact that we are of no erudite nature, we strongly believe there is an enormous misconception about politics in church (generally speaking), not to mention the need to teach politics from a Godly perspective. We know this is a challenging task, but we truly think it is absolutely worth the effort. As Christians, we have a serious responsibility in taking a part of our nation’s governmental decisions, actions and beliefs. We will be held accountable by our future generations, should we give these responsibilities little thought and leave them in the hands of the secular world.
A lot of Christians are confused and simply decide to either ignore politics or take a neutral stand because they don’t understand, others have never been educated or exposed to politics, or have been brainwashed by the bias media. The problem in America is that we are deviating from our conservative principles and have become accustomed to the political correctness wave.
Our Nation was founded on Christian principles, therefore it is imperative to take a stand as believers, and not let the left wing infiltrate worldly ideals such as: communism, socialism, big government, dictatorships, and so on. These issues are extremely serious, and Christians MUST have a clear understanding of the importance of such issues. Some believe politics should be left outside the church, whereas, we know our Founding Fathers were strong believers, and it was because of their impeccable Christian foundation that God allowed us to be set free from our oppressors.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Savory Ideas
Roast Beef Wellington with Tangy Green Beans
Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
One 3-pound beef tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (To taste)
1 pound/450 g button mushrooms
3 large shallots, finely chopped (Onions would work too)
One 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 pound fresh thin green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
Juice of one key lime
Method:
To prepare the beef and mushroom mixture:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the hot pan and cook until brown on all sides but still very rare in the center. This will take 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the beef to a plate and refrigerate until it is cold. Set the pan aside (do not wash the pan).
Place the mushrooms in a food processor and blend for 10 to 15 seconds or until all the mushrooms are very finely chopped. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same frying pan over moderate-high heat.
Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute or until the shallots are tender, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mushroom mixture is dry. Set the mushroom mixture aside to cool completely.
To assemble and bake the beef:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet into a 16x10-inch rectangle.
Brush 2 inches of one long side of one rectangle with some of the beaten egg. Place one long side of the second rectangle atop the egg-coated edge of the first rectangle, overlapping the edges by 2 inches. Press gently to seal.
Spread half of the mushroom mixture lengthwise over the center of the pastry. Place the beef on top of the mushroom mixture. Spread the remaining mushroom mixture over the top of the beef. Fold the pastry over the beef, overlapping the pastry on top of the beef.
Brush the pastry ends with some of the beaten egg, then fold the pastry ends over the sides and top of the beef. Turn the pastry-encased beef over and onto a heavy baking sheet so that it is seam side down. Brush some of the beaten egg over the pastry. Score the top of the pastry decoratively with the dull side of a knife.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through and a meat thermometer registers 130°F when inserted into the center of the beef for medium-rare doneness. The temperature of the beef will rise as it rests.
Let the beef rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Reserve the pan juices. Simmer the wine in a heavy based small saucepan over a high heat for 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Pour in the reserved juices from the beef. Simmer 1 minute. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, to cook the green beans:
Boil the green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 3-4 minutes or until they are crisp-tender. Drain. Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the beans and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, oregano and lime juice.
To serve:
Cut the beef and pastry crosswise into thick slices. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon some wine sauce over the beef and serve with the green beans.
I had a roast in the freezer and wanted to jazz it up a bit, so I decided to make it Wellington style. Here is the recipe, and a picture, I did not take a picture of mine, but it looked something like this.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
One 3-pound beef tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (To taste)
1 pound/450 g button mushrooms
3 large shallots, finely chopped (Onions would work too)
One 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 pound fresh thin green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
Juice of one key lime
pinch of oregano
Method:
To prepare the beef and mushroom mixture:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the hot pan and cook until brown on all sides but still very rare in the center. This will take 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the beef to a plate and refrigerate until it is cold. Set the pan aside (do not wash the pan).
Place the mushrooms in a food processor and blend for 10 to 15 seconds or until all the mushrooms are very finely chopped. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same frying pan over moderate-high heat.
Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute or until the shallots are tender, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mushroom mixture is dry. Set the mushroom mixture aside to cool completely.
To assemble and bake the beef:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet into a 16x10-inch rectangle.
Brush 2 inches of one long side of one rectangle with some of the beaten egg. Place one long side of the second rectangle atop the egg-coated edge of the first rectangle, overlapping the edges by 2 inches. Press gently to seal.
Spread half of the mushroom mixture lengthwise over the center of the pastry. Place the beef on top of the mushroom mixture. Spread the remaining mushroom mixture over the top of the beef. Fold the pastry over the beef, overlapping the pastry on top of the beef.
Brush the pastry ends with some of the beaten egg, then fold the pastry ends over the sides and top of the beef. Turn the pastry-encased beef over and onto a heavy baking sheet so that it is seam side down. Brush some of the beaten egg over the pastry. Score the top of the pastry decoratively with the dull side of a knife.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through and a meat thermometer registers 130°F when inserted into the center of the beef for medium-rare doneness. The temperature of the beef will rise as it rests.
Let the beef rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Reserve the pan juices. Simmer the wine in a heavy based small saucepan over a high heat for 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Pour in the reserved juices from the beef. Simmer 1 minute. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, to cook the green beans:
Boil the green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 3-4 minutes or until they are crisp-tender. Drain. Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the beans and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, oregano and lime juice.
To serve:
Cut the beef and pastry crosswise into thick slices. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon some wine sauce over the beef and serve with the green beans.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Breathtaking
Marie is trying to get a job at a modeling agency, so we have been trying to find a good place for her to submit her portfolio. My brother Nathan has done a terrific Job with Marie's pictures for her new portfolio, so I want to share a few in here. Nathan has won various contest in photography and video production).
During an interview today, Marie was told to also pursue an acting career, but needless to say, she thinks she does not have the personality for acting. We both agree that for a few extra hundred bucks ANYone could have "the personality."
It even makes me want to sign up, although I don't think I am a very good candidate. However, we are not financially able to that at this time, it may be something to consider down the road.
Here are the pictures.
During an interview today, Marie was told to also pursue an acting career, but needless to say, she thinks she does not have the personality for acting. We both agree that for a few extra hundred bucks ANYone could have "the personality."
It even makes me want to sign up, although I don't think I am a very good candidate. However, we are not financially able to that at this time, it may be something to consider down the road.
Here are the pictures.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Life with a purpose
As Marie and I were driving to church this morning, we reflected on certain things that we hope to accomplish this year, involving anything from secular jobs, life at home, with family, earthly possessions, and most importantly, a life with God. We realized how imperative, how crucial it is to place God before anything else ("Seek ye first the Kingdom of , His righteousness; and all these things shall be added onto you...") in order to have a successful life. It is no coincidence that He mentioned it very clearly on His word. We discussed the importance of being accountable to one's self for everything we do, on a daily basis, as well as on a yearly basis. If we wish to accomplish certain things, we must have a vision for them, a goal and work towards fulfilling that goal every second of every day. Well, to our complete surprise we arrived at church and the first thing our pastor said is the very same thing. He actually had an outline of the things we, as a church, need to do in order to achieve our goals. He has a vision, where he wants the church to go, and he encouraged the church to commit to certain things, funny enough, we had to write down our commitments (in order to hold ourselves accountable) and work towards that vision.
I think it is a time to reflect on where we are, as individuals, as a nation, and most importantly, as children of God.
I think it is a time to reflect on where we are, as individuals, as a nation, and most importantly, as children of God.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Iowa Caucuses
Obama and Huckabee win Iowa Presidential Caucuses!
Romney and Edwards came second, and McCain and Clinton third.
Check out the report online... foxnews.com for an unbiased report during this '08 election.
Rearranging Spaces
I have been home all day trying to figure out how to rearrange our new home. Marie has been working all day (we exchanged roles hahaha) and I am trying to surprise her with a new look, a more inviting, intimate and cozy setting (which is what she likes). I don't think I was very successful, since the apartment still looks quite messy, but I guess that is just a part of the process. I cannot wait for her to be back and tell me what she thinks of it. I would take some pictures, but I am sure she would want to either move it all back the way it was, or simply rearrange my "arrangements" haha =). In any event, I will update this post later with the end product. Oh, and by the way, does anyone else feel they have collected too many pieces of furniture? I sure feel that way, and hey, I've only been married for a month, go figure!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
A Wedding Story
These photos are from our wedding. We were married on November 24th, 2007. I will post some pictures of our honeymoon as well, but not until I sort them all out.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to present to you for the first time: Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Marius" - Pastor Greg.
"Yeahhhhh" - Crowd - hahahaha...
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2008, New Year! Year of "FOCUS"
This is my first blog, and what a better time to start one than today. It is hard to believe that 2008 is already here. I look back and think of all the wonderful happenings 2007 left behind, and can't help to think what 2008 has in store for me, for us. It is with great enthusiasm that I embark on this new "journey to a higher life" of which I am thrilled to sail with my wife Marie.
I know how pathetic a newly wed may sound, but I truly want to enjoy every second of it. I just hope I can get my act together and start making a change in my world, and I pray that this year would be the greatest yet. "The best IS YET to come." It is late, and I better get some rest, not before I mention how exciting I am to know that it only gets better from here on.
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