http://shop.ebay.com/traceoflavender/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
The winner of the Necklace is:
Sara Shult!
I will be emailing you soon. Thanks again!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The Winner is.....
Thank you to all of you who entered the necklace giveaway on my blog, Facebook, and via email. I really appreciate you helping to get the word out about my friend Tracy. Please continue to share her beautiful work if you would:
http://shop.ebay.com/traceoflavender/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
The winner of the Necklace is:
Sara Shult!
I will be emailing you soon. Thanks again!
http://shop.ebay.com/traceoflavender/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
The winner of the Necklace is:
Sara Shult!
I will be emailing you soon. Thanks again!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The Benefits of Healthy Eating: Your Body: God's Temple
I have to admit it. I never really found much motivation to eat healthy. Not that I "loved" the way that I looked, but I was comfortable with it. Lifestyle change (for me) couldn't just be about my looks.
Being a nurse, I do have a little incentive to want to avoid all of the diseases that I see ravage my patients. But, to some extent, we all kind of live with the notion that "that won't happen to me....." It wasn't enough of a motivator either.
At some point, my responsibility became to nourish not just myself, but those who were depending on me. Now nutrition is getting a little more important! But still, sometimes it is just too easy to give in to the whining in the grocery store cereal isle. Convenience foods are just a way of life.
But then came the real life changer. The sudden realization that my body being a temple for the Holy Spirit. Now it really matters! I am thankful for a God who loves me no matter what, but what a change it can make to view nutrition and exercise as worship. Don't get me wrong, I don't worship exercise or food. But worship is something that is weaved into the fiber of our being. We worship God in our words, our song, in our work, and in the way that we care for the temple that He has given us. There are so many things we do that could be viewed as unpleasant: dishes, laundry, scrubbing toilets, going to work....but if we could view ourselves as worshiping God with our every breath, every action, it makes it so much easier to say no to the things that are harmful.
As in anything, I am thankful for God's grace. He knows we are going to fall. And I do believe that He meant for us to enjoy eating. There are so many illustrations in the Bible that use feasts and suppers. I also think it is unhealthy to get so wrapped up in the idea of what is healthy and what is not that we are consumed by it. I have been learning and making changes a little at a time so it won't be so overwhelming for my family and I.
There has been one common sense principle throughout all of this that is a common thread: God's way is better.
We have developed so many ways to process food to make it cheaper, somewhat safer, and in the meantime, we have altered what He has given us to the extent that it is no longer good for us. We don't want to work for or pay for good nutritious food. I chalk much of that up to our busy culture, and the fact that the majority of us do not own milk cows, chickens, cattle...etc..I know it is impossible for everyone to do this. There are ways to obtain fresh grass-fed meats, organic vegetables, fresh whole milks and cheeses....but they are expensive and in some cases illegal thanks to the FDA. And we are all about cutting costs. I am suggesting (and this is just my opinion) that there are better and healthier ways to cut cost from your budgets.
For a little levity, enjoy this video from comedian Tim Hawkins. I think it just might speak volumes :)
Being a nurse, I do have a little incentive to want to avoid all of the diseases that I see ravage my patients. But, to some extent, we all kind of live with the notion that "that won't happen to me....." It wasn't enough of a motivator either.
At some point, my responsibility became to nourish not just myself, but those who were depending on me. Now nutrition is getting a little more important! But still, sometimes it is just too easy to give in to the whining in the grocery store cereal isle. Convenience foods are just a way of life.
But then came the real life changer. The sudden realization that my body being a temple for the Holy Spirit. Now it really matters! I am thankful for a God who loves me no matter what, but what a change it can make to view nutrition and exercise as worship. Don't get me wrong, I don't worship exercise or food. But worship is something that is weaved into the fiber of our being. We worship God in our words, our song, in our work, and in the way that we care for the temple that He has given us. There are so many things we do that could be viewed as unpleasant: dishes, laundry, scrubbing toilets, going to work....but if we could view ourselves as worshiping God with our every breath, every action, it makes it so much easier to say no to the things that are harmful.
As in anything, I am thankful for God's grace. He knows we are going to fall. And I do believe that He meant for us to enjoy eating. There are so many illustrations in the Bible that use feasts and suppers. I also think it is unhealthy to get so wrapped up in the idea of what is healthy and what is not that we are consumed by it. I have been learning and making changes a little at a time so it won't be so overwhelming for my family and I.
There has been one common sense principle throughout all of this that is a common thread: God's way is better.
We have developed so many ways to process food to make it cheaper, somewhat safer, and in the meantime, we have altered what He has given us to the extent that it is no longer good for us. We don't want to work for or pay for good nutritious food. I chalk much of that up to our busy culture, and the fact that the majority of us do not own milk cows, chickens, cattle...etc..I know it is impossible for everyone to do this. There are ways to obtain fresh grass-fed meats, organic vegetables, fresh whole milks and cheeses....but they are expensive and in some cases illegal thanks to the FDA. And we are all about cutting costs. I am suggesting (and this is just my opinion) that there are better and healthier ways to cut cost from your budgets.
For a little levity, enjoy this video from comedian Tim Hawkins. I think it just might speak volumes :)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Get Over Yourself
I attended a ladies retreat today with my mother and sister. I love it when I walk away from an experience like that feeling that my heart needs a change. I love it because, I love the dynamic relationship that the Holy Spirit brings to my life. I WANT relationship! I want God to change me, no matter how bad it hurts.
The speaker was Sheri Rose Shepherd She is the author of His Princess and His Princess Bride, along with several other books. She used a great amount of humor and her best advice for following Christ wholeheartedly was get over yourself! I just want to share with you the insert that was included in our purse packet that we took home. Here it is:
The speaker was Sheri Rose Shepherd She is the author of His Princess and His Princess Bride, along with several other books. She used a great amount of humor and her best advice for following Christ wholeheartedly was get over yourself! I just want to share with you the insert that was included in our purse packet that we took home. Here it is:
His Princess Beauty
A princess of the world....glorifies herself to get the attention of others.
His Princess...Glorifies her King to give Attention to God
A princess of the world....is more concerned about her wants than the needs of others.
His Princess....Is more concerned about the needs of others than her wants
A princess of the world.... uses her words to talk about herself and others
His Princess...Uses her words to talk about God and speak life to others
A princess of the world...is concerned about her comfort
His Princess...is concerned about her character
A princess of the world...invests her time and talents to accomplish things in life.
His Princess.....Invests her time and talent to accomplish God's work on Earth
I don't know about you, but I know that some of these are areas I can use help with. Instead of praying for God to change others, we should be willing to say begin with me.....
Begin with me, Lord!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Some More Great Giveaways!
This week my jewelry giveaway was featured on the blog Jewelry4Change. If you get a chance, hop on over to her site. She has an Etsy shop and sells wonderful pieces of art. You can view the link here:
http://www.jewelry4change.blogspot.com/2011/02/winner-winner-chicken-dinner.html
http://www.jewelry4change.blogspot.com/2011/02/winner-winner-chicken-dinner.html
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Glorifying God
Here are two verses that God is making sure are repeated in my life over and over recently:
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
and
Colossians 3:17 " And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Why do I think He is impressing these verses on me? Because I need them. I am a complainer. I get frustrated too easily. So whatever I do, I am to do it for God's glory. Including fielding 1,000,000 Star Wars questions from my 3 year old daily. Including responding to someone who has upset me or hurt my pride. Including gently disciplining my kids when they do something that I would consider really stupid or inconsiderate. Yep. I fail so often. I am thankful for the people in my life~ My family and my friends.
I understand why God's desire is for me to reflect Him. Wouldn't the world desperately desire God if every single Christian spent their days truly reflecting His glory? I know it's impossible. That's why God gave us the constant reminders. May we push on toward that goal friends! You are here to keep me accountable. Make it so :)
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
and
Colossians 3:17 " And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Why do I think He is impressing these verses on me? Because I need them. I am a complainer. I get frustrated too easily. So whatever I do, I am to do it for God's glory. Including fielding 1,000,000 Star Wars questions from my 3 year old daily. Including responding to someone who has upset me or hurt my pride. Including gently disciplining my kids when they do something that I would consider really stupid or inconsiderate. Yep. I fail so often. I am thankful for the people in my life~ My family and my friends.
I understand why God's desire is for me to reflect Him. Wouldn't the world desperately desire God if every single Christian spent their days truly reflecting His glory? I know it's impossible. That's why God gave us the constant reminders. May we push on toward that goal friends! You are here to keep me accountable. Make it so :)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Gorgeous Jewelry Giveaway!
I want to introduce everyone to a very talented friend of mine who makes beautiful jewelry! She has an EBAY and an ETSY site where she sells her artwork. Be sure to check them both out. This is just a small sampling of what she has to offer:
This week Tracy will be giving away the "Trisha" necklace to one lucky winner.
To enter the giveaway, simply share this post on Facebook or your other favorite social media site. When you are done, please leave me a comment and let me know how you shared. One entry will be chosen at random. Entries need to be made no later than Tuesday, Feb. 22nd. I will announce a winner on Thursday, February 24th. Good luck!
I will also accept email and Facebook entries, but I do prefer comments here on the blog. Thanks!
Please note, I am not making money off of this advertisement. I am just simply helping a friend to start up her shop. But feel free to follow my blog, you might want to know who the winner is :)
|
| "Trisha" |
 |
| "Christianna" |
 |
| "Shelly" |
 |
| "Laurene" |
To enter the giveaway, simply share this post on Facebook or your other favorite social media site. When you are done, please leave me a comment and let me know how you shared. One entry will be chosen at random. Entries need to be made no later than Tuesday, Feb. 22nd. I will announce a winner on Thursday, February 24th. Good luck!
I will also accept email and Facebook entries, but I do prefer comments here on the blog. Thanks!
Please note, I am not making money off of this advertisement. I am just simply helping a friend to start up her shop. But feel free to follow my blog, you might want to know who the winner is :)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
I know some of you out there won't be celebrating today. But I am. Why? Because no matter what the day on the calender, LOVE is the best thing to celebrate!
Love is everything. It doesn't matter if I "get it" yet don't have love. It doesn't matter if I have all knowledge and don't have love. I am so thankful to be loved.
To my first love, Jesus Christ, You rescued me from destruction. You lifted me up and made me Your child. I don't deserve You, but I cherish You.
To my second love, Willie. The last 19 years of knowing you have changed me. I was a child when we met. I was stubborn and selfish. I am glad you stuck with me. I don't deserve you either, but I love you and appreciate you so much!
And to my littlest loves, I can't imagine life without you. I love having you home with me every day. I don't just love you....I LIKE you too! I sometimes stand in awe that the Lord saw fit to give you to me. I wonder what He was thinking! But I am thankful that He did, for just as I am helping to "grow" you guys, you have helped to grow me.
Love is everything. It doesn't matter if I "get it" yet don't have love. It doesn't matter if I have all knowledge and don't have love. I am so thankful to be loved.
To my first love, Jesus Christ, You rescued me from destruction. You lifted me up and made me Your child. I don't deserve You, but I cherish You.
To my second love, Willie. The last 19 years of knowing you have changed me. I was a child when we met. I was stubborn and selfish. I am glad you stuck with me. I don't deserve you either, but I love you and appreciate you so much!
And to my littlest loves, I can't imagine life without you. I love having you home with me every day. I don't just love you....I LIKE you too! I sometimes stand in awe that the Lord saw fit to give you to me. I wonder what He was thinking! But I am thankful that He did, for just as I am helping to "grow" you guys, you have helped to grow me.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Play.
I love to see my kids play. I love the things they come up with.
Charlie Brown? It's not surprising that Emma would choose Lucy.
Well, I guess the doctor is out. Maybe I'll go turn on Dr. Phil!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
A Healthier (but still scrumptious!) Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!
So, when I started my healthier eating journey one thing became clear: my chocolate chip cookies would have to remain the occasional unhealthy indulgence. You see, I made THE BEST chocolate chip cookies. Even my baker-husband concedes that he cannot touch them! Friends at work have commented over the years feeling that I needed to enter them into some type of contest.
I have a secret.
It is the recipe on the Crisco stick package..........
I am cringing.
Well, there is a good reason for that. Crisco is a wonderful cookie maker. It doesn't spread out like butter, leaving your cookies thicker, yet soft and chewy. I suspect it is because of the consistency of the Crisco at room temperature. ANYWAY I was spying my jar of coconut oil last night and thinking about how alike it is in consistency to Crisco (but much, much, much,much healthier...) So decided to give it a try. I also decided to replace some of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour. I assure you, they are still just as delicious!!!
(PLUS...I had one for breakfast this morning and they kept their soft chewy center...shhhh)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 C Coconut oil
1 1/4 C. Light brown sugar
2T. Milk (preferably raw)
1T. Vanilla extract
1 Egg (preferably pastured)
1 C. Unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 C. Whole wheat flour
1 t. Salt
3/4 t. Baking soda
Chocolate chips or carob chips
Beat the coconut oil, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla together with a mixer. Add the egg and beat lightly. In a separate bowl, add the flours, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to the wet mixture to form a sort of stiff batter. Add the chips. I don't put an amount here because I eyeball it. The recipe calls for one cup....but really? Who uses just one?
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Drop cookies by the spoonful and bake for 10-11 minutes NO LONGER!!!!!! They might look a little under-done when you take them out, but they will set up. If you over bake them they will become hard. Let cool. Enjoy. Bring out the coffee!!!
I have a secret.
It is the recipe on the Crisco stick package..........
I am cringing.
Well, there is a good reason for that. Crisco is a wonderful cookie maker. It doesn't spread out like butter, leaving your cookies thicker, yet soft and chewy. I suspect it is because of the consistency of the Crisco at room temperature. ANYWAY I was spying my jar of coconut oil last night and thinking about how alike it is in consistency to Crisco (but much, much, much,much healthier...) So decided to give it a try. I also decided to replace some of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour. I assure you, they are still just as delicious!!!
(PLUS...I had one for breakfast this morning and they kept their soft chewy center...shhhh)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 C Coconut oil
1 1/4 C. Light brown sugar
2T. Milk (preferably raw)
1T. Vanilla extract
1 Egg (preferably pastured)
1 C. Unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 C. Whole wheat flour
1 t. Salt
3/4 t. Baking soda
Chocolate chips or carob chips
Beat the coconut oil, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla together with a mixer. Add the egg and beat lightly. In a separate bowl, add the flours, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to the wet mixture to form a sort of stiff batter. Add the chips. I don't put an amount here because I eyeball it. The recipe calls for one cup....but really? Who uses just one?
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Drop cookies by the spoonful and bake for 10-11 minutes NO LONGER!!!!!! They might look a little under-done when you take them out, but they will set up. If you over bake them they will become hard. Let cool. Enjoy. Bring out the coffee!!!
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