some may call it luck, fate, or even an act of God, but these brownies are perfect

Me and brownies go way back, but this recipe from foodwishes.com really takes the cake.

1/2 c butter

1 1/8 c sugar

3/4 c cocoa

1/4 t salt

1/2 t vanilla

2 lg eggs

2/3 c flour

1 c chocolate chips

Melt butter over med-low heat until melted and hot.

Whisk together sugar and cocoa in a large bowl; add melted butter.

Add salt, vanilla and one egg; whisk.

Beat in the second egg.

Mix in the flour with a spatula; when almost blended, add chocolate chips; finish mixing.

Bake in an oiled 8x8 pan at 325 for 30-35 mins, until a toothpick comes out slightly dirty.

They should turn out dense and fudgy, not at all light and cakey.  Just the way I like them.

you're the best, kid

A couple months ago, I got into a minor fender bender on my way to work.  As I pulled over and got out to face the lady who'd forgotten she had brakes, I was mostly just shaken up and ticked off.  Not knowing what to do in the event of a car accident, I just took a picture of her license plate and pulled back onto the highway.

As I called my mom and merged into the heavy 7 a.m. traffic, I noticed that I had gotten right behind a semi truck.  Normally I would've passed it as soon as I could, but I was so ruffled by the accident and worried about my head which was starting to throb that I didn't bother going around it.

Several exits passed and still I was tailing him.  It was getting annoying, but there was no way I was going to switch lanes.  That meant side-swipe exposure.

Soon, my exit approached and Mr. Semi's right blinker started flashing.

Well that's funny.  I wonder if...no, he couldn't be.

I needed to make a right turn after the exit.  He turned right.

Left.  Ditto.

Right again.  Okay, this is weird.

Ohp.  Yep.  OF ALL THE PLACES HE COULD HAVE BEEN GOING.

As he put on his flashers and tried to back into the driveway, I carefully went around him and turned into the adjacent parking lot.

I didn't think crossing the street would be so dramatic:  The truck was only halfway into the parking lot and as I passed I heard a honk, then glanced at the driver who was looking at me with his hands in the air.  I kept walking, all the while thinking oh my gosh can this morning get any weirder.

Still unsure of how to lose this 18-wheeler that was obviously out to get me, I heard the window roll down and the driver call, "I'm sorry ma'am; it wasn't you!"

I finally made it into the building and clocked in (ironically, only two minutes late).  Fast-forward an hour or so, I kept bumping into the truck driver who had somehow been assigned to my life for the day.  He was middle-aged, short, stocky, and was rocking black glasses and a soul patch.

"Oh no, it's that same little girl again!" he said the first time.

"Gaahhh I keep running you over," he said when his dolly almost creamed me in the walk-in.

When the stock was all unloaded from the trailer, I ran into him one last time.

"You're the best, kid.  Pound it."

"What's your name?" I asked.

"The name's Glenn, kid.  I'm from California.  Hey, take it easy."  And he was gone.

I've never seen him since.

Every time that supplier delivers to our store, I always look to see if Glenn is the driver.

But I don't think I'll ever see him again.  Somehow I get the feeling God sent me an angel to keep me sane that day...and I'll never forget it.

faith like a child

If you were a set of knitting needles, where would you hide?  Tonight I was trying to find them.  Because I wanted to knit something.  All the cool kids are doing it.

Knitting needles: 1
Jesseca: 0

But whilst I was searching high and low through boxes full of all things pre-pubescent, I found my old Lisa Frank day planner.

Anybody else remember America's fascination with Lisa Frank art?  Every 1990's birthday party was smothered in the stuff.

But anyways.

On one of the pages I had written this:

"To bring God more than what He has required, but what He is pleased with.  God looks deeper into our heart[s] than we can imaigene."

Where did my younger self get that from?  What did it mean to me then?

He really does look deeper into our hearts than we can imagine...and I often forget that now.

God knew I needed a gentle reminder to come to Him as a child, trusting Him contentedly.  And that's what I intend to do, starting now.

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14

redeeming love

I've been reading the book entitled 'Redeeming Love' by Francine Rivers.  I am captivated by the love Michael shows to Angel and the comparison it makes of God's love towards us.

Of His love towards me.

In the book, Angel is a prostitute who, despite her best efforts, begins to love the man who truly loves her unconditionally.  Out of fear of the unknown, Angel flees his safe embrace on multiple occasions...yet every time, he comes back to fight for her.

The way my savior always comes back for me.

Oh, God...may I love You without hesitation and never again flee Your embrace.  For though Your love contains the unknown, and requires trust to no end, I can't live without Your love.  I can't live without You.