A Hill Country Affair

For the love of photography.

In December (long time coming, I know) I road tripped across much of the Texas hill country and rekindled my love for wide open spaces.

The splendor of God is greater than anything on this earth.

How wonderful to imagine beholding our God when we think that even the most beautiful things in this earth can't hold a candle to him.

Side note: I started an "official" photography business hence the watermark. Charlotte B Photography on Facebook, website to come soon!

And so it Begins

     The year 2014 is here. So many times I thought of a new year as this fresh start, this new beginning. Every new year I have thought, "this is the year, this year something big will happen." Then as every year goes along the build up of expectations turns into disappointment of reality. I'm not saying this in a Debby Downer kind of way, but just that this year I am choosing to be realistic. I don't expect some big out of the ordinary thing to happen, I just expect another year in my walk with Christ. I'm not saying that nothing good will happen this year, in fact for all I know it could be the best year of my life, but I will not put that kind of expectation on it. For now I will choose to see it simply as an opportunity. I have been given more time here and therefore I must seize this opportunity and use it accordingly. According to what? Now that is the big question.
     If I decide that this year I will live for me, I will seek only my pleasure and nothing more then I will more than likely walk away feeling alone (because who wants to be friends with a self-centered person), and displeased with the fraction of satisfaction worldly things can provide for me. Now if I choose to live this year for Christ, striving each day to know Him more personally than the previous and to love those around me more each day, pouring out His grace to all I contact, that will be a year worth living.
     This year I have a new ministry that I want to get involved with. The name of the organization is Elijah Rising, but the mission is so great, so big, I cannot contain my excitement over this project. Elijah Rising, like many other organizations, has an aim to end human trafficking. For those who don't know January is human trafficking awareness month. Also, Houston fights for the number one city in America for human trafficking. Last week I took a tour of Houston with the organization and saw the awful things happening here first hand. After much prayer I have decided I most certainly want to pursue volunteering with them and I hope that y'all will keep me accountable. I will have a training period where there won't be much to share I'm sure, but once I am active I hope to share stories in order to spread awareness.

One of the scriptures they asked us to read through while being in prayer comes from my favorite Psalms.

Psalm 138

¹I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
    before the gods I sing your praise;
² I bow down toward your holy temple
    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
    for you have exalted above all things
    your name and your word.
³ On the day I called, you answered me;
    my strength of soul you increased.

⁴ All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
    for they have heard the words of your mouth,
⁵ and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
    for great is the glory of the Lord.
⁶ For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
    but the haughty he knows from afar.

⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
    and your right hand delivers me.
⁸ The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands.

     They only told us to read verse 7, but the entire Psalm is such a beautiful display of how the Lord cares for us. When I call, He answers; He increases the strength of my soul! God regards my lowly self. Though I walk through trouble, He preserves and delivers me. The Lord has a purpose for me and He will fulfill it. How comforting to remember all of this for me and for you. 

So with all this in mind - Hello 2014, may you bring me closer to Christ my Savior than ever before.

Good Food Galore!

Hello all and happy December!

I feel as though I should preface this with a #PinterestWinning because 2 of the 4 recipes shared on here came from Pinterest (the two meals) and both were positively delicious! I can't believe that the year has flown by so quickly once again. 15 more days to Christmas morning! As a typical holiday tradition I have done my Christmas cookie making, and this year I decided to try out several new recipes. The first choice was a peppermint pinwheel:

http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe581.peppermint-pinwheels.html

I followed the recipe completely except for trading in peppermint extract for mint, only because I already had the peppermint and I had no desire to go to the store. I baked the first batch according to instructions but didn't like the way they turned out - they were slightly over cooked and the peppermint candies had melted through the fluffiness of the cookie. So for the second round I reduced the time to 8 minutes without candies, then pulled out the pan and added candies and baked them for one additional minute.

This is how they turned out after my slight adjustments:

Then for last week's dinner I found this gem of a recipe for a lighter chicken Alfredo from another blogger:

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/06/guiltless-chicken-alfredo-recipe.html

I mostly followed the recipe, but I did use regular cream cheese only because I already had it on hand, also I didn't have the more traditionally used fettuccine noodles, so I used the rotini from my pantry. I have always loved Alfredo but never made it from scratch, in part because it seemed difficult, but also because I didn't want to know just how fattening it was. Now I am not saying that this recipe is healthy, but the use of fat free milk and low fat cream cheese does make it more healthy than other versions. Also it didn't seem as overly rich as some full fat versions do. I highly recommend this recipe to Alfredo lovers. The only thing I might try different next time is to throw a few finely chopped fresh herbs from my garden in (maybe some basil and oregano) while cooking the garlic. (I am unfortunately missing the picture of this meal because my phone that it was taken on was stolen the next day.)

For my next cookie I played around with a classic cookie recipe for a little fun. I used a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe (found on the nestle chocolate chip bag) and followed it mostly. Here's what I changed:
- first I doubled the recipe
- instead of 2 tsp vanilla extract I used 1 peppermint and 1 vanilla
- instead of just chocolate chips I used 1 cup red and green M&Ms, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 3/4 cup chocolate chips, and 4 candy canes crushed up

- for baking I did have to squish the dough into flatter circles rather than balls so they would cook properly, also try to make sure the candy canes aren't on the bottom or edges because they will melt out of the cookie; I baked them for 9 minutes at the regular temperature.
**I took these to a Christmas cookie exchange and they won best tasting cookie!

For my very last recipe share, tonight I made Chicken Gloria from this recipe:

http://www.cookingwithsugar.com/moms-chicken-a-la-gloria-a-family-favorite-chicken-recipe/

I won't detail how to make it here because you can read it from the link, but can I just say that the creamy mushroom, sherry sauce smothering the chicken was to die for! I did use fat free milk instead of whole milk just for lower calories (not that it made it a healthy meal) and I used mozzarella cheese instead of the recommended (because I already had it). I paired this recipe with some simple green beans and brown rice. I want just thinking about it! Highly recommended!

Happy Christmas Season! Until next time friends.

Struggle

I have struggled. I do struggle. I will struggle.

The reality is that we all struggle, we just don't like to admit it. Some of us don't like to even hint at something being amiss in our lives at all. We think that if we allow others to think that our lives are perfect it will somehow glorify God. That perfect lives glorify Him more than our imperfections. This thinking is flawed.

How many times have you heard someone tell you about the hardships that they have had to face or are currently facing, and how God has worked through those? While I can't say I've heard it often I can without a doubt tell you that every time I have heard someone share their struggles, I have been encouraged. You do not know what those around you are going through or have gone through and maybe by sharing your story they will be encouraged too. Maybe they will have that moment of realizing they aren't alone in their struggle, someone else has been there too.

We are not called to a life of solidarity, but of fellowship. "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25
We are called to share both our joys and our sorrows. I encourage you all to remember this the next time someone asks you how you are or how your week was. Don't just mutter the usual "fine," really think about what has happened and what God has shown you. Maybe that truth is just what they need to hear.

This past Sunday I sprained my ankle pretty severely (I'm actually going to see a specialist tomorrow because they are concerned I have a hairline fracture), so severely that four days later, I still can't put weight on it. I am struggling. I'm not struggling with the physical pain of it, but with the inability to work or be productive. I am frustrated because I want to be of use but every time I try to be useful, I have to sit back down. I am struggling with allowing people to help me. I have two wonderful roommates who have been willing to help with more than I ever would have imagined, plus people volunteering to bring me food and take me to doctor appointments, etc. but it's the little things like prepping my own food or clearing my plate or pouring my own glass of water that bring the most frustration. Not being able to do the most basic self sustaining things without help is hard. It takes an amount of humility, that I apparently lack, to be able to admit that I need help with just about everything. Thankfully God likes to teach us how to be humble since pride comes easier to everyone I know, including myself.

I am blessed by those willing to help me, and I am thankful for God putting them in my life, but most of all I am thankful that He has given me this opportunity to humbly admit I need help. Perhaps if I keep it all in perspective I can also see how it reflects the greater picture of life, just as I need help to do everything while I am injured, it takes help from Him for me to be able to do everything on a regular basis. Perhaps if I turned to Him before trying to take that step, both physically and spiritually, I would prevent further injury and trust that He wants to help me and see me get better.

I spent some time today in 2 Peter and while it may not seem exactly relevant, I hope you will let these words resonate within you:
"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
2 Peter 3:8-9

The Lord fulfills his promises. Nothing can thwart His plans. Do not be afraid. Do not worry. God is almighty, all seeing, and all powerful.

These were taken at sunrise about a month ago in Trinity Pines, Texas.

Reflections of a well traveled soul

It has been quite some time since my last post. I had a crazy few months. There was the month of planning (March), the month of travel (April), the month of moving (May), and we are now closing the month of the career change (June).

For March, planning may sound like a bad excuse for not writing but to be fair I was leaving April 16th on a 15 day trip to Spain and I thought I had to be moved into a new place before I left. So, between planning for the trip and figuring out my living situation I was quite busy.

Then we have April when I went to Spain with my dear friend Jessica. It was a positively marvelous experience, and I learned so much. I know some of you are thinking: 'you learned so much?!' but I am referring to something much more than museum knowledge. For example from the Playa de los Catedrales I learned what magnificent things God has made that man couldn't attempt, and how tiny I really am in this world.

From the many great people we met I learned what true hospitality, friendship, and kindness look like. The owners of this winery were kind enough to give us a tour even though they weren't really open. Private and free.

The owner of this restaurant in a tiny town in Northwestern Spain was kind enough to hide our luggage in a back room while we went to look at nearby sights.

This friend we made on the train to Barcelona gave us a walking tour of the city upon our arrival plus many helpful tips.

I learned that I like the countryside and rural areas much more than big cities, and I learned that I am more relaxed with the Word of God in front of me than anything else. Well I don't want to bore you with too much learning here, but the point is that I learned and perhaps even grew.

Which brings us to May, the month of moving. Our dear landlord gave us a month rent free if we could be out by the end of May, which was before our lease was up. Quite a generous offer if you ask me. Though my roommates and I were sad to part ways we did have a good long run in that house, 22 months to be exact. I don't need to go into detail as to why that month was too crazy for a post because everyone knows what moving is like. I did however write a little something not long after I returned from Spain:

I have been to many places and seen many things,
but only one thing have I found to be worthy of singing.

My soul has weathered the depths of caves,
the dreaded darkness, and the fearful unknown.
It has risen with the dawn, climbed the highest mountains,
and soared on wings like eagles.
But only one thing have I found it can never be without. 

Amidst my greatest troubles there is one thing that I need:
when I find myself clinging to the cross I am not found wanting.

The title of this post actually came from when I wrote this short piece as well. I don't want it to seem cliche that after my world travels I feel more fulfilled than ever in my relationship with Christ, because I don't think it stemmed from the travel itself, but more from the amount of time I was able to spend in reflection on my relationship with Him and in His Word. Frankly through all the ups and downs life brings the only thing that has stayed consistent is Christ's love for me. Where would I be without Him by my side?

Finally we arrive at June, which is almost over. I started a new job on June 3rd, I am now the "community liaison" (i.e. marketer) for a care giving company. For those who aren't familiar with all the differences between caregivers, home health, and hospice, I won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say I love my new line of work. Marketing is all about relationships, connections, planning, and organizing. Those of you know know me well I think you would agree that this is right up my alley. The first month was pretty crazy, just trying to get my feet under me, but I think I'm off to a good beginning, and I am excited to see where God is taking me.

For now I hope this is a sufficient explanation for my extended absence, and hopefully a good starting point to stay more on top of it.

Hate the Sin, Not the Sinner

I hate sin. I hate sin because it tears people and families apart. I hate sin because it hurts people. Most of all I hate sin because God hates sin. God called us to live here in this sinful world, but to be set apart. I love all people, or at least I try to, trust me I'm not perfect. I love the saints who sin, and I most certainly love the sinners. No matter what their sin is.

I was once lost and without someone deciding that despite my state they should talk to me and show me the LOVE of Jesus I wouldn't be where I am today. Plant the seeds of love in their hearts. Make them wonder why you are different. Make them wonder why you don't look on them with shame or disgust like so many others do. Jesus didn't look at me or you and say, "look at this filthy person, how could I possibly associate with you."

Jesus looked at us and said, "I know all that you have done, all that you do, and all that you will do, I know more about your depraved state than you yourself know, but I LOVE you anyways, I choose you, you are MINE." Treat people as Jesus first treated you. Show them love and mercy.

My hope and prayer for all Christians is that they would first consider how Jesus dealt with them, before dealing with sinners. We were all sinners once and without Jesus showing us that same grace we wouldn't be saints today. (When I say saints I do not mean that we are without sin, but that we are out of sin, forgiven. We will still sin and fall short, but we repent and are forgiven. Rather than people who live in sin-sinners, we are saints who sin.)

Chocolate Strawberry Pie and So Much More!

For those who haven't mastered the pattern yet, I basically cook every other weekend. Two weekends ago I changed things up a bit, I am going to start requiring myself to make one Pinterest recipe as well as the one from my secret recipe book (working title). From the book I made an orange chicken dish, which I paired with my age old coconut rice. From Pinterest I made a strawberry chocolate pie. As usual for me I couldn't possibly have bought everything I needed in just one shopping trip. So upon realizing I needed to return to the store I decided I would also pick up some avocados to make a fried avocado recipe I had also seen on Pinterest.

The chicken recipe is basically baked chicken fingers with orange marmalade. I started by doing a cooks secret when it comes to chicken fingers: bathing the chicken in buttermilk. It sounds odd, but it makes the chicken so moist! Then I rubbed the chicken with the orange marmalade.

Then after coating the chicken in Panko I popped it in the oven to bake for about 25 minutes. (Note for future: use a nonstick spray because the marmalade layer sticks!)

The coconut rice is just a simple replacement: rather than 2 cups water for 1 cup of rice you would use 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup of water. I love this rice!

I served the chicken on top of a bed of baby spinach, with a dressing that is made from one part orange marmalade and two parts zesty Italian dressing.

The fried avocados are actually quite easy! Slice up the avocado, a little thick so they don't fall apart during frying, and sprinkle on some salt and pepper.

Then coat them on each side with flour, then egg, then a panko and Parmesan mixture. Fry them in just enough oil to cover the pan, until golden brown on each side (1-2 minutes).

I might be biased (because of my love for avocados) but this was amazing, the inside of the avocado still held all of its original properties, but the outside is crispy and delicious! Can't wait to make these again.


For dessert I made pie. I actually made two because I thought it was something I would love, but between my lack of desire for sweets currently (hallelujah, don't know why but I'll take it), my extremely picky sweet tooth, and allergies I just didn't find the pie appealing. I made a chocolate strawberry pie. Please don't let my lack of appetite for sweets make you think less of this pie, I brought one to church and it was gone in a matter of minutes. Plus in the midst of the rave reviews was an offer (jokingly) to be a live in cook. Needless to say the pie had many fans.

First you make an Oreo crust - I don't have a food processor so I am forced to do things the old fashioned way, beating them with my rolling pin. Of course I got tired before they were crushed as much as they should be so I made a chunky crust (most people actually liked it this way - lucky me).

After chilling the crust you place a single layer of halved strawberries in the bottom of it.

Then you make some homemade chocolate pudding and pour it in, making sure it's flat across the top.

Last you put decorative strawberries on top too, then chill 4 hours, or overnight.

Once again it has taken me two weeks to post this food, so today is another cooking day. Hopefully I'll get these new treats out to y'all soon! Also in a little side note I recently purchased tickets to go to Spain! Which means during the last half of April (while I'm there) there won't be any new recipes, but I'm sure there will be at least one post about the trip and some included pictures!