Rings

While headed to work recently, I got caught behind a logging truck. Stacked on top of each other, tree trunks were displayed for the entire world to see. Each one showcased a distinct ring in its center. I realized that when I was younger, I knew what those rings meant. After a few minutes of internet research, the meaning was rediscovered. According to an online resource, the rings on a tree do oh so much more than tell its age. On one website, a tree was studied and researchers said, “This tree is 62 years old. It’s been through fire and drought, plague and plenty. And all of this is recorded in its rings.” It is not just the measurable years that show in a tree’s rings—it’s the conditions. It’s the harsh, the temperate, the pleasurable, and the barely-survivable.

Sometimes I think that our hearts show our age the way the rings of a tree do. Our hearts are scarred, darkened, or refreshed all depending on the seasons we’ve survived or thrived through. We hold deep dark wounds from periods of drought, periods where love was too little and the pressures of life were too intense. We all have lighter years where blessings and joy seems to flow like a steady, pleasant rain. The truth is, we all show age—not because of our measurable years but because of our experiences and our environments. Bitterness and burdens add years to the heart.

I think this is what God does when He makes us new. Sure, He can change our circumstances. He can change and restore our relationships. He can heal us in a physical sense. But, I like to think that God is really in the business of making hearts new. He can remove the hurt and harm. He can transform the dark years that were plagued by dryness and doubt. He can take a heart that has been bruised and broken, a heart that is aged in the worst sense of the word, and make it brand new.

Culinary Chronicles: Berry Awesomeness

I have never used puff pastry in a dessert before. Ok, in all honesty, I have never used puff pastry for anything, but I have always wanted to try working with it in a dessert.



Puff pastry sheets are found in the frozen food section (near the pie shells). While unfolding the sheet that had been in the freezer for about a week, the three sections broke. I decided just to go with it and make individual desserts instead of one big dish. They have to thaw for about forty minutes (I just thawed them until they started to get all doughy) before baking for 15-20 minutes.



Don't even try to tell me that those don't look like little pieces of fluffy heaven. I used an egg wash to give them that pretty golden brown coloring on the top. They are perfectly flaky, and the smell... well, let's just say I had a hard time preparing the other parts of the dessert because of it! :)



Since it is Summer, I decided to use strawberries and blueberries. I love strawberries (a rarity for me, because I am not normally a huge fruit advocate), and my parents like blueberries. Also, they are pretty little berries, in my opinion.



Come on, tell me you don't think they are a lovely fruit! I suspect they are even lovelier covered in vanilla pudding. No, not instant vanilla pudding or the kind in the plastic cups that end up in little kid's lunches, but vanilla pudding cooked slow and steady on the stove. It tastes like the custard in my grandma's homemade banana pudding. Once you have tasted it, instant is no longer even a possibility... it changes everything. No lie!



The finished product. Layers of puff pastry separated by strawberries, blueberries, and pudding with a little cool whip for good measure. Experiment a success!

Enjoy the deliciousness! :)

Culinary Chronicles: Adventures with Asparagus

So normally, I am not a big fan of asparagus. Sometimes it can be too chewy and too stringy... and well, too gross. However, recently I ate a piece of delicious asparagus quiche at The Victoria tea room. I tried to mimic this recipe at home.

Surprisingly, asparagus gives an amazingly unique flavor to quiche, and combined with hamburger meat, mushrooms, onion, and cheese, it was quite filling!

This quiche recipe makes two:

4 eggs
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1/2 cup milk

1/2 pack hamburger meat
1/2 onion
1 small can mushrooms
1 can asparagus
As much cheese as you like :)

Cook hamburger meat. Chop veggies. Pour meat, veggies, and cheese equally into shells. Top with egg mixture. Bake at 350 for thirty minutes or until a knife comes out of the center clean.

Enjoy the deliciousness!

Oak Trees

Sitting beneath the shade of the oak,
Its base a wall against me.
Its branches stretching their arms to heaven,
Worshiping their Maker.
The cool grass beneath me,
Softly swaying in the wind,
Dancing for their Maker.
The wind that blows,
Rustling,
Talking to their Maker.
I sit beneath the shade of the oak,
and join them in their worship.

Birthday Blog

My birthday is March 31. So yes, this blog is no longer accurately titled. However, since its contents will focus mainly on the events of yesterday, I hope people will let it slide.

There is nothing like a birthday (even one in which said person is turning twenty-two)to make you feel like a small child again!

With the stress of three tests (Religion, American Literature, and Shakespeare: What a mix!!) heavily on my mind, I was not quite sure if my birthday would be a day of happiness or anxiety. Silly me! I forget what good gifts my Heavenly Father gives to His children!

Even though I had to wake up SUPER early in order to get some studying done, the first thing my sleep-filled eyes saw after turning off the alarm on my phone was a text message from a friend. This 4:48 AM "Happy Birthday!" greeting just started the day off with such optimism!
Then, there was the traditional singing phone call from my wonderful parents. Now, after twenty-two years, you think I would come to expect it, and it would become some routine. No. Not for me, at least. Upon seeing my Mom's name flash on my caller ID, I literally giggled with anticipation.

That was the just the start. The start of the calls, voicemails, texts, and Facebook comments that reinforced a single idea: I am blessed! Once I finished my three tests, another class, and library research, I hit the road for home. With the whimsical tunes of Eisley cranked up on my stereo, I basked in the warmth of a sun that had FINALLY decided to show its bright face.

Once at home, there were cards to be read, gifts to be opened, and hugs to be received. There was the traditional dinner with the parentals and the best friend/best friend's PRECIOUS husband. There was birthday coffee with mighty women of God.
And then, there was simply me: a smile plastered on my face and joy firmly rooted in my heart and soul because of the gift of TODAY. To me, birthdays are reminders that God loves me and has blessed me far more than I can ever adequately explain! Even when I spend the rest of my life singing His wonders and telling of His love, I can never touch the depth of just how much He loves me, just how much He loves us.

Fish and Grits

I spent the afternoon with my aunt, uncle, and cousins in Columbia today, and I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing in this world more heart-warming than being around family.




My Uncle Bill is probably the funniest man alive. With his perfectly timed, witty remarks, he can have me choking on my water in three seconds flat. But, he also makes me think. He has a heart for missions, and he spends his life in service to others. I can only hope that my life can have the impact that his has had in the community in which he lives.

My Aunt Stephanie is a petite firecracker. She seems small and sweet (which she is!), but she packs a punch! Smart, sassy, Southern to the core...she is the Queen of that house. However, the love that her sons and husband have for her is written all over their faces.

Then there are my cousins. At 17 and 20, "my boys" constantly make me smile. Daniel will be transferring to USC in the Fall. Because he is tall, quiet, and serious, at first glance you would wonder how in the world he is related to us! Then, you hear his dry, sarcastic wit and see the grin sweep across his face. At that moment, his place in the family becomes crystal clear. He is a man of silent strength, hidden sensitivity, and wisdom beyond his twenty years.

Nathan is a kindred spirit. Like me, he is the youngest sibling, dramatic, and full of emotions. Also, he is one of the most creative and imaginative people that I know. An artist, pianist, cook, baker, cartoonist, and comedian, he is charismatic and never meets a stranger. If you want to cry from laughter, listen to his imitations of famous people or family members.

It is amazing how family just fits. As I sat eating a dinner of fish and grits with these four people, I realized how blessed I was to be laughing and talking with them. My Aunt and Uncle have watched me grow up. My cousins and I spent tons of Saturdays playing Star Wars and Legos or climbing trees and chasing each other with fake guns. I witnessed Nathan's Buzz Lightyear phase. I was at Daniel's highschool graduation. In May, they all will be sitting in the audience at my college graduation.

As we scraped the last bit of grits out of our bowls, piano tunes and laughter mingled with the sound of silverware, These are the sounds of family. These are the sounds of blessings...blessings given that are much more than what I deserve.

Coffee Drinking

I sit down in August
holding my large, scalding coffee
to sip coffee at a table,
a table for two, the cup sitting and
leaving a ring of scalding brown
for the next coffee-drinker; and as I hold my cup
raising the lid to my lips, the liquid runs
down my throat and burns my tongue,
as loneliness does, that peculiar force that
flows swift and strong and harsh
highly-heated, down into the heart,
which bubbles, burns, and bites while I am
sitting, at a scalding table for two
all alone while coffee drinking in August.

*Inspired by "Blackberry Eating" by Galway Kinnell