those rare Christians
whose very presence incites others to be better Christians.
i want to be that rare Christian.
- a.w. tozer.

what's for DINNER?!?

for mother's day every year, the whole big family gets together to celebrate gramma and each of the moms/aunts altogether.

since all of the grandkids are getting older now, the idea for the kids to make their moms desserts was thrown out there this year.

mom's not a huge dessert person...she likes vegetables.

but she does like herself some blackberry cobbler. so i acquiesced to her request. (even though i'm not the biggest pie/cobbler fan. it was for her after all!!)

-paired it with blue bell's homemade vanilla, and it turned out to be a big hit amongst the mothers.

BLACKBERRY COBBLER!!

(makes about nine-ten servings.)

this recipe calls for:

- 4 c blackberries

- 3/4 c sugar

- 1/4 c flour

- 2 tbsp butter

- 4-5 tsp lemon juice

(this time around, i just used two pillsbury pie crusts...instead of homemade. don't judge me.)

directions:

- toss flour & 1/2 c sugar with berries.

- pour mixture into pan with bottom crust.

- drizzle lemon juice evenly over mixture.

- pour 1/4 c sugar evenly over mixture.

- dot with butter (cut into small pieces).

- cover with top crust.

- sprinkle sugar evenly over top crust.

- bake at 350F for about 45 minutes, or until lightly browned.

*make sure the top crust has some sort of slits/cuts/openings to allow steam to escape. (i went for a woven lattice-look for fun. if i'm not going to looove eating it, i might as well make it look pretty. but i will admit, this recipe is one of the better cobblers i've had.)

growing up, i had to have an "i don't care what you think of me" attitude...because i knew i was a good kid, with good intentions & actions & thoughts. and even so, people have always thought whatever they wanted about me.

i have had multiple people who are my friends now say when they first met me, they thought i was completely opposite than how i really am.

i have had rumors spread around school about me that were completely (completely) untrue. (with not even a possibility that someone could have been even remotely correct or even misunderstood. they had just made them up.)
and so at one point in my life, i would have described myself as insensitive...
-in the way that...i am sarcastic; i don't take myself--or statements others would say too seriously.
i also grew up in a simultaneously loving yet sarcastic environment. (my immediate family, and both sides of extended.) so i was not as keen to other people's perceptions of what i say because i knew i wasn't serious anyway.
i had to learn what this quote meant before it was ever written::
"don't take anything personally. nothing others do is because of you. what others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. when you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering."
- miguel angel ruiz.
obviously, i have learned to absorb the criticisms, ridicule, and "incite" others present to an extent...while, at some point, ridding my being of the needless negativity. and certain relationships along the way have opened my eyes to how "sensitive" a person can be. (and since i don't want to make anyone upset, i have appropriately adhered...in a way to better understand, empathize, and considerately care for people.)

however...i came across this quote today...and it is like describing me. to a t. in every respect.
(so perhaps proclaiming insensitivity was entirely wrong.)::
"the highly sensitive tend to be philosophical or spiritual in their orientation, rather than materialistic or hedonistic. they dislike small talk. they often describe themselves as creative or intuitive. they dream vividly, and can often recall their dreams the next day. they love music, nature, art, physical beauty. they feel exceptionally strong emotions--sometimes acute bouts of joy, but also sorrow, melancholy, and fear. highly sensitive people also process information about their environments--both physical and emotional--unusually deeply. they tend to notice subtleties that others miss--another person's shift in mood, say, or a lightbulb burning a touch too brightly."
- susan cain.

dear, blogging community.

to all those who read; to all those who care...

iMISSblogging.
ugh.
i cannot wait till the week is over, and then i can start back up again...i already have four great posts lined up. (unfortunately my ocd with photo-editing/copy editing prolongs this process.)
not one, not two, but three 'what's for dinners'...and one 'thrifty thursday' comin atcha.
get your party pants on.

my heart wants roots.
my mind wants wings.
i cannot bear
their bickerings.
- e.y. harburg.

check out my guest blog post today, over on Mission Church's website!!

what's for dinner?!?

after the fast, i definitely went a little crazy scarfing down what i hadn't eaten for forty days...and suffered the consequence. (i decided to cut back on gluten, to see if it could cut back on my stomach problems...and i think it's definitely helped.)
i had discovered these muffins during the fast, and although they are considered "vegan", they still have sugar (granulated and in the chocolate chips), so i had to refrain for the time being.

i love these. so much.
i've made them twice already.

BANANA CHOCOLATE-CHIP MUFFINS!!
(makes about 12 muffins; can be vegan-ized.)

this recipe calls for:
- 4 very ripe bananas
- 2 c flour
- 1 c sugar
- 1 c chocolate chips (semi-sweet, etc. for vegan.)
- 1/4 c water
- 1&1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 c canola oil

directions:
- mix flour, baking soda, and salt.
- in separate, large bowl, beat sugar and oil.
- add chocolate chips and mashed bananas to sugar/oil mixture.
- add water and vanilla, and blend.
- add flour/soda/salt mixture, and fully blend.
- fill lightly-greased muffin tin.
- bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

*the first time i made them, i had only half a cup of semi-sweet and used Ghirardelli milk chocolate-chips for the other half. waaaaay too much chocolate for me.
**the second time i made them, i nixed the chocolate altogether and made six muffins and put the rest of the mix in a bread pan. (ended up having to cook for twice as long...but made a darn-good banana bread.)
***i'm feelin half a cup of regular chocolate-chips for next time's batch.