Christmas Letter 2014

2014. Two-thousand-fourteen. What.a.year...tra la la. My blog notes that I haven't written a blog since July-twenty-fourth-two-thousand-fourteen, but  the truth is, I've written a few blogs in-between and have left them unpublished. It's been awhile, but I went back tonight to re-read them. They're good. At the time that I wrote them, I think they felt too raw to share, but perhaps I will share them in the nearer future. I'm a word girl. You all know that. I experience God in w-o-r-d-s. So, here are a few words for you to recap the year! Consider this Kyle and Molly's digital Christmas letter that saves the earth.

In order to review two-thousand-fourteen, that would require me to begin somewhere and I'm not even sure where to begin. How about March? In March, I received a phone call that my *dream* job was coming open at Southwestern College in Kansas. To make a really long story short, I applied for the job, interviewed for it and was offered the position in June. Kyle and I said good-bye to our beloved Wilmore, Asbury Seminary and wonderful friends in July and moved  our booties back to Kansas. This was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. I'm tearing up like a baby even thinking about it now...not because I didn't know that we would leave Wilmore one day, but because we left Wilmore earlier than we had planned. I'm not done with seminary, folks (although I've slashed through an additional 15 hours since we talked last...PRAISE THE LORD ABOVE *insert praise emoticon here*). Kyle, while sad to leave, was rather ecstatic to return home. That part of our journey has been a blessing this year! It was difficult to leave Kentucky, but what made it easy to leave were the people back at home. We've spent just about all of our waking hours with family. I think we've seen our families more in the last few months than we have in the last two years. That's been really fun! We're grateful. Despite missing Kentucky, we're grateful for the boundaries of God's love that have led us back to Kansas. We feel very confident that this is the direction that God called us. Never have we doubted that. 

When we moved, Kyle was still job searching. It was hard for him to leave his job at The Providence School in Wilmore. He loved working there and he really loved his colleagues. Thankfully, right before school started here, Kyle found a job as a math tutor with the Intermediate School in town. He's been enjoying his job. Turns out that he does a smorgasbord of things, the man teaches art, practically runs chess club and then, oh yeah, he tutors students in math. His school has snow cones after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and he stays late to play dodge ball with the students on Fridays. Precious boy. He lays in bed every Thursday telling me he can't wait for dodge ball the next day. 

My job is going well at Southwestern! One of the things that I love is that I get to both pastor and teach. And my students, well, they're fantastic. I couldn't  have made them up! This past week, I had a meeting for ordination with my district committee on ministry and they asked me what I've learned so far this semester...I told them a lot of things, but one of my interviewers said it well when we were wrapping up, she noted: "It sounds like you're learning who Molly Just is in ministry." I think that's right. I'm learning who I am as a pastor and leader, but also as an image bearer of God that is called vocationally. That's been a good adventure. 

Other than work, Kyle and I have enjoyed adjusting to this different life. We've enjoyed getting to know people around the area and are grateful for connections we've made. Transition has the potential to be lonely, but God has provided wonderful friends in Winfield! We're grateful. We've enjoyed being back in the land of good Mexican food and we absolutely ADORE our house. I can't believe I haven't given you a virtual tour yet. I'll fix that today with some added photos. We've enjoyed having students in this space. It's PERFECT for such a need. Gosh, we've had some great times here already.

All in all, we're grateful for God's sweet, sweet Spirit that constantly leads and guides us...we know He guides you all, too. We pray blessings over you, dear reader, especially this Christmas season. May the true gift of the incarnation be realized in your life and heart (as Dr. Tennent has said in Asbury's alumni Christmas card). And I think that's a wrap for this year. For the past few years, as I've written Christmas letters, I've always wondered to myself, "Where will we be next year?" I never thought 2014 would lead us back to Kansas, but it has! So, I end this letter with wonder...where will we be next year? I'll look forward to answering that question again in a year, but until then, we look forward to the year ahead and trust that God is with us on this journey that we call life.

They were out of the "O Joy!" falalalala signs at Target. But you know what? Myquillin Smith says that "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." The nester against Joy Cho. I don't know who wins, but I saved $4. 

Somehow this fireplace managed to stay on my chalk board since last winter. That's both impressive and embarrassing. 

I figured out how to take a panorama with me in it. Skillz.

The house! Woodwork, be mine forever.

Christmas Cards!

Fifteen Pairs of Hands

Well, we made it to Kansas! Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as easy as clicking our red heels together and appearing in Winfield (an ongoing joke from our Kentucky friends especially), but I do have to say that things went VERY smoothly. One of the things that humbled and impressed me the most was the Church.

Let me tell you -- one of the greatest things about the Church universal is that no matter where you go, God's people will be there, somewhere. I am moved by this truth.

Our sweet friends in Kentucky had a surprise going away party for us on Thursday evening last week (was that seriously a week ago!?). So many of our dear friends came to hang out with us one last time and say goodbye. Before things wrapped up, many of them asked us what time they needed to be there to help us move. Additionally, our country church that previous Sunday asked us what time they needed to be there to help us move. We never had to really ask for help because the Church asked first and showed up ready to go. We packed at 7 AM on Saturday morning and we were not only finished packing everything at 9:30 AM, but we were also finished cleaning the house. We left Wilmore and were on the road to Kansas shortly before 10. As someone who has moved time and time again and has watched others move, 2 1/2 hours is amazing time to have everything done. But, then again, things happen almost as fast as clicking red heels when you have 15 pairs of hands!

We spent two days driving to Kansas and arrived on Sunday afternoon. Of course, the first thing we did was eat at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants here in Winfield -- El Maguey. Hashtag priorities. Then, we moved into our new-to-us bungalow! While we had 15 hands to help us move on the "going" end, we had just as many, if not more on the receiving end. Again, God's Church showed up and even asked us how they could help before we even had to ask them. The move went quick, quick, quick. What a blessing.

John Wesley wrote a phenomenal sermon called "Of the Church" that I read for a class prior to moving. His words have shaped me, especially as we've moved and have been on the receiving end of the Church's love and grace several times during this last month. Wesley notes about the Church:

"How much do we almost continually hear about the Church! With many it is matter of daily conversation. And yet how few understand what they talk of! How few know what the term means! A more ambiguous word than this, the Church, is scarce to be found in the English language. It is sometimes taken for a building, set apart for public worship: sometimes for a congregation, or body of people, united together in the service of God. It is only in the latter sense that it is taken in the ensuing discourse..."

Wesley goes on to talk about how the church is where two or three are gathered together (Matthew 18:20) or how Philemon's household was considered to be a church. For Wesley, the Church is a body that is vocationally called to the services of God. Surely, then, 15 pairs of hands and hearts that arrive at 7 AM on a Saturday morning are the Church! And 15 hands that spend their Sunday afternoon unloading a moving truck are the Church!

I think I will let that speak for itself. All I can say to God and the Church is "thank you;" what happened on Saturday and Sunday should be an expectation for anyone that moves! This is a beautiful example of how the healthy Church should function at all times. Of course, life isn't all about the Church helping people move (unless you're at Asbury Seminary!), but the Church is about helping people period. There's a special type of hospitality in our world that can only be given by the Church and the Spirit. Thank you, Church and Spirit, for giving us that hospitality in abundance these last two weeks. From Kentucky to Kansas, God's Church is alive and well. I learned this through at least fifteen pairs of hands. Amen.

Some of our hands on the Kentucky end! Thanks Isaac Chua for photos of this amazing adventure.

Moving always means leaving people that you love a lot! Lauren and Michelle -- two gems I met at Asbury.

Our new bungalow! Isn't it cute?

The Dads ready to go and pretty proud that absolutely nothing shifted in the trailer during our 13 hour trip. Awesome or what?

How much do we almost continually hear about the Church! With many it is matter of daily conversation. And yet how few understand what they talk of! How few know what the term means! A more ambiguous word than this, the Church, is scarce to be found in the English language. It is sometimes taken for a building, set apart for public worship: sometimes for a congregation, or body of people, united together in the service of God. It is only in the latter sense that it is taken in the ensuing discourse. - See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/John-Wesley-Sermons/Sermon-74-Of-the-Church#sthash.gEBD4cRb.dpuf

How much do we almost continually hear about the Church! With many it is matter of daily conversation. And yet how few understand what they talk of! How few know what the term means! A more ambiguous word than this, the Church, is scarce to be found in the English language. It is sometimes taken for a building, set apart for public worship: sometimes for a congregation, or body of people, united together in the service of God. It is only in the latter sense that it is taken in the ensuing discourse. - See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/John-Wesley-Sermons/Sermon-74-Of-the-Church#sthash.gEBD4cRb.dpuf

5 Things

I thought a blog was due before we leave the great state of Kentucky.

We're currently packing our house. Let me just say a few things about this. First, this is the sixth, yes sixth, summer in a row that we have moved. Second, my idea of eternal damnation is packing, moving and unpacking on repeat. Third, once we began packing, my sad feelings about leaving Kentucky were extremely fleeting. Now, I'm begging to be back in Kansas! The disruption, the mess, the chaos. It's not for me. Get me outta here (my house, that is)!

 Now, I have to give a shout-out to our awesome parents who are coming to Kentucky to help us move. Kyle and I were about to rent a moving truck when my dad told me "No!" he is going to bring a trailer from the farm to move us because his truck gets at least 14/15 mpg pulling a trailer while moving trucks get like 2 mpg. Oh my gosh. Can I just say that I love my dad? This is what my whole life has been like. Farmer man to the rescue. I love it. On the flip side, both of our parents ask us if we're packing every time we talk. And they both have told us that we better have everything packed when they arrive. This is when I became convinced that everyone must agree that packing/moving is a source of eternal damnation. No one wants to do it. And you only help people move because you either love them or they're giving you free pizza. Or, often times, both. I guess I will just use this blog to publicly assure our parents that I don't expect them to help us with the packing -- just the loading, driving and unpacking ;). Seriously, though, we're really happy our parents get along so well and are coming to Kentucky, together, to help us move. We're so grateful for such awesome people. While many members of our family made it out to visit us while we were here, for our parents, this visit is a little too soon. The last time 3/4 of them were here is when they moved us out here! Sorry, for that. We're feeling the moving love, though.

As we plan to move cross country, can I say that for me the equivalent to having children is having plants? Moving plants. What a chore! You take them with you because you love them, even though they're so fussy. You can't leave them in a hot car, their sun/watering/temperature schedule gets wonky and they get to looking pretty beat up after a couple of days. Is this what having children is like? At least plants can't ask the never-ending question of "Are we there yet?" But, I love these plants and they're DEFINITELY coming with. So, I better just get over it now. I'm just kidding about kids by the way. I can't wait to have perfect, squishy babies.

Now, onto the main purpose of this blog. What an experience Kentucky has been! I am convinced that everyone needs to live out of their home-state and culture at least once in their lifetime. Kentucky is very different than Kansas, y'all. Now that we're moving back, I honestly feel like I am a Kentuckian moving to Kansas rather than a Kansan moving back to Kansas. Of course, I've always been a Kansan at heart, but here are five things that I am going to miss about Kentucky (besides the seminary, duh):

1. The appreciation for wine, bourbon and food that they have around here. Now, I'm not really into the whole bourbon scene, but I love the state pride that comes with producing your own wine and bourbon. Not to mention...bourbon balls. Little chocolate truffles that you might jump off a bridge for. Eating cheese/drinking wine, pairing beer with food...it's what people do on Friday nights around here. Whole Foods has an entire shenanigan dedicated to this type of thing on Fridays. I'm in love with it. I've gained such an appreciation for creating drinks, growing food and thinking about the ethics of it all.

2. Trader Joe's, Meijer, Aldi, the Farmer's Market. I turned into a real grocery snob here. I'm not sure I can recover when I move back to Winfield. I'll go down fighting, I just know it.

3. Horses, Derby things, fences, white rocking chairs on every porch, and amazing southern homes. The scenery! Don't make me go.

4. Our church. I'm weeping now.

5. All of the towns that we're near -- Cincinnati, Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, etc. 

Life in Kentucky is incredibly fun! So different and sweet. I'm SO glad so many of our friends and family were able to visit us while we were here.

To be fair, here are five things that I am looking forward to upon our return to Kansas (besides being close to family/friends):

1. El Maguey, College Hill Coffee, Neives and legit Mexican cuisine, in general.

2. The Leoti Fair. Magical.

3.  Visiting the farm more often. (Did I tell you that Kyle and I have been talking about exploring the possibility of having chickens when live in our own house in Kansas someday?)

4. Seeing Southwestern/Winfield in the Fall.

5. Watching the sun set.

Please pray for us as we make this transition. Also, please pray that the Lord will lead Kyle to the perfect job. Other than that, we will talk to y'all on the flip side.

BIG NEWS

I can't believe I am writing this blog. So much has happened over the past few months and I am incredibly excited and honored to update all of you. How do I say it!? Well, I'll just say it! I've accepted a position at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas as the Director of the service learning organization, Discipleship Southwestern. Give me a minute.

WOWOWOWOWOWOWWOWOWOWOWOWWWWWWW

I still can't believe it. As many of you will remember, Kyle and I were both a part of the Discipleship program when we were students at Southwestern. This ministry shaped my life and my calling in an incredible way. It was there that I met Rev. Ashlee Alley, the current Discipleship Director and Campus Minister. Ashlee identified gifts within me and encouraged me to think about a vocation in ministry. Long story short, I entered Southwestern as an elementary education major and graduated as a religion and philosophy major.

Then, when the job position for Director of Discipleship Southwestern came open, Ashlee was the first to let me know about it.

I tell you all these stories about Ashlee Alley because the Lord has worked through her to get me to where I am today! And, this is not just my story. This is the story of many other students who have been impacted by her and campus ministry at Southwestern.

I am convinced that college is one of the most important times in any student's life. It is most often the place that calling, vocation and character intersect. Students learn who they are, process where they've come from and decide where they want to go in the future, all while they're in college. There's an abundance of things going on in a collegiate student's life. And, often times, the decisions students make in college will affect the trajectory of their lives! It's an important time. To me, there is no better time to invest in students. College students are curious, transparent, waiting to be molded. How incredibly exciting to be a part of that. That's what I get to do, people. It's my dream job. It's the job I've prayed for since I was in college. I'm not kidding, I have journals full of prayers asking God to prepare a place for me at Southwestern to serve in ministry someday. 

So, the good news is: we are moving back to Kansas for my dream job.
The bad news is: we are moving back to Kansas for my dream job.

We are incredibly sad to leave Asbury. I'm not sure if I can communicate our level of sadness. The moment I said yes to the dean on the phone, a part of my heart sank. This is bittersweet. I can't imagine leaving Asbury early. It wasn't in our five year plan and we love it here. I have a theory that it takes at least two years to be fully settled in a place. The first year is all new -- you're experiencing things for the first time and getting into a rhythm of life. The second year, normalcy sets it and by the end of the second year, you feel like you're really "home." Here we are, at the end of our second year in Wilmore and that's how I feel. There is no doubt about it, we are leaving our home. We are leaving people we love and will remember forever. We are leaving a church we LOVE. I will have to finish seminary online. We are leaving the South and all of the features of Southern hospitality that are embedded in our community. We're leaving it! All of it! But, last night, I had a thought: I was glad that I was so sad. It means that this community, this place -- Asbury Theological Seminary, has been incredible to us. We leave it honored that we were able to be here for two short years. And we know that we leave ATS totally changed. Praise God for that!! This has been an amazing place to nurture our marriage and our life over the past two years. So, I keep telling myself, that we will be back, because my unfinished degree requires trips to campus. We will see people again. And you know what, I think heaven must be somewhat like seminary and especially Kalas Village (where we live). I learned to like tea here because it meant getting to know people. I will carry it back with me to all my Kansas folks.

Second to last of all, I must brag on Kyle. Somehow I convinced him to marry me and move everywhere with me, sacrificing career opportunities along the way. He's incredible. I couldn't do this without his support. Really, we couldn't be married and in ministry if he didn't support me like he does. So, pray with me that Kyle finds a PE job as we move back to Kansas. He wants it and I want it for him. He's pretty stoked about returning to Kansas, by the way. I think he's really happy to be going home. He's forever a part of my ministry. I know he will be the first one out there playing ultimate frisbee with my D-ship students one day soon. That's a true blessing. He loves students as much as I do.

Last of all, I must thank all of those who have supported us on this journey. To our families and friends in Kansas, thank you for all the love and support. To our friends here at seminary and Mt. Zion, our church family, who have both been on this journey with us since we found out about the job early this spring -- thank you so much for praying with us and being excited for us. You were some of the first ones we were able to share our news with! We'll always remember your support and your excitement! We know our path will cross with many of yours in the future and we're SO excited about that. The seminary experience is so fleeting -- people are coming and going all the time and things are constantly changing. However, one thing remains and that is Christ. We are one in him and through him. I look forward to spending eternity with all of you and I mean that very seriously.

Ok, I have to stop rambling. I would love to end this exciting announcement with a picture of what my new job will look like. These are from when I was a student in the Discipleship program. I can't wait to create more memories like this.
 

My covenant group, "Imago Dei!"

The entire Discipleship team.

Sweet Southern Spring

My second year of seminary is officially over! I am so excited. This semester was very fun, but seminary can be exhausting. I learned so much and when the end of May rolled around, I was glad to finish out strong. In addition to normal life, Kyle and I had such a fun spring doing things around Kentucky! We had an incredibly long winter, so when spring arrived in mid-April, we were stoked. Kyle and I saved up our Christmas money and decided to go on a weekend getaway for his birthday in the Smokies. We went to stay at a B&B, Blue Mountain Mist, in Sieverville, TN. It was so beautiful! We enjoyed roaming around Cade's Cove, shopping and eating some delicious food. Our B&B was also very sweet. The family that owns it is a Christian family so they led us in prayer before breakfast and prayed over us as we traveled. They also made late night desserts and sweet tea for us! We enjoyed cake, cobbler and tea on the patio each evening. All in all, it was great to travel and see Tennessee and Smoky Mountain National Park.

The weekend after our Tennessee trip was Holy Week and we went on a Good Friday retreat with our Church out at Aldersgate Camp, a couple hours away from Wilmore. We had a wonderful time of reflection and fellowship. We also enjoyed hiking up to a cave. We wandered through the cave for a short while until we ran into cave crickets that looked like spiders! There were also bats! It was a fun experience and the weather was perfect.

In late April, I enjoyed going to Keeneland with my friend, Jenny. We dressed up and watched 10 horse races. We didn't do any betting, but we enjoyed the atmosphere. Going to the races is the one experience that made me feel like a authentic Kentuckian! People were all dressed up -- hats included and the horses were beautiful. Going to Keeneland was a blast. It's beautiful. Most would agree it's more beautiful than Churchill Downs. Also, during Derby Weekend we attended a small Derby get together and Kyle made a famous Kentucky Derby Pie. It was delicious -- so delicious that I took the leftovers with us to church because I could have eaten the rest by myself.

Another fun activity we did at the end of April was attend the Highbridge Film Festival at Asbury University. Random fact: Asbury University has one of the best film schools in the nation. Their students go to the Olympics to film every couple of years! How neat. Also, many of their alums have been involved in producing various well-known films. They have movie posters in their Media Communications building, all representative of films that alumni have been a part of in some way or another. Secretariat is one film that AU alums helped produce and film (imagine that) :). So, because they have such a great film program, every year they host a film festival where students show off their work in short films/animations. All the students dress up and attend, along with community members. Going to the festival was incredibly fun, partly because I was amazed at how awesome their films were! They were fantastic -- such great quality. I don't even know how to run a video camera, so to see students put together films that are equivalent to Disney "shorts" is pretty incredible. Plus the evening was complete with an after party and free Chick-fil-a. I mean really, they had me at "film festival" but free "Chick-fil-a" stole my heart.

Outside of Wilmore, in a small town called Nonesuch, there is a fancy Antique store called "Irish Acres." In the bottom of the store is a spiffy lunch restaurant called "The Glitz." All of the food is made in house, fresh, everyday. The experience includes a homemade "Spritzer," an appetizer, entree, and dessert. The menu contains two/three different options for each course and changes every couple of weeks. Kyle and I went with our sweet Kansas friends, Aaron and Rene. The atmosphere and the menu were fantastic. I had stuffed new potatoes for my appetizer, chicken salad on a croissant with spinach/strawberry and almond salad (the strawberry dressing was to die for), and the "Nonesuch Kiss" for dessert -- chocolate/coffee type ice cream with cream, a cherry, and hot fudge all on top of a meringue. Delicious! Also, our awesome waitress let us try the carrot/ginger soup. Again, a home run. I'm so glad Aaron and Rene took us to this fun place.  We had a great day with them.

We had such a great Spring at Asbury and really enjoyed a little bit of what Kentucky has to offer! The only sad part is Jenny left to move back to Mississippi. I was excited for her, but sad to see her go. We ate breakfast at a Coffee Pub that we had been wanting to go to. It was so cute. And that's a wrap for the Spring.

Baking Sunday: French Macarons filled with Raspberry and White Chocolate Ganache

Jenny and I decided to make French Macarons this past Baking Sunday. Macarons are notorious for being tricky and complex. We had a real adventure! Jenny studied abroad in France while she was in college so she found legitimate recipes (one for the meringue shell and one for the ganache) online because you can't make macarons the American way! No butter allowed. Our first batch of meringues turned out okay, but they were sticky and we couldn't figure out if they had baked long enough. The second time around proved a whole lot more successful. We lightly greased the pan, which was actually really helpful and I turned the oven down to 300F instead of 275F as the recipe called.

In addition to being tricky in general, macarons require you to pay attention to detail. We used the food processor to make our own almond meal and Jenny strained it through a mesh sieve twice. It's important for the almond meal to be very fine. I also learned that when you're making the sugar syrup, you cannot stir it or touch it with a spoon once it has boiled. Stirring it allows oxygen in, and in turn makes the mixture solidify. I was in charge of the sugar syrup and did that! Oh jeez. I learned a baking lesson the hard way and had to re-make the sugar syrup. I told Jenny when we were baking that macarons wouldn't be fun to make alone! I think our total baking time (we made two batches) ended up being 3 1/2 hours or so. But the little jewels were well worth the effort and it was a lot of fun. Our second batch wasn't too shabby! Plus, the raspberry/white chocolate ganache is to die for. And now we can say that we've made macarons. Ladies and gents, our baking has ascended to a new skill level and that's a good thing, too, because the semester is almost over and Jenny is going home! What am I going to do without her? I told her we will have to have Skype Baking Sundays. Otherwise, I'm trying not to think about her going back to Mississippi :(.

I know it seems silly, but Baking Sunday has been one of best ways that I've experienced God! It's been so fun to anticipate fellowship each week and create. Baking Sunday often reaches farther than Sunday, too. It enabled me to make a GREAT friend (Jenny), have some really fun and meaningful conversations along the way, and to share our baking goodies with others in the Asbury community. My bosses at work benefit the most ;). Baking Sunday has truly been nurturing for my soul. What a wonderful sabbath activity it has been. 

Besides what I listed above, I have no extra critiques about the macarons. I am just going to leave you with links to the original recipes that we used. They worked out pretty well for us. Enjoy!

 - Recipe for the meringues here
 - Recipe for the raspberry ganache here

Bon appétit my fellow Sunday bakers!

Baking Sunday: Lavender Cupcakes with Cream Cheese & Honey Frosting

I am so, so, so excited to share this Baking Sunday recipe with you! And I'm SUPER stoked about my pictures this week. I was getting fancy with my Iphone and VscoCam. Things have been so crazy in seminary lately that I haven't had much of a chance to blog about all of the delicious things that Jenny and I have been making -- scratch that, baking. From cinnamon rolls to key lime pie, banana bread bars, black bean double chocolate chip cookies, it's all been good, people. But these lavender cupcakes are the pinnacle of our baking, in my opinion. They're so creative, unique and dreamy. I've literally never tasted anything like them. The combination of lavender, honey and vanilla is too good.

When I told one of my friends at church that we were baking lavender cupcakes she made me nervous. She told me that her mother-in-law had made lavender cheesecake once and it tasted like a candle. Then, I was reading some of the reviews for this recipe and some people said that the dried lavender they used was tasteless. Let me tell you, we didn't run into either problem. The cupcakes don't taste like candles and they aren't tasteless. They're delicious! So, I feel like we hit the jack-pot. Please make these, okay?

Recipe courtesy of Jessie Next Door
*I've cut the frosting recipe in half because we had SO much left over. Unless you want to OD on cream cheese and honey frosting (which, hey, you might and I won't judge you) I think my adjustment covers the amount you'll need.

What you'll need for the cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla 
• Purple, or red and blue frosting, tint the batter to your liking. We made ours a light lavender color. 
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of dried lavender buds (I found mine at World Market...Whole Foods didn't have any, neither did Mejier and I didn't check at Trader Joe's)
• 2/3 cup cold milk

What you'll need for the frosting:

• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups of confectioners' sugar 
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla 
• 1 tablespoon of honey, and more for drizzling

To Bake:

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners or grease the tins with butter. 
• Chop the dried lavender buds into fine pieces and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg. Mix in the vanilla and the food coloring. 
• In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and chopped lavender buds. 
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat together, then stir in the milk. 
• Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tins. 
• Bake for 18-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Let the cupcakes cool in the tins for 5-10 minutes and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

• In a large bowl (or in the stand mixer), beat butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low, until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla and honey. 
• Scoop the frosting into a piping bag or ziplock bag and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes in the way that you see fit. 
• After you're finished frosting the cupcakes, drizzle some honey on top (this is a great opportunity to use your honey spoon if you have one ;))!
• Garnish with some dried lavender, if you want, and enjoy

 *Store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator since they have cream cheese frosting.

Lenten Intentions

I'm currently sitting in our room at a B&B in Tennessee, enjoying the Smoky Mountains from my window and the beautiful 70 degree breeze. Kyle and I spent the whole day outside at a place called Cades Cove in Smoky Mountain National Park. It was so beautiful, so needed. Reconnecting with mother earth after the longest winter ever is seriously glorious. I never want to see snow again! Anyway, as we were exploring around Cades Cove today I was thinking about this season of Lent. I haven't posted much about my Lenten journey on the blog on purpose. I needed a lot of time to reflect personally. Now, with Lent wrapping up, I feel like it's not only appropriate, but necessary for me to share how the Spirit has been working in my life during this season.

It's been the best Lent I've ever had, hands down. Lent is one of my favorite church seasons and this one has been exceptionally spirit-filled and full of true growth. This year, I decided that I was going to take something on instead of giving something up. You see, there was a real hole in my life, full of anger, frustration, self-pity and other nasty things. This hole was caused partly by people and partly by me. So, for Lent, I committed to doing what I wanted to do least, but needed to do most, and that was to love my neighbor. Loving a general neighbor is easy enough, but it's loving those who have hurt us or let us down in some form that is more difficult. It's one of the most important biblical commandments, yet when someone hurts me, it's no longer easy for me to hold them in love. Instead, it's super easy, even enjoyable for me to hold them in a grudge. This type of behavior ends up hurting everyone involved in the end, but over the years I've discovered that lack of love for any neighbor of mine annihilates my own joy. So, who's the real loser?

I committed to loving my neighbors -- my literal, technical neighbors, my friends, my peers, my annoying acquaintances, those who have hurt me -- everyone. This practice has taken on various forms: perhaps delivering baked goods to someone, inviting people over for dinner, writing someone a note, giving someone a ride, forgiving someone whether or not they've realized that they've hurt me, listening to my annoying acquaintances, and apologizing for hurting others. The most important thing that I've discovered is that this requires daily, specific prayer. I had to pray daily that the Lord might help me to keep an eye out for those that might need a specific type of care or love, and ways that I could practice needed forgiveness. The Lord opened up ample opportunities for me to love my neighbor! Some expected, some totally unexpected. Some opportunities obvious, some subtle. This Lenten season has been a true gift. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I have changed and have been disciplined about focusing. This, after all, is what the Lenten season is all about (This is also why I am so grateful to be a part of a church that has a foundation in the church calendar. Just thought I'd throw that nerdy tid-bit out there). I definitely have not become perfect at loving my neighbor this Lent, but surely intentionality is a step in the right direction.

Last of all, I must give thanks for our local church that has guided me along on this beautiful journey. Kyle and I have grown SO much since attending this church and we're so grateful for the wonderful community that we've become a part of. We're so grateful that this community invites ALL in. I've learned to love my neighbor this season through the way that my church has loved me. Never underestimate the power of including and loving people in your community.

Well, that's how I've grown this season! My heart is ready for Easter Sunday and we still have Holy Week to go. How have you grown this Lenten season? What did you give up or take on? The pastor in me is always curious.

One of the easy and enjoyable ways I was able to practice loving my Kentucky neighbors...highway clean-up! This was really fun!

From Dust to Dust

Out of dust we were taken and to dust we shall all return. Lent is a season that I welcome gladly each year. As many of you know, I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, so I grew up celebrating Lent. When I started going to a non-denominational church during my middle school and high school years, Lent (and the church calendar in general) was abandoned. I was fine with that at the time. It was nice to have a break from church tradition because it had turned into a sort of dead orthodoxy for me. However, when I attended college at Southwestern, the church calendar became a pertinent part of my life again. Not really by choice, but by default. I did choose to attend a Methodist affiliated college, after all. My first Ash Wednesday at college sent me straight back to my Roman Catholic roots. I wasn't sure how to feel about Lent because somewhere along the way I had convinced myself that the church seasons, Lent included, were irrelevant. My first Lenten season at Southwestern proved otherwise. However, I didn't realize how much Lent meant to me until Easter morning that year. If anything will make Easter relevant to you, it will be Lent.

After experiencing and participating in Ash Wednesdays and Lenten seasons over the past six years, I've come to realize that Lent will really rock your world if you take it seriously. I've discovered that you will find a different joy on an Easter morning that has been preceded by a serious Lenten season. Lent is a time for us to acknowledge that we are weak and sinful. From dust we were taken and to dust we shall return. Our lives are meaningless without Christ. We fast and pray and seek Christ during this season in more intentional ways. Lent is a time when we acknowledge that we are not self-made. This is a difficult realization for all of us. We're good and making and re-making ourselves. Lent is letting go of all of that.

On Easter morning, I cannot wait for the sun to come up because it signifies that Jesus has risen! Jesus has won the battle over sin. If you observe Lent, on Easter morning you don't have to pretend to be happy. Friends, you're going to be happy because the time to mourn and reflect on your brokenness and frailty is gone. Easter becomes extremely relevant when you've spent a season acknowledging your own sin.

When we observe Lent, we wake up as different people on Easter morning. I hope and pray that this Lenten journey will be meaningful for you. Blessings during this season of reflection, friends.

A picture from our tiny country church prior to our Ash Wednesday fellowship meal and service. The purple linens reflect the change in our church season. We are preparing for our Lenten journey that will lead us to our Easter vigil.

Baking Sunday: Molten Lava Chocolate Cakes For a Crowd

Today I made myself work out before blogging. I suggest working out before reading this post because this Baking Sunday is a good one, especially if you're a chocolate lover. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Molten Lava Cakes courtesy of Master Chef, Whitney Miller!

Jenny and I enjoyed making these. The trick to these are baking them for a short period of time so the outside gets done and the inside middle stays liquid-y chocolate. They are delicious with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and these are so easy to make! Miller suggest baking them in a muffin pan. So if you are ever in need an easy dessert that's impressive, for 12 people or under, these are definitely go-to and are sure to please.

Last of all, my journey with Whitney Miller's cook book has been a fun one. I found her book while perusing through the cooking section at Half Price Books in Dallas this past summer (one of my favorite pastimes). I was originally attracted to the title of her cook book, "Modern Hospitality." Then, when I started looking through it, I became so intrigued! I thought to myself, "These are recipes that I would actually cook." So, I bought the book and have loved it dearly ever since. (Then, I watched her season of Master Chef. Thanks, YouTube). Miller's cook book features various updated versions of southern classics, she is a Mississippi girl after all, and I love that she learned to cook from her mother, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. We also discovered that her and Jenny attended the same college. Jenny is a Mississippi girl, too. I just love these southern belles.

Now for the REALLY exciting part: Saturday night, I tweeted about being excited to make the molten lava cakes with Jenny and tagged Miller in my tweet. Sunday, while Jenny and I were baking, she tweeted me back! I was SO excited. It's just kind of fun to have a Master Chef tweet you, you know? I sent her a picture of our final product and she said, "They look great!" :). So, these have the Master Chef's approval. Anyway, enough excitement. Enjoy the recipe, won't you? And grab a copy of Miller's cookbook if you have the chance. You won't be disappointed!

Molten Lava Cakes for a Crowd (Master Chef, Whitney Miller)

 *This recipe is taken straight from her cook book! No alterations.

Serves 12

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

CAKES:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter (salted will work if that's all you have)
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream using an electric mixer in a large cold bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the confectioner' sugar. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cakes.

To make the cakes: Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, stir in the coffee until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the cakes are slightly jiggly in the center, about 7 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cake and transfer the hot cakes to dessert plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with the cocoa powder.

My attempt, yet again, to be artsy with my Iphone and Instagram. Hey, it does look pretty delicious, right?

Molten Lava Cakes for a Crowd

Serves 12

Rich and fudgy brownies were the go-to dessert at Whitney's house when a chocolate craving struck. That is, until she started making her molten lava cakes. These rich, gooey cakes will satisfy even the most die-hard chocoholics, and since they're baked in a muffin tin, it's easy to whip up a large batch in no time at all.

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

CAKES:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream using an electric mixer in a large cold bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the confectioner' sugar. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cakes.

To make the cakes: Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, stir in the coffee until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the cakes are slightly jiggly in the center, about 7 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cake and transfer the hot cakes to dessert plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with the cocoa powder.

- See more at: http://www.boomerbrief.com/2011/11/modern-hospitality.html#sthash.LR1Iy3U4.dpuf

Molten Lava Cakes for a Crowd

Serves 12

Rich and fudgy brownies were the go-to dessert at Whitney's house when a chocolate craving struck. That is, until she started making her molten lava cakes. These rich, gooey cakes will satisfy even the most die-hard chocoholics, and since they're baked in a muffin tin, it's easy to whip up a large batch in no time at all.

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

CAKES:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream using an electric mixer in a large cold bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the confectioner' sugar. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cakes.

To make the cakes: Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, stir in the coffee until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the cakes are slightly jiggly in the center, about 7 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cake and transfer the hot cakes to dessert plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with the cocoa powder.

- See more at: http://www.boomerbrief.com/2011/11/modern-hospitality.html#sthash.LR1Iy3U4.dpuf

Molten Lava Cakes for a Crowd

Serves 12

Rich and fudgy brownies were the go-to dessert at Whitney's house when a chocolate craving struck. That is, until she started making her molten lava cakes. These rich, gooey cakes will satisfy even the most die-hard chocoholics, and since they're baked in a muffin tin, it's easy to whip up a large batch in no time at all.

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

CAKES:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream using an electric mixer in a large cold bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the confectioner' sugar. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cakes.

To make the cakes: Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, stir in the coffee until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the cakes are slightly jiggly in the center, about 7 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cake and transfer the hot cakes to dessert plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with the cocoa powder.

- See more at: http://www.boomerbrief.com/2011/11/modern-hospitality.html#sthash.LR1Iy3U4.dpuf