Omelets VS Yogurt

I will never forget when my parents gave me "My First Cookbook"... yep, there were even little cartoon chefs holding kitchen utensils surrounding the title of the book. My feelings fell nothing short of ecstatic. Each page pleasing to a my eyes with pictures and simple directions; I felt independent, capable, and eager to improve my cooking skills.

Of all the delightful options to partake in making, omelets held the gold medal in my world. There were even a few occasions where I made my entire family omelets for dinner- allowing each member a specialized order. Whipping around the eggs in a bowl and hearing the sizzle as each drop hits the skillet... sprinkling toppings at just the right time... delicately folding the fluff without breaking the masterpiece... I seriously felt more powerful every time I slid the finished product onto a plate to serve. Despite any messes I made, I never doubted my skill in the kitchen and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

Let's fast forward about 12 years. Omelet?? Cooking?? Turning on the stove?? No time for such a thing. Yogurt- that's where it's at. Quick. Healthy. Portable. The only thing to clean afterwards is a spoon... stick it in the dishwasher and vwa la! Done! I can confidently say that I ate yogurt an average of at least every other day this past semester.

Recipies stare me down now screaming of time consumption and a messy kitchen. 45 minutes of preparation for 10 minutes to actually eat it. And my lack of practice has legitimately affected my ability to accomplish anything worthy in the food preparation department. One of my roommates always finds it amusing when I attempt to bake or make anything... "It's always so funny when you cook"... "I never know what to expect when you make something"... "uh, oh becca's in the kitchen"... it's an expectation that when I prepare real food something is bound to go wrong.

The time between my first cookbook and present-day I have slowly convinced myself that I just don't cook. And since I don't cook and am not home to do so that I am void of the hospitality gift. It's self-fulfilling prophecy really.

Over dinner this break my parents and I were joking about my dad making the dressing and me boiling eggs and how both tasks have an unpredictable outcome with us in charge. This soon evolved into my dad and I in charge of all the side dishes for Christmas dinner. And it was a success. I enjoyed being in the kitchen, nothing went wrong, and I thoroughly enjoyed being a hostess. It's a pleasure to serve people in my home.

So I realized that I had talked myself into an extreme way of life- not a surprise. Because my main gifts don't directly point to hospitality or domestic skills I had strayed completely clear of those things wanting to venture outside of the home. But I can cook. I can host. I can be domestic. Am I going to cook consistently now? Or stay home a ton? Not likely. I still live a crazy, fun, and fast college life consisting of yogurt on the go and grabbing a tortilla out the door. But will I be more confident in surviving a more domestic lifestyle post-college? Will I seek a more well-rounded life? Definitely.
I might even whip up an omelet in the meantime.

Restless? Not so much...

As I've allowed the past four months to slide by blog-less, my life lessons have continually evolved to contradict my blog title. I have been learning to rest. To slow down. To take a break. To STAY in one place with a joyful heart. Interesting how life comes full circle, each experience carving more intricate detail in our individual sculptures. Just as the Lord finished a glaze glistening over the part of my heart emphasizing my desire for change, he began chiseling on the opposite side of my heart.
Often I cop-out of a challenge to slow down my life pace, simply brushing it off with the excuse: that's just how I function. Yes, it's my natural tendency to fill up every minute with purpose. Meetings, coffee dates, phone calls, emails... If I have a spare hour it means I am forgetting someone I need to talk to or something that needs to be done. Although I thrive in a go-go-go world, neglecting to rest has been a pride issue; pride always comes before the fall. And I fell. Even in my attempt to embrace a more restful lifestyle I fell. I wanted to be intentional with it, scheduling in "relax" time throughout my planner determined to excel in the obstacle placed in front of me. But that's just not how it's done.
I am slowly learning to be ok with saying no to time fillers, extra half hours here and there to just relax, leaving my phone at home...
In the grand scheme of life I have made minimal progress. But I have to be ok with taking one step at a time instead of sprinting to the finish line to check off the lesson on my to-do list.
I am so thankful for people in my life who are waaaay more gifted in this area and have been extremely patient with me. Next semester will hopefully be more of a balanced lifestyle as the Lord continues to chip away, making more of a masterpiece than I could ever imagine.