She Cooks (mostly)

I have scarcely cooked all week. My entire family has been out of town this week - away at camp - so I've been home alone. The first evening I cooked myself dinner and it was quite good. I was sorry they missed it. After that, I didn't cook at all. Not breakfast, lunch or dinner. (I did throw a pre-made pizza in the oven one night, does that count as cooking? I didn't think so.)

Today they return and tonight I'll return to cooking. That is if I can remember how. Actually I'm excited about doing some cooking again because one of the best cooks I know - LeAnn Rice - just launched a new cooking site called She Cooks. Go check it out and comment to win a set of Rachael Ray knives and year's subscription to the Food Network magazine.

Plus, Ann Kroeker's Food on Fridays post has inspired me to try cooking some kale. (Yeah, I know, me too. Ann was persuasive.) Oh and before I forget, for Father's Day I bought Rick some Alder wood grilling planks. We've never grilled on wooden planks but I figured we'd give it a go this weekend - your tips on using those are welcome.

Hope you make something yum-ray this weekend! 

(She's Rachael Ray and says "Yum-o," I'm Rachel O. and say "Yum-ray." Cheesy, right?)

Zest Welcomed

Welcome! In today's devotion I talked about cultivating a "zesty life." About intentionally enjoying life - to the glory of God its creator - through the simple pleasures in our days.

This morning I slept in after driving home late last night from the talent show at the rustic summer camp my kids are at this week.  I arose to see a scarlet red cardinal out my windows.  I watched him. His coloring is outstanding – I especially love to see cardinals in the snow at wintertime.  Then I thought of the verse about not a single sparrow falling to the ground without God’s knowledge, and how God cares even more intensely about you and me. I gave God thanks for the way He cares for me most care-fully.

So today I’m on a mission to notice the little evidences of God’s care – and to enjoy each one, starting with the breakfast on my kitchen table.  I will not be rushing through saying grace, but genuinely thanking Him for the size, color, taste and healthful benefits of blueberries.  And I plan to savor those berries!

What can you notice or do to feed your enthusiasm for this day?

Care to share something beautiful from your day so far?

Thankful for birds and berries.

Joy in this Lifetime, Utterly Free

                 1,300+ people in Budapest show the joy of the gospel on Sunday in April 4, 2010.

Beach Photos

One of the fun experiences from my weekend with my fellow writer chicks was our walk to the Kindred Spirit mailbox.  If you've read Marybeth Whalen's book The Mailbox, this is the beach town and this is the mailbox that novel is based on.  It's not often you get to walk with an author through the setting and scenes of their novels.  So here were are - baseball caps, dark sunglasses, no makeup, big smiles and all.

  On the nearly 4 mile round trip walk down undeveloped beach together, we talked a lot, paused to take pictures of shells or jellyfish, and a few of us even developed blisters on the bottom of our feet!

  Me, Marybeth, Lisa Shea, Alice Wisler, Mary DeMuth:

    

We finally made it to the Kindred Spirit.  It was chocked full of letters and notebooks and pens.  Reams of words were poured out onto those pages. Some from locals, many from tourists.  Some lighthearted notes, others letters filled with anguish.

 

Here I am looking through some of the entries in one of the notebooks.   I couldn’t find a single unused page to write on.  

Marybeth found a spot in another notebook and wrote an entry about our visit – listing out all of our names.

                                                   

 

Me & one of my favorite gals, Marybeth.  If you look closely, her hat says “The Mailbox” in rhinestones.  Fashion star Shari Braendel made it for her. She’s also got a picture of her book cover on her t-shirt and a copy of the novel with her …. which made for this perfect shot of The Mailbox in the mailbox:

 

                                    

Photo credits: Mary E. DeMuth

Thankful for like-minded friends.