DIYit: Make a Fragrant Sachet Pouch!

Sachets are fun little bags or pouches filled with refreshing scents, which are used in closets and dressers to lightly scent your clothing,and all.  Of course you can buy sachets from a home decorating or department store, you can try your hand at making your own sachet for that personal touch using materials that can be purchased from a fabric or craft supply store, or in this case a handkerchief. It only takes a few minutes and once finished, you can place your handmade sachets into your drawers or closets to freshen your clothing.

The Inner Path: Growing A Healthy Attitude Through Mindfulness

 What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:4

Being mindful is paying attention on purpose, in the present moment with qualities like careful, compassion, curiosity, responsibility, awareness and acceptance. Mindfulness is a desirable quality which produces a healthy attitude. It can reduce stress, blood pressure and even anxiety. Growing a healthy attitude means you've gotten to a point where greed and hatred are absent from your mind and you're aware of whatever is happening in the present, without judgment.  Even Psychologist and Physicians are paying attention to mindfulness today than in the past.

The Inner Path: Use SMART Rules To Stay Spiritually Balanced During The Holidays

  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is— his good, pleasing and perfect will. 

 Roman 12:2 (NIV)

We're all undaunted with stress at one time or more during the year, but one of the most stressful times of year is during the holidays...Thanksgiving and Christmas, specifically.  Even though they are generally suppose to be happy and fun, somewhere long the way the stress; unrealistic expectations, unreasonable demands, too many responsibilities, and all their attachments show up and the next thing you know, you're depressed, over-tired, and dreading the whole "holiday season." So how do you prioritize all that's Christian about the holidays with all the other stuff creeping in over time?  Here are some smart tips to help you keep your focus on what's truly important during the season and still satisfy family and friends. 

Nutritionwise: Let's Get Ready for Meatless Monday

Taking it one day at a time a week!

This Monday’s Menu

Blackberry Pumpkin Smoothie

Breakfast

Blackberries and earthy pumpkin come together with vanilla soymilk in this sweetly spiced treat. Cinnamon and agave nectar meld the flavors together before this smoothie is finished with a touch of nutmeg. more >

Mushroom Pie

The Inner Path: Gratitude on Thanksgiving Day...and every day!

 Psalm 145:7
They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. (NIV)

 

 As you already know, long ago Americans dedicated a day during November for the sole purpose of inviting and expressing gratitude.  Thanksgiving Day was meant to pay our homage to the Almighty God for this plentiful and bountiful harvest.  Thanksgiving, no matter how you choose to recognize it, always holds the promise of renewed awareness for all our blessings. Look at the people around you and thank God that you're not spending Thanksgiving Day alone, and appreciate the food you are eating and the person or people who prepared it for you... be grateful.

DIYit: Make Your Own Rosemary Oil

Olive Oil

One of the fastest growing trends in DIY projects is creating your own essential oils for candles, liquid potpourri, or other aromatherapy fragrances for massages, is a simple project with sweet rewards....essential oils. You can use flowers, fruit, herbs, or spices... it's easy. Use the instructions below to make your own rosemary oil from the distinctively fragrant fresh herb, rosemary. 

Spotlight: November - Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza Rice

Happy Birthday....Condoleezza Rice:  Born, November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, is an American political scientist, professor and diplomat. 

• She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush. Rice was the first female African-American secretary of state
• Second African American, after Colin Powell, and the second woman, after Madeleine Albright. 
• President Bush's National Security Advisor during his first term, making her the first woman to serve in that position.
• Professor of political science at Stanford University where she served as Provost from 1993 to 1999.
• Served on the National Security Council as the Soviet and Eastern Europe Affairs Advisor to President George H.W. Bush during the dissolution of the Soviet Union and German reunification.

Fitness: Physical Fitness and Spirituality

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."(1 Corinthians 6:19, 20)

Are you caring for your physical health as much as you are your spiritual health? Christians, with regard to weight, diet and exercise, are most likely representative of the general population.  However, everywhere we go these days we are being reminded of the importance of  these disciplines.  Our goal in exercise and physical fitness should not be to improve the quality of our bodies so that other people will notice and admire us.... the goal of exercising should be

Nutritionwise: MENU for this week's Meatless Monday

This Monday’s Menu

Thai Spiced Omelet

Breakfast

Tofu is cooked in peanut oil, sautéed with cabbage and peppers and seasoned with ginger and soy sauce in this Thai fusion frittata. Shallots are caramelized sweet and incorporated into this omelet’s egg base, while jalapeños the eggs a kick of spice.

recipe>

Apple Basil Paninis

The Inner Path: Shape Up Your Life, Mind & Spirit With Some Simple Mood Repair Strategies

A bad mood is contagious and can block the peace of your inner spirit.  And, if not changed can lead to depression, low self-esteem and other problems in social relationships with others. But, just because you're in a bad mood doesn't mean you have to stay stuck in one.  Here are some mood repair strategies that will shift your mood from general sadness or clinical depression to a state of greater contentment or happiness and turn your frown upside down.

1. Drink Up - If you're cranky or sluggish, that second cup of coffee might not be the best way for you to perk yourself up.  Instead, try a glass of water or another non alcoholic beverage. Research studies show that even mild dehydration can cloud a sunny disposition.

Fashion: 5 Big Fashion Faux Pas

 “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”

― Coco Chanel

Clothes do not make a person, but people reveal their identity through their clothes and appearance. There really is no prescribed standardized dress for people; men or women to wear, but we do follow fashion in our clothes and appearance. And while no one is perfect, some mistakes identify you and if you do not want to run the risks of making style snafus then here are fashion traps to avoid and the solutions to fix them.

1. Choosing the wrong foundation garments:  A foundation garment is not suppose to enhance your body's features, like, for example, a padded bra would.  It's purpose is to temporarily alter your body shape into a more fashionable figure.  Celebrities get stuffed and tucked into heavy-duty body trimmers, push-up bras, even sticky tape to look good in designer dresses for the red carpet, all the time, so just think what the right bra or support-top pantyhose could do for you. Solution: How to get it right underneath.
2. Choosing clothes that don't fit: Don't buy on-line unless you'll already familiar with the garment brand and size pattern.  Did you know that little details like the length of your jacket sleeves or the place your pants hem rest can make or break an outfit? If you have found a great deal and tried on a garment and still need some adjustment, then the best way to get that perfect fit is to have a tailor alter the garment. Solution: How your clothes should really fit
3. Relying too heavily on the fashion media: The fashion magazines, awards shows, newspapers and blogs, all keep us up to date with all the fashions.  The problem is relying too heavily on them to rule your wardrobe, you run the risk of being a fashion victim, rather the fashionista that you want to be.  Most magazines and TV programs present you with fabulous clothes you'll want to buy on fabulous models you'll want to look like....the problem: you probably can't afford any of the clothes they show and you don't look like a supermodel or a celebrity. Solution: Develop your own style .
4. Creating a wardrobe made up of odds and ends: It may seem like a good idea to buy random odds and ends on sale, but you could end up blowing your budget and even your wardrobe concept on all those minor purchases.  Without a plan, you can end up with tons of clothes and nothing to wear. But it's never to late to change your habits. Solution: Always have something to wear.
5. Getting stuck in a style rut: Sticking with classics has been conventional style wisdom for ages, and for women with full lives and limited resources this is still a sure way to investment dressing. The problem is that as we grow older, we sometimes become a little too comfortable wearing our old standbys (or just doing "replenishment" shopping each season). Sometimes all it takes is tweaking the basics that you already own to look fabulous. Solution:How to keep your look up-to-date. 

It's not your body shape or height that makes the difference. It's really the way your clothes are presented on you that can make the difference. The good news is that looking good, thankfully has little to do with the old fashioned idea of perfection, but knowing what looks good on you and how to wear it.  Check your closet or study your room decor and taste to help you define your signature style. just make sure it feels like you and fits your personality and lifestyle. And, remember, many people make fashion faux pas as they try to hard, or want to make sure they are wearing the latest fashions or styles regardless of whether they suit them or not, but now, you too, can present a stylish fashionable look. Good luck and let me know if this article helped you.

News: Barack Obama Wins a Second Term! 2012

 Click to read the full text of President Obama's election night victory Speech!              
                  
"Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come." ~ President Barack Obama

The American people have spoken....President Barack Obama was elected to a second term in the White House on Tuesday, proving, resoundingly, that his message about lifting the middle class resonates with the majority of Americans. "The task of perfecting our union moves forward. It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope," said Obama in his victory speech at McCormick Place, in Chicago.He said that he had never been more hopeful about the future and I couldn't agree more.    He said, "And tonight, despite all the hardship we've been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I've never been more hopeful about our future. I have never been more hopeful about America. And I ask you to sustain that hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. I'm not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight."........Perfect!

Wow! When the First Family took the stage in Chicago, I was struck by how much they have grown.  Four years ago, after the Election Results, an Obama victory, by the way, Barack was 47, now 51, Michelle 44, now 48, Malia, then 10, now 14, and Sasha was 7 and is now 11 years old, all coordinated in red outfits.  The new and strikingly beautiful First Lady wore a Narcisco Rodriguez red and black dress that will forever be etched in our memories. Now, forward four years to last night, when the family coordinated in a new way, not with color, but with shimmer.  They walked across the stage so poised and mature, with Michelle in a magenta pintucked dress by Michael Kors and the girls equally beautiful. Do you know that by the time the time the president leaves office in 2016, Malia will even be eligible to vote and be heading to college.  We will see more of the First Lady's style and passion for our country and we can’t wait to see how she and her entire family continues to evolve over the next four years at America's residence....1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and beyond.

News: Oprah Launches HuffPost OWN!

We need to be in touch with our internal GPS -- the inner voice that knows right from wrong that's always guiding us True North. 

                               - Oprah Winfrey on her launch with The Huffington Post

 Oprah Winfrey now has a page on The Huffington Post  titled Huffpost OWN, where she and Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post, are partnering, as she said, to focus on self-empowerment, healthy living for the mind and body, relationships, and deepening the conversation on, as Oprah puts it, living our best lives.

Oprah said, Understanding that we are all more powerful than we know -- that we are all connected to something bigger than ourselves -- is the real conversation I want to have. In many ways, it is the only conversation, I believe, truly worth having. So let's continue this conversation together here at the OWN section of The Huffington Post.

 

I like the work that Oprah and Arianna are doing and will surely be checking in on the Huffpost OWN page and hope you will too.

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