Reflection of a Week Passed

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Once again, I pulled myself out of the mire and squirmed in pain through church so that I would be touched by the Lords mercy.  To be reminded that He is almighty, strong, worthy, righteous and Holy.  Through His sovereignty, he guides me when I need Him the most.  The muzzle of His hand covers my mouth in times of persecution so that through quiet reflection He will be glorified and praised.

Psalm 119: 41-48 (ESV)

Waw

41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
    your salvation according to your promise;
42 then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
    for I trust in your word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
    for my hope is in your rules.
44 I will keep your law continually,
    forever and ever,
45 and I shall walk in a wide place,
    for I have sought your precepts.
46 I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
    and shall not be put to shame,
47 for I find my delight in your commandments,
    which I love.
48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
    and I will meditate on your statutes.


Keeping Busy…

Many have asked what I’ve been doing to keep myself busy while I’ve been allowing my body to heal.  Well, besides spending a great deal of time with the Lord and my children, I have been quilting.  Since my hands don’t want to work to knit or crochet with the repetitiveness of the stitches, I have been quilting.  Now, I’m sure your asking yourself what is the difference and how could I quilt without having the same issues.  I think it’s due to the fact that I am free hand stitching and I only sew a little, then cut the thread stop and repeat.  I have had some issues at times and I stop for a day or two and then am able to get back into it.

Thus far since January, I have been able to make 1 full/queen quilt, hand piecing the squares together, and I have hand quilted 4 lap quilts measuring 4×6 to 3×6 in size and I’ve made 3 table top runners.   One of my friends joins me and she calls it guilt free quilting!   It’s been very therapeutic for my mind to at least accomplish something and I look forward to making my second full/queen for our son.

Who knows, maybe it’s the start of a new business.  🙂

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Adding in a little kitty help.  She makes sure to adjust the squares to her liking rather than mine.  ha ha

Sherry’s Quick Mayonnaise

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Many times I am quite surprised at the lack of information people have regarding the food they eat.  For example, many do not realize the hazards of GMO’s,  high fructose syrup, MSG, soybean oil, margarines, preservatives, dyes, flouride, farm raised fish, conventional beef, chicken, fat free ingredients,  etc.   The list goes on and on.  In the age of technology all it takes is the push of a button and one can experience information overload.  Is all of the information you read accurate?  No.  Is all of the information you read possibly out to sell you a product?  Yes.  Can you be easily misled by information?  Yes.   That being said,  my philosophy is to look at the sites that hold credibility by posting their resources from where they themselves found their information.  It is also possible to pull up research done at Universities or through research firms that have published their findings.

That being said, our family only buys organic products and when possible we make everything from scratch.  I’ve taught my children how to cook and how to creatively make lunches out of leftovers and healthy breakfasts that consist of non sugar non cereal ingredients.  Rarely do they eat cereal or sandwiches.  On occasion they do like a gluten free organic shaved turkey sandwich or even an albacore tuna sandwich (bpa free can wild caught tuna).  Mustard is okay as a condiment option, however, their favorite is mayonnaise.  Have you seen the ingredient list on a jar of mayonnaise?  I used to buy an organic brand that was made with coconut oil, however at $15 a jar, I just couldn’t stomach paying the price any longer.  About 2 years ago a friend found a recipe made with the coconut oil and I began making it myself.  The family however, after a time, just plain old got sick of the coconut flavor so I began learning more about oil choices and changed the recipe to the families liking.

By making our own, we are also able to make other wonderful dressings that satisfy the need for something more creamy.  With this recipe we dress cole slaw, potato salad, salads and more with just a change in the seasonings.  Flavored mayonnaise is also great depending upon the sandwich.

Hope you’ll give it a try.

Sherry’s Quick Mayonnaise  (makes a little over a pint)

1 whole farm fresh egg

2 farm fresh egg yolks

Sea Salt to taste

1 TBS Organic Dijon Mustard

1 tsp Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

(Optional additions depending upon what you are making it for:  Wasabi powder, variety of herbs, anchovies, dash of cayenne pepper, dried mustard, turmeric…)

Place all ingredients above in a food processor and process until completely mixed.

Make sure when you begin pouring the oil in, that the processor is on. Do not stop the processor while adding the oils.  There should be a cup with a hole in it in the top of the food processor. This is where you will slowly pour in the oils.

Please note: the slower you pour in the oil, the better your mayonnaise will be. The oils will separate from the other ingredients faster if you pour the oils in too quickly. This is the secret.   Slow…

1 – 8 oz.  bottle of Almond Oil, Olive Oil,  Avacado Oil,  Grapeseed Oil  (These are the ones I use and I like the flavor.)

1 – 8 oz. bottle of another oil  (use a second oil from the list above)

I usually store the mayonnaise in a jar with a lid, not plastic, in the fridge.   Enjoy!

Little Tidbits:

Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil – manmade fat; known to cause cellular disruption in the body; obesity; reproductive problems; heart disease; US grown soybeans are 90% genetically engineered;  soybeans contains Omega-6’s and can lead to inflammation; soybeans contain phytates which block the absorption of minerals; affects negatively on the thyroid;

(References: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/27/soybean-oil.aspx http://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/01/joseph-mercola/soybean-oil-one-of-the-most-harmful-ingredients-in-processed-foods/)

Avacado Oil – reduces inflammation and oxidation; helps to fight against free radicals; studies show it kills cancer cells; contains more vitamin D than Olive Oil; contains carotenoids that help fight cancers;

(References:  http://healinggourmet.com/article/avocado-oil-the-healthiest-cooking-oil-youre-not-using-yet-853;   http://www.naturalnews.com/027509_avocado_skin_health.html )

Olive Oil – rich in monounsaturated fatty acids; reduces inflammation; reduces chances of heart disease and hypertension; lowers risk of depression; may reduce breast cancer risk; may reduce risk of stroke in elderly; helps to maintain healthy cholesterol levels; helps to protect liver and pancreas; 

(References:  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266258.php;  The research is numerous… take a look.)

Almond Oil – High in Vitamins E & D & K; helps with digestion; protects and maintains healthy brain tissue; reduces LDL and aids in raising HDL; helps in protecting the skin; reduces blood pressure; aids in protecting from heart disease; rich in folic acid; high in minerals; contains anti-oxidents; 

(References: http://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/health-benefits-of-almond-oil.htm;  http://www.livestrong.com/article/119876-health-benefits-sweet-almond-oil/;  http://www.seedguides.info/almonds/)

Grape Seed Oil – full of anti-oxidents; lowers LDL; may help to inhibit cancer cell growth; helps with acne; may help in PMS symptoms; may help with cavities; can be cooked at higher heat without releasing free radicals unlike Olive Oil; 

(References:  http://www.livestrong.com/article/406768-the-health-benefits-of-grape-seed-cooking-oil/;  http://www.homecookingadventure.com/articles/grape-seed-oil-benefits)

Keep in mind that you need to do your research.  Not all oils are alike and you need to understand each one and how to keep them from spoiling.  Note also that there is a great amount of information available.  Choose wisely what works best for you.  

Know what it is that you are putting in your mouth.  

 

 

Strength in the Lord, not the hair…

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Last week I mustered up the strength to go out and get my hair done.  We had a big weekend coming up with the kids between their Regional Finals and their Band Debut.  We were supposed to be out of town the entire weekend.  Now, with my health as it is, I have been avoiding crowds and avoiding all stress and activity.  Not just because I am unable to do very much as I am quite tired and have no strength, yet also because after this last acquired virus which put me and my family into a tail spin I decided getting sick with anything further just wasn’t something I needed nor wanted.  This weekend however, was going to be unavoidable.

On the Monday before the event I began asking questions about the Band Debut and ended up in charge of the Silent Auction and Raffle.  You may be asking yourself how I managed to do that.  Honestly, I’m not sure.  I’m sure the word “volunteer” came in to play at some point, yet I’m not exactly sure what words came out of my mouth that gave anyone the impression I was the “go to” girl for the job.  Not because I’m not capable of pointing out I could do it, I just don’t remember exactly what I said.  A memory issue I blame on my friends who also dwell in this body.  Well, I am organized enough in auctions as I have done enough of them, so it came together nicely and I wasn’t really stressed during the week leading up to the event.  That is, until I looked in the mirror and realized that I looked like death warmed over.  So, the hair appointment was made in hopes of making me look human again.

As I plopped into the chair awaiting the hairdresser to velcro the smock around my neck, I looked in the mirror and wondered if there was enough color to change the skunk look I had going on and if just a trim was going to be enough.  The hairdresser then asked the dreaded question of “So… how much are we going to cut off today”?  I have been growing out my hair for the last few years and the only cutting I’ve had done has been through a trim.   I could see the glean in her eye and the hope she had that I just may adopt a “Go ahead and cut it all off” attitude.  As I looked in the mirror at what I looked like, I asked her to just color it and to please get me a few books to ponder her question.

After looking through about 4 books with the hairdresser I asked her if she had many clients in their mid 40’s who had hair as long as mine.  She informed me that I was the only one.

I don’t usually cave in to pressure, yet this time I guess I was feeling a bit vulnerable and ended up allowing her to measure different lengths of cut.  I thought 6 inches was too much and she thought 4 was too little, so we decided on cutting 5 inches off.   I noticed as she cut that she had that cheshire cat grin on her face.  I asked her if she was happy to be cutting it and she admitted she’d waiting a year for my approval.  As I looked in the mirror at her work I acknowledged she was doing a great job and then I looked at the floor.  When I looked back up I asked her if any of her clients my age had ever sobbed in her chair over the loss of their locks.  She laughed and told me I would be the first and to go ahead.  Hmmmm…..

Let me just say, I did ponder it.  In the end I did not and was able to keep my composure.  I did however, begin thanking the Lord.  Thanking Him that He did NOT give me my strength in this life through my hair like he had Samson.  I kept thinking about the strength He has given me to get through much adversity.  So as the 5 inches of hair growth hit the floor, I thanked God first and then I thanked the hairdresser.  She did a great job, I walked out looking human and I was able to NOT embarrass my children at their weekend events.   Once again, the Lord granted grace to stay awake when I was most exhausted and He offered kindness through others who brought me chairs to sit in.  He also gave my husband patience as he drove back and forth from the hotel and the Regional Finals trying to get us a room so I could sleep and rest before the “Big Evening”.  After 1 week of looking in the mirror at the new hairdo, I still miss the length, yet I look like there is a glimpse of life and that alone makes all the drama worth while.

Where does your strength come from?

Mine comes from the Lord!  He gives me strength when my flesh is weak, and encourages me when there is despair.  In Him I find peace, hope and love.  Not just any peace, not just any hope and not just any love.  In Him there is glorifying peace, eternal hope and agape Love.

Psalm 28:7

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;  in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;  my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Isaiah 40:29

29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.