I now have three separate recipes to post. I have many different thoughts that I’ve been sharing aloud with those near to me, that I had thought about sharing with the web. But every time I come to the computer to write them: Writer’s block. Nothing is elegant enough, no thought complete enough, original enough, encouraging enough. So I’ll just write through it.

I have been thinking about the finiteness of humans. I have been thinking about how short a life is. How constricted a life is. And even if I were to live forever, which I can almost wrap my mind around, I will only live in one place at any given time. And even if I lived in every place on earth, that’s only a very small part of our galaxy, which, in turn, is only a very small part of our universe.

What a relief to know that I trust the One who has lived in all the places, for all the time. Not only that, He made the places and Time. And He had my best interests in mind when he laid out the good works for me to do, and He helps me to do them. May I always remember it’s so.

I’ve been delighting in knowing that I’ve been made in God’s image. I’ve been pondering what it means to be born in a time and place where overconsumption is commonplace. I’ve been praying about what it means to love my neighbor, really. I wonder if it’s time for me to get a job, so I can contribute to the needs of the saints, or if I can be a better steward of what I have. I’m debating about putting Ava into preschool, or investing more time into teaching her at home.

All the thoughts. I’ve been thinking! I can think again! Because some nights, Benjamin sleeps from ten-thirty or so to six-thirty or so! And every once in a while, I sleep until eight or even nine! It felt, for a time, I would never sleep or think again. And still, my contemplativeness is fleeting, only for snatches here and there while Ava’s attention is on her coloring book, or those rare days when they nap at the same time, but I have hope that my brain might not be complete mush. It does need some dusting in the form of adult conversation, but it appears that it’s still there! Thank you, God!

This past week, I had some trouble with recipe planning. I remembered this recipe when my cousin suggested, “Do something summery.” There’s nothing in the world more summery than a bowl of fresh fruit.

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Fruit Salad

Ingredients

8 Cups of Fruits of Your Choice, cut into bit-sized pieces

(I used two red plums, two kiwis, three nectarines, 8 oz. each of blueberries and strawberries, and a couple handfuls of red grapes)

1/4 Cup of Water

3/4 Cups of Sugar

1/4 Cup of Lime Juice (I used all the juice from three limes, slightly more than 1/4 cup)

2 Tablespoons of Mint, Thinly Sliced

Method

Make a simple syrup, combining the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Let the simple syrup cool while cutting the fruit.

Combine the lime juice and syrup.

Just before serving, mix the fruit and syrup until evenly coated.

Sprinkle the mint over the top.

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Original Recipe from Mom on Timeout. This is delicious served over oatmeal the next day if you have any leftovers.