Week 22, Day 4

There was a murder tonight at the Four Deuces...Tonight a group of my friends got together to do a murder mystery dinner. It was so fun, and I totally recommend this to anyone who enjoys acting and has a fun group of friends! It was 1920's themed, and everyone dressed up in 1920's apparel. Everyone got into their characters, and had a great time. Afterwards, we played Mafia which we all thought was very fitting considered the theme of the night. I was the host of the party and spent a good portion of last week and this week getting ready to host tonight. My friend Lisa helped me pull together my costume, which ending up costing me about $15 total which was so affordable. My sister, who is a hair stylist, gave me a 1920's look with finger waves. It took her about 2 hours to do, so this definitely would have been hard to get done if I wasn't on vacation!

It has been so great to hang out with my friends from high school during vacation. We have been through a lot together, and we've become stronger because of that. Any time that we have together is a wonderful time. I don't know really what else to say other than I love my friends...a lot! Here are some pictures from tonight!

Week 22, Day 3

Today I was able to spend the morning and afternoon with my niece and goddaughter, which was so awesome! My niece is three, and my goddaughter is 2. They definitely are like two peas in a pod. They have so much fun together, and it isn't very often that they have a "play date," so this week was the perfect time because of my vacation. They spent quite a bit of time building a tower. It took them so long because every time they would make a tower using all the legos, it would fall over but they were very dedicated and kept going until they succeeded! We also attempted to play with a parachute. You can totally tell that I have worked at camp with kids because I immediately started to try to get them to play parachute games, but they insisted on using the parachute as a cover to play hide and seek with. They had so much fun, and I had so much fun just being with them. This last picture was an attempt at getting a picture of the three of us, but as you can see it didn't quite go as planned! I'm pretty sure these are the most adorable girls in the world : )

Week 22: Vacation Week

Hey, friends! How was your Christmas? I hope that it was awesome and filled with fun, family, and friends! I am naming last week "Homemade Gift Week Part 2." Those gifts took me forever to make. Last week consisted of basically doing crafts until the wee hours of the morning while watching the show Dexter. Yes, I like the show Dexter. It's funny because I end up fast forwarding through the inappropriate parts which sometimes can be half the show, but I really like the psychology of it all.

These pictures are some of the crafts that I made the last two weeks. I really had so much fun making them, and every one that I made was unique. The doves are the ones that I made for my family. The Spiderman one was for my friend Mike, and I honestly am the most proud of that one. It took me the longest, but I think it looks great, and Mike really loved it so it was so worth it! This Christmas I bought 4 gifts total: 2 for my niece and 2 for my goddaughter. Other than that, I didn't buy any gifts. I just made them for everyone, and it was so fulfilling to be able to give a friend/family member a gift that I had made intentionally for that specific person, that I made with love and hard work. I think this is what I will do for all of my gifts from now on. I hope that people enjoy them as much as I enjoy making them!

This week is vacation week, simply because I am on vacation this week! Many of you who read this blog know how much I have needed this vacation. The last break I had was in December 2008, my senior year in college during Christmas break. Ever since I graduated from college, I have been going and going without any significant break. I will admit that so far on my vacation, I have been thinking a lot about work. The week after I get back from vacation, winter programs start, and there hasn't been a good response from the community as far as signing up goes. That has been on my mind a lot lately, but I am really trying to just enjoy this vacation. Every day, my goal is to do something that I wouldn't normally do on any regular work day. And each day I will update you guys on what I've been doing. So far, it's been great! Yesterday, I traveled to Michigan to see my best friend, Lisa, who is home on break from Hawaii. We went thrifting for a 1920's costume for something I will be doing later this week (don't worry-I'll fill you in on Thursday!), went to see a movie, had a wonderful dinner, came back and played "Guess Who" and "Life", and spent hours talking and catching up. It was wonderful. Then today, we went four wheeling in the snow, which I haven't done for at least 6 years. It was so much fun, and definitely not something I would normally do. Lisa said she will send me the pictures we took, so I will upload those soon.

I have a hard time stepping back and relaxing, so this week will actually be a little challenging. Already I have been tempted to get on my work e-mail and continue planning our summer camp, but I have stopped myself. I need to find a balance, and let me tell you, I am horrible at finding balance in my life. There is a time for work and a time for letting go for a while and letting yourself be renewed and filled up once again so that you can go back and continue to pour out. I also have some thinking and decision making to do this week about various things, so if you think about it, please keep me in your prayers! That's it for now. Check back tomorrow for my next vacation adventure : )

Week 21: Homemade Gift Week

Hello, friends! Happy week before Christmas! It's gone by fast, hasn't it? Before we know it, we will be home with friends and/or family, celebrating Jesus' birth. Yay!

Last week went very well. Honestly, I feel like I didn't really do that much for Jen. I did some cleaning, took the kids for a night, and did the sermon this past Sunday at church. In the big scheme of things, I feel like I didn't even make a dent in the mountain of responsibilities that she has, but I know that it did help and I was happy to see her breathe a little easier last week. I love you, Jen!

This week, I am focusing on making Christmas gifts. For the past couple years, I have made almost all of my Christmas gifts to people. I've realized that instead of giving my friends more "stuff," I can make them something simple, yet something that I put work and love into. Last year I made picture frames with pictures of that friend and I plus some words of encouragement, why they meant a lot to me, etc. This year I'm making....well I won't tell you because I don't want to give it away! : )

I have been taking time during the day to work on these gifts, and this weekend especially, I am going to be a gift making machine! During this season, we always hear about the true meaning of Christmas and really it's not about getting presents or sitting on Santa's lap. I honestly don't care if I don't get any presents, in fact, I would prefer that I didn't. My friend Nate came to youth group the other night, and he told us a statistic that was shocking to say the least. I believe he said that is was about 400 billion dollars. Yeah. That's a lot. That's TOO much. And we know what happens to a lot of those presents. They get shoved to the side, they get worn twice then tossed in the bottom of the closet. Think about the things we could do with that money instead. The possibilities are endless. Every year when my family asks what I want for Christmas, I say nothing yet that never happens. I challenge you guys to keep some traditions at Christmas time, but change others. Maybe try making homemade gifts for everyone, or like some friends of mine- focus your energy and attention onto a family or friend that needs to be loved this season. So as you do your gift buying, just stop and think about the season and what really matters.

Week 20: Right Hand Woman Week

It's been awhile, friends! Hope you are all doing well and getting ready for the holiday! Last week as you know, I didn't do anything. I call it "It's the week after Thanksgiving, and I need to get back in the swing of things" Week. For all of you readers out there, let me tell you, it's difficult to make a goal every week and try to meet it. So, last week I gave myself a little break.

Can you believe it's already December? Before we know it, it's going to be Christmas, then the New Year. This season, especially for my pastors, is a chaotic season. My pastor Jen happens to be one of my best friends, and somebody that I really look up to. If you're reading this, and you're a pastor, you know the work that goes into shepherding a church. If you're reading this, and you're an officer in The Salvation Army, you know the chaos that kettles brings and the load that puts on the officers and the rest of the congregation. Jen somehow manages to raise three kids, run Kingdom Kids (kids church), teach young adult Sunday school, mentor various youth adults, run Women's Ministries, preach sometimes, keep statistics, do laundry, keep up with cleaning the house, and the tasks could continue on and on.

This week, my goal is to lighten her load a little bit. Instead of having a million things to do, I hope that this week, Jen has time for herself and that she can take some time to relax. This week, I am her "right hand woman" - I'm here to cook, clean, hang out with the kids, run errands, whatever it is that I can do to help. Those people out there who have extra time this week, I challenge you to think about a person in your life who could use a hand. Make a meal, clean a room, volunteer some time for a person in your life whom you love and appreciate. Maybe if we all do this, then everyone will have the time to stop and truly enjoy this time of year.

Week 19, Day 7

I can't believe the holiday is over! It flew by! This break was good for me. I spent my time at my family's house in Indiana. I was able to catch up with my friends from high school, which is always a lot of fun. I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving as well! Here are some things that I'm grateful for:

1. My friends from high school: The other day, my roommate said something about how it was really awesome that I still kept in touch with my friends from high school. Then, I really stopped to think about it, and I guess that's not an extremely common thing. I honestly can't imagine not keeping in touch with these friends. The thing is, we've been through a lot together. Some ups and downs- really low downs. Yet, we've become even closer through those times. My family's home in Indiana has become a reunion center for us. My mom knows that when I come home, my friends will end up at home probably attempting to play Mafia and other crazy fun games. Melanie, Mike, Stephanie, Liz, Joe, Rachel, Anita, Scott, Kate, The Neths, Ryan, Kaitlyn, Emily, Megan, Everett....and the list goes on. We've seen some of the worst and the best, we've been there through some major life changes, and we love each other like family. I am truly blessed by this family.

2. My church family: A little over 3 years ago, I started to attend The Salvation Army in Mt. Greenwood thanks to my wonderful friend Linda. Immediately, I loved the people, the church's mission, and got involved with the youth group. At this church, I met friends that I will have for a lifetime. My pastors and their children are like family to me. They opened their home and hearts to me. Jen is one of my best friends- we get each other, she is a big support in my life, we love the same things, people consistently ask if we are sisters....I love her a lot. My other pastor, Josh, has a heart of gold. I have NEVER seen him turn someone way without help. Never. Now, we are in Blue Island, and God has been doing amazing things. The church members are also like family to me. My friend Ryan who always supports me, challenges me to see things differently, doesn't judge me even though I can be crazy at times, holds me accountable. My friend and roommate Rebecca who helps me to see things in a different perspective, supports me, understands me. I am blessed to be part of the prayer ministry team with three other amazing women- Martha, Nancy, and Abby. We meet to pray for the church and its members, and we also confess to one another and pray for one another. We've had our ups and downs together, but it is clear that God is working in and through us.

3. My Trinity Gals: First, I am so blessed to have received such an awesome education at I college that I loved. Trinity will always hold a special place in my heart as well as Colleen, Anita, Danielle, and Linda. You probably couldn't find 5 girls that are more different than the 5 of us, yet somehow it works beautifully. The 5 of us went through college together, laughed, cried, did stupid things, and silly crushes on guys, gave these guys code names (don't judge us), had random dance parties, ate peppermint by the handfuls to help us concentrate, told each other things that we'd never before said out loud, forgave each other when we hurt one another...now we are all over the place: Alaska, Dominica, Blue Island, Chicago area. Yet, when we all get together, it's like nothing had changed. I'm so grateful for these friends, these sisters.

4. My home: I am SO blessed to have a roof over my head. I am blessed to have such wonderful land lords. I am blessed to have such wonderful roommates: Rebecca and Amber. God has blessed us with a home where we can invite people over for dinner, play Settlers of Catan for hours, have dance parties, watch movies, bake Amber's infamous peanut butter cookies, have heat to keep us warm, a bed to sleep in...There's so many people who do not have this. God, I'm so sorry for the times I've taken this for granted. It warms my heart when my home is filled with people that I love, eating and sharing life together.

Week 19, Day 4

How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was great- full of family and food! Since I didn't post yesterday, here are two things that I am so very grateful for.

1. My family: It is such a blessing to be able to come home to a family full of people who love me. This past week, about 300 middle school students came through The Salvation Army to do team building activities. We played a game called "The Line Game" where I asked some questions, and if they answered yes to that question, they would step up to the line on the ground. Basically, it made the kids take ownership and be honest about these things in their life that they are going through. I asked tough questions like: Who has never met their mother? Who feels unloved by their parents? Whose parents are addicted to drugs? My heart broke as students stepped up to the line in response to these questions. These things are not true for my family, and that is a blessing. Both of my parents are still together, my parents and siblings love and support me, we all get along, and if I ever need my family they are always there for me.

2. My salvation: I don't really know where my life would be without God. I accepted Christ July 26, 2007 at Cedar Lake Ministries where I was a camp counselor for the summer. My life completely changed after that. I grew up in the Catholic church but had no idea what a relationship with God looked like. I went to church, tried to be a good person, yet something was missing and it started to become more and more evident that I just wasn't getting something. I thought that if I did enough "good" things, that I would get to heaven. Then at camp, I started to here people talk about how you are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. It was simple- a free gift. I am a sinner (we all are), I needed someone to save me (Jesus), and now I go to Jesus asking for forgiveness and then with God's strength, turn away from those things. I praise God that He saved me, that I live my life for Him, that I am able to share this message with the world, and that I'm still a work in process, yet He has a wonderful plan for me (and you!). My prayer this Thanksgiving is that if you don't know God, that you would today. He's been pursuing you, He loves you, and He wants you to come home to Him. It's your choice. If you'd like prayer or have questions- just ask! e-mail me at Amanda.Keene@trnty.edu

Week 19: A Week of Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving week everyone! I hope that you are all looking forward to the Holiday and that you all will be spending time with people that you love.

Harry Potter week was awesome! I saw the newest movie this past week with friends, and it was AMAZING! I loved it. For those of you who haven't seen, you should : )

This week is simple. Here's the thing, whenever it gets close to Thanksgiving people start talking and thinking about the things that they are thankful for, myself included. Why aren't we doing this all the time? Just think about how different our attitudes and lives would be if we were thankful everyday. Here's the hard thing- finding ways to be grateful in hard situations. It's easy to be grateful for good things that come into our lives, but how about being grateful for the struggles we go through?

This week, I will write every day this about something/someone for which I'm grateful. Since today is Tuesday, I will write about two things since I didn't post yesterday.

1.) My job: My job is difficult, it's stressful at times, my pay got cut, and many times I feel like my job is my life, but I am SO thankful that I have a job. And I am thankful that I have this particular job, a job where I can pour into the lives of youth in the community, a job where I get to form meaningful relationship with people, a job in a Christian environment, a job where my bosses and co-workers are amazing, and I could go on and on. When I'm in the midst of the stress and chaos, it's hard to be grateful but I am so unbelievably blessed to have a source of income and a way to use my gifts and talents.

2.) My best friend Lisa: Do you have one of those friends who has been through the worst and the best of times with you? Lisa has seen me at some of my weakest moments. She was my roommate for two years in college, so she definitely saw the good, bad, and the ugly. I have hurt Lisa in the past, yet she didn't give up on me. God speaks and acts through Lisa, and our friendship is centered around God. I don't know any one who understands me more than Lisa does, and I think that's because we are so much alike. I am thankful for the crazy/silly times we've had together....if you are reading this and you've witnessed Lisa and I together, you know how silly it can get! One of our favorite past times in college was to be stealthy ninjas with blankets over our heads and sneak up on our other roommate (center of the picture). Yep, we're dorks. This picture gives you just a glimpse that that silliness (Lisa's on the right)! And I'm grateful for the honesty and openness that we share. I can be 100% of who I am with Lisa, no judgment. I feel so deeply loved by Lisa, and that has been a huge blessing in my life.

As we approach Thanksgiving, really do think about those things that you are grateful for. Actually, don't just think but show that thankfulness. If you're thankful for a person, then tell them. Praise God and thank Him for what He has done for you and given to you. Don't just think that these things in our lives are just coincidences, because they aren't. They are blessings from God! And when Thanksgiving is done and over with, continue to be thankful.

Week 18: Harry Potter Week

Hello, everyone! Organization Week went very well. I definitely was able to get pretty organized. I do realize that I still need to put up a before and after picture of my office, which hopefully I will do sometime tomorrow. It looks completely different which is exciting, and I can actually sit in my office and work instead of having to swim through the piles of junk and not be able to sit. I was able to clean out my room which was definitely needed. Yay!

This week, week 18, is Harry Potter week! Yes, I'm a nerd, and I absolutely love Harry Potter. I have read all of the books, and I've seen all of the movies. Of course, the books are a billion times better. In case you didn't know, part 1 of the 2 part final Harry Potter movie comes out this Friday. I am so excited, and I'm seeing it at midnight on Thursday/Friday morning! This week will pretty much be dedicated to Harry Potter. On this past Saturday, a few friends and I started watching the movies starting with the first one, and the rest of this week will be dedicated to watching the rest of the movies and then reading the last book of the series. This is really just a fun/silly week, and I'm completely ok with that! So all of you Harry Potter fans, enjoy this week leading up to the movie and as Professor McGonagall would say: get ready for some "well mannered frivolity!"

Week 17: Organization Week

Good morning! Can you believe that it's already November? Random, but I went to the store the other day, and the store had Christmas music playing. CHRISTMAS MUSIC! Halloween had just ended, Thanksgiving hasn't even happened, and people are already decorated for Christmas and playing CHRISTMAS MUSIC! Crazy.

Last week was a good week. It's funny because there were definitely things that came up last week that could have brought up some fear and doubt if I would have let it, but I didn't. This is something that I will now adopt as a lifestyle change. There's really no need to fear, doubt, or worry- God's got in under control. So week 16 was a success!

So, just in case you didn't already now, I really don't like when things are messy or disorganized. It actually tends to stress me out when things are like that. If I get home and I had a bad day, you can tell because I immediately start cleaning and organizing. Ask any of my previous roommates- they will tell you it's true. My life right now is very disorganized. My office at work looks like a cyclone hit it (no joke) and so does my bedroom. These places are both a mess because they are the two places in which I spend the least amount of time. I have my own office and it has the potential to be a beautiful office, but I spend the least amount of time there because I'm either out in the community, making thousands of copies downstairs, meeting with people, or doing something else that requires time out of the office. This means that any time I am in my office, it's to throw something in there or take something out, thus resulting in a mess. Same thing with my bedroom. Clothes all over, papers everywhere...

My goal this week is to get organized! Tomorrow I will take a picture of my office and put it up as proof. We'll do a before and after picture. My friend has agreed to help me- I don't think he understands how bad it is : ) I'm excited to get organized, and I am bound and determined to keep it that way once it's done! So if you find you need some organization in your life, join me!

Week 16: War Against Negativity, Doubt, and Fear

Hello, friends!! I hope that as you all read this, you are doing well and that you had a wonderful Halloween weekend! My week last week went ok, but I have to admit I wasn't able to enjoy fall activities as much as I was hoping. I planned and ran a Fall Fest for families and then teens at The Salvation Army, which was fun but A LOT of work. That really took up most of my week. It was, however, awesome to see all the families and teens dressed up and having fun together. About 180 people came out for the fests which far surpassed my expectations! God is good!

On Saturday, I was able to go to my favorite nature preserve and enjoy a nice walk. It was beautiful outside, and I found a piece of nature that was super picture worthy, but I didn't have my camera. This week, I need to go back and take a picture. I will upload it to the blog sometime this week. Also, I had one goal for Halloween...and I achieved that goal. It was to watch Hocus Pocus! I love that movie...don't judge me : ) I had a lovely Halloween. Church friends came over, we ate candy, acted silly, and had a bunch of fun! Here's a picture:

Totally unrelated to Halloween, I spent a good portion of the afternoon/early evening in the prayer room with my fellow prayer ministry team members. It was my "Freedom Day," and God did just that- freed me. Without going into details, I had been struggling for a while with insecurities, I confessed beliving lies for so long and took in the truth. It was an amazing day, God has changed me, and with His perfect grace and strength, I am moving forward daily.

This week I decided to do a war on negativity, doubt, and fear. Here's the thing: I know what God has called me to do, but I am still worrying about how everything is going to turn out. You know what I mean? You have all these questions floating around in your head, and you keep worrying about what's going to end up happening, is everything going to work out, how am I going to do this, what will I have to give up to pursue God's calling....the questions are endless. But the thing is, there is no use in worrying about all this stuff, doubting God, being negative. Being negative- how many times do I sit there and complain? How many times do I have a negative attitude towards things. No more. This week will be interesting : ) Who's with me in this? I DARE you to join me!

Week 15: "I love the Fall" Week

Hello! Hope you all survived the crazy Chicago storms (if you live in Chicago)! Last week was wonderful. I did rest...maybe too much. I was able to just relax, spend time with friends, read, pray, and just be still for the week. In the chaos of life, it's good and actually essential that we stop to do that otherwise life will just run us over, right?

Last week ended with one of my favorite things: a hayride and bonfire with friends and family. I love the Fall! A lot. I'm not quite sure why I love it so much. Maybe because my birthday is in September which leads up to the Fall, maybe the changing colors, maybe the crisp and cool air...I could continue on and on. This weekend, I was thinking about the summer and how I let that season pretty much pass me by. I didn't go to the beach, I only went to the drive-in once (if you know me, you know that's unusual), I didn't go to any movies in the park. Basically, I didn't do the things that I love to do in the summer. That season came and went and I was too busy to stop and enjoy it. That's not happening this Fall. This week, I plan on doing the things that I love about Fall. I am going to force some friends to carve pumpkins with me : ) , I am going to spend time outside, I'm going to put my new photography skills to use and take pictures of the displays of Fall around me, I'm going to enjoy this season.

This doesn't really have much of anything to do with "I love the Fall" Week, but since this whole Seize the Week blog is about growth, taking hold of every moment, and letting God transform and change me, I feel like I should fill you in on my life a little bit. Through various words from other people and through prayer, God has made it clear that I am supposed to be going into training to become a pastor in The Salvation Army in 2012. This will come as a shock to probably 90% of you, which is totally understandable. I myself have just started to come out of that shock. This basically means that in 2012, I will go into something like seminary for two years and then will be sent somewhere to serve God and His people. If I were to rewind back to the beginning of Seize the Week, which was 15 weeks ago, I probably would have been scared and would have figured out a way to push that thought to the side. Now, I accept what God has for me and I'm moving forward, trusting that God will close doors if in fact I heard Him wrong.

I have almost completed my paper application to go into training, and yesterday I completed a "Healthy Living Plan," which has come into effect starting today. This plan includes living healthy emotional, physically, spiritually, and socially. I guess I say all of this to show you how awesome God is. Do you realize that I have so far had a week during "Seize the Week" that stretched me in all of these areas? God has been preparing me and stretching me so that on Tuesday, October 26, 2010, I could start meeting these daily goals that I have set for myself. I'm not sure where all of you are at with God, but let me tell you that if you seek after God, you will find Him. It's a promise, not from me, but from the Bible. Jeremiah 29:13 says "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." When you let God in, He starts to change you in ways unimaginable. Just think about that, ok? ok.

Week 14: A Week of Rest

Hello, friends! Sorry it has taken me so long to update you all on what this week is. This past weekend was filled with busyness, yet a lot of fun so I am not just getting around to living my "normal" life again. One of my best friends from high school got married this past weekend, and I was a bridesmaid in the wedding which was a lot of fun, but then Sunday came around and I was wiped! On the way home from the reception, I couldn't think straight, my eyes were all blurry, my body ached...I was exhausted, so this week is simply a week of rest. I don't have really any other goals than that. I have been sleeping more, I watched a movie with a friend last night, I have been reading, and praying...just being still for a little bit and relaxing. We all need some rest right? For the rest of this week, I hope you guys join me!

Also, my blog friends, do you have any suggestions for goals I could make? The next couple weeks, I have planned unless God changes those plans, but I would love to get your input! Either make a comment on my blog, facebook me, twitter me, or send me an e-mail!

Week 13: Health Week

Hello, friends! I've missed all of you guys this past week! Unplugged Week was definitely a success. I was telling a friend of mine that I felt this week was the most satisfying. I felt like God really began some work in me. Let me tell you, this week was hands down the hardest week I've done so far. I spent the week without my phone, almost totally unplugged. I did still use the Internet for work, but other than that I was unconnected. I spent a lot of time with God, which is definitely what I needed to do and enjoyed doing.

For so long, actually as long as I can remember, I have been a "social butterfly" as many people have said. I LOVE my friends and I LOVE my family, but it had come to a point where I didn't like being alone. I was too dependent upon other people. As one of my friends put it the other day, I'm too "attached." This past week, God really has started working in me, healing me, showing me that all I need is Him. It's definitely not all solved in a week- I have a long way to go, but I'm on the right path.

Thanks to those of you who sent notes of encouragement this past week. When I turned on my phone, I had at least 5 voicemails saying something like: "Hey, I know you are unplugged for the week, but I wanted to leave you a voicemail telling you that I hope your week went well. I love you." I listened to those voicemails and felt loved and supported. Thank you all for your continued support!

This week is simple. It's "Health Week." Basically, I need to get back into my work out routine, and I need to be more conscience of what I'm eating. No dieting....it doesn't work, well at least for me. Just making healthier choices and watching portions. I want to be healthy, and I want to treat my body as what it is- God's. For those of you reading this who need to get into shape and work toward being healthier, please join me! You know that it's so much easier to do this when there are people there along side you. Since I've been honest throughout this whole blog, I will continue to do so....I've struggled with overeating for as long as I can remember. I've gone back and forth, weight up and weight down, and honestly I'm sick of it. Food is something that I've put before God, and I can't do that anymore. This week, only with God's help, I am going to move toward a healthier "me." Who's going to join me???

Week 12: Unplugged Week

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope that you all had a great weekend-I definitely did. Thursday night I got the stomach flu which was awful. I threw up a billion times (not actually, maybe like 15 times), and then woke up on Friday weak and sore. It was not fun, let's just say that. This weekend was Youth Councils, so us leaders from the church took the youth to WI to hear Michael Collins speak from Vancouver, Canada. God spoke so strongly through him. Lives were changed, people were healed, chains broken, souls saved....it was amazing.

God spoke to me personally pretty strongly, and revealed me to things that will change the course of my life. I am still trying to process through everything, and I think that will take some time, but ultimately I am excited. I am blessed that God has spoken so clearly and all that's left to do is walk forward toward Him.

Michael Collins said something pretty interesting during the weekend. He asked us a couple questions: Could you live 7 days unplugged? Without our cell phones? Without our friends?

As I listened to these questions, I knew I could live with out these things but I knew that it would be extremely difficult for me. I have talked about this before, but I like to be with other people. It is hard for me to be alone, and most days I hate being alone. I think there's something wrong with that. I know that we are created to be in relationship with one another, but what I miss is that the most important thing is to be in relationship with God. I am starting to realize that a small part of why I love to plan events for my friends and I'm always the one making plans, is that I'm afraid no one else will-that I'll be shoved to the side because no one cares to go out of their way to spend time with me. Yikes. I actually typed that out. It's true though, and if I don't continue to confront these things in my life, then I will never change.

So this week is "Unplugged Week." What exactly does this mean? For starters, no Facebook, Twitter, Four Square, or blogging. Honestly, I would have gotten rid of Facebook a long time ago (I actually did a couple times) if it wasn't such a awesome advertising tool. Maybe that's just an excuse, I don't know. The only time I'll be online is to do my job. Also, no phone. This will be a new one for me. No cell phone for 7 days. This means being unplugged from family and friends, which I think will be the hardest thing for me. I want to again point out that I don't see anything wrong with any of these things I'm giving up, but what God is shown me is that I am much too dependent on other things when I should be only dependent on Him. I am sick of these stupid insecurities and the way I feel so easily tossed to the side by people but that's what happens when you see your identity in anything or anyone other than God. No more. God has shown me way to much this weekend to ignore these things any longer.

Well, here we go. Join me if you'd like. Pray for me this week, because I'm sure that Satan will use this week to attack me with lies. For any one who knows me just a little, you know that this week will be difficult, but I'm ready for it.

Week 11, Day 4

I will admit that this week has been pretty rough as far as actually meeting my goal. I think I just picked the wrong week to sit down and read. I've been babysitting 3 kids/house sitting for the last couple nights, which you mothers out there will know that by the time you actually have the time to read, you basically just fall asleep with the book in your hand.

Also, I haven't none of the libraries around the area have this book "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," which is actually pretty interesting. I am bound and determined to read it though.
This weekend I am off to a youth retreat with the teens from my youth group, so I'm hoping that I might be able to find some time during free time to read by the little lake that's there.

Just to educate you guys a little bit, here are the 10 Most Challenged titles in 2009:

• ttyl; ttfn; l8r; g8r by Lauren Myracle
• And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer
• Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
• My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
• The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
• The Color Purple by Alica Walker
• The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Here's the thing: I've read To Kill a Mockingbird and The Color Purple. I loved both of the books- they're classics! And I can't imagine not allowing kids in school to read these. But I also know that I wouldn't want my young children reading just anything.

What are your guys' thoughts about banning books? I'd love to hear opinions.

Week 11: Reading Week

Identity week was an awesome week. I feel like God is slowly working on me and showing me how He sees me. I had a conversation with my friend the other night, and it was great yet quite convicting. God has done some amazing things in her life, and I want that for my life too. She is becoming comfortable with herself, and she's seeing herself as God sees her. She has taken time to sit there with God in the stillness and listen to what He's saying. I need to do that more often. I will admit that I have a hard time sitting still and listening, resting, abiding in Him. The thing is, I could talk about how I want to grow and be stretched and how I want to develop into the woman God created me to be, but if I don't stop and take the time to be with God then nothing will happen. God has told me to abide in Him; now I need to listen and do just that.

Now onto Week 11 which is reading week. When I was at Trinity going to college, every October they had reading weekend, and we'd get a Friday off to, well, read. I will admit that I very rarely used that Friday to read, but now that I'm "grown up" I want to take that time to read. And it just so happens that this week is "Banned Books Week." Check out this website for more detailed info about this week: http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/info.html

The website explains: "Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than a thousand books have been challenged since 1982...Their targets range from books that explore contemporary issues and controversies to classic and beloved works of American literature."

Honestly, there is a part of me that thinks that certain books maybe shouldn't be put in elementary or middle school libraries depending on the type of content, but I see no reason in banning books from bookstores and libraries. I was shocked when I actually saw the top 10 books that were challenged in 2009. As the week goes on, I will update my blog every so often with different books that were banned, reasons for being banned, and I will use this week to get back into my love for reading. After work today, I'm heading to the library to see if they have the book "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," which is listed #3 on the American Library Association's Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2009. I'm feeling rebellious....this is going to be fun : )

Week 10, Day 5 & 6

I first want to give you guys some verses that I find helpful to read through when I am struggling with identity issues. My goal is to actually memorize some of these verses.

• 1 Corinthians 7:20-24: Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you-although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave when he called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. You were bought at a rice; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.
• 1 Corinthians 12: 27: Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
• (still trying to figure out how this is played out in my life) Colossians 2:9-10: For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
• Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Those verses always encourage me. I've also been doing some reading this week. I picked up a book called "When Wallflowers Dance" by Angela Thomas. I have actually read this book before. I read it the beginning of the second semester of my senior year in college, and it was during a really rough season in my life. My heart was kind of broken by a guy I really liked, I felt alone, I was hiding big time in my busyness and friends were being neglected because I didn't "have time" for them. I think back to that season and just see it as a dark, low point in my life. Any way, I read this book during that time and God totally spoke through it. I honestly don't remember much about this book other than I was healed during reading it. I'm picking the book back up again, not because I'm at a low point, but because I remember God speaking to me about my identity through it. My friend AJ gave it to me because God really spoke to her through it too. In one of the beginning chapters it poses a question: "What if the woman I have always dreamed of becoming is the woman God envisioned when He dreamed of me?"

With all my heart, I want to grow into the woman God envisioned when He dreamed of me. And the thing is-that woman is already inside of me. I just think she might be buried under fear, insecurity, some bitterness, pain over rejection....but she's going to surface eventually. And when she does...it's going to be awesome : )

Week 10, Day 3 & 4

Let's just say that the "how" circle has been a little difficult for me. I'm not entirely sure why, and maybe some of you guys out there have experienced that too, but it's definitely been a process. In this circle, I put down ways that I go about doing life; the responses, motivations, and patterns in my life. Maybe it was hard because I found some things that just aren't good-things that need to change. I am going to be open and honest here, so here we go:

• putting others before myself...a little too much: Maybe some people would say that this is not possible, but I think it is. I sometimes have this mentality that I can fix everything and can help everyone get back on their feet. This is obviously not true at all. I will do just about anything to help someone, even if it means sacrificing things that mean a lot to me. I think this is good to a degree, but not to the point where I don't ever come first. I'm working on this, rather God is working on this in my life. Again, it's a process.
• I'm a very empathetic person. When some one is going through a hard time, I feel it with that person, and when a person is celebrating in life, I feel it then to. Being empathetic makes it difficult sometimes to watch movies, I must say. Movies like "I Am Sam," "Stepmother," "American Violet," etc. are hard for me to watch because I can't help but put myself in the characters' shoes. This also kind of goes along with the first bullet point. Because I am so empathetic, I will bend over backwards to try and help someone. Most times I see this as a gift. I believe that God has given me a soft heart for a reason.
• sarcasm: My response many times is sarcastic. I really need to think more about this. I'm not sure why I tend to be sarcastic. I know that sometimes when I'm feeling attacked, the sarcasm comes out as a defense mechanism. Most times I just think that's my sense of humor, but I know that it can be taken the wrong way at times.
• I'm my own worst critic. My response when I mess up is to beat myself up. No one can reprimand me more than I will myself. I have no idea how I became this way, but I know this response is not good. I find it hard to forgive myself, and with messing up comes guilt and shame. Last Sunday at Greenhouse where I attended church, the pastor said in his sermon, "Decide not to embrace shame." I need to do that, and I need to remember that when I mess up, those things don't define me. I think that's were I get it messed up.
• I love doing things for other people. Most of you probably know this about me or have experienced it first hand. I love to send notes of encouragement to people, throw parties, send packages, come over with ice cream and a chick flick after a bad break up, etc. The reason I do these things is because I genuinely care about my friends and family. But sometimes I need to keep my motivations in check. The lies that my insecurities will tell me make me think at times that if I don't bend over backwards for people and don't constantly give of myself, that these people won't care about me. I'm not sure how that sounds to you, but I'm being honest. Again, I keep these things in check and I just need to continue to only do things for people through a right motivation.
• Today I had a chat with my friend Mike, and we were discussing my blog. Somehow it was brought up that I struggle with insecurity, and he said that this was surprising to him. Honestly, I was surprised that he was surprised because I thought that they would be clear as day to other people. He then mentioned how I stay busy and I'm always involved so he just didn't think I struggled with it. This points to a huge pattern in my life-busyness. I stay involved and stay busy because otherwise I'd need to let God deal with my issues and that would be painful. I must say that I have gotten a lot better at this. I'm such a people person and I really don't enjoy being alone, but I know that I need to make time to be alone. Also, when change happens and people move on in their lives, I fight the feelings of abandonment-the feelings that this person will move on and leave me behind. Again, those are insecurities and lies. God is currently working on this, and I'm excited to see what He does.

Ok, that's enough. That might be more about me than you ever wanted to know. In that case, be glad that I didn't put everything up that I wrote down! I thought about putting up a few surface level things, but then realized that I'm tired of sugar coating stuff. These are the things about me that are good and bad, things that God has given to me as gifts and things that He needs to work on. We all have these things inside of us. I think that there's power in bringing these things to the light and saying "Hey, God. Here's my stuff. Do with it as you will!" So now that you've read about my stuf, what about yours?

Week 10, Day 2

Day 2 I went through the "Where" portion of the circle. In this circle, I put things that are a "given" in my life-things about my job, family, my past, lessons learned, and memories from my life. It was actually really surprising what came to my mind when going through this circle.I wrote down probably about 50 different things, but I'll share just a couple. Here are some thoughts that came to mind:

• My job: I really love my job, even though I many times feel like I am not equipped to do it. Just today I was sitting there in front of my computer trying to plan programs, figure out how much to charge for these programs, and figure out how to advertise for them. I kept saying to myself, "Am I really cut out for this job? Isn't there someone else who could do this job much better?" I am super passionate about doing youth work and that part of my job comes fairly easily, but everything else definitely stretches me. It's a good thing though. I am very blessed to have this job; so close to my house and I work with people whom I love so much.
• Memories of the house I grew up in: I loved that home. I lived there for about 21 years of my life. My family moved to a different house when I was in college, and honestly, this new house has never really felt like home to me. I just have so many wonderful memories of life at the old house; memories with friends and with family. I remember having my friend's going away party in the basement before he left for the Air Force. I remember family holidays with everyone there. I remember falling up the stairs one Halloween night and laying there for about 10 minutes trying to get over the embarrassment. I remember having my first communion party, my high school graduation party, my surprise party, and a ton of other family parties. I can think back about this house and want to cry because I miss it.
• Punky Brewster and blanket forts: When my sisters and I were younger, one of our favorite shows was Punky Brewster. I remember that it came on right after this kids game show. In order to prepare for Punky Brewster, we would make these big blankets forts using tables and chairs so that we could sit under them and watch. We loved it, and I think back to how much fun we had together. Now we are grown, and sometimes I wish we could just go back to the simplicity and innocence of Punky and forts.
• "Always do your best, and God will do the rest": My mom told me this all the time growing up, and I remember it to this day. I have even found myself saying it to friends. From the moment I started school, I started worrying. Ask my mom and dad. They will tell you! I would freak out about a test or a homework assignment and to calm to down, my mom would say that simple phrase.

There are MANY more that I wrote down, but this is enough for now. Yesterday, was an awesome day. I am seeing how God is faithful and provides. God has put together a youth service that I've been trying to plan, and it's so awesome to see it all coming together. Our prayer ministry team came in to pray for me yesterday and without knowing about my "Identity Week," they prayed that God would show me my identity in Him. I am starting to see glimpses of giftings that I never realized that I had. God is doing something amazing. How's it going for you?

Week 10, Day 1

On Day 1, I started with the outer circle. If you guys haven't read it already, you should read the comment that Dave posted on the Week 10: Identity Week post. He explains the circle in more detail. On the surface of the circle, I wrote ways that I express myself and things that I like-surface level things. As I was writing these down, I felt my myself getting excited about these things that mean a lot to me. Here are some of them:

• I express myself very well verbally and through body language. I have been told many times that I "wear my emotions on my sleeve," and I know that this is true. I don't know if it's a bad or good thing, but that's how I am. It's very hard for me to "fake" feeling ok if I'm not. I tend to get really quiet if I'm mad or upset or feeling self conscious, and I don't like being around people when I get like this.
• Writing and singing are two ways that I use to express myself. I love doing both.
• I really like music, and during my music week a couple weeks ago, my music world was greatly expanded. Right now I am in love with Mumford & Sons. I also like Imogen Heap, Rosie Thomas, Brooke Fraser, Jon McLaughlin, and anything having to do with musicals. Yes, I am a geek.
• I love anything peppermint. Seriously, anything. I currently have peppermint shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. I will only use peppermint toothpaste, and I will only chew peppermint gum. I have Burt's Bees peppermint chap stick, I love peppermint hot chocolate....the list continues on.
• I LOVE the changing of the seasons. My favorite is when the summer changes to fall. The fall is hands down, my favorite season. I love to sit outside on a crisp fall day and watch a football game or go on a hayride. I love the apple orchard and the pumpkin patch which are both associated with the fall. Fall has the ability to change my mood into a good one.
• Dancing. This is a new found love of mine, which is awesome. And it means something deeper because if I were to rewind to about a year ago, I would hesitate big time when being dragged dancing because I was self conscious. Now, I love it, and I believe this is a small testimony of how God is slowly revealing my true identity.
• The Drive-In. If you know me at all, you know that I love the Drive-In. I'm not even sure why exactly. I think it's a number of things: I love movies, being with friends, the out doors, being under the night sky, the memories associated with the drive-in from my past...
• Candles. There's just something about candles that makes me happy. If I had a rough day, you will know it (my roommates can attest to this) because I will be cleaning the house and lighting candles. True story. In my opinion, candles are beautiful things that light up a room and create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
• Going out. I am a very social person- I love to be with people. I am happy going just about anywhere: the zoo, museum, a concert, a bookstore, a coffee shop, a bar, a park...I will go just about anywhere if it's with people that I love.

Now, my list was a lot longer than this, but for the sake of boring you, I will stop. As I was writing these out, I found myself wondering why the heck I don't do some of these things more often. Why don't I go outside and enjoy the beautiful fall days more often? I find God in these things, yet my busyness gets in the way. Many times, my excuse is that I don't have any one to go with which is true but I think I can go and do some of these things by myself. I need to do things more by myself sometimes because I can become to dependent on people.

Well, that's quite a bit of insight into my life. I hope that you guys are doing this with me. I had a conversation with one of my best friends last night about joining in with me for the week, and I told him that he could make up his own "Identity Week." You don't have to follow the circle thing, and you really don't have to do anything that I do this week. Make it your own. Do what works for you. All of our journeys will look different. Maybe for you, taking a ride on your bike for an hour and thinking about what makes you "you" is helpful. Maybe sitting down and playing a game of solitaire, while thinking back over your life and how you've gotten to this point is helpful. I don't know. I don't even fully know what this week will look like for me, but I'm expecting God to speak me and to show me what he wants me to hear and see.

Week 10: Identity Week

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope that you all had a great weekend. I'm really excited and actually a little nervous about this week. Before I get into what this is, I want to strongly encourage all of you to do this week with me. I think it would be awesome for all of us to do this together.

Yesterday morning, I went to church at The Salvation Army Crossgenerations, and it was wonderful. I felt the presence of God so strongly and the Holy Spirit was working in awesome ways. I may have touched on this in previous posted, but God has been revealing things in my life that I need to let him work on. It has been a painful process and I don't think I'm close to being done, but I received prayer yesterday morning. Then in the afternoon, Ryan and I headed to Greenhouse, which continues to be such a blessing in my life. It's crazy to think that I started going as a support for a friend, but I now feel at home with these people. The sermon series is wonderful. It's called "Be Yourself, Follow Jesus," which I think is brilliant. Yesterday's sermon looked at the question: "How do you discover who you are?" This fit right into what I received prayer for that morning.

Identity is what I've been struggling with. I find myself finding my value in other people and things, and not in God. I ask myself questions like, "What the heck am I doing with my life? Am I making a difference? Am I good enough? How do people see me? How does God see me? What is my identity?" I believe that we have all struggled with identity at some point or another, and it's a painful process yet in the end has a beautiful outcome. I'm just waiting for that outcome.

This week I am spending at least an hour of prayer in either the prayer chapel at our church or at home. I am also going to work through a paper that was given to us during the Greenhouse service yesterday. It looks like this:

Now, I recreated this, so mine looks a lot less neat than the one I received at church but it's good enough. I know that I will not explain this as well as Dave did, but I'll try. If you look at the circles, the first one is "where" and in this circle, you'd right different situations in your life. I understood as writing things about where you've come from. Maybe where you went to school, where you grew up, just different happenings in your life that come to mind. Then the next circle is "how," and this is how you react to different things because of the "where." Does this make sense? Dave, if you're reading, feel free to comment on this and put in a better explanation : ) What are your reactions like? Good or bad? Can they be changed or not? All of that would go into the "how." Then the very middle circle is "who," and at the middle of this circle is Jesus. He's in the middle of our identity. Our identity comes from Jesus. This is the spot deep down inside ourselves that shows who we truly were created to be.

That middle circle is what I want to figure out. This week, I'm going to look at what's happened in my life, my reactions and why I react that way in order move closer to my true identity. I am going to expect that God is going to continue to speak into my life truth about who I am and how He sees me. We are bombarded by the world's view on this everyday. Everyday, we hear lies about who we are and who we aren't. I don't want to care about that any more. I long for God to show me who I am.

Now, this probably is not going to happen in a week, but this week I am starting the process. This week is about me. It can be about you too! Join me and let's dialogue about what God is saying. There may be some of you who don't identify yourself as a "Christian." That's ok. But maybe you have questions about your identity. Maybe you've tried to figure it out on your own or by asking other people or trying different things and it hasn't worked. So why not just try asking God? You might be surprised at what you find out. Feel free to add comments about what you feel God is saying. Let's use this week to grow together as God reveals to us who we were created to be.

Week 9, Days 4-7

So it's been a little while since I updated last! Sorry, friends. This week/weekend was full of fun and friends and time just got away from me. And the picture is not one that I took- just thought it looked pretty : )
DAY 4: I made a delicious chicken with homemade mashed potatoes and asparagus. I cooked for about 6 people, but only one person came so needless to say that I had a ton of leftovers. The chicken recipe was given to me by a man named Giuseppe from my church, so I call it "Pollo de Giuseppe." Here's the recipe:

1. Combine Italian spices in a bowl with olive oil, lemon, little bit of any type of vinegar, one shot of vodka, a splash of bouillon cube (chicken), fresh rosemary.
2. Slit chicken and marinate overnight
3. Bake in oven the next day for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees.

Simple enough, right? I must say that it was very interested to marinate with vodka but it turned out very well. For the mashed potatoes, I used a simple recipe:

1. Peel potatoes (any kind) and cut in eight pieces to hasten the boiling process.
2. Boil the potatoes until they start coming apart.
3. Grate cheese and add sour cream in a separate bowl.
4. Drain potatoes when done and mash with a fork. Add the sour cream mixture and stir.

That's pretty much it. You can add salt and pepper if you'd like or other herbs. Mashed potatoes are fun to experiment with. Then I made asparagus, which I had made before this week but this time they came out much better. Here's what I did:

1. Take the raw asparagus and snap the ends off (my friend Ryan said to snap the ends of-not cut them with a knife. It does turn out a lot better)
2. Take asparagus and put on baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil
3. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and then Parmesan cheese all over the asparagus.
4. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

DAY 5: Day 5 was a lot of fun. My pastor/boss/friend had a "Life Bash" at our church to celebrate his birthday as well as to raise money for our church. It was so much fun- food, dancing, great company. For Day 5, I observed as our chef made sushi, crab rangoon, and bruscetta. It was a great learning experience and made me feel confident that I could one day try it myself. We added things like strawberries, avocados, and peppers to the sushi. All of the food ended up being so good!
DAY 6 & 7: On Day 6, I headed to Lafayette to see a Purdue football game with my little sister, which was a lot of fun. But it also left no time to cook, which was ok because we went out to eat and I enjoyed food that some one else cooked for me : ) Day 7...let's just say that it was leftover day!

Week 9, Day 3

Orange Chicken Stir Fry:

• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons frozen (thawed) orange juice concentrate
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 lb. chicken breast strips
• 1 bag (1 lb.) frozen broccoli, carrots, and water chestnuts thawed and drained (just use whatever veggies you like in your stir fry)
• Chopped green onions, if desired

1. Cook rice as directed on package
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix OJ concentrate, soy sauce, cornstarch and garlic powder until smooth
3. Heat 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken; cook 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center
4. Stir in juice concentrate mixture and vegetables. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve over rice.

Tonight's dinner was good! This recipe was really easy to follow, and turned out well. It was a great night with friends and food! A bunch of people from my church came over as well as two new members of our church community. There was some Apples to Apples (you should find and play this game if you haven't already) and some chocolate chip cookies for dessert!

First of all, now that I've been making dinner every night, I realize how many dishes that means I will need to clean after. Second, I have no clue how some mothers work AND cook every night. Props to you guys! Third, cooking really is like a science, but I'm loving it!

Also, something really cool happened last night. After dinner, we all moved to the living room and went through some prayer requests. A girl from my youth group was there and had injured her foot so we laid hands on her foot and prayed. And guess what....She was healed! Praise God! That was the first time that I've ever witnessed physical healing. God is so good, and He cares about us so deeply! It was truly a night to remember.

Week 9, Day 2

I am proud to say that today's dinner was MUCH better than yesterday's! See the wonderful picture above?? Today I made stuffed manicotti (which I've never made before), and here's the website with the recipe for it:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1635,133176-250199,00.html

Tuesday nights are pretty packed for me. From 4:30-6:00 I do discipleship with a teen from the youth group, and then at 6 until 9 we have youth group. It's usually at my house because I like the atmosphere there. The teens seem to open up more in a cozy setting. The teen that I disciple helped me out with dinner as well as some new members of our church community. The recipe was very good, and I had no problems following it. The only thing that is hard is keeping the manicotti shells from breaking after they've been cooked. Most of our shells broke, but it actually ended up being a lot easier to fill the shells with them open!

I cooked for 10 people tonight, and it only cost me $35 which was awesome! Preparing the food was a lot of fun, and it tasted amazing. I actually added more garlic and herbs to taste, so feel free to tweak the recipe above. Again, the company for dinner was great. The youth group girls and then the new guy leaders were there to share this meal with me. We all ate and then played some Apples to Apples. It has been so awesome to share the meals that I make with people that are important to me. Day 2 was a success!!

Week 9, Day 1

Today I attempted to make spinach souffle because my dear friend Ryan suggested it. First of all, I hardly know how to spell "souffle." Second, I have never even eaten a souffle, and third, I had no idea how to make one. I looked up a recipe from a website that I have used numerous other times, and I thought to myself- "Wow, this looks really easy..."

The plus side is that it cost $14 total to make a dinner for 4 people, which I thought was pretty impressive. I made the souffle along with asparagus and rolls. I took the picture above of the dinner I made. Apparently, the recipe that I used was not very good. The amounts of things was off and basically, the souffle didn't turn out quite as expected. But, I was told it wasn't bad so I guess that's good. I'm not even going to put up the recipe that I used because I wouldn't suggest anyone use it! I definitely am going to try and make this again, now that I have an idea of how to improve it.

It was definitely an interesting way to start off the week! Despite the rough start, the company for dinner was great! My friends very kindly ate my creation, and we played a few games of Bananagrams. It was a nice night with some people I love.

Week 9: Homemade Dinner Week

Hello, Everyone! I know that it's been a while since I updated, but I am blaming it on my birthday : ) I just got caught up, and now it's week 9! Thank you all for the birthday wishes and for celebrating with me. I am excited to see what this new year will bring, and I am confident that it will be a wonderful year full of growth and adventure!

There are many things that contributed to the decision to make this week "Homemade Dinner Week." First, I am currently reading this book called "Bittersweet," and let me tell you, I feel like this book is about my life. It's wonderful! My friend Jen actually knows the author, and so after she read it she lent me the book. The author talks about how there are very few things in the world that she enjoys more than having friends over around her dining room table to share a meal. I feel the same way. I have a gift of hospitality, I love people, and I love food.

Second, I told you all about the girl who is temporarily staying with us, right? Well, naturally my life tends to be a little chaotic, even though I am proud to say that it has calmed down a bit. Most nights though, dinner is whatever we can make in less than 5 minutes because we're exhausted. That's not the way to do things- at least not all the time. In the chaos and confusion of this girl's life who's living with us, I think it would do her soul good to have a home cooked meal on a regular basis that is not rushed, but prepared with love and patience.

Finally, my roommate Rebecca had friends over last night, and upon walking in the house, her friend asked if we had community people over to the house often. Rebecca told him that we have friends over and the youth group girls over on a pretty regular basis, but there was something a little convicting about the question. Her friend went on to say that our home felt welcoming and inviting, and as Rebecca told me this she said something about how that was one of the greatest compliments she could think of regarding our home. I felt this whole thing was a little convicting because I have a huge heart for people, and I know that we could have people over more often and that we could welcome people from the community into our home- not just friends and youth group girls.

This picture above was actually taken on my birthday last year. Some of the guys from the community came over and cooked us dinner, and it was so much fun. I miss that. So this week, I'm cooking and I'm so excited! I want to cook things I've never cooked before and welcome people into my home that I've never invited before. If you have good recipes, vegetarian included, send them my way!