One less bad habit and a bag of beans.



Ok, so here's the deal.  I really don't like writing about stuff that is going to make people think that I am crazy, weird or over the top.  It was really hard to hit the "publish" button on this one.  This is information that I am really passionate about and that I feel like everyone needs to know about, whether you agree with me or not.  I don't think for a second that I am delivering this news as NEWS to any of you, but hope to catch the attention of even one person who is in the dark.  Or...I might just bore you to death.

Some of you may be aware of the current state of our economy.  We are 15 trillion dollars in debt with no end in sight.  Unemployment is out of control and the housing market is in the dumps.  Some of you reading this may know all the facts.  Some of you don't really care about the politics of it, but know that your grocery budget has been going up and up.  Some of you think that you know all the facts, but are being manipulated by the media.  Wherever you are on this, please be rational and educate yourselves so that you can make the best decision for yourself, your family, your nation. 

So what does this mean for you?  Well, I could go on and on and put a bunch of quotes and statistics on here, but I'm not going to do that.  The reason I am not going to do this is because I don't want to take the time to do something that won't make one bit of difference.  I also don't want to tell you where to get this information because it's something that you have to find out for yourself.  I also don't want to deal with people making rude comments and calling me names :).  If you want the information, go and get it.  Let me give you some advice first.  Don't believe only one source.  The media tends to portray things with a certain slant, so make sure that you are getting your information from more than one point of view so that you may find the TRUTH.  I don't think that there is a person reading this that doesn't see some of the warning signs, ok, the flashing red lights that are saying "WAKE UP AMERICA, WE'RE HEADED DOWN THE WRONG PATH!!!!!!".

I believe that we are heading for some very difficult economic times.  Here in America we find it hard to believe that we could ever find ourselves in poverty or even worse in a position where there were food shortages, inflation and a dollar bill that was completely worthless.  I believe that this is a very possible scenario.  The Federal Reserve has been printing money left and right in order to bail out banks and falsely prop up our economy.  In doing so, they are flooding the economy with money, which in turn causes inflation.  You would be completely blind if you hadn't noticed that the price of things has been going up lately.  Well, imagine it just keeps happening...well, it will unless the Federal Reserve stops what they are doing.  Do you see that happening?  I don't. 

This is where you, the people come in to play.  If you continue to vote in a President that is not doing what he promises and is only interested in maintaining the status quo, the American people are going to continue to suffer.  I understand that many of us feel like we are picking the lesser of two evils when it comes to voting for our next President.  It's a tough situation, but let me just say that if we vote for someone that is against our priniciples what do we have left?  We can't give up on our principles.  In all honesty, I don't think that the next President is going to have much of an opportunity to turn things around before the economy takes a nose dive.  I believe we have run out of time, however the work still needs to be done so that the hard times can evolve into something even better for the USA.

We can change things around. It's going to be tough, it's going to take time, but it's well worth it. I don't believe that government is the answer. It's part of the answer, but a very small part. The answer is us. We must educate ourselves about what is going on and become people of merit. People that can stand together, no matter what our beliefs are. We must stand for the same principles and have integrity, honor, humility, honesty and courage. Now I know this isn't simple, because I am far from having all of those characteristics and I mess up all the time. Striving to obtain those characteristics WILL effect change in those around us, it REALLY will. We must be the example to others around us. I am sure all of us can think of someone who fits that bill. Haven't you always wanted to be more like that person? Haven't you?  I think it's time we stop focusing on eachother's differences and start focusing on a common goal.  We have to stop waiting for someone to come and save the United States from the pit that we are in.  It's OUR responsibility, not the government's.  I am sick and tired of waiting.

I know that I am shooting for the stars here.  Believe me, I sound ridiculous to myself most of the time too.  But, here's the deal.  I have to tell you that I believe hard times are coming and that you should be prepared.  You should be storing food, water and any other essentials that you find pertinent for your family.  If you can't afford it now, find a way.  Try and imagine affording it a year from now when things may cost much more.  Also, please, please prepare yourself spiritually, emotionally and mentally.  The people around you will need you to be a beacon, a light to those during hard times.  If you aren't spiritually prepared for the hard economic times that I believe are coming, you will not be able to be used for His purpose.  Believer or not, we can all make the choice to prepare ourselves so that we are in a better position to help others.

There is always something that you can do to better prepare yourselves.  A few extra cans of soup is better than nothing, although I encourage you to do much, much more.  If I am wrong, the worst that can happen is you will have some extra food on hand.  I can't imagine that any of you would want your family or friends to be in a position where there isn't enough money to eat through the month.  Some of you may be in that position already.  There is a lot of good information out there on food storage, dig as deep as you want.  If you aren't committed, but you think there might be some hard times coming, at least stock up on some basics like rice, wheat, beans and canned goods. 

I think we are in trouble.  But, this doesn't mean it's all bad.  I think that with the trials can come greatness, perseverance and change.  Changes need to be made and if this is what has to happen in order for changes to come, we need to prepare ourselves as best we can.  Since I feel like I just put a big cloud over your head, here is an encouraging verse that gives me assurance when I start to worry.  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1).

So I guess what I just wrote about was how the government totally sucks right now, the economy is going down the tubes along with our humanity and we need to do something about it and also stock up on food just in case.  I should have just written that....oh well, it's already done.

Please don't write me off as crazy.  At least consider/ponder/pray on what I have said.  Some of you out there know all of this already.  Maybe you have already started preparing.  Some think I am causing unncessary panic.  I hope you're right.  But what if I'm right?  When I say "I", that opinion is based on those who I choose to go to in order to find the FACTS and the TRUTH.  Please do not listen to anything this is not FACT and TRUTH.  By NO stretch of the imagination am I educated on politics and economics, but I know the facts and the truth when I see it.  It doesn't take much to see what is happening and what is coming.  No one on earth knows when, nor the severity.  And don't forget, with the bad can always come good if we let it.  Come on people!!  Let's change America with one less bad habit and a bag of beans!  Good luck and God bless.

It is what it is.

This really is my favorite saying.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've said it.  I don't like to beat around the bush or candy coat things for the most part.  It just is what it is.  Isn't that life?  Sometimes I get caught in this trap of thinking that my problems are bigger than anyone else's.  That what is going on in my life must be more dramatic than other people's.  I think most of us get caught in this frame of mind from time to time.  Most of us realize that we don't have it worse off than everyone and that our problems don't trump everyone else's.  Some of us don't.

I've wondered to myself why I got handed the cards that I did.  Not because I don't like the cards, but because sometimes I wish I had a different hand.  Why do I do that?  Is it because the hand I was dealt was so crappy?  Do I really have good reason to feel this way?  It's at times like these that I really sit back and evaluate my life. 

What would it take for us to be content, happy?  Would our circumstances have to perfect?  I think that is the trap.  Whenever I find myself wishing for something more or for different circumstances, it's because everything in my life isn't exactly perfect...and easy.  No one ever said it was going to be easy.  And as certain as that, no one ever said it was going to be perfect.  PERFECT.  Hmmmm, that word brings only one person to mind.  Jesus.

Jesus is and will be the only perfect human being to walk this earth.  We cannot compare ourselves to Him when it comes to our own attempts at perfection.  We can only hope to attain a portion of what Jesus did.  And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God."  Luke 16:15

WHOA!  Hold the phone!  What are you exalting?  Is it your self pity?  Your self righteousness?  Your bitterness?  Are you upset because you can't buy what you want?  What is it?  I know I've been there.  I struggle with this too people.  Think about it.

We are a society that is hell bent on accumulating stuff and portraying ourselves in a unrealistic way.  We feel that need to get more, buy more, have more than the next person or we just don't quite feel....American, accepted, good enough, cool, whatever it is.  We feel ashamed to admit that we can't buy something because we don't have enough money.  Not having enough money would be like admitting failure.  But why?  Doesn't this have something to do with not being humble?  Oh believe me people, I totally relate to this.  It's hard to tell someone that you are broke or that you can't go do something because you don't have the money.  It's shameful, but why?  In the same way, we feel like we must portray our relationships as perfect, or at least better than what they really are.  We feel like our kids need to be the smartest or at least the best at something.  Jesus says this:

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  James 4:6

Through our humility we will recieve God's grace.  If we are not humble, God himself tells us that he will oppose us.  Where is the pride in your life?  Where do you need to let go and humble yourself? 

So many of us have much more than we need.  There are many others around us who don't.  Perhaps if we haven't already we should look to give our surplus to others and be the blessing that we were made to be.  Even if you don't believe in God, you know that giving of yourself and your possessions to others is something that us humans get great pleasure from. 

Many times the trials of our lives include our kids, our marriage, our family, etc.  We compare our own to someone else who seems to have it so much better.  The life you have is yours.  Accept it, own it, find something to be thankful for.  Be the change that you want to see in your marriage, at your workplace or your church.  And never forget those that God has set before you as an example of thankfullness.  We all have or have had those people in our lives that make us thankful for our own health or happiness.  There is always someone who has it worse off than you do.  Help them instead of focusing on what you don't have or what you wish you had.  Or honor their memory by choosing to look ahead instead of back.  "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

Ya know, life really is just what it is.  Be thankful, keep your focus and have a giving heart.  I'm sure gonna try.  Cuz ya know what?  I have an abundance of things and people to be extremely thankful for. 

Plastics. And I don't mean water bottles or shopping bags...

Awhile back, a friend of mine suggested I do a blog post about plastic surgery and what my opinion was on it.  I had another friend who suggested I write about a scientist who was trying to develop steak made out of poop.  Needless to say, I picked plastic surgery.  I personally have never had any plastic surgery done, however I do have an opinion about it.  If you have taken the time to know me, you would know that I have an opinion about almost everything.  It's a blessing and a curse. :)

Five years ago I gave birth to my precious Bean.  He was born via C-section and weighed 9lbs, 7oz.  Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a smaller person and that this size baby is insanely huge for me to carry.  He was.  When I was 6 months pregnant people thought that I was either carrying twins or due any moment.  Bean did a number on my stomach.  If I could describe my stomach, it would best be described as looking like a 90 year old woman's face on my stomach.  No offense to the 90 year old women out there.  Do 90 year old women even read blogs?  I think I will.  Anyways, it's disgusting to say the least.  When my kids see my stomach I have heard statements such as "is that your belly button?", "gross!" and "sick!".  One time Bean asked me why my stomach looked like that and I told him that it happened after he was in my stomach.  I was half expecting him to feel sympathetic or apologize.  Nope.  He just stared at me in disgust.

Needless to say, I am in desperate need of a tummy tuck.  If I had the disposable income and down time to get one, I just might do it.  The income and down time are kind of the hang ups at this point...:).   I had a child, an enormous child that completely changed my body.  There are so many people out there that have had the same experience whether it be a childbirth, an accident or a birth defect.  I don't see anything wrong with someone trying to fix something that is wrong through a surgery that could increase their quality of life.  There is a fine line here though, if you ask me.  That fine line is between truly doing the surgery for yourself and the right reasons or for someone else.

For me, the surgery would be for myself, 100%.  No one is pressuring me in to wanting a tummy tuck(which I will probably never have) and I would be doing it so that my body would be "normal" again.  I don't want to look 20, I just want to be normal again, for myself, to feel better.   So what about a woman who wants a nose job or her boobs done?  Well, I think they would need to question their motivation.  The motivation between someone who wanted work done on her nose because she was in a car accident versus a woman who just wants to look better is very different in my opinion.  The same would go with a boob job.  It depends on the motivation and that woman's circumstances.  Is the woman doing it with a pure heart?  Is she doing it because she just wants to feel better for herself, or is she doing it because she wants to be desired by a man and envied by women?  I think that is the question that any woman needs to ask herself before signing up for any type of plastic surgery.  Also, a woman needs to ask herself what she has to gain from the surgery.  The answer to that question may reveal a lot about her motivation. 

What does Jesus have to say about this?  I really have no idea.  I wonder what He would have to say if He were here right now and living in these times.  But, we can turn to scripture for some clues in this area.  Here are a few verses that put things of the body and appearance into perspective:

1 Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

James 1:23 - "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror."

Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

We are clearly told in the Bible that a person's outward appearance is not what is important and that appearances can lead to pride.  I also understand that we live in a world that is, unfortunately obsessed with people's appearances and it's hard to become immune to that.  I hope that anyone who is considering plastic surgery will do so carefully, prayerfully and be in no rush to make their decision.  There are more important things in life than looking "normal" or "beautiful" and I can think of better things to do with 10 grand than get a tummy tuck because I want to feel better about myself.  But, it sure would be nice to feel good about my body again.  ????  I guess the answer lies with you.

Tips for getting those little buggers to eat

If any of you have small children or know small children, you know that it is really hard to get those little buggers to eat.  Well, let me clarify...it's hard to get them to eat healthy.  I don't know about kids you know, but mine could live on candy and desserts if I let them.  Yesterday I about blew my lid when both kids asked me for a treat that ONE LAST TIME!!!!  I threatened to throw away anything in the house that even resembled sweetness.  They just stared at me like I was crazy and waited about 10 minutes to ask again.

Tip #1:  Try to keep the amount of sweets you have in the house down to a minimum.  If they are easily accessible, then we know that we are going to eat them and the kids will KNOW they are there.  They have a special sense for sugar. :)  Even if you had no treats in the house, the kids will still find a way.  If all else fails, my kids will ask for a spoon of honey.  Which brings me to my next tip.

Tip #2:  Find the lesser of two evils.  A spoonful of honey is a lot better than skittles.  Honey, within reason is actually good for us, extremely sweet and kids love it.  Make sure you get the unrefined stuff, it has the good stuff in it.  Also, there are a lot of organic options that you can choose to buy, such as hard candies and chocolate.  Okay, you anti-organic people, let me say something right here.  I am aware that candy is candy, however there are better choices.  Again, there is a big difference between organic candy versus those skittles.  The organic candy will be made from organic sugar( a lot better for you) and it won't contain artificial dyes.

Tip #3:  Give in.  We live in America and your kids will find that out sooner than later.  Our lives are full of endless temptations.  My family took a trip to Dairy Queen tonight to get a little ice cream treat.  I don't see anything wrong with that as long as you aren't going there every day.  I am not perfect, therefore I cannot expect my children to be.  I give in to temptations just like the next person.  Again, this is where not having the junk food in your home comes in handy.

Tip #4:  Get creative.  You know those days when you think..."I don't think my kids have had a fruit or vegetable to speak of in two days"?  I've had those days and I always feel really guilty and like a horrible parent.  That is when I have had those "creative moments" where I find ways to sneak in those healthy foods. 

• My kids always want a snack before bed.  If it's been one of those bad days, I tell them that they can only have fruits and veggies for a snack.  They are used to that, so they say okay and pick their snack.  It usually consists of a couple different fruits or veggies on a plate and they eat it up really well.  Now, I know that cutting up fruits and veggies is a lot more difficult than putting some crackers in a bowl, but if it's important to you, you will do it.  Believe me, I have had those "crackers in a bowl" nights on numerous occasions, I am not trying to judge. 
• Some of you may have read my blog post about my Vitamix.  If you haven't, it's a high powered blender(but much more).  I have made so many healthy things for my kids in the Vitamix.  If you don't have one, that's okay, just use the blender you have at home.  How about fresh applesauce with the macaroni and cheese.  Add in a banana or strawberry with it.  Kids love it.  If it's too tart, add in a little stevia to sweeten it up, maybe even some cinnamon on top.  This way you know that your kids are getting fresh, raw fruits with a suitable sweetener.  I have snuck a small carrot in there once too.  I have also done some really good sorbets with the Vitamix.  Add in the fruit(strawberries, bananas, apples, pears, whatever), some ice and stevia and give it a whirl.  Kids love it and eat it like a treat.  If you have frozen berries, mix some of those with stevia and milk and get "ice cream".  Your kids will eat it and like it, but if you really want to get excited about it you can add some whip cream on top.  Add sprinkles if they are REALLY hard to please. 

Tip #5:  Taste test.  We have a rule in our house.  You have to at least try whatever was put on your plate.  Bean hates broccoli and has tried it tons of times and still feels the same.  But, Bean knows that when we have broccoli, he is required to at least try a bite of it before he can decide that he doesn't like it.  Sometimes kids decide they don't like something even before they have tried it.  Or sometimes, it takes them up to 14 times to try something before they decide they like it.  Don't give up and realize that some tastes are truly acquired.

Tip #6:  Get them involved.  Involving your children in the cooking of meals plays a huge role in how much they are going to like it.  I am sure many of you have experienced this with children before.  I know that when I involve my children in the cooking, they think that the food is cool and tastes way better than if I were to prepare it by myself.  Obviously, this takes patience and can't be done every night, I totally understand that.  But, if there is a certain food that the family really wants to eat and perhaps one child is adamantly against it, try cooking with them.  It might make a huge difference.  As a matter of fact, just tonight Bean decided that he "loved" spaghetti squash.  Bean didn't like it the several times we had it last year...so what was the difference?  Bean cut the squash out of the garden and saw it being put in the oven and prepared.  He felt like he had a part in it and it made it taste good to him.  Bean had watched that squash grow from a seed.

Good luck.  Those little buggers can be hard sometimes.  Keep trying, their health is worth it.  After all, their eating habits will have a huge impact on the rest of their lives.

McDonald's and why I think it's evil.



I have spent a lot of time researching McDonald's in order to prove my point of why they are evil.  My research has led to a lot of speculation and dead ends.  I wanted to find information that was completely disgusting and indisputable, but I just couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.   Well, I could find it, but I couldn't find a lot of it from credible sources that the masses would believe.  McDonald's has done a very good job at portraying themselves to the masses as a business that seeks to do what is in the best interests of their customers.  You know what?  I think that is the principal that McDonald's was based on in the beginning, but money made matters change in the long run.  It almost always comes down to money doesn't it?  God tells us in 1 Timothy 6:10 that "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

In 1940 the first McDonald's opened.  It was a car hop restaurant featuring a large menu.  In 1948 the restaurant became a fast food drive thru that featured only 9 menu items.   In 1949 the world famous french fries were introduced, replacing the chips that they had previously served.  In 1954 Ray Kroc gets involved with the McDonald's idea and it starts to spread like wildfire and by 1959 there were 100 restaurants.  In 1966 Ronald McDonald appears in his first TV commercial and is an instant hit.  In 1967 McDonald's goes international.  Currently there are restaurants in 117 countries worldwide.  In 1996 McDonald's went online.  From there on out, there have only been more and more changes making McDonald's as big and as widespread as one could possibly imagine.  McDonald's has become a huge enterprise and is making a lot of money off of consumers.  McDonald's does support charities, including the Ronald McDonald houses that provide a lot of services for those families with sick kids.  This is wonderful and I am glad that families have benefited from it.

As I said earlier, I had a hard time finding really great, scrutinizing information  to give you regarding how evil McDonald's is.  Here is the deal.  I don't think that there is a person I know that doesn't realize that McDonald's food is NOT healthy.  So, here is the question...why do so many of us still eat it?  I could list all of the reasons not to eat the food from McDonald's, but many of us still will.  McDonald's currently serves 64 million customers per day.  We eat the food because it is fast, cheap and easy.  But at what cost is that fast, cheap and easy food?

There is no doubt that McDonald's is buying their meat from factory farms.  They are most certainly NOT purchasing their beef and chicken from local and responsible growers.  Why does this matter?  Well, if you have been reading my blog, you would know that factory farm meat is very unhealthy and that buying meat from large factory farms is not helpful to our local community.  In addition, McDonald's is buying all of their meat, produce and dairy products from large franchises that don't exactly have other people's health at the top of their list.  McDonald's food is packed with unhealthy meats, sodium and sugars.  I guess you could choose to eat one of their salads, but why?  Really, what is the point?  Why go to McDonald's to eat something that you may have convinced yourself would be healthy?  Do you actually believe that McDonald's has your health in mind?  No, they don't.  McDonald's operates for one reason...to make money.  And they make a lot of it.

Okay, okay.  I know that all businesses operate to make money, so why am I being so hard on McDonald's?  Well, I believe that fast food is a huge contributor to our unhealthy food system and obesity problem.  There are numerous fast food chains that I could list on this blog as well and I am sure most of you know the names of those chains as well.  The point is that McDonald's is not a good choice for any of us.  No matter what way you look at it, there is no justification for McDonald's to be part of any one's diet, let alone something that is eaten every day or even a few times a week.  The food is absolutely unhealthy and will only lead to serious health problems.  Not only that, but every time you purchase McDonald's food you are supporting factory farms and big business. 

Believe me people, I am not perfect.  Just the other day we ate a pizza from Little Caesar's.  I know that it's hard to live in America and not give in to the temptations that are in front of us all the time.   I can truly say that I do not eat at McDonald's and haven't for the past year.  It disgusts me.  Little Caesar's should too.  I have some work to do, just like the next person.  McDonald's is the powerhouse.  I see it as the head of the monster and I want to see it go down.  Will you take it down with me?

Let me just ask you one question.  Do you believe that when you take yourself or your family to McDonald's that you providing them with a healthy meal?  If you could answer yes to this, I would seriously question your judgement.  It's not just about unhealthy food either.  It's about community and what type of businesses that we are supporting in order to benefit our community and not multi billion dollar companies.  Just think about it...please.  The only thing that we are to gain from McDonald's is constipation, clogged arteries and heart attacks.  Not to mention the detriment that is brought to the animals that produce the meat that is served in their establishment and the local farmers who are yearning for business.

I'm lovin' it.

Back to school

My oldest, Bean started Kindergarten this year.  I can't believe that he is already old enough to be going to school.  He went to preschool at Grace Community Church, which is wonderful by the way, but Kindergarten is just....well...heartbreaking.  It's facing the fact that your child is officially growing up.  I don't know why our tendency as parents is to want them to stay little forever because let's face it, young kids are hard work.  I definitely don't want this time in my life to last forever, but once you see it slipping away, it's also really hard to face.  Back to school time got me pondering about something.

There is so much hype in our society about "back to school".  It all circles around one thing...money.  People are given the feeling that they need to go out and buy their child brand new clothes and really cute or cool school supplies in order to go to school.  Yes, there are obviously clothing needs that need to be met and school supplies to be bought, but don't you ever think that it's all a little overboard?  I really hadn't put a ton of thought in to it until Bean's first day of school.  I realized that I hadn't bought him ANY new school clothes.  I am not kidding.  Honestly I never even thought about it until the day of.  He started getting ready for school and my husband started asking me about what he was going to wear.  I just put Bean in some clean clothes and old flip flops and sent him to school.  That outfit happened to be a pair of shorts he's had for two years and a muscle shirt he tie-dyed at Aunt Sarah's house.  So what?

A few days later I really started thinking about this whole ordeal.  What kind of message would I have been sending to my son if I would have told him that his outfit was not appropriate?  If I would have told him that he needed to wear this brand new outfit that I had bought for him, even if he didn't want to.  We all know that what we wear doesn't make us who we are, but is that the message that we are portraying to our kids?  Please don't take offense.  I am not trying to diss parents who buy their kids new, really cute clothes.  Please understand that my kids and our family just aren't that way.  If my kids wanted new, cute clothes, I would probably consider buying them a couple outfits, but they just don't care and either do I.  I understand that all families are different and I am not trying to be the judge of anyone. 

I really hope that my kids grow up knowing that they are who they are, regardless of what they are wearing or what kind of backpack and binder they have.  Some of those material things can be fun, but when they begin to define us it becomes a serious problem.  It's a balance that us parents have to handle or our children will pay the price.  Ah, America.  It's a great place, but we have a lot of priorities misplaced.

I know that there will come a point in time where my children will challenge me on this issue.  I am not looking forward to that, however I have a choice right now.  I can plant the seeds now and hope for the best!  I am sure that there are some of you out there shouting "good luck"!  All we can do is the best we can.

Bean just finished his first week of school today.  He did great.  And yes, his teacher and the kids are referring to him as Bean and he and I are both very, very happy about that.  I love that kid.

Diatomaceous Earth

One day as I was looking to find a natural and non-chemical way to worm my animals, I came across diatomaceous earth.  For the sake of having to type out diatomaceous earth throughout this blog post, lets refer to it as DE.  DE is simply a powder that is made out of the exoskeletons of diatoms, which are a form of algae.

Let me explain why I would be telling you about DE.  DE can be used for animals and humans alike.  What DE does is kill any parasite in our bodies.  DE works as a wormer, just like commercial wormers that you would buy for your dog or cat, but naturally and without the chemical agents.  One of the things that is so great about DE is that the parasites cannot build up an immunity to DE like they can with other chemical products, which have to be rotated in order to have the best effect.

Ok, I know that some of you are thinking that I am a big weirdo "worming" myself.  Listen.  There are more than a 100 different parasites that can live in the human body and don't think that you are somehow exempt.  When DE moves through your system, it attracts bacteria, fungi, viruses, pesticides and drug residues, etc.  It also kills and expels any larger parasites that may have taken up home in your guts.  All of this waste is then eliminated from your body.   

DE is approximately 3% magnesium, 33% silicon, 19% calcium, 5% sodium, 2% iron and many other trace minerals such as titanium, boron, manganese, copper and zirconium.  Silica is very good for our bodies.  It helps eliminate the bad fats from our bodies.  Silica is in short supply in our food system today because of the decreased quality of our food.  Silica has endless health benefits, which I would encourage you to research.  It is something that you will want your body to have more of and DE is an excellent way to get more of it while gaining many other health benefits as well.
  
DE is also very useful in the garden and home.  DE kill insects with it's razor sharp microscopic edges that damage the insects bodies, thus drying them out.  The bugs are essentially dehydrated and unable to survive.  I have used DE on my garden this year on a regular basis with very good results.  I put it in an old taco seasoning container and just spread it around any areas that seemed to be affected by bugs.  The same goes for any insect infestation that you are having a problem with, just sprinkle it wherever you are experiencing a problem.  Even carpets can do well with a dusting of DE to eliminate any pests that want to take up home.

Like I said earlier, I started my search for DE when looking in to a natural wormer for my animals.  I have been using DE for my animals for awhile now and have had pretty good results.  I mix it in with the goats feed, the dog food and spread it around my chicken coop.  DE can eliminate the mites that chickens are so prone to.  Since using DE I have not had a mite outbreak with my chickens.  My dog had a really bad infestation with worms and I used a horrible chemical wormer on him to get rid of it, but since have been giving him DE mixed with his dog food and he has been doing great.  I don't even remember the last time the goats have been given a commercial wormer and they are all doing well.  There is a time and place for chemical wormers, however DE can do the job most of the time and it's a lot safer for our animal friends.  I think that the wormer I had to use on my dog was the result of owner error(that would be me).  I was not consistent enough due to laziness.  If DE is used consistently with animals, I am convinced that one would have no need for commerical wormers.  You can do the reasearch and see if you come to the same conclusion.

So, if you decide to try out DE in your life, let me tell you a little more.  I buy my DE from Bridgeport Farm and Garden.  It can also be purchased online.  I use it whenever I think about it.  Just mix about a teaspoon or so in with some water.  For humans, it is suggested that you take between one to two tablespoons a day.  Start small and work your way up.  See what works best for your body.  Don't worry, you can't overdose on DE.  Whatever your body doesn't use will just be expelled from your body.

As a warning, please never buy pool grade DE.  It has been treated at high temperatures and with chemicals and is toxic to animals and humans and should only be used in pools.  Always be sure that you are purchasing food grade DE.  Also, if you are using the DE for animals or the garden, purchase the animal grade DE, which is much cheaper than the food grade that we need for us humans.  You can buy DE for your animals and garden in a 50 lb bag at the feed store for relatively cheap.  Also, there is information out there that will warn that inhaling DE may cause potential damage to your lungs.  This seems to be associated with the non-food grade DE.  So, to be careful, don't be huffin' it.  :)  I think this warning is overplayed and dramatic, but...let's be on the safe side of things.  I don't think there have been any deaths related to DE!

Coconut oil

Now that I am writing this post, I was trying to think about how I first got introduced to coconut oil and I can't remember.  I am sure it was during some crazy internet search that led me to this wonderful oil that I now know and love.  So, what is so special about coconut oil?  Well, a lot of things.

Don't panic when I say that coconut oil is made from 90% saturated fat.  Remember the blog post I did on the difference between healthy and unhealthy fats?  If you don't, read it here.  Well, coconut oil actually increases your good cholesterol and decreases the bad cholesterol.  There is information out there that will tell you the opposite, that anything with saturated fat is going to clog your arteries and give you a bad cholesterol report.  I encourage you to do your research and come to your own conclusion, but I don't believe that.  The reason that coconut oil is different from some other unhealthy saturated fats is because it is so quickly absorbed and used by the body.

Nearly 50% of the fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid.  Lauric acid has wonderful benefits for our body including adverse effects on bacteria, yeast, fungi and viruses.  Lauric acid is actually a main component of breast milk and helps to protect babies from illness.  Don't take this information lightly.  These benefits can also be achieved from external use.  Coconut oil's antibacterial and anti fungal properties can help with common skin ailments many of us suffer from.

Let's talk about the uses for coconut oil.  I am sure there are a lot more uses than what I do, look into it.  I use coconut oil for cooking as much as I can.  Now, I use cold expeller pressed coconut oil.  It is hard and smells and tastes like coconut.  Anything other than cold pressed is junk if you ask me.  Better than margarine, but not the best.  Keep in mind, you can't use coconut oil in place of all oil used in your home because it does have a sweet taste to it.  You have to experiment with it and see what works for your taste buds.  I will use coconut oil for things like frying veggies, pancakes, quesadillas, etc.  What ever I can't use coconut oil for I use butter or olive oil(extra virgin).

Coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer.  I don't buy any lotion anymore because it's mostly all horrible.  I use all coconut oil, including on my face and in my hair in place of gel or conditioner.  I also use it as the main ingredient in my homemade deodorant.  Have questions?  Just ask me, I would be happy to elaborate further.

The real problem fats in our diets come from trans fats.  You get these trans fats from products such as margarine and refined, highly processed oils.  In our house, we use either real butter, coconut oil or olive oil for our FATTY needs!  In my opinion, these are the fats that are best for us.  Real fats, that are used and expelled from our bodies.  Now, let me say this.  All fats need to be consumed in small amounts.  Too much of anything(other than Jesus) is a bad thing.  Just because these fats are "good" for you, doesn't mean that you can consume as much as you want and stay thin.  Use common sense.

We have been lead to believe that anything high in saturated fat is automatically bad for us and should not be consumed.  This is simply not true in my opinion.  It comes to a point where you have to make a decision for yourself and your family.  What kind of fat are you going to consume?  Is it going to be healthier oils like coconut, olive oil and real butter or are you going to purchase margarine, spray butter and canola oil?  Whatever choice you make is going to make a positive or negative impact, and I encourage you to do the research and make the right choice.  We have truly been misled and it's time we stop listening to marketers who only want to make a buck and start depending on our own smarts.  Always remember, the closer to it's natural state, no matter what it is, is best.

Need a little help from your friends.

There are those times in your life when you have to learn to depend on other people.  This is one of those times for my family.  Dustin has had ulcerative colitis for 12 years.  If you don't know anything about ulcerative colitis, it's a disease that affects your colon.  This disease is an ugly one that causes a lot of intestinal problems.  Dustin has been dealing with the flare ups for the past 12 years, but this past June, it all came to a head.  To make a long, grueling story short, Dustin spent 3 months in the worst pain and health of his life.  He ended up not being able to work and lost about 30 pounds.  Something had to be done.

This past week Dustin had surgery.  The surgery consisted of his large intestine(colon) being removed.  The surgery is called a j-pouch, where they reconstruct a colon made from stretching your small intestine downward.  It's not going to be an easy recovery, but we are thankful that the disease is GONE.  In about a years time, Dustin should be able to live a fairly normal life in terms of...well...poop.

Needless to say, this has been an extremely difficult time for my family.  Dustin has been so weak since June that he can't do much to help around the house or with the kids.  It's been hard on all of us and it has really forced us to depend on others for help.  It is really incredible how much you learn about yourself and your friends and family during a crisis like this.  You learn that there are those family members and friends that are absolutely amazing, who will drop everything to help you.  The dependable people, who you know will do what you need. 

It has taught me a lot about myself too.  I don't like asking for help and it's hard for me to receive it.  I think God knew I needed a lesson in this, and a lesson it has been.  I have been overwhelmed by the help that we have and will continue to receive through this.  I am thankful.  I am seeing answer to prayer every single day and it's really cool.  You awesome people, you know who you are and I thank you more than words can say.  It is truly honorable when someone does what they say they are going to do for you and you can trust that they will.  When you are the person in need, you find comfort in that knowing, in that security that the person can give you.

I have also learned something else through this.  To have faith, no matter what the circumstances.  There have been a few times during this ordeal that I have been mad at God.  Just the other day I found myself asking God, why?  Why did you do this, I have had enough for now!  I was at the hospital with Dustin and got a call from my sister that Ida was covered in a rash all of a sudden, it was a bad one too.  I had to rush home from the hospital, in a panic.  I had hit my max, I just couldn't take anymore and I was mad that God would allow this to happen.  I just said a simple prayer, asking God to work it out, that I NEEDED Him too because I couldn't.  He did.  Then I was reminded of this verse today in church:

"No temp­ta­tion has seized you except what is com­mon to man. And God is faith­ful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also pro­vide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

In the midst of my trials, I was tempted to give up.  I wanted to quit.  He didn't let me and I am glad.  He put the right people in my life and the strength to get through it.  I need a little help from my friends and I am thankful that they are delivering.  I look forward to being able to give back. 

We will get through this.  We will persevere.  We are a family after all, and families stick together, no matter what comes our way.

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope."  Romans 5: 3-4

1 little, 2 little, 3 little chemicals.

Every one of us uses and eats numerous harmful chemicals a day.  Some more than others.  For some people it's a matter of just NOT knowing.  My hope is that if any of you read this blog post that you will start to think about your own lives and what chemicals you are exposing yourselves to on a daily basis.

Sometimes I think that people don't really care about the harmful effects of shampoo or the chicken breast they are eating because they don't really think that this one thing is going to make that big of a difference.  Maybe they are right, but guess what?  It's usually never that ONE thing.  If you start to pay attention to all of the little things that you do that are harmful to your body, they start to build up.  When they start to build up, that is when you are really risking your own personal health and well being, and the well being of those that you are responsible for taking care of.

So, let's start the day of a typical American.  Let's call her Susan.  Susan wakes up in the morning and jumps into the shower.  Susan washes her hair with her favorite shampoo(loaded with the harmful chemical called sodium lauryl sulfate) and then washes with her favorite bar soap or body wash(harmful chemical triclosan).  Susan brushes her teeth(fluoride and sodium laurly sulfate).  Susan gets dressed and puts on her lotion(full of diazolidinyl urea and parabens) and then proceeds to put on her makeup(broad array of chemicals).  Susan blow dries her hair with the use of hair gel and hair spray(sodium laurly sulfate again and a HUGE slew of BAD chemicals including parabens, ethanol, copolymer).  To finish it all off, Susan sprays herself with a dash of her favorite perfume(unnatural scents are made with harmful chemicals) and puts on deodorant(AHHHHHHH, aluminum!!!!!!!).

Susan goes in to the kitchen to fix herself breakfast.  Susan has toast with margarine(cancer causing trans fats) and fruit(laced with harmful pesticides and genetically modified).  Susan heads off to work and works at her office until her shift is over.  They just did some work in the office and she can smell the fresh paint and carpet still(horrible chemicals).  Or maybe Susan is a stay at home Mom.  Susan spends the day playing with the kids and letting them chew on toys from China(BAD). 

At the end of the day, Susan makes dinner for the family.  She is making baked chicken breast(factory farmed and full of antibiotics), garlic bread(bleached) and potatoes(tons of pesticides are used).  Susan puts the kids to bed and spends the rest of the night talking with her husband and doing a few chores.  During her chores, Susan sprays cleaner on the counters(full of chemicals that you breath in and end up on your food).  Susan decides to put one last load of laundry in the washer before bed and puts in the detergent(alkyl phenoxy ethanols, petroleum distillates and quaternium 15 which releases formaldehyde).  Susan goes to bed and starts it all over again the next day.

I understand that not all of our lives align with Susan's.  However, we can all find similarities and differences.  My challenge to you is that you figure out what your "chemical count" is.  Take a day and think about each product you use along the way.  What is harming you and what is benefiting you?  When you add it all up, it makes a huge difference.  There are so many products and foods out there that are harming us each and every day, but with the right choices, you can change that.  The products and foods CAN benefit you if you choose to make the right purchases.

I have made a lot of changes to our lifestyle, but we still have a "chemical count".  I try to keep it as low as possible.  Personally, I have found that the easiest way to do it is to do right at home. We don't use harmful hygiene products or eat harmful foods.  That way when we want to have a chemical fest, we don't feel that bad about it.  We can go out to eat and not feel so guilty about it because we know that we are doing good on a daily basis at home.  I think it's when we expose ourselves to chemicals every step of the way in our lives that we run in to some serious problems in terms of health and happiness. 

Cars are made in a factory for Pete's sake!

I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that everyone who will read this has heard of factory farming.  We've all heard something about it.  Some of us have heard that it's safe, others that it's unsafe.  Some have heard that these farms are torture for animals or maybe even that the farms are necessary to feed our population.  Who knows what you have heard, so I am going to clear the air and give you some of the facts.  You can have your opinion, but if you disagree, I would ask that you please do the research and base your opinion on fact rather than what you want to believe because it's easier for YOU.

Factory farms started in the 1920's shortly after Vitamins A and D were discovered.  Having Vitamin A and D meant that the vitamins could be added to the animals feed, which didn't require the animals to have exposure to the outside or exercise.  The animals could be kept inside and fed the vitamin enriched foods.  This allowed farmers to produce many more animals in a smaller space, increasing profits and lowering the price to consumers.  It's a lot more cost effective to cram thousands of cows in barns and chickens in cages.  This way the farmers don't have to have the acreage or the increased manpower.  Cheap meat is good right?  It may seems like that, but I'll let you draw your own conclusion.

Factory farms are owned by large corporations and are motivated only by profit.  Did you know that 3% of farms produce about 62% of our meat?  These factory farms are pushing out small farmers because of the power that they possess to produce cheap meat.  Corporate owned factory farms have no link to their community like the small farmers do.  The meat is produced and shipped sometimes thousands of miles away, whereas small farmers depend on their community for their profit.  I don't know about you, but I like to know where my meat is coming from and have a personal connection with a man and his animals.  There's that hippy part of me.

Factory farming is very hard on the environment.  Factory farms produce large quantities of waste that is difficult to dispose of. This waste emits greenhouse gases, and leaks into lakes, rivers and ground water, putting our drinking water at risk.  This kind of pollution does not happen at a sustainable, organic farm.  Factory farms produce meat that is nutrionally deficient in comparison to organically grown meat, which contains more minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.

Now on to the hard part....how the animals are treated in factory farms.  Lets look at cows first.  As you can imagine, cows are messy creatures and when crammed together can make a pretty big mess.  Most of these cows are kept in cement barns where their poop can be cleaned easily with hoses and drainage systems.  Nonetheless, it's still pretty gross.  I would ask you to envision these cows crammed into the barns pooping everywhere, versus the cows out in pasture taking a crap.  A lot different.  Well, that is why the use of antibiotics started.  The animals are fed antibiotics to ward off diseases.  This is also a big problem since those antibiotics are spread to humans through the meat, which causes antibiotic resistance in us as well.  Ever heard of Mad Cow disease?  Well, that was the result of these farms.  Farmers were feeding the cattle dead animals parts, which is believed to have led to the whole Mad Cow thing.

Wow, what a life.  No fresh air, no grass, no sunshine.  Just a concrete box with endless amounts of food.  Don't fool yourself into thinking they get out of here.  The only time the cows leave here is to be milked or to be slaughtered.  Now compare this picture to this one...

  Hahahaha!  I thought it was funny.  Here is a legitimate one now...

Big difference.  Not a lot needs to be said about how these animals are treated after seeing those pictures. 

Now, on to chickens.  Chickens used to produce eggs are crammed in to cages like this:



The chickens will live their entire lives like this, unable to even spread out their wings.  Often times, they are put in to cages with other hens.  The conditions are stressful on the birds, which causes them to peck at eachother.  Birds are then debeaked to prevent the pecking.  Debeaking is painful and looks like this:



Meat chickens are grown for 6 weeks until slaughter.  The conditions they live in look like this:



Meat chickens are fed a high fat diet full of crappy ingredients, which are spread to us humans through the meat.  Chickens are also given antibiotics because of the high rate of disease in these conditions.  I like this picture better...



Happy chickens.  Just love it.

So where would you rather get your meat?  Understand that when you go to the grocery store, like Safeway and buy a regular steak or chicken breast or eggs, you are getting it from the factory farms(look at the pics again).  Or, you can make the choice to buy meat and dairy products from animals who are treated humanely.  Even if you don't care about animals being tortured, the health benefits alone should turn someone off of factory farmed meat.  Now don't get me wrong, I am not perfect.  But, I can do my best to only buy meat and eggs from responsible farmers.

The biggest excuse people use is ignorance.  You want to pretend that these issues don't exist and you blindly purchase your meat from the store, turning off your brain.  The other excuse is cost.  You tell yourself you can't afford to buy organic meat.  Well, you know what...I can't either, but I do.  I make it happen by researching and buying smart.  People can't afford cigarettes, beer or ice cream either, but I bet you find a way if it's a luxury item that you really enjoy.  It's no excuse.  I would rather see people eat no meat than support these factory farms.  They are inhumane, unhealthy and a detriment to the local farmer.  Please support your local farmer.  Okay, I'll stop ranting now.  But, one more thing...

God's given this to us.  Let's take care of it responsibly, humanely and with wisdom.  Which picture do you think better shows God's intentions for his creation?

                  

Psalms 8: 3-9

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

4 What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that You visit him?

5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,

And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,

7 All sheep and oxen—

Even the beasts of the field,

8 The birds of the air,

And the fish of the sea

That pass through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord,

How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

"I like Jesus okay, but I HATE Christians."

I think we have all heard this or a similar statement before.  Perhaps you were the one who said it.  I understand this statement, I really do.  Before I became a believer, the main argument I had against Christianity were the Christians themselves.  Jesus and his teachings can mostly be accepted by Christians and non-Christians alike.  Jesus' message is really indisputable.  It is love.  

Humans mess it all up.  Christians are human, and therefore, they mess it all up too.  I know I do.  I will never be the perfect Christian.  I am well aware of that and I never want to give someone the impression that I have it all together.  Not only am I a baby Christian, I am a little rough around the edges and more than likely have given Christians a bad name from time to time.  So why do Christians get such a bad rap?  Well, I have a couple guesses.

Have you ever met someone who professed they were a Christian, but didn't live their lives any different than non-Christians?  I have.  I am one of those Christians sometimes.  I fall into that trap of mediocrity in my faith where I just float along, thinking I'm saved and I don't really need to do anything else.  Well, some Christians stay in that place their entire lives.  This is a very bad example to set for a non-believer.  They see you as a hypocrite or just plain stupid. 

How about the Christians that are completely intolerant of anyone who doesn't agree with what they believe?  Now don't get me wrong here.  I don't think that anyone should agree with something that is against their beliefs.  What I mean by intolerance is hatred and judgment towards others who don't agree with them.  If I had to sum up Jesus' teachings, I would say that the most important thing He teaches us is to love God and to love others as ourselves.  Christians who hate are not following these teachings and are also turning every non-believer away.  I totally understand the non-believers problem with Christians like this.  It's a shame.  I know as a Christian I struggle with intolerance too, we all do.  If we can recognize it, it will make all the difference.  Personally, I desire to show others love even when I want to hate them.  It's a lot easier said than done I've found!  Sometimes just admitting we make mistakes as Christians is all we need to do. 

Ya know, I actually get somewhat irritated when I have to answer those questions about religious preference on legal documents.  It's almost like having to claim to be a Democrat or a Republican.  I know what I believe in and writing the word or checking a box doesn't make me anything.  I want to make decisions and live out my life based on my beliefs.  And those beliefs come from the Bible.  I hope Christians and non-Christians alike can recognize that claiming to be something doesn't mean that it becomes who you are.  It's in how you live your life and how you show love to others.

Bottom line, I'm sorry for any of you who have turned away from Jesus or Christianity because of Christians.  I assure you, there are a lot of good ones.  Sometimes, it's just a matter of going back to the root of things and understanding that "Christian" is just a word sometimes.  Look at the person's life.  If they are a true Christian they are admittedly flawed, but they are working to live out Jesus' love the best way they know how in their lives.  Just remember, Jesus was the only perfect one.  We are all imperfect.  A Christian who is living out their faith would not claim perfection because they know better than anyone that we are imperfect and in desperate need of God's grace.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

"Mom, this is so cool!"

This is what Bean said when he was cutting green beans off the vine today.  It's what Ida said when she was helping me dig onions and pick strawberries.  It really is cool.  The kids are right.  To get to watch something that you planted as a seed grow to a large plant that produces fruit and vegetables is so cool.  It's rewarding too.  It makes me really happy to see the kids amazed at the garden that they helped plant from seeds.  Not only that, but they are learning that food doesn't just magically appear from the grocery store, that there is hard work and a process behind every piece of fruit and vegetable. 

The kids go in to the garden at least daily to snoop around and see how things are growing.  If something needs to be be picked or weeded, the kids are on it.  Sure, things get cut that aren't supposed to sometimes, but it's ok.  I know that they are learning valuable skills that they can teach their children someday(already hoping for grandchildren).

The green beans are coming in like crazy right now.  Every day for the past 5 days there have been more to pick each day.  So, that means that I have to do something with all of these green beans.  Most people can them, but I am choosing to freeze them.  I know that canning them will preserve them for much longer than if I were to freeze them, but I am looking to get enough beans to last until next summer's harvest.  I also want to have the beans that we eat through the winter to provide the most nutrients possible.  I am already starting out with organic, home grown stuff, so that is a good start.  I decided to go with freezing after I researched the nutritional differences between different food processing.  Come to find out, freezing retains a lot more nutrients than canning does.  Canning requires high temperatures to process the food, which causes a lot more nutrient loss.  Now don't get me wrong, there is a time and place for canning too.

With my green beans, I chose to blanch them first.  My Mom taught me about this neat little process, which I'm sure some of you have done before yourselves.  Blanching is simply boiling them for about a minute or so, immediately plunging them into ice water, drying for a bit, packaging and then freezing them.   Blanching doesn't cook the beans, but stops the enzymatic activity that will cause spoilage.  This is obviously taking some of the nutrition from the bean, however I can't keep the green beans good in the fridge all winter long.  I have been using my food saver to vacuum pack them to keep them good for as long as possible.  You can also use this same process for other things from your garden, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, greens, etc.  I can use all of these throughout the winter for cooking and Vitamix shakes.

You would be amazed at how many fruits and vegetables you can freeze.  A simple google search will provide you with all the information you need.  My Mom and I keep finding new things to freeze for the winter to cut down on the winter grocery budget.  Not only that, but it's so much easier to find GOOD food during the summer.  For example, did you know that you can freeze apples?  I didn't.  Now I can freeze them while I can get them cheap and use them for the Vitamix shakes or fresh applesauce for the kids.

So, pretty much I love gardening.  I love including my kids and teaching them stuff.  I love eating good, healthy food that came from by back yard.  I also love the cheap price tag.   Hopefully you know what I'm talking about, or will someday when you decide to grow your own garden.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. 

Sproutin'

Sprouts aren't just for the granola freaks.  Maybe you don't even know what a sprout is.  Well, sprouting is taking a seed, like a bean or wheat, soaking it overnight and letting it...well...sprout.  It turns into something that looks like this.


You may be wondering why in the world you should care about sprouts.  Well, they are insanely good for you.  Did you know that sprouting makes the bean or seed that you are sprouting 600 times more nutritious than if you were to eat it as the bean or seed?  Since a sprout comes from a bean or seed that has not been cooked, it also keeps all of it's natural enzymes, which are very good for our bodies.  For example, these enzymes are very beneficial for our digestive tract and colon health.  Sprouts are also very high in antioxidants.  Sprouts are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein as well.

These are all good reasons to sprout.  It's really easy too.  The sprouts can be used and eaten on sandwiches or salads.  I would tell you to put them in your smoothies, but I just can't.  I think it is disgusting and overpowers the smoothie.  Try it out yourself, but heed my warning.

If you are interested in sprouting, they sell trays that are very handy in the sprouting process.  If you don't want to spend the money on that, there are other, very simple ways to sprout out of a mason jar, or really any other type of container.  You can do a simple google search and find tons of information about what types of beans or seeds that you can sprout and why.  There is also tons of information on how to sprout.  This website tells you everything you need to know, but can also be a little wordy.  I know that in the research I have done, I have found that there are great mixes that you can buy to sprout.  I have bought mine from Bridgeport Farm and Gardens outside of Dallas.  These mixes make it a lot easier than buying a bunch of seperate seeds to sprout and will typically contain the most beneficial and popular sprouting seeds and/or beans.

Honestly, the only thing you need to know about sprouting is to soak the seeds or beans overnight, put them in something that is breathable, whether it be a sprouting tray or a mason jar with cloth over the top.  Rinse it 1-2 times a day, drain and let sit.  Keep out of direct light.  Eat them when they sprout.  Don't let them go too long or they will get bitter.  Put them in the fridge when they are done and they will keep about a week.  That's the extremely simple version.  You will learn through trial and error as you go.  You will figure out what works best for you and what you think tastes the best and all that.

Also, consider buying sprouted breads.  You can find these in health food stores.  The benefits are endless.  Did you know that unsprouted, cooked wheat can cause mucous congestion, allergic reactions and constipation?  If you suffer from these, I would definitely suggest you look into sprouted breads.  Wheat was definitely not meant for all of us and sprouted is much healthier for all.  Trader Joe's and Dave's Killer Bread makes a great sprouted bread.

I hope you consider sprouting.  I hope I start sprouting regularly again too, it's been way too long since I did it last.  Laziness...it's a epidemic.

Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1 and Green 3. Yummm...sounds delicious!

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the use of dyes in our food and cosmetics.  For good reason, I believe.  I'm just going to present some basic information on this in case some of you haven't ever heard about the dangers of these dyes.  Some of you will be very surprised at just how many things you consume that are dyed and the impact they may have on our health.

Citrus Red 2, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3 are some of the most commonly used dyes.  All of these dyes are known to contain cancer-causing chemicals.  Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 are known to trigger reactions in people with allergies.

Now, the FDA claims that they are aware that there could be potential dangers if someone were to ingest too much of one of these dyes, so they have put restrictions on them.  Big deal.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that these dyes are not GOOD for our bodies, no matter what the amount.  I personally think they are unnatural and harmful.  You can look at the research and draw your own conclusion.

A lot of the foods and products containing dye are pretty obvious.  It is mostly junk food, such as candy, gum, processed foods, artificially colored beverages, etc.  However, there are a few things that contain dyes that may surprise some of you.  Here are a few:

• Cereals
• Spaghetti sauce
• Orange peels...yep
• Medications
• Dairy products
• A lot of hygiene products
• Cookies
• Crackers
• Cured meats

There are probably many, many more.  Please share with us if you have more items that we should know about.  If you want to avoid dyes, read the labels or shop somewhere that doesn't sell this junk.  We try to avoid dyes as much as we can, but we are human and give in to our cravings sometimes.  Do your best, it's all you can do.

Every little thing we do.



I have days where I wonder why I should even unload that dishwasher one more time.  Why even bother to clean the floors, clean up, organize, etc.  On these days I wake up in the morning, way earlier than I want to.  I am woken up by little faces staring down at me, whining for something and demanding I get out of bed.  I shuffle my way out of bed, carrying one of these little creatures to the living room in order to get what they want, feeling rather irritated and....TIRED!  I meet the little creatures demands and finally sit down with a cup of coffee to try and gather a thought.  I have a little bit of a headache.  Crap, I hate that.  The creatures start whining again.  Then they start fighting and arguing.  This persists throughout the day.  I work my way through mundane chores, being interrupted constantly by the little creatures demands and outbursts.  I feel like I hardly accomplish anything.  I put something together for dinner and no one likes it.  Everyone has a comment to make about it and then there I am, holding my tongue, trying to not to FREAK OUT!  Sometimes I do.  Sometimes I yell, make a snide comment or just take a really loud deep breath and hope they notice my irritation.  Well, clean up time.  Glad I'm cleaning up after this dinner that no one even liked.  My back hurts and I just want to collapse.  Somehow I manage to make it through the rest of the evening.  I finally get the creatures in to bed and I'm exhausted.  I'm mad.  I wonder why I do it and I feel depressed at the thought of having to get up tomorrow morning and do the same thing over again.

When I get caught in these cycles, it's usually an accumulation of a few bad days and circumstances.  But it is mostly due to my own attitude and self pity.  When I finally stop feeling sorry for myself and remember God, I think of this verse: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.

There's no one like God to whip you back in to shape and tell you what's up.  This song keeps coming on the radio about all of these little things we do and how they do matter to someone...God.  Then I read a great blog post from Drops of Living Water about the same thing.  I love when God just slams me in the face with something like that.  Gotta love a good wake up call, especially when it leaves you feeling humble and renewed.  "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord," Acts 3:19.  Lord knows I need constant refreshing, especially when it comes to this subject.

Those little creatures I mentioned before...those are my two little gifts from God.  I can view them as a nuisance or a blessing, it's my choice.  My husband who leaves his socks laying around is also a gift, someone God chose for me.  Those chores, the thankless dinners and all the other unappreciated gestures?  Well, I can look at those as a burden or my job.  The job that God has put me in charge of.  I know that where I am is exactly where God wants me to be.  Knowing that, I should also know that every task I do to keep my home, raise my family and honor my husband are pleasing to God.  It doesn't matter if the task is scrubbing a toilet.  I don't have to save the world to please God.  God promises me this: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.

And you know what, most days I love my job.  I have nothing to complain about.  I am blessed.  As far as those bad days..or well, let's be honest...weeks.  Well, I'm workin' on it.  Constantly.  Well, along with a lot of other things actually. :)



Hot Dogs

For Fourth of July, I had a little get together at my house.  Just a small thing with a few family members.  We had the usual foods, including hot dogs.  This sparked a conversation about hot dogs and this stuff called nitrates that were found in a lot of hot dogs that was supposedly harmful.  I had noticed that some of the labels on hot dogs stated that they were "nitrate free", so I had assumed that there was something about these nitrates that had sprung some debate.  I don't typically buy hot dogs because I don't know where to even buy organic ones and for the most part, they gross me out.  But, one can't deny that on special occasions, a regular old hot dog is pretty good.  Especially with the horrible Doritos we had with them.  So good though.  Oh, and the Coors Light.  It was a night of letting go and ingesting those chemicals like a true American would.

So.  Anyways.  Got off subject a little bit.  So what about these nitrates?  I looked in to it and found out exactly what nitrates were and why they certainly do not appear good for our health.  Nitrates are actually a normally occurring compound in plants(like vegetables we eat).  These nitrates turn in to nitrites when they are exposed to bacteria.  These naturally occurring nitrates are a lot different when they are found in vegetables as opposed to when they are introduced artificially in to hot dogs.  Nitrates from vegetables are a lot different than the artificial ways that companies are putting them in to hot dogs, using sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite.

Nitrates are put in to hot dogs as a preserving agent, to give the hot dogs the pink color and to keep botulism at bay.  They are also used to give the meat the flavor that people are accustomed to.  Oh, you know, that unnatural flavor that we all love so much! ;)

The problem with nitrates.  Well, when combined with the meat, the nitrates are combined with amines(naturally found in meat), which cause a carcinogen called N-nitroso to form.  This carcinogenic compound is linked to cancer and all sorts of other not so fun health risks. 

So, there you have it.  Glad I know what this whole nitrate/nitrite deal is about.  Now you know too, if you didn't already know before.  Hopefully we all look for the nitrate and nitrite free hot dogs next time we go to the store.

"Natural"

We see this word used on so many of our food labels these days.  The good news is that there are a lot more people trying to eat healthy and there is a much higher demand for healthy food.  The bad news is that there is not a lot of truth left in the food industry these days.  The companies who produce our foods are aware that there is a market for healthy, organic and "natural" foods and they are using it to their advantage.  Typically speaking, this is to our disadvantage.

Consumers, for the most part are very gullible.  I mean, after all, don't we want to believe that we are being told the truth?  It's in our nature, and it's really sweet and Godly.  However, wake up!  We are being sold a bunch of crap and being manipulated into believing that it's good for us.  I am not saying that every food company in the world is evil...just most of them ;).

So, the point?  Well, I wanted to find out what this term "natural" really meant...so I did.  Natural most certainly does not mean organic.  You see, even the FDA has fairly stringent guidelines for a company to be able to claim that they are organic.  Probably not strict enough, but it's about as good as we are going to get at this point and time, ok. The FDA doesn't really do much to monitor what the companies are doing who claim to sell these "all natural" products.  They may claim to be, but they are not.  Don't believe me....look in to it and come to your own conclusion.  There are companies out there who are claiming that their products are natural after they are processing them with chemicals and unnatural products, stating that they came from a "natural" source to begin with....I guess.  It's totally bogus.

Let's take deep fried foods for example.  Heating foods to extremely high temperatures in oil and dousing them in processed salt.  Is that natural to anyone?  Or what about the hyrodgenated oils you see on a lot of "natural" products?  There is nothing natural about these oils that are heated to extreme temperatures, which cause trans fats to be introduced.  How about hiding the term MSG in products by using the names like yeast extract and autolyzed or hydrolyzed proteins?  Well, just think about it this way.  You know how organic items have to have the seal on them that says "USDA Certified Organic"?  There isn't even a seal for the term "natural" because it's a suggestion, not a requirement.  Listen.  I could bore you all day with this stuff, but this post is getting a little long. 

My point is that the term "natural" doesn't mean squat and in almost all cases, it is not going to guarantee you that you are buying a healthy product.  This doesn't mean that there are not some reputable companies out there that actually do sell healthy, natural products.  There are some good places out there, but you have to be smart.  You have to read the labels of the products that you are buying and know who you can trust.  That takes time, I know.  If it's important to you, you'll do it.  Maybe reading this will at least get you thinking about those "natural" products you buy and perhaps you will look into them a little further.

Also, there are a few places that I have bought food items from that I know are a good source, but they don't have the USDA organic seal on them.  Some places really do sell awesome, organic products but can't afford to jump through all of the hoops to get their products certified.  Just use your judgment and ask questions.