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. ...