I recently read a book that quoted Mark Twain: "I can live for two months on a good compliment." ...Which is funny, because I've been thinking a lot about the power of our words lately.
I guess you could say it all started a couple of months ago at a supper club dinner with some pretty incredible women I know. For those of you who know me well, you know my passion is cooking. Any kind of cooking…I'm there...it's a stress reliever for me. Gardening...not so much. (ask the flowers I put out every spring that are dead within a month). But cooking........ahhh...........cooking. There's something about being in a kitchen – hands in dough, or cake, or covered in food coloring – that's the stuff that really calms me down and gives me time to sort out life's little dilemmas.
Anyway, this particular cooking club host chose an Italian theme. I racked my brain about what to make...and finally decided on a tiramisu. Now, I'm infamous for deciding and attempting to cook something "because I saw a recipe for it online" - which, coincidentally, sounds a lot like my shopping theory: "I bought this outfit because I saw these fantastic shoes I just had to have." So, after searching and searching and calling around everywhere in the S-BC looking for ladyfingers, Eric finally brought some home to me (for those who are interested: World Market). So here I was in my kitchen at midnight the night before Supper Club, making this tiramisu I've never even attempted – praying I wouldn't have to fake an illness to get out of going if it didn't turn out ok. But, thank goodness, it did...and I received some very high compliments on it, to boot. (recipe below) Not a bad day in my book...
But it's what was said by some pretty smart women that night that really sparked these thoughts I've had for awhile now...I forget the context, I forget what was even being said – but one woman very wisely said: "...the getting married part, that's the easiest part...the two becoming one - that's the difficult part..." And it really made me stop and think about planning my own wedding. I was so wrapped up in details. I was so stressed out and I made it such a big deal. I was so worried about the candles matching the tablecloths, matching the flowers, matching the color of the guy's ties...ugh! It gives me a headache just thinking about it. But the important stuff – that’s the stuff that happens after you're home from the honeymoon, when real life hits. Jobs, bills, friends, family, sickness, health, loving, honoring, cherishing (sound familiar?) – that's the difficult stuff – but, I think that’s the ‘stuff’ that makes you as a couple learn to operate as one. And, after all that I've been through, I'm convinced (now more than ever) that those words in our vows were chosen very specifically.
How often do we take those words to heart to help us through the everyday stuff? Paul got it right in 1 Corinthians 13:13 - "and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." But, how often do we get it right? How often do we choose our words carefully – do we plant our feet in the dirt and mud of life and speak love? It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately…
Maybe it’s been dominating my thoughts lately because our biggest problem the first ten months we were married? Very simply: words. We didn't realize the power of our words. We didn't realize the power our words held over us long after they were spoken. If we knew then what we know now...things might have been very different. But, things would not be the way they are today - and so I am thankful, because we learned a very valuable lesson. And I think we’d still be walking around oblivious to the power simple little things (like words) can have in a life. Thank God for lessons and for disciplining us.
These days, we choose our words very differently. If we disagree, we do so with love. If we agree, we do so with love. We speak love to each other. We lift each other up. We talk. But, we listen more than we talk – and that has made all the difference. You know that old saying: “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason” …yeah.
I'll admit…it's quite easy to fall into a rut and 'forget' how to treat people...to not have time to live by the golden rule. But life is so much better when you do.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29
Ingredients:
Tiramisu (Ashley's way)
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 (12 ounce) pkg ladyfingers
4 cups strong coffee or espresso, cooled
1/4 cup, or less coffee flavor liqueur (optional)
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
1 ounce square semisweet chocolate, for curls
Directions:
1.
Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon colored. (we'll just say that these were "holy" yolks by the time I got finished whipping them. just a heads up.)
2.
Add mascarpone to whipped yolks. Beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. (I put a little sugar in my whipped cream - more out of habit than anything). Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.
3.
Dip ladyfingers in cooled coffee for 5 seconds (letting them stay any longer will result in soaking up too much and becoming soggy) and line the bottom of dish. If using a spring form pan, be sure to line sides as well. Spoon half the cream over the soaked ladyfingers. Repeat ladyfingers and cream.
Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Garnish with cocoa and chocolate curls.
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| I assembled my Tiramisu in a pretty crystal dish (just because I love serving in it)...but feel free to stand the ladyfingers around a springform pan and then layer it up like a more traditional presentation. |
