His grace is sufficient for me!

It doesn't take too much for us to get distracted by the viles of this world... it's super easy actually. Especially this holiday season. The focus on what the true emphasis during christmas should be has slowly but steadily veered away from Christ. That was almost the case for me this time. Not in a bad jarring way at all really. Just a slow, mellow, pleasing way..I know..bad traits happen with ease so you don't realize till it's full blown. Ok let me explain..So here we are in the south-west vacationing with family - just relaxing, eating, sleeping, lounging around the house and shopping. It's been a great week so far. So I'm all puffed up with how wonderful the holiday season is and how everything's just perfect. But just this morning I had a reminder of how fleeting worldly things can be and how long suffering He is. A good friend of mine is going through some tough times and in chatting with her God has made me realize the true meaning of this season...celebrating Him in both tough and smooth times.

They say that a goldsmith keeps pounding away for quite sometime to prepare the metal. When it reaches its hottest point, its the most malleable and that's when the goldsmith doesn't dare to even bat his eyelid for fear of losing the metal's integrity at this crucial moment in the entire forging process. So also, when we go through testing times that make us feel like we can't bear it anymore or go on any further, we need to know that our creator's eyes are fixed on us at the hottest, most trying times. He'll mold us just the perfect way we need to be. In the end we come out of the process in all splendor - beautiful, pure and shining. Isn't that just awesome? So my dear friend, be encouraged...His grace is sufficient for you! I say this out of experience - Having had my own share of tribulations - I've known and felt God's peace, grace and mercies in my life and want you to too. Thank you for reminding me that His love overshadows any hurt, worry or sorrow we carry.

Thank you Lord for your wonderful mercies! Changing seasons are testimonies of your amazing grace.

Season's Resolutions

It's winter and truly so...sniffling noses, christmas decorations, snow showers ...the works! This year though is different..I've resolved to look at all of this differently..positively I mean..especially the crazy numbing cold. So far the attitude change has worked great. I showeled our driveway for the first time in my life and actually had a great time! Now B asks if I'd do it for the whole winter this time :) sure why not..All it needed was an attitude change.It's all in the mind. Really. Now I've resolved to get through an entire cookbook of chicken recipes starting today. What am I thinking?! Sunday is an easy day to cook..weekdays not so much..it's gonna be challenging to get through each recipe, but we'll see.

Today's dish: Eithiopian Chicken Stew with steamed rice. Was a hit in our house. Hoping the rest of my recipes fare so well..no pictures of the dish coz we attacked it as soon as it was done cooking ..Will remember to click next time though..

Until tomorrow..staying warm with Vicks and tea. Seeya!

Asian Shrimp in Pepper Sauce

Ok so yea..I've found the all important camera cord and here's that dish I was talking about..it's a cross between Indian and other Asian flavors..B made it. Let the pictures speak for themselves.

The starting point..raw shrimp blended into a thick paste with flour and spices.

And there's the base for that yummy pepper sauce.

The shrimp falls getting fried up.

Out of the oil.

That's the sauce getting ready for those shrimp balls...

And the finished product...too much steam to get a beauty shot here..but couldn't wait to eat before clicking one more pic. 

That's post-dinner.

Asian Shrimp in Pepper Sauce..looks good doesn't it? Yummy in my tummy too!

P.S.: That sunrise I was so excited about..well it's morning now! So that topic's for another time. Later.

My camera! Wail.

So I'm sitting here trying to create a new post about this dish I had last night but can't, for the life of me, find the cord for my camera...what's a food blog without pictures right? So I'm just gonna hold off on that one for later today - maybe?! For now I have to talk about something else..oh like how amazing is the color of the early morning sky..how many people get to see this? Aah I need that cord badly! Ok maybe I'll look for it one more time before I give up...brb!

What's with that name: Shackle free?

Inspiration for my blogger id..

My first note!

From my facebook notes:

by Synthia Findlay on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 1:06pm

 

The first thing that comes to mind when I start writing is the 'pensieve'. Not many things different between that and this 'notes' feature on facebook - Dumping thoughts, memories, to-do items, not-to-items (you get the picture) somewhere just so our brains would be less crowded! Today, I have finally found the time to sit down and edit all the applications on my facebook profile. Granted this is definitely a very powerful and advanced application but it does come with its own set of drawbacks..for one its way too cluttered and complicated...and gets worse and no better everytime I edit it!

There...now my mind is less cluttered and my homepage even less so :D