best combos for the tasters

prior to wasting taking your time and reading this post, I must warn you that it is entirely pointless. 

last night, as I was making my staple bean and cheese burrito for the quick-out-the-door meal that monday night bible study requires of me, I was thinking about how much I LOVE the combination of beans and cheese.  refried pinto beans, that is.  it’s just the best.  if I were on an island, stranded for the rest of my days, the food item I would want in bountiful amounts would be … the bean and cheese burrito. talk about protein.  and if you use low-fat/non-fat beans, it’s not even bad for you.  it may not have a whole host of extra nutrients, but I’m not on an island, so I still get those from the other foods that I regularly consume.

other food duos that evoke shear pleasure from my taste-buds? oh, there may not be anything quite like the combo of hot frijoles oozing with gooey queso, but my mouth also certainly enjoys …

cinnamon and sugar {hello sweet heaven}

bbq sauce and ranch {new favorite salad topper}

peanut butter and banana {something elvis & I have in common, I hear}

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and so on …

but nothing quite satisfies like a good ol’ bean and cheese burrito

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now, you know you want to go slather some low-fat refried pinto beans on a flour {or my new favorite corn} tortilla, sprinkle it with some shredded queso of choice, and a dash of mexican seasoning {I use emeril lagasse’s essence seasoning} …  but don’t forget to put it in your george forman grill to toast the tortilla to a crispy golden brown …

mmm … I’m hungry now.

can I brag?

thanks for your permission to brag on some absolutely fantastic women …

these women:

I’m pretty sure I’ve bragged about them before … but they are just so wonderful that I think they deserve a little more bragging.

I met these beautiful women when they were in high school {most of the just sophomores} when I was a youth leader at church.  We all clicked individually, mashed a couple of trios together, and wham.  one big group of extraordinary women, joined by their passion for life, love, and Jesus.  I’ve spent many hours over coffee dates, lunch dates, girls nights, small group sessions, and even locked up in bathrooms, mentoring and loving these women.  the Lord has graciously given me the wisdom that they’ve needed to hear, while at the same time, taught me a great deal through each of them.

Now, they are all in college, working full time, traveling, and ministering to the world.  talk about proverbs 31 women in training.

this summer alone, they are spread across the world, from LA to Germany to Orlando to Australia to Mexico to Asia and beyond.  I love watching their hearts grow as the they discover their passions and purpose on this little planet.

I’m so excited to see where life takes them and I’m honored to get to call these women friends!

now, go and conquer the world.  well, don’t conquer it, but win them to Jesus.  boom.

an american sport

in my humble opinion, you can’t get much more fun, or american, than a baseball game.  you just can’t.

there’s something about the smell of the grass, the roar of the crowd, and even the crunch of the peanut shells under your feet, that evoke a patriotic infused feeling of summer. 

even if it’s at the minor league level.  the same feelings apply.

the sound of the bat, making it’s ever so brief impact with the stitched ball and catapulting it into the sky.  the moment the lights turn on to illuminate the field and it’s surrounding audience.  the smell of the dodger dogs, being roasted to perfection.  oh, wait … I guess that only happens at dodger stadium.  but our local minor league team {go rivercats!} has a pretty mean dinger dog going for them too …

it may go unmentioned, given my permanent union to a die hard giants fan … but deep down inside, I’m a dodgers fan at heart.  I blame my dodger blue blood on the mexican that raised me.  the guy that taught me the classic baseball song {take me out to the ballgame, for those that might not be american} and replaced “home team” with “dodgers” … for far too long, I actually thought the song was strictly a dodgers song.  im just that gullible trusting of the man that I call “dad”.

he loved the dodgers for good reason: born and raised next to dodger stadium, with stories of sneaking in to view the game from a perched position on top of a fence … before working there in highschool.  it’s his childhood.  and he passed the love on to me.

now, given our lack of a tv to help in my fandom, I’m not much of a fan.  {my blood is in fact red, like yours, believe it our not} but when it comes down to it, given the opportunity, I’ll always “root, root, root for the dodgers!”

but back to what I was saying about the game of baseball …

one thing in particular that makes the plastic-chair-sitting experience of being at a 9 inning-long baseball game so fantastic: the food.  and thank God for 9 innings.  makes way for 3 courses. 

1st inning: hot dogs
3rd inning: garlic fries with jalapenos
supposed to be 6th inning, but couldn’t wait: nachos … with jalapenos of course

at least that was the menu for our last baseball outing.  and to disgust my sister even further, another story about all the food items she would never dare let enter into her healthy little body: one time, my dad and I went to a rivercats game with the goal of eating one of everything on the menu throughout the game: dogs, nachos, cheese steak sandwiches, fries, crackerjacks, cotton candy, and who knows what else was consumed during that game.  I admit, it was in my younger years of higher metabolism and no care for the processed food.  {don’t worry kris, I couldn’t and wouldn’t do it again … but at least I can say I did it!}

he’d hate me for including this picture, but I guess that’s a perk of him not keeping me accountable and checking what I post on here.  he’s just so cute!

goin’ to the chapel …

ever since exchanging vows with my hot hunk of a husband, weddings have made me a total kind of a sap.  maybe it’s silly, but I see so much significance in proclaiming your love and promising to work on that love in front of all the important people in your life.  and in front of God.  because, whoever takes a vow with God lightly … well, I just wouldn’t suggest it.

it’s huge!  it’s a huge commitment.  it’s a huge proclamation.  it’s just pretty much HUGE.

and spectacular.

what makes weddings even more fun … is when it’s two of your bestest friends.  it just doesn’t get much better.

last weekend, erik and I had the honor of standing beside Becky & Zach as they said “I do”.  not only did this mark off a pre-baby bucket list item {numero 7 … check},

probably the only picture we have of the two of us at the wedding, and most of the picture of of someone else’s head.  fail.

but it entered The Leighton’s into the incredible club of the marrieds. congrats guys!

this was the kind of wedding where we knew both sides … we knew almost everyone.  and that just makes for one fun party if you ask me!

short story:

julie’s family has known the Leightons {Zach’s fam} since both julie & zach were too little to remember. as they grew up, they didn’t really hang out much because julie was older and well, he was one of those athletic boys that julie couldn’t have kept up with if she tried.

many years later.  erik moves to california and meets zach through the dude he worked for.  before erik ever met julie.

a few years later.  erik meets julie.  they fall in love.  all while zach was away at school.

erik & julie get married.  julie meets becky through her sister, stacey.  julie and becky sit at a pizza place for 5 hours. and the friendship continues from there, with weekly dates.

many people tell erik & julie that zach and becky should meet.  erik & julie agree.

finally, zach comes to a bible study we invite him to.  becky is there.  their eyes meet.  and BOOM.  sparks explode.

{or something like that}

1.5 years later. they are hitched.

check out the spectacularness of the event that united these two phenomenal people together:

me & jenna {zach’s little sis}

if you can’t tell, they choreographed their wedding dance … and it was pretty much, awesome.

best wedding. ever.  except for ours. although ours was chaos and a total mess … it did make me mrs. benson, so, it stands as the best wedding ever in my book.

now if only they’d come home from their honeymoon so we can hang out.  come on guys.

my thumb is turning colors

and by colors, I mean, it’s slowly returning to it’s green nature, once again.

yes, I’m planting again.  I may not have the gigantic garden that I had when we lived on the acreage of my grandpa’s ranch, but I do have a front door and pots.  thus, the front door is covered with pots.

I have petunias, hydrangeas, 3 different kinds of tomatoes {we clearly love tomatoes}, and hot peppers.  we have an extra pot and plenty of soil left over for one more veggie … but the selection was just too much to handle and we couldn’t decide.  erik reminded me that we don’t have to choose right away.  I mean, we could go home and think about it.  we could decide to get yet another tomato plant.  {although I’m thinking 3 plants for 2 people is more than enough tomatoes}.  or we could get more peppers {we are thinking copious amounts of salsa}. or a fruit maybe?  who knows?!

there is just too much to choose from.  too many possibilities.  and too little space. 

until we decide … we will tenderly care for the plants we do have growing.  we will “parent” them in a way.  every morning, tending to their needs {via water & sun}.  protecting them from the forces of nature that could harm them.  praising them when they produce beautiful flowers and yummy food.  {ok, my plant-parenting much stops there}.

sorry for the lack of uber cool pictures.  these were snapped on my way out of the door the morning after I planted them … I just couldn’t help myself!

oh, and were you wondering where I got those cute blue & white miniature pots? $2 … garage sale.  for real.

some unsolicited advice for the single ladies …

I promise.  if you just wait, as long as it takes, you will never regret it.  it may seem like it will take forever or like it will never happen at all, but it will be worth it.  so, incredibly worth it.  don’t rush into something, thinking it will turn into your fairy tale.  chances are, if it doesn’t start that way, it won’t stay that way.

wait for that man that stares at you with his lips curled up ever so slightly while you are talking to him about something as silly as where to put the bananas.  wait for the man, that when asked why he has that smile on his face {thinking you said something funny or have something stuck in your teeth}, he just looks at you and says “you’re just so cute”, then graces your cheek with a sweet kiss from his lips.

wait for that man, ladies.  because he will melt you heart, every.single.time. 

{if you can’t tell, mine melted last night, for the bazillionth time}

it’s worth it.

because who doesn’t want a man to look at them like this:

wait for it.

The Benson’s are going to Mexico!

Yup … you heard me right! We are taking a week off of work {which makes me a little nervous} to help grow and build a church in Mexico!  We’ve been wanting to do this for years and finally feel like we are in a place where it just might work out.  I’m nervous {I know … If it’s God’s will, then He will provide!} about raising the funds and justifying a week off of work for the both of us, but I also feel like after years of serving with the youth and young adults, it’s time we stand beside them in their step of faith!

Just for your info, here is our letter with the details of our trip.  I’m not posting this letter as a request for money from those that read this little blog, but rather as a plea for prayers!  It’s also part of my attempt to keep you updated on the life of the Benson’s, as is the original purpose of this blog.  Since the letter filled with all the details pertaining to the trip was already written, I thought I’d just save a few key-strokes and cut & paste.  Call me lazy.  Or busy.  Either one would work right about now!

 

Dear Family and Friends:

As you may remember, Erik and I worked together with the youth ministry at our church for about 4 years, starting in 2006. In all honesty, ministering together was how we became friends, and later fell in love. It was a blessing to us to be a part of a ministry that we both cared for in such a real and intense way. Shortly after we got married, and after our students graduated, we moved from working with the high school to the college/young adult ministry. We have been working with young adults at "Impact" and now a Monday night Bible study we like to call "Abiding" for the past 3 years. Ministering together alongside the leadership of Pastor Danny Basham has become a very important part of our lives as a couple and as Christ's ambassadors.

Over the past few years, Pastor Danny has asked the two of us to join him and the high school youth on a missions trip to Mexico. Up until now, we couldn't figure out how to make it work. However, after a year of prayer (since last year's trip left for Mexico), we feel God is calling us to join the youth on this trip to the Jehovah Jireh Church and village of Lomas Bonitas, located about 10 miles southeast of Ensenada, Mexico, during the week of July 7^th to 13^th.

We will be working closely with the Pastor Juan Ambrocio and his wife, Karrie, to minister to the people in the struggling village. Jehovah Jireh Church functions as a central “hub” in the community. A breakfast program feeds 50-60 children and their mothers three times a week, English classes are given to high school students as well as interested adults, and church services are held weekly on Sunday morning.

This year our main service projects will be painting the outside as well as some inside areas of the church, insalling new flooring in the 2^nd floor of the church, the Breakfast Ministry, and Sports Tournaments & Testimonies

We are so excited for this opportunity to serve God and the people of Lomas Bonitas this summer. We are confident the Lord has great things planned for our team while we are training and during our trip. We feel very passionate about the opportunity this trip will provide to touch many lives in Mexico, as well as to work alongside the youth as they take this step of faith.

A trip like this cannot happen without the support of our family and friends, so we want to invite you to take a part in this trip with us. The most important thing you can do is pray. Pray specifically for our team, safe travels, and those to which we will be ministering. Another way you can consider is providing support financially. Our trip will cost $400.00 per person. Thus, we need to raise $800 for the both of us. If it is possible for you to send financial support, we would be very grateful. If you cannot, please know how much we appreciate your prayers and encouragement as we continue to prepare for this trip. This trip and ministry will most definitely be a life-changing experience for everyone involved!

In His Love,

Erik & Julie Benson