I Love Scrapbooking!

There's something about those pretty papers, colorful stickers, amusing-photo-faces and all those sentimental memories that goes with them; then mix in creativity and a finished keepsake project. That is scrapbooking, and what fun it is!

Last month I did a 50th birthday memory album for my sister as a gift, and years ago I did a 5oth anniversary album for my parents. Though a lot of work went into them, they will be enjoyed for many, many years!

Each of my sons have used scrapbooking for homeschooling, to save favorite photos and journal about outings in a special notebook. I'd encourage every student to take the time and effort to do the same. Looking back years later, you'll envision the winding journey you took through childhood and treasure those captured moments through your unique pages.

Resting for years in boxes, in my closet, are dozens of envelopes filled with old photos just waiting on me to do something with them. I've done a little for myself here and there, but for me it's best to just make a whole day of scrapbooking (with the mess and all). I don't have a special table space that I can just leave everything out on day after day.

This summer I am helping our local homeschool group with a yearbook project and I found out about On-line Scrapbooking at ScrapbookFlair.com

It is so easy to use once you get the hang of it and you will have to download their free software to use the program. It enables you to make jpg's of your finished page and if you want you can print them or have photos made. There is also community sharing of scrapbooks if you want. It would be a wonderful way to share photos with relatives and friends! The photo above is really a minimally simple one I did at Scrapbookflair in minutes, of my four handsome sons. The one above that is one I did for our yearbook. Here's another:On-line creative scrapbooking is a lot of fun also, and you still get that finished product you are looking for. What I've shown here is just the basics, but the potential is wild. Check out that web site and you'll see.

Happy scrapbooking and have a great day....

Our Homeschool

I was asked to write a short paragraph on our homeschooling experience for the yearbook. I thought, "Me, only write one paragraph?" But I will share what I came up with:

We have always schooled at home and it is one of my favorite things to do! This is because I am very involved, I love learning along with my boys, and witnessing their growth and progress on a daily-monthly-yearly basis is such a blessing to me. Two of our four sons are graduated and in college and that leaves two teenagers. We are eclectic in that we utilize things from many different methods and styles. I have always loved learning together with book and unit studies, and we like to concentrate on history chronologically at this time. I have been inspired by Charlotte Mason and have benefited from researching into her methods. The main gist of our education revolves around reading great, inspiring, living books, many of which we read aloud together. I have found that sharing a great story and discussing it produces a special bonding between family members and gives insight into their character and thought processes. Independent learning is also very important, as I believe "what a child discovers for himself he is more apt to keep," allowing for creativity, individuality and responsibility to flourish. We are sincere in saying that homeschooling provides the best education for our children and we thank God for the honor and delight of teaching them at home.

Beautiful on Raw - Tonya Zavasta's Workshop & Green Pudding

Diseases are the price of ill pleasures.

This seems to be a good day to review and collect my thoughts on the Raw Foods Workshop I went to several weeks ago; I've got homemade cinnamon raisin bread in the oven. Well, let's just say I have my doubts about ever going all raw but the benefits are impressive, especially for those in need of physical healing (which really includes the majority of us).

Our family's health journey over the years has been a very gradual one, with each year doing something more healthful than the year before such as: Discontinuing the use of white sugar and artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, msg products, soda pop (including diet soda) and high fructose corn syrup; Using Stevia and honey for a sweetener; Avoiding or limiting sweets; Reading labels; Not buying highly processed foods; Making more from scratch; Switching to all natural peanut butter and olive oil; Grinding my own wheat; Juicing carrots and fruits and vegetables; Growing our own vegetables; Drinking purified water; Limiting meats; and Eating more raw foods, etc.

Tonya Zavasta is 50 but looks 35. She has been eating ALL raw for the past 12 years, and claims she is perfectly healthy despite numerous hospitalizations for leg and hip surgeries to correct a physical deformity she was born with. These claims impressed me: no headaches in 12 years; no symptoms or signs of menopause yet; she wakes up euphoric every morning; perfect lab test results; and takes no supplements at all.

With youthful flair and mildly Russian accent, she energetically relayed humorous stories, emphatic quotes and a wealth of healthy information and tips that we could apply to our present lifestyles. One thing I will be eating is her Green Pudding recipe, as long as I can make it in my food processor, as my blender is not as powerful as a VitaMix which is preferred. Here it is, so yummy and healthy!!

Green Pudding

Fill bottom half of blender with greens like swiss chard. Add to this, cut up raw mango to fill the container. Blend till smooth. That's it!

It's a pudding consistency, made with no added water. A friend made it with several different greens from her garden and used banana, pineapple, and strawberries instead of the mango. She said it was delicious. Someone asked, "What about mixing fruits with vegetables?" Tonya's answer was that since the greens are not starchy vegetables it is OK to do so.

It was not so much a raw foods prep workshop as I had anticipated but I was encouraged by being there, which is really why I wanted to attend. One of the most impressive things she had to say was that her husband is an ordinary guy; he has not followed all raw like herself all these years and finds it very hard to do so. He was her helper that day and is a big (tall and wide) man. He pulled out his long tucked in belt that revealed his former larger size, relating to the 70 lbs he had lost in the past year. Another speaker may have been embarrassed by her nonconformist husband. She praised him and told us, "Why get rid of a perfectly good husband just because he doesn't see eye to eye or do everything like you do?" I decided I really liked her after that statement and realized they are like the rest of us - real people.

We sampled a number of raw foods but didn't see the preparation; I think the recipes were in her second book, but they were very tasty. One was this brownie like thing with a topping and would have been a good cupcake alternative. It's amazing what you can do with raw foods.

In another Cookin' in the Raw class I took one summer, we made spaghetti using raw zucchini that you put through a Spirooli that makes these awesome shaped noodles, and topped with a raw tomato sauce that was great. I think my boys would have to get used to it, but I LIKED it!

Tonya has astonishingly clear skin and bright eyes. She mentioned that the outer body reflects the inner body. The condition of our skin and clearness of our eyes and ability to function and even our mood tells a lot about our physical selves. Poor skin reflects organs struggling to do its job. It's hard to fake that facial glow that she says she can spot right away on a person who eats essentially raw. She's a perfect weight and proclaims that on raw the body will find its natural God designed size. Calorie restriction with optimal nutrition is what works, and eating raw fits the description well.

She also drinks no water, stating that she gets all the fluid she needs from her food and juice, but that when you don't eat all raw your body needs that hydration to compensate. She cautioned those that right away add a lot of raw to the diet and complain of gas and indegestion. What is happening, she says, is that the intestines are already in an acid state from past eating habits and when you introduce an abundance of alkaline foods you have a chemical reaction : gas and bloating. The digestive system is just too weak yet, and juicing is a great way to gradually add more raw.

Since my education as a nurse, I have always found the study of the human body intriguing and inspirationally marvelous. I am aware of it's healing potential and how extremely we have abused our bodies on the SAD diet (standard American diet). Tonya shared that eating the SAD diet makes for thick sticky blood, which is why anticoagulants are so often needed for heart patients. She says tests have proven that you can reverse this in three weeks as the body is very forgiving. From what I've learned, if we just give our body the nutrients it craves and take care of ourselves, it can reverse the illness toward renewed health.

I know of a local, elderly, diabetic gentleman that was so sick he was to have kidney dialysis. His wife searched and found the Hallelujah Diet After several months on this 85% raw and 15% cooked diet, he did not need dialysis and is doing well continuing this new eating routine. His doctor was amazed. It works!

Miss Tonya, who holds mathematics and engineering masters degrees is currently focusing on anti-aging research. Her book YOUR RIGHT TO BE BEAUTIFUL claims that everyone can be beautiful, and she does mean outside as well as inside (organs and all). We all have the potential to be strikingly beautiful, as God intended us to be, if we take responsibility for our own appearance and our health (including eating raw foods of course). You can see a photo of her and read her story at her website if you like:Beautiful on Raw

I'm going to finish reading her first book and use her vanilla scented natural facial cream and decide what additional changes I should make. There is much health related information out there and I'd encourage anyone to start digging. Another favorite place for health-wise Natural News is Mike Adams. Happy and healthy eating to all of us - and may you do something a little (or a lot) healthier this year than last.

Eating all raw is not for everyone - only the adventurous!
~ Tonya Zavasta

I Am a Princess

My husband told me to lie down on the bed and close my eyes. "I want you to know how it feels to be a princess," he told me. Curious, I did as I was told. Within moments, I was hysterical as I felt this light feathery touch going up and down my body. I squinted open my eyes to see the long, green, princess feeling device in his hand - a peacock feather. So, I do know what it feels like to be a princess.

Father's Day is quickly approaching and I think it's wonderful to share a close relationship with our earthly Fathers but I don't want to neglect the relationship with my Heavenly Father, the King. That makes me a Princess.

Do you have a favorite song? One that you can identify with? That you could listen to over and over again? That you just want to share with all your best friends? Let me share with you Susi Meredith's I Am A Princess, from her Secret Place CD.

You are a Princess! Act like a Princess! Feel your Father - the King's, presence in everything you do. Trust Him, that He is always there for you and that His love is enough. Through Him you will find strength and all you need.

I Am a Princess
©1975 Susi A. Meredith; from the CD "Secret Place"

-1- I am a princess and my Father is the King
He loves me when I'm angry,
He loves me when I sing
And when I disappoint Him
Still He loves me just the same
He told me I'm His treasure
He left His throne to bear my shame
I'm a princess and The King has crowned me with His Name


-2- I am a princess and my Father is the One
Who holds all things together by His power and His love
He keeps the planets spinning
Each one in its perfect place
And right from the beginning
I was predestined by His grace
To be a princess
And the King has crowned me with His Name


(bridge) I don't live in a castle
I don't live high up on a hill
And I don't ride white horses yet
But I hope someday I will
I like to dream about
All the things He has in store
Just maybe stars are really stepping stones
That lead to my front door
He told me He's preparing
A beautiful mansion just for me
With windows made of rainbows
Looking out across the crystal sea
I'm a princess
Everything The King has
He wants to share with me


-3- When everything is ready
He will come to claim His own
Royal sons and daughters
Who have been loyal to His throne
His love is beyond measure
His firstborn Son removed our shame
He's called us His own treasure
Though the earth may shake
We shall remain
Ill be with Him forever
And even though we shall be changed
I'm still a princess and The King has crowned me with His Name
I'm a princess and The King has crowned me with His Name
I'm a princess and The King has crowned me with His Royal Name
His Royal Name His Royal Name.......

No Bake Munchies

~ An old family favorite,
quick and easy to make~

This is a versatile recipe, in that I can use whatever I have on hand. Today, I decided to use granola and Arrowhead Mills puffed cereal that my husband bought at the surplus store. I also added unsulphured raisins, unsweetened coconut, flax and sunflower seeds. I always double the recipe and freeze a portion. The guys rave about these no matter what I put in them, but it's almost too sweet for me anymore. I have also made it with less honey (1/2 cup) and have substituted maple syrup and it still works. Using shredded wheat makes it very crunchy.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c honey
• 1/4 c butter
• 3 c *(oats, cereal, nuts, dried fruit, seeds, coconut, etc.)
• 1/4 c carob, cocoa or unsweetened ground chocolate
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c natural peanut butter

Combine honey and butter and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until peanut butter melts. In a separate bowl combine carob, oats and any other desired ingredients and then add to peanut butter mixture. Pour into a greased pan, chill and then cut into squares. OR drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper & chill. You can freeze it for faster results, but it must stay cold (keep refrigerated).

*You may add any of the following along with your oat/cereal mixture: sunflower or sesame seeds, dates, raisins or other dried fruit, coconut, nuts; but the total amount should be 3 cups per recipe.

Enjoy!

Is it a Root, Trunk, Branch, Twig or Leaf ?

We all experience upheavals in our lives. We are faced with making important decisions, things go contrary to our liking, moods swing high and low, people vie for our time and attention and do things that irk us. Initially, our emotions may erupt and our blood pressure soars. We feel faint and lack ambition. I learned a strategy that helps me deal with life's interruptions and difficulties, and I'd like to share it with you.

During a homeschool conference, Todd Wilson, of Family Man Ministries*, gave us this analogy: (my paraphrase) Think of the way God designed a tree. It has its massive, nourishing roots, which leads to its sturdy trunk, narrowing into branches and twigs with extending leaves. When something sends the "Not now! How do I deal with this?" signal your way, stop right there a minute and ask yourself, "Is this a root, a trunk, a branch, a twig or a leaf?" Then act accordingly.

I found this so simple, yet profound, and I have used it numerous times in my life since. Some things are obviously a root and will need immediate attention. But sometimes I may act like it's a root when it is not. Maybe it's actually a branch. Or possibly, it's only a leaf.

The branches and twigs are no big deal. "Thank God this is not a root," I may remind myself, and I relax and know I can handle it.

Some things are really leaves and I can just let them flutter off over my shoulder in the breeze and they slowly hit the ground at some point, but I don't have to do anything but smile.

Don't we sometimes take life too seriously? What really matters? What are the important things? What about relationships? Do I really have to have it my way all the time?

But, maybe it is a trunk or even a root. Can I turn this around and think of it as a learning experience? Hey, that's what life is made of. I ask myself, "What am I supposed to learn from this? What is God showing me here?" If we never experienced adversity, we'd never learn anything worthwhile. It builds character in us and it's part of God's plan for us to grow.

Helen Keller said, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. "

With such adversity in Helen's life, almost everything she did was an accomplishment, from discovering that things have names, to going to college, writing books and traveling around the world, lecturing and raising money for blind and deaf children.

There's another strategy I've learned too, and that is to trust God in all things. He will allow trials to come and you will learn (sometimes the hard way) to trust Him more fully, when no one else will meet your needs. I'll leave you with one more lovely quote of Helen's:

"It's wonderful to climb the liquid mountains of the sky. Behind me and before me is God and I have no fears."

*http://www.familymanweb.com/

Windows to the Heart

I'm going to admit something: I've had a rough few years. Turning 50 seemed to be the year the Lord decided He really wanted my attention. As I reflect back, it was a wake up yell that God desired a life of dedication to Him first and a new direction for me, specifically concerning my relationship to my husband. I put the past behind me and stepped out on faith. It feels invigorating to have a renewed perspective and so much to live for, but I’m still striving for a pure heart with a mouth to match.

Try this exercise: Think of a woman you know personally whom you greatly admire. What is it about her that you find most appealing? Which attributes does she have that you wish you had more of?

Instantly, I thought of a dear, but now distant friend, married for decades, with a large, extended family, who produced seven beautiful daughters who are clone miniatures of herself. It occurred to me that she always had kind words, with the sweetest disposition. (I’m excluding righteous indignation here, since I am aware there is a place for that — you know, don’t mess with Mama! I’m also not meaning that she doesn’t ever voice her pertinent opinions, or has a lack of spunk.)

She always spoke with kind regard, gentleness, love, honor and moderation. I could not envision her yelling at her children due to frustrations (and I’m sure she had them) or ever speaking in anger toward her husband, or throwing a temper tantrum, or gossiping, or speaking evil toward anyone. I thought of Galations 5:22, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” She possessed the fruit of the Spirit, and it reflected in her words — they were windows to her heart.

Some of what I most admired:
1. Smiles a lot; is happy and contented
2. Caring, loving, and thoughtful
3. Always encourages with words
4. Is highly organized and clean
5. Helps others unselfishly
6. Is adored by her husband, children, and grandchildren
7. Seeks wisdom and willingly shares what she has learned
8. Lives righteously
9. Takes good care of herself
10. Doesn’t complain; is optimistic; has faith
11. Has a close relationship with God

Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Do you recall the saying, “The mouth speaks the abundance of the heart”? My friend had possession of a right spirit which guards the tongue. Ah! That’s what I want — what I need more of — that “right” spirit. I have ridden that emotional roller coaster of words that can only tear down and destroy, and I want to get off it for good! I realize that with the “right” spirit, my words can always be encouraging and building up my household, and bringing forth rich fruit.

Yes, I want to be that smiling woman with the lovely countenance, always with pleasant words that encourage and love and heal — a renewed woman of strength and self control. I want to be the optimistic mate and mother, with words that possess life, laughter and love. And when I approach the sweet morning hours of each new day, that will be a priority and my prayer.

Tending the Nest

This is taken from my journal in what seems like ages ago but came to mind this winter when our Keeper's Club ventured into a delightful bird study. Jeremiah, the photographer, captured this feathered reminder that God so lovingly cares for us.

In wisdom, God has set His example in nature, which draws us closer to Him.

I was in awe of my little feathered neighbor who had skillfully built her home under the roofing outside our back porch. As I washed dishes I admired her character, peering through my kitchen window. Piece by piece, she chose the framework for her nesting house. Patiently, she tended tiny speckled domes that held her offspring. In a short time, she was happily playing servant-momma to five demanding chicks. I timed her. Every fifteen minutes she'd return with a fat morsel of food which she divided among them. The helpless babies would chirp and call for momma 'til they were satisfied. She offered no complaints and lovingly spent the next two weeks in this manner. The day came when the fuzzy babies had grown almost as big as she, and I noticed one by one, that they no longer inhabited the nest.

Only bits of twig remain behind now, as my four young boys and I delight in observing the gathering of kindred birds who search for nourishment in our backyard and sing praises to their Maker. Like momma bird, I have but a short time to spend nurturing my babies, and then they will be off fluttering on their own. I ponder how well I am providing for a welcome, happy and healthy home for my family. If only I could be half as patient and diligent in duty, tending to my little ones! As busy days come and go, let me find myself as non-complaining, and treasuring each precious hour. And when I find my nest empty, I will join the others that share a similar fate, with His song in my heart.

So Scrumptious Raw Strawberry Pie

This is strawberry season, so delight your taste buds with this all raw strawberry pie. This was one of many delicious recipes we made in a "Cookin" in the Raw class I took at the college taught by my friend, Lynne (a local Hallelujah Health Minister).

Why raw? Our bodies need it for optimal survival and healing. You ingest living enzymes needed for digestion, most easily assimilated by the body, and packed with more nutrients in their purest state, closer to the way God made them. I never knew you could do so many things with raw veggies, fruits and nuts until this past year; in fact, I'm looking forward to attending a raw food workshop this weekend along with Lynne.

Strawberry Pie:

2 pints of strawberries
16 dates, pitted (medjool are popular and moist)
4 tsp psyllium powder

Process 1/2 pint of strawberries with dates and psyllium powder until quite smooth. Chop rest of strawberries (resereving a few for top decoration) and combine with strawberry/date mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Refrigerate until firm.

OR instead of the above, substitute this binder added to the 2 pints of quartered strawberries:

7 or 8 large ripe strawberries
5 soft dates, pitted
2 ripe bananas
1 Tbs. lemon juice

Almond Date Pie Crust:

1 1/2 cups almonds that have been soaked 8-12 hours (can substitute 1/2 cup pre-soaked pecans or walnuts)
16 dates, pitted (soaked if not moist)
pinch of sea salt

Process in Food Processor until finely chopped and holds together when pinched. A small amount of honey can be added if it isn't holding together well enough. Enjoy!

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www.simplynaturalhealth.com