{Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her health care provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.}
I am excited to have Michelle, from the upstate NY resort, Turning Stone sharing with us a anti-oxidant face mask. Enjoy y'all!!
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I am excited to have Michelle, from the upstate NY resort, Turning Stone sharing with us a anti-oxidant face mask. Enjoy y'all!!
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Get Glowing, Fresh Skin This July
Are
you bummed out by the harshness of the summer sun? Can you already feel some of
the effects, such as redness, irritation, peeling skin, and patchiness? Would
you like to see your skin bare a fresh glow? Are you tired of harsh facial
treatments that use chemicals and still do not achieve the results you want and
need? If you are looking for an all-natural face mask just in time for the
festivities of the Fourth of July, then try this delicious Red, White, and Blue
face mask. From the Skana Spa experts of New
York resort, Turning Stone, this treatment is made from all-natural
ingredients. Best of all, this mask takes just minutes to make. Here is how to
make your own Red, White, and Blue face mask this Fourth of July!
Ingredients:
10 blueberries (give or take)
1/4 fresh tomato (cubed)
1 teaspoon apricot kernel oil
2 drops sweet orange essential oil
Directions:
First,
place the blueberries and the tomatoes in a blender. Turn the blender on low
for 10 seconds. You want to mix the berries and tomato just enough to form a
creamy consistency and to makes sure these fruits are blended and there are not
any chunks in the mixture.
Second, pour
the mixture into a bowl and add the oils. Mix gently by folding the oil into
the fruit mixture.
Third, turn
on the hot water and place a washcloth beneath the faucet. Squeeze out the
excess and place the washcloth on your face for about 30 seconds. This opens up
the pores on your face and prepares them for the skin mask.
Fourth, smooth
the face mask across your skin and let it dry for about 20 minutes.
Fifth, gently wash off the face mask with cool water. Apply a moisturizer of your choice.
Fifth, gently wash off the face mask with cool water. Apply a moisturizer of your choice.
Benefits of your all-natural Red, White, & Blue face mask
The blueberries and tomatoes have antioxidants & are high in Vitamin C. Together; they can help to prevent fine lines and
patchiness, to even out irritated skin and to boost collagen in your skin for
overall suppleness. In addition, blueberries contain anthocyanins, which work
to neutralize free radical damage, and tomatoes have lycopene, an antioxidant
that works to reduce redness. Get glowing, healthy, brighter skin this summer
with your very own, all-natural face mask!
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Thanks so much for sharing with us today Michelle! I am looking forward to trying this!
Thanks so much for sharing with us today Michelle! I am looking forward to trying this!
Do y'all have those dreams that are deep in your heart that keep growing and coming to mind- even if you don't encourage them in anyway? These might be dreams that invade your mind as you are lying awake at night, or pop into your mind when you are driving home from work, or make you smile as you are doing your housework. I have several of those dreams and I suspect many of us do. I think sometimes there are times for them to be kept hidden in our heart as things to pray over and see if and when the time is right for them to emerge. Some of those dreams are so precious and are such aching longings of our hearts that they are difficult to compose the right string of words in a sentence that will speak to the depth that we feel them.
The latter would be my dream to be married and to be a mom and the former would be a dream of writing & speaking to encourage the heart of women that I have had for many many many years. It is a dream that I have kept locked close to my heart- partially because with teaching there wasn't much time to develop it properly outside the classroom and partially because every time I would pray about moving forward with it the Lord would seem to whisper "wait". Over the last couple of months as I have been housebound/bedridden the Lord started to stir up the dream of writing &speaking once again. At first I laughed and said, "really Lord, now?" because I was so sick that I couldn't hardly stand let alone type or speak. But there was this quiet insistence that I start examining this dream again. I prayed for hours and hours and days and days and months and months about it and kept seeking the Lord and asking Him if this was the right timing. At first I wasn't so sure because of my health if it was but there were several opportunities that presented themselves for the upcoming fall that I didn't think that I should pass by. I hesitantly said "yes" still skeptical but as time has gone on and after treatment in California in May happened I started to feel like the Lord was opening the door even wider.
{I should insert here that I miss teaching so much. There are days where my heart aches to not be able to use the passion and gifts that the Lord has given me. The love that I have for students still overwhelms my heart. Some may think that this sounds dramatic but I still well up with tears as I think of another school year starting and not being back in the classroom. At the same time though the Lord opening up writing & speaking opportunities is reminding me afresh that the Lord's mercies are new every morning and that He has a special plan that He is laying out for my life.}
I share all of this to say that part of the dream is in a state of "transition" and I am excited to share about one of the opportunities. I submitted two stories to CausePub and BOTH were accepted!! I was so delighted and honored and now I need your help. How can you help? By voting for one or both of the stories that I have shared to hopefully be published in the book. You can click HERE to access both stories or you can click HERE to access the story entitled "Hope is Always a Miracle" or click HERE for the story entitled "The Power of the Simple Words "I'm Sorry"".
Thank you so much to those of you who have already voted and to each of you for all of your lovely support and friendship. I appreciate your prayers for other projects that I am submitting my writing to and for upcoming speaking events that I have committed to sharing my story at. My prayer is that the Lord would redeem the time of sickness for His glory and to be used to encourage people to fall more in love with our precious Lord. I am excited to see what the Lord has in store during this season of new dreams!
Hi y'all! I am so delighted that several of you are joining Stephanie, Crystal & I on this adventure of reading through the "Made to Crave" book. {If you haven't already purchased the book but would still like to - please feel free to join us at any point - even if it is just for a week or two!}
This week we are discussing chapters 1 & 2 of the book. To me the main thing that stood out to me was really the title of the book: that we are "made to crave". But just like I mentioned last week I really am challenged to examine the questions of: what do I crave? What does my mind crave? What does my heart crave? What does my soul crave?
Like me, you might not crave food, but like me maybe you crave other things that you know are placed before my relationship with the Lord or in some cases above it. This is hard to face and even harder sometimes to admit... especially in the summer during our "free time". But honestly... doesn't how we use our "free time" show us what we crave? It does for me. And honestly this week I am seeing that I spend a lot of time wasting some of the precious time that I have by just "vegging out". Filling the silence and loneliness that comes with chronic illness with spending hours on the Internet that I don't need to spend. Those hours could be used to serve others or just resting in my precious relationship with my Lord. Instead of looking to fill the loneliness and quietness that comes with Chronic Illness with "noise" I could fill it with more of my Heavenly Father. So I have started to evaluate that and some other areas of my life. I am taking those before the Lord to pray through!
So just like last week I am left with many of the same questions that challenge my heart. I am left with lots to continue to pray and think through! What about y'all? If you are a blogger please feel free to link with us below and share your thoughts and if you don't have a blog please leave a comment in the comment section. I am so confident that we can all grow and learn together in this process!
Like me, you might not crave food, but like me maybe you crave other things that you know are placed before my relationship with the Lord or in some cases above it. This is hard to face and even harder sometimes to admit... especially in the summer during our "free time". But honestly... doesn't how we use our "free time" show us what we crave? It does for me. And honestly this week I am seeing that I spend a lot of time wasting some of the precious time that I have by just "vegging out". Filling the silence and loneliness that comes with chronic illness with spending hours on the Internet that I don't need to spend. Those hours could be used to serve others or just resting in my precious relationship with my Lord. Instead of looking to fill the loneliness and quietness that comes with Chronic Illness with "noise" I could fill it with more of my Heavenly Father. So I have started to evaluate that and some other areas of my life. I am taking those before the Lord to pray through!
So just like last week I am left with many of the same questions that challenge my heart. I am left with lots to continue to pray and think through! What about y'all? If you are a blogger please feel free to link with us below and share your thoughts and if you don't have a blog please leave a comment in the comment section. I am so confident that we can all grow and learn together in this process!
P.S.- If you haven't already clicked around the "freebies" page of the Made to Crave website I highly encourage you to spend a few minutes there!
Here is the reading schedule for the rest of the study for those of you that would like to join us :
July 15-Week 2-
Chapter 1-What’s Really Going on Here? & Chapter 2- Replacing my Cravings
July 22- Week 3-
Chapter 3- Getting a Plan & Chapter 4- Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat before Thinking
July 29- Week 4
Chapter 5- Made for More & Chapter 6- Growing Closer to God
August 5- Week 5
Chapter 7- I’m Not Defined by the Numbers & Chapter 8- Making Peace with the Realities of my Body
August 12- Week 6
Chapter 9- But Exercise Makes Me Want to Cry& Chapter 10- This Isn’t Fair!
August 19- Week 7
Chapter 11- Stinkin’, Rotten, Horrible, No Good Day & Chapter 12- The Curse of the Skinny Jeans
August 26- Week 8
Chapter 13- Overindulgence & Chapter 14- Emotional Emptiness
September 2- Week 9
Chapter 15- The Demon in the Chips Poster & Chapter 16- Why Diets Don’t Work
September 9- Week 10
Chapter 17- The Very Next Choice We Make& Chapter 18- Things Lost, Better Things Gained
September 16- Week 11
Chapter 19- Live as an Overcomer & Summary/Conclusion
I have been so touched by all of your questions, gracious comments, emails, phone calls & text messages asking how things are going with my health since my last update in June. It is hard to express how grateful I am for all of the sweet concern because often times dealing with chronic illness is very lonely and isolating. SO thank you for caring so much about me and what is going on. I know that I have not done the best job in updating as regularly as I should - some of that is coming to terms with some things myself and I do apologize. I will start updating more regularly and I am going to affectionately call the updates "notes from the porch". Partly I chose this phrase because my porch in New York is one of my favorite places to pray, write, spend time with family & friends and just simply rest and partly because it seems a fitting title. *smiles*
While my time at the Whitaker Wellness Institute was a life-saving decision, it was not the "final" cure as I still have Lyme's and Cancer {and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome}. My three and half weeks that I spent out in California was a stabilizer for what was happening in my body. There was an immediate response by the institute to my body that was literally shutting down and it truly saved my life. But as I am slowly learning, and my doctor cautioned me many weeks ago- the real work comes in the everyday healing after that time. I recently was sent this quote from a friend who heard it from a TV show and I thought how truly fitting it is for what I am going through right now:
"After a trauma, your body is at its most vulnerable. Response time is critical. So you're suddenly surrounded by people- doctors, nurses, specialists, technicians- surgery is a team sport. Everyone pushing for the finish line. Putting you back together again. But surgery {and intense treatment} is trauma in and of itself, and once it's over, the real healing begins. It's called recover. Recovery is not a team sport. It's a solitary distance run. It's long. It's exhausting. And it's lonely as hell."
I have been asked about what each day looks like and to be frank it is hard to describe what a "typical" day looks like right now. Some days have been blessed with a little bit of energy where I am able to get out of bed and move around independently while others have been extremely difficult and painful (like these past three days) and I have been completely bedridden not able to do anything (except cry). I try to take each moment at a time and each day at a time and to be honest sometimes that easier than others. While the "bad days" still outnumber the "good days" I am still thankful to be doing better than I was in the winter and early spring.
In between the "bad days" there have been simple miracles. Two weeks ago I was SO blessed to experience what I can only term as the "miracle days" when I went to Kristen and Paul's wedding. I am confident that it was nothing short of all of the prayers that you are praying for me daily. It truly was a MIRACLE in how the Lord provided more strength and health for those days then I have had in over a year.
So the next steps that I am to take are slow and a long distance run (or a marathon as I affectionately like to call it- even though I have always hated running). As I mentioned in June the decision was made by my doctor and myself that I would stop two of the treatments: the Hyberbaric Oxygen Treatments and the Vitamin C IV treatments. The reason for this is because it was impossible to find proper centers for them around where I live. I have continued with some of the other natural treatments (including acupuncture) and some medicines that are dealing with the Lyme's and the Cancer. I have also been continuing to add additional supplements each week to help my body from a natural perspective. One thing that I am working on doing is correcting as many of the "deficiencies" that Lyme's has created in my body through food, supplements, and prescriptions. Through blood work it became clear that I was severely anemic (my iron levels read below "1"), severely deficient in calcium, magnesium, and several other things, and finally my immune system was shutting down. These are all prayer requests- specifically for my immune system to improve and heal. As I mentioned in June my immune system is so low that I am not able to handle the "tougher" medicines to truly kill off the Lyme's so that is definitely one of the main goals this summer. Right now the medicines that I am taking are basically serving to prevent the Lyme's from growing and also from continuing to spread. I will be having some additional testing done at the end of August to evaluate these numbers.
I am also planning a return trip to the Whitaker Wellness Institute in late September {approximately September 15th}. While I am looking at getting treated regularly at a clinic in North Carolina there are certain treatments that are not available at anywhere but the Whitaker Wellness Institute so I have begun to prepare for that.
One of my doctors is watching a couple of spots in regards to the cancer. As I mentioned last month the doctors are keeping a very close eye on the cancer because it was labeled as aggressive and the margins were extremely large. In addition to this my immune system is so weak that the doctors want to make sure that everything is watched very carefully. These spots that the doctors are watching have been tested and we will be deciding the best next steps on how to treat those areas.
As I look back in amazement on how things have changed in a year I am reminded once again that despite the constant ups and downs of my health the Lord is ever present. A year ago there was a verse from Ezekiel that stood out to me: "The Lord is There". This verse continues to be a constant source of comfort as the Lord truly meets me everyday and is faithful in His mercy. Often times I am prone to worry and fuss about the future, money, what my health will look like in a year from now, etc. but that is not my concern. The Lord is There. He already knows what the days, months, and years ahead will bring and He will meet each and everyone of my fears and needs. What a comfort and a peace to know that The Lord is There.
Specific Prayer Requests:
1. Against pain- specifically stomach pain.
2. For energy- many days the simplest of things takes incredible energy.
3. For my body to start responding to the long term treatments.
4. I am also praying for the inflammation to go down in my body. This is the bodies natural response to the Lyme's infection and the Cancer but I would covet prayers for that also!
4. I am also praying for the inflammation to go down in my body. This is the bodies natural response to the Lyme's infection and the Cancer but I would covet prayers for that also!
5. For healing & mercy.
6. Another area that I would covet prayer for is in the area of finances. In addition to the AMAZING generosity of SO many people that have helped this past Spring my parents have truly sacrificed so much to help me get better. I have updated my "Go Fund Me page" {which you can see on the right} to a larger dollar amount to help cover the cost of treatment this summer and supplements, and in preparation for treatment in the fall. Some of you have asked if you can still donate - and yes, you can - I am humbled and am so grateful for all of your support.
7. The Lord has been opening up some opportunities to speak and share my testimony of what He is doing. I would covet prayer for these opportunities and that the Lord would use my words to encourage those who are hurting and seeking of HIS love. I would also ask for prayers for additional opportunities to come up.
8. Against discouragement. As I mentioned before there is a LONG road ahead and I do admit that there are many days that I am impatient to be completely healthy and "back to real life". I so appreciate your prayers and encouragement during this long journey!
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support!
smitten: {adj}: infatuated, charmed, captivated, beguiled, betwitched, enamoured
There are certain products that I use or have that I am just smitten with. I love discovering great products on other blogs and hope that these items that I talk about from time to time on here might be a wonderful discovery for y'all!
This is my first "smitten" post that shares with you one of my favorite snack foods. I know that I have mentioned on the blog that I am allergic to many foods - some of them strange, some of them not so strange and due to the amount of allergies it is difficult to find yummy snack foods that are good for me. A couple of weeks ago I discovered Beanitos and have been smitten with them ever since. They are yummy and the perfect snack food for summer with yummy salsa and dips!
As you can see from the picture above there are several different kinds of Beanitos!! My favorites are the Black Bean ones! The grocery store near us just started carrying the Pinto Bean kind and they are delicious as well! I am anxious to try the White Bean kind also!
One of the things that I love about this product is that they are all natural, corn free (which is difficult to find), gluten free, have no MSG, preservatives, or trans fat, have good fiber, are listed as low gylcemic, and are cholesterol free. {You can find out more about the products by clicking HERE.}
If you are interested in finding out where you can purchase Beanitos the website has an easy to use store locator! Have y'all tried any of the Beanitos products? Which are your favorites?
This is my first "smitten" post that shares with you one of my favorite snack foods. I know that I have mentioned on the blog that I am allergic to many foods - some of them strange, some of them not so strange and due to the amount of allergies it is difficult to find yummy snack foods that are good for me. A couple of weeks ago I discovered Beanitos and have been smitten with them ever since. They are yummy and the perfect snack food for summer with yummy salsa and dips!
As you can see from the picture above there are several different kinds of Beanitos!! My favorites are the Black Bean ones! The grocery store near us just started carrying the Pinto Bean kind and they are delicious as well! I am anxious to try the White Bean kind also!
One of the things that I love about this product is that they are all natural, corn free (which is difficult to find), gluten free, have no MSG, preservatives, or trans fat, have good fiber, are listed as low gylcemic, and are cholesterol free. {You can find out more about the products by clicking HERE.}
If you are interested in finding out where you can purchase Beanitos the website has an easy to use store locator! Have y'all tried any of the Beanitos products? Which are your favorites?
I was so excited to receive my Glamour VoxBox by Mary Kay in the mail two weeks ago! I was so excited to open my box when it arrived!! Isn't the inside of the box adorable?
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| Picture taken off of Google Images and not the property of Caravan Sonnet. |
The box contained several amazing products that I enjoyed trying out and using! In the box there was a fabulous eye cream brush, sweet colored lipstick, mascara primer {that does a fabulous job!} and my favorite item: the beautiful creamy purple eyeshadow.
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Now I am a Bare Minerals gal through and through but I do admit that I did love these products and I am tempted to definitely add these products to my normal make up routine! I used these products {with my bare minerals foundation}for the wedding and was truly thrilled with how things turned out!
Thank you so much to Influenster & MaryKay for the opportunity to review these products!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this free from influenster.com and their blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I mentioned in April that I was thrilled to discover the website Booksneeze! This website offers the opportunity to receive free books in exchange for honest reviews from bloggers. I was excited to find this site because as y'all know I do love reading and what a great opportunity! I also appreciate the opportunity (as a writer) to examine someone else's work! There are so many talented writers in our society! *smiles* In April I did my first review for them on the book: Days Like These: Even in the Darkest Moments, Light Can Shine Through by Kristian and Rachel Anderson.
The book that I chose to review this time was called Resurrection Year: Turning Broken Dreams into New Beginnings by Sheridan Voysey. To be frank I actually finished the book last week while I was stuck in the airport due to bad weather but have taken a few days to process through everything that I read. While the book might be termed "simple" by some (due to its easy read) the book is complex in its ability to touch at the heart and soul of all who read it. While I could not exactly relate to the issue that the couple was experiencing {infertility} I could relate to the concept of your life being totally opposite than you had planned and wrestling with shattered dreams and broken hearts. In many ways I am sure that everyone can relate to a book like that at one point in our lives.
There were two things that the book spoke to me loudly about. First, I was struck by the way that Sheridan was willing to sacrifice his thriving and (what most would deem) successful career for his wife who had been sacrificing her dream (of having children) for him. Although I am not married, I, along with many others can count on our fingers the number of marriages that we see that exist like that in the world. Most people that we see walk away when it gets to hard or it isn't beneficial to themselves. The opposite - in a humble and with raw honesty- is portrayed in this book. THAT alone deserves for us to stand up and clap for their marriage. For their bravery to face the future that maybe they hadn't expected to face on their wedding day. For their courage to live out their wedding vows when most people are quick to throw in the towel. For their humility in thinking that this may not affect anyone else. And maybe if nothing else- just a round of applause for sharing with us their hearts. You have truly inspired many, not only myself.
Second, I was struck by the honesty that the book portrayed in examining our lives, our beliefs about God, and our suppositions about who God is when our dreams do not always work out the way that we had envisioned. What does that mean? Has God abandoned us? Does God even care? What does it mean? This book explores with humility these themes and allows the reader to explore them with them.
No matter who you are ... we all have dreams that we may have lost or seen shattered. This book has inspired me along my own journey right now in a season of shattered dreams. This book is different then any other book of its kind (and believe me, this year I have read a ton on this subject). Most books you walk away with the "happy ending" and the bow that is wrapped around the story. That is the book or the story that most people cheer for. But as I discussed in a post from early June the journey also brings hope - even when the ending is not what we had planned or imagined. The journey can bring the hope... and sometimes that is in itself a miracle. This concept of hope in a specific outcome ... is this an American christian ideal that we have placed on the gospel? On the Lord working things out "the way that we want"? I am not sure. What I am sure though is that the book, while maybe not having the ending we expect or hope for challenges, inspires, and encourages me that I am not the only one in the midst of a "Resurrection Year". Sheridan, I appreciate your candor and your story more than I can express. Your willingness to share your story has changed countless people, including mine. Thank you!!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.combook review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
The book that I chose to review this time was called Resurrection Year: Turning Broken Dreams into New Beginnings by Sheridan Voysey. To be frank I actually finished the book last week while I was stuck in the airport due to bad weather but have taken a few days to process through everything that I read. While the book might be termed "simple" by some (due to its easy read) the book is complex in its ability to touch at the heart and soul of all who read it. While I could not exactly relate to the issue that the couple was experiencing {infertility} I could relate to the concept of your life being totally opposite than you had planned and wrestling with shattered dreams and broken hearts. In many ways I am sure that everyone can relate to a book like that at one point in our lives.
There were two things that the book spoke to me loudly about. First, I was struck by the way that Sheridan was willing to sacrifice his thriving and (what most would deem) successful career for his wife who had been sacrificing her dream (of having children) for him. Although I am not married, I, along with many others can count on our fingers the number of marriages that we see that exist like that in the world. Most people that we see walk away when it gets to hard or it isn't beneficial to themselves. The opposite - in a humble and with raw honesty- is portrayed in this book. THAT alone deserves for us to stand up and clap for their marriage. For their bravery to face the future that maybe they hadn't expected to face on their wedding day. For their courage to live out their wedding vows when most people are quick to throw in the towel. For their humility in thinking that this may not affect anyone else. And maybe if nothing else- just a round of applause for sharing with us their hearts. You have truly inspired many, not only myself.
Second, I was struck by the honesty that the book portrayed in examining our lives, our beliefs about God, and our suppositions about who God is when our dreams do not always work out the way that we had envisioned. What does that mean? Has God abandoned us? Does God even care? What does it mean? This book explores with humility these themes and allows the reader to explore them with them.
No matter who you are ... we all have dreams that we may have lost or seen shattered. This book has inspired me along my own journey right now in a season of shattered dreams. This book is different then any other book of its kind (and believe me, this year I have read a ton on this subject). Most books you walk away with the "happy ending" and the bow that is wrapped around the story. That is the book or the story that most people cheer for. But as I discussed in a post from early June the journey also brings hope - even when the ending is not what we had planned or imagined. The journey can bring the hope... and sometimes that is in itself a miracle. This concept of hope in a specific outcome ... is this an American christian ideal that we have placed on the gospel? On the Lord working things out "the way that we want"? I am not sure. What I am sure though is that the book, while maybe not having the ending we expect or hope for challenges, inspires, and encourages me that I am not the only one in the midst of a "Resurrection Year". Sheridan, I appreciate your candor and your story more than I can express. Your willingness to share your story has changed countless people, including mine. Thank you!!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com
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