Kindness Speaks Volumes

December 30, 2013January 4, 20142 Comments

Kindness is roses from Trader Joe’s for someone in a difficult situation. A $3.99 bouquet can mean the world to someone.

Kindness. It is a word we say often; yet, it’s meaning and legacy speaks volumes to others lives.

A simple smile of kindness, words of comfort and a touch of empathy can change a person for a lifetime.

As human beings, we experience ups and downs, trials and triumphs and praise and criticism. These emotions weigh heavy on the heart and they can either make you stronger or drag you down.

Let’s pray they make you stronger! And, trust me, it is easier for this to happen when you surround yourself with kind people.

It’s important, as a Christian friend, to be in tune to these emotions in others.

As God’s children, we are called to love others (we are all children of the King). However, loving others in their moment of distress can be difficult. It definitely is not a walk in the park.

Hurting people will do one of two things: push you away or cling on to your strength and drain your energy.

When people push you away:

Often times, people who are hurting push you away. It is important not to get offended when this happens. As I have been taught, hurting people hurt people. Yet, the pain they inflict can be damaging. Try not to let this affect you. Which is easier said than done.

A note of encouragement means a lot to a hurting individual – especially if it hurts to be around them. Slip it in a book they are reading, send a card via snail mail. Encouragement is a great act of true kindness. Tell them what their friendship means to you, remind them of fun times you’ve had together, comment on their contagious smile. This might just touch them forever. Words carry weight. So, it’s important to choose them wisely.

When people cling on to you:

It is easy for people to cling onto your strength when they are going through a difficult time. First of all, they want the strength they see in you – so try to grab hold of it by being with you and needing you all the time. While this is flattering to some degree, it can zap the life out of you.

It is important to set boundaries with this type of person; because, if you don’t, you might end up hurting yourself or your family members. Set aside a time just for you and that person (but that’s all). Maybe it’s one coffee date a week – or a 30 minute phone call. Do not exceed the allotted time. You can be kind without being walked all over. If this person needs more time than this (excluding family members) they may need to seek professional help.

Kindness is never the wrong choice.

A single act of kindness goes a long way. Choose kindness this week. Smile at a stranger, buy the coffee in the car behind you. You never know who’s life you could be impacting. Love your neighbor as yourself – but be good to yourself at the same time. Being a healthy person breeds kindness toward others.

Favorite Healthy Road Trip Snacks

December 18, 2013December 18, 2013Leave a comment

Road Trip Packing. Always fun.

I am from the great state of Texas – so every so often, I have to road trip it to visit for the holidays.

Alas, have to fit all the presents. Not to mention, saves me money on boarding my puppy, Dallas.

One of the major issues in taking a long road trip is the unhealthy snack choices along the way. That McDonald’s looks amazing when you have been driving for 10 hours – and you just need that large French fry to get you through the pain staking trip.

Don’t indulge in these pesky, heart clogging snacks.

I know, easier said than done. But, if you pack your snacks wisely, you won’t have to stop for the greasy foods.

Here are my top 5 favorite road trip snacks:

Homemade Gluten Free Sandwiches

Have some sandwiches packed and ready to go. You don’t have to spend money on the road this way. Just wrap each one in foil or plastic wrap. Indulge in that creamy taste of light mayo, lettuce and chicken. This is way healthier and won’t sit heavy in your tummy.

Trail Mix

Walmart has huge bags of trail mix that you can buy and just stick in the car. Stray away from the ones that have chocolate in them. Opt for ones that have dried fruits and nuts. These will give you energy to power through the long drive.

Healthy Muffins

You can get some good recipes {that I have posted on my blog here}. Simply load up a gallon Ziploc with these yummy, fiber packed muffins.

Low-Fat String Cheese

Need a little protein energy burst? String cheese is a filling snack that will give you that little protein punch. It also has a load of calcium and is low-fat.

Unsweetened Iced Tea

This you can buy on the road. Do not pump sugar into your body by purchasing soft drinks. You can buy a $1 large unsweetened tea at McDonald’s. This drink always gets me through road trips with the occasional bathroom break.

DIY: String Cheese Snowman

December 16, 2013December 16, 20132 Comments

Perfect for lunches, school parties – or even an office Christmas event.

One of my favorite things to do in the morning is scan Pinterest for new, cute and fun ideas. It’s really a creative outlet – looking at the thousands of artistic and quirky designs.

Not to mention, delicious new recipes. However, sometimes, I am doubtful that my designs will be just as cute as the originators.

You see the Pinterest fail pictures —> {click here to see what I am talking about} and you get discouraged. But friends, I am here to tell you that sometimes they work out better than you expect.

I made a cute string cheese snowman because it looked easy – and it was so easy. All you need is: 1 string cheese, black sharpie, little piece of ribbon, piece of paper, tape and a red/orange sharpie.

Be creative. Your snowman might not look exactly like mine, but you won’t fail on this one.

Simply draw cute little buttons and a face with the black sharpie. And a little carrot nose with the red/orange sharpie. Just like a bow on a present, I tied the ribbon around his neck. I simply colored a post-it note black and cut out the shape of a hat; then, just taped it above his little face.

Kids will love these in their lunch bags. If you are headed to an office party, and you know there will be endless treats there, take some string cheese snowmen in a bowl/basket. You can watch your weight and skip the tempting sugar rush. People will love your inventiveness.

Sparkle, Sparkle Little Light– Christmas Sparkle Gifts

December 13, 2013December 13, 20131 Comment

I’m a girl. I love pink, sparkle, cocktails dresses and glittery high heels. I honestly think this desire is built in us from conception. We gravitate to flashy jewelry, shiny shoes and girly bells and whistles.

But what is awesome is – God has made us to shine! So, it’s very cool that we gravitate to the shiny. His goodness sparkles like a brilliant star in the jet black night.

I love this verse in Romans – “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” {Romans 13:12}

We are dressed in the beautiful illuminated armour of Christ! No wonder we are drawn to glitter. Embrace the sparkle – you were made to shine.

Since Christmas is upon us, I have put together a little sparkle gift list – for kids and adults. These are way affordable too. Get your sparkle on, girl! Oh, and buy sparkles for everyone. It is the “most wonderful time of the year.” And – that calls for a little glitter celebration.

I hope this little list helps – for the crunch shopping days ahead.

People are like stained – glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in; their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Little Girl Gifts

Sequin Canvas Backpack – $30 {Target}

Tiny TOMS Glitter Shoes – $36 {TOMS}

Sparkle Dolphin Stuffed Animal – $13.97 {Amazon, Prime}

Lalaloopsy Starry Night Light Up Pony -$30.64 {Amazon, Prime}

Silver Sparkle Boots – $20 {JC Penny}

Youth Girls Gifts

Glitter iPhone Case – $19.95 {Café Press}

Raylle Glitter Bike – $39.99 {Toys ‘R Us}

Mini Tea Shine Sets – $19 {Pottery Barn}

Glitter Lava Lamp – $28.49 {Target}

Glitter Nail Dryer & Polish Set – $16.99 {Shop Justice}

Women Gifts

Glitter Makeup Bag – $18 {Sephora}

All that Glitters Flat Iron – $99.99 {Ulta}

Iphone Glitter Case – $16.90 {Dynamite Clothing}

Gold Glitter Statement Ring – $25 {Etsy}

Betsy Johnson Dance Flats – $59.99 {Zappos}

Starbucks Glitter Cups – $36 {Etsy}

Christmas is Completely Empty Without Christ

December 9, 2013December 9, 2013Leave a comment

One of the most powerful images – of the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is Completely Empty Without Christ. This phrase hit me like a ton of bricks this morning. It literally just popped in my head, while listening happily to Christmas music and straightening my hair. The idiom weighed on my mind like a profound thought.

Yet, it’s really not all that profound.

Christ’s name is in the word – Christmas; however, we {and I am including all Christians here} have really commercialized this holiday.

The great present chase consumes our weekends. Getting to and from family homes is scheduled and fretted over {esp on icy roads and if across the country}. We decorate our homes from top to bottom in flashing lights and make sure the stockings are ready for that overnight candy drop.

We drive around neighborhoods and look at illuminated houses adorned with dancing snowmen. We sip on hot cocoa and laugh in fellowship or lace up those skates for a lap around the frozen rink. We think of Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble or Harry Connick Jr. Christmas songs and swoon over their voices.

But, where is Christ in all this hustle, bustle and fun? We sings carols of “the holiday season,” but forsake or just ignore the true meaning of why we give gifts to each other and travel light-years to be with our families on this one special day.

I know its cliché – and especially if you grew up in church; but, “you can’t spell Christmas without Christ.” That’s a song I used to sing as a little one. Somehow it was easier for me to digest this at a young age – and now, harder as an adult. Responsibilities consume us as adults – and we get lost in the all consuming checklist: work, travel, gifts – check.

But, I don’t want to lose sight of the baby that was sent to this world to die for me. We sing ‘O Holy Night’ – but, what a holy night it truly was! God entered this world as flesh and blood – and it was all for us. It meant redemption, forgiveness and relationship. We can’t place those gifts under a Christmas tree.

How loving – Jesus is the ultimate gift; yet, his birth was a gift to us. His first breath outside of Mary’s womb was the greatest gift. He gave us a gift on his birthday. Our Christ was born with a purpose, and that purpose was to save the souls of men and women.

I pray we look at our Nativity scenes with new eyes this Christmas. I pray we don’t buy into all this holiday politically correct mumbo jumbo. Christmas is not just a holiday – it the day our lives changed forever. It’s more than a little celebration of great cheer, where you roast chestnuts and drink that warm cider.

Christmas is a life altering date. It is the day that our Savior chose to be born into this world – to begin his ultimate mission – all for love. Let’s not forsake such a beautiful sacrifice. Let’s not get lost in candy cane gifts. December 25^th means painful death. It means glorious life – and the greatest of all eternity with our Lord and Savior. Amen.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2: 9-11

Happy Thanksgiving – Verses of Praise!

November 28, 2013November 28, 2013Leave a comment

“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” – Psalm 95:1-6

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” – Psalm 100

The Sunshine Award & Some Remarkable Blogging Mavens

November 27, 2013Leave a comment

I’m so honored to have been awarded the Sunshine Blogger Award by the beautiful CHOWIDO! Thank you, I am quite flattered. This is a new post style for me; but, I think it’s important to reach out to other amazing bloggers. Y’all are such a great community of healthy, inspiring people! We should do this more often.

The rules for Sunshine Award are:

1 Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you.
2 Acknowledge that blogger on your blog and link back.
3 Answer the same 10 questions given.
4 Nominate up to 10 blogs for the award, a link to their blogs in your post, and notify them on their blogs.
5 Copy and paste the award on your blog somewhere.

Sunshine Q&A:

1. Where would you most like to travel to?

This is simple. Israel. To see the beautiful hills and trails where my Lord traveled and taught would be not only awesome – it would be awe-inspiring. I have always wanted to touch the empty tomb, place my feet on the Mount of Olives and walk through the city streets. What a blessing to be given a chance to visit the Holy Land – hopefully, I will go one day.

2. Do you have a sweet tooth?

I actually do not have a sweet tooth. I know that seems unusual to a lot of people out there; but salty foods take the cake for me. Potato chips are my vice. I absolutely love them and use being gluten free as an excuse to eat them – whoops. Not a good idea. Every now and then I have a piece of dark chocolate – but those darn salty snacks! That is where my problem lies.

3. What motivates you to keep blogging?

I love blessing others’ lives with healthy recipes, calming words or creative advice. It is so true that you never know whose life you are impacting. I want to be a conduit of God’s grace and joy – and this my method. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped. {Psalm 11:25}

4. Who is your favorite comedian?

Ha. Well, I am not really into comedians. I would have to say Bill Cosby. First of all, loved ‘The Cosby Show.’ Secondly, Bill is clean and recently schooled Jon Stewart on using clean language on stage. What’s not to like about that?

5. What is your favorite outdoor activity?

I have tried to get into running; but – slowly, it’s becoming just not for me. I am still trying though {do not quit easily}. I like power walking outside – taking in the scenery and city streets. I also like playing tennis when it is warmer outside. That is a good workout – gets that heart rate up and it’s competitive.

6. Who was your favorite teacher and why?

This is tough because I have had so many wonderful teachers over the years. I can’t list them all? Dr. Stan Brooke would have to be my favorite, if listing one. He was my High School Speech and Bible teacher {private school}. He taught me the beauty of the spoken and written word. He was an inspiration to be around. His talent for language challenged me to be better and never give up on my dreams of success.

7. Do you own any pets?

Any excuse to throw up a picture of my sweet puppy! Here he is – Mr. Dallas.

Yes – his name is Dallas. He is my 3 year old Cocker Spaniel. A rescue dog from Lucky Dog Animal Adoption, this little happy, smiley face canine brightens my day and is a snuggle monster at night. He is precious.

8. Most embarrassing moment in your life?

Falling in a huge mud puddle on the High School track! I was in 6^th grade {not a good year} and was running some warm up laps before softball practice. It had rained the night before – so the track was muddy. Yep, and I slipped and fell. I was covered in mud and had to change into sweat pants and shirt – it was 100 degrees out that day. Lovely.

9. Where are you from?

Hence the 100 degree weather above – I am from the great state of Texas! But, now live in the Washington, DC area. So, I am a Lone Star State transfer. You probably notice this from some of the hot, peppery spices I like to use in my recipes.

10. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

A woodchuck would chuck ALL the wood, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Nominations

Here are my nominations below. I love each and every one of these beautiful blogs!

A Hungry Girl’s Guide To Gluten Free

Check out these awesome blogs when you get the chance. You will gain inspiration, learn cool recipes and really be uplifted for the day. Will post soon, later on today with a great Creamy Turkey soup recipe {for those Thanksgiving leftovers} and later my own 4 ingredient gluten free cheese biscuits!

DIY: Make Your Own Bath Salts

November 26, 2013Leave a comment

These are ready for gift-giving!

One of my favorite things to do after a long cold day is to soak in a hot bath. Preferably with scented bath salts! Bath and Body Works has some of the best salts that I have ever tried. The eucalyptus scent is my favorite.

The ingredients in the salts are really great for your body. Epsom salt, one of the main parts in this recipe, has countless health benefits!

It relaxes the nervous system, cures skin problems, soothes back pain and aching limbs, eases muscle strain, heals cuts, treats cold and congestion, and draws out toxins from the body.

{No wonder soaking in that tub feels great!}

One major setback is the price of those salts –yikes. They can really break your bank. But, thankfully, now – you can make your own bath salts. It will slice the price in half.

This little bath salt mix is a great gift for yourself and others. Hello – Christmas presents!

You will need (this is for one mix, roughly one mason jar): 2 cups Epsom salt, ½ cup sea salt, 2 tbsp. baking soda, food coloring and your choice of essential oils (peppermint, orange, cinnamon…etc.)

First, pour the 2 cups of Epsom salt into a bowl (this is like $3.09 at the store – for a whole bag!). Add in the ½ cup of sea salt (you can use the pink Himalayan salt – for the sake of gaining the pink color, if you use this – don’t use the food coloring.) Drop in the 2 tbsp. of baking soda. Then mix this up together.

I stirred it together with a huge fork. You just want to make sure all the clumps are out and all the ingredients are mixed together. Now for the food coloring – squeeze out 3 drops with the color of your preference. Lastly, drip about 4-5 drops of your essential oil. Mix this in together thoroughly.

Now, all you have to do is pack this mixture into the mason jars. For gifts, tie a little twine bow around the Mason jar, and add a little gift tag. Beautiful! Moms, grandmothers, sisters and aunts will love this!

5 Things Julia Child Can Teach Present Day Women

November 19, 2013November 19, 2013Leave a comment

Yes, the famous kitchen!

What better way to excel in a particular hobby than to study someone who totally rocked in that area of life?

For this past year, cooking really has developed into a passion of mine. Artistic by nature, painting and writing have always been loves of mine. But, I never thought cooking would take up a permanent residence in my heart.

Cooking is creative, fun and a stress reliever. It is nice to come home, relax and absorb the rich smells of the kitchen. You really can get lost in this moving feeling. Cinnamon, rosemary, cilantro – such full scents and bold flavors!

Recently, I went to the American History Museum – and saw Julia Child’s kitchen. It was super cool. I am not typically into looking at cooking exhibits, but it was simply fantastic {probably because of my new found passion}.

Obviously, she is the face of cooking; but what made her so grand – and what can we take away from Chef Child?

Confidence and Self Worth Are Key

Ladies, this woman was 6’ 2”. She was comfortable in her own skin – and that was exemplified in her television presence. Google pictures of Julia Child. She loved life and was always dressed with a smile. Smiling was her favorite {in the words of Buddy the Elf}. Not to mention, she was always classically feminine. I like this about her. She wore skirts and aprons. Embrace femininity.

Embrace Being a Career Woman

I bet you did not know that Julia was a research assistant in the Secret Intelligence division of The Office of Strategic Services (OSS.) I know, I was stunned – this woman created a cooking empire – all while being a professional thinker. I think woman in the kitchen get a bad rap sometimes. You can totally be a certified working girl and cook unashamed. That does not mean you advocate barefoot pregnant women in the kitchen.

Always Stay Physically Active

I think this might be her actual height!

Julia died at age 92. She was active. She did not just bathe in buttery lard. This woman moved her keister. In fact, she was a part of a basketball team. No joke. This cooking maven played at her college. She also enjoyed tennis and golf. So, get out and do something physical. Just eating your cooking creations will get you nowhere fast. Also, ladies, don’t aspire to be rail thin either. That is just not healthy.

You Are Never Too Old To Try Something New

Mrs. Child was 37 when she enrolled in culinary school. The woman known for America’s cooking revolution was almost 40 when she stared learning about cooking. If this does not inspire you, I don’t know what will. She was 36 when she started learning a new language. This woman’s hunger for knowledge knew no age limits.

Know What It Takes – Practice & Hard Work

After cooking classes, Julia would cook and experiment in her own kitchen. She was driven to be the best. She was not afraid of a little hard work and elbow grease. She had to work hard to get ahead. She knew a pretty face will only get you so far – but a hard work ethic and mean skills will last a lifetime. She won an Emmy for heaven’s sake!

Great Christmas Gifts For Women – Under $25

November 17, 2013November 17, 20132 Comments

Buy these Christmas tags here. They are super cute and would add Christmas cheer to any gift under the tree.

If you are like the rest of the planet, you are thinking about your Christmas list. It’s sad – Thanksgiving just comes and goes too fast {not to mention – Christmas is hyped up in stores just way too soon.}

I have a little yellow notebook with a chart of all my gifts and names of receivers, so I can keep track. I would suggest this – it helps. And, I continually add to it. Yikes.

As the list of names continues to grow, so does the need for money in your pocketbook. We are not all money bags. Although, that is a great thought. Christmas is expensive. That is just a simple fact. And your expenses will take a hit – if you are not careful with your gift giving.

This economy is not the greatest – Americans in all spectrums of the money wheel will testify to that. And, there is no shame in giving gifts on a budget. That is called smart thinking. Thank goodness for quality gifts at discount prices. You can still be a fabulous gift giver if you think frugally. In this post I compiled a great list of inexpensive Christmas gifts that women are sure to love! Why, because I am a woman and I compiled this list!

So – thrifty men, if you are reading {which may be wishful thinking} please follow this guide below. It’s only a guide – gentle suggestions if you will. I’m just trying to help from pricey Christmas sweater disasters.

These gifts are food for thought when purchasing gifts for your mom, sister, aunt, grandmother, special lady…etc.