Something smells good!

Labor day weekend was marked with music, little sleep, and sunshine. Can't complain. Except about that cold that ensued over my past three days following. Again! Please no! Advil and Tylenol PM, cough drops and kleenex hit and linger on my pallet unwanted. So in between hot baths and naps I take to the kitchen to cook something filling. I find that I crave clean food more when I'm sick than not, beats me!  

Instead of the original chicken soup I cooked up a nice batch of Chicken eggplant stew, topped with a pesto drizzle. 
I found a similar meat-free veggie packed recipe in my favorite cookbook Plenty by London Ottolenghi and cut and clipped in my own preferences, rich in flavor and hearty in stock.

Quick and dirty recipe:
Simmer together water, chicken breast, wine, spices and herbs for about 30 minutes. Take out chicken breast. Add chopped eggplant, carrots, onions, really any other vegetable you want. Simmer again 25 minutes. Add chopped baby tomatoes, garbanzo beans, shredded chicken and simmer 10 minutes more. Top with a dollop of pesto (trader joes has a  delicious jar with strong salty notes) and drizzle of olive oil. Serve with crusty bread. Eat and be satisfied.

Must wear the proper cooking dress! Courtesy of Peanut and Anthropologie.

Broski

So fortunate to spend part of my weekend with my brother!
Sad to think it was only the second visit in a year from the guy, but hey!

Though he towers over me with a strong presence, I still must say he's my little brother.

Some favorite things about my little brother:
1. Always knows how to make me laugh
-Throw back photo

-Antiquing in SODO. Found some 1947 pinup calendar tear outs for the wall

2. Unique sense of interests, keeps the day spontaneous. We spent hours in this large auction house marveling at our treasure hunts.

-Show one: Snoop Dog aka Snoop Lion at Showbox. Then off for a day at Bumbershoot. Think that this will start a new tradition. 

3. Good taste in music. One thing we do share in common is a like of music. 

-Throwback from Hawaii trip 2013; gelato!

4. Shares my snack tooth. He knows how to appreciate a good meal, fine drink, and the prep work it takes to get there. We shared an amazing Italian dinner at Cuoco.

Work is still work, but so much more

Often times I think about what it means to be a caregiver. So rudimentary it is; giving my care to others. Yet when I am absent I have time to ponder how precious the work I call my career is. Being a nurse is a tremendous honor, at times a saddening passing of time, but most often it is a thrilling adventure that keeps my mind sharp, my hands busy, and my heart open. 

Happy Anniversary to Me! This past month marked my one year as a RN. What they said was true. So grateful to work for such an amazing hospital surrounded by amazing support, caring for many from different walks.

Waking up at 3, 4pm can be a downfall at times. But hey check out the daily sunrises I can watch!

Nothing makes reading about drug-eluting stents, and EKG waveform changes more enjoyable than one of Seattle's capital coffeeshops.

The alarm sounds, the lunch is packed, the badge is swiped..the day (um night) starts..work is work. But what inspires me daily to feel that what I place my mind, heart, and hands on each day is more than just a calling - lub dub, lub dub - knowing that caring for another brings you outside yourself, sets your heart in the "right here". Lesson on the job: Live in the now, and enjoy it. 

 Nursing is an art:  and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter's or sculptor's work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God's spirit?  It is one of the Fine Arts:  I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.  ~Florence Nightingale

The Lord! Is my Shepard.

I stumbled upon a old book of mine this morning. A Shephard looks at Psalm 23. This book was a gift to me from a patient. A younger man, no older than my own father, stricken with cancer, he lay in his bed with a genuine grin on his face. Sharing with me his love for his wife, his children and all his grandchildren; his fears of leaving too soon. The tears he shed were small, fighting them back he expressed his faithfulness to his comforter, counselor, helper - our Lord Jesus Christ- He shared how he was wrapped in paece after reading this story, and would hope I'd gain insight to Love Himself after I read it.  After signing the inside cover with a trembling, exhausted hand, he reached across his bed and passed it to me, tangling his arm in his IV lines. I fumbled with his tubes, readjusting his fluids and chemotherapy drugs; pumping into his veins as if they were the sweet answer. Occupying my hands so I can let my mouth be silent; I didn't know what to say. I was fidgeting because I was scared, and sad.  For him, for his loss. I was silent and listened to him share. I took the book, thanked him, left the room, and shoved it into my backpack. 

I was overwhelmed with this man's love of our father. He was so weak, so powerless, so frail. But he relied on Christ to strengthen him, mentally and emotionally.  Over a year later I open this book back up, amazed and disappointed at my walk with Christ. Have I made God too small? Why have I trusted Him with the "big" things and not with the everyday ones?

I want to share an excerpt from the first chapter: 

" God the Father is God the author - the originator of all that exists. It was in His mind first, that all took shape.

God the Son, our Savior, is God the artisan - the artist, the creator of all that exists. He brought into being all that had been originally formulated in His father's mind.

God the Holy Spirit is God the agent - who presents these facts to both my mind and my spiritual understanding so that they become both real and relative to me as an individual"

The Lord! Yes He is the one who is my Shepherd, maker, my guide, my love. Let's make God bigger than we do - the more magnificent my concept of Christ is, the more essential my relationship will be. How big is your God? How far will you trust Him?

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is Youer than you. -Dr. Suess

Little bits about me:

That is me outside my Cap Hill apt 7/2013

1. I like food! Cooking, eating. Especially Mediterranean and middle eastern (favorite restaurant).
2. I was a gymnast for almost 10years. Still like to walk on my hands, and get stuck on a trampoline.
3. I can't live without dogs. My pitbull/greyhound is my joy.

Charlie is a little too big for this now

4. I am a night person. I work nights, and on my days off you'll find me awake well past midnight.
5. I think I have a deficiency of vitamin N (nature). I love the outdoors, try to do what I can outside rather than in.

6. I want to travel, more, and more. In-state, cross country, cross the seas.
7. I don't have a TV right now, so exploring the city and reading books are just as entertaining.
8. I have two best friends - my twin sister, and a LA native.
9. I am a follower of Christ - not perfect, yet forgiven.

Favorite quote: "Accept what people offer. Drink their milkshakes. Take their love" -Wally Lamb, She's come undone. (favorite author right now too).

Favorite verse: "and we all..reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image (moment by moment) with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

Definition: to outline or to give the precise meaning of something

I'm Rebekah. I moved out to the city of Seattle in late September 2012. I moved up here to work as a RN. What has come out of the move has been so much of learning about myself, what's important to me, and how to enjoy every moment. I wanted to start this blog rounding my first year here, to share what I stumble upon while I walk this road called life. 

You're probably wondering what the meaning of my blog title is... No it's not a place, or guy's name. It's the Hebrew word for "journey, road, way, custom" (of life).  I'm aiming to capture my thoughts, views, emotions, smiles, and ah-ha moments- and to wrestle through words what i'm learning and living. Realizing that it's less about trying, and more about letting. Doing what I can to let Christ in me, be open, lean in to His speaking. And enjoy. Since moving to Seattle I'll be honest I've struggled. I've questioned. I've doubted. And then I've rejoiced. Celebrated. Hoped.

Lastly, derekh embodies what i'm discovering.   Genesis 3:24 speaks of God guarding and keeping the way back to "life", repeated again in John 14:16, we're told that Christ will be with us, to help us on our road.