Bare feet in SC

     In SC we have these little demons called fireants.  They are ants that bite the fire out of you.  So, you really can't go barefooted.  But Nick found this spray that is AWESOME and now, I can go barefooted in my yard!!!

My herb garden!

Yarrow, isn't it beautiful?

Sebastian's First Leashed Run and Burdock

I took Sebastian on his first leashed road run today. Now my dog, he is a runner dog. He loves to run. If someone puts in running shoes on in this house he follows you around, knowing its time to run.

But he runs trails! Whenever we go for a run on the trails he runs double the amount we do because he is unleashed and has the best time running through the woods.

And he is beautiful to watch. Leaping, sprinting and actually smiling!

Lately we have had so much rain the trails are a mud pit. I don't like mud pits to run in! I do not like to come home and wash a muddy dog! And snakes! The snakes are bad this year.

So Sebastian hasn't ran on the trails much. He looked so pitiful this morning and I bought a new leash- so off we go!

He loved it and ran well with a leash. I was concerned he would jerk my arm off. But he stayed with me.

About 2.5 miles into the run we had to step into the ditch for a truck to pass us and low and behold! Burdock! I pulled the two little plants out if the ground and ran back home with them. My neighbors have figured me out by now. It's not unusual to see me running with plants I've pulled up.

Now my baby burdock plants have a new home in my garden.

And what did Sebastian do when we got home? Jumped in the pool! (Don't tell Nick!). He was in and out before I knew it - I was planting my plants.

So we had a good 5 mile run and got some plants!

Vinegars and Oils

Left to right

Dandelion Vinegar

Rosemary/patchouli/sweet marjoram Vinegar

Fig olive/coconut oils.

25th (+) Anniversary!

In July Nick and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary!  Whoo hoo!  Trust me, that is an awesome achievement for us!  Truly, God saved our marriage and made it what it is today.  NO DOUBT.

So we decided do something "big"!  And debt free : )  So we are saving up and going to:

                           Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland

For 8 days!

May 17-25, 2014

The plan:

Fly into Dublin, stay over night and rent a car-

Spend 6 days touring castles, caves, lakes, hiking, pubs and see the coast at Co. Clare (hmm...Cleary, my maiden name...sound familiar?)

Here:

Willowbrook Bed and Breakfast

and the last night...back to Dublin!

Whoa!!!!! If that's what Scriptures says, why do we look and act so different?

Titus 2:1-8

1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.

 2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 

 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 

5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; 

7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 

8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

1 Thessalonians 4:11

and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,

Ephesians 4

29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Many times we wonder, "How in the world did Satan get a foothold here?"  Whether it be in our home,  our family, our work, our church, our ministry or our community.  How?  What happened to cause such chaos and division?  

Well, for one thing- selfishness.  "I want what I want and I want it now.  I don't care how it happens but get me what I want, NOW!".  Whether or not that comes by intimidation, anger,  outburst of anger, control, jealousy, disputes, gossiping, dissentions= all these things?  Deeds of the flesh.  Ways of coping with our problems and situations apart from God.  

Because if we were ALLOWING God to deal with these situations and circumstances then there wouldn't be any of the above deeds of the flesh.  In Him, there are no outbursts of anger, control, fear, intimidation- etc etc.  God doesn't deal that way.  

How do we know that?

Well, just read Galatians 5:22-23.  Read 1 Corinthians 13.  

If you REALLY want to lay aside the deeds of the flesh- and allow God to do a great work IN YOU then you will let HIMSELF and HIS WORDS transform the very depths of your being. 

Really, do you LIKE living in such chaos?  I didn't.  I HATED it.  I hated me.  I hated who I thought I was.  Then God.

He began to speak into me the truth of Himself and who He created me anew to be.  

I listened.   

Ladies, especially the older ladies in the church who have a tendency to become the "hateful gossipy old lady"- read the words of Scripture well.  YOU are to teach the younger women to, " be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,  so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored."  Are you making it your ambition to lead a quiet life and giving grace to all who hear?  Because know this, we younger women- we HEAR you.  And the even younger women, hear US.  

Men, especially the older men of the church that tend to pass on your God-given responsibilities within the church to the- well, women of the church and younger men- also read Scripture and take heed.  Are you leading the younger men of the church in all manners of speech and deed? "temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance- urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,  sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us."

Let us not fail the younger generation. Let us love one another.  Let us care tenderly for one another.  Even the ones we don't like. : )  Because, see, God can do a work IN US to love the unlovely.  Why is it we can "minister" to a stranger but not love our brother and sister in Christ?  God called us into unity.  He called us to be ONE IN HIM.  

John 17:21

that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Tea

In January I wrote my list of things I would like to do in 2013. One was to run injury free. Besides dealing with a sciatic nerve in my right leg and low ferritin levels- every run was- painful and difficult. But, I don't want to use "modern" medicine if I don't have to. So, I researched and experimented with things that may help my whole system. This is what has helped:

1) YOGA!!!! Really stretches the whole body. I go one hour a week at the county library with friends. It's $2 and I LOVE IT!

2) Herbs and Weeds! LOL...true. I've been researching medicinal purposes of weeds- yep those pesky ones in the yard and herbs.

3) Vitamins! Seriously, you need to know your body well enough to KNOW what you need. I take- not every day- but a mixture of calcium, magnesium, D3, L-glutamine, potassium, folic acid.

4) Vinegar! Honestly, the health benefits of vinegar are astounding! I drink an ounce of unpasteurized vinegar mixed with an ounce of lemon juice and an ounce of honey in about 3-4 ounces of water- several mornings a week.

5) Water! Put the "pop" and sweet tea up. It's unhealthy. In many way. Ok, one a week may be OK. As a splurge.

6) Chunkies! Actually these are fruit smoothies but I like them chunky. I have several on my blog. I like them after a run to replenish.

7) Shoes! Seriously, get GOOD running shoes. I went on these last pair WAY too long and ended up with plantar fasciitis. NOT FUN!
 Walk! For heavens sake, just go for a walk. You use different muscles than when you run. Once a week, walk with friends!

9) Nick! A fun run through the woods with my beloved on Saturday mornings is great for my marriage!

10) Jesus! Last but certainly not least- He should be your Center. My fellowship with my Beloved Savior, Friend, and Life is the most important thing to me. He is the One that REALLY holds me together- spiritually, soulically AND physically.

I am running, for the most part, injury free. And I'm running better than I have in a long time. : ) Be PROACTIVE in your health, even if you aren't a runner. This is your body- take care of it. I have found out that as I take care of my physical body- in a good way- not an "overdoing" way- my soul and spirit have been nourished and replenished.

Below is a tea I make:

Boil-
dandelion root,
burdock root
licorice root
fresh lemon balm leaves
fresh catnip leaves
fresh spearmint and peppermint leaves
dried honeysuckle blossoms

Put in refrigerator to get cold. Drink a cup or two a day : )

Blessings to you all!

Being a woman....

I heard this today:

"A woman is most beautiful when she is being herself."

I really like that. When the outer man (woman) is living from the inner self. For me, that is when the inner self is living from- The Lord Jesus Christ- who gives her inner self- new life- His life.