So I am going to share some stuff that has been going on in my relationship with God. I need to explain that I haven't grown up in a church environment where this sort of stuff was ever talked about. Or, if it was, it was looked at with criticism. So I am not someone who normally would share this sort of stuff. But I feel God has given me a gift that is helping me grow in my walk with Him.

So about 9 months ago I was spending some quiet time

at my home church that I was leading(it was time we spent being quiet and trying to listen to what God was saying to us) and I had my eyes closed and I started to see this big tree on a hill. It was beautiful. It was a cherry blossom tree. As I looked at the tree I could describe it effortlessly. However, there was a big black wave that was crashing into it from the left. The tree was not destroyed or anything. It was strong and fought back against the wave. But sometimes I lost site of the tree because the wave was crashing over it. Then, I was under the tree. It was amazing and beautiful. The branches were long and strong. They protected me from the wave that was crashing into the tree. I really felt that God was telling me to get under His branches and trust Him. That theme has been coming out in my life ever since. I really do feel that I am moving from describing the Kingdom of God to living under its branches.
So yesterday I was away at a pastors retreat and after a great time of growing together we had a time of communion. During this time I began praying quietly and God started to show me some stuff. At first I though my mind was playing tricks on me. Let me explain what I saw as I prayed. I was high in the branches of the tree and was living in it's freedom. It was beautiful. I got down from it's branches and stood behind the trunk of the tree. I looked up and saw the black wave beginning the crash down onto the tree. It was breaking through and stripping the tree of it's leaves, scattering them all over the hillside. I thought my mind was playing with me at this point. The wave kept battering the tree until no leaves were left. The tree looked dead. I didn't know what to make of it. The wave, as if knowing it's work was done, disappeared into the soil around the tree. I stood there and then suddenly the tree started to blossom again. Slowly at first and then the leaves started to multiply quickly until it was fuller and more beautiful than it was before the wave crashed through it. Then all the leaves that were scattered all over the hill began to spring up as trees. I looked around and as far as I could see trees were springing up. I looked at my hand and I was holding a watering jug.
So this tripped me out a bit and I didn't know what to make of it. I got home and noticed that there was a link on facebook to a new Arcade Fire video that was only on the Google Chrome browser. If you have Chrome it is worth watching. The end of the video is basically what was happening in my vision or whatever you want to call it. www.thewildernessdowntown.com
God is good and He is moving.

Reading the old posts in here has been good for me.
I'll celebrate by making chili and teaching you (Alex) how to do it properly.


Ok so first things first. Get a big pot to make it in.














Next you need to add olive oil and heat it up to a medium heat.










Chop up two yellow onions(secret: chew gum so your eyes don't burn).










Add the onions to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes or until they are soft. It's starting to smell good.






Next you need to add the meat. So I've used about 3 pounds of ground medium beef. Plus I used three deshelled spicy italian sausages.






See there it is sitting on top of all those onions.









Mix the meat up with the onions and reduce the heat to medium low.







Cook until all the meat is browned.








Next you need to press out about 10-12 cloves of garlic. The more the better. My hands still smell super good from this step.







Now you need to add in a small bowl or dish about this much basil. Or you can add more. It really is up to you. I don't measure. Sorry.







Next add the amount of oregano that is on top of the basil. Yeah, I know I should of shown the two separate. It is about 1/3 of the amount of basil.






Next we need the cumin. This is a very important ingredient.








So add that to the mix.









Don't forget to feed the kitties. He was getting angry at me.







Add Kosher salt as well as pepper to the mix as well. Be generous with the pepper and add the salt to help bring the flavours out. Mmmm.







So you will have to add chili powder as well but I forgot to take a picture of that but be very generous with it. Lots is good. It is the stuff under the mustard in this pic. I added more after as well.
Oh yeah, the mustard. Add about that much dijon mustard.





Oh I forgot to add the tomato paste. Very important. Once you mix all that together it should start to look like...







....this. Mmmmm...








Next you are gonna want to chop up this much dill and parsley. Dill is on the left and parsley on the right. Chop it finely.








Add two cans of red kidney beans after rinsing them first. That stuff that they come in can make you sick.











Add the can of whole tomatoes. Rinse those as well.








Add the dill and parsley.







Mix it together and then....








Lemon juice! Add lots. It's good.





















.....cover it. Put the heat to low.






Cook it for at least 90 minutes. If you cook it longer on low it will only get better. Don't leave it on for 3 days though. That could be bad.....or really really good but don't take the chance.







Scoop out a big bowl. I avoid sour cream and olives but some like that junk.










Inhale the bowl. So gooooood.






Let me know if this helps!