nolkins

Grateful

I’m rarely reflective. In fact, sometimes I’m oblivious to truth in my life.

I tend to focus on perfecting the blemishes and purging the weaknesses; stashing the trash and masking the clutter. The natural result? Self-obsession and disconnection from reality.

If I’m not conscientious and intentional about regaining perspective, my problems quickly grow out of proportion and my heart becomes anxious and bitter.

I’ve been pushing myself to take stock of my reality. To be honest with myself – to examine my day-to-day beliefs and consider their validity. The result has been a feeling of overwhelming gratitude.

I’m grateful for friends who hold me accountable to dreams that I’m afraid to vocalize.

I’m grateful to live in a city full of opportunity.

I’m grateful for thunderstorms that I can watch through large windows – from the comfort of a couch and warmth of a tea cup.

I’m grateful for parents who are proud of me when I don’t know why.

I’m grateful for the hope of tomorrow even without a promise of today.

I’m grateful for the days when I wake up without pain.

I’m grateful for sisters who love me [and tell their friends that I’m cool].

I’m grateful for education and empathy and their limitless potential.

I’m grateful for friendships that never change, despite distance and life stage.

I’m grateful to jump in my car and shortly end up lost in the Shenandoah.

I’m grateful for opportunities to see the world and capture memories with people dear to my heart.

I’m grateful for fresh flowers on my table and Otis Redding on the record player.

I’m grateful that I am never alone despite day-to-day ups and downs.

I’m grateful to have known and loved my grandparents – to know they are part of who I am.

I’m grateful for antique furniture and family heirlooms that make my home feel like home.

I’m grateful for a faith that has evolved while continuing to be my compass.

I’m grateful to my God who knows me fully even when I don’t know myself.

I’m grateful for Audrey Assad and for Rachel Held Evens.

I’m grateful for hope in a world where words lack assurance and trust may be broken.

I’m grateful for resurrection and the hope for life eternal.

For these truths and so much more, I am grateful. This reality is the one I want to claim despite day-to-day fears and failures. A heart of gratitude.

A little bit on that healthy morning routine… but first, an obligatory disclosure. I am currently watching a terrible movie on Netflix, devouring an entire “cold brew coffee chocolate bar” that I spotted in the TJ’s checkout line, and drinking nitro leftover from this afternoon. To set the mood a little more, this song is now on repeat.

For the sake of convincing you to make healthier choices, let’s pretend my morning routine never looks like I do right now…

[resume]

I love smoothies because I can hide a lot good-for-you nutrients within a deliciously fruity beverage. And they take me 2 minutes to make, which is really the critical part.

If I remember to make my yummy breakfast the night before, great. If I forget, great. If I remember but don’t want to get off the couch, great. It’s so fast that it really doesn’t matter if you prep or not!

Here are my favorite [organic] ingredients to have on hand all the time:

Almond milk – love the unsweetened vanilla from TJ’s or Whole Foods. I always buy the milk that’s refrigerated – the other can get clumpy (for me at least!). You could swap this out for regular milk or juice.
Steel cut oats
All or at least one bag: Mixed frozen berries, frozen mango, frozen pineapple, frozen acai
Nut butter(s) – I love almond and peanut
Fresh: clementines/mandarin oranges, bananas, or spinach
Stone ground matcha powder (I bought into that trend 100%)
Flaxseed and chia seeds
Honey
My Nutribullet. I seriously love it – so easy to clean. Worth the investment!

Usually I pick a direction – more protein-rich/dense or light and fruity – and just go. I have some “go-to” bases that i’ve included below. But really, you don’t need to be precise.

Only wisdom that applies to all is texture. If you like more drinkable smoothies and do not use nut butter, fill the blender with your ingredients and pour liquid to just cover everything. If you use nut butter, this will produce a very thick smoothie; you will need to leave more room at the top for extra liquid.

Thick or thin, blend until the liquid “folds in on itself”…does that make sense? Think of a slushie machine at the movies or like water spiraling down the drain of a previously full sink. Be mesmerized. If you are struggling to get there, add more liquid and make sure the lid is on tight.

Matcha/Mango

Fill half a large Nutribullet cup with frozen mango and a little pineapple
~4 tablespoons of steel cut oats
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon – tablespoon of matcha powder (a teaspoon adds a very light flavor, tablespoon is more commitment, two tablespoons is matcha marriage)
2 mandaran oranges
Almond milk to cover all ingredients
A dash of flaxseed and chia seeds
BLEND!

PB&J

This is where you can hide the spinach! I would add 1/2-1 cup
Add 3-4 tablespoons peanut butter. This will flavor power your smoothie – choose almond butter for a less intense taste.
Add mixed frozen berries (I like to add acai) until the cup is 3/4 full
~4 tablespoons of steel cut oats
Pour almond milk to cover ingredients and add an inch or so more (this will be a thick one!)
Dash of flaxseed and chia seeds
BLEND!

If you go the thick route, follow the tips above and throw in a bowl. Add some granola and fresh berries – smoothie bowl!

Also, I love these glass straws. They are on prime and even come with a cleaner!

Let me know your favorites – I am always looking to try something new. It just has to be produced in like 2 minutes, you know? Full confession…sometimes I whip up a smoothie for dinner too!

Believe with Your Heart

The Biblical phrase – believe with your heart. I’ve read this line over and over throughout my life, but recently turned to it as a source of peace and assurance.

We cannot really control the mind all of the time. Sometimes it takes us far off the reservation, other times it takes us next door. But it wanders and searches far and near. You might even call it lost on occasion.

But we are not all mind. Our hearts hold the most precious parts of us. Our fears and insecurities, our hopes and dreams. They don’t take convincing – they just are. They reflect our inner selves like crystal prisms.

When we speak, our words mostly flow from our mind – explaining what we want to believe, telling how we’d prefer to feel. It’s not always about who we are, but who we think we might be or want to be. Guys, it’s complicated.

Yet when the heart speaks, no one hears but everyone sees. Sometimes there is a lag. But, when we act, we are opening a window into our soul – we will inevitably reveal our true, unmasked character regardless of what we say.

We (on net) behave according to who we truly are.

We’re told to believe in our hearts. To want what is right, not to just think it. To act according to promises that sometimes we don’t believe.

When you love someone, you care for them. What hurts them, breaks you. What concerns you, devastates them. The other’s wellbeing is your primary goal. You know what they need because your heart is connected to theirs. There’s not always understanding, but almost always feeling.

A mind can generate words, thoughts, and many things, but it cannot love. Only a heart can do that.

Sometimes I think to believe what is right seems as simple as to act out of love – to treasure one another’s heart.

Jesus loved on earth. He served, he healed, he helped. His heart believed in humanity through continual acts of service. And his heart is what bled out on a cross.

So believe with our heart… I think this means to walk out of love when we don’t know what to think. To walk through life holding the most precious parts of one another dear. To guard each other from pain, to mend the cracks of wear and tare. To love deeply even when it doesn’t make sense.

I think this phrase is encouraging to me because I am a person who often does not know what to think.

Abide with Me

Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we plan. Sometimes it sprouts wings and leaves us on the tarmac waving desperately.

The bad seasons can outlast the good ones. And the rainy days persist too long.

Irrespective of reality, I’m tempted to share only positive thoughts and brightly filtered photos.

Why? I’m not exactly sure. Maybe it’s a tendency to portray who I want to be, or the reality I hope for. Maybe it’s fear of imperfection or failure (okay yeah, maybe that one…).

I’m still processing the why, really. But one thing I have a handle on is the outcome: a loneliness that robs joy.

There is a very deep longing for others to know – to know me, to know us. The real, broken, confused, and unfiltered. Joyful feelings found in a shell of who we are seem fleeting.

So friends, if you are in a rough season, take heart. Take heart in not being okay. Let’s sit together in the unfiltered.

“Abide with Me” (love the Sarah Groves version) – thinking of framing the whole song and putting it on every wall.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

There’s something comforting about the word “Abide.” Stand by/hold to/accept. It’s not very active, it just is. A simple act of “being with.”

Sometimes solutions are not readily available. Paths forward are not visible. There’s not always a filter strong enough to brighten darkness. So Lord, when comforts flee, abide with me. Sit with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

Whether you have clouds or sunshine, may the Lord abide with you. If He made the rain, then why should we feel shame or fear in asking for an umbrella? And I’m here, if you just want to sit in the rain.

Why not frame it?

Wall art can change a room! It can cozy up just about any space. The only downside? Finding something in your style that doesn’t break the bank. The struggle is real.

So here are a few of my thoughts…

Recycle old photos, greeting cards, postcards, or calendars! Why not frame them? Only the ones you like, of course. If you go the calendar route, buy one from the previous year! They are super cheap and no one will see the dates. I went with a Rifle Paper Co. calendar from 2016 for my coffee station art. Next, just trim them to fit your selected frame!

I like to collect antique postcards when I travel – this is a great way to capture a special place/memory and create some warmth in your home! This also prevents me from taking home too many souvenirs ;). Below are some favs – Thun, Berlin, and the Blue Ridge (gift from a sweet friend).

I like to frame food photos in the kitchen – bonus for a pop of color! This picture actually came off a greeting card!

2. The frames! Some of my favorite places for nice, affordable frames are stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods. You are likely not going to find two of the same frame here, but I like to mix and match mine. If you are going for a more consistent look, I recommend craft stores like A.C. Moore and Michaels. Guys, NEVER shop a craft store without a coupon because there is always an applicable one. Just google the store’s site right before you get to the register! The brown frame below is from A.C. Moore and I’m pretty sure the distressed white one was $3 from T.J. Maxx.

If consistency is your thing, here is some wall art in my bedroom. The photos came from old greeting cards and the frames from A.C. Moore.

3. Check the back of your frames when you buy them! If they have two fasteners for nails/screws, ask yourself… do you want to use a level and make two holes? If you answered “no,” pick up some standard wire. Attach wire to both metal fasteners: one hole and no stress! You can now adjust the frame as much as you want!

And, goodness, have fun! Don’t stress about selecting the perfect frame or the ideal image to go in it. Because you can change it as many times as you would like! If I could count the amount of times I’ve cycled in and out photos… oh yeah, and here’s my finished coffee station. 🙂

On Easter and Hosting

Easter is one of my favorite holidays – I’ve always kind of thought that it doesn’t get enough press.

I have this thing for pastels in church, fresh flowers on the table, the vinegar smell (yes, for real) of dyeing eggs, eating yummy food until nap time, all the starburst jelly beans, and just sharing life with family and friends.

Living far from home is hard sometimes – the holidays just don’t feel right without family! But it’s not always feasible to travel with a busy schedule and limited time off.

For the past two years, I’ve had the pleasure of spending the day with sweet friends. Some old, some new. But because I’m not a cook, I’ve always been hesitant to host. Holidays seem so special – what if I invite people over and mess it up!

The truth is though, it’s not about a perfect meal or a spotless home. So here are my tips for swallowing that perfectionist anxiety.

Prepare as much as possible the day before so that you can be relaxed and actually enjoy the day! I try to make a couple casserole side dishes (don’t need to go too crazy), prep the meat, and clean my place the day before. So on Easter (insert any other holiday), I can come home from church, preheat the oven, change clothes, pop the food in and just relax with friends. This year, I made cranberry/apple and sweet potato dishes. Both are easily modifiable for gluten/dairy free needs. NOTE: I like to cook all my food at once so it comes out at the same time. However, this means it takes longer for each dish to cook. I recommend adding 15-30 mins cook time to your recipes if you are using this technique.
Put out an appetizer. It can be as simple as cheese and crackers! Here’s the thing, it looks classy, it’s tasty, and now you don’t have to be stressed about guests starving as the food inevitably takes longer to cook! My cheese board essentials: yummy jam – this time an orange, fig; mild cheddar, smoked gouda, and goat cheese paired with my favorite, very dark chocolate. Nut-Thins were my gluten free cracker option.
This one is so easy, guys. Fresh flowers! So simple, but will add so much beauty and festivity to your table. If you can convince your man to bring the blooms, then even better!
Have some tea and decaf coffee ready for the after-lunch-slump. This way, you can put the food away, get a head start on dishes, and ensure guests continue the festivities. Cause let’s be real, everyone is now ready for a nap.

Hosting for the holidays doesn’t have to be a big “to do.” A little effort goes a long way. So be brave – open your home (no matter the size!). Fellowship makes life sweeter, and food helps too!

Me, James, and the Rare Bird

I always like to bring a good friend along when I try a new coffee spot. Today, I brought James. Some might say Mr. Taylor has a gift for putting Carolina on my mind. 😉

I’m in a strip mall off of main street Falls Church and it’s a quiet Sunday — Rare Bird Coffee Roasters is drawing its usual [more local] crowd.

Not the typical DC area coffee shop – you don’t need to stalk tables aggressively, or passively slide into an open seat while elbowing a stranger. There’s plenty of space/outlets for the mac users (tables for 4), a bar area with a nice view of roasting equipment, and there’s even a family-style table in the back with stools for ~8.

If you’re hungry, they’ve got you covered with a few quiche varieties and some classics: almond/chocolate croissants, scones, etc. Not much here, folks – still on that gluten-free kick and today is not a cheat day.

But let’s talk coffee. I couldn’t resist their seasonal pick – a vanilla, cardamom latte (with my preference for almond milk). Guys, it’s good. The cardamom really makes the fruity undertones pop. And the almond milk is frothed very well – not an easy feat! The flavor is full from first to last sip. If you’re getting anxious for spring, this drink will give you all the feels. Other seasonal pick is the raspberry mocha – and therein lies my excuse for coming back. 🙂

Unless you’re after a featured drink [above], the menu is simple. Nothing crazy and very minimal flavor options. They focus on their beans – processed organically to allow more of the natural aromas to surface.

Modern, textured art lines the walls. It kind of has an industrial, vintage vibe. Oh, and burlap – the back wall definitely has its fair share.

Flannel shirts, comfy sweaters, oversized glasses, and smiles are your window into their style and service. They focus on each drink so you may want to allot ~10 mins for your pick to be prepared.

Only negative (for me) is the unexpected scent of licorice that hits you when you walk in. After about an hour, it’s still recognizable but not too distracting.

Some essentials…I’m talking about a bathroom so clean that I’m motivated to go clean my own. And A+ for accessibility. There’s a good amount of parking in the back lot and if the metro’s more your speed (sorry, man) then it’s a mile walk from the East Falls Church Station (~21 mins).

That’s the Rare Bird – I recommend it for those small town days when you really just need a slower pace and a quiet place to work. If you can bring James along, do it. He’s the perfect companion.