Double short: The new Grande

So I have always been a local coffee shop girl. Trying to stay granola and support the townies. Some of my favorites were: Steep and Brew, Michelangelo's, ANCORA (try the white zombie!!), Perks, and CC's. But somewhere in my transition down here in Baton Rouge, I don't know if it was the non-walker and biker-friendliness, the lack of hippies or simply the abundance of Starbucks shops... I became a starbucks drinker. At first I was just doing the chai and frappacinos but then I started to venture out... it all started last christmas with the PEPPERMINT MOCHA. I had moved from the simply grande peppermint mocha, to a grande peppermint white mocha (2 shot peppermint, two shot white), to the grande non-fat no whip 2pump white mocha extra hot.

I started drinking two a days and got addicted. I didn't like how much I spend on coffee, all the sugar I tasted, and how much I was drinking in milk. What I liked about coffee was the rush of energy and that you didn't have to drink a lot to get that...

That's when the double short entered my world: This size is not on the menu so automatically they know that you are a regular. Then when you order the double shot, they know you are a SERIOUS REGULAR. Finally you confirm it: "I'll have a double short, non-fat, no-whip, one pump white mocha, extra hot,...oh and please make sure it's stirred." That's it. Not only does the barista know that you know what you are talking about but everyone else in line is trying to figure out where that item is on the menu and how long it took you to find your specific starbucks drink.

All this is to say that I stopped drinking starbucks after I got to this point. I am going insane I realized. I never knew I would be this routine about coffee. Today I made a mistake though. I finally got over my addiction so I decided to treat myself to one for old time's sake... and that double short has me up at 2:45 in the morning!!!

Just be careful. Support Local when possible. And when you can't just stick to the frappacinos. High Sugar. Low Coffee. Easy to Order. And unlikely to get addicted to.

Springform Pans

So I really like birthdays. If someone tells me there birthday I do my best to remember it becuase I love it. I have not been the best about getting gifts or cards to the person on the day of (but they will get a gift or cake) and I try to at least call that day. Anyway, one of my favorite things is to bake a cake for the person. I will ask for favorites and I always love when I get a challenging one. Some of my cakes include: cupcakes, red velvet, duck shaped, triple layer chocolate, and confetti. But I have just been given the new latest challenge: cookies and cream ice cream cake. Many would just fold and go buy one but not me. I am up to the challenge. I looked up some recipes and noticed a necessary supply that I don't own. This so called springform pan. I bought one for a friend in college but I never got one for myself. I recall that you use this pan for cheesecake but I never knew any other recipes for which you would need a springform pan. Well, now you know. i will let you know how this cake goes and show you a picture as soon as it is made. And if you see any cheap springform pans let me know. I will have to go purchase one because this cake shall not defeat me.

I am not very good at this blog thing...

I don't know if I just have nothing to say or don't know what is writing worthy or what, but I really have trouble keeping up this blog thing. I also don't know how many people are actually checking this blog so I don't feel the burden to write all the time. But that should really inspire me to write because I like the idea of using this more as an inside look into all that I am thinking. I just read other blogs and their lives seem so interesting, and their stories so funny. That being said, I find these brief moments of time that I can write and it is just self motivation to do it then. That tends to happen with a lot of things that I want to do but just don't make time for. Like writing letters. The other day I got locked out of my house with nothing but some stationary and some envelopes. For lunch today I am working phones and don't have access to my computer, so this is my time to blog.

No Greater Reward

I have the privilege of working in the missions dept at Healing Place Church. One thing I get to do is read over the newsletters we get in from missionaries we support. Today I was reading one from a missionary in Asia and he said something that hit me like never before:

"You go each time we go, you share each thing we share, and you preach each time we preach. Your reward will be the same as ours on that day. Pretty cool."

I guess I always thought that those people who are actually on the field roughing it would have bigger mansions and more crowns to offer than those of us who JUST support them, but the truth is that the reward is no different. What makes the difference is that you are living the life and doing all that God called you to do. Whether you are a missionary in Asia or supporting one from your cubicle in Louisiana, the important thing is that you are following the calling that God has for YOU!

I told these thoughts to a local missionary and he replied in one line what took me three paragraphs: "If we’re doing what God wants us to do there is no higher calling." Amen.

4th of July = Holiday = Blog Time

It has been a while since I have posted pictures on my blog because it takes so long to upload (mostly because I don't know what I am doing). I wanted to share some pictures with you of some people that are important to me here in baton rouge that many of you don't get to meet or see often.
First and foremost, this is... Robert.

You may have seen the video of him from a while back but this is him. He is on staff at Healing Place Church working in our Creative Team with Video Graphics and Editing as well as helping to plan and pray for the details of our new arena that we are in the process of building. He is incredibly intelligent, funny, and the perfect complement for me.

Next, this is the 2007 graduates of Full Time Elevate.

Some of the funniest, most diverse, crazy, radical men and women I know. I had the privilege of spending 24/7 with them for the last nine months. They are like family to me so you are sure to meet them one day.

Hopefully you have been able to go to the Children's Cup website to see the pictures from the mission trip FT elevate took to Mozambique in April. Below are some of my favorite pictures from this trip:

This is of a bunch of us playing red light green light.


Below is when I had the opportunity to teach at a kid's club in the church. Mashalayla (I spelled it phonetically) translated for me and all I could think to say over and over is "Jesus loves you!".



Next is a cool picture of Brandon, Isaac, Charles and Barton. So cool to think that three months ago we were all together and now... Brandon is working with our kids camp at HPC:Highland Campus, Isaac is pastoring the HPC:Mozambique Campus, Charles and his wife Kristen are working with Children's Cup in Swaziland, and Barton is serving at HPC: Danville Campus in California for the summer. Talk about Going Global!



Finally are a series of pictures that Dan Ohlerking took of my favorite (you always have a favorite) Martinya (pronounced Mah Teen Yah) and me. If I could have brought her home I would have. She is too cute!

Hope you enjoyed the few photos. There will be more to come. Have a happy 4th!