Chewy banana bread

Earlier this week, my two-year-old niece and I made banana bread together. I would measure out the ingredients and she would pour them into the bowl. Flour, sugar, salt, oil, vanilla. She smiled as she dumped the ingredients together and looked concerned when we spilled flour on the counter and on our clothes. “It’s okay, Abby,” I said as I brushed the floury evidence from her shirt. “You mom will never have to know,” I smiled and whispered.

markets, massages, and mountains

Chiang Mai, Thailand.

It was my second time visiting this beautiful city of Northern Thailand, and I was reminded of how much I enjoy it. Chiang Mai is an airy, friendly city, rich in history. (It actually still has remnants of its old city wall and a moat. A moat! So cool.) Nature adventure abound in Chiang Mai, and last time I was there, I went on a jungle trek. This time, though, my friend Megan and I just took a few days to relax and enjoy the city’s culture.

The Thankful Game, because, well, it’s Thanksgiving

Did you really think I’d make it through Thanksgiving Week without playing the Thankful Game?

But before we get to that, let’s flash back to Thanksgiving 2011, real quick, just for nostalgia’s sake.

Scene: Pattaya, Thailand, at Pattaya Praise, a.k.a. best worship event I’ve ever been a part of (imagine worshipping with crazy Irish people in a ladyboy bar. Yeah. That happened.)

A journey of simplicity

I’m currently rereading all my journal entries from Thailand. I’m reading them to remind myself of all that I learned there, of what life felt like a year ago. Reading them in America is…interesting. Convicting. The lessons I learned in Thailand are somehow harder to implement here in America, in the West, in the land of opportunity and ease. It’s been good for me to bring myself back to that season of simplicity and focus, of utter dependence on the Lord and His power, of faith-filled and humble living.

The best job I’ve ever had

I am a barista.

I have a communication degree and spent four years studying like crazy and writing for newspapers and working at fancy shmancy PR agencies, and right now, I am making coffee every day.

And it is the best job I have ever had.

Today

Today was day two on a ten-day streak of consecutive days of work.

Today was scrubbing soup pans.

Today was making paninis and salads and lots of turkey sandwiches.

Today was making two double batches of rice krispie bars, arms tired from stirring sticky marshmallow mixtures.

Today was making more than 50 waffle cones, fingers burned from the waffle cone maker.

Today was making quiche for the first time ever, not really quite sure what we were doing.

Today was making bagel knots. And then running out and making more.

Today was listening to decade-old music that made cooking and baking and washing countless loads of dishes not only bearable…but fun.

Today was talking about Thailand and my dreams of being a part of the global fight for human rights, trying to inspire others to think big thoughts for their own lives.

Today is tired feet and a full heart.

Today was just another day of work.

A good one.

Don’t put your knife in my peanut butter! …and other lessons from a gluten-free life

It’s true. If someone dips their bread-crumb covered knife into my precious jar of Jif all-natural peanut butter, I may (read: will) get upset. Because in case you don’t quite understand celiac disease, any teeny, tiny, trace amount of gluten (found in bread, crackers, pasta, anything wheat/rye/barley-based, plus a thousand other things) can do damage to my body.

So keep your knife to yourself. I like my condiments uncontaminated.

Barista-dom

As of the past three weeks, I’ve been fulfilling my lifelong dream of being a barista. Laugh as you might, but yes, it had been a dream of mine. I’ve always thought being a barista meant days full of good coffee and good people – and what’s not to like about those things?