Around this time last year, I wrote a piece on Easter for Yahoo Voices called Preparing Our Hearts for Easter and posted the article in my feed.  I'm working on another article this year covering the Old Testament messianic prophesies, but until then here's a link to last year's article:

http://sojogazette.blogspot.com/2012/03/preparing-our-hearts-for-easter.html

DIY Bath Salt

I have a public confession to make: I have recently become addicted to bath salts and I have been making them in my kitchen.  Wait ... before you unsubscribe to my feed, it's not what you think!  Sorry for my morbid sense of humor!  

I'm not talking about the illicit, chemically charged, deadly, make-you-go-crazy bath salts; instead, I'm talking about the all natural, put-in-a-relaxing-foot-soak bath salts!  They are the easiest thing to make and since I'm such a reluctant crafter, easy is my middle name!  (Again, not what you think!)

My latest creation: Lemon Sorbet Foot Soak

1 cup Epsom salt

1/4 cup sea salt (I use pink salt for color)

2 tbsp Sweet Almond Oil

8-10 drops Lemon Essential Oil

Combine the salts in a plastic bowl.  In a separate dish, combine the oils.  Once the oils are mixed together well, stir them into the salt mixture.  Stir the oils into the salt and keep in a sealed, plastic container.  I've been keeping mine in a baby formula dispenser, such as Munchkin brand Powdered Formula Dispenser.  I can put in more than one bath salt mixture, keeping them ready for whenever I wish to use them!  

P.S. For an aromatherapy soak, pour 2 tbsp of Lemon Sorbet Foot Soak and 2 tbsp of Rosewater into your foot bath.  Add warm water and turn on the bubbles!  I did this the other day and it softened my feet and lifted my mood all at the same time.  Not to mention, lemon has natural anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. Check out the healing powers of Lemon Essential Oils on Doterra's website!  You'll be amazed!

Honest Friendship

Proverbs 27:5-6

Better is open rebuke 

  than hidden love.
~~~

Wounds from a friend can be trusted,

  but an enemy multiplies kisses.

Featured is one of my original illustrations.  Contact me for more information or quotes on logo designs, illustrations and other vector designs!

Porque Cristo Santo se glorifica dentro de mi ...

Picture found at amrigunawan.blogspot.com

Man, I found myself stuck in a really murky "wish pond" today!  Of course, not literally.  When I say "wish pond," I mean that I was being Debbie Downer times ten.  As I tracked down my daughter's dirty laundry from five different rooms in the house (she's potty training and loves the freedom of being able to take off her own clothes ...) I was sighing and thinking to myself, "I feel so ineffective ... I wish I could just do something."  Then memories from my young adult years entered when I traveled the world and lived adventurously, and I thought, "That's it!  I just need to take a humanitarian missions trip!"  So then, I asked God, "Lord, could this really be just the medicine I need?"  He promptly responded with, "Heck, no!"  And here's what God pursued to speak into my heart:

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galatians 6:9

I don't think I'm alone in these moments where I feel this way (at least I hope I'm not).  I think everyone has moments when they feel like they're just waiting for something to happen.  We feel stuck in monotonous jobs that leave our passions and gifts seemly lying dormant within us.  We feel ineffective in our faith when we just can't seem to find our place, purpose and ministry.  We feel weathered and aged when we struggle through a sickness we just can't seem to shake.  We feel emptied when someone we love leaves us for no fault of our own.  But should we just drop it all and take three months of "me time"?  Heck, no!  

While every day is a battle, it is also a choice.  I'm reminded of a song I learned when I lived in Puerto Rico:

Alabad a Dios cuando las cosas salen bien, que bueno es

(Praise God when things go well, how good it is)

Alabad a Dios cuando en la vida no hay problemas, que cosa bueno

(Praise God when life has no problems, what a good thing)

Pero yo le alabo desde mi quebranto

(But I also praise Him from my calamity)

Porque Cristo Santo se glorifica dentro de mi 

(Because Christ is glorified in me)

Some days I just have to belt this song out!  I start out feeling like Debbie Downer, woe is me, but by the end I'm saying, "Thank you, Jesus, for this moment!!"  Thank you, Lord, for the reminder to keep doing good and that He is good regardless of what life brings me!  God is the answer to all of our needs and He loves to lavish blessings on us in the most miraculous ways.  

If you're lacking money to pay your bills, 

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." Malachi 3:10 

If you're struggling with sadness,

"When the righteous cry out, the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:17-18

If you're confused about a decision you have to make, 

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5

If you're burdened with guilt over something you've done,

"If we confess our sins, [Jesus] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

If you're feeling lonely or unfulfilled,

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ." Philippians 4:19

If you're feeling overwhelmed as a parent,

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

My personal conclusion to all of this: I did something!  And it feels great to be effective in my own way!  As I swept up the countless cheerios from the corners of my family room and separated off the random small toys as I swept, I started praying for my friends.  Specifically, for friends from my past, who I never get a chance to see or talk to.  NO props to me, by any means!!  I hadn't thought of, let alone prayed for, these people in months, maybe even years!  What am I doing with my time?!  Oh, well - it's a new day and I've just been awaken from a sluggish sleep.  I'm just glad that I now feel thankful for where I am and what I'm doing!  Every day is truly a gift!

DIY Cold Remedies

Body aches from head to toe.  Can't get enough sleep.  Runny nose and raspy cough.  

I hate being sick!  

On days like this I'm so thankful for my momma!  I use her tips and tricks to nurse my colds (it doesn't hurt that she is coincidentally also a nurse), which means that honey, epsom salt, an herbal heat compress, and Theraflu are essentials for making me feel better.  Being a teenager of the 90's, staying home sick from school meant that I'd be watching tv and sipping on Theraflu.  Now I have a toddler to tend to which means I don't get to sleep as much or pamper my cold as much as I'd like!  So I grab a moment whenever I can.  For instance, while my daughter was at preschool, I pulled the humidifier into the bathroom and ran a hot bath with my homemade bath salts. 

Cold Remedy Bath Salt - in a plastic or glassbowl mix 1/4 cup Epsom salt, 2 tbsp pink sea salt and essiental oil mixture (I premix 1 tbsp sweet almond oil and 3 drops of peppermint essental oil).  I usually make up a bunch at once, package them in little glass bottles and give them as gifts.

To Theraflu Or Not To Theraflu? I looked at the ingredient list on a packet of Theraflu and here's what I found: 1) Acetaphetamine - the painkiller you find in Tylenol, 2) Dextromethorphan - a cough suppressant, 3) Chlopheniramine - antihistamine used to treat runny nose and sneezing, 4) Dyphenhydramine - treats runny nose, cough and sneezing but also causes drowsiness, 5) Pheniramine - antihistamine used to treat cold symptoms, 6) Guaifenesin - cough expectorant, and 7) Phenylephran - a decongestant.  If you feel uncomfortable taking any of these substances, a more natural alternative is ginger tea with lemon juice and honey.  But if you want something stronger, you really can't go wrong with the moonshiner's method: whiskey, lemon juice and honey.  The Kitchn blog has a good post and recipe, check it out.  

An Herbal Heat Pack Can Cure Anything  I get a migraine about every other week, especially between seasons when the weather jumps around.  I swear I wouldn't be able to survive migraines, colds or a nasty case of the flu without the herbal hot/cold pack my mom made for me!  She made it with rice and dried lavendar and chamomile buds.  I heat it in the microwave for a minute and forty seconds ... Perfection!  So comforting on an achy head, for sinus pressure and for cold chills.  Frugal Granola has a really good DIY tutorial, definitely check it out!

PS. While researching for this post, I found a flu map on Theraflu's website, which is great for tracking flu epidemics in your area! 

March Freebies: Chevron Background & Clover Buttons

Spiff up your website or blog with my March Freebie Graphics Package, a Monochrome Chevron Background and 4 Leaf Clover Social Media Buttons!  Click on the images you want and drag them to your desktop or right-click and save.  (If you're new to using customized social media buttons, check out my notes at the bottom of this post).  Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Subscribe to my blog via email for more freebies and tips!

3 Steps for Blogger Custom Social Media Buttons:
1) Save the facebook, twitter, email, pinterest, linkedin, and rss images to your desktop, then upload the pictures to your Picasa or Photobucket account (this will give you the image links you need for Step 3).
2) Login to your Blogger dashboard, go to Layout, click "Add A Widget", then select the HTML widget.
3) Fill the HTML Widget pop-up screen with the following code:

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.MyFacebookLink.com"><img src="YourImageLink"></a>
<a href="http://www.MyTwitterLink.com"><img src="YourImageLink"></a>
<a href="http://www.MyEmailLink.com"><img src="YourImageLink"></a>
<a href="http://www.MyPinterestLink.com"><img src="YourImageLink"></a>
<a href="http://www.MyLinkedinLink.com"><img src="YourImageLink"></a>
<a href="http://www.MyRssLink.com"><img src="YourImageLink"></a>
</div>

Now all you have to do is personalize the information within the links!