Great News!

Honey Bear and I are going back out on the road, traveling all over the place via truck - working that is, but together! We haul cars, hence my screen name: he's the Plowman and I'm Plowlady, Nice, right? :-)

Oh it's so fantastic to do this, we have a great time visiting all the new places, working hard together, annoying each other LOL!

He'll have to spend the first week out with someone from the company, but it's just a short trip to Michigan, then it's US.....yeah!!!!!! So I'm hoping all my wins will come within the next two weeks, I have a lot to do around here to pack us up and all...but it's all worth it!!

Two weeks, ahhhh......I can't wait!

Let me tell ya, this last year, for the company he worked for, we traveled back and forth from New York to California and had favorite stops along the way...if we went near San Fran, we were able to go through Nebraska, Idaho, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey...hmmm, did I leave any state out? And when we went to LA, we'd go through Texas (who DOES have the best steaks around!!), New Mexico, Kentucky -- You wouldn't believe how different people are from state to state. The best? Central/South California, Nebraska, and Texas. The worst? New Jersey, Northern California and Indiana -- NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE IN THESE STATES, they're genuine observations from our travels. OH! And we'd also do short runs to the Midwest, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio....Ohio has this place for hotdogs that oh, I can't remember the name, but it's in Toledo and there's M*A*S*H everywhere in it and we also were at 8 Mile (The place Eminem sings about)--very depressing. We saw written on a building, "I don't exist"...now that's despair!

Anyway, I just wanted to give you the heads up that in two weeks we'll be on the road and I'll blog from there, as time allows. Oh I can't wait!

Winner Of The Simple Green Naturals Products!

Ta-da! We have a winner of the Simple Green Naturals cleaning products:

Randomly chosen by contest machine is:
#44 Carol (cdziuba)

Congrats to you and thank you so much to the other entries!!

Review and Recipe -- Ile de France Goat Cheese

We were lucky to receive the Ile de France Goat Cheese for bloggers to review and enter our recipe in an upcoming surprise at their site.

As you already know, we LOVE Goat cheese here, so this wasn't a new experience to us, just a different brand. I will tell you this...this brand is AMAZING!

The tube came the other day and recipe galore started running through my mind. Instead of being super creative about it, I decided to serve it as is, how we'd normally eat it. Nothing too amazing in my creativity here, but it sure did work!

We were taken aback at the product at first. It's crumbly, yet firm - it's bitter like cream cheese only with more tang - it melts like silk...it's, like I said, AMAZING!

Our first try was next to my scrambled eggs which I mix with veg's and meat...alone, too tangy, stirred into eggs, awesome!

Then, last night, I was cleaning out the fridge. We had leftover rice (a concoction of 2c (raw) mixed rices - 1c. black, 1/2 c. red and 1/2 c. brown, which I cooked in the rice cooker with a tsp of olive oil). Ok, so I cooked up some ground beef with onion, garlic and pepper. Sprinkled half a package of Knorr pork gravy mix over meat after I drained it, gave it a good stir to coat the ground beef. I stirred in 3 c. of that cooked rice, added 1c. water and stirred it around to thicken. Heated up can of mustard greens, opened the can of chilled cranberry sauce and served the goat cheese on the side. On the plate, it was all so pretty: The rice/beef combo was dark, but interesting looking, delicious tasting- the mustard greens, cranberry sauce and pure white from the cheese, a color heaven! With each bite, you stirred a bit of cheese into the meat to melt, and it melts so silky!! And you took a little greens and popped it into your mouth - seriously, this was creamy goodness!!

We have half a pkg of cheese left and I can't wait to keep experimenting with it!

Alone, you won't like it - the tang is just 'there' and if you don't like tang, you won't like this cheese, BUT...mixed into ANY heat, it melts with such delicious flavor, that all I can say is: mm-mm-good!

I'm not_______ enough.written by Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth'"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you" (1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV).

Friend to Friend

I'm not _____________ enough. You can fill that blank in with smart, talented, gifted, spiritual, or any number of positive attributes. But the root source of each one of those lies is "I'm not good enough." It is one of the enemy's favorite weapons and he uses it to keep God's children in bondage to feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy. The bottom line is, the enemy wants you to believe that you are "not enough." Period.

But you are enough. You are enough and have been equipped and empowered to do everything that God has called you to do. It seems the message of "I'm not good enough to earn my way to heaven on my own," has been transformed into I'm not good enough...period. God created man and woman and said, "It is good." We are so valuable to God that He gave His only Son to restore our brokenness.

Beth Moore said, "In the dead of the night when insecurities crawl on us like fleas, all of us have terrifying bouts of insecurity and panics of insignificance. Our human natures pitifully fall to the temptation to pull out the tape measure and gauge ourselves against people who seem more gifted and anointed by God."

Our human natures pitifully fall to the temptation to pull out the tape measure and gauge ourselves against people who seem more gifted and anointed by God."

Many women are living in silent defeat, comparing themselves to other women who are living in secret defeat. I'm not a good mother. I'm not a good wife. I'm not a good Christian. I'm not a good witness. I'm not a good housekeeper. I'm not a good decorator. I'm not a good cook. I'm not a good.... Women are caught in a cycle of the "I'm not good enoughs." One by one the petals fall from the beautiful flower God created us to be. Like ticker tape, our fragmented pieces of confidence litter the streets like the Macy's parade passihg by. Unfortunately, I wasted many precious years held captive by the enemy's lies before I held up my chained hands to God and said, "I'm ready for you to set me free."

Consider this:
Jacob was a liar.
Moses was a stutterer.
Gideon was a coward.
David was an adulterer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
Esther was an orphan.
Balaam's donkey was...well, a donkey.

And yet God used each one of them to impact His kingdom.

God doesn't call us because we are particularly gifted or talented. He uses us because we are obedient and dependent on Him. He doesn't call the qualified - He qualifies the called. The truth is, if you have experienced new birth in Christ, when God looks at you, He sees Jesus. And friend, Jesus is good enough.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You today. Because of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption in me, I am deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing and totally accepted by You. Because of Jesus Christ in me, I am equipped and empowered to do all that You have called me to do. Now, LORD, help me act like it.In Jesus' Name,Amen

(Excerpted from: Sharon Jaynes )

Fabric Easter basket

(Click pitcture for directions)

Victory: Want God's Power in Your Life Daily? Start Your Day with Prayer!

Do you want to walk in victory and live a life that is full of power and authority over the attacks of the enemy (devil) in your life? There is only one way, and it is a very simple solution! Prayer! Start making God THE priority in your day before your feet ever hit the floor in the morning.

Need an answer to something? Does something have you worried or keeping you up at night? Are you going through some kind of crisis? Do you think God doesn't care? I've been there, and I found out that God did care about me, and God cares about YOU!

I believe that God is calling us ALL to a place of living higher with more power and victory. It starts with prayer. Why? Because prayer shows humility and shows God that you not only NEED Him in your life, but you WANT Him involved in the affairs of your life. He not an intruder, and will not just barge into your life to help you. You need to give Him permission by asking Him into your life.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (King James Version)"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

If you notice in the above scripture, humbling yourself to "pray" is the first thing God said. Pray and seek Him, AND turn from doing things your own way to doing things God's way, and He will hear from heaven and heal your life.

So if you want change in your life, take a personal audit. See what's not working. If you are tired of doing things your own way and not seeing results, then it's time to do something different. If you want to walk in God's power, you can do it. The first step is to ask Jesus into your heart to be the Lord of your life, and then start to do things His way. If you don't know what His way is, I suggest that you get into a good Bible based church right away. You can contact me by email, and I will help you find a church to help you. Also, I would highly suggest my new book to help you!
You can ask Jesus to come in and be the the Lord of Your Life right now!

My new book, "IT CAN BE DONE: You Can Live in Victory 24/7" goes into much more detail about this, and is very easy and gives you practical steps that you can start to implement the day you read it!

Lisa Buldo, Holistic Health Counselor, Biblical Health Coach, Author, Speaker, and Founder of Natural Whole Health, LLC. If you're ready to jumpstart your health, get your F*R*E*E tips now at www.LisaBuldo.com.
You can receive your F*R*E*E REPORT,
"3 Big Health Mistakes ...And How to Avoid Them!" when you sign up.

VinegarTips.com

It’s easy to see why vinegar has been around for thousands of years—it has 1001 uses! From cooking and cleaning with vinegar, to gardening and home remedies, white distilled vinegar is one of the most versatile—and economical—products you can have on hand.
http://www.vinegartips.com/

Review - Sensible Portions

We received a wonderful treat in the mail, actually two from Sensible Portions. These little packages pack a whollop of flavor!

Sensible Portions are part of the Sensible product line which satisfies your sweet tooth cravings! They both make you feel like you either ate a bowl of sweetened cereal or had a couple cookies but without the cheating!

Both packages are single servings with 100 calories in each and the fat calories are at 30 (x3=90, below the limit) and no cholesterol.

These ARE a sensible serving as I can't sit here and eat the entire package at once, a bite here, another there, they truly are sweet tooth satisfying. As the bag states: "Grab a bag and satisfy your sweet tooth craving with a delicious snack that only 'feels' like you're cheating!"

You can find the Cinna-swirl and S'mores crisps online or check out the many locations they are sold at.

This is a links page to some of the most popular Procter & Gamble Web sites

http://www.pg.com/links/rosetta.html

Exercise Patience

Exercise Patience
Great things take time and preparation. It takes nine months for a baby to be born. It took Jesus 30 years to prepare for His ministry. Keep a steady pace on your journey to prosperity and don’t be in a rush. Hurrying can cause you to overlook opportunities, or even to miss His voice. Be content in your present, knowing that better is coming.
“He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.” (Proverbs 28:22)

Take The High Road

Father in heaven, I choose to hold my peace. I choose to do the right thing even when the wrong thing is happening. I trust that You are fighting my battles for me. I give You all the honor and praise. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
A Quick Prayer From Joel Olsteen
http://www.joelosteen.com/
(yep, needed this....)

Happy St. Pat's Day!

Boy did I drop the ball on this one...honey bear is half irish and it's 11 pm right now...the time it actually hit me that it's st patricks day...I can't beleive I dropped the ball....it was there, all day, right in front of my face, honey bear went into work early for this reason...and it just now hit me...where oh where is my head?!

Sew a patchwork heat pack

If you’ve ever been bothered by a sore neck or shoulders, then this is a sewing project for you. Chez Larsson shows how to make a heat pack. She uses fabric she has patched together, but you could easily just use a solid piece of fabric. I love how the insert is made up of individual compartments so it bends easily around your nect. Get the tutorial.

Don't We All Need A Reminder Like This? I Know I Do...

So, every now and then, I need a reminder. I need to be reminded that despite the never ending barrage of thoughts and responsibilities and enemy arrows and LIFE that is flying in my direction, there is One who isn't affected. There is One who knows. There is One who is holy and faithful and powerful and in control. He is my Fortress and my Refuge.
And . . . He loves me.

(thanks to Internet Cafe Devotions )

The List...

The List
Author: Unknown

Do you have anything to be thankful for? In his classic novel Robinson Crusoe, author Daniel Defoe has shipwrecked Crusoe take inventory of his life. He makes two lists. One is a list of his problems. The other is an inventory of that for which he can give thanks.

A problem he writes is that he has no clothing. On his corresponding list he writes that the weather is warm and he really has little need for clothing. Another problem is that all of his provisions were lost at sea. But on the other list he writes that he has fresh fruit and water and can provide for himself. And so it goes. He lists his problems and likewise lists all that he has going for him. He is surprised at the size of the list of his assets.

How long would your list be if you took inventory of your blessings -- all of that for which you can give thanks? For family. For friends. For faith. For health and the necessities of life. Did you know that some one million people will die this week...how is your health? Those who have food, clothing and shelter have more than much of our world's population will ever possess. Do you have these necessities of living?

How long would your list be if you took inventory of your blessings...and added one new item daily? Would you be amazed at the size of the list?

You have 1,440 minutes in every day. How would your life be different if you spent just 15 of those minutes daily giving thanks? Just 15 minutes filling your mind with concrete examples of how fortunate you are? Most of us would discover even after a few days that the exercise was life changing!

Poet Courtland Sayers put it this way:

Five thousand breathless dawns all new
One million flowers fresh in dew.

Five thousand sunsets wrapped in gold
One million snowflakes served ice cold.

Five quiet friends, one baby's love
One white sea of clouds above.

One June night in a fragrant wood
One heart that loved and understood.

I wondered when I waked that day-- In God's name -- how could I ever pay?
From: http://www.myshepard.com/thelist.shtml
“Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.” - Psalm 18:49

(Thanks to Sherry’s Inspirational List )

Great American Breakfast - Cheerios!

Who hasn't grown up with at least one box of Cheerios as their cereal choices? I believe we all have had Cheerios sitting side by side with it's sugar laden counterparts.

As a kid, I admit that Cheerios (or any non-sweetened cereal for that matter) wasn't on the top of my list, but my parents kept it stocked in our house. As I've gotten older, there is nothing better for a late night snack then a bowl of cereal and thanks to General Mills, I have the opportunity to eat something that lowers my cholesterol, is good for my heart but tastes GREAT!

When my son was small, he literally lived on Cheerios. At doctor visits, I'd mention that all he ate were cheerios, morning, noon, night, snacks...ALL DAY LONG! And it wasn't just a day, a week or month...it was MONTHS that stretched into over a year. He grew, he was healthy, he just liked Cheerios! We had to always make sure to have a bowl or bag nearby for him. Looking back, it was pretty cute, but at the time, it was PANIC LOL!

When you look at the vitamin information for Cheerios:

Cheerios have 14 vitamins and minerals, are a good source of calcium and fiber, reduce the risks of heart disease, lower cholesterol, and are an excellent source of iron. The American Heart Association even displays their heart check on the box, meaning that Cheerios is a food that meets the criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol for healthy people over the age of two years old.Nutrition Facts:Calories with 1/2 Cup of skim milk - 140Calories from Fat: 20The Nutrition Facts Below are from the box with 1/2 Cup of skim milk:Total Fat 3%Saturated Fat 3% Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5gCholesterol 1% Sodium 10% Potassium 11% Total Carbohydrate 9%Dietary Fiber 11%Soluble Fiber 1gSugars 1gOther Carbohydrate 16gProtein 3gVitamin A 15%Vitamin C 10%Calcium 25%Iron 45%Vitamin D 25%Thiamin 30%Riboflavin 35%Niacin 25%Vitamin B6 25%Folic Acid 50%Vitamin B12 35%Phosphorus 25%Magnesium 25%Zinc 30%Copper 2%

He actually was getting quite a daily dose of the good stuff.

General Mills wants to get the word out to women about having a healthy heart. Now through January 31, 2010, for every code entered at http://www.cheerioshelpinghearts.com/, Cheerios will donate $1, up to $200,000, to raise awareness for heart disease and provide free cholesterol screenings for women in need, through its partnership with Women Heart. Codes will be featured inside specially marked boxes of Cheerios cereal.

I'm grateful to General Mills for showing the public that they care about our health, for not deviating from the original Cheerios recipe and appreciate them for trying new flavors to appeal to the masses. Kudos to General Mills!

Best Places to Get Free Books - The Ultimate Guide

Although I still haven't found the time yet to post you all the links I personally have on my sites to share with you, Friedbeef.com has put together an impressive list of where to go for free ebooks and they even ask you to suggest any the left out (not that you will find the time after trying to surf this nice list!)

Review - Marxfoods.com Peppers And Rice

I've dropped many hints that this post was coming - Justin from Marxfoods.com sent us a wonderful array to review! This is the same company that I did a review for those amazing environmental friendly dishes - they also have a large array of gourmet foods.

I am not only going to tell you about the actual products, but I'm going to include links to recipes for you to try them out yourselves!







First we had the Chinese Black Rice: Black rice is also known as Forbidden rice, eaten only by the Emperor - so needless to say, I felt like royalty eating it! If you enjoy brown rice, you will absolutely LOVE and I mean LOVE black rice!

To cook it up is easy as pie: 1 c. rice, 2 c. unsalted water in your pot, brought to a boil, simmer until it's done. Due to this grain not being the same as white or brown rice (similar though), I found it cooked easy and quickly, but like with all recipes, you will have to judge the cooking time accordingly.

Remember I made a post the other day about how to cook rice? Well, forget about it with this rice. I didn't use my rice cooker, I used my pot on the burner and I only added the rice and water...no sauteing, no salting, nothing...it had a unique smell as it cooked; not sure how to explain it, but it was a mixture of good and what is that? But the outcome is SO good! The flavor is nutty and the grain is slightly chewy. I served black rice with sliced avocado, steak and buttered bread. It was simple and seriously delicious.

Honey Bear said he enjoyed it more then brown rice and I have to agree. It was great eating alone or taking a fork full with steak or avocado on it, it was all good!

Another way I am going to enjoy this rice is:

Coconut Black Rice Pudding . I need to make a grocery store run, but the reviews for it are great, and after tasting this Chinese Black (Forbidden) Rice with our meal, I just know that it will make an amazing Rice pudding!!

Next we had Himalayan Red Rice. The taste and texture of this rice is great for pilaf due to it's wonderful nutty taste. This red rice is a lovely addition to salads that call for rice for the flavor AND color. It's great with fish, chicken and/or vegetables - light meats, nothing heavy as it will overwhelm the wonderful taste of the rice. I served it next to homemade refried beans and cheese. I cook a lot of Latin foods and instead of the usual white rice, this was real good! This time, I used my rice cooker. I was worried because it needs longer cooking time, but I did my usual 1c rice to 2 c. water and 1/2 tsp salt. I turned off the cooker and let it 'steam' while I made the rest of our meal and it turned out PERFECT.

For an attractive dish, try combining red rice and white rice. The combined textures are also a treat for the palate. Just remember that the two kinds of rice have separate cooking times, so you'll want to cook them separately and then combine them.

After reading these ingredients, this recipe for Himalayan Rice Pilaf would be a perfect use for this wonderful Himalayan Red Rice!

I highly recommend both of these delicious rices - their health benefits are as big of a selling point with me as their incredible tastes! Both are full of flavor and their color is so attractive. I also recommend that you never cook either of these rices with anything else because they will change the color of what ever you're cooking with them. But as I stated earlier, wouldn't it be so cool to go to a party with a combo of red or black rice tossed with white rice. How often do you see something like that at a gathering? Plus, you'll surprise the other guests with their flavors...both of these I will be buying as often as possible.

Now we move on to peppers. Do you like peppers? I sure do...Their health benefits and intense flavors are my two top reasons for buying them.

We have three different peppers:






Dried De Arbol Peppers







Dried Aji Panca Peppers





Dried Aji Amarillo Peppers




Now, with peppers, what is hot or mild to me is not going to be the same degree with you. I'm going to make these brief and ask you to review the links to the individual peppers to see which pepper is best to your liking.

The De Arbol peppers are my favorite. These are hot, I won't kid you about this. Have you ever ordered lo mein from your local Chinese food place? It's mild, right? It is to me, but I love lo mein. I order it extra spicy - and of course, they look at me. What the finished product comes back is, they have thrown 3-4 small de arbol peppers into it and trust me when I say, it's hot, but oh so good! These peppers are great to be finely chopped up in homemade tacos if you like to make your own fresh, natural tacos. (I take green peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper, and enough hot peppers to our liking. Simmer it until the natural waters almost evaporate, stir in cooked meat of your choice and serve-delicious!)

Dried Aji Panca Peppers - these are great. If you like the flavor and heat index (mild) of poblano peppers, you'll like these - ALOT!

Dried Aji Amarillo Peppers - these peppers have a medium heat index in my opinion. What makes them great is that you can use them reconstituted or dried (grind and store). I cook Dominican food which isn't spicy, but my best friend is from Mexico and when I tasted these peppers, it brought back fond memories of eating Mexican food that was so hot, but so good....

If you ever wanted to try something different, or wanted to try a new international recipe and wasn't sure where to start - let me recommend you stopping off at Marxfood.com . The plethora of goodies they have there is amazing! They also simplify the description of each of their products so that you know exactly what you're buying - leaving out the guess work!

I am so thankful to Justin for allowing us the opportunity to review these products - they're worth their weight in gold - seriously delicious.

If I haven't sold you yet on checking out these products, visit Marxfood.com for yourself. There, you will find a giveaway for 2 lbs of the First Morels of the Season, their own blog which is packed with so much helpfull information, their newsletter which keeps you posted of sales and upcoming events, disposable dishes - perfect for parties or picnics and their very own recipes using their own ingredients!

See my review of their disposable dishes for further links around their site - and know one real important fact about Marxfood.com: the personal, one - on - one communication with them is fantastic! They care, and because they do, I know you will always be satisfied with any and all purchases you make.

Thank you for reading and considering this review, I know you'll find yourself as pleased with Marxfood.com as I am.

Review and Giveaway - Simple Green Naturals™!

Simple Green Naturals™! Green on the inside, green on the outside -- Special thanks going out to Denise at Simple Green for this opportunity to not only review this awesome line of products (natural cleaners are all I use!!), but she is also offering to one lucky winner a complete set that I received!!

I bought a few different cleaners to compare quality, dollar sense, and performance - I am highly recommending this line of Simple Green Naturals to you because they not only smell GREAT, but also work fantastic!!

Seriously, we share a bathroom, which I am cleaning at least three times a day. I normally make a mixture of bleach or vinegar with water for disinfecting purposes, but no one likes the smell. So, I buy products like Lysol, Spic 'n Span, Fantastic, and the like - but no one likes the chemical smell or me using these chemically based products. So when Denise sent me these natural products, I was ecstatic!

The first product I used was the glass and surface cleaner. I used it on the window that's in (yes IN) the shower. It immediately removed the soap scum, (mist) which has collected on it and the rosemary mint fragrance made the shower smell, expensive!

I put the liquid handsoap by the sink for all to use and of course, I have used it at least a dozen times since I've put it up there! There's no fragrance, no dry feeling, no soapy leftover on my hands, this is something I have been trying so many different soaps to find!

I used the bathroom cleanser on the shower, toilet and sink. The added rosemary mint smell just makes the bathroom smell, like I said, expensive! I love this smell and never thought the two would make this great smell.

Then we have the multi surface care cleaner which is a lemon verbena aroma to it. With it's clean, fresh lemon smell, and the performance of the product, I am thoroughly impressed on how this worked in my kitchen!

Also included was the carpet care. There's absolutely no aroma to it, you just spray and blot - took my shopping cart (in New York, these are common) wheel stains out of the carpet in a snap!

And lastly, we have dishwashing liquid. Another nice citrus smell which when I used on my pans, took any and all grease off! I hate it when I have to keep re-washing a pan to get that 'greasy feeling' off the bottom of a pan (I cook with olive oil OFTEN!). Well, this dishwashing liquid took it right off in one wash!

It's been an absolute pleasure to not only review these products: Dishwashing liquid, liquid hand soap, multi-surface care, bathroom cleanser, glass & surface care, and carpet care, but this entire set will be sent to one lucky reader!

Simple Green Naturals are made from 100% naturally sourced ingredients, are never tested on animals, promote recycling of the bottles and I had a little laugh with this one, even a common sense note on each bottle - but that's a good thing! If you accidentally get any into your eyes or swallow it, water is your best friend!

For this giveaway:

1 - please visit Simple Green and tell me what product you have used in the past, still use, or would like to use.
You will also find they have done thier own product comparison, and have that information on their site to help you in any choice to go natural; you can purchase their products online; and
2 - enter The Great Green Sweeps, <<<--now closed, no need to enter this option :-)
3 - and sign up for their newsletter.

Do one or all three of these and let me know (Giving you one to three chances to win right there!). For added entries, you can sign up for my own newsletter or twitter me, vote for me at Top Blog Sites, or tell a friend (all of which are located at the right hand side of blog-any page) - just let me know in a separate post that you did.

U.S. only, no P.O. Boxes (prize will be shipped via Fed Ex).

This giveaway ends March 27, 2009

PS: (from their newsletter) Exclusively at buysimplegreen.com! This month’s offer – get a free EGBAR plush toy with every order over $25.00. Order today and enter promotional code EGBAR09 when checking out. Don’t delay - he’s too cute to pass up! EGBAR is Simple Green’s environmental ambassador and his name is short for Everything’s Gonna Be All Right!



Thanks to: for listing this giveaway

Thank you to Just a mom's take on things... for posting my giveaway.
Thank you to Sweeties Sweeps for posting my giveaway

A Love Language Minute: Love is Not a Feeling‏

Love is Not a Feeling

I really do believe that “love makes the world go round.” Why would I say that? Because God is love. It is His love for us that makes all of life meaningful. So, what does that have to do with marriage? God made us for each other. Husband and wife – designed to work together as a mutual support team to discover and fulfill God’s plans for their lives.

In a word, love is the choice to look out for each other in the same way that God looks out for us. It doesn’t require warm feelings, but it does require and open heart.

Love is not our only emotional need, but it interfaces with all other needs. If I feel loved by my wife, then I also feel good about myself. After all, if she loves me, I must be worth loving. Ultimately, it is discovering that God loves me that gives me my greatest sense of worth. Also, if my spouse loves me, I’m more likely to feel that my life has significance.Threat or Haven?

Spouses become God’s agent for helping their partners feel loved. Few things are more important than encouraging one’s spouse to accomplish God’s plans. Marriage is designed to help us accomplish more for God. Two are better than one in His kingdom.

If we do not feel loved in marriage, our differences are magnified. We come to view each other as a threat to our happiness. We fight for self-worth and significance, and marriage becomes a battlefield rather than a haven.

Love is not the answer to everything, but it creates a climate of security in which we can seek answers to those things that bother us. In the security of love, a couple can discuss differences without condemnation. Conflicts can be resolved. Two people who are different can learn to live together in harmony. We discover how to bring out the best in each other. The decision to love your spouse holds tremendous potential.

The Power of LoveI believe that love really does make the difference between success and failure in a marriage. Keep in mind that love is not a feeling, but love stimulates feelings. The euphoric feelings of the “in love” experience are temporary; usually two years or less. But when we learn to love each other effectively we keep warm emotional feelings alive. Life is much better when we feel loved.

What's your love language? Take the 30-second quiz.

Adapted from The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman. To find out more about Dr. Chapman's resources, visit www.fivelovelanguages.com.

Very Interesting....

Not to mention the post I made some time ago about those cute little tv's at checkouts (when you watch these ads, the ads check you out), but read THIS article: How supermarkets use smells, lighting, and product placement to make you stay longer and spend more money. Retailers' Bag Of Tricks

Have You Watched Average Betty Yet?

This woman is so funny, she puts the FUN in blogging and cooking! See her here.

"The Counter-cultural Woman: A Fresh Look at Proverbs 31."

A Virtuous Woman
When you hear the phrase "a godly woman," does an actual woman come to mind? Better yet, do you think that could ever describe you?*
The Proverbs 31 woman deals with the same issues you do!
I can tell you this—she didn't get there overnight, and she hasn't yet arrived. She's a woman in process. She's a woman who, like most of us, often finds herself taking three steps forward and two steps back.
The world tells you that if you look out for yourself, then you'll be happy. But it's the woman who lives for God and others who is truly joyful.
Listen to or read more

If you think this is great, you'll love Nancy's Daily Connection.
Download the "Becoming a Woman of Virtue" PDF.
Stay connected with other true women on the True Woman Blog.

Book Review - The Great 8 by Scott Hamilton

I love to read and when I had the opportunity to read such an inspirational book, I couldn't pass it up.

As you all know who Scott Hamilton is - beloved Olympic skater who suffered through testicular cancer and a brain tumor - he has a story to tell and it's not just his battle with these devastating illnesses, but how his faith, his profession and these experiences have given him peace...happiness.

He wrote this book in a sit-down-and-chat-with-you kind of way and to me, this is the best way of hearing his story...

On the cover of this book it says: "How to be happy even when you have every reason to be miserable." He has found his own way to happiness and put it down in such a way as not to be a guru or teacher, but through stories of his career and how what he learned from skating was his inspiration for overcoming life obstacles, of maintaining healthy relationships, and how to live a life of happiness.

In his story, you find he had suffered through the horribleness of testicular cancer first. When it seemed he was illness free, he resumed 'living his life' sans cancer, which he believed was his comeback, and even wrote a memoir of his life to this point in 1999. Devastation struck him again in 2004 - a brain tumor.

Through his highs and lows, he developed The Great Eight outlining what he found to be his fundamental secrets to being happy and wrote this book in hopes that these eight will be ours as well.

His story can be an inspiration to all. Even when things are going bad, or you are in a down time of life, happiness can still be found.

The key to all our success and happiness is to trust Jesus Christ. Scott had to trust his coach’s judgment, and instruction. He could not have succeeded on his own.

The best part of this book is his honesty. He's telling his story and sharing it in hopes to inspire others - plain and simple.

I highly recommend this book for yourself or as a gift. It's uplifting, encouraging, sometimes devastating and sad, but most of all, it's a wonderful nonfiction that anyone - in good times or bad - can connect with one way or another.

Free interactive classes — learn from the Betty Crocker® Kitchen Experts.

Get kids interested in gardening with this garden in a bottle!

Terrarium Garden
Get kids interested in gardening with this garden in a bottle!

The national anthem of hell is...

The national anthem of hell is, "I Did It My Way."-- Peter Kreeft

(Thanks to Quotemeal)

Positive Tip: Positive Ways to Deal with Naysayers‏

Today I want to encourage you to be stronger and more powerful than the fear mongers and naysayers. Don’t believe the hype. Don’t buy into the fear. Don’t listen to the negativity. Tune them out. Focus everyday on being your best and bring out the best in others. Realize that naysayers are like germs. Just as exposure to germs strengthens your immune system, naysayers are meant to strengthen your resolve and determination to make an impact. They are meant to test the depths of your desire and the size of your faith. But if you know what you are here to do and why you are here to do it then the power of your purpose will be greater than any challenge or naysayer.--Jon Gordon

Jon in the News
Archived Newsletters
Speaking / Keynotes
Workshops
Watch Jon's Intro Video
Watch No Complaining Videos
JonGordon.com
TheEnergyBus.com
NoComplainingRule.com

Starting Seeds Indoors: Jump-Start Your Garden Today

I found a great article I wanted to save, but why keep it to myself! Check it out here.

Some Real Cute Projects - Free Download Or View Online

Keep Your Eyes on the Big Picture

Keep Your Eyes on the Big Picture
Don’t focus only on the here and now. Circumstances change. Hardships will pass. Pain will ease. You need to look beyond your current situation. Know that God is producing something incredible in your life. Just as the resurrection followed the crucifixion, so will promotion follow adversity. Deal with the present, but keep your eyes on the big picture.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”(2 Corinthians 4:17)

Great Short Prayer...

I just read this, and how wonderful it is...if you're spiritually tired, read this, it WILL help you, I promise!!

Dear Lord, sometimes my stress feels so heavy I think I can't go on. I have no breath or life left in me. But Your Word says that You make me lie down in green pastures. And Your g oodness and love will follow after me. Oh, how Your Word refreshes my soul and renews my spirit. Be my strength; be my rest; be my ever-present help under pressure. With You, I can make it through. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Two Days Til Our Ten Year Anniversary...

Ok, I'm reaching out here for my praying friends....Well, for our giveaway this time, I've asked one question...what are you looking forward to in 2009...for me, it's our ten year anniversary...

I'm praying this year, this anniversary is the one that sets our blessings in motion.

No, I don't pray for riches, fine cars, money to abundance...I pray for unity, friendships, family, home...I pray for enough, enough to settle those nerves, ease the fears, bring life and laughter...I pray for love, faith, trust...that firm foundation that no one and nothing came come against.

It's been a ride I never imagined, and in the same sense, if God gave me the choice, I'd still chose my honey bear and everything that comes with him all over again...see, no matter what, he's the love of my life, the spark in my engine, the cream of my crop....he's THE one...plain and simple.

I miss so much and we've had such a hard time in so many areas, I pray for God's loving grace, mercy, understanding, His intervention in such an amazing way....so, if you believe in the power of prayer, if you believe that where two or more are gathered, there is God...if you will, for our anniversary, please say a prayer for us and know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart...

Enjoy today, enjoy the posts, enjoy life!

Free Projects Gallery: Exclusively You

Bandana Bag Download PDFSize: 1.82 MB

Check out these awesome crafts! Free Projects Gallery: Exclusively You

Info Links On Organic Choices And Help

From my main site:

Answers to Your Questions About Organic Food
Organic Kitchen
Healthrecipes.com
Everything for the Organic or Raw Lifestyle
Raw Food Video
All Organic Links
Green Nest - Creating Healthy Homes
Stock A Healthy Refrigerator
Blog posts tagged apple cider vinegar
VINEGAR. It’s all natural. It’s inexpensive. And it’s powerful.
Pantry Makeover
The Complete Healthy Kitchen
Here's an expert list of what to buy organic -- and when
Garlic and Cancer
The Vegetarian Resource Group
Mollie Katzen Online
SuperFoodsRx Kitchen: Featured Recipe
Vegetarian Recipe of the Week
Organic Recipes
The healthy fridge
Starting seeds indoors
Planting Your First Vegetable Garden
Save Money While You Save the Environment
It IS Easy Being Green!
EcoStreet.com
All Foods Natural
The Truth About Organic Foods
Planting Herbs for Cooking
Serve God Save The Planet

Building A Garden Herb Spiral

Herb spirals are “in” these days. A well-made one is a pleasure to look at, requires little space, and can keep you in kitchen herbs all season long.

These are the three best sites I’ve found on that subject:
GARDEN GUIDES offers extensive instructions for setting up an herb spiral:
http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/planning/herbspiral.asp
PERMACULTUREVISIONS gives a chart on what herb to put where:
http://www.permaculturevisions.com/Herb-Spiral.htm
And VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY’s version includes a clever little watercress pond, which might also attract frogs to eat the slugs. And the mosquitoes. If you scroll way down on this site, to its blogroll on the right, you’ll see a list of unusual “green living” blogs you may enjoy exploring.
http://welcometovoluntarysimplicity.wordpress.com/2006/12/10/how-to-build-a-herb-spiral/

(thanks to TourTheSites.com)