I'm Obsessed!!!! (Part 1)

Three Cheese Bacon 'n' Cheese Fries

Spicy Buffalo Wings and Spicy Ranch

I'm obsessed with food!!!! Anyone who spends any amount of time with me knows this to be true. I love food. I love eating it, I loved cooking with it, I love baking with it. I love smelling it, I love looking at it, I love pinning it, I love....I think you get the picture.... =P

This summer, I gorged myself on the foods that make me soo happy. These two pictures are from Rib City. My favorite meal ever. Spicy and tangy, follow it up with their towering chocolate cake and you are halfway to a heart attack!! Endless cups of sweet tea though, make the process a dream.


Now, granted, my food obsession comes in handy for my roommates, pretty much on a daily basis, but I recently took a trip to Taipei to visit my cousin. I hadn't seen her in quite a long time and it was so good to see her and catch up on about a decade. :)  I had a great time touring about the city with her- seeing the Taipei 101 (I just like saying that, it sounds so rich and classy) at night and seeing all the lights at night, eating at countless Din Tai Fung styled restaurants, finding street food, and 24-hour breakfast diners and Applebees like places. And let's not forget :

I was so overwhelmed by the sheer delectability of the hummus and chicken pita that I ate here that I could not even stop to take a picture of my delectable Mediterranean salad with beets that I actually relished (did you like that pun?? ) , fresh warm pita to dip in the fresh, warm hummus, or chicken pita stuffed with hummus, yogurt, vegetables and meat. I think I glimpsed heaven for just a moment here as I lost myself in the creamy stuff. This pita bar extracted a reaction out of me that I do not recall ever having before for any other food. If I go back to Taipei, do you think that I will be visiting this place? (Was there even a need to ask the question????? You figure it out. I will be halfway there by the time you even ask the question.

Anyways, back to my roommate's benefits. I cook almost on a daily basis, and every Saturday I like to get up around 9a (sleeping in for me!!) and cook a big breakfast to celebrate the weekend and another week finished. Last week, I made French Toast with a vanilla pudding syrup and a SW bacon/cheese omelet. This week, I tried out Pumpkin Pancakes (with the pumpkin our import store recently started carrying) topped with cinnamon syrup and bacon cheese and onion eggs. I think they were a success cause even when we have left overs, they do not last more than 4 hours after the meal. I recently discovered a rosemary round loaf that should soon become a staple for my Italian dishes and I think I finally mastered cooking up a good beef dish with roasted veggies. And I think I just invented the perfect nachos. (I am making my own stomach growl now....)

I love food. I love experimenting with food. I love eating food.

But what if food was all there was to life?

.....to be continued

Maintenance

I realized the other day that many of you probably do not have a clue of what I am doing this year. This summer was a whirlwind, and I did not get to spend time or as much time with as many of you as I would have liked to.

This purpose of this post is to give you a little update as to what's up in Jo's life these days. :)

First of all, yes, I am still teaching. Last year I taught most of the spectrum when it came to teaching: 1-30 students at a time, 3yrs-58yrs old, phonics-advanced business English. I had a blast with all of these experiences, but long hours and several illnesses later, I decided to step back a little bit this year and really work on some personal/musical development.

This year I am working at one school- a middle school- which happens to be (academically) one of the top schools on the island (Yay me!). I only teach Junior One and I have a total of 800 students (I know, stepping back, right?) But I only work four days a week, four classes each day- so it kind of evens out. I do really enjoy what I am doing right now. I feel privileged that my Abba has seen fit to entrust these 800 souls to me and pray that He will reach with my hands to show them His love.

This week I taught the Golden Rule. Silly me, I forgot that they had probably never even THOUGHT of the concept of doing to each other like they wanted each other to do to them- it was a bit of a difficult concept to teach, but a few of them caught on.

In addition to teaching, I have been keeping up with studies and dinners for expats in my direct vicinity, using this time to utilize the gift of food that Daddy has graciously given to me. I am always so happy when I am able to provide a fun/relaxing atmosphere and meal where people can detox and be refreshed by His Spirit.

I have also taken the time in the afternoons to work heavily on my music. I am spending several hours a week working towards becoming proficient in three instruments and am having a blast with that. I am often tempted to give up, but knowing that He has given me a gift and if I choose not to use that gift for His glory, He can take it away as fast as He gave it. Past experiences with this concept has been my constant motivation to use these gifts for His glory.

I truly believe that God has called me to a time of rest and introspection for these next few months and am excited to see what He reveals of Himself to me. While it is more difficult for me to sit and be still than be working multiple jobs, I am glad for this season of rest- it was needed more than I care to admit.

I am thankful for the work He has started and I am so thankful for His faithfulness to complete that work. Perhaps it is time for you to step back and take a break- see what He wants you to see without the filter of business. What do you think? Willing to take that chance? Take the step with me, Take a few weeks- detox. Listen to Him alone- it just might rock your world :)