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!