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Fun Fact

My friend, Rebecca, turned me on to a fantastic whole-food, plant-based restaurant here in the OC.  It's called Native Foods Cafe and it is delicious. Well, on the receipt, they had printed this fun fact that I had no idea about.  I thought I'd share it:

"Cream of tartar, a baking staple, starts life as a white sediment that lines the inside of wine casks after fermentation.  This tartaric acid is scraped off, purified and ground down to the miraculous powder that lofts our pie toppings and allows our favorite cakes to let their frosting peaks soar.  In a pinch, just sub in three times the amount of vinegar or lemon juice."

Who knew?  I have never once in my life thought about what cream of tartar is or where it comes from.  All I know is I need it to make Craig's favorite snickerdoodle cookies :)

"...every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result."

-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Someone or something is forever telling us we need to be more handsome or more wealthy, more applauded or more admired than we see ourselves as being. We are told we haven’t collected enough possessions or gone to enough fun places. … But God does not work this way.

No one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another.

He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all.

He doesn’t measure our talents or our looks; He doesn’t measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner.

Walk peacefully. Walk confidently. Walk without fear and without envy. Be reassured of Heavenly Father’s abundance to you always."

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Renewed

Ahhhh!  All day I have been feeling uplifted and renewed after an amazing conference weekend.  I have had a quote in my head all day that sums up what I've been reminded of.  I can't remember who said it or where I heard it and wasn't able to find it through google but it goes something like this:

"We are spiritual beings having an earthly experience, not earthly beings having a spiritual experience"

I'm encouraged to keep an eternal perspective and to remember who I really am and why I am really here.

“God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.” -  Spencer W. Kimball

Remarkable

On Thursday, July 16th, Zac Sunderland , at age 17, became the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe in a sailboat solo.  It took him 13 months of sailing, with stops in ports for supplies, a run in with a pirate ship, masts breaking, giant squalls, and once staying awake for 60 hours straight trying to fix a rigging.  

 

I first read about Zac in an ESPN magazine in the dentist's office.  I checked out the ESPN website for more info about him and his amazing journey.  He was supposed to be returning into Marina del Rey, CA at the end of June.  Yesterday, Ashley asked about the boy who was sailing around the world.  We googled his name and found an article  about his return just last week!  I'm kicking myself that I didn't follow his journey these last few weeks.  How cool would it have been to be at the Marina del Rey harbor to help welcome him home and see history in the making!  Well done, Zac!

 

"I think society puts young people in a box -- people 15, 16, 17 -- and does not expect them to do much but go to high school and play football and stuff like that.  This just shows they can do a lot more with some strong ambition and desire. My [advice] is to get out there and do your thing with all you got."

-Zac Sunderland