Patience

Here's the thing, sometimes I get into these cooking/baking moods and nothing but an hour or two whipping up something in the kitchen can cure it.  I was in one of these moods yesterday. I was cleaning out the refrigerator when I noticed we had more buttermilk than we could use and some strawberries that needed to be eaten soon.  So of course I decided I need to bake a homeade buttermilk pound cake with sugared strawberries and icecream as topping.  I searched through my mom's plethora of scribbled recipe notes and found my Mamaw's recipe for buttermilk cake (one of my Dad's favorites).  I started getting everything ready to bake and got to it ( donned with my cute baking apron of course).  As I put the cake into the oven, I realized that I needed to cook a nice dinner to go with the cake ( I cook dinner every Monday night ( & some others) because Mom has her college class). I decided to opt for a Southern meal : fried chicken, country-fried steak, mashed potatoes, lima beans and of course sweet tea. (If your wondering why I cooked 2 meats instead of extra vegetables or bread, it's because both younger brothers are on football teams and they need the protein...plus they like meat a lot.) Anyway, before I start frying up everything I can get my hands on, I  wait for the cake to finish baking. I only have to wait 4 more minutes before the timer beeps..but of course I become inpatient. The top of it looked golden brown and it smelled amazing. I opened the oven door and decide to just move it around a little (because it looked like one side was getting browner than another).  Then when the timer beeps 3 minutes later (if only I had waited those 3 measly minutes!) I get the cake out and it immedietely falls....and looks ugly :(  It tasted great, but still looked bad. Anyway the reason why I am writing about what I cooked for dinner last night (besides the fact that I have no friends here to hang out with..and miss my TN friends so much it hurts) is that patience is something that God has been teaching me lately. The times in my life when I have waited..resting in God's hands and knowing He will provide, I have ended up receiving many unexpected blessings..and God (finally) gave me the answers I needed. There have also been times when I didn't wait patiently or wait for God to work and it ended in disaster ( much bigger disasters than a cake falling). I guess I write all this to say ( & remind myself) that there are some things (actually many things) in life that are worth the wait.

Psalm 40:1- "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry."

Faith Like A Child

I love the way God chooses to encourage me. Many times he uses children to do this..which is one of the many reasons I love kids so much. This past week I have been helping my mom with her second grade class, and I have to say, these are some of the cutest kids ever. (Noone quite reaches the cuteness of my Gallaway kids, but these are close :) ) They were all so sweet and wanted to give me compliments and hugs. I think one little boy complimented me on my outfit about 6 times. Mom thinks he might have a little crush though..when I told him I was probably going to move back to TN to get a job he got really upset, but then quickly said he had been thinking about moving to TN soon too. lol. As I spend time around children I begin to understand what is meant by having "faith like a child." I love the scene in Matthew when the disciples ask Jesus "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" I am sure they were expecting to hear that it would be a mighty king or ruler or perhaps they were hoping he would say, "Why you all of course..you are MY disciples after all." However, this is how he responds, "And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, 'Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."- Matt 18:2-4.  I feel that Christ is telling the disciples that in order to be great, one must give up their adult " I can handle it or do it myself" attitude. Children are dependent upon others for their needs. Yes, I realize there are devasting situations in which some children are forced to fend for themselves, but most children are dependent upon their guardians for food, clothing, and love. They receive this care, not even giving a thought to trying to do it all themselves. Many times I feel that Christ uses trials in life to make us "unlearn" something, such as the belief that we can handle it all on our own. We "unlearn" so that we can get to that simple point...the point where we realize that we can do nothing without Christ.

Hot Tea at Sunrise

Having so much extra time on my hands right now has given me plenty of time to think and meditate on things that I have been harboring in my heart for quite a while. Some good and some not so good things. I have a lot on my mind right now, but I'm not really sure how to put them in words quite yet. (& to  be perfectly honest I don't think I would write about it on the internet...confide in a good friend yes, but writing it all out for just anyone to see, no way) However, mullling over some of these thoughts and memories reminds me of a song by Jill Phillips that I would (and still do) listen to when I am going through a hard time (or to help me go to sleep.) It reminds me that no matter what I might be going through or have been through that God will always be there and will never leave me or forsake me.

I AM by Jill Phillips

oh gently lay your head upon my chest
and I will comfort you like a mother while you rest
the tide can change so fast, but I will stay
the same through past, the same in future, same today

I am constant; I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy; I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
your heart's desires

oh weary, tired and worn, let out your sighs
and drop that heavy load you hold 'cause Mine is light
I know you through and through; there's no need to hide
I want to show you love that is deep and high and wide

'cause I am constant; I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy; I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
your heart's desires

I am constant; I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy; I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
your heart's desires

oh gently lay your head upon my chest
and I will comfort you like a mother while you rest