Stomach Full, Heart Full

Menu Friday-Saturday:
Dinner: Sweet 'n' Spicy Wings, Potato salad, Onion Rings, and Garden Medley Veggies with Carrot Cake for desert
Breakfast: Fluffy Pancakes, Sausage Hash, and Gingerbread coffee
(Come on! You know after reading that you at least kind of want to come visit me if for nothing else to eat like that!!)
........................................
Jess' eyes got big and I heard a big, "mMMm, THAT'S what potato salad is supposed to taste like!"

I squealed with delight as the onion rings came out perfectly- round, batter staying ON the onion, and golden brown.

The wings smelled sensational cooking my little oven, and the cream cheese frosting from my first carrot cake was still fresh on my taste buds.

Quite honestly, I think I out did myself last night. First time making really any of it, but I was able to enjoy the experience without any major freak out, "Oh my gosh, I cannot BELIEVE that just happened, what am I going to do??" moments. It was really nice actually. Best part was it was my major meal surprise for Ray, and I think I accomplished my goal: Success!

This morning I baked the other carrot cake so while I was preparing the onion and sausage potato hash, I had cinnamon wafting into my nostrils.

The pancakes are also the fluffiest pancakes I have ever experienced. It's not just eating them, no- it's like you put one in your mouth, but instead of a pancake, you have fluffy fluffiness. I have no idea how they got so fluffy, but I am definitely NOT complaining.

I was just getting ready to finish cooking my fluffy pancakes and start on the scrambled eggs when I realized the gas went out. No gas. It was gone. Tank empty. My stomach dropped. My heart stopped. I felt the most helpless feeling come over me. I shuffled in and told Ray the gas went out and she just looked at me and said, "Oh no". I couldn't believe she could be so calm about it- I felt like my life's blood had just been taken out of my body! Suddenly I started laughing at how dramatic I was being about it.... I guess I can be dramatic occasionally. :)

So why the random weekend of intense cooking?

Well I realized that this is actually the last weekend all of my roommates and I will be together for close to a month and I wanted to have a really special weekend together. But my heart got really sad when I thought about us all not being together for that long. And I started to think back on to all that we've been through together in the last 9 months and my heart just started overflowing with gratefulness to my Daddy for placing us together. For teaching us to grow together, for giving us courage for accountability and for humility to accept correction and rebuke.

As we face Chinese New Year and all the festivities that brings, my heart can't help but be stirred to greater humility and thankfulness for all that He has given me, all that He has done, and all that He is doing.

"Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come.
Let this blest assurance control-
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And has shed His own blood for my soul!
It is well, it is well with my soul!"