Cottage Kitchens

What is it about those wonderful, cozy, comfy cottage kitchens that attracts us (ME) so much? I suppose it's because they ARE wonderful, cozy & comfy.

My favorite look is a combination of primitive/shabby/cottage. I'm getting there . . . little by little. We recently re-did our downstairs bathroom ~ which I LOVE. If a bathroom could be warm & cozy, this one is! Ha!

Now, I am hoping to move on to the kitchen. Give me anything dented, warn, historic, & best yet ~ handed down from family ~ & I am in love with it. Another great thing about redecorating in a primitive/shabby style is that you don't have to worry about messing up when you paint ~ all the dings & show-through paint is exactly the look you're going for anyway.

What is it that we love about those old kitchens? Is it a sense of our childhood ~ visiting grandparents & other older relatives from days gone by? Is it the old stoves or the old sinks (LOVE the old sinks!) or the old hardware (or reproductions)? I have to say that I am especially "in love" w/the old sinks & stoves.

Here are some of my favorite looks ~ from the humble to the bright & cheery ~ which ones do you like?

And, of course, honorable mention HAS to go to everyone's favorite ~ Iris' Rosehill Cottage from The Holiday . . . 

OK. Now that we've all had our ahhhh for the day, let me know your favorites.


Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#63~ Be Prepared

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." ~I Peter 3:15-16

"Be prepared." ~Boy Scout Motto

When was the last time someone asked you why you are a Christian? Or, better yet, can anyone tell you are a Christian? If they can't already, the world seems to be changing at such a rapid pace that, hopefully, it will become more and more clear to those around us that we are Christians.


And when that time comes, when someone asks, we need to be prepared to give our answer as to the difference Jesus has made in our lives.


Boy Scouts are called upon to always be prepared to act for the common good in any situation; I would say that being prepared to tell inquiring minds and hearts the difference that Jesus has made in our lives is just as necessary as any other life-saving skill. Of course, there will be those who may scoff at any changes in our lives or even at Christ Himself, but we are required to tell.


And don't think the the humbleness of your testimony makes it any less "effective," not everyone's Christian walk includes lightening flashing across the sky at the moment of their transformation . . . not everyone can give an actual date of the day they accepted Jesus as their Savior . . . but we all know the difference Jesus has made in our lives. THAT is what the lost of this world are dying to know ~ even in the midst of their slander ~ they want what you have.


Be prepared to give them Jesus.


Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Memorial Day ~ Some Gave All

"All gave some & some gave all

And some stood through the red, white & blue

And some had to fall

And if you ever think of me

Think of all your liberties & recall

SOME GAVE ALL"

***

Thank you to our fallen ~ from the Revolutionary War to The War on Terrorism ~ & the families they left behind.  God's richest blessings upon you.

Happy Memorial Day.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

***NOTE*** This brave young man's grave ~ where his magnificent grave stone is ~ is in the same country cemetery where my mom, dad & our little girl are buried. While there for Memorial Day, we couldn't help but admire & appreciate his service to our country while we were there. I remember when he was buried, the cars in the procession stretched for nearly 2 miles. He, apparently, was an amazing young man. Thank you, Jesse Snow, for giving all for your county.

Healing Honey

Over the years that I've been blogging, I've given you recipes for different skin care products that contain honey ~ by far one of the most incredible gifts that God (& His bees) could give us.

Honey is used to heal so many ailments, both inside & out. And always keep in mind that local honey, if at all possible, is best.

Honey is one of my family's favorite acne cures ~ at bedtime, simply put a small daub of honey on the pimple, cover w/a small band-aide & in the morning your zit will be gone! Even deep cystic acne. It's amazing.

Local honey is particularly good for those w/allergies. 2ts to 1TB ( =3ts ) per day will help as well, in many cases, as Rx.

Many hospitals are finding out that honey's natural healing properties help to heal infections, burns & even staph infections.

Old folks will tell you that a TB of honey, or a nibble of honey in the comb, everyday will help keep the colds & flu away. A natural immune builder.

Raw & largely unprocessed honey is naturally antibacterial & even produces a sort of hydrogen peroxide all it's own when applied to a wound. This reaction causes the honey to go into "healing mode" & it will actually draw pus & fluids right from the wound. (Which is probably why it works so well on acne.)

Honey is also a natural energy booster. If B12 or B Complex just isn't enough for you, or you are having trouble getting your energy back after an illness, honey or bee pollen will help get you back into high gear. **Be aware that when you 1st start using bee pollen, start small & work your way up. I recommend that you begin w/only 1/4ts.

Honey will not cure cancer, but many believe that it is "anti-cancer." It naturally contains carcinogen preventing & anit-tumour properties. 

My favorite knock-it-right-out-of-you cough syrup is as simple as completely covering a ts of honey w/turmeric. You can eat it all at once or lick it off the spoon. THE BEST cough remedy ever.

If you have any other honey remedies, please share them.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<>< 

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#62~ The Blessing of a Name

". . . you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow." ~Isaiah 62:2(b)

"To him who overcomes . . . I [Jesus] will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only him who receives it." ~Rev. 2:17

"Him who overcomes . . . I will write on him the name of my God . . . and I will also write on him My new name." ~Rev. 3:12 [all emphasis mine]

In the last several months that my church has been going through the Bible using Randy Frazee's "The Story", we have covered so many wonderful true stories of tragedy and triumph of God's people and the workings of God from creation until the end of this world. This week, we will be wrapping things up by covering many of the incredible things that will happen before and leading up to the Lord's return. 

O, glorious day!

But of all the things that must ~ and will ~ happen upon the Lord's return (or my arrival in heaven, which-ever comes first), I am looking forward to something that is simply glossed over by so many as we read through all the other exciting things in the book of Revelation . . . 

I am excited, I am impatient to find out the name that God Himself has picked out just FOR ME! Aren't you? Have you ever given that any thought? For some reason that I don't understand, that simple fact of my future is beyond exciting to me. 

I know how much thought THE Man & I put into picking the names for our daughters. How much MORE thought ~ being the loving, insightful, thoughtful Father that He is ~ has God put into the name that HE has picked out just for me? For all believers? A name that only HE and I will know. WOW!! It touches my heart beyond measure. What thoughtfulness, what intimacy of our Father/daughter relationship awaits when we finally are welcomed home.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<>< 

The Benefits of Red Raspberry Leaf

For as long as I can remember, I have believed that your body will tell you what it needs. Now, granted, we all have our bad habits & addictions ~ whether "bad" food, drugs, alcohol, etc. ~ but I believe that if you try to live a healthy life & listen to your body, it will tell you what is good for it. After all, no one knows yours body as well as you do.

One of my all-time favorite foods has always been raspberries. Mmmmm. It started early for me because the home I lived at until I was 12 years old was bordered by a large woods & it was filled with raspberry briars & mulberry trees! Oh . . . it was Berry Heaven!

So, when my quest to live a healthier lifestyle began several years ago, it was no surprise to me to find out that raspberries were good for you ~ especially for women. My only surprise was to find out HOW good they are for you.

Not only is it good for the whole family, but most especially, red raspberry leaf is good for pregnancy, childbirth/labor & breastfeeding moms.

According to the book "Be Your Own 'Doctor'", red raspberry helps with:

• easing morning sickness for pregnant women
• relaxing the smooth muscles of the uterus when it is contracting
• assists with the birth of the baby & the placenta
• calms uterine cramping during the menstrual cycle
• provides a rich source of iron, calcium, manganese & magnesium; Magnesium helps to strengthen the uterine muscle
• aids in fertility for BOTH men & women
• promotes a rich, plentiful supply of breast milk
• stops excess bleeding after birth
• treats diarrhea
• regulates irregular menstrual cycles & decreases heavy periods
• relieves sore throats
• reduces fever & fights the flu

**I will have to say at this point that in my research I have found a bit of a conflict as to whether women should drink red raspberry tea in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy ~ some resources say it's safe to drink the whole pregnancy, others say to only drink it while trying to conceive & then for the last 8-10 weeks of pregnancy to help your body prepare for labor ~ but ALL say to drink as much as possible during labor & while you are breastfeeding.

B.Y.O.D. Pregnancy Tea Mix 

~3 parts red raspberry leaf

~1 part alfalfa leaf

~1 part nettle leaf

~1 part peppermint leaf (for flavor *optional*)

Directions:

~Mix all herbs a keep in a glass container w/a good lid

~use 1 TB of the mix per cup in boiling water

~let steep for 10 minutes, sweeten

It is also said to aid those with incontinence "issues" & as a source of calcium & magnesium in "its most assimilable form."  Not only that, but because of the high absorption rate, it helps with BOTH improving uterine tone in post-menopausal women AND, when drinking it in the weeks after childbirth, it will help get the uterus back to normal size (as well as make your breast milk rich & plentiful ~ as mentioned earlier). As you can see from the list above, red raspberry leaf is so good for women. 

It can even help with teen-age acne by drinking 1 or more cups a day during a break-out!

Here's another plus: the late Dr. John Christopher recommended a red raspberry "flu" tea to rid &/or shorten the duration of a nasty cold or flu ~ both head & stomach flues. You can also drink this tea a an immune-booster to prevent colds & flu.

Flu Tea

~3 parts red raspberry leaf

~2 parts peppermint leaf

~1 part alfalfa leaf

~1 part nettle leaf

~1/4 part Yarrow flower

Directions:

1) Mix all ingredients together & store in glass jar w/a good lid

2) use 1 to 1-1/2 TB per cup or mug

3) at 1st symptoms or during illness, drink every hour

And, in case you are interested, here's 1 of my favorite red raspberry tea recipes:

~ 1/2 c. red raspberry leaves

~ 1/2 c. green tea leaves

~ 1/2 c. hibiscus flowers

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients & store in a glass jar with a good lid

2) use 1 to 1-1/2 ts per cup; steep 5-10 minutes.

Isn't it amazing what the Lord provides for His children?

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

**Please note disclaimer at bottom of page**

Very Simple Chamomile Healing Salve

 Google Photo as example

About a year ago, I gave you my recipe for my favorite healing salve. I know that there are many times that when we WANT a salve is right when we NEED a salve and my other recipe takes about 2 weeks to cure. So, here is a recipe for a lovely Chamomile healing salve that only needs to cure over-night.

 Chamomile flowers in a jar on my Hoosier hutch

I keep a little jar of chamomile flowers on-hand all the time. It's good for so many things . . . including a comforting cup of chamomile tea in the evening.

But let's get back to the salve . . . 

You will need:

~1 c. of coconut oil (FYI ~ the better coconut oils are sold in the grocery section of most health food stores and come in a semi-solid state. I recommend Barlean's or Garden of Life)

~2 handfuls of chamomile flowers (bought in bulk at a health food store or bulk food store)
~small or medium-sized cooking pot
~a wooden spoon (preferred but not mandatory)
~cheese cloth
~container with a pour-spout (I use a Pyrex measuring cup); 

~small containers, ex: mint tins, baby food jars, small cream jars, mini canning jars, lip balm containers, etc ~ make sure your container has a good, air-tight lid.

Directions:

1) in the cooking pot, heat the cup of coconut oil to it's liquid state. DO NOT BOIL;
2) add the chamomile flowers;
3) mixture will begin to foam, when it does, stir mixture so that it is completely blended;
4) remove from heat and place, STILL IN THE PAN, in a cool place overnight ~ cover with a dish towel;
5) in the morning, re-warm the mixture ~ DO NOT BOIL;
6) while it is warming, get out as many of your containers it takes to hold your salve; this recipe is a small batch so it won't take many;
7) after the mixture is re-heated through, strain it through the cheese cloth into a measuring cup or something w/a pour-spout;
8) pour into your container. You can use it immediately in it's semi-liquid state or wait for it to cool into the salve form.

Google Photo as example

This lovely chamomile salve is great for diaper rash, cuticle cream, lip balm and most other minor skin irritations that other balms and salves are good for. Chamomile is wonderfully soothing, healing and has it's own light fragrance.

Quick, easy, effective ~ you will love it!

{***This recipe can be easily modified for other herbs ~ EX: lavender, German chamomile, peppermint, white willow . . . etc.***}

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#61~ By Faith . . .

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see . . . By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible* . . . And without faith it is impossible to please God . . . 

"By faith Abel . . . By faith Enoch . . . By faith Noah . . . By faith Abraham . . . By faith Isaac . . . By faith Jacob . . . By faith Joseph . . . By faith Moses . . . By faith . . . " ~selected verses from Hebrews 11:1-23 [all emphasis, mine]

[*ex nihilo = out of nothing]

Have you ever taken one of those "Gifts of the Spirit" tests? I suggest that you do, they are very interesting and informative. I've probably taken 3 different ones, and every time, my most prominent gift is faith. 

Jesus often spoke about faith and the faith (or lack thereof) of some. He told His disciples to have faith (Mark 11:22); in response to the faith of the mother and father of a little girl who had just died, He raise her (Matt. 9:18); in response to the faith of a paralyzed man, He not only healed the man but forgave his sins . . . 


And in response to the faith of those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, He is preparing the road ahead of us to do great things in His Name!


So, step out in faith, pray those prayers of faith! Then someday, our descendants may read a note written in our family Bible that says . . . 


"In faith Kim . . . "


"In faith [your name here] . . . "


Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Mother's Day is Coming

This year's Mother's Day will be a little bitter-sweet for me. Oh, I'm always excited to spend the day with my family ~ especially now that DD#1 has lived away from home for a while & is now planning her wedding; 

but this will be my first year without MY own Mother. But one thought of where she is, where she is on this Mother's Day, & I can't be sorry for her, but only for myself. Selfish as that may be.

I hope that you, my dear blog-sisters & friends, have a wonderful Mother's Day with many precious memories in the making.


Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Vacation 2012 ~ Part 2

I simply can't believe how quickly our vacation went by ~ but we are thankful to have many photos to remember it by. Today, I'll share some of the sights we saw . . . 

Of course, a large part of our time was spent at the pool & on the beach at our time-share. Lovely, long, lazy days. 

Our mermaids :-)

 Here are some of my beach finds. You can see from my hand how BIG the oyster shells were!

 Something else we did was visit the Tampa Aquarium. We took a Dolphin Cruise boat ride. Lots of fun. Of course . . . by the time I got my camera up to my face, when dolphins were sighted, all I really got was their tales! lol But it was a beautiful day & we still had fun.

 A view of Tampa from Tampa Bay:

Some of the sights inside the Tampa Aquarium . . . some beautiful . . . some down-right scary! . . .

This is DD#2 taking pictures, silhouetted against the aquarium.

"Saw the whole thing, Dude. 1st you were all like 'whoa,' & we were like 'whoa,' & you were like 'whooooa!'" {~ the Green Sea Turtle from Finding Nemo}

Leopard Sharks

Sand Sharks . . . HUGE!

And with that friendly smile 8-/ I'll end for the day. Thanks for sharing our long-awaited vacation memories.

More later . . . 

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><