health tip #7

bob harper, from the biggest loser, suggests this list,
his top five "fat-blasting" foods:

1- oatmeal
2- apples
3- black beans
4- green tea
5- sweet potatoes

health tip #6

good friends

no, you can't eat them.
but they're good for your heart, your mind, your soul,
and they make you laugh.
good friends keep you accountable and ask tough questions.
at times they tell you what you don't want to hear;
they teach you humility.

good friends reflect and point to Jesus,
they're humble, selfless, compassionate, and
they're not perfect either,
but, chosen wisely, they will shape you into the best possible you.
make time for good conversations.

365

another year is passed.
and much has changed.

"26 is a good year," a friend told me.
and i believe her.

and i believe Him
and my foremost prayer is that 26 teaches me to believe Him more
because He has stirred in me this desire to better know His promises

at 26.

addi flopped down next to me as i am typing.
"whatcha doin' tam? can i help?"
"sure babe. i turned 26 on sunday and a new year is always special. how is the next year going to be special?"
"i know! because Jesus died on the cross!"
"absolutely."

and honestly, she couldn't be more accurate.
i hope that this is the one reality that defines 26.

a promise from 1 peter
3b-5
in His great mercy He has GIVEN us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance
that can never perish, spoil or fade--
KEPT in heaven for you, who through faith are SHIELDED by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

love Him.
trust Him.
believe Him.

::thank you::

it has been a gift for us to have this invitation into your hurt, a very bittersweet gift.

please know what a testimony you and your family have been as you have so honestly shared your pain and this agonizing healing process in front of a watching world and a community of people who are learning to trust Him more because of your humility.

i know that the wonderful friends and amazing family surrounding you will still never be capable of fully empathizing with you.

no one else will ever understand what you are experiencing as no one else knew that man and that boy the way that you did.
and i imagine that this is the hardest part of it all.

you come to church week after week, still broken, tears evidence that this struggle is not one that will not be short-lived
(as much as i wish it could be, for you)

thank you for living your story so openly.
thank you for clinging so tightly to His goodness.
thank you for the constant reminder that we live with hope only because of the promise of His return.
and redemption, reconciliation, restoration.

and the reputation that your husband left
speaks volumes about the woman that you are,
your integrity
your discernment
your grace
your humility
your love.

thank you for continuing to persevere.

may He grant you a greater measure of His grace and peace.

numbers 6.24-26

health tip #5

raw foods

are ideal for good health.

raw foods include plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds and nuts.

use the "crowding out" theory and incorporate more of these foods and less of the processed, preserved, and cooked foods.

Fruits

Staple fruits include:

Apple
Avocado
Banana
Blueberry
Dates
Grapes
Lemon
Lime
Mango
Orange
Raisins
Raspberry
Strawberry
Young coconut

Vegetables

Staple vegetables include:

Bell peppers: red, orange, yellow
Celery
Garlic
Ginger
Jalapeno pepper
Kale
Lettuce
Onion
Spinach
Tomato
Zucchini

Nuts and Seeds

Dried, raw, and preferably organic.

Almonds
Cashews
Macadamia nuts
Pine nuts
Flax seeds
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Sunflower seeds
Raw almond butter
Nut "nutter"
Nut "milks"
Seed crackers (e.g. chia, flax)

Grains

Millet
Buckwheat
Quinoa
Oats

Beans and Legumes

Dried, raw, and preferably organic.

Lentils
Chickpeas
Adzuki beans
Mung beans

Oil

Cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
Raw, virgin coconut oil
Raw coconut butter
Chia oil

Beverages

Water
Vegetable or fruit juice – freshly squeezed or frozen, unpasteurized
Young coconut water
Herbal tea (made with water heated to less than 118 F)

Miscellaneous

Young coconut
Carob powder
Raw cacao nibs
Raw protein powder
Raw vegan ice cream
Fermented foods such as miso, kimchi and sauerkraut

Herbs, Spices, and Condiments

Bragg’s raw apple cider
Bragg’s liquid aminos
Cayenne pepper
Celtic sea salt
Chocolate, raw
Cinnamon, ground
Cumin, ground or seeds
Curries
Dill
Nama shoyu (raw soy sauce)
Raw honey
Himalayan salt
Seaweed
Sundried tomato
Vinegars

Sweeteners

Raw honey
Agave nectar
Coconut nectar
Stevia
Date sugar
Yacon

Animal Products

In addition to plant foods, some raw foodists eat raw animal foods such as raw eggs, fish and meat, and non-pasteurized, non-homogenized milk, yogurt and cheese.

Fish
Beef
Gravlax
Proscuitto
Milk
Raw milk cheese
Organic egg

peppermint

peppermint lemonade

lemons
water
fresh stevia leaves or maple syrup or both
fresh peppermint leaves

blend. share.

right

mom was right.
the front porch is amazing on a hot afternoon.

and i was right
that i definitely haven't spent much time online lately.

but you better believe that life hasn't stopped running full speed.

and with quite possibly a quarter of my FLI class filtering back to the springs...
i don't know.
and sarah and missy and jeremiah talking about zambia
and kris and emily taking a little vaca to the beautiful middle east
and only 6 classes left before i am a college graduate
and so many wonderful living and working opportunities
and beautiful people
and encouraging words
and confirmation of God's sovereignty, goodness, and compassion
over and over
and friendships that i would never have thought possible
and people who have struggled, now making good decisions

LIFE and HOPE are abundant
because He offers the greatest measure of grace that i could ever receive
and like rod said
unless i remind myself and accept Him every day of my life
i will not understand
because He is everything.

in Him we live and move and have our being.

and sarah young's daily reminder has helped to set my perspective as well.
in His presence is fullness of joy.

health tip #4

house plants



houseplants can be very beneficial as they purify and renew our stale indoor air by filtering out toxins, pollutants and the carbon dioxide that we exhale - replacing them with oxygen

NASA studied the effects of houseplants on indoor air and found these, among others, to be very beneficial:

chinese evergreens
aloe vera
spider plants
chrysanthemums
gerber daisies
common english ivy

treat

a simple little recipe from a great friend.
mix, ball, and eat. so good!

2c Old fashioned oats
3/4c Peanut butter
1/2c Honey or maple syrup
1/4c Carob chips or chocolate chips
2-3 T Wheat germ
2-3 T Finely shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1 T Sunflower seeds hulled
2 T Flax seeds
1/4c Raisins or craisins (optional)

the kids call them bocce balls,
but you can call them whatever you'd like :)

sunday nights

i don't like them
and i am trying to understand why this is.
sundays generally consist of a group of rowdy kids first thing in the morning
during the 9am service.
then i join in for the 1115am service
worshiping alongside a beautiful community of broken but rooted people.
then i head straight home to a crazy house full of 10 to 13+ people
food and kids and stories and laughing
cleaning and dancing and planning and resting
then everyone disappears and...
i think that i am an extrovert.
[and i am impatient for august 1st]


however, this is the sun that flows through the windows in the afternoon and evening and i don't complain about this.
this little farm is wonderful.
and by the way, to the left, next to the fence, is where the garden will be so soon.
i really am blessed.