Soul Training

Last Wednesday was Valentine’s Day and also the start of Lenten Season. For weeks leading up to Lent I struggled on what I would “sacrifice”.   Then it came to me as I was tapping my hands on my steering wheel while listening to a local Christian station.  I was tapping and singing and praising God, and then I realized without skipping a beat that I was singing and tapping to some random song.  Just like that, my attention went elsewhere. How long had my attention been so easily distracted? 

Valentine’s day was the perfect day for me to reevaluate my relationship with God.  It was time that I was honest with myself.  God loves me unconditionally but what am I doing to reciprocate his love? What effort am I putting into this relationship? How can I improve my relationship?  I thought about the signs of a healthy relationships and realized that God deserved that plus more.   He deserves my love. He deserves my praise.  He deserves my trust.  He deserves attention. He deserves to be a priority.  He deserves to be respected.

Day 22- Daily Bread

Today my husband went out to celebrate his coworker's birthday.  I must admit that I was a bit frustrated that he dropped eight whole bucks on lunch.  This put us in the hole for this week’s Lenten “food stamp” allowance.

I headed to my local grocery store in hopes to find  a super sale of some sort to make up for the loss. Woohoo!!!! I found a family pack of chicken thighs for a little over five bucks.

I grabbed the chicken, a bottle of store brand barbecue sauce, and grumpily headed to the checkout line.

photo credit:www.panerabread.com

When I got to the line there was a man in front of me who was purchasing a loaf of bread with what appeared to be some sort of voucher.  The cashier was trying to explain to the customer that the voucher was for a different type of bread.  I could hear people behind me mumbling and sucking their teeth.

I love how God finds different ways to show himself....

In that instance I was reminded that while my husband and I made the choice to take a 40 day challenge, there are people who live this challenge daily. This is their reality.

I discreetly told the cashier that I would pay for the bread.  The customer gave me a meek smile, nodded his head, and thanked me. 

Thank you Lord for turning my grocery store run into a teachable moment.

Thank you for providing me with my daily bread.

Thank you for keeping my stomach and my soul full.

Bun Pump and Girl

I can’t believe it has been over a year since my last post.  So much has changed.   

This past summer I replaced the pie in the oven with a bun.

I traded in my pumps for a breast pump.

I traded in my pearls for a baby girl!

As you can see I have not lost my sense of humor. Thank goodness!! Being a new mommy is challenging. I find laughter to be soothing. My attitude is the one thing I have control over (although my hubby might slightly disagree..ha).  It is the one constant in this new beautiful world of inconsistencies called motherhood.

Southern Inspired Birthday Dinner Party

Food, Friends and Fun...What's not to love about dinner parties? This past weekend was my favorite gig yet.  I was hired to cater and plan a surprise dinner party for my bestie. (yes, I said "bestie" and I  sometimes say " BFF" too...ha)

Cajun Mac and Cheese with Shrimp and White Wine Sauce

The Smithsonian Through My Eyes

This past weekend the hubs and I celebrated our 2^nd anniversary in Northern VA/ Washington D.C. We arrived in Arlington on Saturday night,  and woke up early Sunday morning to catch the metro to D.C.  That morning I reverted back to being a school girl waking up before dawn to pack my brown bag lunch, in anticipation of going on my class field trip.  

There is something arousing and nostalgic about museums. The excitement never fades. With each visit I embark on a new adventure, and become consumed by the smells, textures, sights and sounds of my environment.  

A Very Merry Unbirthday Tea Party (Alice in Wonderland Themed Tea Party)

December is a busy month. There's Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, and not to mention a ton of random made up “Holidays” ( I am not judging,just making an observation). Anyone who has a December birthday knows how easy it is to get lost in the holiday sauce. The December birthday struggle is real. (well, not really a struggle.)

Photo by www.nathaningramphotography.com
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So I came up with a brilliant idea inspired by Alice in Wonderland! Why not have an unbirthday party? Just in case you haven't watched the movie or read the book; an unbirthday is the 364 (365 if it's a leap year) days in the year other than your birthday.