The Engagement

As most may already know (though some may not), me and the lovely miss Kimberly Walden became engaged June 26th, 2009. Many have asked us how the engagement went down and I thought it would be ideal to include the entire story (complete with pictures) on my blog so that everyone can feel apart of this special day that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Believe it or not, I've known for about a year and half how I wanted to propose. I wanted it to be something very special and romantic. I knew that I wanted to propose at my house, having decorated it completely in rose petals and lit candles. I also thought that cooking us dinner instead of going out to eat would not only make it more romantic but I felt Kimberly would enjoy it more since I took the time and effort to make it especially for her.

Here's how it happened....

On the Friday of the proposal, Kimberly and I had planned to attend the youth service at Church of God Camp Meeting. I did this for several reasons. First off, I knew that Kimberly would be dressed nice for church and, since I wanted us to take some pictures right after the proposal, I could make sure she was in formal attire without giving her a hint that something was up. Secondly, I knew that she would not be expecting the proposal since we attend church every time the doors are open.

In order to give me enough time on Friday to get everything set up and dinner prepared, I pulled Kimberly's mom into the equation. Her mom suggested to Kimberly that they should go shopping that Friday afternoon to get school supplies for her future classroom. Problem solved.

I also got my mom's help with some of the decorations. I told her everything that I wanted, but she went a little overboard and had the whole house decorated when I got home from work Thursday evening. A special surprise indeed!

Every Surface Was Covered In Lace, Rose Petals, and Lit Candles

Kimberly arrived at my house right around five o'clock. When she opened the door she saw me standing there amidst the decorations.

She immediately dropped her purse, burst into tears and ran to hug me. We probably stood there embraced for a full three or four minutes -- and I haven't even said anything yet!

After she calmed down a little bit, I told her how much I loved her and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I got down on one knee and gave her the ring -- which she gladly accepted!

Take A Look At That Rock!

I then had another surprise for her. As part of my plan, I wanted to get her a dozen roses as sort of a proposal gift to go along with the ring. But, roses will die away and she can't keep them forever so I got her something a little more special...

A Build-A-Bear In A Wedding Dress. It's Name Is "Marry."

After all of the festivities, it was finally time to eat the lovely dinner I'd spent all afternoon preparing.

Putting The Final Touches On Our Dinner

We Are Eating Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti, and Garlic Bread

Our Dessert Consisting Of Oreo Cookies, Cheesecake Ice Cream, and Cool Whip

After the tasty food, Kimberly and I decided to snap a few crazy and completely random pictures (like always).

All in all, it was a night that we will never forget. We are both so blessed and truly feel that God created us for each other.

I also want to extend a special "thanks" out to the 30 or so people who knew about the proposal and didn't spoil anything for Kimberly. She was completely taken by surprise.

God Bless,
Jonathan T.

The Economy Fails. God's Purpose Remains.

A week before my college graduation, I dropped by a professor/mentor's office to chat about my Senior research project. After a few minutes of the usual academic formalities, the conversation slowly transitioned to a discussion about life in general.

My professor very candidly turned to me and asked, "So, what's your plans after graduation?"

After explaining that I would not pursue grad school (at least for the time being) and would begin looking for a job, he cracked a smile and gave me an important nugget of information that has stuck with me ever since.

He looked at me over his spectacles and said, "I hear Taco Bell is hiring."

While this may not be the most inspiring sentence ever conceived, the message behind it continues to plague the minds of Americans every day. We live in a society where the media constantly publishes stories about the failing economy, the bankruptcy of this nation's most popular corporations, and the loss of millions of jobs. For a college graduate like myself, this pessimistic view only allows fear and worry to enter my mind and corrupt my thoughts. I stand at a crossroads of life, wondering if my education was wasted.

Am I doomed to work a mundane job the rest of my life? How can I provide for my future family? Will my past choices make my life worthless?

During the past month of job hunting and desperately seeking God for guidance in my decisions, I begin to realized how selfish my previous requests have been. I am already blessed well beyond what I need or deserve. In fact, I am truly amazed that God continues to watch over my life even though I fail him day after day. It was then I began to realize that I was not put on this earth to grow up, make money, and die. I was specifically designed by God to serve a purpose in advancing His kingdom.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

- Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

The verse above is so profound that it literally vanquished every seed of doubt, worry, and fear in me. If God has placed me in this world with a purpose that he has already determined, why should I be afraid?

I encourage everyone out there who feels the strains of this economic crisis to fully rely on God. After all, your purpose, your reason for being alive, does not rest in your company, in your job title, or in how much you make a year. It rests solely on the man who died on the cross for your sins.

God Bless,

Jonathan T.

Jonathan The Sous Chef

Hey folks,

For those reading this blog (which is probably just myself at this point) just know that it is a project three months in the making. No, I didn't take the extra time to fine-tune to my writing skills. Nor did I seek to make this blog eye-popping with colorful backgrounds, visually appealing fonts, or impressive graphics.

Truth be told...I'm simply lazy.

Yet, the idea of having a central place to share my thoughts, feelings, and important life events with others led me to push my couch potato ways aside (at least for the 15 minutes it took to write this piece) and put a little bit of myself out there for the world to see.

It's going to be a bumpy ride, but stick around. You might learn something (or see for yourself just how boring my life truly is).

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Today was an epic day in the life of Jonathan Terry. I finally learned a skill that I've talked about pursuing for years now. I pulled out my measuring cups, readied my spatula, and learned how to cook.

OK, so I'm no Emeril Lagasse, but I did take a step in the direction of independence today when Miss Kimberly Walden and myself decided to cook ourselves a romantic dinner at home.

Tonight's Recipe: Chicken Cordon Blue, Mashed Potatoes, and Creamed Corn.

Here I am rolling the chicken around in bread crumbs.

Kimberly anxiously awaits our tasty meal.

The chicken cordon bleu turned out better than expected.
We filled a boneless chicken breast with ham and mozzarella cheese.

I inhaled my dinner in one big bite.

All in all, tonight's little adventure was very exciting for both Kimberly and myself. It went so well, in fact, that my parents have already informed me that next time we cook we better prepare enough for the entire family.

Don't you think they are putting a little too much pressure on me so early in my professional cooking career?

I do.

Thanks for reading,
Jonathan T.