The Mid-Fast Blog Update.

Its funny how when you ask God to do something, show you something, or for something; he always seems to answer.

Now, its most always not the way you expect or have planed out in your head. Actually its probably the opposite of what you expect.

This week Christopher's boss cut his hours. He went from a full time, salary paid manager to a part time, hourly manager. stinky. The upside is that I have a whole extra day to sleep in and snuggle with my babes. The downside is we pretty much only have enough money to pay our bills and eat macaroni and cheese. Now, I'm usually okay with mac n cheese, but this Daniel fast has got me eating pretty much nothing...

Anyway. While when I heard the news I first felt that panicky, butterfly-in-your-stomach-y, nauseous feeling, I then just began praying. And the phrase that I kept hearing in my heart was simple.

The Lord is my Portion.

He is all that I need. I have always known this, but today, it brings me to tears. My confidence is in the Lord.

Matthew 6:30

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith?

I am assured, and I expectant that Jesus will fill my needs.


So keep reading folks, cause God is bound to do something soon. :)
And its gonna be awesome.

What's next?

So lately, and by lately I mean post-graduation, my life's purpose has seemed to be muddied. The day to day has a way of distracting me from the big picture. This being said, I know that God has a plan for my life, that it's unique, and that it's awesome. I just have no idea what that will look like.

While both Christopher and I's jobs are knowingly temporary, we have come to a kind of crossroads. Neither of us know what the next chapter of our lives will look like, or even what we should be pursuing. It's times like these when it's clear how much we need Jesus to trust in and rely upon! Who needs to worry when He already knows the future! We are just along for the ride. :)

So starting Sunday we are participating in 21 days of fasting with our church, The Sound. I've decided to do the Daniel fast, which is basically just fruit and veggies. Chris and I have decided to make this one of our prayer focuses during the fast- for God to be preparing us for our future and give us a dream for the future.

My dad often says that sometimes we are just too full to ever feel hungry. I am so ready to feel that hunger after the Lord and to spend time focusing on how to glorify Him with my life and my marriage.

Stay tuned!

Thursdays are the best.

Let me tell you why.

It's Chris and I's day off.
We sleep in.
Have coffee together.
Sometimes at starbucks.
Sometimes it's red truck.
Sometimes its the good ole cheap kind from my kitchen.

And we generally don't to anything productive for the rest of the day.

It's glorious.

Rainy days.

I forgot to mention one last thing that I am thankful for...

-a tin roof.

Its been a very rainy day today. Its officially 3:30 and I'm still on the couch, in my PJs, and havent even thought about lunch. [online christmas shopping has a way of doing this to my day] But in a few minutes I'll have to drag myself off of the couch, spend 40 minutes in grueling pain [chris and I have started doing insanity], shower, and then make my way to the Echo [youth group].

If you have never listened to the rain on a tin roof, you are really missing out. So I just wanted to amend that thank-you-list, and acknowledge the wonderful music of the rain that I have been enchanted with all day. Thank you, tin roof.

There's Thanks, and There's Giving.

I know this is super cliche, but since it is the holiday season, I thought I would just take a second and jot a little list of my thank-you-for's (in no particular order). Its always good to remind myself how much God has blessed me with before I start thinking about the "what I want for Christmas-list"

-My husband. (tehe, still so new to hear that word) This new season of life with him has just been pure fun. I just love the company he brings- from tickle fights even to the more serious moments, he makes life so much more FUN!

-Our home! We seriously found it just in the nick-of-time. It may not have a dishwasher, and my hands may be a little more dry than usual, but its perfect. AND it has a wood stove. This little treasure is amazing. Christopher says in his manly voice, "Babe, I'm gonna make a fire!" And for a few moments, he feels all manly and I get to stay warm!

-My job. I am so spoiled. I get to work from home, usually in my pj's & nestled on the couch. I could not ask for a better set up.

-The music channels on TV. I know I'm probably the ONLY one in the universe who uses them. But it makes me feel a little more productive if I'm not actually watching TV all day while I work.

-Redbox. Seriously. The Campbell family weekday entertainment. Except that Christopher and I can never remember to bring them back. We are now stuck with The Last Song, and other more manly movies that I fell asleep during. Bummer.

-My two baby sisters. aka, the best friends in the entire universe. :) I love it when Hopie comes home from college, and we all get together. The days usually play out like so: we hug and snuggle and love on each other, get seriously annoyed that someone just messed up our hair or tickled us or something, start making fun of each other, and then the rest of the day we spend laughing at how silly it was to get so annoyed in the first place. I love them.

-I am thankful for pintrest, and online shopping to occupy my time when work gets slow.

-My mom and dad. Most people, when the first get married, want to move far far away from the rents, start their own life, and be independent. Lucky for me, I am 0.8 miles down the road from mom & dad....annnnddd grandma & grandpa. But in all honesty, its wonderful. For starters, it made the physical moving out a little easier, and it also made the mental move a little easier too. And hey, when my car breaks down, they are always accommodating....as long as I'm willing to give Faith a ride somewhere. ;) Also- when I'm cooking and realize, gee, I don't own a muffin pan... I always know mom has like 5 (not exaggerating), and she's always willing to help.

-Being able to contribute to Thanksgiving dinner this year. It may seem small, but it was so exciting to me to have my own dish sitting there on the table.... Call me crazy, but I loved it.

-And finally, Christmas music, and lights, and decorations, and your toes being so cold you can't feel em, but your hand are warm cause you are holding hot chocolate. I love it all. This is the best season ever.

Happy December folks. And Merry Christmas!!

Apple Coffee Cake

I am really loving getting into my wife-y role.

OK, mostly.

I'll be the first to admit that being tidy does not come naturally to me. However, learning the secrets to a yummy kitchen has been fun! :) Working from home sometimes has me glued to the computer, but it has also given me some extra time to explore and fine tune my cooking and baking skills.

Today I am currently making an Apple Coffee Cake that I found on, of course, pintrest. If you don't have a pintrest, you NEED one. Okay, need is an overstatement. But I don't know anyone who has gotten one that hasn't been obsessed. Seriously, so much "pinspiration." heh. I'm so clever....

Anyway, THE CAKE! My house smells scrumptious right now so I suppose I'll share this amazing recipe with y'all, and in 30 min, I'll tell you how it tastes.


(photo cred http://thefauxmartha.com)

Apple Coffee Cake
recipe adapted from Martha Stewart; makes one 9-inch tube cake

APPLE FILLING
1 1/2 Granny Smith apples
2 McIntosh apples
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
dash of sea salt
dash of nutmeg
dash of cloves
dash of ginger

CAKE
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 c. all-purpose flour* (I used 1 c. all-purpose, 1 c. whole wheat flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. sour cream

STREUSEL
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
dash of sea salt

GLAZE
1 c. confectioners sugar
2 tbsp. milk

1. APPLE FILLING: Peel, core, and dice apples. Add the rest of ingredients. Stir and set aside.
2. CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly butter a 9-inch tube pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Spoon about half the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the apples in a single layer on top of the batter; avoid placing any apples against the pan’s edge, as they may stick or burn if not fully encased in batter. (You may not use all the apples.) Top with the remaining batter, making sure it is evenly distributed, and smooth with an offset spatula.
5. STREUSEL: Place ingredients in a small bowl. Cut butter into the mixture until evenly moistened. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the top of the batter.
6. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before handling. Loosen the cake from the pan using an offset spatula or knife. Using two spatulas to lift the cake, transfer to cake platter.
7. GLAZE: Stir together confectioners sugar and milk until smooth. Spoon glaze over the cake, letting it drip down sides. Let cake sit until glaze is set, about 5 minutes, before serving. Cake can be kept at room temperature, covered, for up to 4 days.




My results...

OH EM GEE. get off your computer right now and make this yummy cake!

Autumn

So, after taking the summer off from blogging. I thought I'd update ya'll on what I've been up to.

This is truly a season of change in my life. In the past 6 months I have:

Graduated.
Moved home.
Started a big-girl job.
Moved out. (around the block)
Gotten married. (!!!!)

Phew.

All I know is that the changing of the leaves is so representative of the stage of life I'm in.

I knew that this fall would look completely different than anything I had ever been used to. And I love it!
I will be the first one to admit that I am completely spoiled rotton. (:
My job is flexible and fun, I have the most wonderful husband in the universe, we have been blessed with the most perfect cozy little house, and we are surrounded by friends and family. Life is just awesome. And I can't stop thinking about the Lord's goodness.

So here are a few photos from my favorite day this summer, August 14. Taken by Ali Williamson. She is one awesome photographer. Check her out.