grace and smelly garlic

odd title, i know, but those are the things on my mind right now. i have been doing some reading for this class i took last week, and i came across this quote..which i thought was noteworthy enough to write about in my paper..and thought-provoking enough to write about here:

Grace provides the daily strength for the Christian’s spiritual journey. The believer begins a relationship with God as one who is accepted, loved, and delighted in. Much as a new mother beams with joy when the infant is first placed in her arms, so God delights in each of us as a proud Father. In the security of unconditional love I am free to grow and develop my life with God. I am not hindered by a need to win approval because it has been freely given. I am not entangled by doubts of my worthiness, for God gives me worth in Christ. If God is for me, who can be against me? It is God who has declared me righteous; who can condemn me?

It's so thought-provoking that i don't even really have much to say about it. it was a good reminder for me (and much needed!), so hopefully it will do the same for someone out there!
now to the garlic...is it not crazy how you can't seem to get rid of that smell? i have made the mistake of cooking with garlic two nights in row now. last night, i put some in my enchiladas...and while i couldn't really smell it on me, i could smell it in ryan's breath as we woke up this morning. and let me just tell you: it's a lovely thing to wake up to! =) tonite, i made homemade hummus with the recipe from a sweet friend (thanks deena!)...and it was so yummy (though not quite as yummy as deena's-i'm going to have to keep practicing)! while making it, though, i had to mash some garlic, which probably wouldn't have been so bad if i had a masher...but i don't. so, i just used my knife (like sometimes they do on tv), which worked-but got garlic juices all over me! and now i cannot escape from them!! i tried the good old "rub a lemon on you" trick, but still have that faint smell stuck on me... =\ oh well!
today i worked my first shift by myself (if i knew how to play some background music, here begins "all by myselelelf) and it wasn't so bad! it was pretty busy, which i really enjoyed! it's super humbling being in a place where you don't have answers for people...in three hours, i probably said, "i'm so sorry, i'm new and i have no idea what the answer to that is..." like a hundred times!! but thankfully people today were gracious and kind!
well, it's back to reading for me...
until next time!