Caprese Egg Bagel

I must be missing summer. This meal is absolutely delicious with tomatoes and basil fresh from the garden. Oh, to be outside, smelling tomato leaves and getting dirt packed under my fingernails. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen in February in Minnesota… So, store bought produce will have to do. Caprese being absent from the menu all winter long would be ridiculous!

I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that while I love cooking from scratch, I thoroughly appreciate quick, healthy meals. This one fits the bill!

The following recipe is for 1-2 servings. It would be great served with a side of fresh fruit as an easy lunch!

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
1 bagel
2 eggs
2-4 slices mozzarella cheese, depending upon the size of your block.
Tomatos, either a handful of cherry tomatoes or a few slices of a large tomato.
Red onion, two thin slices
Dark balsamic vinegar and olive oil for drizzling.
Salt, pepper, garlic powder and basil for seasoning.

** If you don’t want all the carbs of a bagel (they’re a weakness of mine…), you could layer everything in a low-carb tortilla wrap. I would suggest eating it with a fork and knife to avoid a frustrating mess!

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Slice the bagel in half and place face down in the pan. Add the two eggs to the pan.

Season the eggs with salt, pepper and garlic powder and cook to your preference. Add the cheese to the top of the eggs just before done so that it melts a little.

Remove the bagel halves from the pan. Place the eggs on top.

Add the sliced red onion and tomato…

Drizzle with the vinegar and oil…

Sprinkle on the basil…

Then eat with a fork and enjoy! Mmm mmm 🙂

Explore The Uses Of Honey!

“My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.”  Proverbs 24:13

It can be spread on bread, added to tea, and used in baked goods. The possibilities with honey are endless! Not only is it sweet and delicious, but it’s also packed full of benefits to your health. Think it’s too good to be true?

Well it’s not! History shows us that honey has played an important part in medicine for hundreds of years. That’s due to its many amazing properties. Let’s look at some of the practical, fun ways to use honey and the ways we benefit from it!

1. Sugar substitute – As a general rule of thumb, use 1/2 – 3/4 cup of honey to 1 cup of sugar. Honey is much more beneficial than sugar. Looking at history, there’s a link between the increased intake of processed white sugar and a rise in obesity, mood disorders, cancers, lowered immune function and heart disease.

2. Full of nutrition! – There’s protein, fiber and 22 amino acids in honey. It also contains the minerals iron, sodium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and calcium. AND honey has the vitamins folate, niacin, vitamin C and vitamin B6.

3. Weight loss aid – Honey is beneficial for metabolism function. It helps digest stored fat when consumed with warm water. In fact, honey has over 5000 enzymes! One of them being amylase – an enzyme that assists in digesting carbohydrates.

4. Energy source – Since the 64 calories per tablespoon in honey are so pure, they are easy for the body to digest. Which means less energy spent digesting and more left available for other activities!

5. Antioxidant – Honey has the ability to remove free radicals in the body. This helps to prevent cancer and degenerative diseases.

6. Antibacterial and antifungal properties – This makes honey a natural disinfectant.

7. Wound management – The antimicrobial properties of honey help to begin the healing process and speed it up. This makes it useful on sores and scrapes, skin ulcers, burns and wounds. Honey kills bacteria and reduces inflammation.

8. Soothes sore throat – Honey’s antibiotic properties make it very effective for this. Simply add it to tea or eat a spoonful.

9. Creates heathy skin – Drinking milk mixed with honey daily is a regular practice throughout much of the world. It’s known to bring smooth skin.

10. Combination soap and moisturizer – Simply rub onto skin and rinse off with warm water while gently exfoliating. This helps to treat acne and create baby-soft skin!

** Important Information: Do not feed honey to an infant under 1 year old. Here’s a quote from a reputable website that has information I’ve thoroughly appreciated on numerous topics:

“The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that raw honey not be given to infants under one year of age because of the rare possibility of being infected with the bacteria that causes botulism (Clostridium botulinum). Once a toddler reaches one year old, their digestive system is mature enough to kill any botulism germs.” Ask Dr.Sears

I’m providing that information because I never understood why everyone says no honey under one. In case you’re curious about what botulism is, it’s a serious food poisoning that if left untreated can lead to paralysis of the respiratory muscles, arms and legs.

However, our children with mature digestive systems can very safely consume honey. Once you begin regularly using it, I guarantee you’ll be hooked! But it’s important to remember that with honey, quality matters. Raw is by far the best way to buy honey. Commercial, processed honey is filtered and heated. This removes the majority of its nutritional value and instead creates a basic sweetener without all the benefits. Alternatively, raw honey is unaltered and possesses all the natural vitamins, enzymes and other nutritional properties. Buying raw honey can be a little more expensive, but it’s definitely worth it. It can be found at many grocery stores and health food stores. Here is the link to my source for the local, family owned honey I like to buy.

Three Bears Honey

I’m consistently pleased with the product!

Enjoy exploring the numerous uses of honey and reaping the benefits! I would love to hear any of your input on honey 🙂

Sources researched for this article:

Organic Facts

Pure Healing Foods

Whole New Mom

CDC Website

Controlling The Tongue

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words with out a heart.” John Bunyan (1628 – 1688)

The tongue is a small part of the body. But when allowed to act freely, it can bring on a world of destruction. Words guide the entire course of every life and possess the power to light it on fire. Today’s culture throws out rash words without a second thought. Social media keeps a track record of all the careless posts, texts and tweets plastered up for any interested eye to read. Once announced, there’s no real way to take a statement back. In some ways, our words are like creatures that fly. They drift into the distance and leave us no way of knowing the many places they will land. However, they are unique in that once released, they are impossible to retrieve. (Concept from a Russian proverb). We are known by our words. They expose the condition of our hearts and can lead towards life or death.

Matthew 12:33-37 shows the extent to which words impact individual futures – Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

We’re aware that what our tongues produce is of utmost importance to the Lord. But what can we do to regularly produce good fruit through our speech? One simple and productive step is to talk less. The foolish use miles upon miles of words while possessing no destination. Whereas the wise use few words that lead in the direction of knowledge and life. When I see someone hold back a statement that I know is dying to be released from their lips, I feel that I’m witnessing true wisdom in action. Words can be hurtful, cause dissension and make us look incredibly foolish. Many times it’s best not to speak at all and instead remain silent. It’s God’s job to avenge and He will in His perfect time. The Lord looks with fondness upon those who practice self control in their speech. Statements that don’t build others up are not worth saying at all. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4). Do you think God observes you with joy when you allow corrupt talk to pour forth from your lips? If so, you have been deceived. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? (James 3:10-11).

God formed our bodies with two ears and one mouth for a reason – it would be a good decision to take the hint. The moment we cease listening to wise instruction we stray away from true knowledge. A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. (Proverbs 18:2). After all, if no wood is added to a fire, the flame will die. In the same way, if no harsh words are added to a heated conversation, the disagreement will subside. (Concept in Proverbs 26:20-22). Any married person knows that middle ground will never be discovered if both parties refuse to listen and only wish to speak

So the question needs to be asked: Why did He even create us with tongues? Let’s look at a couple of Jesus’ disciples for an example. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13). When proclaiming Christ and the kingdom of God, we are to speak boldly and without hindrance! If we ask for the words to give out the saving message of Jesus effectively, He will give them to us. When is the last time you asked that of God?

We’re also instructed to edify and build one another up. A kind word given at the right time can instill confidence in someone who formerly never possessed it. An encouraging statement prompted by the Holy Spirit can give someone the courage to move forward in a ministry when tempted to give up.

Words can break down, lead astray, cause strife and destroy. They can edify, give life, show grace and spread love. How drastically this world would change if we attentively listened and prayed before allowing our mouths to open.

Discerning Sin

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Satan is not the boogyman or villain from a horror movie. He’s real. He’s a smooth talker. And he’s working full time to win you over. We live in a fallen creation ruled by the prince of all rebellion. He’s constantly at work battling for each and every one of our minds.

It’s high time we pay attention to what Paul wrote the believers in Corinth, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3). The pull and false allure of a degraded humanity is a constant in our day-to-day lives.

I realized there was a struggle in my own life that needed to be dealt with when I began to cry for no apparent reason on my drive home from a gathering. My struggle had been creeping up for months previous to that occasion.

Around groups of people, I was often dealing with feelings of attack and battling defensive thoughts. I can remember lies being planted in my mind – It really looks like you’re doing a terrible job. Everyone thinks you’re being lazy. They all think you’re dumb and can’t decide anything for yourself.

I’m generally not overly affected by other people’s thoughts towards me – but I am a chronic people pleaser. Satan knows that field of my mind could potentially have prime soil for him to deceitfully plant his lies.

The devil knows our weaknesses and takes advantage of them. But we have a Lord who not only knows us intimately, but also created us. He has so much more power! However, they both have the ability to observe and take note of our repeated sinful tendencies. They can read our weaknesses as easily as a person out to dinner can read the longing in a dieting woman’s eyes as the brownie she just turned down gets slowly walked away from her table.

Let us not be like that woman. Constantly battling whether or not to gratify our sinful desires gives Satan way too much of an opportunity. And it also disappoints our Lord by not focusing solely in the ways He directs us. Remember Lot’s wife? (Genesis 19:26).

I became aware that I was holding myself back from a life 100% surrendered to God. Without actually being aware of it, my thoughts were seeking to glorify myself. As a follower of Jesus, my goal should be a life of Him being glorified through me. Now, realizing that my battle was with pride, I’ve been able to deal with those emotions immensely easier. I can recite to myself Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall“. Immediately confess and turn from it!

Making an effort to recognize our sin is imperative in order to possess lives purely devoted to Christ. Proverbs 28:13 says, “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” How can we expect to triumph over a struggle if we don’t acknowledge our sins and repent from them?

In order to notice the presence of sin, it’s important to remember that we are to live by the standards given in the Bible. We cannot conduct our lives and make decisions based on the moral code we’ve been spoon-fed by our culture. God desires followers who pursue clean minds.

That is not easy with a media who immerses us in everything our Father hates – arrogance, lying, hatred, murder, lust, wicked schemes, dissention, idolatry, et cetera. The battle in this fallen world is for our thoughts. “…The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

But have hope! James 4:7 tells us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. As believers, we have power over the evil one. Discernment through the Holy Spirit within us can turn us from darkness towards light. It can direct us to the power of God’s rule in our lives instead of the power of Satan, who is the father of lies. Then we can receive forgiveness and become sanctified through our faith in Christ.

I’ve experienced God’s power to take away a repeated sinful tendency. I used to constantly worry about finances. Even when my family’s bank account was sitting just fine and our bills were easily being paid, I would find one way or another to worry about money. I hated my lack of trust and it took a toll on my husband. As of late, we make less money together than any other time in our marriage. And I honestly do not stress about money!

I did nothing different except for begging God to take that worry away from me. And He did! Focusing with too much emotion and obsession on our finances is an important sin to run away from. “You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24). It’s that simple. By putting any amount of faith in money, we strip away any trust put in God.

There are a multitude of sins that can creep into our lives. And they first become acquainted with us by being allowed into our minds. Isn’t it awesome when we recognize a sin early and give it the boot? A teacher I know told me a statement that showed me the importance of stopping a sin early: a slow drift leads to a quick turn. No human lives a perfect life. However, it’s important to be aware of the fact that every seemingly small, but wrong behavior that we justify will eventually have consequences.

Discerning sin requires the Holy Spirit to work within us. If we ask for discernment He will give it to us. We simply need to be willing to let God lead and follow in the way we’re directed. Many times He will speak and direct through His Word. Seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit and reading God’s Word need to go hand in hand.

God’s Word and His Spirit are full of might. Authority over all of this world is possessed by the Lord. His kingdom is not an affair of mere talk but of power. And we’ve been given the invitation to have the mighty and righteous Holy Spirit live within us. So, who’s power are you allowing to rule in your daily life?

Explore The Uses Of Garlic!

We are blessed to live in a time of advanced medical technology. Taking advantage of what our current clinics and hospitals have to offer can be a very wise decision. My family definitely does when circumstances deem it necessary. But I absolutely LOVE when I’m able to treat something at home with natural, “old-school” methods!

Hippocrates, a Greek physician often referred to as “the father of Western medicine”, commonly prescribed garlic as a treatment for multiple medical ailments. He said the following,

“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”

That’s a beautiful philosophy I hope to successfully implement in my home. Throughout history, several cultures have used garlic not only for cooking, but also for its therapeutic benefits (or possibly for warding off vampires, close-talkers, etc). I’m pretty much obsessed with cooking with it, so I might as well see what else I can do with garlic-the-wonder-vegetable!

It’s a natural antiinflammatory and antibiotic. Garlic is also high in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, manganese and small amounts of many other beneficial nutrients. Unfortunately, heating garlic removes some of these amazing qualities. Heating it over medium heat for less than five minutes has been shown to allow garlic to keep most of the benefits from its raw state. It’s still a wonderfully rewarding food to cook with, but in order to fully reap its wide array of benefits, garlic is best to eat raw.

I know, I know…yuck! In order to eat raw garlic you don’t have to plop a whole clove into your mouth and chew away while trying to disguise feelings of horror. We’ll discuss some enjoyable ways to add raw garlic into our diets….but after we look at a list of its many fascinating benefits and uses!

1. Boosts immunity – Garlic’s been shown to aid in preventing the common cold and flu. It can also help to reduce the level of their severity.

2. Improves high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

3. Prevention from certain cancers – When consumed raw, garlic’s been shown to help protect against lung, prostate, breast, stomach, rectal and colon cancers.

4. Treat ear infections – The use of garlic for ear infection treatment is a common remedy used throughout the world. The bacteria that cause ear infections can be killed by garlic. Simply drip a couple drops of garlic oil into the infected ear canal as needed throughout the day (as long as the ear drum is not perforated). Garlic oil can either be purchased, or you can make some yourself. Mince a clove of garlic and saute it in 1 tsp of oil for just under five minutres. Allow to cool and strain out the garlic.

5. Treat yeast infections – This is another common remedy known throughout the world. The antifungal properties in garlic help to get rid of the infection.

6. Cure athlete’s foot – Garlic has natural antifungal properties that come in handy for this, too. Just put a few cloves of crushed garlic into warm water. Soak your feet in it for about thirty minutes.

7. Get rid of cold sores – Cut a clove of garlic in half. Apply it to a cold sore for ten minutes several times a day. No, you won’t smell good for that day and the acid levels of garlic can cause some discomfort when initially applied. But it has been shown to be equally as effective as expensive treatments that can be purchased and comes with no side effects. You’ll have to weigh out the pros and cons for yourself.

8. Treat acne – The antibacterial properties of garlic can help lesson a difficult to treat breakout. Slice open a raw clove and apply to the effected area for ten minutes.

9. Pesticide and mosquito spray – I’m excited to try these ones! For instructions on making the pesticide spray look here: Pest Control Options ; for mosquito spray look here: Wise Bread.

Now, here’s some ways to add fresh, raw garlic to our diets.
– Add minced garlic to homemade ranch instead of garlic powder. (Homemade ranch is so easy! Simply mix mayo or yogurt with milk to your desired consistency and add salt, pepper, onion powder or dried minced onion, dill and garlic!)
– Add to homemade salsa.
– Add to homemade guacamole.
– Put on toast with butter.
– Put in oil and vinegar salad
dressing
– Top spaghetti or any other pasta dish
with raw, minced garlic.

Get creative and see what you can come up with!

Well, who knew? Looks like you better add some fresh garlic to your next grocery list!

Sources researched for this article:

Medical News Today

Authority Nutrition

Dr. Weil

Eco Salon

Intentional by Grace

Discovering Prayer

A beeping alarm clock demandingly pulls me out of a pleasant slumber.  I don’t appreciate being woke up at an hour that polite society still considers nighttime.  But the fact that I’m only here for five days gives me enough motivation to hesitantly slide myself out of the hotel room bed. 

I skip my normal routine from back home – a hot shower, applying make up, putting every hair in its necessary place and mulling over what shirt seems right for the day.  I trade it in for a quick face rinse, tooth brushing and throwing on whatever outfit I happen to pull out of my suitcase.

Arriving at the church van, I see my friends are in the same groggy state as I feel.  As we speed down the pothole-filled streets of Reynosa, Mexico, I attempt to remember why I signed up for this mission trip.  “I appreciate the privileged life I have.  I’m involved at youth group.  Do I really have to be doing this?….” –  My thoughts are interrupted by the van abruptly coming to a stop.  It’s now 5:00 in the morning.

We follow our leader up the stairs of a quiet building and enter a large, dimly lit room.  I was told we would be meeting for an hour of prayer time every morning, but this is not what I had envisioned.  Brothers and sisters in Christ from around the city met here every morning to pray.  Most of them were walking in one large circle around the perimeter of the room – some quiet and somber, others fervently talking out loud to God.

Feeling completely out of my comfort zone, I join in the activity of walking and praying.  But instead distracted thoughts bounce through my head – “Some people I know back home complain about getting up one extra morning a week for Sunday School.  They do this every morning here! This isn’t a mission trip for them – this is their actual lives!”.

Sharing a memory from a mission trip I went on when I was fifteen might seem like a strange way to lead into the topic of prayer.  But it’s where my eyes were opened and I began a journey of discovering how a true Christian life looks.

I learned a lot on that mission trip. But something that stuck with me the most was the faith of the people. They were full of self sacrifice, devotion to prayer, gratitude and love – qualities I knew needed to be brought into my own life. And now many years later I’m still working on consistently living them out.

So, why do we pray? Does God hear all of our prayers? Are we even praying right? Prayer can be a frustrating concept. But it’s an incredibly important aspect of a Christian life – a concept that we must understand.

An unfortunate and common misconception is that God must answer all our petitions with a ” Yes” in order to be responding to them. Here’s a hypothetical scenario to paint a picture of this – My husband walks in the door after work one day exhausted and filthy. I ask him to please wash the dishes. He responds, “Honey, I had a rough day today. I’m going to shower first and wash them after that, OK?”. I then respond over and over, ” Wash the dishes? Wash the dishes? Could you please wash the dishes? “. As if I’m completely deaf. I do this until he relents with a quick, “Alright, crazy person”, and begins washing the dishes without showering first.

That would not be a healthy move AT ALL for our relationship. I hope to never treat my husband in that manner, and I highly doubt you would interact with that attitude towards anyone you love either. But many times that’s how our prayer life looks. We act ignored and rejected when God simply responds, “Wait, dear one. Have faith in My plans for you.” or, “I have something so much better in the works for that part of your life.”. If there’s no immediate results, He must not be answering our prayer. It’s forgotten that God knows all things. The past and the future are in His capable hands – and He has a beautifully perfect plan for everything.

As God’s children, we are to approach Him with the consistency that we do a close friend and interact with Him in the same caring, devoted and present manner that we do with loved ones. But we are also to show Him a respect, reverence and holy fear that we show no other.

Another unfortunate trend is only spending quality time in prayer when we are in need. What if we went to a close friend only when we wanted something from them? They would probably cease being our close friend. We are so blessed to have a gracious and forgiving Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing. The prayers of God’s children are like sweet smelling incense and glorious music to His ears. They’re the way we acknowledge our desire for His leading and dependence on His redemption. He is a constant source of grace and love that can be found nowhere else.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”. While the frequency of prayers are worth addressing, there’s something of more importance – Are they rooted in a right heart?

We’re told to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing (Timothy 2:8). Harboring unforgivingness taints the condition of our hearts. A step in prayer that cannot be forgotten is to notice the plank in our own eye instead of complaining of the speck in someone else’s eye. Without recognizing this, our prayers run a high risk of not being within God’s will.

God doesn’t always answer “Yes” like we want. Could it sometimes be because we’re praying with wrong motives (James 4:3)? Even when our ways seem innocent to us, our motives are weighed by the Lord. If we first commit all our plans to Him, we will succeed (Proverbs 16:2-3).

Righteousness is defined as holy and upright living, in accordance with God’s standard. It’s said that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective (James 5:16). So how do we become righteous? Jesus’ death on the cross made it possible for Christ’s righteousness to transfer to those who trust in Him alone. By trusting God, our faith is credited as righteousness (Romans 4:5).

Verses throughout the Old and New Testiment express the importance of ridding oneself of unrighteousness before prayer. It’s a necessity to repent and humble ourselves prior to approaching the throne of God.

Prayer is how we build a relationship with God. He is the Creator and Ruler of all things! He unleashes lightening and tells the rain and snow when to fall on the earth. Hawks take flight by His wisdom and eagles soar at His command. (Job 38-39).

This Almighty God, Alpha and Omega and Living One is available to each one of us! He’s standing at the door knocking – we have free, constant access to Him through prayer! Seeking wisdom is good. Evangelizing is good. Gaining knowledge is good. But it’s all to no gain if we’ve failed to build it on the foundation of knowing God.

“This is what the LORD says:

Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises
kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in this I am delighted,
declares the LORD.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Explore The Uses Of Yogurt!

Everyone knows yogurt is a nutritional star of the food world. It’s packed full of protein, probiotics, vitamin b12, potassium, iodine and calcium.

In order to reap the full benefits of yogurt, it’s important to buy the right kind. Plain yogurt is by far your best choice. You can always sweeten it with raw honey on your own and consume much less sugar. I prefer whole milk yogurt. It tastes better and many times has less sugar and unnecessary additives than its low-fat or no-fat competitors. Just always read labels and go with a short ingredient list.

Greek verses regular yogurt is a matter of preference. Greek yogurt is simply strained yogurt – so it has less whey and more protein. More protein is a good thing, but whey has benefits as well. It’s a personal choice.

It’s also important to make sure your yogurt says “live and active cultures” somewhere on the label. Those lovely qualities are where many of yogurt’s benefits lie. Unfortunately, a lot of “big name” yogurts don’t contain live probiotics. The majority are killed off due to intense heat during the pasteurization process.

I’ve been hooked on yogurt for breakfast for quite a few years now. It’s wonderful paired with fresh fruit, a healthy granola and a dash of cinnamon. Recently, I’ve been blending my yogurt together with fruit and spinach to have as a breakfast smoothie…yummy! I’ve been happy with Dannon All Natural. It’s reasonably priced and has live and active cultures. Yogurt can also be used as a substitute for mayo and sour cream. I’ve even used it as a substitute for milk or water when baking.

The benefits that yogurt brings to our bodies when we eat it is impressive enough. But did you know there’s other ways to benefit from it too? Let’s look at the many interesting benefits and uses of yogurt!

1. Good for the gut – It balances good and bad bacteria in the intestines. While antibiotics are taken to kill harmful bacteria, they can also kill good bacteria in the process. Yogurt is a great way to restore your good bacteria. This benefit also makes it a helpful choice to run to when battling diarrhea. The probiotics in yogurt are all around great for digestive health.

2. Effective weapon against yeast infections – Yogurt contains the bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus, which kills yeast. By restoring pH levels and good bacteria, yogurt soothes and can cure uncomfortable yeast infections.

3. Prevention against urinary tract infections – The balance of good and bad bacteria gained from daily yogurt consumption helps keeps infections in check.

4. Hair mask and conditioner – Yogurt gives hair shine, soothes inflamed or irritated scalps, reduces hair loss and split ends. Simply massage it into your scalp and hair, leave in for 20-40 minutes and rinse out thoroughly with warm water.

5. Soothing facial– Yogurt moisturizes and brightens skin. It also fights acne. Apply a layer of it to your face, leave on 10 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

6. Sunburn relief – The zinc in yogurt helps soothe burning and itching skin. It helps sunburn along in the healing process by reestablishing the skin’s pH balance. Coat the burned area with yogurt, leave on 10-20 minutes and rinse off with cool water.

7. Enhance immune health – The bacteria, Bifidobacterium lactis, within yogurt has effectively been shown to trigger immune response.

For these uses to be most effective, it’s important to use plain yogurt. Especially if your using it to treat a yeast infection – yeast thrives on sugar. Now add yogurt to your shopping list! It can bring endless benefits to your whole body!

Sources researched for this article:

Home Remedies For Life

Health Line

Riordan Clinic

Womanitely

World’s Healthiest Foods

Care 2

Web MD

Becoming Wholly Present

As I look at my floor scattered with toys and laundry, a lump of emotion forms in my throat. Someday those colorful dolls and clothes will move out of my home – just like my sweet daughter once she’s grown. And I will be so very grateful that I played, laughed and created memories with her on that floor instead of endlessly cleaning it.

My role as a mother thus far has been far from a picture of perfection. I’ve yelled, pulled my hair in frustration and at moments felt like a failure. But I’m so glad I’m not letting her childhood slip by without notice.

I’ve watched as my daughter, Gracie’s, cheeks turn a perfect pink while she peacefully sleeps. I’ve enjoyed the sound of her hysteric laughter at the sound of a toot and wild screams as she chases our dogs. Her sticky hands have grabbed my cheeks for dramatic kisses. Layers of her snot and drool have dried on my shirt during sick days.

I know I’m not alone when I say becoming a mother has made me realize how fast life passes by. A scheduled routine moves one day into the next without notice. Taking moments to pause and appreciate our existence is imperative to a whole life. Not only is enjoying our children important, but also our other relationships and surroundings.

The realization that I was beginning to neglect listening to my husband was disturbing. I think it slowly began happening after we became parents, which sadly seems quite common. When Joe shared with me about his day or anything on his mind my thoughts would quickly wander – “What am I making for supper? Where did I stop in that last writing? Oh, Gracie’s so cute! Did I switch the the laundry?” – Honestly pathetic behavior. Being ignored is not a good feeling. The Word of God gives us some instruction on listening to others:

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”
James 1:19

“If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” Proverbs 18:13

“Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding.”
Proverbs 2:2

Moments when our thoughts are paused to listen are sometimes the best opportunities to glean wisdom and understanding – opportunities that would have otherwise been missed. Make it a goal to be attentive in your conversations – quick to listen and slow to speak – and see what it does to your relationships. Delight in the people God has put in your life.

Listening with amusement to my husband’s incoherent mumblings while he sleeps are cherished moments of mine. His hugs and kisses before he leaves home are one of my fondly memorized feelings. With joy, I soak in the sight of Gracie and my two little dogs excitedly realizing they hear their dad’s diesel pickup approaching from a distance.

God also created an entire world for us to see His glory throughout! Do you take the time to appreciate His work? When’s the last time you closed your eyes and listened to the sound of wind in the trees or a crowd of people bustling about? Or truly opened your eyes and noticed the beauty of a sunrise and sunset? We need to slow down and become people who help elderly couples across the street instead of becoming annoyed and rushing them.

It’s time we end the social norm of frantically organizing and managing our lives. Let’s instead decide to live them! We can become completely present in our daily activities and enjoy who we see when we truly look at ourselves. Here’s a practical list of ways to do this:

• Spend real time with loved ones – set aside time for electronics and distractions to be turned off.

• Communicate together – talk about serious, silly, profound or seemingly pointless thoughts. This is what creates bonds. Not simply existing together in the same room.

• Regularly discuss your spiritual walks – tell each other truths that God has been making known to you. Admit concepts that you’re confused by or discover ideas together on how to apply a verse.

• Forgive freely – nothing distracts away more from joyfully living in the present than negatively dwelling on others faults. This goes back to the importance of communicating your thoughts. If something with a loved one is concerning you, discuss it together rather than hold it against them.

I’m pledging to trade my list of constantly growing tasks in for a daily dose of God’s leading. Rather than simply existing and looking towards the future, I’m going to be present in each moment – moments that I’ll never get back. Once a child is no longer two, a home is sold or a parent has passed on, we don’t get the choice to live that year or decade over and choose to be wholly present in it.

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.”

– Dale Carnegie