#twentyone

I recently turned 21. This, as do many birthdays, has caused me to reflect. Things for me are going to change quite a bit. I will soon be the only member of my family living in the Twin Cities. I am going into my second semester of my junior year of college. The list could go on. I'm beginning to realize that my life is truly becoming my own now. Yes, my parents still pay for some things, but my day to day decisions and actions are all warranted by myself. Its kind of scary, but adulthood is here. "Going home" for the weekend is no longer a thing. My home is HERE. My home is where I'm stationed. I have other homes around the country, but right now, my placement is Minneapolis. 

// With this in mind, I have a new initiative for myself as I go into the year of 2016 and my twenty-first year of life. It's my #twentyone initiative. I've realized that I've been stationing myself and not allowing my relationships to progress or my goals to be achieved. My initiative is this: 1. Look to the Lord for my purpose, not people 2. Start thinking of myself as an adult, because it's here 3. Be willing to take risks, whether big or small, relationally or emotionally // 

Over the next year I will probably add countless things to this list. However, these are the things in my heart at this moment. My years have been hard, but so good. The people I love are still with me. My love grows for more people every day. And I'm constantly seeing God's grace in my life. 

I encourage you to look as well. A new year always brings new things, whether you want them to come or not. So let them in and see what they have to offer. 

Suggested Music -- Joy to the World // by: Sufjan Stevens
Suggested Recipe -- Soft Ginger Cookies 

May your coffee be caffeinated,
Sarah

College Is Hard: Jesus and Coffee Help

College has become one of the most humbling things I have ever experienced. To date, I have a failed class in my record. I have a dropped class due to failing in my record. I have too many C's to count in my record. I have "barely passed" in my record. I have failure (according this world) in my record. This is something I never experienced in my school career until I came to college. 

I had nearly flawless grades all through my middle and high school years. It was a source of pride for me, a source of life, a source of happiness. There is nothing wrong with working hard in school in order to do well, it's what we should be doing. However, there is a point where grades become more important than learning, and getting the highest grade possible becomes an obsession. I didn't realize the hold that school had on me until all those things were stripped from me. I suddenly had to look at the GPA requirements for scholarships. I had to retake a class in the summer (and have another one in my future). I had to come to grips with the fact that just because I like statistics and am good at it, doesn't always mean I'm going to ace it. Just because I'm qualified to be in a class whose title some people don't understand, doesn't mean I'm going to pass it. 

The satisfaction from school lasts a short amount of time. But, can I tell you about something that lasts longer than a treacherous semester? Yep, the Lord. At the start of this semester I became really consistent with reading the Word. I actually started to read and dig into it. Let me tell you, THAT is what has changed me this semester. I feel like for the first time in my life my heart is tied to Jesus. He is teaching me things that follow me longer than a D on a test. And although my grades still aren't the best, I have learned to accept the challenge the Lord has let me face. 

Suggested Music -- One Million Bullets // by: Sia
Suggested Beverage -- Spyhouse Coffee 

May your coffee be caffeinated,
Sarah 


PS: see? I can write about more than just food :) 

Around the Table

I wish cooking for friends and family could be a paying occupation. It's truly one of the things that gives me the most joy. There's something about serving your heart in a bowl and hearing the extroverts rave about it and the introverts enjoy in silence as they all finish with a smile. It fills my soul. Yesterday I cooked for my roommate's parents -- they basically let us take charge of their kitchen, something I feel honored to do. 

A kitchen is a sacred room of the house, one where so much takes place. This is a room where holidays are made, tears are comforted and mornings are started. It is a room I take very seriously. Good food can somehow cause you to forget about the hard things in life for a little while. And preparing it is apart of that experience for me. Sometime I struggle with my introverted personality because I feel like I can't do ministry the way I see others do it. It's a lie that I constantly have to work through with the Lord. But then I get in a kitchen with a towel over my shoulder, some music playing and a sharpened knife ready to chop. All the fear disappears. I love discovering the passions the Lord places in my life because I see how they contribute to bringing joy to others. Like the simplicity of a meal. We all need to eat, so why not prepare the most flavorful, fresh and handmade things?  

The table is where it all comes together. We call to those in the house, we stop what we're doing and we rest with each other. We thank the chef, we thank the people partaking in our food, and we thank the Lord. The flavors are all experienced in a different way, but they are all experienced around the same table. And that, to me, is special. Let's stop our busy lives for 30 mins and sit at a table, rest, and enjoy the fruits of a good recipe with other beautiful souls. 

Suggested book -- Bread and Wine // by: Shauna Niequist 

Suggested music -- Stay With Us // by: Seoul

                             -- Pumpin Blood - Acoustic // by: NONONO

Suggested recipe -- Beef Bourguignon http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beef-bourguignon-recipe.html

May your coffee be caffeinated and your food well seasoned,

Sarah

Angry Catfish Bicycle and Coffee Bar // Minneapolis

Angry Catfish Bicycle and Coffee Bar
4208 28th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406 
Would I go back? Yes

    Its been a while since I blogged about one of my favorite things in the world. I thought it was time. Angry Catfish is on that top ten list I've been going through. To be honest I was sorta avoiding it because I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. A coffee shop that is also a bicycle shop? Its a concept not heard of very often and I wasn't sure how they would pull off. But it was on the list for a reason -- good coffee and great atmosphere. So I checked it out! As blustery of a day it is today, I would have gotten coffee at a gas station if that was what I had to do to get some caffeine. Thankfully, my fate was sealed very well. 
    This place is great. Yes, the bicycle shop is prevalent, but they did such a good job separating the two places at the same time. And hey! If you bike and love coffee, this is THE PLACE for you. Its nestled in a cute neighborhood near Minnehaha Falls. The coffee is wonderful. They serve Intelligensia, so I was automatically hooked. And look at those cups! Aren't they great? The only criticism I have is there isn't a lot of seating compared to other shops I have been to. Other than that, this place is great and would highly recommend it if you are in that area. 

May your coffee be caffeinated, 
Sarah