Potato Salad to Go...

I have come to realize that I like doing things last minute sometimes because I like to be busy, and when I need to do things last minute I'm running around and really busy or FRANTIC as one of my summer staff campers called me. I went to a "galintines" party (valentines party for the gals) and all of us who went were told to bring a dish to share. I was going to make cucumber sandwiches, but found out that someone already was bringing them. So quickly I decided that I'll whip together a potato salad, only I was missing essential ingredients like mayo and sour cream. So, I made everything I could ready at home; cleaned, cut and boiled the potatoes, mixed together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, parmesan cheese, chives, and spices and placed these in a bowl in the back of my car. On the way to my friends house, I was already rushing to get there, I stopped at the Grocery store and bought some mayo and sour cream, and proceeded to mix all of this in the back of my car and head on to my friends house.

The potato salad turned out great and no one would have even known I mixed it all in the back of my car, except for the few passerby's that saw me doing so in the grocery store parking lot.

Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune

These are two shows that are always on in the evening at my house being that there are two wonderful elderly women at my house. The TV is always on downstairs and my great Aunt, Cornelia, also likes to watch Judge Judy and NJ 12 in the afternoon. Sometimes I'll catch a glimpse of my very God-fearing grandma, Maria, watching Jerry Springer reruns. When I ask her "Omama, what are you watching," she quickly is like, "eh it was on and I just stopped here. I don't know." Then she will proceed to change the channel to something less vulgar. I guess when you're that age you're interested to see what kind of a mad world the youngsters are living in.

Living at home has taught me a lot about my character, my patience and my love; basically the way I live and why I live this way. I've learned time and again that my life is not mine to live, but for the Lord to give. It is always about living in the way Christ has instructed us for God. Sometimes this is hard and I find it easiest to be the most impatient with my family... Shame.On.Me. I know that it will be God who continues to soften my heart to continue offering the most precious gift to people; TIME. I learned this today as I joined my Great Aunt Cornelia on a walk around the block. She of all people can be very difficult at times, but that does not excuse my impatience. She still is a child of God, a beautiful creation.

You know, I've been thinking often about what my meeting with Christ will be like for the first time some day. It dawned on me that this is going to be a real meeting; a face to face meeting (or maybe a bowed, fallen face to face). God is alive, Christ is alive and one day I will meet Him, and though I cannot wait, I would not want to waste this gift of TIME that God has given me here to spend wisely and for Him. So often I find myself asking What am I doing? Where am I going? How shall I live? And often I search for this answer in the wrong places when already these questions have been answered.

Matthew 10:38-40, "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worth of Me. he who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me,and he who recieves me receives Him who sent Me."

The words of Christ Himself remind us to take up our cross and lose our life, for Him, to find it. This means my time belongs to Him, and it will be in His time that I one day will see Him. This is not in vein, but for Him.

3's Charming

Well, as some of you may know, my Aunt and Uncle gave birth to triplets on Dec. 24th. They did come early and had to be in the hospital for a little over a month, but now two of them are home. It's such an exciting time. Jakob is still waiting to come home, but we pray it won't be much longer. Here are some pictures of their sweet faces (from L to R it's David, Elizabeth, Jakob):

They are just precious. I haven't been able to hold them yet since I've been battling a slight cold for the past 2.5 weeks, but soon I hope to see them and gently squeeze them and love on them.

Adoption

Since the recent news about the visiting group of people in Haiti charged for possible exploitation of orphans, I've been thinking a lot about adoption. I first want to say that if in fact these people were just trying to help, I commend them. BUT... I also think they rushed to conclusions by thinking that taking them out of their home country and providing them with what seemed to be a better life filled with tennis courts and swimming pools would have been better for them. With false advertisement such as this, these children are in for a big disappointment upon arrival to the US; for growing up they are sure to realize that cars and fancy clothes are not what brings true happiness. Yes, I absolutely believe that life is a precious breath from God and that each life deserves love and care, especially these children and families who are in turmoil in Haiti, but will adoption outside of Haiti be what's best for them? The Haitian life is all they have known; the language, the food, the heat, the rhythm and the people. By bringing them to the states we separate them from family members, loved friends and their roots.

Is there not more individuals can do for them in their homeland?

People are willing to bring these babies across the seas to live in their homes, but who is willing to go there for their lifetime and help them in their home? Please understand that I am for adoption, but I am trying to better understand what are the alternatives. It does not fix all things for these kids and they may not always be happy, or maybe they will be. I am just disappointed that this group of people went to Haiti in hopes of bringing back dozens of children for adoption (if that's what they were in fact doing) without seemingly putting a lot of thought into it.

So what are our alternatives? Well for starters, there is desperate need for aid over there in terms of helping to reconstruct their country. But on a smaller scale maybe you're willing to go over there to foster children in their home country and work at an orphanage, or start another orphanage with the help of the natives. Maybe you have the funds to do so and help provide decent education for these children as the country develops. We here live in surplus sometimes. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, but first of all love our Lord God with all we have. If we do then love our Lord God with all we are, we will begin to see how much he loves and in turn be filled with that love to offer to others. It's truly a God-given, life-living love .

THOUGHTS?

Psalm 23:5

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."

Yummy Yummy Chicken in Wine

Today I found out that the job I was accepted to interview for requires me to work on Sunday. Needless to say, I turned it down, but it left me pretty sad. I was disappointed and needed to channel that energy somewhere. So I painted my room, the first coat at least, and then I cooked an amazing dinner. I'm just so proud of my work :)

As you know, I love food and have been discovering more and more how much I love it. I engaged all 5 senses today while cooking and that's the way it should be. Though I wasn't sure what I wanted to cook tonight, I decided to poke around the internet and see what kind of french foods tickled my taste buds.

(Here are my ingredients and then all of them cooking)

I clicked on a link that said entrees and voila... Coq Au Vin caught my interest. It consists of chicken thighs and legs combined with onions, blanched bacon (Yes... I did blanch something for the first time today and was amazed), parsley, thyme, salt + pepper, chicken stock and red wine. When I first began this adventure I needed to blanch the bacon to rid it of saltiness. Mostly the bacon is browned and the grease is used for cooking. Next the chicken and onions are browned for about 10 mins, and once browned well on all sides, I added the chicken stock and red wine. Oh yeah, and right before that the garlic, parsley and thyme are added for more aromas and flavor :) I let this cook for about 20 minutes meanwhile cutting potatoes to prepare them for boiling and chopping mushrooms for the last and final step... sauce. Once the chicken was done I strained everything from the pan, leaving just the wine sauce and added the chopped mushrooms. I reduced this then added everything to the pan again.

Served over potatoes or noodles, this tastes delicious. Go ahead, give it a try. It only took me about 2 hours haha.

(Finished Product)

Life... A Precious Breath from God

To have and to hold

... From this day forward...

For better or for worse

... For Richer, For poorer...

In Sickness and in Health

...To love and to cherish...

Till death do us part

Today I saw something beautiful. No, it was not the kind of beauty which is in the eye of the beholder, but the kind of beauty that God has presented to us through His s

on the Christ child. The kind of beauty that was meant to be; a marriage that exemplifies Gods unconditional, never ending love for His children. I saw one of the deepest loves I have ever seen in a marriage, and it wasn't at a wedding, nor home nor at a friends house, but I saw it in public. Let me share this story with you.

I was at work today at the bookstore waiting for the next customer to come up so I could help him make a purchase. A male customer came up to the bookseller next to me as she began to ring up his items, and as this happened I was greeted by a silky eyed, red-haired, elderly woman at my register. She began talking to me saying something along the lines of, "Hi, yes today it's fun and the party is starting. They all say the kids will be fine and I act like a baby sometimes (laughs)." Well, it wasn't long before I realized that this woman, being elderly, probably had Alzheimers and just seemed to be a little lost in her sweet mind. She continued talking to me, and

laughing with me and telling me some random, discombobulated information. Then she started singing, and though I wouldn't encourage her to try out for American Idol, I witnessed a beautiful love. The man that was being checked out at the register beside me was her husband; he was a husband who loved his wife so much, more than I've ever seen. He came closer to me and said, "When I'm out with my wife, I don't plan time." This was as the woman went to all the customers in line and shook their hands saying how nice it was to see them again and how she couldn't wait to see them again. Her husband finally called her over to himself with so much love, respect and patience in his eyes, heart and soul. As the wife went over there, she stopped at my register and shook my hand and left me with these words,

"Enjoy that good birthday cake."

I'll never forget it. I'll never forget seeing the love in that husbands eyes for his wife. He was not ashamed or embarrassed. He did not apologize for her... just loved her for who she really was in that very moment. Though she was different, He mentioned how she was still that same 27 year old woman he married 50ish years ago. It was the most beautiful love I have ever seen.

So what does it take for us to love? Love is not conditional, it is constant and it does not change. We can offer love through patience and must do this. Our Heavenly Father has done this through his son Christ Jesus. This has been an example to me and I hope to many how to love for better or worse, richer poorer, sickness and health, to love and cherish and till death do us part. So. let us love, because God has first loved us.

Just Do Something

My dear friend Larinda has gifted me with a wonderful short read called "Just Do Something" written by pastor and author Kevin DeYoung. If you're looking for a short read that's inspiring, encouraging and yet gives a good kick in the butt, I would suggest this one to you. The subtitle of the book is:

"How to make a decision without dreams, visions, fleeces, open doors, random Bible verses, casting lots, liver shivers, writing in the sky, etc."

Being that I'm out of college and searching for a job, well honestly sometimes I've just been waiting for the right moment. I know God will guide me, but my intelligent brain has also been given to me by Him to think and to make decisions. This book is a great and easy read for any college grad or anyone making life changing decisions for that matter. The book reminds us that the will of God is to remain in Him, to live righteous and holy lives, loving the Lord out God with all we have first and our neighbor as ourself. The rest, God has promised He will provide for us. He does love us after all.

Do it. Read it. I dare you. Tell me what you think :)