(source) 

Fearing people is a dangerous trap,

But to trust the LORD means safety.

Proverbs 29:25

TRUST

Doesn’t it always come back to this?

To put my hand in His and let Him be the one to lead.

To trust His judgment.

And don’t we all struggle with just this?

This need to learn how to purposely choose to look at His face whenever I worry about what’s maybe right and what might be wrong?

To look to Him for approval instead of letting the approval of people be my guide?

Just a little while ago I was in Albania sitting across from a new friend, a woman being braver than most, willing to go against the grain that constrains the women there.

She told me about all those years when communism reigned and having nothing was normal— no beauty, no luxury, not enough food, not enough of anything.

And so women just cleaned. Because their homes were not pretty, they made sure they were clean. Cleaner than anyone else’s. Women mopped and shined and wiped meticulously, endlessly. And then they apologized for anything less than perfect and limited themselves, lest anyone see so much as a smudge.

And they’re still doing it now while working and buying and saving and educating and cooking the most delicious and time intensive meals I’d ever eaten.

And my friend has decided not to go along with that pressure. She won’t be defined by the hygienics of her shower.

She has stuff to do, important stuff. 

So she’s writing instead of scrubbing; children’s bible stories, a blog for young mothers, another for Albanian families, an online magazine. And she’s gathering women to study Scripture, to search for wisdom about raising their children in post-communist, still-atheist Albania.

Edi is my hero—she’s bold, she’s beautiful.

She’s safe.

And Edi has mastered something I’m just beginning to learn— that to fear God we women must deliberately ignore the disapproval of our sisters and mothers and magazines and friends.

We must choose instead to think long and hard, to ponder all alone just what it is that the LORD is asking of us.

To wear the clothes that fit, and toss out those wishful thinking styles that bind our souls too tight.

But how? Other than letting ourselves get all hard and cold and defiant, how in the world can we act on this?

Here’s my list for me…

1. To not try to do it all.
2. To tell the truth.
3. To be satisfied with who we are and then be free to enjoy our sisters who aren’t like us at all.
4. To do what only I can do and not try to do more.
5. To smile and have fun and hole up in quiet corners all by myself just because I crave that.
6. To wear glitter when grey is more the style.

I am learning… slowly. And so are you. We’ll get this eventually.

From my heart,

Diane

Isaiah 51:7… so much wisdom

repost from Nov. 2012 

(source)

Sometimes I think life is like a chapter book. 

All the chapters connect to each other yet no two chapters are the same.

Some are filled with details and history. Some with drama and intrigue.  All are necessary to tell the story.

I tend to want to read ahead and see what’s next which can cause me to miss the right now.

I’m sure I am not alone. 

These past few months have brought about a lot of learning and growing and stretching and asking God “what story are you trying to write?”.

God has blessed me beyond belief with a wonderful husband, two growing-up-way-too-fast children and this incredible blog to be a part of.

Working with my mom and helping her spread the words that God has given her is something I treasure. Not to mention the fact that so many of you read The Kitchen each week... it blows my mind and delights by soul. Thank you. 

Yet somehow I have been finding myself in a place I don’t want to stay…. too busy to do the things that are the most important in my current chapter…

Loving, caring for, serving and making space for my husband and my family.

 

Because sometimes the most important things look like taking the time to have a dance party with Duke in the hallway.

(I can’t dance)

And sometimes they look like lying on the floor and teaching Scarlet to say “mama”

(the only word she will say is “Dada”. All day long.)

Other times they look like having a cup of coffee and talking to Brook instead of working on my “to-do” list.

A perfectionist at heart, I can sometimes get so focused on tasks and making everything just right that I miss the simple joys along the way.

In this next chapter of my life I know God is asking me to strip away all the things that aren’t the most important and simplify a bit.

So I will be doing a little less blogging and a few more park days, dance parties, impromptu dessert making and whatever else may come about in the day-to-day.

As for THE KITCHEN… 

This has been a tough one for me as I LOVE to cook and LOVE to share with all of you.

For now, I’m going to keep the conversation going and pop in every month or so with a new recipe or two.

I am excited about this next chapter and I would love to hear what God is teaching you as well!

I hope to be back right before Christmas with a cinnamon roll recipe.

Until we talk again,

Elizabeth