a cooking endeavor

tonight I had two successful cooking incidences. it was really fun. Easy, but fun. I made spaghetti sauce first...spaghetti with meatballs, although I did not actually make the meatballs myself, but I made the rest of the sauce and it was still good. I've inherited my mother's love for garlic. Then I made a very low fat version of this chocolate chip cookie recipe, which doesn't sound like you could mess it up too badly, but I thought I did. I used wheat flour instead of white by mistake (how dumb am I?), and substituted a lot of less fattening stuff for the more fattening stuff. So I was afraid. Very afraid. But the cookies turned out well. My roommate, whose recipe I tinkered with, even said she liked them (I didn't even ask). So it was a successful night.

I'm sure this is all very interesting to those reading this. All two of you. Hopefully not too many more. :)

Anyway, I just finished my laundry, finally...it was seriously a four day task because I haven't done it in so long. And yet I still had clean clothes left. Or at least semi-clean. That's probably gross. But I was in the basement ironing my shirt when I totally just all of a sudden felt weak, and not really physically weak, but more just that ache in the center of my chest that I get sometimes. I have come to know that feeling well, and I could describe it as a physical manifestation of longing. It's my longing for Christ, though sometimes I mistake it for my longing for "the guy". Though I know that's a real longing too. But I don't worry about that so much anymore, because I know God has His timing and it's a good timing. I'm not worrying about Jesus either, really, it's just that "now we see dimly" thing. I'll just quote the verse in case I'm being too vague:

"Now we see but a poor reflection, as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12.

The joy of heaven is knowing Christ in full, without sin to distract me or tear me down or stop me from worshiping Him. No more tears. No more pain or struggle. That's what makes this struggle worth it. Can you imagine the freedom? I've been blessed to taste it, and I want more! Everytime He overcomes a sin in my life I feel the freedom that much more.

By the way, I started a new book: The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. He was an atheist, and a journalist at the Chicago Tribune who, upon an investigation meant to prove Christianity wrong, ended up finding Jesus. C. S. Lewis has a similar story, except he was a noted scholar and professor and Cainbridge University in England. Two cool guys right there.