Joy... Through Gratitude

Okay, so joy’s not dependent on circumstances, and these trials are useful in conforming us to Christ (who was also tested…). But what brings joy?
Here’s where I love to turn to Philippians. Paul mentions “joy” or “rejoicing” 12 times. Outside of the Gospels only II Corinthians has a greater use of this word. (and 2nd Cor. is bigger… So it almost doesn’t count.)

Philippians was written near the end of Paul's life. Church history would suggest that at this point in time, Paul was imprisoned and near death. His execution was closing in. And yet he mentions joy repeatedly. How, in the midst of imprisonment, with death imminent, did Paul display joy?

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil. 1:3-5)

Gratitude brings joy.

Constant expression to God and others in thanksgiving for all that He has done and provided results in joy. I love this truth. I have never been in a situation in which I could not find something to be grateful for. God's mercies are truly never-ending.

I remember one time when I was in the hospital while studying joy. I was incredible pain, miserable, and mourning the loss of a baby. Being grateful is not a knee-jerk response in such circumstances. But God is good. He provided the mental discipline. With a cry for help, I began to be thankful:

"I'm thankful that I have morphine. I'm thankful for pain management. I'm thankful I'm not in a third world country. I'm thankful that the sun is shining. I'm thankful for this glass of cold water. I'm thankful that my sheets are clean..."

And once I started, it was almost as though I could not stop. Thankfulness just bubbled up and out, resulting in a peace and joy which pass all understanding.

What are your prayers characterized by? Do you consistently pray in thanksgiving to God? Or is He merely someone we go to when we want something. Are we actively thanking God for those he has placed in our lives? For our circumstances? For blessings? For trials?

Joni Earickson Tada, one of the great women who I consider a spiritual mentor, though I've never met her, said, “I’m grateful for my quadriplegia. It is a bruising of a blessing. A gift wrapped in black. It’s the shadowy companion that walks with me daily, pulling and pushing me into the arms of my Savior…”

Grateful for quadriplegia. Grateful for suffering. Grateful for the small, countless blessings which our Lord provides.

Ingratitude is a thief of joy.

Joy... Can Come In Trials

Well, it’s all very well, and good to wake up one morning, say, “I’m going to be joyful
today.”
It’s a completely different thing to actually successfully live with joy. Fifteen minutes after you’ve finished a beautifully crafted prayer on the subject, you find yourself grumpy at your husband for finishing off the milk, and gloomy because you have nothing to wear, and after all, no one really cares about you, do they?

Over the next couple of days, we're going to look at 3 passages in which joy is more completely unwrapped. I’m hoping to give you a list of 7 ways to actively pursue joy, because when it comes to daily battles, the bigger the arsenal, the better. Let’s start with James 1: 2-4.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Joy can come in trials. As we saw yesterday, joy is not a product of our circumstances. Joy exists in spite of our circumstances. Trials are brought into our lives to develop maturity, to make us more like Christ.

I have no idea what you are facing: lost job, exhaustion, physical difficulties, a spiritual drought, death, a feeling of helplessness... I don't know. And I can't understand what you are suffering or the pain which you are encountering. Your cloud may be very, very black.

But here's what I do know. You are in that cloud because it is good. Not candy canes and roses good, but conforming into Christ's likeness good. Romans teaches us "that for those who love God all things work together for good... he also predestined [them] to be conformed to the image of his Son." "Good" does not equal pleasure. "Good" equals changing us to be like Christ.

The grace with which you accept a trial is directly tied to how great your desire is to conform to Christ’s likeness.

Rejoicing through a trial develops "steadfastness." Steadfastness is not to be discounted… you learned things about Christ in your first trial as a Christian, which you now take for granted. You cannot buy lessons and growth. Your trials teach you things about Christ, your God, which you could not, and would not learn any other way. Continued steadfastness results in a faithful, consistent, growing life…and you will be perfect, and not lacking anything. (In heaven!)

Okay, so joy’s not dependent on circumstances, and these trials are useful in conforming us to Christ. Christ our Savior was also tested and Hebrew tells us this "perfected" our already perfect Savior. If Christ, the spotless lamb of God had to suffer, who am I to say that I don't need the same lessons?

The Bible Says Joy Is...

The word “rejoice” in my convicting I Thessalonian’s verse "Rejoice always" is the Greek word “chairo” which occurs 75 other times in the New Testament. The word for “joy” is the Greek word “charah” which appears 59 times in the New Testament. Clearly, joy is a well documented part of the New Testament church. But what is joy?

The proverbial Webster’s states that joy is “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good
fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires”

So apparently, these people in the New Testament had multiple encounters with well-being, success, and good fortune...

Acts 5:40-41 when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

II Corinthians 7:4 “Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort ; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.”

I Thessalonians 1:6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

Hebrews 10:34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property

James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials

Philippians 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake

I Peter 4:13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing,

Do you get it?! Joy in the New Testament is not a result of Webster's "well-being, success, and good fortune." Look at what these baby believers went through! They were threatened, beaten, and plagued with affliction. These individuals went through suffering so acute it was labeled "tribulation." They're property was seized and confiscated. And they had joy. Paul speaks of joy as his life is literally spilling out of him.

How?

Because joy is not an emotion. Joy is not dependent on the circumstances of life.  Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and just like self-control, patience, and kindness, it must be cultivated, through the help of the Holy Spirit in each believer's life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

From this passage in Galatians we know two things:
1. we need the Holy Spirit to accomplish any of these qualities
2. There is sacrificing of the flesh which must go hand-in-hand with the Spirit. The next verse states, “and those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
We've determined that joy is a spiritual discipline which is lacking in our depression riddled world and church. We know that joy is not dependent on our circumstances. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit which must be cultivated.

How?

Joy? How?

Every year in the United States 19 million people, over the age of 18, are affected by depression. Of these 19 million, 12 million are women. Clinical studies tell us that approximately 1 in 8 women in America, will develop clinical depression in their life time. Women experience depression at approximately 2x the rate that men do.

I grew up in a Christian family. I was saved at an early age, and the gift of joy seemed to bubble out naturally as a result of Christ's saving work. Throughout elementary school and high school, I had the typical fluctuation in moods (perhaps even more than typical, given my dramatic nature), but my joyful bubbliness would soon resurface with little, to no effort from myself. God is good.

However, when I began college, and then even more so as I entered graduate school, I began to battle increasingly black moods. The joy would still peak through, but it was very conditional on my circumstances. (And circumstances during the lean, stressful college years were not always favorable.) I had brief, passing thoughts of how lovely it would be to die. I battled chronic health problems which drained my energy and delight in life. I was to survive. No more. No less. In graduate school my fear of man kept me in constant turmoil as I was evaluated over and over and over again.

I was a joyless, bitter, miserable mess.

I was "depressed."

Depression is not, in and of itself, the cause. Depression is the fruit. And each time, standing in the midst of the blackness and pity, depression is a fog, I saw two things: women who lived their lives with passionate joy and I Thessalonians 5:16: “Rejoice always.” This is not a suggestion. It is a command. God commands us to be joyful.

God does not give commands that He does not also provide the strength to follow. “for His commands are not burdensome,” (I John 5:3) So I am clearly called to be joyful... but how?

How am I to "rejoice" and cultivate joy?

Negative Transparency

When I first got married, I was on my guard. A lot. My fiance (now husband) had repeatedly told me that I needed to be open with him. Transparent. That I had to share my life.

I am a naturally effervescent individual. I didn't think that would be so hard, but I did know that I always wanted people to think I was perfect, to view my life through a rosy, hazy glow of golden delight. Kind of like a Pinterest post... perfect, artsy, well-lit. And completely not practical.

So I made a concerted effort to share with my new husband. I was determine that I would not be one of those women who isn't transparent with her spouse. I told him about my crappy days, my horrible moods, my freak "flash-fears" (you know, those brief terrifying moments in which you think, "I may lose all my hair!" or "When I'm old, I'll be one of those women who has to visit the podiatrist in order to get her claw-like toe nails clipped."). I told him about my struggled spiritually. I told him my fears about our relationship, our future.

I was honestly, gut-wrenchingly, persistently transparent.

About the bad stuff.

I took it for granted that he would know that I was delighted at the golden sunrise, his amazing pancakes, and the cuddle I got from a little patient that day. Of course he would know that I was growing in joy, developing a deeper love for prayer, and growing my passion for the world-wide church. My love for hip-hop and dance parties, the delight I get in picking blueberries, and my latest victory at work--he had to know about those. Of course.

Except that I wasn't telling him.

I would come home, determine to be transparent about my day, and my transparency turned into a litany of my struggles. Because that's being transparent, right? Surely people know the good things, right?

Nope. Not right.

People have to be told the happy moments too. Especially men. That's not a slam. It's a fact. You share troubles and worries, and they're immediately side-tracked, determined to solve those troubles. I married my knight in shining armor, so he was pretty much sold on the idea of erasing all my worries and cares. So, I would come home, dump worries and cares on him, and he would spend the rest of the night mentally (or verbally) trying to solve them.

Then he started saying things like, "I'm so sorry you're unhappy." "I'm so sorry marriage is so difficult for you." "I'm so sorry that your life has turned into this since you've married me."

And then I was confused. You see, I was (am) ecstatically happy. I love my honey. I thought life couldn't get any better, and I harbored a secret little sorrow that not everyone could marry a man as wonderful as Scott. (Because there is only one Scott, and I got him.) Sure, work was sometimes hard, life isn't perfect, and God gives us moments of trials to make our desire for heaven grow, but as a whole, I lead a charmed, delightful life. Why on earth did my husband think I was miserable with him?

It's because I only shared the bad things. In my book, transparency is something raw and real. It's something you are struggling with and need help to share. When people are "transparent" in church circles, it's usually because they're sharing something very painful or vulnerable, weakening. People aren't called "transparent" when they bubble over with joy. And so, I had morphed into my view of transparency, so that my husband would be able to connect with me. And my transparent joy had drifted out of my conversation.

What's wrong with unadulterated joy? Why, in a ladies' small group, or discipleship conversation, do I feel the need to find something painful and raw? To prove that I'm growing? To prove that God is working on me? What if I'm in a moment where God is working through unstinted blessings? Walks in the sunlight? A period of rest and joy?

Transparency is not negative, raw, painful emotions. Transparency is a delighted, inward look at how God is changing and growing me.

I'm still working to correct months of "negative transparency." Developing a certain communication style is hard to change, but I'm delighted that I get to change by talking more about the delights God is lavishing on me. I'm so deliciously happy!

My Tame Sin

I am a boring person. Completely unoriginal. And tame. Excessively tame. I live comfortably within my own four walls, and have little to no concern about the world surrounding me. Every now and then I peep out my little window, but I quickly draw back with a shudder. Everyone outside my little walls seems a little... dirty. I pride myself, with a little ruffle of my perfectly coiffed hair, that I'm not nearly as dirty and sinful as those I've gotten a glimpse of. I'm appropriately moved to sorrow at their condition, and then I go right back into my own comfy cave of darkness.

I'm not starting bonfires of sin, I'm cuddling right up next to it with a dreamy sigh.

You see, while others may go out and light a giant bonfire in commemoration of their sin-- lighting up the sky with fireworks of "Look! I'm sinning!", I don't. My idol doesn't parade around in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, it creeps up beside me... in the form of comfort.

You see, more than rebellion and flagrant thumbing of my nose at rules and regulations, my sin takes a more tame, insidious bent.

I love comfort. Love it. I like pants with elastic waistbands, naps, and microwaveable foods. I like days when I can sleep in, and piles of books to bury myself in. I like a complete lack of to-do lists and a complete disregard of goals or ambition. I would like to have life handed to me on a silver platter, thank you very much. I don't want to strive, sweat, or groan... those sound too painful and miserable. I just want to curl up in my sweatpants and wait peacefully until I'm ushered into a blissful and (need I say it?) restful eternity.

Comfort masquerades as a right, as a friend, as something which should be allowed (at least one weekends, right?). But the truth is, if I'm living my life as I should, comfort should not be an option.

"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty... You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me... For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him... In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials."

In truth, my desire to curl up in my comfort is a disgusting commentary on my eagerness to roll around in the filth of my sin. Harmless items, such as sweatpants and lazy Saturdays, become harmful, poisonous substances when I worship them above the plans of my Savior. 

I am not designed to seek comfort. I'm designed to proclaim the glory of God. I should be living my life in reckless abandon for His fame. I should be pushing aside even the fluffy, quiet sin, in horror of its creeping comfort in the same way as I am of the firework sins. I'm not brave or creative in my sin. But I'm shockingly unashamed and consistently tolerant of my own condition.

Why am I not pushing it away? Why am I not fighting? Why am I not running from this?

Perhaps it's the tame sins which are the most deadly.

Just as a "Head's Up"

Hello, readership! I would like to draw your attention to the following pages. Along the top of "Just Another Wife," you'll find some pages devoted to some (hopefully) enjoyable, and(sometimes) changing additions.

Just to kick things off, you could read Why Write? which details the purpose of this blog... I firmly believe that writing is both a skill and a gift, and while I'm not sure I have either, I do love it. Writing is one way in which I am seeking to bring glory to God.
Under the Yummies you'll find that week's latest culinary adventure. All culinary attempts can be found by clicking on the "Yummies" category on the left of this page, but the newest escapade is always on my "Yummies" page. I like yummies. And the word "yummies." It makes me feel like I'm feeding a chubby lil' kid. And who doesn't like chubby, kissable cheeks?

Our Story is growing. I'm adding to it bit-by-bit. Love stories are a weakness, and I believe I'm living one of the greatest ever written. Plus, it's a recording for posterity, since I was miserably bad at journal writing during dating/engagement. (I'm notoriously bad at journal writing in general, but I just keep buying them because I'm so in-love with nice bindings and the idea of future generations reading about my daily life.)

As for Passions, this one will be a revolving door, each week highlighting a different concern, passion, or ministry. My favorites may pop up more than once. I believe that American Christians, and perhaps women even more than men, like to cloister ourselves in our comfort and complacency. The bigness of our battle against evil is largely swept under our carefully selected oriental rugs. My goal is that my eyes, as well as yours, will be opened to bigger fights, bigger struggles, and bigger wars than who sang a solo in church this week.

Hope this helps as you explore!

Psalm 16:11

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

 This week, I'm starting a new series on the blog. Born of countless hours battling for joy, studying God's word, and organizing information, I developed a very short summation of joy.

Joy is listed as a fruit of the Spirit, meaning it ranks with self-control and kindness in terms of developed, faithfully practiced actions. Joy is a discipline born of conscious work and effort. However, we frequently view joy as something which ebbs and flows. Something incontrolable that we just hope to fall into. Those are our "good days"-- when we're joyful. And I would argue that it's possible to have "good days" every day.

Welcome to the "Discipline of Joy"!

Proverbs 17

"The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out." (Proverbs 17:14)

We were all homeschooled. That means that we were all together, all the time. I had two younger brothers and a younger sister (and now another younger sister, but she fortunately did not have to endure all of us going through childhood, puberty, adolescence... you know, growing up).

I would love to portray my family as a paragon of perfection. But then I would be called into account for another lie, and I'd prefer to avoid that.

On our table were little tiny cards with picture clues to help us remember certain verses. This Proverb was one of these verses. The big fat word "Quarrel" was trying to bust its way through a dam. Perhaps it was my mother's engineer-like fascination with dams, but she very clearly communicated what happens when a dam breaks, that coupled with a "major on the majors" view of arguments was ingrained very early on.

By the time we hit high school, all mom would say was, "Starting a quarrel..." and usually the tone of the conversation would shift. The topic wouldn't change, but the style of communication usually took on a much more civil tone. (I stress the word "usually." Once again, we are clearly not perfect children.)

"You stole my jeans!"

"I would like to point out that this was only after you used my new running shoes."

"Starting a quarrel..."

(pause)

"I would prefer you ask before you borrow something."

"You totally made up that story about me!"

"It was funny! People laughed! It wasn't that bad. Sheesh."

"Starting a quarrel..."

"I will try to refrain my stories to true funny stories."

You get the idea...

Personalities, Literature, and Ice Cream

Me: Scott, you're like a Victorian novel. An incredibly excellent vocabulary so that I don't get bored, and a predictable plot line so I'm never scared.

Scott: Hey!

Me: It's true.

Scott: Okay, but you're also a little Victorian. No, I take that back, you're more like a Zane Grey novel.

Me: Ah, more of a 1920s or '30s style.

Scott: Yes, you have incredibly long, detailed descriptions of flora and fauna--

Me: Ugh. I always skip those parts.

Scott: Yes, but then you suddenly jump on a horse and go galloping off to save the world.

Me: Ah. Long periods of boring to provide rest after the crazy excitement.

Scott: Exactly.


When you marry a literature geek, and you're both running out of topics to discuss... Plus, how in-depth are you going to get, sitting on a curb, licking the first ice cream cone of the year?

Confident Trust

Today is my last day at work for a while.

In the spirit of true bureaucracy, my paperwork to renew my license was lost in a slew of red-tape, and within three months, instead of going through three steps, it only made it through two.

So I'm on a temporary "leave of absence" until this is taken care of.

I am not happy.

I think God wants to correct my pride, fear of man, and lack of trust in one fell swoop.

Pride: not having a license makes me feel ridiculous. Like an errant child who can't complete paperwork.
Fear of man: my boss' disapprobation, telling 21 families that I couldn't care for them/their children (broke my heart!)
Lack of trust: if this isn't resolved quickly, what is going to happen?

Hebrews 12 alludes to the "peaceful fruit of righteousness." I desperately need that today.

This is a very real instance of everything working for my good, in a way that does not appear (from a human standpoint) to be actually good. But what is my definition of "good"? I love comfort, success, and accolades. That is my definition of "good." But God tells me that "good" is actually becoming more like Christ. Any circumstance that makes me more like Christ is "good."

So today, I'm seeking to live peacefully, with the knowledge that my God is training me in righteousness. If I emerge from this stressful period more like Christ, then it will all be worth it. I must believe that.

I trust my God. He is in complete control.

And... if you have a license to renew, don't save it till a reasonable time. Turn it in waaaaay too early.

:)

Proverbs 14

Often working in a world of hurt and sorrow deadens my soul. My heart has seen too much grief, and this only through association. I watch people grapple with end of life decisions on a daily basis. I see persons from all walks of life confront the results of sin in one of its most public displays-- a hospital.

As I watch those who are suffering, pity begins to dry up. People are sinners. People are dumb. People run from God. People abuse their relationships. And as I watch, my heart hardens. I ignore the suffering I see, and instead treat people as another task, another item on my to-do list.

"The heart knows its own bitterness..." (Proverbs 14:10)

But suffering is suffering. People make choice I don't understand. People make choices that are blatantly wrong. People make choices that silently scream their lack of a Savior. But each act of rebellion, is an act of searching, an act acknowledging the need for redemption.

May my heart break for those who are lost in bitterness. May each act of sin, make our spotless Savior more prominent.

Dr. Courtney, Google, and Problem Solving

"Honey, I have green poop."

Announcements like this used to surprise me. Now I know that I'm married to a man who doesn't mind discussing the inner workings of his bowels, and who isn't squeamish regarding bodily functions.

"Really? How long has this been going on?"

It should be noted that this reply of mine verges on the heroic. My family doesn't talk about bodily functions, and I took their aversions to whole new levels prior to marriage. I work in a hospital, but I don't like talking about excrement, saliva, mucous, or urine. I can handle blood. (I'm very proud of my ability to handle blood.) After 10 months of marriage, I was at last calm enough to respond to poop information from my husband without an exclamation of horror.

"Probably about two weeks."
"Two weeks! Why am I just hearing about this?"
"Well, it's happened before, but it's always gone away--this time it hasn't gone away..."
"Okay, but two weeks?! Scott, I am your wife. I need to know these things." (Actually, I don't. I'd be perfectly fine never knowing them, but my husband seems to view concern about bathroom issues as a practical manifestation of love.)

"Well, I'm going to figure out what's wrong with you. Where's my computer?" I have now put down my toothbrush and am digging around on my side of the bed for my precious Mac.
"Oh, no, honey... Not Google. Please don't Google "green poop.""

But I was determined. I have spent a large part of my marriage trying to avoid topics about poo, but recognizing that my husband shared this confidence in love, I decided to solve his problem. Isn't that why guys share information? To solve problems? If a girl had told me this, I would have let her talk and worry and steam until she calmed herself down, but apparently men communicate in order to solve problems, not as a vent to their emotions. See? I'm learning.

"Okay... google: "green poop." Let's see..."
"I think that's going to be too general a term."
"Nope. Look. Green poo... Oooh! You could be allergic to gluten. Celiac's disease. I'm sure you have Celiac's disease."
"I've eaten wheat my whole life."
"Yes, and you've had green poo your whole life... Plus, see--it says it can develop at any time."
"Honey, I don't have Celiac's disease."
"Oh, look-- irritable bowel syndrome. Okay. That totally makes sense. I'd believe that you have IBS."
"I don't have IBS."
"It says gas, bloating, pain, green poo..."
"I don't have bloating, and I'm not in pain."
"I still think it could be IBS... Oh, oh, oh! Liver disease! You could totally have liver disease."
"Honey. There's nothing wrong with my liver."
"Oh my word, you're going to die of liver disease. I can see it. It doesn't always come from drinking, you know. You can just get it. Maybe you have a weak liver."
"I don't have a weak liver. Please close the computer."
"You know, WebMD says that there's only a small chance it's cancer. More than likely it's not cancer. Isn't that nice, honey? You don't have cancer!"
"I wasn't laboring under the delusion that I had cancer. Honey, I'm tired, please stop."
"Okay... how do we treat liver disease..."
"Courtney."
"Multi-vitamins. With iodine. Okay. Iodine... Hmmm. I can go to Target tomorrow and get some."
"Courtney."
"What if I have to live all alone the rest of my life because you die of liver disease? Thanks a lot for marrying me. I get less than one year, and then you die. I'm banking on getting at least eighty years out of this marriage, and then you go a bail early."

There was silence. And then a sigh.

"I do not have liver disease. I am not going to die. You can get me vitamins if you want. Please close the computer. You are not a doctor. We are going to sleep."

Next time he says he has "green poop" I guess I'm just supposed to say, "Huh. No way. Can you grab my slippers on your way up the stairs?"

Got it.

Proverb of the Day

Growing up, my mom was a wealth of Proverbs. She had a verse for everything. I mean, EVERYTHING. You want to sleep in--there's a verse for that. You don't pay attention--there's a verse for that. You make fun of your brother--there's a verse for that. And most of the verses came from Proverbs. My recent perusal of Proverbs has reminded me of my daily encounter with truth through my mother's faithful use of wisdom.

There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. There are 31 days in most months. In almost every chapter (and sometimes multiple times per chapter) my mother's voice comes to mind...

Today's Proverb was whipped out whenever we would finish a task in a half-hearted, lazy way. As she looked at piles of poorly folded laundry, barely clean rooms, and dinner dishes which were "soaking" rather than being washed, my mother would look at us and say:

"Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him." (Proverbs 10:26)

We would then wash the dishes. Fold the laundry. And clean the room. Mom has a way with biblical confrontation....

Salted Caramel Goodness

Okay, ladies and gents... This is the most delectable frosting I have ever made. In honor of the wonderful Joseph Blake turning the ripe ol' age of 53, I made a black velvet cake, and loaded it with salted caramel icing. Delectable, and slam-you-upside-the-head sweet, I didn't ice the whole cake. Instead I filled the layers and iced the top.

To cut the sweetness, (and just because I love dark chocolate), I did dark chocolate baking curls over the top of the cake and then drizzled sticky caramel (just 'cause).

Just a word of warning: watch the pot like crazy-cakes while your boiling the sugar. The sugar went from crystal clear, to dark amber in the blink of an eye. Being me, I was busy doing ten other things in the kitchen, and I had several terrifying moments in which I feared I had burnt the yummy sugar concoction. Fortunately, it seems hard to ruin sugar, and everything turned out with elegant, sticky goodness.

Click for (time intentsive, but worth it) recipe: Salted Caramel Goodness