Salmon and Salsa/Steak and Potatoes

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Love it!

So, I was researching paper, stationery and other fun things, and one rabbit trail led to another and I came upon this post [probably my favorite post I've read this month]:

http://www.austinkleon.com/2011/03/30/how-to-steal-like-an-artist-and-9-other-things-nobody-told-me/

What do you think? Agree or disagree? Any additions you would make?

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I've been cooking for my dad and me while my mom is out of town. I'll be honest, in Kenya, I couldn't cook. I don't know if it was the distance messing with my mind, or just plain idiocy, but I had to cook the last week I was there, and the best meal that entire week was a meal someone else cooked.

So, I came home with my cooking ego completely shot.

HOWEVER, God has given me several chances since then to redeem myself, and I think these past two nights' dishes were the best. :) Here is a quick preview, and then I'll post recipes and more pictures tomorrow, Lord willing!

Last night: Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa and a side of green beans and baguette.

Tonight: Grilled Ribeye [for my dad; sirloin for me] with Horseradish cream and brilliantly crispy bacon-topped potatoes and baguette. [with a side salad]

Ok, more tomorrow! Goodnight, and good eating!

Sincerely,

me.

I know, I know

I haven't written in four months.

I was going to quit this blog, but I happen to really love its name! So, I've decided to try and keep it up, and make this my "blog - where - I - find - cool - links" and just post them up here for you to enjoy.

Today's link comes from Jon Acuff's blog [you remember, he wrote the book I last posted about]. He has been a real model to me, blog wise, but I wasn't able to visit his site while I was abroad. Now that I'm home I decided to catch up, and this was the post I found:

http://www.jonacuff.com/blog/the-1-reason-blogs-die-and-how-to-make-sure-your-blog-doesnt/

About minute 1:20 is where I am... "I am going to write all year... " until it gets to "I haven't written in 3 [or 4] months".

Enjoy!

Gazelles, Jon Acuff, debt-free and other Christmas topics

Dear Blogging World,

Today marks the arrival of my latest edition to my library, and the first book on being debt-free I've ever owned: Gazelles, Baby Steps and 37 Other Things Dave Ramsey Taught Me About Debt, by Jon Acuff. I sat down and began reading- one hour and 16 minutes of laughing, chuckling, and pondering later, I couldn't WAIT to tell everyone to buy this book! Here are my reasons:

1. Its by Jon Acuff. Christian, PK {Pastor's kid, like me!}, super-neon-funny, and a good writer.

2. It has a pictures. :D

3. I didn't know anything about debt, credit cards, or how to avoid them until I read this book. Now I am not only fully equipped with the basics of where to start, but I also know what to read next [Dave Ramsey], and how to get out of that awkward conversation that always happens when I talk to salesclerks. [No joke- its like they know Im terrified of them and rejoice in my awkward attempts at explaining why I can't afford $99 shoes...]

4. If none of that has convinced you, it is the perfect size to fit into a standard stocking for that free-spirited always-stuck-in-debt friend of yours, or your super-number-crunching-Dave-Ramsey fan uncle you have. :) Or people like me, who fall in between- love math, but I scored a 12 on the Nerd test, and a 21 on the Free-Spirit test.... Want to know what Im talking about? Its in the book, and you'll never know unless you get it.

5. Its on sale! Only $10. Just don't drink Starbucks for a few days ;)

Ok, because Im a photographer, I couldn't resist taking a few shots of my library's new edition with my adorable new camera [Thank you anonymous people who gave me this beauty!! I love it dearly!]

Right in between Jane Austen's Persuasion and A Severe Mercy, letters of C.S. Lewis.. Welcome to the library, Gazelle.

Sincerely,

Alice

If this is running away, Ive been running a long time.

Dear Blogging World,

If you ever learn anything from this blog, understand this: you should never write a blog post when under the influence of emotions, especially the emotion of utter emptiness. What you write, whatever it is, will be impossible to take back, even if you regain your senses and delete the post later, you have no idea who may have seen it in between that time.

Matthew 12:34 "...the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart."

Write what you want, write what is on your heart - but always read it again when you are not full of that emotion, making positive sure that you truly mean every single word you use. I will be the first to admit, I do not follow this rule enough. I strongly-dislike rereading what I write, and that is a big immaturity on my part. It is so vitally important to give a good witness, in everything you do! Let your words show your heart, because they will, whether you mean for them to or not.

Why am I writing this? Well, for the past half hour I was working on a post entitled "A Different 'Dear John' Letter." But it was full of anger and frustration and worst of all, emptiness. There was nothing good or uplifting in it at all. All I did was berate myself for past follies that, honestly, you have no business of knowing. My past mistakes are just that: the past. I can't go back and change them, but I can change how I act now, and in the future. And I can change how I react when I think back on my past errs - I can learn from them instead of just hating myself for them. I firmly believe that God has trials and temptations in our lives to not only test us but help us grow. After all, what is the point of test but to make sure we can know how to apply the material later on in life? And if we don't know the material then, we are to learn from that and never forget it. I hate the world's love of saying "you just need to forgive yourself." NO! Thats wrong! You don't "forgive yourself" - you ask apologies of those that you hurt, and you ask God's forgiveness, but you don't ask yourself for forgiveness! Im sorry, that probably sounds harsh, but hear me out: when people forgive, they typically say "forgive and forget", right? Those two words are almost synonymous now. Heads up: if you hurt me, and then ask my forgiveness, I will readily forgive you, but Im not forgetting. I'll not keep bitterness in me, but I will learn a lesson in how to better approach you in the future. Same with yourself: Don't ever forget your sin. Ever. You need to know how you got to the point where you sinned so you can look out for those same patterns later. Because there will be later tests. God lets you have these bumps now because those same bumps will show up later, and you need to be prepared for it. Another heads up: Experience is a hard teacher, and not always the best. Learn from others. Listen to me: listen to your parents and those wiser than you - they've gone through more life than you, and have faced those same problems. Figure out how they got there, and how they dealt with them. Don't force yourself to have to have the same regrets just so you can "learn." There are easier ways to receive knowledge. Be humble enough to learn from others.

Ok, lets go back to the beginning : Don't rant online. Don't rant in an email, or a Facebook message. Don't let your emotions run amuck to your friends, co-workers, and try not to lose it with your family. Don't rant at God. Its like the fire drill, except different. Stop. Drop [your problems]. Roll [in God's Word]. Ok, that last one didn't make any sense, but here's what I mean: Stop taking out your emotions on others. If you are easily angered, thats a big problem. Heres where the drop comes in: Drop your main issue. In your heart, you know what the big problem is: frustration that things aren't going your way. Take it to God, and drop it at His feet. He is already taking care of it, but you have to let it go. You trying to be Atlas doesn't mean you have the strength of Atlas. You trying to be God in your own life and issues isn't going to make you God. Its going to make you exhausted, short tempered and moody. Its just going to make your emotions even more of a rollercoaster. So roll in God's Word. Delve into His Word, and seek His Heart. Try to be like David "A man after God's own heart". That meant David was trying to think like God would think. Not BE God, but think like Him. Try and be as much of a mirror of God and His perfection as possible. How? Read God's Word. One of my favorite quotes , "He who reads, leads." But not just any book. Read good books. The best book to read, though, is the Bible. This is a perfect book. Make a habit of reading it, reading it so much you start thinking God's thoughts.

I need to stop this post, as I could keep going. Im terrible at sound bites.

This is as much a post directed at my own heart as it is out here for you to read. I hope you know that. Goodnight.

Sincerely,

a serious Alice

I think an update would be good. But you probably don't want to read it.

Dear Blogging World,

Im not in the mood to update right now, unless you count complaining. I have a cough and headache that have been stalking me for two weeks now; I can't cook for fear I'll contaminate the food and make everyone sick; I haven't exercised in ages and therefore want to eat chocolate; my heart refuses to listen to reason and has caused mini wars in my head [come to think of it, is this the root of my headache?]. I'm listening to Sherlock Holmes and the new Pride and Prejudice soundtrack, and wishing I could escape back to England and Scotland. Especially the Isle of Lewis, the Outer Hebrides, Past the Highlands. Or Scrooby or York or Cambridge in England. I crave time, an ipod and headphones, and a working camera. And my Bible. And no way for anyone to get in touch with me until I can become a nice human again. However, this is not on God's agenda for me right now. And its not on His agenda for me for tomorrow. So I shall just have to buck up and become a nice human again at home. And abroad, but Im not going abroad right now, so thats beside the point.

Ok, I need to get off this horrid spinning carousel of weakness and self-interest. Can I interest you in some pictures instead?

I need to be as happy as this guy.

Mint green lanterns, yay! Not to be confused with "The Green Lantern", a comic book hero...

I adore dried flowers.

Especially in wooden buckets...

Fall is my favorite season.

Pumpkins have a great deal to do with it.

And how everything looks picturesque during this season.

Except me. Which is why I have pictures of other things instead. Like some of my collection of bottles. :)

Sincerely,

Alice

Quoting Spurgeon

November 3rd, Checkbook of Faith

In God's Time "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry" (Habakkuk 2:3).

Mercy may seem slow, but it is sure. The LORD in unfailing wisdom has appointed a time for the outgoings of His gracious power, and God's time is the best time. We are in a hurry; the vision of the blessings excites our desire and hastens our longings; but the LORD will keep His appointments. He never is before His time; He never is behind. God's word is here spoken of as a living thing which will speak and will come. It is never a dead letter, as we are tempted to fear when we have long watched for its fulfillment. The living word is on the way from the living God, and though it may seem to linger, it is not in reality doing so. God's train is not behind time. It is only a matter of patience, and we shall soon see for ourselves the faithfulness of the LORD. No promise of His shall fail; "it will not lie." No promise of His will be lost in silence; "it shall speak." What comfort it will speak to the believing ear! No promise of His shall need to be renewed like a bill which could not be paid on the day in which it fell due-"it will not tarry." Come, my soul, canst thou not wait for thy God? Rest in Him and be still in unutterable peacefulness.