Cooking Unexpectedly

June 26, 2014

I'm not sure what just happened earlier. hahaha! But for the fun that I had, I thank God for His 3S' and 1H: His s-overeignty, His s-ense of humor, His s-urprises, and His h-elp. :)

So anyway, in the choir ministry, we are divided into groups and every week, a certain group is assigned for cooking and washing the dishes. In our group, 1 person usually does the cooking (kuya Al), and in normal circumstances, I wash the dishes together with another member (ate Nida).. Today though, kuya Al sent me a text message telling that he doesn't feel well and he was asking if I can cook for tonight's practice!!

I didn't know how to answer that because I know deep within me that my schedule would definitely allow me to. And I know that I can cook somehow (I'm not saying that I'm an expert).. but I'm not sure if I can cook for a big group and it's my first time to cook dinner for them! (Well, with that, I mean during regular practices. So... that excludes my pesto pasta and Chocomarble Renaissance birthday treat for them a couple of years ago. haha!) And can you believe that? I'm a member of the ministry for 8 years already on July! haha. Oh, and going back....

Then... I sent an affirmative message to kuya Al and then I unpacked the OIC Biblical counseling stuff in my bag (I was actually supposed to continue my Projects for Growth in our church building library), and headed to the supermarket to shop for ingredients of a Filipino dish called Pork Sinigang/ Sinigang na Baboy. Either way, I cannot translate "Sinigang" in English. haha.

I got so nervous and sooo excited at the same time, because I know that the circumstance came from the Lord. And I'm just interested in how things will end up.

I'm glad that when I already got started, one of our fellow members, tita Merriam, went to the church center pretty early and volunteered to help out with cooking the rice and cutting the other veggies and the like. If not for her, it would have taken me a longer time to cook! (Just in case you get the chance to read this, thank you tita Yam! ;) )

And everything went as planned. :) For the pork, I learned something from tita Merriam, and that is to marinate the meat with salt and pepper first before boiling it.. If I were the only one cooking there, I wouldn't have done the marinating thing because my mom also doesn't. :p

Then, I also thank God that my plan not to use any seasonings (instant Sinigang mix or any kind of granule or broth or MSG), was implemented. :) We used fresh sampalok (tamarind)! I love cooking Sinigang with tamarinds because then it becomes really sour, just the way I like it. ^___^

I appreciate tita Merriam's kindness when she agreed to my plans of using fresh tamarinds, and using patis (fish sauce) to counter the sour taste of the tamarind. 'Cause she told me earlier that she doesn't usually put fish sauce in her sinigang and she usually also uses Sinigang mix especially if she lacks time. I'm so blessed by her offered help and her flexibility to my "cooking plans" (for lack of a better term), even though she cooks for the choir too often already.. And me? Well.. uhh.. yeah, we know it, don't we? :))

I prayed for it like a child. haha. :) I just told the Lord to please help me enjoy it just like when I do it at home. There's some sort of tendency to do things to please people and when that happens, I usually fail and get frustrated with myself and feel as if I'm not doing anything right anymore. It shows pride and arrogant independence from the Lord though, doesn't it? That's why I'm so grateful because the Lord has been allowing me to trust in Him even for the very little things recently, as little as what happened today.. :)

I thank Him for keeping and guarding my heart.. It's soooooo far from the ideal, it's soooo sinful that I get discouraged by it many times, it's soooo rotten that it brings me back to my need of the cross everyday.. but even with this heart, I thank God for His grace.. I thank Him for showing Himself to me more and more to the smaller and smaller matters of my life. I thank Him for even giving me the privilege to be in a vibrant and living relationship with Him. All of these blessings are possible, only through His sacrifice. He bought my life (all else included) with the shedding of His blood on Calvary.

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
And to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!--'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus, Hymn

-----UPDATE-----
June 27, 2014

Today, I cooked Pork Sinigang again but for our dinner at home this time since I shopped for ingredients yesterday. :) Here's a snapshot:

Let's eat! ^_^