Get uncomfortable because it’s in that leaning fully upon the Lord that you will experience such intimacy in Him.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup and Bomb-diggety chocolate milk

(i figured an epic title would draw more ppl in :p)

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

at GloriousTreats.blogspot.com

1 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
1 cup water
dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

In a small saucepan, add sugar, cocoa, and salt.  Whisk together gently.  Add water.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Cool.  Store in the refrigerator. 

For chocolate milk, add 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup to 8 oz. of milk.  Heat for hot chocolate.

For milk shakes, combine 1 cup cold milk, 1/4 cup chocolate syrup and 2 cups (1 pint) of vanilla ice cream to a blender.  Blend.

This syrup would also make a delicious dessert garnish or ice cream topping.

Super Special Chocolate Milk
by Doughmestic.com

A hand full of ice
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
1 TBSP. vanilla extract
¼ cup chocolate syrup

Put everything into a drink shaker/blender and shake/blend vigorously for 30 seconds. Pour into a fancy glass and enjoy!

Taco Pasta Bake

Tried out a new recipe the other day, which worked out, and figured I'd share it...

TACO PASTA BAKE
makes about 10 servings

4 cup dry pasta of choice
2 lb ground beef or chicken breast (can substitute beans to make this recipe vegetarian)
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
2 cup liquid (I recommend mostly salsa and a bit of water)
2 cup shredded cheese

1. Boil pasta, drain.
2. cook meat
3. mix easoning and water, pour over meat and simmer 5 minutes.
4. put pasta in dish, mix in 1/2 of shredded cheese.
5. top pasta with meat mixture, gently mix.
6. top with remaining cheese.
7. bake @ 350 F uncovered 30 minutes.

Taco Seasoning

make about 4 Tbsp

2 Tbsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red chilli pepper flakes or pinch cayenne

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika

1 Tbsp cumin

2 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

blessed...

Not much to say, just wanted to share a snippet of a fabulous day yesterday.



Pretty much got up and God was like, "I'm going to blow your mind even more with how much I love you." And then my friend took me for a walk/picnic with an amazing view. And then my I met up with my mentor, and then we went to a cafe I love, and then over to her house to pick flowers, bake, play piano, listen to good music, and just chill out. I'm not much of a green thumb, so she created this bouquet out of the flowers I picked. My mind is just reeling at how much He loves me.

to answer the big question...

Here in YWAM there's a question we hear alot when schools end. "What are you doing next?" I have spent many afternoons this past week laying in the treehouse staring up at the sky and contemplating writing this update. Not because I don't know what I am doing - I mean, to some degree there's a bit of unknown, but overall I have a good idea. I've been contemplating because I am about to make a big transition. And I figure updates on big transitions should be full of profound, eloquent, words. And so this week I have found myself laying in the treehouse, enjoying the sunshine, staring up at the sky hoping for an outpouring of all the eloquent words I will never need. They haven't - I've never been eloquent with words, so I figured I might as well get on to the update in my typical uneloquent fashion.

3 months ago I had a pivotal conversation. I sat down with 2 people of great importance in my life - my Training Coordinator here at the base and a good friend who has also been one of my leaders this season. We proceeded to have a long, hard, but good discussion about the future and YWAM and growing in leadership, and things on my heart and such. I walked away from the discussion a bit dizzy in the head as I chewed on the ideas proposed to me. I went for a long walk and had some serious thinking and prayer time, which overflowed into the last 3 months. And said yes to a big change, yes to leaving what has been home for nearly 2 years, yes to pursuing my passion, yes....

And so, I will be heading back to Manitoba (where I grew up), which apparently is to be "home" for awhile. Awhile meaning a year - which to be honest I'm still getting used to - I haven't been home for a year at a time in the last 5 years, so this is a big change. I'm heading home for a year and I'm not sure exactly what's in store, but plan on spending time with my amazing family and especially with my nephew which I will finally get to meet! I have a job interview a few days after I return, so we'll see what happens. I'm pretty relaxed about it to be honest, because I know if that's God's plan for me I'll get the job, and if not, I won't. The important thing to me is to just ENJOY. I anticipate alot of movie dates with my sisters, teaching my 10-month old nephew to play piano, eating my parent's awesome cooking, seeing my sister's new home, filling my home with worship, enjoying Tim Hortons, poutine, legit maple syrup...the list could go on and on.

After a year at home I plan on heading to Denver to do a School of Worship with YWAM - which is a second level school for training up worship leaders. Basically I would get to hang out with a bunch of like-minded people who love leading people into the presence of the King, learn heaps about worship during lectures, and also obtain further musical training. I have applied for this school and will keep you posted on that.

Shortly after that, I plan on heading back to New Zealand to continue staffing at YWAM Oxford. To be honest it's hard to know what to all right on here as some things are in the dreaming stages and not confirmed and I'm not sure that what has all been told to me is ok to post on a public blog - but shoot me an email or grab me for a coffee and I'd love to chat. I know the Lord knows the plan and so I'm not worried - details will be sorted as they need to be, and everything that is meant to happen, will happen.

Right now, I'm just learning alot about enjoying the moment and valuing those around me. So I have no agenda for this next week. I plan on having lots of 1-on-1 time with my heavenly Father, sleeping in, worshipping heaps, and hanging out as much as possible with some precious people here that I probably won't see for awhile, and being.

To be honest it's still hard for me to belive that this is happening - it's such a big change. Though leaving my New Zealand home will be tough I'm excited for what's ahead. This next season will most likely come with challenges, but there's 2 things I know - that God is good, and that He is worthy of my praise. And that's what keeps me going.