In the Kitchen

I never would've thought this a few years ago - or even a few months ago - but some nights there is nothing I would rather do more than cook in the kitchen. The blend of smells & spices; lovely tunes, an Anthro candle & wine; chopping veggies and humming away lost in pending thoughts just waiting their time to take form.

food can be so pretty.

I love cooking because I love seeing Something created from Nothing. 


With my Kindergartners, I often explain God making the world in this way: isn't it amazing that He created substance out of nothingness? 
And not just a minute and meaningless Something - the extraordinary beauty in this world, the intricate inner workings of humans, nature & animals working in the harmony and order He designed for the planet. It was all Him - each part of creation down to the minuscule & unseeable microorganisms - Him in His wondrous ways.

Mediterranean Chickpeas
< YUM >

Cooking directs my heart to Him. 
In the kitchen, even the smallest of small are important. Each step contributing to the whole has purpose - each flavor added, the time & minutes in the pan, the procedure in which you add ingredients. Sometimes even a few seconds can altar the end product. It all combines to create something so wonderful and delicious... that a lonely piece of garlic, or empty celery stalk, or plain oregano flake could never have done on its own. The little things are more than important - they can make or break.


Brother Lawrence (a newfound hero of mine...) gets it. He found the presence of God in the kitchen to be like a sanctuary: "The time of business does not differ with me from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great a tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament...” 


And I get it, too. 
It is these moments that I sense His gentleness and power and holiness and love in my life... and grace to borrow some time and taste the intricate flavors & rich indulgences of this world that are simply a shadow of HIM and His Kingdom.

Clinging to Color

I am so over February.

So in an attempt to drain out the blaaaaaah

I've asked myself : what can I do to add color to the day?!

pb cookies + coffee + reading
< compliments of the lovely aimee > 

afternoon lakeside strolls

early AM tunes + windows down
< whatever it takes to fight the frigid temps y'all >

Cheers to March coming soon! 

Arise.

{via pinterest via tumblr}

"We all have any number of 

visions and ideals when we are young, 

but sooner or later we find 

that we have no power to make them real.

We cannot do the things we long to do, 

and we are apt to settle down 

to the visions and ideals as dead, 

and God has to come and say-- 

"Arise from the dead" [Eph 5:14] 

When the inspiration of God does come, 

it comes with such miraculous power 

that we are able to arise from the dead 

and do the impossible thing.

...God does not give us overcoming life; 

He gives us life as we overcome."

:: Oswald Chambers 2.16

HE says "ARISE" o weary one.

Take the initiative.

Wake up and walk in Life.

Daring to Dream

Today and tomorrow I have time carved out for Teacher Inservices / Professional Development... meaning No Class. I am lucky to be at a school that regards the development of the spirit & soul as "professional" :) So, for these inservices I have chosen to dive into a few good reads on spiritual development in children (a topic of ongoing interest in my life!)

The take-away from these books is that The Classroom is a space for children to wonder and question and marvel at who God is... living alongside children means daring to dream. When you're dreaming with the children, they come alive... and for a space in time I don't really have to grow-up.

playing make-believe.
{via lindsay on pinterest.}

"It is, in fact, our dreams that energize us to literally go to war against reality and make what only exists in our imagination our future. There may be no more uniquely human capacity that the ability to anticipate. Anticipation ignites a thrill in the present caused by nothing more than a possibility in the future. Anticipation is like tasting a great meal even before taking the first bite.


We dream of a destiny, and it fuels our desire.


When we dwell in the past, we tend to want to live there. When we dream of the future, we want to go there. Our dreams are where God paints a picture of a life waiting to be created. Dreams are God's way of fueling the future, and in this we are all the same."


:: Soul Cravings by: Erwin Raphael McManus

Oh Food.

um yum. i wiiiish.
{via pinterest}

My friend Amy introduced me to a Cleanse she did to kickoff the new year, and of course I am easily motivated to try these things, so I decided to hop right in.... after subtly convincing Betsy & my mom to join me :) So together we join the plight against gluten, dairy, sweets, and caffeine for 11 days. It's a crazy combo of veggies + protein at every meal... and one that takes major self-control and discipline to maintain for a chocolate + coffee lover like me. (Confession: I'm 5 days in and miiight already be planning to make dark chocolate chip cookies Day 12. Shhhhh.)

I am realizing how much I rely on the stimulants in food to create energy in my life. Our bodies were not created to live on the caffeine hop of coffee, the tranquility of red wine, the  artificial sugar jumpstarts, or the wheat injected carb loads. Turns out, we gain more sustaining energy for the day on greens and grains and fresh protein (who knew?!)

Too often I plan my days looking forward to a good meal... or a latte after work... or cookies and hot chocolate before bed. Eliminating these perks throughout the day allows me to focus more on the nuances of life that I often miss in the rush towards the coffeepot and the food that numbs the mind to the soul. 

I've been introduced to new delicious and healthy recipes that make me want to slow down, sit, and enjoy a good meal. I am thankful for a few weeks to be more intentional with how I am treating my body, and allowing that to play into other areas of my life. 

So goodbye lime chip tostitos, and hello kale chips. Let's do this.

Warmer Winter

... but still icey.

Belmont Harbor

The lake plays a silent game of tetris all winter.

Even when it feels "mild."

Roaming...

One of my more tolerable addictions in life is to wander the streets and observe... People, storefronts, lakeside. When my mind drifts back to those magical afternoons in Spain, what I remember is the roaming. The No Destination. The Anything is An Option. The Getting Lost and Finding Your Way Back (chocolate and vino in hand...)

Blind Faith Cafe - Evanston fave

Last weekend, I roamed the little burb of Evanston with my dear Betsy, her cousin Hilary, and Evanston dweller Jenna. We wandered around - from cafes to bookstores to shops. (We actually started with Betsy's wedding dress fitting - shhhhh sworn to secrecy until April 14th!) What a delight to enjoy each other's company and friendship. Simple & silly. I'm always reminded that it's not where you are, it's who you're with... and I was lucky to be with these lovelies last weekend.

Fave wandering spot: old bookstores.

Perhaps this is why I love the city so much - there is always a new place to dive into...

and of course, being a local is always fun, too. 

Doesn't this nook make you want a good book?!

And after a delightful day, our night ended with a bit of a surprise no-start-car. And apparently there's no such thing as towing when you're parked at the top of a parking garage. So after a lecture from a 16 year-old car guru, pushing the Mountaineer 6 floors down on neutral, and waiting a few hours for a licensed AAA tow truck ... we were headed straight for margs & guac. And lots. of. both.

the night's end.

But that's the adventure of life right?! Always ready for the unexpected. Because, turns out, we remember the out-of-ordinary better than the ordinary.

Even when it shows up in the form of a tow truck...