Buttermilk Pancakes

Growing up we had a tradition of always having waffles for breakfast on Saturday. We carry on this tradition, even to this day, when we are all gathered together. As a single person, making one waffle is no fun or worth the time to pull the waffle maker out so I would make pancakes instead. I've slowly tweaked my recipe over time and found one that I like. (Funny pancake story: I remember when my roommate in college was blown away by the fact that you could make pancakes from scratch. Let's just say she discovered a lot that year in the kitchen.)

Buttermilk Pancakes
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons (tsp) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Little less than 1/4 sugar (I always guess on the sugar)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
Add fruit, chocolate, or spices (optional)

Your griddle should be on medium. Your batter should be thick. It should drop onto the griddle, not spread. Turn over the pancakes when there are bubbles forming on the top. 

Must Have Summer Drink

Oh summer. Summer is one of my favorite seasons because it means sun, beach, outdoor fun, fresh produce, cookouts, and my birthday. Although, it also means the most quintessential summer side dish is back....Watermelon!! Who doesn't like watermelon? It's refreshing, sweet, juicy, and brings back childhood memories. A few years ago I came across Watermelon Lemonade and decided to make some. I hadn't made any since but since now living in the south with a blazing summer heat I figured some watermelon lemonade at VBS would be just the thing. It was a hit! (Plus it makes such a pretty color) You can find many recipes for it online but I would say they one could make it without a recipe. Just make it according to what tastes good to you. I'll list the ingredients below.

Watermelon (I like the personal size ones)
Lemon Juice
Sugar/Simple syrup
Water

Put the watermelon flesh in a blender and blend for a few seconds until watery. Pour it through a strainer to separate the pulp and seeds from the juice. I would suggest to start with 2 cups of watermelon juice and 1 cup of lemon juice. You can add more of each if you desire. Then add some boiling water and the sugar. The boiling water helps to dissolve the sugar better. Once the sugar is dissolved, add cold water. Mix and taste. Add more of whatever ingredient according to your taste. If you buy lemon juice there is usually a ratio of water to lemon juice on he bottle.

Start with a basic watermelon lemonade first and then branch out from there. I've added mint leaves to mine before.

Enjoy your summer lemonade experiments :)

According to the World's Standards

Have you ever felt like you’ve failed? Especially at life? A few weeks ago I had this overcoming feeling that I had failed at what I “should be” doing in life and what it “should” look like. I felt like I wasn’t making a difference. I’m 28 years old, married to my wonderful husband of 10 months, graduated college 7 years ago with a Bachelors and two Associates degrees, and am currently a church secretary. In those 7 years after graduation I had one job that was in my career choice and it lasted for about one and a half years. I wasn’t fired, I chose to leave for various reasons. My college hammered into us that we needed to climb the ladder in our field. We needed to do all that we could to further ourselves. I saw students dropping out of one club in order to be in another one that would get them “connected” and give them experience in their field. I have seen classmates post on facebook and Instagram about their jobs in our field and to be honest, I have often thought about unfriending them because of this, but that wouldn't make me feel any better. 

When I graduated, however, I started working with the campus ministry as a semester missionary. I did that for two and a half years and then worked at a wine store (the job in my field). Which after about a year and I half I left. I started working as my church’s secretary and married my husband after a year and a half into that job and then moved to the south where I am a church secretary again. Mind you, during all of this I continued to bake on the side, trying to keep up what I had learned in school. It wasn’t that I didn’t look for a job in my field it’s that there a limited amount of jobs where I lived.

While at school I tried to join clubs that would put me in the right direction but climbing the ladder was never appealing to me. I started to become more involved in my campus ministry and that’s where I grew the most in all areas of my life. I met some of my best friends, I had a huge family through my church, I got to travel to Russia and China, and people who cared about me invested their time in me. I was also pouring into the generations that were coming behind me. I felt useful and needed. I felt like I belonged. I was happy and had something better to live for that just going to work everyday and trying to get ahead. I had all of eternity with Christ to live for.

I told my husband about how I was feeling and he helped to remind me of a few things. If I had not gone to school where I did I would never have met my friends, I would never have found the church I did, I would never have met him! “Just think of all the good that came out of you being there, what you learned and the people you met. Plus I benefit from your degree every day 😊” That’s basically what he said to me. He was right and I had totally forgot. I have often looked at the reason I went to school where I did was because of God and His plans for my life. Because let’s be honest, I would not have chosen to go to Rhode Island of all places if I had not been accepted to school.

Yes, according to the world’s standards I may be failing at life and am not where I should be. But why am I measuring myself against the world’s standards. We are told in Isaiah 40:6-8 that “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” This world is temporary. I am temporary. Everything has its time and passes away and so will this world. If I am living to the world’s standards then what do I have at the end of the day? I would never be satisfied. If I live by God’s standards, strive to be more like Christ every day, let His word be my guide, love my husband like I am commanded in Ephesians, and live as Titus 2 commands women, then my life is not wasted but satisfying. I am a vessel that God is using, even in the most minuscule ways, in this world for His glory. That is not a failed life and I need to remind myself of that daily. I need to remind myself of the gospel and what the Lord has already done in me and my life. I must remember to live for him daily and not myself. 

Quaint & Delicious, the Jefferson Diner

Monday morning was a lovely start to a gorgeous day. As usual we had to eat breakfast, so we met up with our beautiful friend Brittney at the Jefferson Diner. I'm picky about diners because of the years I spent in New Jersey, so I wasn't putting my hopes too high.

Side note: Diners started in Rhode Island, New Jersey just perfected them. But really, for a state that started diners it doesn't have that many of them. I haven't had much luck with diners in Rhode Island so far and am hoping there are still a few good ones out there.

A couple months ago LauraBeth drove past this little building, located on the corner of an intersection in Warwick, called the Jefferson Diner. The parking lot was always packed out, which means it must be good, but we just never went. Since most places in Providence are closed on Mondays (so frustrating) we decided it was the perfect opportunity to give the establishment a try and it was better than expected.

It was established in 1969, consists of six booths, a counter of stools and a very friendly staff. Decorated with brown checkered curtains, black vinyl cushions and classic round lighting fixtures, stepping into the Jefferson Diner was like time stood still. You could tell that not much had changed and with it came a feeling of comfort.

The menu consisted of two pages. One side was for breakfast, the other was for lunch. Keeping it plain and simple means they serve what they know they are good at. It also makes it easier for the customer to order because there aren't as many options to be distracted with. 

It took a little while for our order to be taken, but it was fine. Sitting there in the booth talking, I forgot we were in a society where people need things here and now. It was like a little vacation from the outside world.

  

We had one order of RAY'S "Too Good To Be True!" - Poached eggs on cornbread and homefries, and two orders of the breakfast sandwich special - An egg with cheese, tomato and bacon on a grilled english muffin with homefries.  

It was like having some of momma's home cooking. You didn't want to put it down, well at least I didn't want to put my sandwich down. The homefries were cooked perfectly, which is important because sometimes you get them and they taste stale. These were fresh and seasoned to perfection. I only wish it contained more onions.

Looking and listening to the diner around us as we ate, you could tell it was a "usual" place for many people.

With cheap prices, great food, a comforting atmosphere and a friendly staff I could see why it was a "usual" in the lives of many.

If you are looking for a new place to try or a place that will take you away from the outside world for a while, visit the Jefferson Diner. I guarantee it will be worth your while. 

The Jefferson Diner is located at 175 Jefferson Blvd, Warwick, RI, 02888

Bristol, Brunch & The Beehive Cafe

I LOVE breakfast!! 

I love everything about it and the fact that you can eat it for any meal of the day.
With this love, however, comes very critical taste buds. I mean, if you are an establishment that offers breakfast, you can't just serve a mediocre meal. You have to have flavor, creativity, and passion.

My partner in crime for most of these adventures if my best friend LauraBeth. Our goal is to try all the breakfast places in Rhode Island. We'll see how far we get.

We had been to one of our favorite little towns for breakfast before and on the drive we passed this cute two window cafe and always said we wanted to go back. You know how it goes. Well a few weeks ago we did.
In the town of Bristol, RI there is a small establishment called The Beehive Cafe. Now when I mean small, I don't mean a whole in the wall but it is a bit tight at times, which is not always bad.

As you walk up to the building, you are greeted by customers enjoying their morning meals, conversations & newspapers in the sun. As you open the door, the first thing you see is a counter and pastry case full of enticing breakfast or dessert goodies, which I'm not sure how you can resist.
All orders are placed at the counter, so grab a menu and read it outside or check out the menu online before going. It will make for a much easier time, because it can get crowded in the front room. They do have plenty of seating upstairs and they even have a little deck with three tables, which is where we sat. Outside but also shaded.

When you order your meal you don't get a table number but you get an animal figurine....a cute and quirky addition. Now LauraBeth judges a place not only by their food but also by their coffee. I on the other hand judge by the non coffee drinks they offer. I was very pleased with The Beehive Cafe. They had a very large three or four shelf unit by the counter filled with jars of tea. I was in heaven, but there were so many options it was hard to choose.

The menu was as equally enticing. There was not a plethora of options like some establishments, but they offered a bit of everything with a slight southern twist.

I chose to indulge my taste buds with the Coconut French Toast and LauraBeth went for the Lemon Cornmeal Pancakes. Oh my goodness was it delicious! Everything is made with ingredients sourced from local farms and cooked by people who have a passion for what they do. It just pours out into their food and you can tell. 

It was a warm Summer's day and so as we were leaving we couldn't not get a cool, refreshing drink. I believe I got the ginger mint iced tea, which was the perfect balance between ginger & sweet. You know that sound your mouth makes after you drink something satisfying that hits the spot? That's what this drink was. You just couldn't help yourself. 

If asked to describe their food this is what they say, "Food that busy people wish they had time to cook at home, but cannot. Comforting, recognizable, and made in small batches." 

Doesn't it send a warm feeling to your heart?

All in all I would definitely return to The Beehive Cafe any day and would suggest it to anyone looking for a cute place near the water for a good meal and experience. 

They serve breakfast and lunch every day from 7am - 3:30pm. Dinner, however is only served on Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 5pm - 9pm. 

Photo of the Week: Classic New England

When someone says New England to you, what do you think of?

When I think New England I think beaches, lighthouses, mountains, snow, history, and amazing little towns for exploration.

One of the biggest draws of New England is its amazing coastline and all that it entails.
The picture below was taken in York, Maine and to me just screams New England.

This is another one of the pictures I framed for the event at the New England Women's Conference. Once framed I fell in love with it even more and had no words to describe how classic New England it felt. The black frame makes it look sleek and causes the colors to just pop out of the picture.

Singleness, The Struggle is Real

Singleness and it's effects have played a role in my life since my Senior Year of college. I have had many conversations with friends on this topic and how they are handling their state of singleness within the church. However these emotions and struggles are not voiced at all, but are kept within.
I am among the guilty in this and when I recently read an article by Owen Strachan titled "A New Model for Living Single" I thought it might be time for the voice of someone who is single to be heard.

Where do I begin? I should start by saying that this post is a difficult one for me because I am inviting you into a delicate area of my life. I hope this post will be helpful to all those who are single and  might struggle but fear expressing it. I also hope that it will be helpful to those who are married with single friends, in seeing how they can care for them.

I am a 26 year old female who lives with roommates, is single and has never dated before. Singleness is currently the stage in my life where the Lord has me and it is not something I have control over.

Do I have a desire to be married someday? Yes.
Do I know if I will be? No.
Do I have a desire to hear the sound of kids being carried through my home? Yes.
Is singleness something I have chosen? No.

In Strachan's article he mentions that with the changing statistics of marriage over the years, the church is contemplating how and if they have cared for their singles. If you ask a single person in your church, they may more times than not tell you that they do not feel cared for. I confess that on some days that is me.
I can not say that it is entirely the church's fault in this situation, for a relationship is two sided and for one person to do all the work is exhausting. Singles have to be willing to put in the work and not take every word or action to heart, which is easier said than done.

I was pleased to see Strachan list some approaches that are unhelpful to singles; for these are some of the things that have dominated our conversations among one another as singles, especially single women.

His examples are:

* In some cases we have shamed singles. "Can't you just find someone you'd like to settle down with? Is it really that hard"

* In others, we've talked down to singles. "I want you to know that I am here to help you through this condition." We make it sound as if singleness is a disease - when the apostle Paul says it's the state he prefers. (1 Corinthians 7)

* At other times, we've simply ignored singles. Too many sermons and pastoral prayers, for example, treat only the realities of marriage. "We pray for husbands and wives for their flourishing, their protection, their happiness … and, Lord, for everyone else."

 I would like to respond to each of these examples individually.
1. I can not tell you how many times I have heard some version of the first situation. And while yes the people asking are concerned for you, the words are also hurtful, especially as a female. Other than the fact that as a female I am not the pursuer, there is no reason to give you as to why I am still single other than clearly it currently is not in God's plan for me to be married. These questions make the recipient look at themselves and wonder if maybe there is something wrong with them. Maybe they really are intimidating to guys as they have been told.
Secondly, it makes them question God and ask why not? when? is it ever going to happen? You wonder if He really knows what He is doing.
Thirdly, it creates within them an animosity toward the person asking and a desire not to engage in future conversations if they are all going to turn out the same.Yes they are just words and can not physically hurt, but they cut deeper than one thinks sometimes. So the next time you approach someone who is single in your church, please think about your words before they are said. And singles, don't get annoyed and walk away. Remember that they care for you and kindly let them know if the way they are phrasing the question is not helpful. (I myself am guilty of not doing this)

2. Singleness is not something that can be cured by doctors. The only prescription is the Gospel and love of Christ. While yes we want to talk to someone about this time, we want it to be with someone who will truly listen and not just "listen". Please do not stand there and respond with a "just be content" or say with such assurity that it will happen one day. You can not guarantee that, unless God has revealed something to you that he hasn't to me. This only frustrates us and pushes us away even further. We want someone who is willing to walk through this time with us, encouraging us and helping us to remember that our true relationship and satisfaction is found in Christ. Again though, we as singles need to speak up and make clear to others when we are struggling and what in that time is helpful or not helpful.

3. I do not fully agree with the example given in the third statement. If you are attending a gospel preaching church that practices expository preaching then the example given is not a situation you should run into often. I do however think that it is easy for singles to feel ignored among the Church body.
We are more often felt to be ignored in the events, actions and lives of the church members. We want to be involved in your lives, but if you are someone who does not include singles because they are not in the same stage of life as you &/or it's easier to engage with people who are, guess what, relationships are not easy. It forces us to be segregated and prevents us from viewing Christ centered marriages in all that they are. Also singles, do not shy away from making friends with couples & families. If they don't invite you over, invite them to your place. Invite them to the Zoo, to a festival, or something that is fun for the whole family. I know you like doing those things too.
I pose the question to both sides: how is this situation displaying the gospel to the world? We are constantly told that the church is a place of relationships that don't make sense to the outside world. But by not building those relationships how are we different?

Strachan ends his article with four thoughts for singles to help them rethink singleness. While I enjoyed these points I think there is something in them to be learned whether married or single. Ok, I promise to keep this last part as short as possible.

1. You should feel complete freedom to wrestle with your thoughts.  

Yes! Some of us are content to remain single our entire lives while others, such as myself, struggle daily with enjoying the freedoms of singleness and desiring marriage. We are constantly told to be content in our current stage, but are rarely asked how we are handling that. The struggle is then turned inward and is even harder, for we then think this is something for us to struggle through alone. This is not what the Christian life should be. It is to be lived openly among a body of believers where we are to care for one another during our times of joy and hardships. 

Singles, please speak up. Find someone in the church to meet with regularly, to read through the bible and be open with. Church, please be willing to listen and sincerely listen. Please ask those tough questions and see how we are genuinely doing.

2. If you do feel some desire to be married, pour out your heart to God. 

This is an area that I myself struggle with. So many times we run to others for our problems or just to vent our frustration, when in fact we should be going to God first. He is our creator and father. He cares for His children and wants them to come to Him in prayer. He is the one who can comfort us and fulfill the desires of our heart, but our desires should be His desires. We should be praying for the unreached people and growth of disciples more than ourselves, but when we make our requests known to God we should also be asking that our desires would match His desires. The church can participate in this with us by going to God on our behalf and asking not only for our desires to be fulfilled but that we would draw near to Him in this period and cling to the Cross in times of doubt. Pray too that we would use this time to glorify Him in areas where those who are married can not. 

3. Experience the electric satisfaction of building a family; a spiritual one. 

Singles, realize that you have a family already in the body of Christ. I don't know about you but I get excited every time we have a baptism at church, someone new is joining, or a story is shared about how they have shared the gospel. It just means my family is that much bigger. So invest your life in the life of the church. Go on a mission trip, care for their children & the widows, listen to their struggles, and be there for them in times of joy and sadness. Likewise Church, while singles make great babysitters that's not the only thing they enjoy doing. We have to shop for food, we enjoy a night out on the town, going bowling, playing golf, or a simple BBQ in the backyard.

4. You should feel complete freedom to enjoy the life God has given you. 

I do not think there is much for me to say on this section other than to read what Strachan has written. I could not have said it any better.

In conclusion I would like to end on a little reminder. Singleness does not always get easier as you get older. In some ways it gets harder, with the continual parade of marriage after marriage, followed by pregnancy after pregnancy. It is a constant struggle in those times, you are truly ecstatic for the person but also have this sense of hurt and longing in your heart. Get it out! Go to God and confess this to him, then confess it to that person who is keeping you accountable. The church is not going to know how to care for us if we are not verbal. This is something I have to preach to myself all the time. 

Also remember that you are not alone in this journey, for God has and never will leave you or let you go through a trial on your own. He has provided you with a spiritual family who cares deeply and wants the best for you.

I hope that this has been insightful and encouraging. Sorry it is so long but there is much to be said.