Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet up with my husband, who was leaving work a bit early. I had to drop off two teenage boys for a hike with friends (extra important given the recent lockdown). Since their meeting place was near my husband's route, and since my other children were well cared for (our nurse with Verity, our special-needs daughter, and teenage daughters watching the youngers), I thought it would be a good opportunity to grab a quick "date" with Ted.
We met in the Costco parking lot with nary a coffee shop in sight.
And we needed milk, eggs, lettuce, and...
And so...we ended up speeding through Costco (wearing masks and socially distancing, of course), checking out in record time, even purchasing toilet paper! (Perhaps life really IS returning to normal after all?!)
Our time was limited, and now we had perishable groceries to put away. So...we got in our separate vehicles and drove home.
What just happened?! A date is rare these days...why didn't we take advantage of the time alone to find a place to sit and talk? We let practicality win out. It takes time and effort to get to Costco from where we live, and since we were close...well, why NOT get our cartful of groceries and call it a day?!
This rambling post could focus on the importance of dating your spouse...which is certainly a worthy topic. I love dating my husband, and I'm all too aware that we desperately need to make that more of a priority, especially in this season of life when we have kids getting married and going to college as well as littles who still suck the life force out of us most days. I cherish time we can spend together, even if it's a simple walk in the neighborhood.
But God gave me an analogy last night as I was closing my eyes that burned into my brain so vividly I was still thinking about it when I went for a walk early this morning...
Maybe I don't exactly "date" God, but I do have an intimate relationship with Him, and I do make my time with Him a daily priority. Yet my prayer life often feels disjointed and scattered. All too often I intend to have a "coffee date" with my Lord and Savior (a relaxed time of praying, praising, and listening), only to find myself mentally rushing off to "Costco" (going over my to-do list)!
What is that phrase? The tyranny of the urgent? Why is it so hard to slow down, stop even, and listen? This is something I must continue working on. For my mental, emotional, and certainly spiritual health, I NEED those "coffee dates" with Jesus. I need to stop running mental errands and instead quiet my heart and mind.
Costco can wait.
Psalm 46:10..."Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth."
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We had fun chatting about how to use essential oils in our culinary efforts! Also covered: WHY you might want to consider using oils instead of dried (or even fresh) herbs and spices, cost analysis, and other tidbits! Enjoy!
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Chances are, we've never thought so much about our health as we have over the last month. With stimulus checks making their way to bank accounts, are we willing to invest a small portion of that money into our (and our family's) wellness? I'm talking about physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and yes, even financial health. This is something I'm deeply passionate about! I invite you to Zoom with me for a FREE class about ways you and your family can be proactive when it comes to supporting your body systems as well as your emotions and thought life. The first hour or so will address these aspects of health; then, for those who would like to learn about viable possibilities for additional income, we will look at a unique business model and give you tools to determine whether it's a good fit for you. Either way, you'll be learning about supporting ALL aspects of your health and wellness!
For more information, or to register so that you can receive the meeting link prior to the event, go to the event page! I hope to see you there!
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MAYONNAISE
Put the following in a quart jar:
- 1 cup extra light tasting olive oil (I've also used sunflower oil)
- 1 farm fresh egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
RANCH DRESSING
Start with the same 4 ingredients listed for the Mayo! Then add the following to the jar:
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (or a drop of YL Black Pepper Vitality Oil)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or use fresh garlic)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (or use fresh onion--I like green onions here)
- 1 Tablespoon(ish) dried parsley (or a drop of YL Parsley Vitality Oil)
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
Use an immersion blender to emulsify mayonnaise/mix salad dressing. Refrigerate and enjoy!
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The very popular Thieves Hand Sanitizer just came back into stock...and we expect it will sell out FAST based on the last time this happened! Since it's on my mind (I just snagged my limit of 2 bottles), let's talk about how effective the Thieves Hand Sanitizer and Thieves Hand Spray are.
First of all, it's important to know that the CDC recommends using a sanitizer with at least 60% ethanol, or denatured alcohol, to kill germs. What is that, you ask? According to Wikipedia, it is "ethanol that has additives to make it poisonous, bad-tasting, foul-smelling, or nauseating to discourage recreational consumption."
Here's the issue...the most common way to denature the alcohol is by using methanol, a solvent which is seriously toxic and can kill you if you ingest it. Methanol can cause severe effects on the central nervous system, acting as a central nervous system depressant. And if it's in our hand sanitizer, it's absorbed through the skin—but it's classified as a skin irritant.
Why are we putting that in hand sanitizer?!
Back to the original point: alcohol itself in hand sanitizer/spray isn’t problematic or toxic. A lot of folks choose to look for alcohol-free alternatives. But we WANT alcohol, which has the ability to kill viruses and bacteria on contact (99.99% of the time) by dissolving their outer cell membrane.
The issue is including alcohol as a disinfecting ingredient WITHOUT making it toxic. And guess what? We can denature alcohol with pure peppermint oil. That’s what Young Living does with our beloved Thieves hand sanitizer. It also contains lots of hydrating aloe vera so it feels like silk and doesn’t dry out your hands. (Seriously, I love this stuff!)
The Thieves Spray is also alcohol based and denatured with cinnamon oil.
First of all, it's important to know that the CDC recommends using a sanitizer with at least 60% ethanol, or denatured alcohol, to kill germs. What is that, you ask? According to Wikipedia, it is "ethanol that has additives to make it poisonous, bad-tasting, foul-smelling, or nauseating to discourage recreational consumption."
Here's the issue...the most common way to denature the alcohol is by using methanol, a solvent which is seriously toxic and can kill you if you ingest it. Methanol can cause severe effects on the central nervous system, acting as a central nervous system depressant. And if it's in our hand sanitizer, it's absorbed through the skin—but it's classified as a skin irritant.
Why are we putting that in hand sanitizer?!
Back to the original point: alcohol itself in hand sanitizer/spray isn’t problematic or toxic. A lot of folks choose to look for alcohol-free alternatives. But we WANT alcohol, which has the ability to kill viruses and bacteria on contact (99.99% of the time) by dissolving their outer cell membrane.
The issue is including alcohol as a disinfecting ingredient WITHOUT making it toxic. And guess what? We can denature alcohol with pure peppermint oil. That’s what Young Living does with our beloved Thieves hand sanitizer. It also contains lots of hydrating aloe vera so it feels like silk and doesn’t dry out your hands. (Seriously, I love this stuff!)
The Thieves Spray is also alcohol based and denatured with cinnamon oil.
As I conclude this post...the Thieves Hand Sanitizer is already sold out again. And the Thieves Spray is still out of stock. But...when quality, non-toxic products are in demand...Young Living works hard to increase the supply while maintaining the highest standards and, more importantly, concern for the well-being of their employees and the people they serve around the world.
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