The Sabbath, Food, Relationships, and lastly...flannel gnome pajama pants.

In the world we live in today, we often choose to keep ourselves busy rather than enjoying the sabbath the way God intended. The first sabbath was defined in the first seven days of creation's existence, yet we, his creation, seem to have found a "better use" for that time. So, instead, we hog day after day with over-eager lives, and then create mantras like "you can sleep when you're dead", or, less drastically, "well that's what vacation is for." Unfortunately, once we get to that vacation, or even have to be held up in bed with the flu, we find ourselves at a loss as to how to simply enjoy that time resting. We get anxious and ready to "do" something.

However, today is a day of rest for me. The winds of Kansas (and not of chance) have determined a dastardly foe of sub-zero temperatures and slick roads. As I have still be recovering from Christmas-break viral infections, and my own typical self-inflicted busyness, I speak with more than enough experience on this whole "we don't know how to rest" problem. So, though it be only 10 in the morning, I'm attempting to enjoy this day of rest, as I begged for it for the last two nights, hoping for those beloved two words (and not three) of "No School". What bliss! Bound and determined to neither over-utilize my day and therefore feeling no more rested at the end of it than at the beginning, as well as under-utilizing it in lazy time-squandering activities such as gazing at whatever tv program may in fact be on...I sit in my bed, with my favorite gnome pajama pants and most comfortable tshirt, reliquished attractive contacts for glasses, and snuggled down to a flannel backdrop of snowmen. Yes, I am an adult. I just happen to like flannel, snowmen, and gnomes. These two things ARE compatible.

So, as I sip tea from London infused in a purple teapot now lingering on my desk beside me, magazines are to my left and right as I tear from their bindings the gold which lies between their satin backings...recipes. These recipes call for things I have heard of, like pork chops. Chocolate. Cinnamon. Then then they add in things like leeks and parsnips, and then mix up the combinations like adding cauliflower to pasta, vanilla and peaches to those all-american pork chops, butternut to flat bread with cheddar and pine nuts, and my taste buds do this little victory dance of "I will be well-pleased." Finding new recipes that seem delicious, healthy, fairly easy, and won't break the bank is such fun! I read recipes like some guys watch sports. But what makes this so throughly enjoyable is that I now, in fact, have a wonderful boyfriend who not only appreciates my cooking, but is so good at it himself that he enjoys talking to me about it! And, he's super creative, so he can take a recipe that's already great, and know what to add to make it even better. He can pick out flavors of pretty much anything in food, and, what is most exciting, willing to try new things. I was at the store the other day, and texting my way about (no, I didn't run into any carts, consumers, or chip stands that loom like the pyramids of giza as the superbowl draws close! No, we texted as I strolled about the store, and my eyes fell upon frozen cornish hens. "What do you think about cornish hens?" I text. "They're great! I love them on campouts over a firepit!" After I got over my initial gut-reaction of "what!? Why does he have to beat me at even knowing how to eat a cornish hen well!?", I began thinking, "Wow. I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have a boyfriend who is willing to try anything, without ever, ever being a prima donna about it." He is all man, without creeping in on my feminine turf by ever coming across as that all-too-often "metro" man. I am so blessed by him. (Pst. And while he loves food, he also loves being fit, and wanting to take me on that journey! So exciting to not feel self-conscious when going to a gym with a guy who will always be faster, stronger, and better at everything than me, and never think less of me for it. And actually, he ENJOYS when I go with him, despite the fact that I'll always be lamer at the gym than he. Wow.)

These thoughts, of course, lead me to another thought, which, of course, ends nearly every time on God. He is our maker, creator, redeemer, and (literally) makes the world go 'round, so it seems only fitting to land upon thoughts of him after I speak of His sabbath and His creation. How beautiful a gift, undeserved yet freely given, are the tangible things of His world for us to enjoy? We could be given on thing on this earth to eat. (Heck - we know it can happen...one word - Manna?) And yet, God provides a plethora. Now, I know that not everywhere has the vast and unending food options that Americans have to choose from, and for that we should all pause a moment and thank Him for our blessings. To have options, though...to walk into a grocery store and to have the spices of the Indies next to the produce of South America, the chocolate of Switzerland and seaweed of Japan...to have all these things which we can then take His raw ingredients and toast them, roast them, stew them, fry them, and then add them all together simply for the limitless taste of unending combinations...How he proclaims His glory! His genius! His creativity! His desire to please his most beloved and most traitorous creation...how can we not beg to bow down and worship Him. What a gracious, loving God.

Well, back to my magazines to rip out the goodies I find tucked within. Then some cleaning, organizing, and throwing out/giving away of yet more of the unnecessary "stuff" we manage to accumulate. Here's to a day of rest and rejuvenation! :) Thanks, Jesus, for a snow day! :)