Joyfull Living

One of the beautiful things about Essential Oils is that there are so many uses for them.  They can be used for aroma, comfort, healing and to help our beauty routine - naturally. For the hair, these oils provide beautiful benefits: I found  a chart using  essential oils and the benefits they have on your hair and scalp. Tea Tree Essential Oil – Soothes a dry and itchy scalp Lavender Essential Oil – Keeps hair shiny and growing. Lemon Essential Oil – To stop & prevent from dandruff Cedarwood Essential Oil – Encourages healthy hair growth Rosemary Essential Oil – For treating your dry and flaky scalps. Peppermint Essential Oil – Cleanses and keeps hair healthy. These can be mixed with your favorite shampoo, conditioner or hair product.

Recently, right in the middle of the busiest week of the Christmas season, two simultaneous events where I needed to be were going on. One, a church event that I was eagerly anticipating, the other a gathering to celebrate the end of a sports season my son was involved in.   Sweet hubby would have to work late this day, no one else could attend and due to another responsibility, I would be arriving late. In the moments of trying to decide which event to attend, those inadequate feeling came to mind. You know the ones...where you are walking into a crowded room alone while unsure if anyone will be welcoming.  Where would I sit, who would I talk to (15 year olds don't sit with their mothers anymore!). Every mom knows she is to be her child's biggest fan, so after corresponding with the coach, it was more for the team than for the parents. I went to the church function which was familiar and comfortable, then left early to be home with hubby for supper. Picking up ou...

Wow!  Just that fast, Christmas has past and now lives in our hearts as a cherished memory.  The tree is probably still up, but the excitement and anticipation have came to fruition.  I hope your Christmas was wonderful and that the awe of the Greatest Gift will linger in your heart all year long. As our culture encourages us, we keep moving right along.  Next week will be a New Year.  Now is the perfect time to reflect back and remember the great times of this year. Of course not all was good, we probably made some mistakes, found some areas we would like to improve, maybe suffered some hard times and need some hope and inspiration. The New Year offers the opportunity to move forward with a renewed vision, a plan to execute some changes, to instill new habits and bring on something better. As a Christian woman, most of us long to have more of the attributes of Jesus lived out in our life.  If you've walked the Christian walk for any lengt...

I just found this amazing recipe for a simmering Christmas potpourri. I was actually looking for some clip art and stumbled over to The Yellow Bliss Road !  It would be wonderful on a cold winter's evening to have this on the stove permeating the air with a warm fragrance.  Unfortunately, our Christmas weather will be warm, with temperatures in the 80s!  Instead of craving warmth and comfort, we'll have the air conditioner going and seeking relief from the heat!  But, eventually it will cool off and this is a must try for a cold winters night.  There’s no better combination than citrus and cranberry mixed with cinnamon and spices. This is a simple recipe that you can simmer on your stovetop or in a crockpot to help fill your home with these delicious scents. All of these ingredients are combined in a small pot on the stove. It's a little late, but this would make a great gift! Can't wait to try this out!

It has been said that a scent can instantly bring up a memory or past experience. We often associate cherished things in our lives through smell. As a child, my mother did not cook much.  My father loved to eat out, my mother did not like to cook, so the winning dinnertime solution was to eat out...every night!  I can still remember living in a neighborhood and smelling the delicious scent of dinner cooking penetrating into the street.  To me, there was nothing so enticing.   Fast forward over 40 years later....although we live in the country, often I go for runs in town where the routes take me through neighborhoods.  It is now Christmas season, so my favorite neighborhood has lights in the yard, bows on the mailboxes and beautiful yard decorations all through it.  Running through one day, enjoying the seasonal sights a delicious scent wafted out from one of the homes.  It had to be a cake baking and from the scent, it would be wonderful! ...

Christmas is not here yet, but it's coming fast!  It will be quickly followed by a New Year.  While it is very important this time of the year to be intentional with our time, talents and making memories, it is also a time to peek a little bit ahead. The New Year is a wonderful time to gain a fresh perspective on life, to ponder plans, to move toward goals.  There is much momentum behind us urging us on, but it is also a deep time for soul searching.   Most Christian woman have the same basic vision, for growth in the Lord.  To know Jesus more, to be more Christ-like in our actions, words and attitudes. We long for those characteristics found in Proverbs 31...kindness, wisdom, dedication etc. to be evident in our lives. While the basic desires of Christian women may be the same, there are many, individual areas each of us look for growth in.  The best way to achieve these goals, big or small is a daily quiet time. Yes, this is the te...

Christmas is coming...fast!!  If you haven't finished Christmas shopping, these are the days where the anxiety level comes up a notch.  Even if the shopping is completed, are you second guessing a little bit? More stress! One of the best remedies for the holiday stress mode and to pick back up the Christmas cheer is to intentionally slow down, take a deep breath and dare to be different...kinder, patient, encouraging.   As we jump in the hustle pace, we can give some gifts that are easy to give and a treasure to receive.  Here are a few ideas: Lavish friendliness and patience on an indifferent, slow-moving clerk. Could we inject a little gentle humor into the situation? Respond to a harsh remark with understanding and a silent prayer for the other person. Peer past the situation at hand to the person extending it. Smile genuinely at the employee cleaning up a mess and tell him that we appreciate his efforts. Everyone likes his work to be noticed. ...

We've all heard the term 'a stable home'.  Even the term by itself sounds good, but great benefits come through stability, especially in a family.  Some common definitions for the word stable include:  "not likely to fall or give way, as a structure, support, foundation, etc.; firm; steady." "able or likely to continue or last; firmly established; enduring or permanent:" "steadfast; not wavering or changeable, as in character or purpose; dependable." In a home environment, stable is more of a feeling than a procedure.  It probably look different for every family.  When families have a stable home life to go from and come home to, the challenges they have to meet out in the world are lessened and seem more manageable.  Our family recently found what 'stable' means during a recent crisis.  My husband and I had spent all day at the hospital with our son who was injured in an accident. We were exhausted and only home for ...

Few activities are as soothing and relaxing as taking a warm bath; soaking seems to ease not only sore muscles but emotional tension as well. A warm bath makes everything better.With winter right around the corner, colds may try to sneak in and wreck havoc in our homes and families.  Adding essential oils can truly turn the experience into a healing bath. Warmed by the bath water, the skin is more permeable to the oils, which can then enter the bloodstream in a faster manner, releasing their therapeutic effects. Here is a recipe for essential oil bath salts. 1 1/2 cups Epsom Salt 1/2 cup Coarse Salt 1/2 Baking Soda 15 - 20 drops Essential Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Lavender green food coloring (if desired) Combine baking soda, salt/epsom salt and mix well until combined. Drop small amounts water into the mix and stir until you get the consistency of slightly wet sand. Mixture should hold together when squeezed without crumbling but should not appear wet a...

Do you remember during your childhood when Saturday mornings were special? It was a day where sleeping late was a treasure and once you got up and going, it was time for Saturday morning cartoons!  It was a time to find a favorite spot to sit and prepare for uninterrupted pure enjoyment!   Or do you remember being a mom to young children?  The demands of motherhood and the duties of keeping a home would sometimes threaten to overwhelm you.  When movies and DVDs came out that our children loved to watch, it would be blessed 30 minutes to cook dinner, do some laundry or simply take a shower.   In our culture cartoons don't seem to hold such significance.  They are instantly available on tablets or phones and can be viewed anywhere.  But there is still something special about the couch and some time to be absorbed in a great cartoon! A recent opportunity arose to review a Christian cartoon called "Treasure Toons".  There are no small chi...

This is the perfect place in the Christmas season.  The excitement is building as we enjoy the different sights and sounds all around.  There is still time to enjoy fellowships and take care of the things that will need to be done. The stores are getting busy, but a little attitude preparation helps shopping go smoother.  This is the perfect time to throw in some Christmas Kindness. I've found the cutest printable list of random acts of kindness to do this Christmas.  Will you join me and let's spread some Christmas cheer and kindness around us?  Here is where you can get your own Printable Christmas Acts of Kindness.  

"I am not creative." Although this is true, it has also been my mantra (or excuse) when a task stretches me.  There is a big difference between being crafty and being creative.  I definitely am not crafty, but I am learning that we all have some creativity in us. Creativity is born out of limitations rather than abundance. The less we have, the more creative we must be.  The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally when I like to put up our tree.  This year as the Christmas boxes were being unpacked, the fact that there would be a Christmas gathering within the week added a little pressure for things to be 'just right'.  But obstacles started coming....we had to change the usual place the tree went.  Then went putting decorations up, things just didn't 'flow'.  I began a mental list of those talented ladies who could come help me make this work, but there wasn't time for that. Since I am a Pinterest fail, there was no use looking for ideas. Fin...

“Everything good is found in ginger,” states an old Indian proverb. Along with its delicious flavor, ginger is one of the healthiest spices in the world. Originally from Asia, ginger has been used for its medicinal purposes for nearly 2,000 years by various cultures.  I've been adding it a bit more into our diet.  Here are some of the benefits it has. 1. Relieves Stress The aroma of ginger tea is both warm and relaxing, which may ease emotional tension, soothe nerves and provide you with the perfect moment of peace amidst your busy day. 2. Eases Nausea Nothing settles an upset stomach like a mug of ginger tea. Drink after the onset of nausea to relieve the symptom, or think ahead. Sip some tea before you travel or fly to combat motion sickness before it starts! 3. Aids Digestion In addition to relieving nausea, ginger tea is renowned for aiding in food absorption during digestion. A cup of tea after a meal can also help prevent bloating and heartbu...

"People who expect nothing will never be disappointed."  That's what the little paper said that came from the fortune cookie.  All my life I've held to the thought of preparing for the worst.  With that mindset, situations usually end up on the better side but low expectations usually mean less disappointment.  Anticipation is said to be the major part of an event.  My level of anticipation stays low 'just in case it doesn't go as planned'.  Perhaps this has always been a defense mechanism, guarding against disappointment, but there comes a time to rise up and gain some courage! Being an avid walker, several hours a week are spent walking.  I consider these walks 'my time', where I can relax, get rid of the stresses of the day and also do something healthy for my body. In an attempt to fit in some spiritual exercise, I have a variety of podcasts to listen to.  Many of them offer resources that often I just have to have!   A rece...