He is ALL We Need

Over the past several weeks I have been struggling with writing.  I feel as if I have so much to say but I do not have the words.  I have started this same blog post at least 6 times and has yet to publish anything.  Writing is my form of expressing myself yet I am struggling.  Because of this, holding things inside have been what I have been doing.  I can't even find the words to say in my personal journal.  Not only am I struggling with my writing but my prayer life has also been a struggle over the past month.  I know it sounds weird...but I have struggled with the words to pray.  It just does not make sense to me.  I have never had a problem with writing or praying.

As I sit here listening to pandora radio, a song called Outside of Me by Mikeschair came on.  The song lyrics immediately became my prayer. 

Outside Of Me lyrics

Give me something meaningful to say
Give me something wonderful to give
Give me something beautiful to sing, yeah
Give me something, something outside of me

All I need is You
All I need is You
All I need is something outside of me

Give me something meaningful to want
Give me something wonderful to love
Give me something beautiful to see
And give me something, something outside of me

All I need is You
All I need is You
All I need is something outside of me

All I need is You
All I need is You
All I need is something outside of me

'Cuz your words give life when my own won't fly
You offer love when my own runs dry
You open blinded eyes
To behold what I can't describe

All I need is You
All I need is You
All I need is something outside of me

All I need is You
All I need is You
All I need is something outside of me
Give me something meaningful to say ...

These lyrics are so beautiful and seemed so appropriate with how I am feeling.  I have been dealing with some anger, frustration, disappointment, self-confidence, and sadness over the past several weeks.  These emotions have clouded my relationship with God.  I have let them get to me meaning I have let them get between me and God.  I have not been dealing with these emotions properly and have let them tear me down mentally and physically.  In some previous blog post, I have mentioned how I love to have control and that is one thing I struggle with in my walk with God.  Giving Him ALL control.  I often forget Proverbs 3:5-6. (Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways, submit to him and he will make your path straight.)  

I have put that wedge between God and I with letting the emotions get the best of me.  All I need is Him.  It is that simple yet it can be so hard sometimes.  God tells us He will NEVER leave nor forsake us.  It is a beautiful, beautiful thing that God will always be there even if we sometimes forget that He is all we need.  

Just as I am about to post this, "All I Need is You Lord" by Hillsong came on my pandora.  You think God is trying to give me a hint??  :)

The Only Man in My Life Who Has Yet to Let Me Down!

Brody Cohen Ownley ♥

Whats for Dinner!?

I have had one of those "I want to be Betty Crocker" days.  I woke up not feeling my best so I crochet all morning.  Then I napped.  After waking up from my nap, I told my Mom that I would make dinner tonight.  I was feeling a bit better, and I needed to get my tail up and do something.  My mom found a corn chowder that she wanted to try so I had her print it and I went crazy in the kitchen!  My mom knows that I like to cook most meals vegetarian or really healthy, so this recipe was perfect.  I decided to pair the chowder with a cous cous stuffed tomatoe and for desert we had chocolate pie!  The best part about any meal is the dessert and I have to say that this chocolate pie hit the spot.  Not to mention, it is a vegan chocolate pie!  I did not tell my Dad that it was vegan until after he ate 2 big slices of it.  After telling him, he was shocked!  It is quite tasty and you do not feel so guilty after eating it! 

 

If you are ever feeling "Bettycrockish" I recommend you try these recipes! Enjoy  :)

 

Corn Chowder (Taste of Home)

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 C. fresh or frozen corn
• 3 C. reduced-socium chicken broth
• 1/2 C. chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosmary, crushed
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• Dash cayenne pepper

Coat a large sauce pan with olive oil/cooking spray.  Add onion; cook and stir over medium heat for 4 minutes or until tender.  Add 4 C. corn; cook and stir until corn is softened, about 5 minutes.  Add 2 C. broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until corn is tender.  Cool slightly.

 

In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth; retuen all to the pan. Add the red pepper, rosmary, thyme, pepper, cayenne and remaining corn and broth; cook and stir for 10 min or until corn is tender. Serve and enjoy!

 

 

Cous Cous Stuffed Tomato

 

Prepare 1 box cous cous as directed on box.  Add 1/4 C. parmesan cheese and 1tsp. of garlic.  Cut top off tomato and take the seeds out.  Spoon cous cous in tomato.  Top with a mixture of parmesan,bread crumbs and italian seasoning.  Bake in oven on 350 for 15 minutes. 

 

 

Chocolate Fudge Pie Vegan style!  (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/) 

• 1 package silken or firm tofu
• 1 tsp. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 T nondair milk (such as almond or soy)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 8 to 10 oz chocolate chips
• 2-3 T agave or other sweetener (When I made it, I omitted it.  It was plenty sweet for me.)
• Optional: splash of kaluah

 

Melt the chocolate with milk (either on the stove or in the microwave.)  Throw everything into a food processor and blend until super-smooth.  Pour into a pie crust if desired. (you can make it crustless in order to cut calories.)  Fridge until chilled.  This gets firmer and firmer, the longer it sits.  YUM!
 

Today Is All About Love

It seems like every song that has come on my Pandora station this morning has been about love.  It seems like everything that I see on Facebook today has to do with love.  There has been posting's of babies, wedding's, and engagements.  It seem's that every blog I come across has to do with love.  I can not escape it today nor do I want to!  Seeing pictures, post, and blog post makes me happy.  I can't help but smile when I see love everywhere.  I know that I will one day be posting about my love story.  Until then, I will enjoy smiling as I look at all my friends and families love stories ♥

Overly Dramatic All You Want to Do is Cry All Day Funks

Do you ever have one of those days where all you do is want to cry all day long for no apparent reason?  That has been me for the past 5 days.  If someone looks at me wrong I want to cry.  If a bug hits my windshield and dies I want to cry.  If someone says something that I take offense too (even though I should not have at all) I want to cry.  When my puppy looks up at me and gives me that look, "please don't leave me" right as I am walking out the door for work, I want to cry.  This has been my life for the past 5 days.  Yes, I am over dramatic and yes I am a girl.  I guess these feelings of wanting to cry all the time are inevitable sometimes.  

My therapy: My plan for tonight after I get off work is to go home, pour me a glass of wine and pop in my Breakfast at Tiffany's DVD.  This is a sure way of getting me out of this funk.  Audrey Hepburn is sure to put me in a good mood  :)  She always does.  I have been listening to Moon River on repeat all day to keep me in a good mood.  I am looking forward to my date tonight with a glass of wine and Breakfast at Tiffany's  :)

Do you have some sort of remedy that you do to get you out of these, overly dramatic all you want to do is cry all day funks?

My Surprise Birthday Dinner!

These are pictures that I wanted to share of my surprise dinner with my wonderful friends  :)  Love them!!!

Yes, the candles say, "over the hill."  Apparently they thought it was funny that I am going through my "quarter life crisis three years to early."

The wine I am holding has to be my new favorite wine!  My friend Brittany gave it to me.  If you live near a Trader Joes, go pick up a bottle...or 2...or 3.  You will not regret it.  It is called Blue Fin and it is the red wine!!  The best part is...it's only $4!!!  

 My friends  :)

 Typical me being goofy!

 Love her!

 Go get a bottle of this wine!  ;)

My favorite restaurant in Florence  :)

22 years young ;)

Today is my second day of being 22 years young.  Yesterday I woke up thinking to myself...am I really 22?  Even though I was having a hard time excepting that fact that I am getting older, I pulled myself together (or at least tried to) and told myself that I will stay positive and be thankful for another wonderful year God has given me.

I woke up early, so I had plenty of time to get ready for work and do some reading before starting my busy day.  I got to and when I walked into my office I had cards and a little present from my co-workers.  Then an hour or so later, my Dad showed up with a dozen roses  :).  That just made my day!  Then the UPS man shows up at my work.  This is how our conversation went:

UPS man: Do you just want me to put the boxes in the work room.

Me: Yes, that would be fine.

UPS man: (walks back into my office for me to sign the computer thingy)

Me: (signing the thingy)  I can NEVER sign these things...it just looks like chicken scratch.

UPS man: (chuckles) Everyone has that problem...What is your last name?

Me: Ownley

UPS man: You have some strawberries in there?  Real fancy strawberries!  Is it like a special day for you...I see roses and now you got strawberries. 

Me: Well it is my birthday, and I am pretty sure you just told me one of my presents. (in a teasing way.)

UPS man: Oh man...I am sorry! 

I rushed to the workroom to look for my "fancy strawberries."  I opened them up and found that my former roommate in Charleston, and her fiance sent me them!  I was so surprised and so thankful!  They are some of the most thoughtful people you would ever meet.  I am so happy to have them in my life  :)

After all the wonderful surprises, my Mom and Dad came to take me out for a b-day lunch.  It was nice to get away from my office and we ate Japanese...so it was wonderful!  For dinner, Fran, my pastor/mentor/boss, took me to one of my favorite places, The Midnight Rooster for dinner.  Thursday they serve sushi and I am always down for sushi, but after getting there I decided to get their wonderful tomato/basil/fresh mozzarella sandwich with the chicken tortilla soup.  It was fantastic!  That night we had our college ministry, so we headed back to church for some bible study.  It was an awesome conversation and such a great time.  

I finally made it home after being at work all day from 10am-10pm.  I came home to some cards from my parents and my brother.  I am saving up to get a Nook color so my parents contributed to that by giving me some money  :).  I also got a sweet card from my grandparents who also gave me money which will go towards my Nook fund! I can't wait to order one!  My sister sent me a present in the mail and it was a beautiful wooden cross.  I already have it hanging in my office.  I know that it will remind me of the faith and support she has in me every time I look at it. It is simply beautiful.

I could not have asked for a better way to spend my birthday!  I am such a lucky girl who has so many friends and family who cares for me so much.  I had many birthday calls/text/facebook comments.  I have the best family and friends in the world :)  I am so grateful.  I am super excited to see what this year brings!