Sunday Night Dinners

Many of you know that I am not much of a cook. It's not something I particularly enjoy, mainly because I don't care that much about food. Haha. It's true; it just seems like too much work to cook for myself. Plus, then I have to eat whatever I make for 10 days straight so I don't waste anything. It's just hard to cook for one.

But recently, I have been wanting to cook a little more and try new recipes. And my brother has complained about being a poor college student who can't cook. So I decided to institute Sunday Night Dinners. This is going to give me an opportunity to practice my culinary skills, while also feeding my brother! I asked him what he wanted, and he picked Chinese food. Of course, I would agree to start with something hard, something I have never made before. But that was the deal: he picks the cuisine, I pick the menu and go from there. And I was determined. So I headed over to Central Market to gather my ingredients...can I just say that I am a HUGE fan of Central Market? It's the kind of place where you can't help but be inspired to cook.

I have to say that I am very proud of myself on successfully cooking my first Chinese meal! I made (from scratch) sesame chicken, orange chicken, and spicy lo mein noodles. I cheated with the rice and egg rolls...those came from a box. Haha. Oh well. But I had rave reviews from my first 2 guinea pigs (my brother brought his roommate). Woohoo! Check out this presentation:

Of course, my cooking experience would not be complete without a little excitement...I did manage to start a small grease fire, fill the apartment with smoke, and set off the fire alarm. Other than the fact that there was a scary fire in my kitchen, it was kind of funny. I was running back and forth between the fire and the smoke alarm, trying to extinguish the fire, and trying to fan a towel to stop the alarm from screeching. I had all the windows and doors open before the event was over. Needless to say, my next kitchen purchase will be a deep fryer. I would not recommend trying to deep fry anything without one. Sasha decided she would stay as far away from the kitchen as she could...she wasn't too confident in my cooking skills.

So here are some tidbits of wisdom from my first Sunday Night Dinner:

How to extinguish a grease fire: DO NOT USE WATER ON A GREASE FIRE. Smother/choke the fire. Use a pot lid or baking soda. If the fire grows larger than the one I experienced, get everyone out and call 911. And if the recipe says to use a deep fryer, use a deep fryer, not your frying pan.

Make sure to test your smoke alarm often: It's important to feel confident it will work for you when you need it. The batteries do go dead from time to time, so make sure to test the alarm at least once a month to make sure it will work when you need it the most.

Don't be afraid to make a mess: Has anyone ever heard that the best cooks are the ones who are messy? I agree with that thought. I tend to make a lot of messes...and what's the point in cleaning as you go if you are only going to make a mess all over again. It's better to concentrate on the cooking (and making sure your kitchen is not catching on fire) and worry about the cleaning later. Just be prepared for the potential disaster you might find when you are done...

Community

Tonight I was able to attend Communion Dinner with my 20s group. It was such a blessing to be a part of this special evening, as Mondays I am usually at leader's meeting. As we broke bread and shared a meal together, and then moved into celebrating the Lord's Supper, I couldn't help but imagine what it would have been like for Jesus as He did the same with His closest friends. As I looked around the room at all of the faces that were strangers just months ago, but who are now among those I count as friends and most importantly fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I was taken aback by God's love and provision. To be able to share in such community...I am so grateful for that! There is nothing like fellowshipping with others believers. Nothing like praying for one another or lifting our voices as one to the Holy Creator God who was gracious enough to bring us together. I was so overwhelmed by God's love and His perfect design of community. As I fall asleep tonight, I am praising God for all He has provided, for all He has given, for who He is...

You are Lord of Lords, You are King of Kings

You are Mighty God, Lord of everything

You're Emmanuel, You're the Great I Am

You're the Prince of Peace, who is the Lamb

You're my Living God, You're my Saving Grace

You will reign forever, You are Ancient of Days

You are Alpha, Omega, Beginning, and End

You're my Savior, Messiah, Redeemer, and Friend

You're my Prince of Peace and

I will live my life for You

A Year of Blessings

This past year, God called me into leadership at BSF. I had the privilege of leading a discussion group of young women as we studied the Life of Moses. I had such a wonderful group of women- so sweet, so committed, so passionate for God's Word!


I also had the privilege of studying alongside the other leaders in the group. While I missed being in a group of my own, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed studying the Word with this amazing group of leaders. To serve with such faithful followers of Christ...it was so encouraging and challenging to me. I will enjoy our summer break, but look forward to September when we are back together to study John.


On our last night of leader's meeting, the guys showed up in hawaiin shirts! Not quite the BSF- approved attire, but they sure looked awesome! Here is a picture of our men:



And here is a shot of our lovely ladies:

Muscles, and Hammers, and Drills...Oh My!

Yesterday, Laura and I decided to take an excursion to IKEA. If you have never been to this store, you are seriously missing out on one of the finer things in life. It is row after row after row of home decoration wonder. And really, when you go...it has to be an excursion. You can't just get in and get out. You have to make a trip of it. So Laura and I did just that. Sadly, we did not take any pictures at IKEA...we were too focused. LOL.


Laura got a new coffee table, and I got some fun shelves and picture frames for my dining room. We decided to try our hand at assembly. So we pulled out the tools...hammers, screwdrivers, anchors, measuring tapes, levels, and power drills. If we do say so ourselves...we are quite the handy women ;)




Who needs a boy when you have a power drill of your own? Haha- jk ;)

I'm Official!

A couple of weeks ago I told you about my insurance licensing exam. God was so good to help me pass the exam the first time! Today, I received my actual license in the mail. So I am official! The state has said, "BE IT KNOWN, the above named, having fulfilled all requirements for licensure under the laws of the State of Texas, is authorized to engage in the business of insurance in the State of Texas as a General Lines Agent, qualified for Property and Casualty." Look out insurance world: I am licensed and ready to make my mark on the industry ;)

Every day is an adventure, and I am learning so much. He has blessed me in so many ways! And He has gone beyond that...He has fulfilled the desires of my heart by allowing me to take on meeting planning tasks at work! I cannot even tell you how in awe I am of how He would do that for me. Meeting planning isn't typically a part of an insurance brokerage. And I just happened to be hired on at the right time to take on that responsibility for one of our clients. God's timing is perfect, and He has so many good things for His children!

As I look back over the last month or so, I see all that God has done and I am so overwhelmed. I am amazed to see where I was and now where He has brought me in such a short time. I can honestly say that a few months ago, I would have never guessed that I would be blogging about a Texas insurance license- lol. But as I do, I am so thankful for everything He has provided. It's funny how God directs our ways for His purposes....