bittersweet
As I've finished this school year, I looked back and saw that every year I make a post about the end of the school year. Words can never adequately describe the bittersweet feelings I feel as the year closes. Currently, I am in full swing summer break mode. I've been finishing things I haven't had time for in months. Cleaning things. Taking my time grocery shopping. Walks outside. Meeting people for mid morning coffee and what not. I love it. I still think about my dear hearts that resided in my classroom for this past year, but I'm not worrying about their grades or if they'll work out their arguments or any of those things. The stress has definitely toned down about 12 notches. At the core of my thoughts, is that this bittersweetness is truly derived from change. I realize that while not everyone has the same change as a teacher has, we all deal with change.
Maybe change looks like trying a new job. One that you don't know or understand. You show up and you still wonder if anyone is going to see through you and realize you don't actually know what you're doing yet.
Maybe change is loss. You're adjusting to life without a loved one. Maybe you lost someone from a break up or from a friendship gone bad. It feels very bitter and it seems that only unending heartache lies ahead.
Maybe change is moving. Terrifying and exciting, yet leaves you wondering if you'll ever feel connected. You wonder if any of these people will ever become your people.
Maybe your changes are small. Maybe you're trying a new type of exercise. And it's hard and makes you question who in their right minds does this stuff. (Or like some of us, trying an old form of exercise for the thousandth time and it seems that for some reason it's much harder than you remembered. Welcome back to my life, summer running.) Maybe it's trying to eat healthier foods. Maybe it's cooking for yourself instead of always eating out. Maybe it's a new hobby or a new church.
Whatever the changes you're going through, whether they seem good or bad, they have elements of sweetness and bitterness. Sometimes the sweetness doesn't come till much later, possibly not even here on this earth. But I believe that in the midst of these things in our lives God sends us the hints of sweetness. We talked about thankfulness last Sunday at church (shout out to the Vine) and all week that has been in my mind. A friend of mine shared that she had been asking God to show her something to be thankful for each day, even in the midst of a very difficult season. It helped me to look at my own heart and realize in the midst of many blessings and very few bitter moments lately, I've been forgetting to seek out the sweet.
So while I will miss my students and the way things were, I will be grateful for what God has done and look forward to what he will do. And before I even get to that, I am going to enjoy the sweetness of summer. A summer of resting and seeing what God has to teach me. How he wants to move me and grow me. A summer of looking for the sweet.
One of my favorite parts about having some free time is trying out new recipes! I've taken on a role as the household cook for the summer and get to bless my housemates by trying out these new recipes on them. Who knows if they will all be a blessing, but I thought I'd share two of them today.
Dill Yogurt Chicken Salad
I've been into dill lately because it just tastes like summer! So, I made it into a delicious chicken salad. Here's what you'll need:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
-salt
-pepper
- onion powder
-1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 green apple
- 1 tsp (or so) minced garlic
- 2 tsp dill
- 3 stalks (pieces? what do you say for just one part of the whole thing?) of celery
- onions are optional
- almonds or other nuts are optional
1. Place a piece of foil on a baking dish. (magic for cleaning up) place your chicken breasts on the foil. Drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then salt and pepper them as much or as little as you'd like.
2. Bake the chicken breasts in the oven at 400 degrees (I think about 30 minutes, or until cooked through)
3. Cut up your chicken breast and mix in a bowl with finally chopped celery and green apple. (If you want to add onions or nuts, do so)
4. Add greek yogurt and stir in dill and garlic. Chill in the fridge. It's really delicious with spinach. I love it in a wrap.
Now for something that is a bit bittersweet but so delicious!
Yogurt Grapefruit Poppyseed Bread
I had this at a brunch party a few months ago...and it was so delicious. I had to try to replicate it. With the whole wheat flour and greek yogurt, it's actually even a little bit healthy. Here's a link to the recipe I used. I wish I could take credit for this one, but no such luck.
http://www.greensnchocolate.com/2016/02/grapefruit-yogurt-poppy-seed-bread/
Enjoy!
Maybe change looks like trying a new job. One that you don't know or understand. You show up and you still wonder if anyone is going to see through you and realize you don't actually know what you're doing yet.
Maybe change is loss. You're adjusting to life without a loved one. Maybe you lost someone from a break up or from a friendship gone bad. It feels very bitter and it seems that only unending heartache lies ahead.
Maybe change is moving. Terrifying and exciting, yet leaves you wondering if you'll ever feel connected. You wonder if any of these people will ever become your people.
Maybe your changes are small. Maybe you're trying a new type of exercise. And it's hard and makes you question who in their right minds does this stuff. (Or like some of us, trying an old form of exercise for the thousandth time and it seems that for some reason it's much harder than you remembered. Welcome back to my life, summer running.) Maybe it's trying to eat healthier foods. Maybe it's cooking for yourself instead of always eating out. Maybe it's a new hobby or a new church.
Whatever the changes you're going through, whether they seem good or bad, they have elements of sweetness and bitterness. Sometimes the sweetness doesn't come till much later, possibly not even here on this earth. But I believe that in the midst of these things in our lives God sends us the hints of sweetness. We talked about thankfulness last Sunday at church (shout out to the Vine) and all week that has been in my mind. A friend of mine shared that she had been asking God to show her something to be thankful for each day, even in the midst of a very difficult season. It helped me to look at my own heart and realize in the midst of many blessings and very few bitter moments lately, I've been forgetting to seek out the sweet.
So while I will miss my students and the way things were, I will be grateful for what God has done and look forward to what he will do. And before I even get to that, I am going to enjoy the sweetness of summer. A summer of resting and seeing what God has to teach me. How he wants to move me and grow me. A summer of looking for the sweet.
One of my favorite parts about having some free time is trying out new recipes! I've taken on a role as the household cook for the summer and get to bless my housemates by trying out these new recipes on them. Who knows if they will all be a blessing, but I thought I'd share two of them today.
Dill Yogurt Chicken Salad
I've been into dill lately because it just tastes like summer! So, I made it into a delicious chicken salad. Here's what you'll need:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
-salt
-pepper
- onion powder
-1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 green apple
- 1 tsp (or so) minced garlic
- 2 tsp dill
- 3 stalks (pieces? what do you say for just one part of the whole thing?) of celery
- onions are optional
- almonds or other nuts are optional
1. Place a piece of foil on a baking dish. (magic for cleaning up) place your chicken breasts on the foil. Drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then salt and pepper them as much or as little as you'd like.
2. Bake the chicken breasts in the oven at 400 degrees (I think about 30 minutes, or until cooked through)
3. Cut up your chicken breast and mix in a bowl with finally chopped celery and green apple. (If you want to add onions or nuts, do so)
4. Add greek yogurt and stir in dill and garlic. Chill in the fridge. It's really delicious with spinach. I love it in a wrap.
Now for something that is a bit bittersweet but so delicious!
Yogurt Grapefruit Poppyseed Bread
I had this at a brunch party a few months ago...and it was so delicious. I had to try to replicate it. With the whole wheat flour and greek yogurt, it's actually even a little bit healthy. Here's a link to the recipe I used. I wish I could take credit for this one, but no such luck.
http://www.greensnchocolate.com/2016/02/grapefruit-yogurt-poppy-seed-bread/
Enjoy!
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