Lilley of the field

The other night a very interesting conversation about worship songs unfolded around our dining room table. Amidst a group of us who all go to the same church and like the "contemporary music" there, it still surprised me how much people liked or disliked different songs. Some liked ones that repeated the same lines over and over, other preferred the deep, poetic lyrics of traditional hymns, some liked to sing songs that referred to God as "You" instead of saying "He is...," some enjoy more quiet, reflective songs, while other love to raise their hands and dance to songs that praise the Lord. While I think there are times for all types of songs- I mean look at the Psalms- I was also struck by the words of my good friend Jordan, who hated a song I loved. Maybe hate isn't what she said... ok, disliked. So Jordan says, "I don't like that song that says, '... caught in words, tangle in lies...'! No, I am not!" Then she goes on to say...

So we planted basil and now we have a ton of it! So I looked up some recipes for pesto and then made my own. Pesto (makes about 1 1/2 cups) 3 c. packed basil leaves 1 c. chopped walnuts 2 large cloves garlic, chopped 3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese 3/4 c. olive oil salt and pepper Put the walnuts in a dry frying pan and roast on low. Be careful to keep and eye on it and keep turning them. I burned a few and had to pick through them to remove the burnt ones! Put the basil, walnuts, cheese, garlic, and salt and pepper in food processor and pulse until smooth. Then add olive oil by drizzling it in the top part of the food processor while it's on! Delicious! You can apparently freeze it as well for a few months. The walnuts are WAY cheaper than pine nuts and just a good. Really! Also, I added about a teaspoon of the pesto to 4 tablespoons of softened butter, mixed it up, and put it back in the fridge. Can't wait to put it on bread tonight :)

So this is a funny post to write after just posting my "summer book review," but maybe it's also quite fitting. I am taking a break from books. Weird I know. I love books. They haven't really ever been an issue, but the last book I read and the book I'm reading now keep getting me tense and anxious in my body as I open the pages and enter the story. I've read I think about 10 books in the past month. It takes me about 2 or 3 days to finish a book because I get so into I can't put it down. Now that's happened with other books in the past and it wasn't a problem. Like the Hunger Games in which I demolished all 3 in one week. I realize I am entering the story too much... if that makes sense. When I am reading it's harder to separate my feeling from the book and reality. If I get really sad or spooked because of something I am reading, I have been finding it harder to snap out of that emotion. I have been finding myself thinking how I would put...

So I am on a reading kick this summer. I love reading and didn't have much time this this school year. So the second to last day of the school year, I got myself a lovely library card. So here are the book's I've read so far and a brief recommendation/ description. Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore (Technically, I finished this before school... but I am still counting it under summer reads)  I LOVED this book. It's a must read for anyone interested in homelessness, inspiring non-fiction books, christianity, or anyone who is breathing. I love it. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini  Beautifully written. Page turning. Also a must read. Sad, but sweet. I learned alot about Afghanistan. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini  Wow. A great book about loyalty, friendship, family ties, heritage, and Afghanistan. I love Hoesseini's writing.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak This was a super interesting book. I had no ...

So I've been reading Ephesians and I keep coming back to certain verses and reading them differently depending on the day. Today, after talking with Aaron about some struggles, I realize so much of it comes from what I think about other people. So after having a pity party with myself, I decided to open up to Ephesians. I realized in church today that I rarely ask God what he thinks. I just look around and decide what I think and do it. When I have a problem, I may in all genuineness ask a friend for advice, but I find myself listening more to their advice than to the Lord. And the one verse that came alive to me today was this: "...submitting to one another i n the fear of Christ ."  Submit isn't a term we like to talk about often. Because we often visualize submitting to things we don't like- nasty bosses at work, spouses who demand the impossible, someone asking us to take on one last responsibility, and the list goes on. We don't like to submit bec...

So I got new glasses today which is quite exciting! Jordan rocks at helping me pick out frames. Anyhow, when I put them on I was so surprised that I could see so much better. I didn't think my vision had changed that much, but it's been 3 years since I got new lenses. For a while, I couldn't think about anything except how great my vision was and how hard it was to adjust. It's only been 2 hours since I've had them on and already I have a killer headache. I've even been tempted to put my old frames back on. Then, I had an analogy in the car driving back home. I've been praying to see people the way God sees them. What I don't realize is what a big prayer that is. Of course I want to see the way God sees, just like I want lenses that offer crystal clear vision so I can see everything in it's full beauty, but it's a big adjustment. Praying to see with God's eyes means I will see the hurt, the pain, the loneliness, the poverty, the grief in th...

This sauce is inspired by the blueberry chipotle ribs at 12 Bones Smokehouse in Ashville, NC. We went there on our honey moon and it was incredible food! It was so epic we took a picture of it... Since we have a surplus of blueberries this season after picking them from the Happy Berry Farm and getting some from my parents, I had to find something unique to use them for. So here you have it... 1 c. blueberries 1 small garlic clove 1 sliver of an onion (a sliver meaning a crosswise section, slice things) 2 slices jalepenos (you can add more if you want... I'd say it has medium spicy with 2) 2 spoonfuls of brown sugar 3-4 splashes liquid smoke 1 squeeze ketchup 2 shakes of soy sauce little salt Puree the first four ingredients in a food processor. Transfer to a small skillet. Bring to boil and add other ingredients. Let sit on med-high heat for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and let sit until thickened. I'd say it makes about...

Today, Aaron and I visited a "The Potter's Place." We didn't meet the people who live there, but they have built a little place in the wood for solitude and seeking the Lord. They live there, have a garden, a woodworking shop, a several prayer cabins for ANYONE to come at anytime and use. It's amazing really. So, it was a really nice and peaceful time, but it wasn't earth-shattering in any word I heard from the Lord, but I believe it prepared room for some perspective change that came later in the day through a conversation with Aaron.  I read a little blurb from a book at the potter’s place today that said, “We cannot use someone else’s standards to judge our relationship with God. Asking ourselves honest questions will increase our self-awareness. In a limited lifetime, we cannot do everything. Choosing to do one thing means we cannot do something else. Fulfillment comes when our fundamental choices line up with our fundamental values.” While I stru...