Welcome to Hibernate!
Over the next four weeks Single MOMM will send out a weekly word of encouragement, activity to consider, and new recipe to try. In the last cold weeks of winter, it can be easy to become discouraged as we wait for the warm light to come back. Hibernating with good food, warm words, and soft blankets can fuel our hearts, souls, and minds.
If you could take one item into Hibernation with you, what would it be?
A milk frother!
This simple item has been lost to me for decades. In case you and I are like minded and a bit behind the times in our barista knowledge, a milk frother is:
A utensil for making milk froth, typically to be added to coffee (cappuccino, latte, etc.). It aerates the milk, creating a thick but light foam. – thank you Wikipedia!
I have enjoyed my latte or flat white at our local coffee shops for years, never thinking about how the drinks are made, until I was gifted a frother. This device can be purchased in the form of a whisk for under $10 or as part of an elaborate system for way over $200 dollars. Much to my amazement we have one attached to the back side of our coffee machine at our office.
Shortly after Christmas, all our snow went away. I felt myself feeling a bit blue as I looked out over the brown landscape. I wanted to pull away with a good book, hot drink, and blanket. My desire was to see light, whether it was the bright reflection from the snow or the actual sun shining, but that just wasn’t what the weather was doing. I felt so grumpy, short tempered, and blamed my mood on others. Life just wasn’t lining up with how I wanted it to be.
Somewhere during my grumpiness old memories started to surface. I began recalling all the times I felt that life wasn’t supposed to be a certain way. Can you relate to this feeling? The feelings that surface when we experience life as unfair, when we don’t understand why something is the way that it is, or we feel that we are entitled to different circumstances.
In these feelings I find it dark. I can’t really see beyond the right now. I want the world to be bright again.
This is a small prayer I have found helpful during these times:
“God, thank you for being the Creator of all things and all seasons. I know that you say, you are for us, you are good, and you love us unconditionally. I am struggling today. I feel like life is broken and I can’t see a clear way forward. You say you draw near to the broken hearted. I am broken hearted, thank you for drawing near to me. Please help my eyes and heart to see the light that is in the midst of the darkness. Give me the wisdom to know when to be still and when to act. Thank you for listening to my heart and responding.”
With love, Jennifer
How to make vanilla simple syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
To a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add water and sugar.
Bring to a boil and stir until all sugar has dissolved (2-3 minutes).
Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
Allow the syrup to cool. Then, place it in an airtight container to store in the refrigerator.
How to Froth Milk without a Frother:
Warm your choice of milk in microwave or on stovetop.
Jar Method: Place your warmed milk in a jar, screw the lid on very tightly, and shake away!
Electric Hand Mixer Method: Using a hand mixer, whisk the milk until it reaches the desired frothiness.
Blender Method: Pour your warm milk into a blender and blend on medium speed until frothy. (Make sure to cover the lid of your blender with a dish towel)
After saying this prayer during the dark winter months a few years back I decided to actively look for the bright spots. I cut out colorful dots and wrote down sunshine moments that I would see in my day. My moments consisted of a smile from a stranger, free samples at Cherry Republic, soaking my feet in hot water with a little bit of lavender bubble bath, laughing at a funny movie, etc.
In a different season of life, I was inspired by a friend who traced her foot and cut out multiple footsteps. She was in a season where she could not see a next step. It felt like the lights went out on life. She was facing some major decisions and couldn’t see which way to go. In the evening she would reflect on her day, and ask the question, “Did I see any clues in this day that pointed to a next step?”. She found some days the answer was no and others she would recognize affirming words from someone else, a piece of wisdom she picked up in a conversation, a message on a billboard that spoke to her heart, or the quiet whisper of God’s presence pointing her in a direction. Over time she had a path of footprints that eventually pointed her in a specific direction. She believes the dark season increased her ability to really listen and be present in the moment.
