Remebering Who I Am

Who am I?  You all know me as Andrea.  Mother to Iliana and Julian.  Daughter to Ruben and Evangelina.  Sister to Veronica, Ruben, Erica and Sophia.  Friend to many.  But who am I?

First, I am daughter to The King.  At times I forget this title. I am an heir to the throne.

Romans 8:17(NIV)- Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Galatians 3:29(NIV)-If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

I am not going to lie and say that I have always remembered this.  There have been times when I have felt so unworthy of this title.  Being a daughter of the King has its advantages: a relationship with The Almighty, eternal life, peace (to name a few).  It also has its responsibilities: complete faithfulness, obedience, surrender, etc.  It is so easy to accept the benefits of being royalty, not so easy to fulfill the responsibilities, (especially when the trials seems so overwhelming).  At times I have tried to run from my position in the royal family.  No,  I did not abandon my morals and beliefs.  I just tried to do things my way. Fortunately His grip on me is eternal.  

Second I am forgiven, a new creation, and set free. 
Ephesians 1:7(NIV)-In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.


2 Corinthians 5:17(NIV)-Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here.

Acts 13:39(NIV)-Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.


If you have ever been locked up you know the beauty of freedom better than anyone who hasn't.  I can say with great pride that I have never been "locked up", but I have enjoyed the sense of freedom.  Once when we were kids we thought it would be cool to roll each other up in blankets like a burrito.  The moment I was not in control of my limbs I began to panic.  You couldn't have gotten me out of that blanket fast enough.  As I write this I am recalling the overwhelming need to be free.  I couldn't breathe.  I wanted to scream.  I had to break loose.  As my limbs experienced freedom once again I vowed never to allow myself to be wrapped up in that, or any, blanket again. 

Sin is like that blanket.  Why is it that we allow ourselves to bound up over and over again?  As though we were wrapping ourselves in a blanket we grab sin, throw it around our shoulders and wonder why we feel trapped.  Our sin doesn't have to be on of "the big ones", (you know murder, sexual immorality, gossip).  It can be one of the "little ones", like letting something  come between you and God.  The reality is that there is no difference in size, sin is sin.  For me the hurts and pain that came via Christians was the thing that was causing the chasm between me and Jesus.  Let me be clear.  I ALLOWED those things to come between us.  Instead of turning to Him and allowing Him to carry me through the trial, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  If He wasn't going to protect me than I was.

Oh how wrong I was.  I am not equipped to protect me.  Only He can do that and believe it or not sometimes he allows trials: to grow us; draw us nearer to Him; make us more like Jesus. The result of my "trying" to take control was what always happens when one of us mere mortals tries to take matters into our own hands.  I made a mess.  Good thing that along with the list of God is to us, (Father, Counselor, Prince of Peace, etc) we can include "mess cleaner upper".  

Finally,  I am worthy.  

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5(NIV)-Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
Perfect, no.  Worthy, yes.  Why?  He says so.  Can I live up to that?  Probably not, but I am going to die trying. It has been and always will be about living for Him.  None of the challenges of this life, the trials that weaken me, or the lessons that I must learn (even if the are hard) can steal from me the one thing that is true, Jesus.  Through it all, good and bad, He is the one thing that stays the same.  Why lean on anything else?

I remember, on a night not too long ago, I  was contemplating all that has and was going on.  The last three years have been an emotional roller coaster. The good: adopting Julian, starting culinary school, my daughter starting high school.  The bad...let's not dwell.  The one thing that I kept coming back to was Jesus.  Through every trial He has been there, unseen at times, but there none the less.  Oh how blessed I am that He has called me. 

My prayer is:

 for those who know Him, remember who you are and live it!

and, for those who don't know Him, that you would meet Him, know Him and come to know who you are in Him.

Andrea

Other things I am: grateful, funny, blessed, joy-filled, at peace, set apart, beautiful, created in His image, a nerd, chosen, precious, unique, NOTW (Not of This World), salt, a light in the dark world, a runner (yeah,  I'm in this race), a princess, focused, talented, organized, triumphant, a follower (of Christ),  a mommy, trustworthy, a teacher, a cook, redeemed, hardworking, a warrior, a gift, content, a rebel, rested, confident, protected, a writer, waiting, being healed, courageous, a friend, a servant, on the narrow path, not afraid,  fearfully and wonderfully made, rewarded, His bride, complete in Him, never alone, a vessel, upheld, real, guilt-free, His masterpiece, a delight, seeking His face..... 

3rd Quarter Line-Up

I just can't believe that I am about to start my 3rd quarter of culinary school.  Time is flying by so fast.   Still waiting for final grades but I am pretty sure that I got all As.  The 3rd quarter starts next week.  Baking and Pastry, Food and Beverage and Speech are all in the fall class line-up.  I definitely thought I would have more time to blog but let's be real with all the homework and my duties at home there just hasn't been enough time.  As interesting stuff happens I will write but for now just enjoying my little break and lookng forward to working hard this next quarter.

A

Using the "B" Word and Acting Your Wage

I have this friend, we'll call her Heather because, well, that's her name.  On her most recent trip to visit us Tucsonans she gave me a book called The Total Money Makeover.  Written by Dave Ramsey, this book is popular among people I know, and tackles the tough topic of getting out of debt.  His plan isn't a painless one but it is simple.  His philosophy is simple, pay off your debt and pay it off as fast as you can. 

As I began to read the book I was encouraged by the stories of people who had gotten themselves out of some pretty  tough financial situations.  Being a single mom my income is not that great.  As a matter of fact I am currently an unemployed student receiving unemployment benefits.  I did something really smart when I found out that my job was about to end.  I paid off the one credit card that I had and I reduced the amount of money going out every month.  I don't have a huge income but I don't have a crazy amount of debt either.  Some student loans and a car loan are all that I have, (I say "all" because I have known people with far more debt than I would ever like to have).  What was encouraging about this that paying them off seems more feasible than it did before.  Before I had no plan, now I do.

I encourage you, if you feel overwhelmed by debt get this book.  Like I said the plan is easy.  Sticking to it can be as easy or as hard as you make it.  Two things you should know about his particular plan: one, it involves making a budget (yes you heard me, A BUDGET); and two it requires you to live within your means and "Act Your Wage".

http://www.daveramsey.com/store/prod326.html

Making the List

Last week as I walked out of my class I noticed that the school had posted the new Honor Roll, Dean's List and President's List for the spring quarter.  My name wasn't on the Honor Roll nor the Dean's list, but it was on the President's List.  I was/am very excited.  I worked hard for that and I did it with bronchitis, strep and pneumonia. Out of the entire school only 8 of us made that list.  Yay!

It's not over though.  That was just quarter one.  I still have several quarters to go.

Back in the Kitchen Again.

Last quarter ended with bronchitis that turned into pneumonia and a slip in the kitchen on the last day of school that landed me in the E.R. with a head injury.  I have to admit I ended my first quarter of culinary school feeling defeated and discouraged. I began to question if I was supposed to be there. 

I had a chance to recuperate on vacation in LA.  Away from the kids and the demands of college.  As my strength returned and the knot on my head shrunk I realized all that I had accomplished that last week of school.  With pneumonia,and the fever that accompanied it, I not only passed all  5 of my exams, I aced them.  So, I ended the quarter with a 4.0 GPA and the knowledge that I am stronger than I think I am.

Last week quarter two started.  It is good to back in the kitchen again.  I missed my classmates and the fast pace of the kitchen.  I am so determined to finish this thing and nothing is going to stop me.

This is your flight attendant. Please prepare for your final approach!

Yes my friends, finals are approaching.  I am excited that first quarter is about to wrap up. It means quarter two is just around the corner. I am not excited about the studying that awaits me. I am already preparing and freezing meals, trying to get things cleaned and organized and of course making sure that each of the children has a survival buddy. I am loading up on green tea, coffee is too strong, (I might not be saying that in a few days).  I have all my 300 and something notecards and I am ready to go.  Countdown to finals is on!  Five days until the first test. Wooooo!   Bring it on!

Facing Your Fears (Don't Be A Chicken)

Making the decision to go to culinary school was easy and by far one of the best things I have done so far. There was only one concern that I had through the enrollment process. It involved a chicken. 

Anyone that knows me well knows that I HATE handling raw chicken.  If there was another word for hate I would use it. Oh wait....abhor, detest, loathe, despise.  Those might work. It all goes back to my childhood.  At some point, I don't even know when, chicken (raw) became my enemy.  I remember a few times being punished with the chore of cleaning the chicken.  I have vivid memories of sobbing and dry heaving while I cleaned a sink full of the slick, wet flesh.  To my parents it was fitting punishment. To me it was torture. Were they trying to get a secret out of me they would have broken me the moment I first glanced at the carcass of the lifeless creature.

Two weeks ago my instructor informed the class the the following week was chicken fabrication week.  Chicken fabrication? This didn't sound to bad. Then he explained that it meant we would be cutting up a chicken.  A wave of panic swept over me.  I could feel the mucus and the bile rising to my esophagus.  Oh no! Just the thought of the raw chicken was making me ill.  As I sat there in my chair, the world spinning violently around me, I could hear the oohs and ahhhs coming from the crowd. The excitement that was displayed was too much for me to bear.  As these chicken surgeons cheered and rejoiced, I began to scream and cry (Inside my head of course. I'm not that crazy.). All I could think about was how most assuredly I would be vomiting in class next week.  When I could finally raise my head out of my hands I saw a creature, who like me, carried a look of fear on her face.  This was of no comfort to me.  Her reaction only validated what I was feeling. I tried desperately not to focus on her face.

Throughout the following days I didn't think about chicken fabrication, instead, I lived in my world of denial, where chicken breasts and hamburger meat grow on trees.  I pretended that I had not heard what the instructor said.  Sadly, Friday approached and I knew that I would have to face the music.  When I woke up the first thing that came to mind was that chicken.  I decided not to dwell on it.  When I did think about it I would tell myself that I could do it.  You'll hear bones cracking.  No big deal.

I arrived to class with a strong desire to get through this thing without gagging or, worse, vomiting.  The instructor demonstrated the cuts and then pointed us to a pile of chickens.  I knew that if I didn't just walk up there and grab a chicken now I would never do it.  In one quick move I grabbed that chicken and rinsed it off, then set it down on my cutting board.  The first cut was the hardest.  Once I started I just kept on going.

I can't say that I loved cutting that chicken up, but I did give it more than 100%.  I even cut a second chicken.  And while the guys in class were still cutting their first chicken, I was cleaning the mess I had made cutting two. 

How was I able to get through this, you ask? Honestly, through prayer.  It was God's strength that saw me through chicken fabrication.  I know that may sound silly, prayer to cut a chicken, but it was a genuine fear.  I can cut a chicken. YAY!