November Leaves
The start of a new month means a new Monthly Mixtape! Here's what I'll be jamming to this month.
October Winds - Monthly Mixtape
The start of a new month means a new Monthly Mixtape! Here's what I'll be jamming to this month.
On My Mind This Week - September 21st-27th
A very brief installment of my series of what went down this past week during my last semester at LU.
On My Mind This Week - September 14th-20th
Another, short, installment of my series of what went down this past week during my last semester at LU.
On My Mind This Week - September 7th - 13th
Another installment of my series of what went down this past week during my last semester at LU.
On My Mind This Week - August 31st - September 6th
I know what you're thinking, "Wow another post? This hasn't happened in months!"
I hear you and I agree. It's odd for me to use this platform of blogging for anything other than the random post once in a blue moon.
So I thought this would be a good way to share what's on my mind over the course of every week. Short little thoughts I've had about different things. Not always a list of favourites, but just things that have been on my mind over the past week.
My September - Monthly Mixtape
September is upon us. Soon the leaves will start changing and it will be difficult to get away from pumpkin flavored everything. Sweater weather is almost here.Since music is such an important way for me to document things in my life, example: when I hear Taylor Swift's album Red I think of my Freshman year of University when I walked over to Walmart to buy the album with a freshman named Amy who would then become my best friend.
I thought I'd start this new series for the beginning of each month with songs that fit into my life at that given moment. Here is what I'll be bopping around campus to this month:
Cold Brew Coffee - Recipe Monday
This week on Recipe Monday I will be sharing with you my Cold Brew coffee recipe.
Cold brew coffee is when coffee grounds are steeped in room temperature, filtered water for an extended period of time. It is then strained and stored for up to two weeks. This method of making coffee has multiple benefits as it lasts a long period of time and the coffee has a sweeter taste due to its lower acidity.
What You'll Need - Ingredients
How To Make It - Directions
The steps to make cold brew coffee are really easy. For every cup of ground coffee you will need one litre of filtered water. If you want your coffee to have any flavour, such as vanilla or hazelnut just add a few tablespoon of your choice flavour extract. This step is completely optional but it adds a different dimension of flavour to your morning cup.And that's it! Stick that jar on the counter with a cloth or light lid on it and wait 18+ hours. I wait about 24 hours so the cold brew coffee is a little stronger.
After the coffee has steeped for the amount of time you want it to it's time to strain it. I strain it twice - once to get rid of the big stuff and a second time through a paper towel to get the little stuff out. It may seem silly to strain it twice but trust me once you see the paper towel covered in coffee grounds you'll appreciate the second strain.After you strain your cold brew coffee pour it into a sealable container, such as a mason jar, and store your new coffee in the fridge.
This recipe will make one and a half mason jars of cold brew coffee. You only need about 4-5 tablespoons for a cup of coffee in the morning and fill the rest of your mug with hot water. This will be the first time your coffee will come in contact with hot water and because of that you won't have the acidic taste. You may find that you don't need any cream or sugar with this since the coffee's natural sweetness will be shining through. 
Now pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy your amazing, homemade cold brew coffee!
(And if you are looking for something to eat while drinking your morning cup of coffee, why not try some homemade donuts!)
National Donut Day - Recipe Monday
I've decided to share my love of cooking with a new weekly series: Recipe Monday! Every Monday I will be sharing a recipe with you - my lovely readers - of something I've made over the past week.Since this past Friday was National Donut Day and because Donuts are some of the best treats ever, I decided to make some.
// In honor of National Donut Day I made homemade donuts. (via Instagram)
Most donut recipes call for yeast but I'm kinda impatient and wanted donuts so I used baking powder instead and I think it worked out pretty well. This recipe makes about 2 dozen donuts (or a lot of Timbits)
What You'll Need - Ingredients
Donuts
1 cup of milk
1 cup of sugar
2 1/2 tablespoon of butter
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 eggs
4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
3 1/2 cups of sifted flour
Oil for deep frying - I used vegetable oil
Glaze
1 1/4 cup of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2-4 tablespoons of milk
How To Make It - Directions
Donuts
- In a mixer combine sugar and butter. Add each egg separately and continue combining.
- In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Gradually add flour mixture to the liquid mixture beating vigorously.
- Lightly flour your work surface and knead lightly. If needed keep adding small amounts of flour to keep dough from sticking.
- Roll out the dough to about a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Use a doughnut cutter (or a glass and egg cup) to cut dough.
- Fry small batches in hot oil being super careful since the oil will splatter.
- When the sides of the doughnuts are a golden brown flip. Drain doughnuts on paper paper.
- Dip in glaze and let glaze harden for about 5 minutes.
Glaze
- Mix together icing sugar, vanilla, and milk together until smooth. Add more milk if too thick or icing sugar if too thin.
Enjoy! And try not too eat too many in one sitting! :)
At The Cottage - A Summer Playlist
As you might have guessed by the title of both this post and my blog, I love music. And considering I have yet to discuss music things on this blog I felt it was about time to do so and what better way to start by sharing my go-to At the Cottage Summer Playlist!
This playlist is split into two sections - the upbeat and the laid back.
The Upbeat
1. Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon
This is the song of the summer. I'm calling it now before Ryan Seacrest does. It's catchy, sounds like a song from the late 80s and makes you want to get up and well dance.
2. You Make My Dreams - Hall and Oates
If you can listen to this song without picturing yourself dancing in a music video then you must not be that fun at parties.
3. Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
See my notes on number 2.
4. You And I - Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is actually a really great vocalist and this song is super upbeat and gets your foot stomping.
4. Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
It's Billy Joel, no explanation needed.
5. Sugar - Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is always a good choice but this song is a good swimming at the lake kinda song.
6. Southern Comfort Zone - Brad Paisley
Brad is the King of Country music. Enough said.
7. Kerosene - Miranda Lambert
Laura and Sydney reintroduced me to Miranda last year and this song is the perfect driving down a backroad with the windows down.
8. House Party - Sam Hunt
An upbeat party county song.
9. Daft Punk - Pentatonix
Pentatonix. Avi's low notes. Enough said.
This song is awesome and performed solely through looping and that fact alone makes my little music major heart really happy. Also, my little sister surprised me with tickets to see Ed this summer and this is the one song I'm the most excited to hear performed live.
12. Riptide - Vance Joy
Honestly, this song could probably fit either section of this playlist. It's a nice summer song and makes me smile.
The Laid Back
1. Go - Grant Terry
This song is the segue song from upbeat to laid back. It has a beat but not super upbeat to make it on the first half of the list.
2. Overdue - Jillian Jacqueline
Country but classic sounding country. Jillian Jacqueline is about to get real big in the country music scene and this song is why.
3. Caroline - Jon Forman
Harmonica, acoustic guitar, and Jon Forman's voice. Enough said.
4. Please Don't Say You Love Me (Studio Session) - Gabrielle Aplin
This song is probably my favourite song. Her voice and the guitar is so calming. She's also British and that makes her voice even enjoyable to listen to.
5. Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
This song reminds me of listening to the radio driving to grandma's in the late 90s though I don't actually know if that scene actually happened.
(I'm learning how to play it on the guitar)
6. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room (The Village Sessions) - John Mayer
It's John Mayer. But this version is super relaxing, only John Mayer and his acoustic guitar. It's perfect for an evening watching a sunset over the lake.
7. Let it Go - James Bay
Like John Mayer this song is guitar driven and beautifully rhythmic and James voice is so calming. Basically you just need to listen to it.
8. Naive - Sleeping At Last
Ryan O'Neal's voice is calming and the piano is the perfect background music when reading on a porch.
9. Holocene - Bon Iver
Bon Iver is always a good choice for any occasion but during a campfire by a lake he's the perfect choice.
10. Forever Blue - Kina Grannis
If you haven't heard of Kina Grannis then you need to listen to this song. Her voice is so calming and her soft acoustic guitar playing is lovely.
11. Chasing Cars - Sleeping At Last
Again Ryan O'Neal's voice is so relaxing that he needs to be on this list twice.
(Two Honorable Mentions)
Fast Car - Boyce Avenue feat. Kina Grannis
This cover is needs to be mentioned because it's almost as good as the original.
All About Me - Hilary Duff
Yes Hilary Duff gets an honorable mention. Yes I know Hilary Duff is not considered by most to be "real music" but this song is actually pretty good. Maybe it's just the banjo but it sounds summer-y.
Did I miss any of your favourites? What songs are on your summer playlist? Comment below and let me know.
My Firm Foundation
This time every year something happens. Something that rocks my world.
Last year it was the end of a good friendship and the death of my grandmother.
This year it will most likely result in the end of another really good friendship (thankfully no deaths)
Now I'm not naive to think that I did not play a part in these friendships ending. The one constant in both those events was me. I can't blame another for my actions or lack of actions. I made mistakes in my friendships with those people and I must live with the consequences of those mistakes. It sucks because they probably would've been life long friends and we both messed them up.
But despite all these friendships ending, I am realizing more and more that I need to rely on the one thing that won't fail me.
Christ.
People come and go in our lives, but Christ is constant and He alone is my firm foundation. (Psalm 62) He is the only one that won't leave me. He won't treat me like a toy. He won't get bored and find someone better. He calls me His beloved (Romans 9) and because of that I do not need to worry about what others think of me or how many friendships I have.
I'm not going to lie about it and say losing friendships isn't difficult and that I haven't cried about it. I got off the phone with my mum today crying for almost an hour about the most recent friendship that's ending. It's difficult, it's painful, but it's also sanctification. And though I know the end result will be more beautiful then I could ever imagine, the process is still extremely difficult.
One of the things that is getting me through this process is the songs on this EP by two of the most talented people I know at Liberty, Kyle Smith and Lauren Sweeney. Though all these songs have helped me through this process I would encourage you to listen to the songs Psalm 62 and You Give Me Life and purchase their EP from iTunes. They are such Spirit filled songs and I hope they will be a blessing to you just as they are a blessing to me.
We Are Clean!
On this Easter weekend I am reminded of many things. The sacrifice my Savior made so that I may be wiped clean from all my guilt and shame. The excruciating pain that my Creator placed upon His Son that was mine to endure. The fact that I may now freely approach the throne of an Almighty God and be embraced by Him and to be called His daughter.
A lot of things have been going through my mind this Easter Weekend.
It might seem odd, but I get it now. I get Easter. It took me almost 22 years of being in the church to actually understand it. Easter is not an excuse for me to eat those delicious peanut butter and chocolate Reese eggs or Cadbury Mini Eggs. Easter is about something much, much bigger.
A few days ago I was looking through an old journal from my time in the Middle East three years ago and found the words of 1 Corinthians 5:54-55 messily written across the page
"Death is swallowed up in victory.
Oh Death where is your victory?
Oh Death, where is your sting?"
(I've written an entire blog post on the song inspired by those verses last year which you can read here if you're so inclined)Those verses have always been quite powerful to me. Christ's work on the cross has removed all the power that death had over us. Because of His death we no longer die. Yes we die to sin, and yes are to die to our old habits and sinful ways but we no longer have to fear death. Because of His death and because of His resurrection three days later and because He is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father we are no longer dead but alive and we can face tomorrow with that assurance.
Because of Christ's work on the cross our sins are no longer remembered by the Father. They are blotted out from God's mind. Our slate is wiped clean. We are no longer seen as worthless, filthy rags but as beautiful garments worthy of the King.
We are clean!
Take a minute and rest on that truth. We are clean.
Think of all the horrible things you've done in your life. I know for myself I don't have to think that hard. We all have those horrible things that we regret. Those things that if we had the power we would not hesitate to undo. But we no longer need to be ashamed of what we've done and how we've failed. The Father no longer sees us like that. We are as clean as Christ when He walked this earth two thousand years ago.
We know how the story ends. Christ has won! We know that He is not in the tomb as the angel told the women who went there, "He is not here, for he has risen!"
He has risen indeed!
He is alive!
Death has no sting. Death has no victory.
We are no longer bound our sin. We are clean.
The First Name That I Call
*Written January 16th 2015. Posted January 28th 2015*
This is my final Spring semester at Liberty University. That's really weird to think about. I feel super old yet that I'll be done so soon and entering the real world outside the Liberty bubble. But I also feel really young. Didn't I just have my ballet birthday party a few years ago?
Last semester stretched me in ways that in all honesty I didn’t want to be stretched. I failed greatly at things I didn’t think I would ever fail at. I lost people I didn’t think I would lose for a long time. I relied on my own strength to deal with things that I could not deal with alone. In short, it was not the greatest year.
Don’t get me wrong - a lot of wonderful things happened last year but when you look at it on a scale of the good and the bad, the bad kinda out weighed the good.
However today, January 16 2015, at Convocation we sang the song Let It Be Jesus by Christy Nockels & Passion Band which is one of my new favourite worship songs. The last time we sang this song as a school was during Jon Gregoire’s memorial service.
Let it be Jesus
The first name that I call
Let it be Jesus
My song inside the storm
I'll never need another
For me, to live is Christ
For me, to live is Christ
God I breathe Your name above everything
Let it be, Let it be Jesus
Should I ever be abandoned
Should I ever be acclaimed
Should I ever be surrounded by the fire and the flame
There's a name I will remember
There's a name I will proclaim
Let it be, Let it be Jesus
This song reminded me of what I am striving to be. A women who calls, not on her mother, sister, roommate or friend when I'm going through struggles (though those people are important and I should be in communication with them when I'm struggling) but calls on Jesus.
As much as my parents, siblings, or friends might want to save me from things in my life - they really can't. Only Christ can completely save me. Only Christ can save me from my stupidity, from my sin, from my hateful actions. Only Christ can save me from me. Which is something I will never be able to fathom cause I do a lot of stupid things. A. Lot.
But as the song says:
“Should I ever be abandoned or acclaimed.
Surrounded by the fire and the flame.There’s a name I will remember, there's a name I will proclaim.
Let it be Jesus."
Even when I don’t deserve it - which lets face it, is all the time - Christ looks at this messed up person and says “I want her." Even when I don't want Him - which is crazy because I should only want Him - He still wants me.
And the love Christ has for me is not dependent of anything I do (thank goodness!). So when I choose not to call on Christ and rely on my own strength, he will still love and embrace me.
It reminds me of a J. D. Greear quote someone posted on Facebook recently which I will end with.
"God, I thank You that I'm not saved by the warmth of my love for You." - J. D. Greear
Authors Note: I understand that this post is very discombobulated however I have left it as I found it in my draft folder.
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