block party, yummy food, etc...

This weekend we helped out with a block party at church. It is actually a really neat thing that our church does with about 12 other churches in the area called meet the church. I love that these churches will actually join with each other in trying to share the gospel across Pensacola rather than competing with each other for higher membership. Its a really neat thing to be a part of. So anyway, we drove out to this park, not really knowing what this block party was really going to entail.

We were joined by people from 4 different churches across the city. We met in a park in a lower income area of town, cooked burgers, played with kids, face-painted, talked to families and really had a great time.

It sooo reminded me of being in Bryan with my little girls! and the same for Ben with the boys he used to take to church--we felt right at home! It was soo good to be a part of an outreach like that-- it is a need that is easily present in every city and we were both so glad to know that some of the churches in our area have recognized that and are doing something about it.

Right now it is a once a month deal, but who knows, maybe the Lord will pull on enough people's hearts to make it a once a week thing! Anyway, I just had to share that because it made us so happy to be with those kids and to talk with some of the families there! And to know that there are churches working together for the Kingdom in our area is something we can't get enough of!

But on an entirely different subject, Ben really loved what we had for dinner tonight and actually requested that I put it on the blog with his endorsement :) Ben said that it was one of his favorite meals I have made and that everyone needs to make it for their husband :) haha

So per Ben's request....

Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Mango & Cucumber

2 breasts of chicken, grilled and shredded

1/3 cup lime vinagrette (1/4 cup lime juice, 1 tsp honey, 1/4 cup EVOO, salt & red pepper)

Bibb lettuce

1/2 cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/8" matchsticks

1/2 mango, cut into 1/8" matchsticks

1 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro

Toss grilled chicken in the lime vinagrette, set aside. Toss together cucumber, mango and cilantro. Serve on a large plate with Bibb lettuce and chicken.

For dressing:

1/4 cup rice vinegar, seasoned

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/8 cup tahini

1/4 cup soy sauce (lite sodium) or stir fry sauce

1/4 cup asian sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/8 cup fresh ginger, chopped (or a couple of dashes of ground ginger if you don't have fresh)

Finely chop the garlic and ginger, mix all ingredients together and pour into a bowl to serve with the lettuce wraps.

Cook some white, brown or jasmine rice while the chicken is grilling to serve with the wraps!

It was a really fun "finger food" type of dinner and Ben loved it (to my sheer delight and surprise).

hope you enjoy it :)

and on another note, I was standing in line at Kohls the other day and the old man in front of me thought I was staring at his muscles and totally started flexing his muscles at me and wanted me to feel them. It was really creepy. To his credit, he did not look his 60 years of age one bit and he was in great shape, but I was really freaked out. My eyes pretty much popped out of my head, I backed away, really not wanted to squeeze his biceps and all I could say was, "thats great. thats really great" while trying to muster up a smile.

weird.