🍽️📚📻 ERL October '23

Rod Wave, David Benner, Elizabeth Elliott, Yum Yum Sauce, CS Lewis, and More

Morgan and I are excited about this new addition to The Common. We hope it’s a hit. It will be a regular monthly addition to the lineup, along with looking ahead, looking back, and taking deep dives on certain topics (coming up next).

Music, the spoken and written word, and prepared meals are all uniquely human. These are gifts to be enjoyed and relished. Savored. Pondered. And shared.

Speaking of sharing, who doesn't like to share that new recipe, new podcast, new artist, or favorite book? Forgive our self-indulgence!

With that said, we would be delighted if you indulged a little and shared with us what you are eating, reading, and listening to this month. Share it in the comments!

Lastly, I’d like to get Morgan’s own words in this version of the newsletter. I’m hoping in the future she will be able to contribute to all editions of the newsletter. We haven’t found that rhythm yet. So, if you would like to hear directly from her, check out the latest podcast where we discuss these very things and more. She goes into detail on all of her mentions in this newsletter. For now, I am summarizing her podcast notes for those who only read the newsletter and do not listen to the pod.

Lastly, part two: There are no affiliate links in this newsletter. What I mean is, we aren’t getting paid for clicks on these items or if you purchase anything. Who knows what the future holds; perhaps in the future we will. If we ever do go that route, we will be upfront and honest about it. Until then, please know these links aren’t sponsors or affiliate links.

That's all. Enjoy.

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🍽️ What we are Eating

Taylor

I’ve always liked the idea of being someone who is good at making all kinds of different sauces and condiments. Don’t ask me why. But regardless, I have stumbled across my best sauce yet. And its my own recipe. Sort of.

We visited some friends not too long ago and they served us Korean beef bowls. They were delicious. A sauce they had for the bowls was a mayo, sriracha mixture. And it was good! Well when we made the bowls at our house, I made the mayo/sriracha sauce but added a few things. Over time, I have dialed in the ingredients that I like. I call it my “yum yum sauce”. Because it looks and tastes like the sauce you get when you go to hibachi restuarants or sushi restuarants. You know, the orangish, creamy, slightly sweet, slightly spicey sauce they serve that is really yummy! Here it is:

Mayo. Sriracha. Japanese BBQ sauce. Soy Sauce. Maple Syrup. Love.

Don’t ask me for exact proportions! (Mama, I’m talking to you) That is half the fun - figuring it out. And the truth is, I don’t really know. I just take a bunch of mayo and get to mixin’ all of those ingredients in it. Out comes Yum Yum Sauce.

It’s good on everything!

Morgan

Morgan is missing raw milk. We had two families that shared with us and both are currently out of production. We like raw milk for many reasons. It’s unfortunate that most people have a false impression of raw milk’s safety and therefore aren’t open to trying it. In the future, our family would like to get a dairy cow and if we do, we will certainly bring you along the journey and share all about it.

She also mentioned the fact that we are on a slow carb diet made popular by Tim Ferriss. Her taste buds are bored… and it’s true, I feel the same. What I really like about this “diet” (I feel shame about that word… just being honest… I don’t like it… I think it’s my co-dependence and my worry about how me saying and talking about it makes others feel… anyway…) is that there is a built-in cheat day each week. Psycologically, this helps me say no to sugar, bread, dairy, drinks with calories and more during the week because I know I will get a chance to enjoy and savor soon enough. But it can certainly be boring during the week.

She also mentioned “Yum Yum Sauce”. See above. It’s a hit for us!

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📚 What we are Reading

Taylor

Not sure how David Benner’s The Gift of Being Yourself made it’s way into our family’s personal library, but when I saw the title it captivated me. It’s timing in my life was perfect. It’s the 2nd book of Benner’s The Spiritual Journey series. I am currently in the middle of the third book in this trilogy and it hasn’t dissapointed. These are slow reads for me. Ones to really chew on and pray through.

Morgan

This quote by CS Lewis comforts and helps guide Morgan during troubling times (See Covid). Given the recent war that has broken out in Israel and Gaza, it resurfaced and she wanted to share.

In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. ‘How are we to live in an atomic age?’ I am tempted to reply: ‘Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat at night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.

In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented… It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.

If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.

If you scanned past that quote, I implore you to go back to it when you have a few minutes. It’s encouraging and appropriate.

Keep a Quiet Heart by Elizabeth Elliott. Morgan is slowly making her way through this in the mornings.

Morgan is in a writers group and they are reading through You Could Make This PLace Beautiful by Maggie Smith. Normally, she wouldn’t have been drawn to this book, but she is enjoying it.

Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee de la Floret is another book Morgan is making her way through and enjoying.

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📻 What we are listening to

Taylor

The first three songs of Rod Wave’s Nostalgia album have been on repeat for me. I was introduced to him only 2 months ago and gave him a listen. I was immediately drawn to his voice and the style. More than those features though, what has kept me coming back is his vulnerable and honest lyrics - particularly on his nostalgia album, and even more particularly his first three songs. When I listen to those songs, I can feel his story. I feel the sadness and the pain. The anger and the loneliness. His vulnerability and honesty is attractive.

For some, his language will be too much to overcome. It will be too distracting and his heart will missed. If that’s you, I understand. Try though, to look past the explicit lyrics and see him. And then see yourself.

• Nostalgia - Spotify

• Long Journey - Spotify

• Call Your Friends - Spotify

Jon Michael Ogletree

I was looking for a piano cover of John Mayer’s “Dreaming With a Broken Heart” and stumbled across Jon’s youtube. Now, he is almost a daily listen for me. His arrangements are incredible. The emotion he plays with is second to none in my opinion.

His story and his message are also blessings to me. Perhaps it will be to you as well.

• Dreaming with a Broken Heart (John Mayer Cover) - YouTube

• Georgia On My Mind (Ray Charles Piano Cover) - Spotify | YouTube

• Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel Piano Cover) - Spotify | YouTube

Morgan

Forrest Frank

Morgan found Forrest Frank from the song “No Longer Bound” who he sings with Maverick City Music (who is 🔥 btw). “He is like rap meets worship meets reggae” Now, her and the kids have a few of his songs on repeat. These include: “Hey DJ” and “Your Pace”

Paper Horses

Paper Horses is a band that is made up of 4 female artists who are friends and came together to form the band. Morgan is digging it. She describes the music as “bluegrass hymn like”. Here is an article that talks about how they came to be.

HomeMaker Chic - Morgan loves this podcast. She is a huge fan.

Church of the City - New York - Morgan regularly listens to Jon Tyson. I like him a lot too.

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🙏 That’s all for this week. If you enjoyed this, please let us know. If you know someone that might be blessed or interested, please do share the newsletter with them!

And, don’t forget to share with us what you are currently eating, reading, and listening to in the comments! 🙏