Tiramisu

The other morning, I got to go behind the scenes of the making of a tiramisu!

At the Hotel 3 Re in Sesto Calende, Chef Lorenzo makes a fabulous tiramisu and I got the inside scoop!

Here is the video! Note: the subtitles are not an exact translation but you will get the idea! Check out some still shots at the bottom :)

Buon Appetito Ya'll ;)

Read The Good Book

I feel like my fun book (Book 2 of The Mark of Lion Series...highly recommend it) and my devotional (The One Year: Experiencing God's Presence...also highly recommend) were not brought on this trip for no reason.

Isn't it interesting how God uses ALL things?! Even the books we read?!

I could have chosen any book to start off with and could have picked any devotional. But, I picked these and that was for a reason.

In my fun book, "Echo in the Darkness", one of the main characters is on a quest; he (Marcus) is looking for God. Why? Because one of the other main characters (Hadassah) told him about The Lord and he is searching for him. Hadassah is an amazing character and I often wish I was more like her. She is strong in her faith and seemingly unafraid to share it with others. She goes through times that make our darkest days seem to be nothing but rainbows and butterflies. And yet, she is always praising the Lord for all that He has done. She shocks everyone around her with her devotion to Jesus and her courage. And yet, she does not see herself as others see her. She constantly feels afraid and unsure.

Why can I not be more like Hadassah? Why can I not have her courage and strength? True, she is a fictional character. But, books and stories are meant to inspire us. Why does the Bible not inspire us as much as fictional stories do? Why in days of trouble, depression, and darkness do we run to our favorite worldly author and not to our Creator? Seems interesting to me, however, that I happened to choose a novel that is inspiring me turn to God's word.

So, now to my devotional. Since I was feeling the need to open it again (as I should every day), I was so excited to read what it said. If you have a Bible handy, read Psalm 66...if you do not have one handy, stop here and google it.

It is a great psalm depicting God's power and endurance in our lives. In my devotional, it said this:

"His Presence is a blessing, but one that comes with trials and tests. It isn't easy. Experiencing Him is certain but not simple. He gives promises for the destination but not smooth highways for getting there. Endure patiently, press ahead, and don't ever for a moment assume that the Christian life or a relationship with God was meant to be a bed of roses. It's a long journey and an epic battle, and there are ample rewards for those who persevere".

And so, as I have read in my book, Hadassah had a very difficult life. She faced ridicule, Rome, and the Colosseum all for defending her faith. She was scared but she knew that pursuing a relationship with Christ would lead to eternal life in heaven. So what could man do to her? 

We are all faced with trials of our own. Sometimes, I feel that as we grow closer to The Lord, that is when the enemy is the closest as well. Satan knows how to trip us up and tries desperately to do so. 

Anyways, I just read this and was so excited that I felt the need to share :) 

Don't just read a good book. Read The Good Book!

Arrivederci Ya'll ;)

Fruit, Fashion, and Fun

Hello everyone! Remember I said a video was coming?? Well...here it is!!

This was such a fun day! So excited that ya'll are getting to know Sesto Calende with me!

I am still praying about what the Lord's plan is for my life. I know I am here for a reason. And, I am praying that if it is His desire that I stay that He will provide the way. But, that if it is not, that He will show me that as well. Even if I don't return for long term, I know the work that He is doing in me is preparing me for my future. Sometimes, God takes us out of our comfort zone to do a work in us so that we can go back home as different people - stronger in our faith and more confident in who we are in Him.

"God's voice can be crystal clear with faith and confirmations over time. Details of His plans can be revealed to you from His own hand"

Thank you everyone for your prayers!! 

Arrivederci ya'll ;)

 

Dreams and Desires

Ciao everyone!

First I must say how much I LOVE it here!! Yes, I must admit I was a bit lonesome and sad at the beginning...but who wouldn't be? Even if I was just moving to NYC or Austin I would be homesick. I LOVE Dallas and I LOVE all my friends and family. I have also discovered that I LOVE English!! But, this has only inspired me to study harder!!

I have since gotten over my homesick phase and am really REALLY enjoying Italy. I can already tell that leaving is going to be very difficult! I am so thankful for all the friends that I have so quickly acquired! I know I am meeting everyone for a reason and that I am here for a reason. What that is...well...who knows for sure accept The Lord?!

Here are a few photos from around Sesto just to show you what I've been up to!:

I will be posting another video soon so be watching for that!!

As far as prayer requests go...

I am praying that if it is The Lord's will for me to stay here, that He will provide the way and show it to me! I already feel so connected and attached and that three months is entirely too short!!

With this on my mind, I opened my devotional today and read:

"Whatever is in your heart to do, even when you're confident it's from the Lord, don't let it grow larger than Him. Get to know Him above all else. He already knows every thought in you and invites you to search out the thoughts in Him. That's how He imparts His dreams, and that's how dreams get fulfilled"

And so, this is my prayer:

"Lord, I have so many desires, so many dreams of things I want to do and want You to do in my life. Help me keep my desire for You above them all".

Thank you everyone for all your prayers! And thank you for continuing to pray for me and my time here...whatever it will be :) 

Arrivederci Ya'll ;)

A Look Into Sesto Calende

I have recently put together a few fun videos around town!

Here is one that took place last weekend during a festival.

And here is what it is like at the market....one of my favorite times of the week!

I am absolutely falling in love with Sesto Calende and I hope you will as well!

Arrivederci Ya'll ;)

Seasons of Darkness

At this present moment, I am not in a season of darkness. And praise the Lord for that! But, I am writing because I know that we often face such times as believers.

As Christians, we are under attack. No matter what the day, time, or season, the Enemy is near and trying to stop us. But, always remember:

"No evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go" Psalm 91:10-11

"Do not give the Devil an foothold" Ephesians 4:27

"Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days" Ephesians 5:15

These are just a few of the many verses that I love to read in dark days. We all have them and we all fear them. Sometimes, we don't know that we are even in them. Dark days come and go swiftly in the night. They grab us when we are most vulnerable. They take over our entire being without us even knowing it. 

Here is a quote that I find humorous and yet so true:

"Madness: does not always howl. Sometimes, it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'Hey, is there room in your head for one more?'"

You may recognize this from Despair.com...honestly, it is one of my favorite sites. Why? Well, while being extremely humorous, it also brings the horrible reality of what life really is in just one simple sentence...

Think about it...at the end of the day you are tired, exhausted, mentally/physically/emotionally drained. You do not want to deal with a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, kids, family, bills...etc. This is the perfect opportunity for the Enemy to make his move. You are vulnerable. You are weak. This is the time when you retreat and the Enemy attacks. 

Life is a battle and do not live as if it were otherwise. If you do, I fear you fall. Stand strong or stand for nothing at all. Fight for what you know to be true. 

Here is what I read in my devotional tonight:

"Our pleas for His intervention seem to go unnoticed; our questions remain unanswered; our problems linger. Where is He in our pain? He doesn't say. We have theological answeres to such questions, and we trust that He is near. But we long for His touch - His solutions. We want Him to fix things for us...Yes, there are dark times in a believer's life, but God is still there. He honors faith that survives the darkest nights. He strengthens souls with the most painful instruments. And in the end, His gifts and glory compensate for any hardship we had to face"

So you see? We all go through trials and tribulations. That is what we signed for when devoted our lives to Christ. But, He fights the fight. We are only the instruments. His symphony is better than anything we could have imagined. However, he needs our hardships and struggles to better orchestrate His finished masterpiece. He is the conductor. He knows and sees how the orchestra will come together for it's final performance. And there is a standing ovation awaiting.

A few things to leave you with tonight...

First, one prayer that I think is helpful in dark times:

"Father, thank You that seasons of darkness are rare, and thank You for the knowledge that they are only temporary. Do what you need to do in me, but please let me feel the encouragement of Your touch often"

And, one of my favorite musical numbers...just picture yourself in the music, God is the conductor, you go through the story, you experience different emotions, and the end you create a Concerto with the Creator.

Click Here

Arrivederci Ya'll :)

 

 

Don't Let Perfection Rule You

"A perfection of means, and confusion of aims, seems to be our main problem" - Albert Einstein

Interesting quote for me today. Perfection is something that I struggle with. That is to say, I struggle with desiring to be perfect. I see my faults through a magnifying glass. Faults which I measure by my own standards. I know I have mentioned struggling with this before so (clearly) it needs to be prayed for!

I think being on your own, you begin to really see who you are and decide who you want to be and how you want others to see you. For me, I love to have fun and love being around people who have fun! I love to joke and live life to the fullest. But, sometimes I feel like I don't always say the right things or act the right way. You know the feeling...those times when you say "why did I say that?" or "really Rebecca?". Well, when you are in a foreign country, surrounded by foreign language, and foreign customs you really begin to feel stupid and useless. It's like seeing your idiocy on the jumbo tron at Cowboys Stadium. (crazy to think that God's jumbo tron is larger and He sees EVERYTHING...)!

Anyways...it's the feeling of "why don't I know that Italian word?!" or "I know what they are saying but I can't talk back!" or "I hope I just said the right thing and didn't offend them...!" In Dallas, I feel so comfortable (well..sometimes) at least, I feel comfortable enough so if I mess up or say something silly I can easily explain myself. Not so in Italian...well...maybe if I was fluent. 

It's nothing major but it's little things that when you have time to think about it (and when your thoughts are the only ones in English for several hours), you begin to OVER THINK. You think...well if I can't do this then how can I do that?! If I can't order a simple pasta at dinner without swallowing my tongue...how will I ask my new friends what they believe or share my faith with them? 

"Lord, I know I'm called to "the ministry" - we all are. How do I do that in my work? In my family? In my community? Show me. Empower me to represent You to others and lift up others to You"

But, it's so important for me (and everyone) to remember that we CAN'T DO IT! We can do absolutely nothing without the Lord. And that is part of what I love to share with friends! So, all these feelings that I am having and struggles I face are just providing more ways to share my faith. How great is that?! Don't focus on your struggles and your faults. Change your perspective and use them for the glory of the Lord.

"Father, show me the power of my perspective. Help me live in the reversal, where my attitude and internal state are impacted only by You. Clothe me in the joy and celebration of what You have done in me"

And remember:

"Don't be defeated; overcome. Don't be victimized; be victorious. Don't just receive; give. Don't be easily influenced; be an influence...The laws of the Spirit now work in your favor. Choose to take full advantage of them"

I really do love it here. Despite the adjusting that is taking place (side note: I think I figured out my washing machine...however, I am trying to come up with creative places to hang my clothes out to dry...my apartment is now a local laundry mat) but I really do love it. And I LOVE the people I have met. I already know I will miss them all terribly when it comes time to leave.

Arrivederci Ya'll ;)

Prosecco and Pasta

I think the one thing...well, two things..that are the easiest to adjust to are the Italian food and wine! It is all so good!

So, last night, a friend had me over and cooked a wonderful Italian dinner. It was very simple but oh-so-good!

All we had was pasta and prosecco. For the sauce, it was sauteed garlic, peppers, and shrimp. After the shrimp was cooked, chopped fresh tomatoes and fresh basil (from the garden) were added.

That is it! Let the sauce cook down then add the spaghetti and voila!

And don't forget to top it with fresh basil! Add some olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste :) Best meal I've had so far!

And don't forget the prosecco!

Buon Appetito ya'll!

Despair: A Common Human Feeling

Why is it that rain can be so depressing? On the one hand, there is a certain romance about it. But, on the other, when you are alone it magnifies your despair.

It has rained non stop today.

I have begun to make new friends in Sesto and for that I am very thankful. But, I am still home sick. While I love to travel and see the world, I love to do it with family and friends. Being alone is scary, awkward, embarrassing, and uncomfortable. I am so used to always having something going on around me. Whether it's people being in my house, cooking dinner for family and friends, playing with my puppy, or making plans...I am always on the go. Here, the pace is SLOOOOW. And on Sundays (today)...even slower.

And so, today started off fairly well. I went for a misty run, showered, and went into town to supposedly meet up with some new friends. While I was waiting, I got a lot of good pictures and videos around town. There has been a festival all weekend so the town has been a little bit busier!

But, for some reason, my stomach has been bothering me the past few days and the fact that I am here for 3 months has really been sinking in. I realize that is not really that long but coming from a place where I was so connected with friends and family...it's down right hard!

I am trying hard but I know I am not doing my best...yet! It takes time to adjust, to feel comfortable, and to get to know people.

When I finally got home, I jumped into my pj's and turned on Gilmore Girls (nothing like Stars Hollow to make you home sick)! I sauteed some spinach in garlic and onions, poured pomi on top and added some chicken...that was dinner!

But, being in this one room by myself and listening to the rain...I began to feel discouraged. As if I can not do what I set out to do. I can not meet people, I can not create videos/photos, and I can not tell people about my faith.

Then, I opened my devotional. And here is a bit of what today's said:

"Though we may dread many of the problems or people we face, we aren't meant to. Though we lose hope in many of the trials of our lives, we aren't intended to. Though we forget that God sees the end of a situation even when no end is in sight, we aren't supposed to. Despair is supposed to be foreign to a relationship with Him...Despair cannot thrive or even survive when we are in close fellowship with Him and are seeing Him well. God, who is not discourages about anything, won't allow it...God's purposes are good enough to fill us with joy and leave no room for despair"

And so, this just confirms that I must grow in my relationship with Him.

"Lord, I lose hope far too easily, which means I lose sight of You far too easily. If I saw You clearly, I would be encouraged. Please come close and fill me with truth. Give me the joy of Your Presence and the hope of all Your promises"

Please continue to pray. The Italians need it and so do I.

Arrivederci Ya'll ;)

A Light in Darkness

I am now settled in my new Italian home!

But, every apartment comes with its own unique set of quirks...

A few nights ago, I found myself reading by the light of a single flash light at about 1 am. Why was I in this situation? Well, about 9pm the night before, my parents had dropped me off for my first night in the apartment. After I was all ready for bed, I turned off all the lights and crawled into my somewhat comfy pull out bed (I say "somewhat" because when I woke up I found myself sunken into the center of the bed and unable to easily pull myself out - not to mention the springs make an awful noise every time I turn over). So..

After I was in bed, the light directly about me began flashing. After a minor freak out and phone call to Terrance, I turned off some semi important switch which turned off all my electricity. At that point, I did not have light signals being transmitted over my head, however I was without light and keeping my fingers crossed that my ice cream did not melt by morning.

This being my first night alone in my apartment, I was unable to get a full nights rest. Some of the noises I have gotten used to by now...the cars passing by, my neighbors, the sound of chinese water torture (I have yet to discover the source) and of course my creaking bed.

I woke up about 11:30pm feeling like a new person! I thought "Oh yay! It must be about 6am! I have gotten a full nights rest!" only to discover that I slept for a measly two hours!

So, I tossed and turned and began feeling the urge to open my Bible and devotional and I am so glad I did! My mind had begun to wander to the negatives about my life here for the next 3 months. I was feeling a little scared and alone. The darkness that surrounded me that night represented my mood and faith. But, I opened my devotional and read:

"Whenever you find yourself in darkness, let your trust in God pierce it. Choose to rely on Him. Those seasons don't last forever, but you have an opportunity in them to create an eternal testimony to His goodness. You become a trophy of grace on display in heavenly places. And when the season passes, your faith will bear unusually sweet fruit"

How amazing that that is what I read? Rather than put in a DVD, I felt the Lord telling me to read the Word and use this time of silence to become closer to Him.  The darkness in my apartment became a metaphor for the darkness I began to feel. My one small flashlight was a symbol of my faith - small but strong and growing! The night will pass, the sun will rise, and my dark apartment would soon be filled with light.

Arrivederci

Italian Dinner Ideas

Over the past week, I have really been getting into the Italian spirit in the kitchen!

In this Texas heat it can really be hard to feel inspired to cook something...so I really haven't been getting much practice in (horrible I know)! But, I decided I better start!

Here are a few recipes I've tried out this past week that are light, fresh, easy, and don't heat up the kitchen too much!!

First, I made Chicken Cacciatore and served it with orzo. The Chicken recipe I got from (again) Debi and Gabriele on Cooking Channel. You can see there recipe here. They say 12 pieces of chicken serves 6 people...I only used 8 chicken thighs and that was PLENTY for 4 people! We had 4 pieces left over...so that took care of lunch the next day! I also left out the bay leaves (truth: I forgot about them but they were not missed). You could use canned roma tomatoes but, I recommend using fresh ones...like from the produce section...no cans.

I also made orzo to go on the side (basically a pasta that is shaped like rice). I cooked it in half water and half chicken broth and let it cool. Then, I just tossed it with olive oil, salt, pepper, diced red onions and olives, and some cheese (I used the "Caesars Blend" from Whole Foods but a good Parmesan would be great). It is delicious to serve chilled (not super cold and not warm...room temp-ish).

Now, if you are a wine drinker, white would of course be great! However, I have recently gotten hooked on this particular red:

A friend recommended it as a good red to pair with fish...and it is! If you are going to drink red with fish or chicken, this is a great one! Plus, it pairs really well with Mediterranean flavors. You can find it at Specs for about $15.

So, after this Italian dinner, my mom made two other great dishes that are wonderful on a hot day!

First, she made a Green Gazpacho which is, again, a recipe from Debi and Gabriele (I really recommend watching their show!). You can find this recipe here. Don't be turned off by it being green...it really is AMAZING! We took it with us when we went tailgating and it was the most refreshing this we could have brought.

And it's super cute!!

Then, she made a faux spaghetti (a.k.a. NO PASTA)! Don't freak out...it's really good! Plus, it has like ZERO carbs so you can feel better about piling on some parm ;)

Basically, she sauteed a few veggies (onion, carrot, celery) in some olive oil. Added in some garlic and the ground beef. Then, she poured in some already made sauce (you could use a can of roma tomatoes and really make it your own but this is super easy). Let the sauce simmer and cook down for a little bit. Then, she peeled a zucchini and squash and just poured the sauce right on top!

So easy, healthy, and yummy! You could put the peeled zucchini/squash in with the sauce and heat up for a few minutes as well. And don't forget to top with parsley and cheese!

Get inspired and bring some Italian flavors into your kitchen!

Buon Appetito Ya'll ;)