My Favorite Thieves Products with Young Living

Thieves products have become some of my favorite items that I use daily. There are so many but I will try to share just a few. Let me tell you a little about Thieves Essential Oil Blend. "This unique Young Living blend is a carefully crafted balance of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary essential oils and is infused into home and body products you can safely use every day. Our Thieves line offers the versatile products you need to clean your home effectively and to support your family's wellness."

The Thieves Essential Oil Blend is a must have oil for me. I diffuse it with other oils to promote a healthy balance and leaves the room smelling great. If I feel like I am coming down with a cold or something like that, OR I am going on a trip and I want to promote good health while I am on my trip, I put a carrier oil (either coconut or almond oil) in my hand and add a couple of drops of Thieves oil and rub my hands together. Then I rub the oil onto the bottom of my feet and put socks on at night. I make sure I wash my hands with soap to get the oil off my hands because cinnamon is a warm oil and it can burn if it gets in you eye. If it does, do not try washing it out with water. Put a small amount of carrier oil in your eye to get it out with. 

The Thieves Household Cleaner is a must in my home. It is concentrated and you add two cap-fulls to a spray bottle with water. It goes a long way and cleans great. The kids love it because it fills the house with a wonderful cinnamon and lemon smell. I love it because it cleans well and isn't made with harmful ingredients that can ruin clothes or hurt the kids or myself if we breathe it. The little bottles of Thieves Spray are great for taking on trips because you can spray doorknobs, handles, etc. 

They came out with the Thieves Laundry Soap not long ago and it is my second favorite product. I have a front load washer and no matter what soap I used my clothes and towel just didn't smell that great after coming out of the dryer. since using this laundry soap they smell great no matter how long they are in the cabinet and even hanging in the bathroom after one use. It is a small container but it takes so little to do a load that it will wash 64 loads of clothes. You just need 1/4 of a lid. 

The dish soap has Thieves, Jade Lemon and Bergamont essential oils. Jade Lemon is one of my favorite oils! This dish soap cleans well and fills the room with a wonderful smell. No harmful ingredients getting on your hands or on your dishes. 

If you are trying to get away from harmful products you are probably trying to buy healthier foods. The fruits and veggies we buy tend to have pesticides on the outside of them. Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak and Spray are designed to safely and effectively wash produce with the cleaning power of Thieves essential oil blend. It works great. When I do a big grocery run I fill up a tub and put the Thieves Soak in it and add my produce to soak. Then I put them in the fridge ready to eat. I take the spray with me on trips so if we are out and about we can use that to clean our produce. 

One cleaning product I haven't put a picture of is the Thieves Foaming Hand Soap. I got the 3 pk and then bought the refill bottle. I keep one in each bathroom and one in the kitchen. When we go on trips I take one with me. It is easy for the kids to use in the bathroom and goes a long way to help save money. 

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When it comes to my oral care it is Thieves all the way! It got tired of all the harmful ingredients in oral care products at the store. I was thrilled to find Thieves Aromabright Toothpaste. It has Thieves, Peppermint and Spearmint essential oils. It doesn't take a bunch and I think the taste is pretty good. It actually helps whiten your teeth. The Thieves Fresh Essence Plus Mouthwash is a great thing to use after each time you brush. It floods your mouth with the ingredients to promote healthy teeth and gums. And what is oral care without a great dental floss? Thieves Dental Floss has the Thieves and Peppermint. 

So there you have it! I love my Thieves products so much. They have replaced so many harmful products in my home. If you are interested in learning more about them, please feel free to let me know. I love talking about them!!!

​Helping transform lives one day at a time.

10 Tips for Living Fit in a Busy Life

My friend, Nicole O'Dell has written a wonderful blog post about 10 tips for Living Fit in a Busy Life. I don't know about you but my life IS SUPER BUSY! Most people I know would say their lives are busy. And that tends to get in the way of them doing the things for themselves. They don't realize that we could better serve in the areas we are called to, be it a wife, mom, friend, employee, etc. if we make that time for ourselves. I read her article and just couldn't help asking her if I could share it with you. So here you go....

By Nicole O'Dell @ Fit and Busy Life

10 Tips for Living Fit in a Busy Life.....

I’ll be the first to admit that living fit is difficult when you’re smack dab in the middle of a busy life. You already know how busy I am. I have five kids still at home, a full-time job, church activities, grad school, book writing, blah, blah, blah. All the day’s minutes? They are used up. Your story may be different than mine, but I’m sure you feel no less busy than I do. So how do we find time to make things like working out and eating healthy food possible?

I’ve learned by trial and error how to prioritize fitness in a way that doesn’t make me feel guilty or selfish, and so it doesn’t get pushed aside in the hustle. By making it work, I feel healthy and invigorated, which translates into more productivity and better moods throughout the day. Everybody wins!​..........

Follow this link to see the entire article. 

Helping transform lives one day at a time.

Age Does Not Define You

I've always known that age is just a number. I was raised by my grandparents. They were in their early 50's when I was born, yes, around mine and my husbands ages. I lived with them from the time I left the hospital until I got married. I watched them do things that most people don't think OLD people do. My grandfather worked on cars until he was in his 70's, not as much as when he was younger but he was still quite capable. I watched them take up golf in their 50's and never stopped playing as long as they lived. I watched my grandmother learn how to snow ski when she was in her 70's. She played golf in the Senior Olympics every year after she turned 80. She always got a gold metal because there wasn't anyone else in her age group! She was amazing. She even played in it a few short months before being diagnosed with colon cancer at age 90. She was a strong woman at any age. The number didn't matter. My aunt was just like her mom. She was super active and stayed that way her whole life. She died not long ago of natural causes, in her sleep. It was just time for her to go. 

The other night I was driving to pick up my youngest from dance class. On the radio they were doing calls about peoples moms. One lady was talking about her mom and said she was 63 and a very fragile and sweet lady. Now, there is NOTHING wrong with what she said. But what struck me is I will be 63 in less than 13 years. How do I want my children to describe me? Not as fragile. I am working very hard to change my activity, my food and the products we use so they are safer. 

I would love for my children, and anyone else, to say I am strong, happy, and lots of fun. I am sure I could come up with a few more things I would like but you get the "picture", pun intended. I found THIS picture online yesterday and it went right along with what I was feeling about that radio show. I am NOT going to be a "little old lady", although, yes, I am very short compared to my children. And I tease them that I feel like a little old lady standing next to them. But I've had strong examples growing up. There is no reason I shouldn't strive to be just as active and strong as they were. In this way, I am carrying on the legacy they started. My children are very into fitness and being healthy and strong. They will teach their children to do the same. THAT is what I want. THAT is what I am working towards. 

How about you? Is that a goal for you? To live your entire life? Yes, I worded that correctly. Because I want to live as long as I am alive. I don't want to just exist. Let's work on it together and get in the best shape of our lives. Doesn't matter your age, it's just a number. Don't let your age define you. Define your life with action. 

Helping transform lives one day at a time. 

Girls Only Color Run 2016

The Color Run is a family fun day for us. (I say "girls only" because this year only the girls in our family did it.) The first year I did it was 2013 with my oldest daughter. The following year my teens joined the fun. This year only my two girls and my granddaughter were there, my oldest surprised us with tickets! Next year it is my hope to have even more join us. My husband never will because getting covered in paint-powder is not his idea of fun, lol. But that is OK. He actually runs a mile in under 7 minutes, so he passes me up pretty quickly and can run circles around me. 

Here are pictures of me, one from 2 years ago and one from today. I see big changes and my weight is not that much different in the two pictures. Maybe 10 pounds or less. But I was not doing any weight training in 2014. I wasn't even doing a ton of running other than in races. I see so many changes in the second picture. My calves and thighs are smaller. My waist is smaller. Even my face looks different. 

If you are ready to see changes in your body, not just the scale, private message me and we can talk about how I can help you find the road to success like I have. 

~Helping transform lives one day at a time.

My First 15K

Hot Chocolate 15K

I picked up my runner's goodie bag yesterday. I was getting ready for my first 15K. My very first race was the HC5K so it's only fitting my first 15K would be this one. It was challenging but I pushed myself and did my very best and nothing less. It has been a couple of years since I was in even a 5K so the 15K seemed a bit much to me but I was excited to do it anyway. How do you challenge yourself? Do you? You have to push yourself past your comfort zone in order to grow and get better. 

I got up super early and didn't stop going for most of the day. It was a very busy morning! 

Here are just a few things you might like to know.

*This was my first 15K

*It was also my first race of any kind in almost 2 years...yikes!

*My very first race was the HC5K 

*It was in the 30s this morning and the sun never came out to warm things up.

*My feet didn't hurt until mile 9.

*I took sips of my Hydrate during the race to keep me going but at the end I drank most of it. I didn't want to have to potty during the race.

*I would pick a light or a tree and run until I got to it. Often times I was able to keep running past that once I got going. Giving myself goals to shoot for helped.

*I took it one mile at a time. Once I got to 6 miles I knew I was only a 5k away from finishing. 

*When I did a 10K 2 years ago my feet hurt between mile 4 and 5 so they were hurting badly by the time I finished. Today I passed mile 6 feeling great!

*Having family or friends waiting for you at the finish line makes all the difference in the world. 

*Hearing them call my name as I came towards the finish line and them saying what a great job I did brought tears to my eyes. It was pretty cool. 

*Getting the finisher's metal was awesome!

*Getting a cup of hot chocolate and a bowl of fondue hit the spot. I ate it all but the marshmallows and rice crispy treat.

*Going to eat breakfast after I make them stand out in the cold is a tradition. Old West is a new venue. It was delicious. 

*Normally I can't fall asleep after a race, any size race. Today I fell asleep shortly afterwards and slept for a couple of hours.

*Stretching and "rolling" my feet and legs is a must in my recovery. Plus a hot bath and a cup of Recharge at bedtime. 

*Will I do it again? Yep, next year and every year after as long as I can. I am sad I missed last year. 

**I forgot to turn off my Nike app at the finish line and turned it off after I walked all the way to get my finisher's mug of fondue.

**I forgot to turn off my Polar watch until I was almost to the car! 

There you have it. My day. What did yours look like?

~Helping transform lives one day at a time

You Are Not Forgotten

It's Christmas again. How did that happen? It is true what they say...The days pass slowly but the years fly by. I turned 50 this year and I honestly don't feel like that much time should have already passed. But as I look back at the memories it makes more sense. My life is filled with so many memories, good, bad, and awesome. I choose to focus on the good and awesome ones. When the bad ones try to worm their way into my thoughts I try to push them back as quickly as possible. 

Last night as I was baking bread I started to think about one of my most treasured people, my grandmama, my "mom". When I was newborn I went to live with my grandparents. The details behind that aren't really important, those are some of the bad memories I choose not to think about too hard. The fact that God placed me in their home was one of the greatest gifts that He gave me. He placed me in a Godly home, not perfect, but loving and safe. I was adopted by them when I was in the first grade. They gave me everything I needed and so much more when it came to love and opportunity.

Thanks for being an active example for me. You never stopped doing, not until the end. In your 60's you started wall papering houses. In your 70's you started snow skiing. In your 80's you WON a gold medal in the Senior Olympics in golf EVERY YEAR! You are my hero. 

I miss you now and always! Merry Christmas to you and Grandpapa. See you again someday.

Love, Terri

When God Closes A Door

What do you do when God closes a door? What feelings run through your mind? While I have had many times where God has closed a door, there was one time that stands out more than all the others. I believe that we should learn from our life experiences and grow from them. So, as I celebrate my 50th birthday I want to look back over a period of time where I struggled and grew the most in my faith. I want to share that with you so that you can know you are not alone. The struggles are real. We all have them. 

In 2009, we changed churches. We had been members of a different church for over 22 years so it was not an easy thing to do. But we felt God was closing that door and opening a new one. We joined First Baptist Church of Arlington. We had been working with a ministry that is connected to that church for the past decade and a half, Mission Arlington. It seemed right. They are very missions oriented and had great programs for the kids. It has been a huge blessing to our family. The younger two kids have grown up in this church and are now in high school and the leadership in the preschool, children and youth has been the same since we joined. The pastor has been here for over a decade, too. And he just leads the flock with such love and compassion. 

In 2010, we had some HUGE ups and downs. We struggled with our teen through some difficult years, this one bringing it all to a head. We struggled financially and lost some land in Colorado and a vehicle. In January we began mission training. At the end of the 5 months of Perspectives training we both felt called to missions in a different country full time. In the fall we started a more in-depth mission training, Panorama, to prepare us for the full time commitment to missions abroad. The two kids had their own training as we did ours. We felt they needed to be prepared, too, so they came up with teachers to work with them. It was great. We also got involved with ministry that does low cost water well drilling. John felt that this what the type of work God wanted him to do. 

In 2011, we started part two of the Panorama missions training. We touched on some deep subjects. We also went through some testing through the counseling center that everyone who goes into the field through our church must go through. We did a week long training with Water for All, the water drilling ministry. That was really great. We were asked to go to Kenya with another group that summer for 3 weeks. John was to do water well drilling there, teaching them how to do it. Our two younger children went with us. They were a part of all our missions training. They even sat in the back of the room of our Perspectives classes. The trip to Kenya was a once in a lifetime experience for all of us. But my son really didn't want to do that full time and he was quick to tell us. He didn't want to move away from our home and our church. Our daughter didn't voice it, but she probably felt the same way. 

After ALL of that training and experience, the doors SLAMMED shut. We were told they would NOT send us. Here is one of the hard parts for me. It was because of me. In the testing it revealed that I need people too much. I made friends while I was in Kenya. I feel like I would have done OK because my needing people would have just drawn me to these people in whatever place we lived. But it didn't matter about our trip to Kenya. It didn't matter that the kids did well. It didn't matter that John really enjoyed his time there teaching them how to drill. 

I was hurt, mad, and upset. I even became very bitter. Other people were being sent. We planned on making this a lifetime commitment. A couple who had done the water drilling training at the same time were sent to another country in Africa. They have been there all this time. They now have foster adopted 2 children and are expecting one of their own. I was so confused as to why God closed the doors. Every time they would announce in church that they needed people willing to go, my mind would scream inside "WE WERE WILLING AND YOU SAID NO!!!" It hurt for so long. I did my best to pretend it didn't matter that the doors just shut. But it did matter. 

I honestly can't remember when those feelings stopped. But they did. I no longer feel angry or bitter. And I look back at the training and the mission trip that the 4 of us did together and I am so thankful. We have life lessons and experiences that we would not have had otherwise. We have friendships from those trainings and from the trip. I would NOT trade that for anything. 

The following year God took our apartment ministry church through Mission Arlington and moved it into an actual church building. Our congregation tripled in number. We began meeting not only on Sunday mornings at 11 but also on Wednesday nights. John now is a part of a worship team on both of those days. He also teaches the older kids in Bible study both days. He has done ESL classes, too. Our church there is all Hispanic. Most are from Mexico. So in a way, God is using us to reach people from a different country, just not in that actual country. John hasn't been able to do any more water drilling but you never know what God has planned for the lessons He teaches you. 

In the years that have followed the relationship with my oldest daughter has grown by leaps and bounds. It was in a very precarious place at the time. That is something I would not have had IF we had moved overseas like we thought we were supposed to. We would not have been here for our granddaughter's birth and first year of life. Our other son would not have gotten to know his sweet girlfriend and fallen in love with her. Our youngest would not have found her love for dance and been a part of this wonderful dance school for the past 3 years. I would not have reopened my preschool and had the wonderful children and families that have been a part of it in our lives. I would not have found a love for fitness and become a Beachbody coach. 

I know that God has MORE for me. The years to come are exciting to think about. God KNOWS His plans for me, even when I don't. HE KNOWS when to close the doors even when I am confused and hurt because of it. HE has great plans for my life. I just need to allow HIM to direct my path and change it when needed. As one of my friends says "Jesus is big y'all!" He really is. He has walked me through this journey for the past 50 years and He isn't going to leave me now. 

I tell you all this not to have you feel sorry for me or to judge me for my anger. But to be real with you. Feeling anger and disappointment is a very human thing. God understands. You just have to take it to Him and He will help you deal with it. I cried out to him many, many times. But I hung on to the hurt for longer than I should have. I was angry at people for deciding my future. When really, God decided it. He KNEW what He had for me that was so rich and worthwhile. So many blessings He bestowed upon me since that time. I am so thankful!!! 

When God closes a door, stop and think. Remember He has great plans for you. Then ask Him to show you what they are. He may not show you everything right away. But He will give you glimpses. You can chose to see good in things or the bad in them. Life is much better if you can find the good in each situation. Hang on to those good things. And let God handle the bad ones. Take it all to Him.

Until next time...blessings to you.