heaven in a cup

My 2010 cooking adventure begins...

The Recipe: Homemade Hot Chocolate, found in Martha Stewart's January 2010 issue (of course).

The Process: super easy. Having a food chopper for the chocolate would have been nice, though.

The Result: rich, rich, RICH! absolutely delicious, but a little too much chocolate, chopped in pieces that were too big, and too much nutmeg. (but now that I have a feel for how quickly it comes out of its container, that problem can be easily avoided).

The recipe has potential to be delicious, and I feel like with a little tweaking, the next batch will phe-nominal.

garnished with cool whip and served in a lovely mug that a high school best friend's friend made. (btw, handmade gifts are by far my favorite.)

oooh oooh oooh.. I wanna be like you-ou-ou

my week has been characterized by:

1. "the great apt. 14 fish stick debate"

11:45, Monday Night

Jana (me): I'm craving fish sticks. with ketchup. and corn.

Katie: Are you SERIOUS? Fish sticks are DISGUSTING.

Ashley: It's processed fish with breading. Gross.

J: You seriously don't like fish sticks!?

A: When I was five, yes, but now...no.

K: Oh, and then there's those filet-o-fish sandwiches... like a fish stick blob on a bun

This conversation has resulted in googling images of fish sticks, posting fish stick related topics on each other's facebooks, and continuous polling of our friends to discover who loves and who detests fish sticks:

Constance: "are you kidding!? I had fish sticks for dinner tonight!"

Gray: "well its been at least two score and a year ago since I've had a fish stick. But I suppose I like them alright"

Zack: "fish sticks? hells no! they are satan in a breaded crust!" well, I guess we know how he feels about them.

2. Meat. A lot of meat. For the month of February, one of my roommates and I are going vegetarian, so we are spending this last week consuming as much meat as we can handle. Hot dogs, Chick-Fil-A... I currently have a chicken pot pie in the oven.

3. My first experiences of the year with cooking... more on this later. I think it deserves its own post.

4. Disney movies. Specifically, The Jungle Book, Up, and Hercules. We're embracing our inner child.

Sunday Morning Musings

"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied

me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of

my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire.

O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be

filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still.

Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee

indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to

my soul, "Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away."

Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this

misty lowland where I have wandered so long"

-A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

(forse*no)

the inaugural project of 2010...

I'm a sucker for natural lighting - which is why I waited all week, through the dreary, rainy weather for some sunshine so that I could take pictures and blog about my first project of 2010.

Yes, after three weeks of the new year, I have already been crafting up a storm so that our apartment might have a little detail or two or three that will bring a smile to the faces of all who enter. Granted, we will only be living here for another six months before my roommates and I move on to the next place, but I couldn't stand the plainness any longer.

These bubbly balls can be found in the January 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Living. It's only styrofoam balls, Wilton baking cups, gray silk ribbon and thumbtacks. Even though it took two hours to make each ball, the project was incredibly simple.

I have been putting off for years my inaugural project into this ridiculous crafting world (believe me, there are some crazies out there...), but this was well worth the money and time I put into it. Every person who walks into our apartment stops in the doorway, stares, walks over to the bar where these things are hanging, and marvels for a few seconds before carrying on with whatever they came over for. It's quite fun.

Christ + Atlanta = WONDER

[where I've been: with 21,000 college students praising God]

I have spent the last four days in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, freezing my toes off in 22 degree weather, but enjoying myself nonetheless. I, along with 21,000 other college students, from all over the world, attended Passion 2010. I honestly have no words at the moment to describe the joy that has filled my heart and the desire to glorify God with every ounce of my being - all ignited from worshipping and studying and just being with people who love the LORD as much as I do. I'm still processing every session, every lyric, everything that I absorbed within those 72 hours. I would give anything to be back at the Philips Arena at this moment.

Being Atlanta not only refreshed and refocused my spirit... it also made me realize that I am completely, absolutely, without a doubt, meant for the city. I love the tall buildings, the culture, the streets... I will be settling, God willing, in a city (or at least within a half hour drive of one) when all is said and done.

So: I couldn't ask for a better kick off for 2010: spending a weekend in such a great city, worshipping my God, completely refocused.

http://www.268generation.com/passion2010/