So, I’m pulling the plug on posting my breakfast everyday. No, I’m not giving up on the breaking of morning bread or spending time with Jesus, never that, but y’all…let me get really real for a moment…I’m not that girl.
I’m not the wake up singing “blessed be your name” kind of girl. I’m not even the wake up and want to smile at the first kiddo that waddles into the kitchen for their hard-boiled egg, kind of girl. Confession— the Holy Spirit uses coffee to empower me with grace before 9am and that usually means breakfast isn’t a first thing in the morning affair—if I can’t be nice to my child than I surely can’t figure and follow recipes.
I tried. Really. But, I feel like I’m forcing Jesus to meet me at a certain time of the day. Since he’s a gentleman so he shows up, but I feel forced and anxious and inauthentic. I think there’s more for me. I think there’s a more organic way to “Taste” and see this year.
I think I need to give up on the expectations from my charismatic, swinging from rafters, Jericho marching upbringing. “Morning quiet time” may not be best time to meet Jesus for me. As a young on fire teen, I saw David held up as an example. King David who as a shepherd asked for God to meet him in the morning with his word and I was told, “You want to start your day off right. So start it in the Word.” Which is good and fine and well….for some.
Not this girl.
And while breakfasts with Jesus was something of a trial and error, I did find a holy space to meet Jesus that has nothing to do with making breakfast but mitigating not having a car right now—I’ve been going for walks first thing in the morning.
After I send my kids off, I go for a walk—just to clear my head even in 11 degree weather or a little rain—and Jesus has walked with me.
Most of the insights I’ve written in this series came on those walks. Therefore, it’s time to taste and see it’s time to alter this recipe.
Yes, I have tasted and seen that God is good through recipes or butter croissant marked pages, but that’s exactly what makes him good! He is omni-resourceful, he’ll use whatever we offer him to form us into Christ-likeness.
Forcing myself into the “breakfast, devo, reflection” box is like leaving the house in heels when you’re clearly a ballet flat kind of girl—all day long, you’re constantly worrying about how you look and what people think of you. You’re tripping up unnecessarily and wanting to chunk them over your shoulders at any given moment.
This is me tossing my heels and pressing my bare feet into the real, gritty, honesty of who I am: not so nice first thing in the morning, fairly awesome and introspective after a walk. For the rest of the year, I’m going real, gritty, and honest. I’m going organic. Not just with my food— but with my expectations and planning of this year of “Taste”.
I do have a bit of guideline for the year, my eleven Taste, “I wills”, if you will. Each “I will” will generate it’s own post over the year so for now, I’ll let the picture and the statement speak for themselves.
1: I will explore “slow food” by going to the Farmer’s Market more often.
2: I will read, “Eat With Joy” By Rachel Marie Stone
3: I will memorize Psalm 34 and start decorating my kitchen with printables of Psalm 34:8.
O Taste and See that the Lord is Good by ArtcmomArtMarket on Etsy,
4: I will do the Scouting the Divine: My Search for God in Wine, Wool, and Wild Honey, study, hopefully in community (Boston readers this is in the works starting in Feb. email me Osheta (at) newcityboston (dot) org for the details.)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkvkhPjX36E&w=420&h=315]
5: I will have one nice meal, once a month, with one good friend.
6: I will make one recipe from Shauna Niequist’s, “Bread and Wine” once a week.
7: I will drink tea more often, especially with honey.
8: I will bake a dessert from scratch twice a month.
9: I will make homemade bread.
10: I will go to a wine tasting and figure out my favorite type of wine.
11: I will be brave once a day.
All of these images are found on my “Taste I Wills” Pinterest Board. Here are the books/cookbooks I’m reading/cooking though
1: Mad Hungry Cravings by: Lucinda Scala Quinn
2: Dinner: A Love Story by: Jenny Rosenstarch
4: Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way by: Shauna Niequist
5: Scouting the Divine by: Margaret Feinberg.
6: Cornbread Gospels by: Crescent Dragonwagon (chili night will never be the same again, y’all!)
7: A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by: Sophie Hudson
8: Eat With Joy: Redeeming God’s Gift of Food by: Rachel Marie Stone
9: My mom’s planner to help me meal plan to stick to my “slow food” commitment
I’m not chucking all the work I’ve done so far. I’ve just tasted and adjusted the recipe for creating a better, more authentic me. I hope to post twice, sometimes three times a week and I hope to share my favorite recipes with you throughout the year.
Liking my newly refined recipe,
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