text: Who cannot thrill as skilled musicians and players— whether a soloist or a mighty orchestra— share the structured harmonies of God! And yet, of so much higher value are the vocal choirs and carols of sanctified singers, minstrels, and bards who point us to God with a full palette of songs for all our emotional and spiritual needs.
  We start our lives to our cradle songs, hear the lullaby of our mother’s heart, learn the songs of children and youth, the grand hymns of the church, and find from the popular celebrations of Jesus’ birth (“Christmas”) and His death (“Easter”) some of the highest musings of mankind. We graduate from school or college, or walk the aisle of marriage to the accompaniment of the sweetest lyrics and harmonies we can find. And, until the dirges slowly play our funeral, we rejoice in the gift of music.
  Like King Saul, we look for a David to drive away our evil spirits, and we laugh, we cry, we sob, we sigh, we think, we muse and meditate on the meaning of life and our meeting with our Maker, to the slow hymn of our daily life.
  Chants, canticles, carols and concertos chronicle the highest and holiest events of life, our tranquil anthems of gratefulness in times of peace, the military marches mid the horrors of war, the heartfelt invitations to repentance and heart-sung warnings to the wayward.
  ​We rightly tribute those composers, directors, and producers who coax from human voices a full spectrum of aural beauty— from the lowest bass growlings to the high silvery resonance imitating the thrush or nightingale. How many millions of hours and dollars do we gladly spend annually, so we can thrill to fugue or allegro, oratorio, drama, or operetta? How frequently do we download a masterpiece of emotional music, to manipulate our hearts in the way they want to go? Heart and soul, we stir our deepest deeps by the eternal music.
  And when all the instruments fade to silence, the acapella solo of a vocal virtuoso, a duet, or the blending delights of soprano, alto, tenor and bass, or a mighty choir of human harmonics brings us to peace and hope again. And when we’re all alone, the least talented among us can hopefully whistle a tuneful ditty or a strain or refrain they enjoy, while the most talented among us we tend to promote to celebrity status, even if their music lowers the morals and morale of their listeners.
  By the grace of God, our desire here is to hallow the Name and the ways of the triune Person Who made music for mankind, and mankind for the music of praise. May we exalt from the heart the One Who designed us in His own image, and may we meaningfully inspire others in a daily doxology of worship.
  
  By now many of you feel overwhelmed by the tragic events in Newtown CT. It is not possible to wrap our minds around the grief, sadness, pain, and powerlessness that so many people around Sandy Hill Elementary School must be experiencing. Events like this also have the power to bring back trauma and grief in our own lives. Also, those of you who have children, especially younger children cannot help but take this story to heart.
  Of course, in the church, we are already focused on Christmas with a cantata tonight, joy filled hymns tomorrow, a Christmas pageant next week, and Christmas Eve celebrations right around the corner. I will admit that the contrast between our celebrations and what we are seeing on the news right now is a bit disorienting and disconcerting. However, we need to be reminded that Jesus was born into a cruel and violent world living under Roman occupation and surrounded by disease and death. Jesus did not transform that world by means of miracles or revolution. However, his life and ministry, teachings and healings, death and resurrection shined a light in the darkness and reminded us that the darkness does not get the last word. He promises a day when all things will be made new, but we still live in that time between the coming of the Spirit and his second coming. We live in the time between glimpses of the kingdom and the kingdom revealed in all of it's glory. We know that the light is coming in all of it's fullness, but in the meantime (and sometimes it's a mean time), we bear the candles that push back the darkness.
  We will pray tomorrow for all who have been devastated by this tragedy. I will reflect on it a bit as well. (although I will be keeping my references quite veiled for the sake of our younger children - our Sunday School teachers are being advised as to ways to address this or not!). We will be given words to say when we don't know what to say and things to do when we don't know what to do. However, we will also sing the praises of our coming Lord who fully identifies with us and makes all things new.
  I hope that many of you will be joining us for our Cantata at 5PM tonight, featuring choir members, a string quartet, and many familiar Christmas carols (and a soup supper to follow for those able to stay). Many of us could use a little Christmas right about now. Also, we will be gathering at 8:15 and 11 AM tomorrrow to pray for those in need, to learn, grow ,and even have some fun around "Ask the Pastor" (Bring your questions about the Bible, church history, worship, St. Andrew's, Advent and Christmas, faith and daily life to help shape the morning message), and sing hymns to the One who was and is and is to come, the one who is our source of both deep longing and profound joy.
  Thank you again for your incredible generosity to the mission of St. Andrew's and our mission partners in this season of giving. I am overwhelmed by the ways that you open your hands and hearts. It is a deep honor and tremendous privilege to serve as your pastor. Join us this weekend in our journey to Bethelehem. See you in church!
  
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  Note: Bánh Cuón Tây Hò closed sometime around 2009 or 2010, but until that time was one of the more authentic Vietnamese restaurants in the Asian District. It was part of a California chain of restaurants, and has a good reputation from the reviews I have seen. My review mentions that it changed owners, and I think I had better luck with the first ones (as someone who does not speak Vietnamese and was trying to understand the menu). The best dish I tried was Bánh Cuón (rice sheet wraps), the restaurant’s specialty. Lang’s Bakery, two doors down from the former Bánh Cuón Tây Hò, says they have a similar rice sheet wrap dish (No. 19 on the menu, described as “Slice Vietnamese Ham & Bean Sprouts over White Rice Noodle Sheets”).
  It may be easy to miss Bánh Cuón Tây Hò. Located behind the larger Lido Restaurant in the same shopping center, patrons may be misled into the belief that Lido has the larger selection of authentic Vietnamese food, when in fact the menu at Tây Hò is probably just as extensive.
  Bánh Cuón Tây Hò is actually “Restaurant #5,” something I discovered by picking up the take-home menu. The one in Oklahoma City is the only non-California location of this chain, and I got the impression that this food is good enough quality to be successful in California’s “Little Saigon” districts.
  On my first trip I ordered the Bún, or vermicelli with vegetable dish, but it lacked the flavor I have experienced at Lido and other Vietnamese restaurants.
  On a subsequent visit, however, I asked about the recommended dishes, and was told that Bánh Cuón (rice sheet wraps) was a good choice. I figured this must be their speciality, so I tried it. I had not seen rice sheet wraps in any other Vietnamese restaurant, and it was delicious because of the vegetables and sauces that came with it. You actually create your own sauce by adding the desired quantities of fish sauce, chile, and peanuts from containers on the table. Several meats and tofu toppings are available. Recently they began adding yams in a tempura breading to the dish, and I now like it even better than before.
  The “Yam Sticks” (I don’t know their proper name) can be ordered as a stand-alone order (as shown in the photo above), but I did not care for them this way (I only ordered them because I misunderstood the menu, and thought they were a vegetarian version of the rice wraps).
  The Tofu Delight was quite good– comparable to the ones served at some of the better Chinese restaurants. Most Vietnamese restaurants in OKC serve Chinese dishes, but this was one of the few that had a true Chinese flavor.
  The restaurant has changed somewhat since my first visit in 2005, and seems to have new owners now. For instance, tempura yams have been added to the bánh cuón dishes, and Vietnamese ham is also included. The prices have increased, and some of the dishes seem to have changed. The food is just as good as before, and apparently the “ham and yam” combination is the typical Vietnamese way of serving the dish (although I do not know why it was not served previously).
  Hot tea is no longer on the house, and it has not been consistently made with the excellent loose leaves I experienced on my first visit.
  On my early visits I did not care much for some of the items other than rice wraps, but that may have changed for the better with the new owners and cooks. I just know that with the exception of some Chinese lunch plates, the restaurant tries to present authentic Vietnamese cooking. I have experimented with a few items, but there is much more available that I have not tried.
  
  Steveston offers you hearty meals served with small-town care and attention. And the good news is, all of them come with a view.
  Take the Buck & Ear Bar and Grill. It's plain inside - and out - but once you sit down to their generous portions of traditional breakfast offerings, you're hooked. Plus, depending on where you sit, you get a sweeping view of the Third Avenue and Moncton Street intersection or the sprawling Gulf of Georgia Cannery. But regulars claim that it's the reasonable prices that keep them coming back.
  Pat's Galley has been welcoming early risers for many years. When the Moncton Street block where it sat was slated for demolition, the owners decided to relocate to the River Song waterfront complex. It’s a lot closer to the Fraser River and customers can enjoy a tranquil view of Bayview Street while reading the papers over their eggs, bacon, and hash browns.
  Just across the street from Pat's is Cimona Cafe, reputed to have the friendliest smiles around. Miriam the owner welcomes arrivals with a warm “hello.” If all the tables are occupied, which happens quite often, you can sit on outward-facing stools and, from your lofty perch, get a commanding view that stretches from the Canada Fisheries office all the way to Sockeye City Restaurant. All for the same price as you would pay sitting at a regular table. Not a bad trade off, don’t you think?
  Sometimes though, you wake up with a void that only an Egg McMuffin can fill. Well, no fear, McDonald's is also here. On the corner of No. 1 Road and Moncton Street, to be specific. This nautical themed restaurant was once the subject of a heated debate in the community. When word got out that a McD was opening, many local feathers were ruffled. Surely not in Steveston! It would be the start of a precipitous decline to suburban nightmare.
  Once the store threw open its door, however, locals started warming up to it. Instead of being an eyesore, the Golden Arches is now considered an integral part of the waterfront community. From its windows, you can observe pedestrians spilling onto the crosswalks while drivers whip their heads left and right, trying to determine when to proceed through the uncontrolled intersection. Given the constant flow of feet, strollers, scooters, bicycles, and cars, it is a miracle that collisions don’t occur more frequently.
  Then there’s Steveston's Cannery Café, an old stone house with generous windows overlooking Moncton Street. This sparkling jewel attracts breakfast hunters all year round while its cozy patio is a favourite among those who prefer to dine alfresco in the sweltering summer months.
  So, next time you are prowling for a hearty meal to jump start your day, just go down this list and pick one at random. Regardless of where you end up tucking a bib under your chin, chances are you won't be disappointed.
  
  I am so excited to participate in Melly Sews 30 Days of Sundresses! For the series, I decided to sew a girls sundress and came up with a really simple little dress. And I have a free pattern in sizes 2-6 to share with you!
  Curious about the 30 days of Sundresses? Every year, Melissa, of Melly Sews, hosts this incredible series for the entire month of June. It is 30 days of free sundress patterns and tutorials for both girls and women, 30 DAYS! She also has some great giveaways going on all month, this week she has a mystery box full of sewing goodies up for grabs, make sure you go enter!
  This little dress I am sharing is a really quick, easy sew. It features a slightly curved V neckline in the front, and an elastic back with straps that tie at the shoulders.
  The skirt is not too full and it hits right about the knee. It is easy to throw on and perfect for summer play!
  This dress is a really quick sew and takes just over 1 yard of fabric! In just a few days, you could have a whole wardrobe of summer dresses for your girl!
  1.25 yard of fabric. Anything lightweight works, quilting cottons are great...or try something like voile, seersucker, lined eyelet, or lawn.