"The Shack" A Review

I thought this book was very good and it touched me very deeply which is seldom accomplished by a book. I know the book is considered controversial and I've been checking out blog after blog of these critics...very harsh and unkind. I really have a hard time understanding why they are so ruthless in their criticism. This book is a fictional account of one Christian man's journey out of legalism and the lengths that God goes to rescue him. Some have called it a parable, others an allegory, but most importantly this is not a theology textbook. This is not to be read like a theology textbook. When people write in this genre you must give them some slack...when you read in this genre everything is not going to correspond perfectly one to one. I could comment more but I don't want to ruin the book for anyone who hasn't read it.

What makes me particularly sad about these harsh critics is that this book has been in the top 10 for some time now and many, many people in the broader (non-Christian or nominal) culture have already read it and want to talk about it. Here is a book that has reached many on an emotional level, they look online at some of the biggest Christian spokespeople and what do they hear? "Pure heresy, don't waste your time, not worth the paper it's printed on." They read a story of a man's journey out of legalism and this is what the reader hears when they want to engage in conversation...so sad!!!

Spaghetti Sauce with Chopped Pork

I've been working on this recipe for about a year now and really like it. I enjoy a lighter sauce and I always include meat, in this case chopped pork. The good thing about a lighter sauce is you don't have to simmer it all day!

Here's the ingredients:

• Two pork chops (or boneless loin chops if you want to save some time)
• One large yellow onion-Chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic-minced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1to 2 tablespoons of salt (personal taste)
• 1 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of fennel seeds (you'll have to play with this amount for your own personal taste)
• One 28 ounce can of Tomato Puree
• One 28 ounce can of Diced Tomatoes
• Once 8 ounce can of Tomato Paste
• 14 ounces of water

Here's how to make it:

• Using a large stockpot, brown the pork chops on both sides in about two tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the pork.
• Saute the chopped onion making sure to loosen and blend in any bits of pork stuck to the bottom of the pot (make sure you still have enough olive oil).
• Once you've sauteed the onions for a few minutes, add the garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and fennel seeds and continue sauteing for another two minutes.
• Now add all the tomato ingredients, the water, and mix thoroughly.
• Add the browned pork,cover it, and bring to a simmer for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally so it does not burn to the bottom of the pot. Remove the pork, trim the meat and chop into very small pieces but do not mince and add back into the mixture.
• Cut the fat from the bones and add the bones back into the sauce, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
  

You are finished and it's ready to eat! But if you can wait, the ultimate is to put it in the refrigerator and warm it up slowly the next day to eat. This really allows all the flavors to infuse the sauce thoroughly...it is fantastic!!!