Top 8 Uses of Tea Tree Oil

http://www.revitaliseyourhealth.com/tea-tree-oil-uses/

How to Rid Your Home of Black Ants

I was very skeptical about this remedy for getting rid of the huge black ants that decided to invade my home.  No matter how clean I made things, the ants still seemed to find something enjoyable about my kitchen and other areas of my home.  Not knowing where they were coming from was overwhelming to me and the task of ridding my home of these disgusting little critters seemed daunting.

So, I started to scan the internet for answers to my problem.  This site was the first one I encountered and the first one I tried.  I ended up making about a cup of the Borax, sugar and peanut butter mixture.  I guess I felt like I was declaring all-out war on these invaders.  But, I only used a fraction of what I made so you may want to take this into account.   The instructions say to put mix the ingredients in a clear glass and I did that but instead of leaving it in the glass container (I really didn't want ants crawling around in my container and dying in there) so I just made a little puddle (about one tablespoon) of the mixture in my sink.  That's all it took.  I had black ants coming from far and wide to sample the deadly combination.  The peanut butter is evidently what they come running after.

Here is the recipe and instructions for a direct hit to the ant world.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  How to Kill Ants With Borax

Psalm 1

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. 
                                                         ~~~~~~

Psalm 1

Are We Living in the Fullness of the Spirit?

In today's world, living on obedient life in the Spirit is challenging at best.  I often wonder if it is because time for this earth is drawing short and Satan realizes that he has little time left to steer the hearts of Christians away from God and to put stumbling blocks in front of those who are seeking, trying to keep them from knowing truth.  We tend to find our protection in worldly things:  money, possessions and relationships, but this is displeasing to God.  In His word, He reminds us that He is a jealous God.  "For thou shalt worship no other God:  for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."  Exodus 34:14 KJV  ~ He wants us for His own.  He wants a close relationship with us and He wants to bless us beyond anything we could ever imagine with His love.

Our lives are a dry, barren land with hard soil.  Nothing of any value can grow in our hearts until we have a right relationship with our Creator.  We must turn up the soil and break it down by the urging of the Holy Spirit through confession, repentance and obedience to God's will so that it may be a fertile place to grow the fruit that will not only nourish our own souls but also the souls of this lost and lonely world.  The soil sometimes can be difficult to till because of the depth of our sin.  We must put down our defenses and allow God to send the plow deep into our hearts to soften them and prepare them; to make them a fertile place so that the seeds He has planted may spring forth with the watering of the His Word.

A.W. Tozer explains it best in Living in the Spirit's Fullness.  He says:  "The plowed life is the life that has, in the act of repentance, thrown down the protecting fences and sent the plow of confession into the soul.  The urge of the Spirit, the pressure of circumstances and the distress of fruitless living have combined thoroughly to humble the heart.  Such a life has put away defense, and has forsaken the safety of death for the peril of life.  Discontent, yearning, contrition, courageous obedience to the will of God:  these have bruised and broken the soul till it is ready again for the seed.  And as always fruit follows the plow.  Life and growth begin as God 'rains down righteousness.'  Such a one can testify, 'And the hand of the Lord was upon me there.'"

May we all be open to God's will and allow Him to send the plow deeply into the soil of our hearts, churning and turning them into a fertile ground which springs forth the abundance of blessing the Lord has to offer to us and may we then share the blessing of His son, Jesus Christ, with a lost and dying world.

Blessings to you, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Traditional Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

1 head broccoli

6 to 8 slices cooked crispy bacon, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup raisins, optional

1/2 cup slivered almonds or cashews, optional

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small chunks

1 cup mayonnaise 

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Trim off the leaves and the tough stalk from the bottom of the head.  Wash broccoli head thoroughly, cut into flowerets and cut the tender part of the stem into bite-size pieces.  Place in a bowl and add the crumbled bacon, onion, raisins and nuts if using, tomatoes and cheese.  In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and sugar and whisk together until well-combined and sugar is dissolved.  Pour over broccoli mixture and toss gently.

Psalm 139 (KJV)

1	O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2	Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising;          thou understandest my thought afar off.
3	Thou compassest my path and my lying down,          and art acquainted with all my ways.
4	For there is not a word in my tongue,          but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5	Thou hast beset me behind and before,          and laid thine hand upon me.
6	Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;          it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7	Whither shall I go from thy Spirit?          Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8	If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:          if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9	If I take the wings of the morning,          and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10	even there shall thy hand lead me,          and thy right hand shall hold me.
11	If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me;          even the night shall be light about me.
12	Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee;          but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13	For thou hast possessed my reins:          thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14	I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:          marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15	My substance was not hid from thee          when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16	Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect;          and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17	How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!          How great is the sum of them!
18	If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:          when I awake, I am still with thee.
19	Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God:          depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20	For they speak against thee wickedly,          and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21	Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee?          And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22	I hate them with perfect hatred:          I count them mine enemies.
23	Search me, O God, and know my heart:          try me, and know my thoughts:
24	and see if there be any wicked way in me,          and lead me in the way everlasting.

29 Kid Friendly Ways to get Cultured Foods into Your Child’s Diet!

Just a quick post tonight because I found this information VERY helpful!

http://www.domesticdiva.ca/blog/29-kid-friendly-ways-to-get-cultured-foods-into-your-childs-diet/

Butterfinger Ice Cream Dessert

I had to make this dessert for the youth group at church so I decided to do a short tutorial on this EASY 2-ingredient dessert.  Here we go.....

Ingredients:

1 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
17 oz. crushed Butterfinger candy bars

Step 1
Throw the bag of candy bars on the floor or place on a sturdy surface.  With a heavy skillet, pound the bars until they are crushed.  Unwrap and dump the crushed candy into a bowl.

Step 2
Scoop softened ice cream into a mixing bowl.  Add to the ice cream the crushed candy bar, reserving about a cup for the top, and stir until well-combined.  I did this in my Kitchen Aid mixer.

Step 3

Pour the ice cream mixture into a 9 x 13 inch casserole pan.

Step 4
Sprinkle top with the remaining crushed candy.  Cover tightly and place in freezer until completely re-frozen and set.

Cut into squares and serve.  Delicious and so EASY!  Great for a last minute dessert for company.  Enjoy!

My Testimony

Well..... I believe that I have belonged to the Lord since, I don't know....birth?  It sure seems like we have been walking hand-in-hand (or crawling side-by-side) since before I can remember.  But, there was definitely a defining moment in my life, a moment that would change me forever.

It was on July 26, 1983 (tears are welling up as I type).  A hot and humid 104° day.  I was just a barley-13-year-old girl, full of life and loving spending time with my friends, going to the pool everyday, riding my bike all over my small town and just being a teenager.  My dad was the love of my life, my best friend, my Prince Charming, my world.  Then there was Rocky.  Yes, Sylvester Stallone...  I had been very, VERY eager to see this movie and one day I was invited to my friend's sister's house around the corner from my home.  You see, they had just gotten Showtime and Rocky was about to come on the screen!! (We'll come back to that in a bit).

My dad had come home from work that day and I was lying on the floor in front of the stereo listening to my beloved  Ricky Skaggs "Highways and Heartaches" cassette tape.  Dad came in the backdoor and said, "Neen, I'm going up to Terry's to get the van aligned".  Those words would come to haunt me for the next year.  (Tears again).  He left and some time later I made my way around the corner on my bike to my friend's to watch Rocky.

I walked into the house just as the movie was coming on, sat down on the couch and stood straight back up and said to my friend, Becky, "I have to go home".  She grabbed my arm and pulled me back down, reminding me how much I had been wanting to see this movie.  Five minutes later, an uncontrollable urge came over me to hurry home.  I jumped up, went out the door and peddled as fast as I could toward my house.  I don't know what this urgency was.  An Angel?  My dad's spirit?  God?  But, someone was trying to tell me something.

As I arrived at the end of my driveway, I saw my elderly neighbor, Mrs. Alcorn, turning around and walking to her house.  Behind her was my dad lying in the driveway close to the side of the house.  I threw my bike down and ran to him somewhat chuckling as I thought, "You silly, what are you doing?"  You see, my dad was a jokester, always doing something to make us laugh.  But, as I reached him I could see clearly that this was no joke.  He was blue in the face with his eyes open, looking at nothing.  (I'm amazed at how much this still affects my emotions).  I shook him violently begging him to wake up.  He did not.  I ran to Mrs. Alcorn who had not reached her front door yet.  She came with me to my house and ran in to call the ambulance.  I ran back outside to find a strange man performing CPR.  This man drove a white car but that is all I remember.  My 17-year-old neighbor, Todd, from across the street came running over and took over with the CPR.  It was a very unpleasant sight to me.  I was very frightened.  Soon the ambulance arrived and a friend of my parents came.  So many people had heard the news on their scanners and came running.  My dad was a beloved member of our community.  As the paramedics worked on my dad, Todd comforted me. I will never forget that and I will be forever grateful for his caring arms that held me.

The man in the white car left and we never were able to thank him.  My dad was loaded into the ambulance and the family friend loaded me into her car and away we went to the hospital.  I don't remember the drive.  I just remember sitting in a small room in the emergency department waiting....waiting....waiting and then, the doctor came in.  He said that there was nothing they could do and that it was probably a massive heart attack.   My best friend was gone.  Gone.

My life had become a blur.  I seemed to wonder aimlessly.  I was angry at times.  My family seemed to have abandoned me because I was never asked how I was doing and I was made to feel that my feelings were not valid.  That I should "just get over it".  My mom went to work full-time.  But then there was my brother.  On the night of the viewing, he stopped me outside the back door and he said to me, "I'm going to be your dad now.  Whatever you need, I will be there for you".  My "new" Knight in Shining Armor.

For the next year, I faced a recurring nightmare where I was lying in the floor listening to my Ricky Skaggs tape but this time my dad came in and said, "Neen, I'm having a heart attack, call the ambulance".  I would run to the phone, dad would sit down in his chair and I would make the call.  I would hang up the phone, turn around and find my dad slumped over, dead, in his chair at the kitchen table.  I would then wake up, startled and very upset.

One day, after a particularly upsetting incident involving a classmate who kept telling me he was certain that he saw my dad walking up my driveway and me not being able to spit out the words that my dad was dead, I became angry and stormed back into the school building from lunch. A teacher witnessed this incident.  I was in my English class when my History and homeroom teacher, Mr. Harlow, came tapping on the door asking to speak with me and I followed him to the guidance counselor's office.  We sat down and with deep concern in his eyes he said to me words I will never forget, "When I was 13, my dad died too".  I don't know if anything else was said, I just don't remember.  Both of us broke into tears and my life turned a new course.  From that point on, I knew someone cared and the healing was about to begin.  I am forever indebted to Mr. Harlow.  He just doesn't know how he changed my life.

Unfortunately, my recurring nightmare continued night-after-night.  The same scenario over and over.  But, then one night I had had enough.  I just couldn't take it anymore.  I was afraid to go to bed.  So, in desperation I got on my knees, crying my heart out to God, asking him to take the dream away.  I know that this is when my relationship with the Lord became more real than it had ever been.  I was His and He was mine.  After praying for a time, I got into bed and fell asleep.  I began dreaming again but this time it was different.  In this dream I was at my school in the same hallway as the payphone that I spent so much time dialing.  There were friends and relatives sitting on the steps that led to our middle school auditorium.  Next to the window was a casket with my dad's lifeless body inside.  Strangely, he had a red handkerchief laying over his face.  He sneezed and blew the handkerchief off.  Everyone in the room froze by me and him.  He got up out of the casket, walked over and sat down beside me.  Putting his arm around my shoulders he said, "Now, Neen, dry it up.  I am still here.  I will always take care of you.  You need to move on with your life".  After this, I never had that nightmare again and I was finally finding peace.  God delivered me.

It has been many years since I was that 13-year-old daddy's girl.  At this writing, I am almost 42.  There are not many days that go by that I don't think about my dad and miss him.  I will love him the rest of my life and into eternity.  He taught me what true love is and I often think, "If my earthly father loved me that much, how much more does my Father in Heaven love me?"  My dad gave me a gift that keeps on giving.

I have struggled over the years to find peace and through it all my Savior, Jesus Christ, has walked with me and many times has carried me.  We have a love together that has no match.  He is my best friend and will always be.  It is a relationship that I want to share with everyone and I tell people of His love every chance I get.  My life was changed because of what He did on the cross, to save me from my sin so that I may someday go to Heaven to live with Him throughout all eternity.  And some sweet day, not only will I see my Savior face-to-face but I will see my dad.  You just can't beat that.  <3 <3 <3