Saturday, July 25, 2009

Preparation Counts

It doesn't seem to matter so much to me that I'm hungry as much as it matters to me that I want to be creative and enjoy, to my personal liking, what I eat. As I cook more creative (spontaneous, made-up recipes) meals, I am reminded over and over how preparation can make a great difference.
As I'm sure you know, adding pinches or dabs of this and that can offer more and/or different flavors to food. I believe that each day is like a recipe. Just like lime and hot sauce can eliminate a lot of fishiness and add a sure good kick to a piece of fish, so can adding a vibrant "routine" to my morning. Change is sometimes good. I used to wake up talking 90 miles per hour. Now, so much more than before, after I open my eyes and say good morning and give thanks to God. I believe that greeting God first, thanking him for keeping me safe through the night, and asking him to guide me through the day is the most important ingredient I can begin my day with. After I get out of bed, I spend some time with my dog, LiddyRae, as I am getting ready for work. It's in her nature to almost always be ready to be "bouncy-spirited" and ready to be happy and lovable. She is my dab of morning vibrance.
When I am on my way to work, I feel that adding a pinch of happy and uplifting music sweetens the morning. Depending on the tasks ahead of me, I sometimes add several pinches, instead of just one.
Though I don't remember to every moment, I've learned that the more I acknowledge God, off and on, through-out my day, the more I enjoy the richness and sweetness of my day. By the time I am finished working, I am ready to sit down and relax. Once I am home, my favorite new wind-down technique is to sit, relax, and read my daily devotion from my Women's Devotional Bible. Some recipes call for whipping eggs and/or other ingredients, and sometimes we have to whip obstacles that we face during the day in order to continue and work at make our day return to a peaceful smoothness. However, by the time I am home from work from hosting, I'm ready to be hosted to for a few minutes. So reading my devotion then is like dowsing the previous ingredients in a relaxing, calming sweet wine.
Once I have read and feel rejuvenated, I enjoy the the rest of my day with my wonderful partner. She is the added spice who gives a nice twist with the already marinated ingredients. I look forward to adding her into my day.
Before I go to sleep at night, I prepare for the final addition to my recipe. As I am drifting off to sleep, I talk to God in my mind. As I am comforted and relaxed by feeling his love, the day's recipe is final.
Even if I didn't have any variety of options for ingredients to mix into my day, it's good to know that everything would still turn out perfect as long as I just add God.
'Til next time,
Love, peace, & PB&J











Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Show Me What It Means

1) "You don't want my perfections. All You ask of me is that I show up broken at your feet. You don't want my religion. You are looking for devotion that is more than just routine. So show me what it means.."

Chorus) "To take up my cross and count it all as loss. All for the sake of knowing You. To love my enemies and care for those need. Show me what it means to follow You."

2) "Have I become like the Pharisee passing by the needy while I'm speaking Jesus on my lips. Will I walk with You on raging seas or will I turn away when You want more than what I give. To love as You love and live as You; To love as You love and live as You lived. To never give up on giving You my life. To love as You love and live as You lived. To find out what it means to be alive.. " (chorus)

Written by Meredith Andrews, Jason Ingrams, and Matt Bronleewe
Sang by Meredith Andrews

'Til next time,
Love, peace, and PB&J