Restaurant Review-Shem Creek Bar & Grill

Not impressed. Very overpriced for the quality of food. You're paying for the view I assume. The view is great! Okay, so the food...I ordered the Seafood A la Wando. This "cream sauce" is more like a soup and the "fried grits" actually consist of one grits patty about 2x2x1. And where was it? You couldn't see the fried grits and half of the seafood due to the soupy cream sauce. Admittedly, there was a lot of seafood and it tasted okay But be warned-the crab that they claim is in there is actually just flakes put into the sauce. My sister ordered the Seafood Stuffed Flounder. Great idea but bad execution. The crab cake on the bottom was mushy and reminded me of something you would find on the bottom of the ocean. Mashed potatoes-not good. But...vegetables-very, very good. Hushpuppies-good. Service, both hostesses and waitress were not good. They were actually quite rude. Will not be returning to this restaurant no matter how popular it is.

Thankful Thursday on Friday

It's Thankful Thursday being celebrated on Friday.

1. I have hope for something greater.
2. A sister that would drive three hours just to celebrate my birthday!
3. I found salt and pepper packets in the breakroom! No more bland peas for lunch!
4. The picture on my calendar at work says, "When I'm afraid I will trust in You." A great reminder.
5. A job
6. The handful of women friends in my life that are "Going for Glory" and are pursuing Christ with everything they have! What great examples and inspirations to me!
7. I get to go back to China in just 49 days!
8. That my eyes see a different world than most people see.
9. Restaurants that serve seafood with amazing sauces. I love sauces. Yum.
10. The Chinese language. It can explain some things in amazingly accurate ways that English just can't.
11. Hot water in my coffee mug. It keeps me warm at work.
12. Talking food. Men talk "shop". Most women talk "shopping". I talk "food".
13. Clean water
14. My cube mates next door that crack me up ALL day!
15. The fruits of summer. Oh my gosh this Papaya is fabulous!

Holy Spirit who draws us

I was sitting with a friend yesterday and we were discussing many, many things. At this moment, I'm sure you're envisioning us sitting up straight in wingback chairs with nice suits on, sipping tea. But in fact, there she was in a sundress and me in a hiking skirt and chocos and we were sitting on the floor.

We were discussing our role in bringing people to the saving knowledge of knowing Christ. Sometimes I sit at work and I wonder how in the world I'm going to share Christ with these people around me. How am I going to share with them in a way that will make sense to them, in a way that they will believe? And I think about if I were them and I were looking what Jesus teaches from their point of view. It really seems crazy! And then to think through all of the "answers" that I've been taught or learned to give in response to their questions about Jesus and being a follower of His and they all come from the Bible. But what if these people don't believe the Bible to have any bearing on their lives as truth? What then?

All of these questions continually float through my head as I pray for the people I work with and I pray for wisdom to know how to reach and what to say to them and how to love them. For a moment (maybe more than a moment) I get ansy inside and worried and scared.

But as my friend pointed out yesterday, it is the Holy Spirit who opens people's eyes to the Truth. It is the Holy Spirit who brings you to belief in Jesus. Otherwise, yes, it would seem crazy.

That takes some of the pressure off of me for sure. Got to keep on keepin' on with the people around me. And keep praying that they respond to the Holy Spirit in their life and that I don't do anything to get in the way.

It is the Holy Spirit who draws us near. Lovin' that.

North Africa

I am currently reading a letter from some Missionaries in North Africa. They are facing possible deportation for proselytizing. See their quote below in regards to the fight:

"The Lord is working miracles in North Africa. [Missionary's name]'s work in country has not stopped. Teams are still going and many others are going forward on faith. But even with all of the signs and miracles taking place around us, the fight is far from over. Make no mistake about it though; we serve a mighty and triumphant God. Satan has lost the war. Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. That does not mean that the evil one has given up. By no means, Satan is still fighting and in some cases even winning the battles for the hearts and minds of believer's right here at home."

Satan is still fighting. Makes it all the more real of how much we, as believers, are involved in a very current battle/war. Satan is still fighting. Why have so many of us stopped?

57 days and counting

In 57 days I will be getting back on a plane headed for China! And well...I'm excited!!!!! I'm only going for a week so it will be a very quick trip, but so wonderful. I'm excited to see my Chinese friends as well as my foreign (American, Australian and Romanian) friends. I'm really excited about the delicious food. I'm excited to be speaking Chinese again and even of riding the train and the taxis and the buses. I'm just excited to be back in the culture after 20 months of being out of it. Wow! So today or tomorrow I'm getting my Visa pictures made and sending my passport off for processing. Oh and I'm really looking forward to that international flight! That's one of those things in life that I love. And this one is going to be even better because I"m not doing it by myself, which has been how I've traveled everywhere in the last three years. Everything is much better when experienced with people.

Reminders of a sweet time

I stumbled upon an album that I used to listen a while back. In fact, I listened to one song on repeat for an entire month. I tend to this a lot when I find a song that I love!

Anyway, it's from "Enter the Worship Circle" by 100 Portraits & Waterdeep. The song is "Life of Praise" and I listened to it for the entire month I was in Cambodia during the summer of 2001. And everytime I hear that song my entire heart, mind and soul just transports itself back there. I think of the pineapples I would eat for lunch with the french baguette. I think of walking the muddy streets of Siem Reap while all the Khemer people zoomed past me on their mopeds. I think of our devotional time of studying Acts together. I feel the warmth of the sun that shot down each morning on our way to the floating village. I think of the jungle that was so easily accessible if you just walked down the street a bit. You could see the women bending down to pick rice from the patties. I think of the joy that I felt when I was there. Most of all, I think how God used that trip to start in me a passion for the nations and all people to know Him. That was the beginning. And oh how I am thankful.

The lyrics to the song are below and are very appropriate for listening while in an Asian country, such as Cambodia. I hope it stirs something in your heart like it did mine.

LIFE OF PRAISE
Many men will drink the rain; turn to the thank the clouds.
Many men will hear you speak; they will never turn around.

I will not forget you are my God my King.
With a thankful heart I bring my offering.
And my sacrifice is not what you can give.
But what I alone can give to you.

A grateful heart I give; a thankful pray I pray.
A wild dance I dance before you.
A loud song I sing and huge bell I ring.
A life of praise I live before you.

Many men will pour their gold; serve a thing that shines.
Many men will read your words; they will never change their minds.

I will not forget you are my God my King.
With a thankful heart I bring my offering.
And my sacrifice is not what you can give.
But what I alone can give to you.

A grateful heart I give; a thankful pray I pray.
A wild dance I dance before you.
A loud song I sing and huge bell I ring.
A life of praise I live before you.

Got to get a little wild inside; got to get a little a wild inside.

This vs. that

You and I have all heard people, mostly, men express fear over committing to someone for the rest of their life. One person...forever. This scares some people. But I can say that the idea of committing to someone for the rest of my life does not scare me nearly as much as staying in one location for the rest of my life.

An idea was brought to my mind about a week ago. It was a proposition that someone I know would become my business partner in opening my bakery. I know, great huh? But somewhere in my dreaming of this bakery did I nowhere think that I would be staying in the same location. But naturally that's what would happen. If anyone would invest that much time, energy and money in something they're going to do it for a very long time.
Well, the thought that I would be remaining in whatever location I chose to open my bakery in, would be my permanent location for a very long time. Yes, I thought of everything but that!

This freaks me out to no end! I'm a mobile girl. I like moving and I like being able to pick and move quickly whenever and wherever God wants me to go. And I get tired a place after a couple of years. I like adventure and moving to a new place is some good adventure! So now I'm rethinking this bakery thing and really praying about it hard! Because if I'm going to do this it's going to be a major committment, obviously for a lot of reasons, but the biggest to me would be to committ to live in that location long-term. Whew! That's a big one!

Question of the day

Question: If you have the desire to do something for God, is that reason enough to do it? Why or why not?

Old school song

Does anyone remember that old FFH song, "Daniel"? Yes, I am listening to it at work. The iPod is going through all the music I have on it. And let me tell you, sometimes I'm quite surprised at what is playing!

It talks about people like Daniel in the Lion's Den and Moses, basically speaking of their lives of faith and how they completely relied on God to come through for them. I was thinking about it this morning on my way to work-living a life of faith. And yes, that is a really old song, but it has a point. I, too, want to be like them, completely relying on God to come through, to be there, to provide, to protect, to rescue.

Covered

It's the day after Easter. What a wonderful day yesterday was! But yet I feel like I didn't do it justice. Can we ever? It's just really such a huge deal! Easter-the day Jesus rose from the grave and gave us all new life! I'm never going to get over that.

Today feels new and fresh. Like I get a do-over. I'm lovin' that.

Saturday I went to a Passion Play. There was a line in the play that shook me and woke me up. Jesus and Roman soldier were talking after Pilate told Jesus everything he was being accused of. Jesus did not defend himself. He didn't say a word. (Isaiah 53) The soldier wanted to know why he didn't defend himself; why he said nothing in response. Jesus' response is what shook me.

He said, "Your debt will be covered..." I, and all of you, have heard that before. But for me to witness it being spoken from Jesus to a person made it so personal. It made the fact that there was a debt that each of us carry/carried so true. Flashes of the Old Testament practices for forgiveness and how I don't have to do that. Flashes of everything I would owe a debt for were there. Flashes of money owed were visible. And then, "your debt will be covered."

My debt is covered. It has been covered and now the burden is light. I am covered.

Today is the day!

Today I go back to the Allergist to assess my progress with this no-dairy diet. I am so excited to go! I want to start incorporating something back into my diet. I'm pushing for butter to be the first on the list. I mean Easter is on Sunday and what southern Easter is not going to have butter all in it?! Not this one!

All-in-all, this has been good. I have FINALLY figured out that dairy is the problem. That brings me relief of mind. But sadness that dairy is the problem, as anything dairy makes for my favorite foods (i.e. ice cream, butter, pizza, any baked goods, lemon butter sauce on fish, French food, etc.). I guess life is about adjustments.

In other news, I leave in less than 100 days for China! I can already taste those spice Ningxia noodles!

And, I'm entering my first recipe contest-White Chocolate Ginger Strawberry Shortcake. Wish me luck!