Faith - Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

The Love Language of Cooking

August 26, 2021 by Ellen Leave a Comment

Today’s guest writer is my friend Mitzi Neely from Peacefully Imperfect. I love how Mitzi weaves tales of love and faith in with her oh, so good recipes! AND: We are “twinsies” who share the same birthday! Enjoy!

As a little girl, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. Besides telling stories and sharing giggles, much of what we did was centered around faith, family, and food. My sister and I used to say that our school cafeteria would have the best food in the world if our grandmothers were the chief cooks! Can I get an amen?

As I reflect on my time with them, I remember my grandparents as a great source of joy. They lived simple, productive lives and were strong people, rooted in Jesus. They distanced themselves from drama. They were frugal and didn’t spend what they didn’t have. And they loved their family and their neighbors.

Those time-honored qualities are laced in legacy. My grands may have had less on the material side of things than some, but the formula for creating a godly family was more important. With each one, it was always God first, family second, job third, and so on. They possessed beautiful, giving hearts and had spirits to match. More than anything, I saw them model extraordinary love and kindness to everyone they met. I’m thankful for their influence in my life.

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:14-15

Some of my earliest memories in the kitchen were helping my grandmothers make a dewberry cobbler, banana pudding, or meatloaf. Along with my mom and mother-in-law, they had a huge influence on my life, both in the kitchen and as a wife and mother. They were models for Christ-like living, savored the family unit, and taught me that cooking was more than combining ingredients. For me, cooking is a language of love, an act of service, and a space to create comfort on any given day.

I am an avid cook who loves to bring joy to others through a good meal. I appreciate my time in the kitchen and consider it a sanctuary to restore, refresh, and refuel my soul. When it’s filled with the hustle and bustle of family and friends, it’s the perfect place for genuine fellowship where memories are created and time treasured.

As a way of sharing those memories, I am pleased to announce a new project, Zizi’s Kitchen, to be published in late October 2021. Zizi’s Kitchen was designed to help you create your own special moments around your table. It’s a place where hearts gather in faith-full fellowship alongside amazing recipes to build lasting memories with those you treasure most. I pray you enjoy your time together and whisper your thanks to God for His abundant love and unfailing promises.

Blessings to you,

Mitzi

To speak her Love Language to us, Mitzi is sharing one of her favorite recipes! Enjoy!

PARTY POTATOES

1 bag 32 oz. Southern Style Hashbrowns (little cubes, not shredded)

1 pint whipping cream

2-3 cups Colby/Monterey Jack grated cheese

Salt and pepper

Parsley

1 1/2 sticks melted margarine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 casserole with Pam on bottom and sides of dish.

Place potatoes in dish; pour whipping cream over top of potatoes; sprinkle salt and pepper over potatoes, and grated cheese. Pour melted margarine over cheese and sprinkle with parsley.

Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes covered; cook uncovered for another 30-45 minutes until done.

Absolutely delicious! Always requested! Subject to rave reviews! ENJOY!

Mitzi Neely is known for encouraging and inspiring people of all ages through her teachings on grace, love, joy, and peace.

Her primary goal is to use her gifts and talents as God leads, always waiting patiently before turning to the right or to the left, listening for His voice saying “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Mitzi’s heart is to lighten your load, while conveying her message that nobody’s perfect. Her desire when she speaks, sings, creates, or instructs is honesty and transparency, such that God receives glory and honor. She is the founder and ministry leader of Peacefully Imperfect and is the author of A Thankful Heart: 30 Days to the Grateful Life, Dwell in the Psalms, and JOY for Everyday Life. Mitzi is also the assistant superintendent of an East Texas school district.

She and her husband, Jerry reside in Longview and enjoy their family and friends when they aren’t working on the farm or tending to school.

Follow Mitzi at peacefullyimperfect.net because the joy of the journey is learning His word together.

What Do You See?

July 8, 2021 by Ellen Leave a Comment

It had been a long ride. Only two hours from the beautiful mesas, sandstone arches, and canyons of Moab, UT, the drive into Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado was hair raising, and seemed to last forever.

The mountain road leading into the park went straight up. Road signs were reminiscent of The Robot on Lost in Space: DANGER, DANGER! Sharp curves and steep grades kept my teeth gritted and hands clenched. I relaxed my hands only long enough to knead the knot forming between my shoulder blades.

Finally, we reached the lodge. We were told our room was a short drive down the road, on the right, number 110. We drove and drove until we could see no more rooms. All the numbers were in the two hundred range. Tired and confused, we headed back to the lobby.

“Yes, it’s just down the road, on the right. Maybe a quarter of a mile.”

We searched and searched, but STILL couldn’t find room number 110.

Off to the lobby, again.

“Honey, I’ll go this time, to save you some embarrassment.”

Inside I went, determined to get some answers.

“Ma’am, I feel like an idiot. We absolutely can’t find room 110. All we see are rooms in the 200 range.”

“Right, your room will be under those.”

“Under?” I said with a little snark and a lot of doubt in my voice. I was tired, cranky, and needed specificity!

“Yes, if you look closely, there is a little hill or berm, and the lower level rooms are behind that, under the 200 rooms.”

Well, there had been a little hill leading up to the rooms we saw. Off we went again, more alert and looking closer. Sure enough. If you’re peering intently at the upper level rooms, you can see a slight glimpse of the rooms on the lower level. Our level. Behind the berm. Luggage in hand, we marched up the hill, down the stairs and found our room.

We hadn’t seen what was right in front of us.

Our eyes were focused on what we could see. If we had truly believed the hotel clerk we would have looked a little harder. Persevered a little longer. Trusted that what she said was truth. We would have shifted our gaze to what was not seen.

We were walking by sight, not by faith. ‘Cause let me tell you, we didn’t believe for a second that there were more rooms than those we could see!

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 CSB

Walking by sight we only see our story, versus God’s bigger story. Trials, circumstances and even people, blur our vision. The reality is, God is working! We may not know or understand this side of heaven what He is doing, but we keep asking, keep seeking, keep praying!

When we flip our perspectives and walk by faith, we see in light of God’s viewpoint. We stretch our sight to include eternal things^⁠1, things not seen. Warren Wiersbe says that as we mature spiritually, we’ll be able to penetrate beneath the surface of life, and see things as they really are.^⁠2

That traffic jam that cost you 20 minutes? Could have been there to save your life.
That sandpaper person (bless her heart) who aggravates you so? She could be there to help grow fruits of the Spirit^⁠3 in you (patience comes to mind…).
That hotel room you can’t find? Keep asking, keep seeking, and your perseverance will grow.

And if we still can’t see the big picture? Well, then, that’s when we pray “Lord, I don’t know what You are doing, but my eyes are on You!^⁠4”

Grace be with you,

Ellen

¹“while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

²Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 577). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

³Galations 5:22-23

⁴2 Chronicles 20:12

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