December to Remember!

From my fabulous German Chocolate Cupcakes (delicious and baked with love by my honey).... to Mexican themed Christmas dinner, this has certainly been a December to remember. Here are a few of my favorite photos from Christmas 2010.

This year has had its ups and downs... Thank God that the good days have outweighed the bad days. He is SO good to me! Earlier this week, I prayed "Lord, just make everything alright..." and HE DID! He always does...


As I go into 2011 (a truly exciting year for me), I'm inspired to take the lessons and laughs only... I'm leaving the bad days where they are - in the past.


What will you carry with you? Stress? Old drama? Let it go... Live, love, and laugh often (there is a reason that expression is trite... it's a pretty great recipe for happiness).

this is why I ROCK

I am feeling SO empowered right now (Thank you Lord, because this is a HUGE change from how I was feeling earlier in the day). Here's how my story goes...

In the past two days I have been overwhelmed by reminders of how much evil exists in the world... from the horrific rape scene in the movie "For Colored Girls" to the very distrubing attack in the show Private Practice (maybe I'm watching too much tv).... Well those weren't so bad because they are ficticious stories afterall... but then this morning CNN gave me the rundown on all the rapes and murders in real life! To top it off, this afternoon I met with a victim of domestic violence who shared details of her pretty intense story. To say the least, at the end of all of that I was a little down.

I'm so grateful to God for such an inspiring and caring fiance...I came home to a delicious meal prepared with love and a listening ear. That was just really really awesome. He told me simply, if this world were perfect there would be no need for Christ's redemption and His soon return. Once I put things into perspective, I melted and relaxed and started thinking about what I could do to make the world a better place... not just for me. Clearly, I have been blessed with a comfortable home complete with candles and couches, good food, and all of the reminders that God loves me. But, how can I make this world a better place for the unfortunate few who are caught up in the evil side of this world?

For starters, we can all do the little things - like sharing the good news of God's love and grace with those who do not know how much He changes our lives once we invite Him in. Sharing positivity and inspiration from our blogs (or just face to face like in the olden days ;). Being the change that we want to see in the world - another great step. But I know I am called to do more, because I have way too much potential.

I care about my communuity, so I refuse to run from any opportunity to change it for the better. Mom has always reminded me that to whom much is given, much is required. And so, by the grace of God, I want to live up to my responsibility.

After watching a little bit of "Black Girls Rock" on BET, I started thinking... why can't I make a difference in the way that young beautiful women are doing all across the country? I thought all the ways that God has blessed me. He has given me guts and smarts and ambition. He has allowed me to travel, learn languages, learn skills, make connections... I'm creative, confident, and only 6 months away from a Vanderbilt Law Degree. Considering some of the hard times that I have gone through, I'm nothing short of a survivor...

So yes, I'm feeling a little empowered at the moment. I hope that you are too. I know that each person has his/her own special gifts and talents. It just takes a little confidence to dig em up and acknowledge how much you rock. And then, don't stop there. DO SOMETHING WITH IT. Next year, I want to open a law firm to help indigent victims of violence and immigrants at 24 years old. And that's why I ROCK. At this point in life, I rock because I have no choice.

He adds hot sauce... I add PEACH SALSA!

My little lesson this week was to [try to] savor the moments when my Mr. is away.... YES, savoring is better than sulking. This time that he left town for a few short days, I pulled out my recipe book and started looking for recipes that pulled me in. Sometimes, the dishes that combine fruits and vegetables turn him off... so what better time to try them?

I settled on Peach Salsa, a delicious cure for almost any bland dish... and its full of fruits and veggies! I love this dish because it adds color to every plate of food... My mama was always an advocate of pretty plating. She'd say, the first test of good food is visual appeal.

So.... I'll stop selling and just tell you what I did.

Chopped lots of tomatoes (about 6 or 7 roma tomatoes to be exact...)

Then added some chopped peaches, onions, green pepps, and even some chopped pears...

All together, then I added a dash of lime juice, orange juice, ginger, curry seasoning, salt, and two cups of sugar (little brown and little white granulated)...

Brought it to a boil, then let it simmer for an hour and a half...

 <-- and this is the finished product!

Even better over pan seared Tilapia! Yum! After all that, of course I offered a taste to the Mr. ... he still prefers hot sauce but I got a "that's pretty good" out of him.

The most beautiful season of all...

It's FALL...por fin! I pulled out my box of sweaters and tried on a few. They fit, they are warm.... Not as warm as my first cup of Apple Cider. Yum! The spicey smell drives me wild and tickles my soul. Almost as spicey as the smell of crisp color-changing leaves in the air. Beautiful! So refreshing that I walk to the mail box and linger on the way back... almost as refreshing as the feeling of finally turning off the AC and opening the windows at home. I love fall... love the way you add pumpkin and ginger to all recipes just because. Love the trucks of chopped wood along the sides of the road and patches of vegetables at farmers' markets... Fall is without a doubt the most beautiful season of all.

Smile when you're weary, and keep going...

Y'all, I am TIRED, and the end of law school has been a long long time coming. Class is a drain and the readings have never been more boring. In fact, I'm in class at the moment! Yes... this moment - the 8:12 p.m. moment!!!

BUT through it all God is good! So, instead of whining, I'm going to smile and count down the days until graduation.

For those of you who know what I mean by weary, here are some encouraging thoughts to push you forward...

Weaping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Patience is the ability to count down before you blast off.

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. ~Henry Ford

Don't Quit.

It is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is best from the top. ~Arnold Bennett





God ALWAYS has a plan

Great news! Today I was offered a spring externship with an organization that provides legal services to artists and entertainers. Right up my alley, huh?

A while ago I posted a blog rant about believing in your dreams and daring to think outside of the boxes that other people create for you... At Vandy, the standard encouraged is Law Review --> Corporate Law ---> boring business stiff firm unappealling... must I continue?

I'm so thankful that God is blessing my faith to think outside of the mold. Of course, I can not wait for the Spring!

Celebration of Cultures [featuring Elmojazz!]

Well, unfortunately my plans changed many times today, and STILL I had to miss my stroll through Centennial Park. BUT, hopefully you were able to enjoy it. If not, the fun continues in Nashville's Centennial Park at the Celebration of Cultures. Admission is free and there are lots of artisans and musics groups to enjoy. In addition, they have food vendors with a variety of treats from around the world.

RIGHT NOW my favorite Nashville band - El Movimiento - is playing their lively latin jazz tunes. Check out their new CD and listen to free samples of their music at ElmoJazz.com. You should also make time for  a live performance by adding your name to their mailing list to find out what gigs they have planned.

Psalms 19:14

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

This was my family's meditation this morning. We take for granted that as Christians, the things that we say and do are representations of the God that we say we serve. Still, it is futile to try on our to "be good." 

This is why my simple prayer today was for God to change the nature of my thoughts and desires. What a journey... 

Feliz Sábado! (Ex. 20:8)

Sabbath Radio (My Personal Favorites)

My mom is coming to visit this Sunday and I am soooo very excited. I've been thinking and planning for a few weeks now... I must admit, I'm a little worried that after all the build-up I may fail to make 3 days in Nashville seem as spectacular as I imagined it will be.

Now that the time has almost come I am past the planning and into the cleaning phase. Today, I took things back to my SDA roots - turned on my favorite gospel Pandora station, grabbed the Pledge and gave the apartment a good Friday afternoon cleaning! Imagine the feeling - gospel in the air... lemony fresh scents... and clean apartment!

It's Bliss!

Ok so you may not be as excited about the cleaning as I am, but I still wanted to share the goodness. Try these Pandora stations for hours of guaranteed inspiration... Feliz Sabado!

Bee Bee & Cee Cee Winans
Yolanda Adams
Shae Norman

Paint play...

For over a year now I have learned to love painting. I can think of a thousand excuses for not seriously studying art or exploring with my talent more - too busy, too broke (as long as I am a student I will always be too broke....). At the end of the day painting for me is still just "play." And for now, I am ok with that.

One day it won't be enough that I have never tried to paint with oil. I will not always be satisfied that when I try to paint a person, the face ends up looking cartoon-y. One day I will force myself to endure and be patient and not play....

But for now, its my fun little escape. And... that's ok. How do you like my cartoon-y lemonade girl?

Food for thought

The worst enemy to creativity is self doubt.

There is absolutely no failure in art.

First Saturday Art Crawl

Nashville, if you do not have plans this weekend I encourage you to check out this event hosted by the Nashville Downtown Partnership.


The basics: FREE access to over 20 downtown art galleries, FREE refreshments and wine at most galleries, FREE shuttles from 6pm to 10pm.

So what is not to love about this?

Here is more information, a list of the galleries, and the shuttle route for those interested.

Fear God and keep His commands...

This morning's message reminded me that our only duty is to fear God and keep His commandments... So I'm good on the "fear God" part. Still get a little intimidated on the "keep His commands" part. I mean.... let's face it, knowing that this is our only duty is only comforting if we could ever actually be successful at it! In life sometimes I feel hopelessly sinful... Thank God that we serve a merciful master. After reading today's message (which you can read by clicking here) I was reminded that though we must one day give account for our sins, by faith we know that God's grace covers them. We may have to give account, but we will not have to pay the price because God's son already did...

Join the YMCA

I did it AND I love it!

Best use of $15 dollars this month! Yes that's right, just $15 dollars a month is the cost of a membership at the Bellevue YMCA (for the typical student budget). YMCAs vary by region in that some offer large facilities with olympic size swimming pools and modern equipment. Others may not be as up-to-date. Generally they adjust the price of membership on a sliding scale based on earnings and probably the facility. Click here to find your YMCA and check out membership rates in your area.

At any rate - you get the concept. It's a great deal and it's all about community.

To read more on my personal experience with the YMCA click here.

Animal Adoption

I won't even try to squeeze this post into the category of art, music, or food - but I had to highlight the wonderful joy of life that comes with owning a pet.

It is relatively inexpensive (compare to the cost of having a child) and you interactively share your life with an animal who needs love, food and shelter.

No worries friends... I have not turned into a cat loving animal freak.... but I am very happy to have invited a new pet into my home.

Meet Nala. 

Click here to see more pics of this little cutie (not me, the cat...).

Mani Pedi

Nuff Said!

It's just necessary every once in a while for sanity... DO IT! The awesome nail salon that HANDLED these toes is located in Baldwin (Long Island) New York. Not only did I leave with amazing nails and toenails, but the manicurist topped it off with a light shoulder massage while I waited for my nails to dry.

The most amazing part of this adventure was actually the price... total cost of a manicure AND pedicure was only $25! Yes, you heard correctly. In the South you are doing well to find a salon that will simply manicure your nails for that price. If you're ever in the area, shoot me and e-mail at TLS.kellbell@gmail.com and I will gladly forward you contact info for this shop. I found it well worth the trip.

Deer Watch!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE when deer come out to play....

No.

I don't live on 10 acres of private property.

But God saw fit to send these wonderful creatures to share my peaceful morning walk outside of my Bellevue apartment. What a great Creator we serve!

If you live in Nashville, but have not had the fortune of deer watching in your backyard, try visiting the Percy Warner Park which has walking/biking trails and lots of open grassy areas. You are sure to spot a deer or two. Even if they are not around, the Warner parks are enjoyable any time of the year.

Check out this site for more reviews and information on Percy Warner.

Mama Mandola’s Sicilian Chicken Soup - Carraba's Italian Grille

Ah-May-ZING!

So my fiance and I have unintentionally made every night a date night.... I say unintentionally because it's not as if he formally asked me out.... I didn't blush and spend an hour in front of the mirror getting my hair just right... Nonetheless, we are definitely still dating each other. I genuinely enjoy his company and feel honored every night that we sit down to enjoy a meal and good conversation together.

Tonight, I chose Carraba's for our unofficial date night and it was surprisingly fantastic. For those of you who have had a bad experience there before, do yourself a favor and give it one more shot.

Read more here to find out about our favorite part of the meal ...

Fill My Cup Lord

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus! I'm a firm believer that the ONLY way to truly fill your cup in life is to get to know how good God is. If you are interested in daily meditations or morning devotions, check out these regular posts by my friend Brandon Rose. Here is just an excerpt of today's Bible message... 


What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. ¹⁰Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.


Keep reading...

Nashville Radio

If you are like me, you really appreciate a radio station that, jam after jam, never fails to lift your spirits. I'm not talking about the occasional good song in the midst of filth and who-gave-you-a-record-deal trash! Just quality jams... Well haven't found that yet in the Nashville area (sorry for the build up)... But the closest thing to it is 92.1 or 92 Q.... Love the mix of Anthony Hamilton and Al Green... they can really blend the oldies with the worthy-to-listen-to new guys. So check them out!