Reclaiming Christmas

It is not even October yet. I know, but my heart is full of joy as I have been pondering the coming King! And it seems wrong to contain it. Let me explain…

I have been doing a study through the book of Luke this fall with my church sisters. It has truly been remarkable. Honestly, the first chapter was so incredible I find my mind hanging out there there still, even though we have moved on to chapter five.

What a rich, beautiful book! Did you know, Luke and Acts are the only books of the Bible written by a Gentile? Luke was a Greek doctor. He was loved, highly educated, and well, that made him a very thorough and thoughtful author of two inspirational books in the New Testament.

Luke begins the story of the gospel with an angel…wait…back up…with the name of an evil, pagan King named Herod. Herod, like so many Roman kings and emperors was completly full of himself. He killed people ruthlessly, including his own children, and as we read later, all the babies in an entire city. He was beyond didespicable.

Four hundred years of ordinary preceeded Herod’s reign. The Jews had no prophecy fulfilled, no miracles…life had been what we would call ordinary. Yet in the ordinary, their hearts longed for their promised Messiah. It was the constant prayer on their lips, and the ever burning hunger in their souls. Some, like, like Anna, who we read about in chapter two, spent their lives praying and fasting for His return!

The priest, Zechariah was no different. So, when God extrodinarily allows him to be chosen to burn incence at the alter one Sabboth, it is no wonder that his prayer would be for God to fill the promise of sending the promised King to deliver.

Here enters Gabriel, the messenger angel who stands in the presence of God himself. Gabriel let’s Zechariah know his prayers have been answered! His wife will have a baby, even though she is barren and a woman who has long passed menopause! A stunning miracle, but not a new one, since Sarah was also given a promised child, Issaac, hundreds of years before.

Yet, Zechariah is skeptical. His response is sarcastic, like, “Really? Prove it!” Instead of jumping for joy, he is not faith filled, but disbelieves what God has just told him.

Sometimes, even though we have been given incredible displayes of God’s power, and grace we struggle to embrace the promises wholeheartedly, do we not? Instead of rejoicing and claiming the fulfillment of God’s promise, Zechariah shakes his head in disbelief. And it even frustrates the messenger from God’s throne standing right before him.

So, God gives Zechariah a sign and strikes him, so he cannot speak or hear. Zechariah lost the privilage of being able to proclaim this wonderful news! But guess what? God did not need him. In fact, God is fully capable of presenting the good news without any of us! It is a complete privilage, to speak the gospel and we should hold as an honor.

That discussion is for another day, back to the story…

Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, did get pregnant. She kept it quiet and stayed at home.

Five months passed…

Then Gabriel has another message to share. He appears to Mary, an engaged girl from a podunk town called Nazereth. Now, I was always led to believe that Mary must have been some special girl for God to choose her to be the mother of His Son. But in fact the opposite is true. Gabriel states that she is favored by God because God has chosen her to be the mother of His Son!She is favored and chosen not because she was exceptional in any way. God simply set His heart on her, to use her for His glory!

Well, Gabriel continues to speak to Mary, and tells her that even though she and Joseph are not married yet, and haven’t had physical relations, a baby is going to be put in her womb by God, and she will give birth to Emanuel…God incarnate…naming Him Jesus which means, Savior.

Unlike Zecheriah who struggled to believe Mary immediatly accepts the idea, simply wondering how God is going to do that since she is a virgin. Gabriel explains that the Holy Spirit is going to be at work in that miracle and has already been at work by aiding in her aged cousin Elizabeth’s conception. Mary sweetly responds that she is God’s to do with as He chooses!

We all know an unwed pregnant woman, even in our day, has a hard road before her. But despite the difficulties, and unknowns, Mary is happy to be used of God. How often do we fight the paths God leads us through in our journey of life instead of graciously rejoicing in the fact that we are privileged to walk where He leads?

Mary is so overcome with the news. She packs up immediatly and heads over to see Elizabeth to talk about all of it! She is greeted by Elizabeth, who immediately feels her six month old unborn baby dancing inside her. Even an unborn baby is rejoicing!

Then Elizabeth pours out her joy in exclaiming how blessed Mary is! I can picture this highly filled emotional moment…a fat womb rolling with movement, an old pregnant woman embracing her young cousin, and with tears rolling down all their cheeks, repeating over and over how blessed they are!

Then Mary, bursts out in song worshiping God who has brought this inexplicable promise to reality through her! She magnifies God with every core of her being proclaiming,

“My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever” Luke 1:46-55.

What complete praise! But it doesn’t end with Mary. Baby John is born a few months later, and his Daddy, Zechariah, you know the one who did not have faith in God’s word? Him. As soon as his tongue is loosened, he too is filled with the Holy Spirit and begins to prophecy! He rejoices without restraint at the good news, saying things he has no idea about, but in simple faith, releasing every joy in his soul at this wonderful beginning of a long desired promise…fulfilled.

As we read on in chapter two we see an entire army of angels proclaiming this good news to shepherds at night. Then Shepherds glorifying and praising God at this thrilling wonder of God incarnate. We see the heavenly star proclaiming the news to kings. An old man, Simeon and an old woman, Anna utterly full of exuberance at finally being able to meet the Promised Messiah they have prayed for for so long!

Then there is me.

1) After such rejoicing, what feeling fills my heart when it comes to worshiping the king? Am I so filled with joy that my worship is unrestrained? Or do I withold worship from my God? He is worthy of my loudest praise in song. He is worthy of my outstretched arms in praise. He is worthy of my proclamation of His kingdom in words, in song, and in every act of my life!

Yet, how often I restrain myself! I put the fear of man above the fear of God. Actually, I put myself and my comfort zone above the fear of God! What an outcry of shame my heart has experienced as I have seen the unrestrained joy of these people in the book of Luke as they welcome the good news of the gospel into their lives!

2) The Kingdom of God has come! Yet, do I fully embrace it? With my whole heart, do I willingly seek what God has for me each day as I walk with the King himself! Do I boldly proclaim my king to my neighbors, to the man sitting on the street corner, even to fellow believers? Do I see myself as blessed because of Him? Do I cherish the privilage to speak of my King?

3) And then there is Christmas. Why in the world am I so fearful of over celebrating it? Maybe it does not come at the exact time of Christ’s birth. But it is the day the world recognizes in celebration of it. Why wouldn’t I want my house to be the brightest, most festive on the street? Angels proclaimed the news of Jesus’ birth from the heavens! Certainly my rooftop is a small space in comparison! Why shouldn’t I guiltlessly throw my heart into the festivities of celebrating my King’s coming to earth? There is every freedom to rejoice in this good news! My fear of being caught up in the commercialism of Christmas has unfortunatly caused me to under celebrate this amazing season! And as a result, I have stifled the outpouring of my rejoicing!

In fact, why reserve this celebration for one day a year? The incarnate God is a major part of the gospel story, so without a second thought, I will be singing “Joy to the World” throughout the year!

Rejoice! Emanuel has come!

My Soul Magnifies the Lord!

July 16, 2019July 7, 2021

The Love Paradox

We women do all sorts of things in order to fill our bottomless hunger to be loved. A woman will stay in an unhealthy relationship hoping that someday…the man she is with will come to love her. A girl will choose a career path, thinking that someday, her mother or father will be proud enough of her to love her. A woman will tolerate years of abuse in hope that things will someday change and she will be loved. A woman will put her body on display with her clothing, in the hope that by noticing her body, perhaps someone will come to love her heart. A woman will marry and divorce, and marry and divorce, in an endless search to find someone who will truly love her. A mother can even have controlling demands of her grown children, in fear of loosing their love. There is an endless list of things a woman will do for the mere hope of being loved.

When I think of an unloved woman in Scripture, my heart goes immediately to Leah. She was a homely woman, coerced into marrying Jacob by her father. Repeatedly, Scripture points out that Jacob loved Rachel and hated Leah. Leah yearned for Jacob to love her. Each time she had a baby, she hoped the baby would give her favor and love from her husband.

^{Genesis 29:31-35 “}When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, ‘Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.’ She conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, ‘Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ Therefore his name was called Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.”

We are never told in Scripture that Jacob ever loved Leah. In fact, in Genesis 30:14-19 we see Leah’s struggle for affection continue. I am sad for Leah, yet as Scripture unfolds, I see a deeper love story in Leah’s life. God created Leah to look the way she did. God loved her the way He made her. God noticed her, and in her pain of being unloved, God blessed her. It was through Judah, her fourth son, that King David was born, and eventually the eternal King, Christ. Leah was a very loved woman.
Did Leah ever know how much God loved her? There are glimpses through her children’s names that she might have understood that God loved and cared for her. However the question I wonder is if Leah ever found her satisfaction in God, or if she forever longed for the love of her husband. It is one thing for a person to know they are loved with an everlasting love, but that knowledge is powerless. It is only when a woman casts out the idols of her life and rests in God’s completely filling love before can she be completely satisfied and find perfect joy in God. “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” Psalm 16:11.

Looking past Leah, another woman pops up in Scripture. Ruth forsook her idols and found her satisfaction to be only in God. Ruth followed God without an expectation of blessing.

^{Ruth 1:15-17}And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

In leaving Moab and following Naomi and the God of Israel, Ruth not only forsook her gods, but also her family, marriage, and the hope of having children. She completely threw herself, wildly, and unassuming into her faith in God. We continue to see Ruth’s dedication to God through her love and care of Naomi her mother-in-law. And then, Ruth choose to follow God’s command in seeking a kinsman redeemer through her husband’s family’s in Boaz. When Boaz realized that Ruth was sacrificing the possibility of a long marriage for an old man like himself, he was deeply touched and told Ruth, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich” Ruth 3:10. Obed, the son of Ruth and Boaz was the grandfather of King David, and in time, Christ, as we know was born from the lineage of David.

Both women, Leah and Ruth were created, chosen, loved, and blessed by God. Ruth followed God, fully aware that the consequences of her choice to follow God could mean a loss of earthly love and earthly relationships. Yet, Ruth was content in God and obeying His commands. Ruth had found that God was more than enough to satisfy. She did not require a husband, a family, children to complete her happiness. God was enough for her.

Like Ruth, Leah was obedient to God. Leah also honored her father and husband. Leah saw God’s hand at work in her life by providing her with children. So, Leah acknowledged that God loved her. But Leah was continually unsatisfied. For Leah, God was not enough. Leah longed to be loved by her husband. I admit it would be a very difficult scenario for any woman. So I do not judge Leah for the struggles of her heart. But I can’t help to wonder how different dear Leah’s life story would have been IF she had pursued her joy in God instead of earthly, faulty, human relationships.

“You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing” Psalm 145:16.

July 11, 2019July 7, 2021

Flax Puffs

Flax is an incredible seed. It is rich in Omega 3, fiber, protein, vitamins, lignans (which help prevent hormonal related cancers like ovarian and breast cancer), B vitamins, copper, and magnesium. I think flax is greatly undervalued by many health enthusiasts. It is gluten free and low carb as an added bonus to those with dietary concerns.

I try to incorporate flax in our family’s diet as I am able. I add it to muffins, bread, oatmeal, and make these lovely puffs to stuff with strawberries and cream or salads like chicken salad.

Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter (4 Tablespoons)

1 cup water or milk

1 teaspoons salt

1 cup ground flax (I buy whole golden flax seeds and grind them as needed in my coffee grinder)

4 eggs

Directions to make choux pastry puffs:

1) Melt butter on stovetop

2) Add water or milk to melted butter

3) Bring milk and water/milk to a simmer

4) Add salt and flax flour and continue to cook a couple minutes until a thick, gummy paste forms

5) Beat 4 eggs together

6) Slowly mix eggs and flour mixture together with a hand or stand up mixer until a thick, somewhat shiny batter appears

7) Bake at 400 15 minutes

8) Turn oven down to 350 and bake 15 minutes more

9) Cool, and then cut off tops and scoop out moist centers

10) Fill the puffs with favorite salads or desserts, or eat hot with raw honey

Depending on size, I usually get about 8-12 puffs from this recipe.

July 10, 2019July 7, 2021

Mostly Vegetables Chicken Salad

I love chicken salads. I have experimented with all kinds of ingredients and dressings in my chicken salads. Often it is leftover chicken mixed with whatever ingredients I have on hand. Classic chicken salads include a little celery and possibly onion with chicken making up the rest of the salad mix. Recently I made vegetables, instead of the chicken, the stars in the the salad to create a more nutrient heavy lunch. The salad has crunch, it has sweetness from apples, it has chicken, and it has a load of cilantro and spinach. Here is my version of a veggie rich chicken salad.

Salad Mix:

Cooked chicken-I prefer dark meat due to its nutrients and moisture

A couple handfuls of fresh spinach leaves

A half bunch chopped cilantro (parsley can sub)

A small handful of pecans (or other unsalted nut)

1/2 a chopped sweet pepper

3 chopped celery stalks

1/2 chopped apple

1 chopped small cucumber

Dressing:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

Dash balsamic vinegar

Dash worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons garlic powder

Directions:

1) Mix vegetables with chicken

2) Mix dressing ingredients

3) Toss dressing and veggie chicken together

4) Serve with lettuce, in a wrap, in pita bread, or try out making easy, gluten free, omega rich flax puffs.

July 8, 2019July 7, 2021

Vinegar Rose Toner

I use toner rather unfaithfully. It is more as an “as needed” product for me. But it could be used on a daily basis. I keep vinegar rose toner as one of my on hand as part of my homemade skincare products. As I age, I am getting a few sun-spots, and find regular use of this toner helps lighten them. I tend to use vinegar rose toner most in the summer when I notice more oil and skin discolorations. It also brightens and tightens my skin.

Rosewater: Helps to reduce skin inflammation and aid in healing. It heals acne quickly, and helps prevent it by purifying the skin’s pores. Rosewater contains antibacterial components that aid in healing and preventing scarring. It is also a great tonic for aging skin because it slows free-radical damage. I also use rosewater in making cold cream.

Apple Cider Vinegar: I add a little to the rosewater to boost the antifungal/viral components of the toner. It has many of the same benefits of rosewater, but is too harsh to be applied directly to the skin on the face. It does help lighten and brighten skin, so is helpful in evening a complection. It can be left out of the toner if desired.

Vitamin C: Since we all get sun, vitamin C is essential to help skin resist the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. It is more important to eat vitamin C rich foods than to put C on the skin. But a little C can be absorbed into the skin if the PH is low enough. Since the vinegar and rose are low PH, I add a tiny bit of vitamin C crystals to the toner.

This toner is incredibly easy to make. I only use three ingredients:

Apple Cider vinegar, Rosewater, and vitamin C crystals.

To Make:

3/4 cup rosewater

2 t. apple cider vinegar

1/2 t. vitamin C crystals

Mix it up until the crystals dissolve.

To Use:

Dab a bit on a cotton ball and sponge on a clean face. Follow with a moisturizer.

June 29, 2019July 7, 2021

Precious Crazy, Messy Days

It is 10:30 a.m. He woke up early from his morning nap today…nothing unusual.

The little fellow needs immediate attention with his diaper. Once freed, he is off, but not for long. He boomerangs back to me, squeals in delight, and grabs onto my leg in a delightful hug.

With my little barnacle squeezing my leg, I begin to fold a pile of laundry, using the master bed as my folding table. My little tot sticks around, of course, and cheerfully begins to “help” me with the laundry. He pulls a folded towel off the bed and drops it on the floor. I refold it, put it back on the bed, with a firm “no, no.” But he is no longer in the room. He has already taken off with a couple of folded washcloths and tossed them over the banister and down the stairs. I tell him firmly that he must go get them. He peeks down the stairs and doesn’t see them. Toddlers are so bad at seeing what you want them to see. So I take him to the stairs and point out each washcloth. He squeals like they are a great discovery and takes off collecting them. He keeps looking up at me to make sure I am watching this venture. In a minute he is climbing back up the stairs with questionably clean laundry in hand. He grunts more and more as he gets closer to the top. Apparently, it is terribly difficult to get up the stairs holding a couple washcloths in one hand. Odd, he has no trouble toting his blankie up and down the stairs… I reach down and take the cloths from him. Then return to my work of folding.

A few minutes later, the little buddy returns, squealing. He snatches another item off the bed and takes off giggling. Before I can catch him, a pillowcase hits the floor downstairs. A game is afoot. I tell him to go get it. He scurries off to oblige me. He then stands mid stairs grunting and reaching up with the pillowcase in hand. Somehow, he couldn’t take another step out of exhaustion. I am assuming the pillowcase was extremely heavy. I clamber reach down to grab the missing piece and refold it. I catch him the next time he reaches to grab something off the bed, and I put a stop to his fun. I snatch him in one arm and my basket of folded laundry in my other arm and we head downstairs. On the way down, my little tyke spots a sock on the steps that he missed picking up. He is determined to take it all the way back upstairs to put it away. Why wasn’t he so eager when I was at the top of the stairs instead of the bottom? I let him return the sock and quickly try to get the folded laundry put in the right places before he returns.

It is lunchtime. I shred up a block of parmesan to make chicken alfredo for the children’s lunch. I give my little fellow a small pile of shredded parmesan cheese. He devours it all and asks for more. After a few helpings, I hear him say “uh-oh.” I turn to look, and there he is, holding shredded cheese over the floor and dropping it like snow on the floor. I scold him, but too late of course. I now have a couple tablespoons of cheese on the floor to sweep up. So, I get the little pot out of his chair, brush both him and his chair down, then walk to the closet to get my broom. When I return within the same minute, there is my little tottle, laying face down in the cheese, licking the floor. I pick him up, brush him off again, tell him “no.” I begin to sweep the floor. I take the dustpan around the counter to the trash to empty it. When I return, the little fellow has skipped town with my broom. I pursue the broom and find it alone on the floor of the den without a tot. He has discovered something interesting to watch outside and is at the window, pressing his little fingets to the glass. I leave him, collect the broom and call the children to lunch.

After lunch, I gave my children a cookie while I cleaned up the kitchen. I am wiping down the counter when I feel something attach itself to my leg. I look down and two chocolate covered hands are grabbing onto my legs and a gooey smile is looking up at me. As I bend to clean up the chocolaty child, a potent smell, that was not chocolate, wafts from the child’s diaper. Time for another diaper change! I go to the bathroom drawer where I keep diapers. My little guy spots the diaper in my hand and takes off giggling. The chase is on. I play along and I capture the squealing, laughing, dirty little boy and get him all cleaned up…both the diaper and the chocolate.

Once free from my care, he opens a kitchen cupboard and entertains himself by pulling out my pots. I let him amuse himself safety in the kitchen while I go to switch laundry loads. As soon as I return to the kitchen, I am greeted by squeals from my three older daughters. My little boy is up on a stool and standing nose to nose in front of the tv, blocking everyone’s view from the show they were watching. I pull him down and plop him back on the floor telling him “No, that is not kind.” He giggles and then trots off. I ask him to trot back and put my pots away. Picking up is ever so tedious for little people. He obliges and begins to put the pots back into the cupboard. I can see this is going to take him some time, so I take the laundry basket upstairs to fold. Working quickly and hoping to get the folding done before I am discovered.

When I return to the kitchen, the cupboard doors are left open and the pots are tucked inside in a haphazard stack. I hear a happy screech. I turn around and there is my little toddle. He is standing by a once clean white wooden stool; a blue crayon in his hand. He proudly wants me to see the blue artwork he had put all over the white stool. This is a first. He had used crayons on paper, but supervised. I firmly explain that we only color on paper, not furniture or walls. And then pull out a sheet of paper for him to use. After a minute or two of scribbling on a piece of paper, he is bored.

I am not though, I now have pots to straighten up, crayon to wipe off, and still some laundry to fold… and was there something else? Oh yes, washing dishes from lunch… I will leave the fingerprints on the window for another day… I look at the clock hoping it is nap time again…It is only 12:30 in the afternoon…

Someday, I will fold laundry in silence without squeeling helpful company. Someday, I will make lunch without interuptions. Someday, I will not have chocolate stains on my pants from grubby little hands. Someday, I will not chase a little child around the house to change a poopy diaper. Someday, my cupboards will be in order, just the way I left them. Someday, there will be no misplaced coloring to clean up. Someday, there will be no more little fingerprints on my windows. Someday, the house will be quiet and in order. And Oh how my heart aches at that thought, for I will ever so much miss these precious, crazy, messy, days!

June 28, 2019July 7, 2021

Warm, Creamy, Garlic, Dressing

A warm dressing on a cold salad is truly an experience worth trying. I have several different warm dressing combinations I enjoy. This is a creamy version I created the other day and have really come to like it. This warm garlic dressing is a no sugar, low carb, high fat dressing, so perfect for those on carb conscious eating plans too. And easy! Ever so easy!

Ingredients:

1/2 block cream cheese

3 triangles laughing cow cheese

1/2 C. heavy cream or half and half

2 teaspoons powdered garlic

salt

Directions:

Mix ingredients together in a saucepan or glass measuring cup and heat until the cheeses and garlic are creamy and smooth.
Add garlic and a dash of salt to taste and pour over an avocado spinach salad or use as a veggie dip.

Amazingly Yummy Stuff!

June 27, 2019July 7, 2021

Cold Cream

I use this cold cream mostly as a facial cleanser, but my mother prefers it as her night cream. Either way, our faces are super soft in the morning as the nutritive oils soak into our earthly pores. I make a batch every three months or so. I make more around the holidays so I can gift it.

How to Make Cold Cream

1) Gather ingredients

Coconut oil:

Why use Coconut Oil? Coconut oil is laden with antioxidants, antimicrobials, and antifungals. It also contains vitamin E. So it is not only nourishing for the skin, but healing and protective from environmental residues.
Note: Coconut oil does have molecules that are too large to be absorbed into the skin easily, so mixing it with other oils and using warm water to wash it off is important.
What I use: I use refined coconut oil for cooking and baking; so it is usually on hand in my home. I purchase Golden Barrel brand in bulk. I pay about $2.50 per 16 oz. jar because I buy it by the case. An Amish grocery or food co-op is a great source to buy bulk foods.

Grapeseed oil:

Why use Grapeseed Oil? Grapeseed oil is made of fine molecules that absorb into the skin well. Grapeseed oil also has Omega 6 and vitamin E. So, like coconut oil, it nourishes the skin and helps prevent damage and heal damaged skin.
What I use: I don’t typically cook with grapeseed oil. It is more expensive than other healthy oils. I will use it in a pinch for cooking on occasion. But in general I purchase and use it to make lotions. I buy the Carlini brand from Aldi. It costs about $4 for 25 fl. oz..

Lanolin:

Why use Lanolin? Lanolin is a fatty oil produced by sheep. It is harvested from their sheered wool. Lanolin has been used to moisturize and protect human skin for hundreds of years. Lanolin helps skin to stay moist for a long period of time by creating a natural protective barrier between the skin and the environment. A lot of chemotherapy patients find lanolin helpful in treating their burns from radiation. Like many mothers, I have used it while nursing babies for the first couple weeks. It helps in healing and binding moisture in the skin keeping skin soft and young.
Note: Some people have found lanolin is irritating to their skin and are allergic to this product. It is also an oil from sheep, so if someone is desiring vegan beauty, this ingredient will not work. It can be skipped if desired.
What I use: Since some sheep are sprayed with pesticides to keep their wool bug free. Lanolin can be a pesticide riddled product. I buy from sellers on Etsy who claim to have organic or pesticide free lanolin. I know there is no certification to know for certainty, but that is the best I have found to date. I recently bought a 8oz bottle on Etsy for about $14 including shipping. Since I only use 1 teaspoon per recipe, this bottle will last for years. I keep it in the freezer between uses to preserve it.

Beeswax:

Why use Beeswax? It holds everything together! Without beeswax, once my oils and water bases are mixed, they would separate when they settle. The beeswax acts like glue and binds oil and water ingredients together so the cream stays creamy. Other waxes will work, but beeswax is cheap and natural, so that is my choice. Beeswax also contains some of the same benefits of honey. It helps heal skin through. It also contains vitamin A and antibacterial properties.
What I use: I bought a 2 pound cone of beeswax at a farmer’s market four years ago. It cost $7 at the time and I still have about a year’s worth left. I do freeze it between uses to preserve it. If a farmer’s market is not convenient, I would probably buy it on Etsy.

Rosewater

Why use Rosewater? Rosewater is nothing new for skin care. It has been used since ancient times as a skin freshener and healer. It helps healing and balancing the skin’s pH to reduce acne. It smells amazing too. It contains antioxidants. So like all of the other ingredients in this cold cream, rosewater will help the skin fight inner and outer oxidation from stress, UV, and harmful microbes. So rosewater is an important ingredient to helps skin stay youthful and healthy. Rosewater also helps inflamed skin calm down. So skin that is sensitive or rashed with eczema will benefit from regularly using rosewater. Rosewater helps slow down extrinsic skin aging by preventing the degradation of the skins collagen and elasticity due to the natural tannins, vitamin C and pectins roses contain.
What I use: I generally use Heritage Store rosewater, but recently purchased a food grade rosewater on Amazon from Alive Herbs. It cost $15 for 17 fluid oz. compared to the $6.25 per 8 fl.oz. from Herbal Store from Thrive Market. I am happy with either.

Aloe Vera Juice

Why use Aloe Vera? Anyone who has slathered on aloe vera gel after a sunburn, knows that it has soothing, anti inflammatory and healing properties. Aloe is notorious for helping the skin heal, not only from sunburns, but scars, acne, and eczema conditions. Aloe, like lanolin, blocks in moisture and provides protection to the skin from polluting elements. Aloe contains antioxidants and vitamin C and A. I use it on sunbuns, burns, as an occasional face mask on its own, and even drink it.
What I use: I buy the food grade Aloe Vera juice from the cheapest source I can find. A local health food store is a great spot, but it can be purchased on Amazon. I currently have a gallon of Lilly of the Desert in my cupboard. I purchased it from a local health food store for about $20. It will last me a couple years. I recently discovered that Walmart sells 2 quarts of Fruit of the Earth Aloe juice online for less than $8.

Evening Primrose

Why I use Primrose: I add primrose to my cold cream to boost it’s anti-aging properties. Like rosewater, primrose fights the breakdown of elasticity and cartilage of the skin. It also contains Omega 6 acids which help nourish aging skin and prevent flaking. It can also be taken as a supplement. I see it as an anti-aging boost in my cold cream. Primerose helps my skin to remain healthy as the years take their toll.
What I use: I usually buy it in supplement form from CVS or Walmart. I just get the Spring Valley or Nature’s Bounty. It runs around $6 for a bottle of 75 capsules. Currently I have a bottle of Jarrow Evening Primrose from Thrive Market. I puncture and squeeze about 3-4 in each batch of cold cream.

Those are the basic ingredients I use in cold cream. Essential oils can be added if desired. Tea Tree oil helps dry out and prevent acne, so it could be added to cream for those with acne troubles. Frankincense oil also has benefits in preventing skin aging, so I might add a few drops of that sometime.

Truly, the possibilities are versatile and fun to tinker. I would be cautious to read pros and cons about every product I use. I like to use old, time-proven ingredients in my products and am cautious about the long term side effects of various ingredients. I also like to use products that are food grade and safe to eat if possible.

2) Measure

3/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/3 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon lanolin
1 tablespoon grated beeswax: press it tight in the spoon

3-4 capsules primrose oil
2/3 cup rosewater

1/3 cup aloe vera juice

3) Put it Together: step by step

1. Measure grapeseed oil, coconut oil, lanolin, primrose oil, and beeswax and put in glass measuring cup.

2. Melt oils and beeswax together. I use a glass measuring cup in my microwave for a couple minutes. A saucepan on a stovetop at low heat will also work. The oil only needs to be warm enough to melt the beeswax completely.

3. Give it a stir and set it aside to cool. (This can be done quickly in the fridge or freezer, or slowly on the counter.

4. Once the mixture is cooled sufficiently, it will be thick and foggy.

5. Measure the rosewater and aloe vera juice together and pour into a blender.

6. Turn the blender on high speed and SLOWLY very SLOWLY add the oil mixture. Mayonnaise is made this same method. If the oil is added too quickly it will not adhere to the water mixture and the batch will be ruined.

7. Empty the entire oil mixture into the blender bit by bit.

The mixture should look white and fluffy like hand cream.

That is is!

8. Pour the cold cream into jars and pop in the fridge.

9. Most of the cream should be stored in the fridge because there are no preservatives and the oils will go rancid over time. I usually take about 4-6 ounces out at a time for use. It lasts me a good month or more.

4) How to Use Cold Cream

I use Cold Cream as my evening facial wash. I rub it all over my face, eyes, and neck. Then, I get a washcloth as hot as I can stand. I lay the cloth on my face and let it set there about a minute. Then I wipe my face clean. That is all I do at night. The cold cream removes make-up and moisturizes my skin in one step. It works on my skin all night long. Every morning I wake up, my skin feels AMAZING.

My mother uses cold cream as her nighttime cream. She washes her face with a face-wash and then applies a thin layer of the cream all over her face and neck before bed. Unlike me, she leaves the cold cream on and does not wash it off.

The cream can be applied all over the body as well for extra moisture. It can leave a greasy feel at first because the natural oils do not penetrate pores quickly. Honestly, I find it works best for me if I moisturize BEFORE taking a shower instead of after. The hot water helps my pores expand and soak in the natural nutrients better than on my cold tight pores. It is a flexible cream and can be used multiple ways to meet each person’s taste and needs.

Note:

Depending on the temperature the cream is stored it will be thick or runny. That does not affect it’s effectiveness. I often like a soap dispenser to store mine outside the fridge.

Check out what other home-made product I use on my skin in the article:

“Homemade Skincare: Natural, Simple, and Completly Affordable“

June 25, 2019July 9, 2019

Homemade Skincare: Natural, Simple, and Completly Affordable

The day my mother introduced me to make-up, she invited a professional beauty consultant into our home to give me a facial. It was a special event. We had tea and cookies. We laughed and had fun. My mother purchased a set of skincare and quality make-up for me. She continued to provide me with skincare products until I was on my own and purchased skincare myself.

My mother was probably more brilliant than she realized. Beginning my skin-care routine at a young age was valuable guidance.

As my babies were born, I began searching for inexpensive and natural methods of skincare. I tried various drugstore brands and online companies. But good skincare, whether it is natural or not, is not cheap. So, I found myself at a loss.

One evening, my mentoring friend came over for a visit. I will never forget the moment she pulled out her big binder full of various recipes. I went from sitting on the sofa across from her, to sitting next to her with that notebook in my lap. She had not only made and used the recipes in her book, but passed on to me her rich of knowledge of each of the ingredients she used in the recipes.

I still use her recipes for cold cream, healing salve, and bee balm, and have also springboarded from those basic recipies and built a skincare routine that I love.

I am absolutely amazed how my skin looks and feels now that I make my own skincare. I honestly have never have had such amazing results from bottled products. I also like knowing each of the ingredients that I am putting on my skin are wholesome. And of course, making skincare at home comes with a very reasonable price tag.

I have passed the home-made lotions onto family and friends and they rave about them. I make my own mother a quart of cold-cream every year. It is what she uses on her skin now too.

The only skincare product I purchase is a SPF CC cream. I do not use foundation, but love a tinted SPF protection. I currently am happy with a product called Supergoop. I use it daily for SPF coverage and tinted moisture. I know people do make their own sun-screens and foundaitions. But have decided I am not going to tamper with that. It is a little too much chemistry for me to feel at peace doing from my home. So I will leave the sunscreen making to lab profesionals.

I have immensely enjoyed the skincare products I make from my kitchen and love knowing that the ingredients in each bottle are so safe I could spread it on toast and eat!

I am going to post this week specifically how to make and use each skincare product. The following list is a quick snapshot of the products, ingredients, and uses.

Cold Cream

Ingredients: Grapeseed oil, coconut oil, rosewater, Aloe Vera, lanolin, beeswax, primrose oil

Uses: Oil Face wash – gently rub on face, get as washcloth as hot as you can stand, place hot washcloth over face for about 30 seconds, then wash face-this one step will remove make-up, cleanse, and moisturize. Face and body lotion-best after a hot bath or shower to help moisture absorb into skin.

Vinegar Rose Toner

Ingredients: Rosewater, apple-cider vinegar, Vitamin C Crystals

Use: antioxidant facial toner, lightens sun-spots and tightens pores

Honey Sugar Scrub

Ingredients: Coconut oil, grapeseed or almond oil, raw creamed honey, granulated white sugar, vanilla essential oil

Uses: Face scrub-gently rub on face and wash off with a hot washcloth, Face mask-gently rub on skin and wash off after 10 minutes (this can be done in the bath or shower), Body scrub in the shower

Bee Balm

Ingredients: Grapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Cocoa butter, Shea butter, vanilla essential oil

Uses: Lip balm, chapped skin balm, diaper rash cream, under eye balm before bed, or foot balm (after bath or shower, or before bed, rub over feet, put on socks and let the balm soften dry feet)

June 24, 2019July 7, 2021

Oh the Oozing, Goozing, Squooshing Events of Life

Have you ever played with kid’s slime? It oozes and jiggles as it slips easily through little fingers. My children love the colorful varieties of slime and they spend heaping hours playing with it.

This morning I watched my children’s intrigue with slime. The harder they squeezed the slime in their little fists, the more it slipped through the cracks in their fingers and plopped down to the table… leaving their small hands empty. They poked at it, let it flow from one hand to the other freely, and giggled as it wobbled in their open hands. They also tried to play with it like play-do. And they rolled it into balls and shapes, only to have it loose form and puddle on the table.

The illustration of slime is comparable to the dear life we have each been given. Although life is not a tangible substance, it is similar in many ways to the gelatinous fluid of slime. Slime jiggles, changes, adapts, and is dependably fluctuating. Life is also not stable or constant. Life is full of surprises, inconveniences, miracles, the un-predicted, and flows in various paths without consent. The shape-shifting paths of life can be enjoyed, treasured, pleasant, and even full of depth, if life is perceived through a Biblical perspective. Or due to the tight clench we hold onto life or the shapes we form, that only puddle out of form or slip out of our grasp. Life can be difficult, bitter, empty, full of fear, anxiousness, stress, and frustration.

Here is a personal illustration of what is normal in my bubbling, wubbling life. Last summer, our family spent months searching for a house to buy. The market was so competitive, that we offered on three different homes before finally having our offer accepted on the fourth house. It was a lengthy and stressful ordeal. We were delighted with our new home and moved in just before winter. As anyone who has packed up and moved, even across town, knows, it takes months to settle and get into a routine again. We still have a few unpacked boxes in the closet….

This spring, my husband was contacted by a company wanting him to work for them. It was a very flattering and wonderful opportunity, and it was clearly in God’s plan for him to accept. But it involves another move. So, this summer, we find ourselves house-hunting and preparing to move AGAIN.

This will be the sixth move I have had with my husband since our marriage twelve years ago. I have seen God’s faithfulness through every change in our lives. He has provided, cared for us, and worked stunning miracles on our behalf through each transition. Yet, again and again the same old doubts arise. Perhaps this time, God will not come through for us? Perhaps this time God will not provide? I worry about all the details of which I have absolutely no control. And I find myself struggling to trust the One who has complete control. What irony!

In my hunger to control, what is out of control, I hang on to something I feel is stable like…my routines…my family…my home…my ideals…only to have those things ooze through my grappling fingers the tighter I grasp them. How often I behave as though life should be predictable and become very frustrated when change, illness, loss, and even a momentary disruptions occurs in the temporary life of which I claim to have ownership. Because of my imperfect perspective on life, I often lean into my emotions and perspectives when change oozes into my day.

It is only through Scripture, that I have found encouragement, stability, and joy in the unpredictable fluid paths of life. I can see the blessing and gift life truly is through the lense of God’s truth. There is immense peace if my heart is resting in God’s sovereign goodness through life. Life has the potential to be enjoyed if it is perceived through the glasses of God’s truth.
Maintaining a Biblical Perspective in the naturally slurping and bobblings of life:

My life is not mine. It was created and redeemed by God to glorify Himself. It causes immense stress to live in the perspective of self-ownership because there is a constant struggle against God’s sovereign design, and my will. Life resides in the direction and purpose of God, who made it. Not the person to whom He gifts it. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” Revelation 4:11. and “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever Amen” Romans 11:36. Not only was I made by and for God, but also graciously redeemed by and for God. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” I Cor. 6:19-20.
My day is not mine. Every day is a gift and has already been planned and prepared before I enter into it. When I plan my days as though they belong to me, I become frustrated when things don’t go how I think they should. I am responsible to make plans and have schedules, yes, but seeking God’s direction with in case He brings something into my life that I am not planning. And whatever He brings, my heart should rejoice in it, because every event of my day is from God’s design, by his will, and for His glory. “This is the day that the Lord has made; “let us rejoice and be glad in it” Psalm 118:24. “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” Prov. 19:21. “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” James 4:14-15.
God is sovereign in every detail in life. Through the years, the sovereignty of God has brought peace to my struggling heart. Knowing that God, who loves me, who redeemed me, Who knows my heart more than I do, Who knows my desires more than I do…is in control of all things, is truly a resting place. Nothing can come into my life that isn’t a part of what God has ordained and knows is best. If my heart is truly in love with God, and determined to bring Him glory through every circumstance of life, I will be able to rest in Him. And I can find joy in life, knowing my sovereign, loving, faithful God is in control. Scripture is full of verses pointing to God’s sovereignty over all things. The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations are often my “go-to” during restless days. “The Lord of hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand,'” Isaiah 14:24. “It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;” Isaiah 42:10. “‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you” Jeremiah 32:17.
God is the opposite of slime. He is a Rock. I can cling to God, depend on Him, rest in Him, take shelter in Him. The Lord is sure, stable, and never changing. There is nothing as wonderful when trying to navigate the slurping waves of life, as holding on tightly to the Rock. Let life life slop on! I am secure! “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” Psalm 18:2. “From the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, Psalm” 61:2. “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he” Deuteronomy 32:4. I love taking shelter in the safety of the Rock, especially when life is stormy and my heart is restless. I can take comfort in God’s promises through Scripture, and snuggle in to the knowledge of Who God is.

As the years continue unfold, I have found through each gurgle and slush presented in life, my heart bounces more and more quickly to truth. Remembering who God is, what He has done, and the purpose of my life, becomes my ground for solace more and more readily. Resting, waiting, and finding joy in God brings stability to my heart instead of trying to frantically gain control of the wobbly, floppy, oozing shapes of life. Perhaps in time, I will no longer struggle with distrust of my loving Father. I long for the day when a slosh of life brings me to trustful admiration and joy in my Sovereign Rock.

Months ago, a dear mentoring friend shared a verse with me that I have kept close to my heart through this joggling, jiggling season of moving. It is simply the perfect verse to meditate upon during every circumstance of life.
Isaiah 33:6 “and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.”