Life's Little Treasures.
It's time for a fun review of my current top 5 little pleasures... my favorite treats & therapeutic treasures!
I have diving into deserving by indulging in self affirming & spoiling. I wanted to share what I've found helpful in keeping me happy & healed. Little treasures really can be big treasures to us. Here are my current favorite five:
1. The Bible: God's Word is the first word, the last word and really the ONLY Word. I consider the Bible our guidebook to life! Bible readings and studies bring me so much comfort through Christ. The Bible has become my favorite thing to read and turn to in need (prayer, communication with God and Bible reading for guidance, help & change). I love when Scriptures move me, like really JOLT me with Jesus's direction. I keep a Bible in different rooms of my house, as well as in my car. You can never have enough Bibles! Stock up and spread them wide. You never know when you will need it and keeping them in various places really helps in handy! Special Scripture share: Ephesians 4:29 ~ " 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
2. Owen's Acre Loose Leaf Herbal Teas: Local (for me in California), organic, dried tea herbs from an herbalist who grows her own herbs on her herb farm and carefully handcrafts the finest of teas (and a profound plethora of fabulous bath, body & home products + gifts galore - but this review will be for her teas). I had never gotten into homemade tea making until a few months ago when I started to learn more about the benefits of fresh and freshly dried herbs for medicinal purposes. I have always been a big fan of herbal healing but with health crisis it can be hard for me to get well needed nutrients due to digestion and malabsorption problems. Healing herbs to the rescue! Herbal teas are not only comforting & soothing but also potent and precise for problems. I grow my own herbs and juice them or now make teas from them but what I can't or don't grow I trust Owen's Acres to help out! I stocked up on enough herbs/loose teas (and a few special bath and body/etc. gifts) to last me all winter long with much to share with Mom! I even bought my Mom and I matching heart tea strainers! Owen's Acres is your COMPLETE holiday hook up for gift giving. You will find an ABUNDANCE of gorgeous gifts for the mind, body and soul. My favorite tea so far? It's so hard to choose but I have found great healing in the "Colon and Liver Cleanse Tea" & "Headache & Migraine Tea", which have been lifesavers in time of need! Ps. I must add, the owner, Laura, is extremely helpful with answering questions and giving advice and instructions. We did some email tag since I am new to tea making and have been a raw foodist for over 6 years now with a non heat policy that I was willing to stretch for tea purposes only. She instructed me on how to make both hot tea and sun tea to keep the tea RAW. She is prompt with response and happy to help. Check out: http://www.owensacres.com
3. Christian Movie Nights ala Netflix: My most relaxing evenings consist of a candle lit living room, a fresh rip roaring fire that heats up the house nice and toast, elevation for my feet as I lay back on my comfy couch and pop in a Christian Netflix! My movie interests have really changed since walking stronger with the Lord. I try to fill my mind with more holy movies now and to my surprise Netflix actually has a splendid selection. My Netflix subscription is a real gift right now for clean Christian movie nights, alone with Dante or cheerful company with Mom. Prices aren't bad either. Last rental? "Welcome to Paradise" Heartfelt and warming, I highly recommend. Check out: http://www.netflix.com/
4. Aromotherapy Oils, Diffusers & Candles: Two words: DOLLAR TREE! A month ago I bought some little oil diffusers from the Dollar Tree because I was curious to see if they really administer aroma-THERAPY for the senses. Wow, was I in for a surprise. These little babies burn rubber, ha! Seriously, I have been enjoying using my aromatherapy diffusers and special oils on a daily basis. My entire room gets FILLED with scent in about 1 minute flat. The diffusers I have are small and run by little tea lights but do a not so little job. They are power workers and should be getting paid overtime. Wink. I have a growing collection of oils that I use depending on my need that day... maybe it's sleeptime, sinus, relaxation, invigoration - you name it and there is an oil or oil blend to keep your inhales in alignment with healing help! I also included scented candles here but they light up my home and heart! I just love them! The best thing about the Dollar Tree is that EVERYTHING IS ONLY A DOLLAR so you can stock up good & plenty on diffusers, aromatherapy oils and candles! Last scent burned? Ocean Breeze - smells like men's body wash and very refreshing. My current bedside candles are Pear Spice, perfect for this season. I get them at a discount grocery store in big jars and on the cheap. The hot thing about candles is that you can find good deals on them just about anywhere you go. The Dollar Tree is your one stop shop for smelly scents! Check out: http://www.dollartree.com
5. Bee Soaps: locally made with love soaps (bath and body care, raw backyard harvest honey, pillar beeswax candles, fun soap and lip balm making classes, bee services, etc) that don't leave a residue but instead spread like Heaven and smell like it too. A few Sundays ago on my way home from the Farmer's Market I saw a little sign that read "Local Raw Honey" with an arrow pointing toward to the right. I didn't stop and regret came afterwards. I then looked for it the next week but didn't see the sign out... Well, this week my local Farmer's Market was out of my special creamed raw honey and so I took the back roads to see if I might see this honey sign again. I was in luck! I saw the sign and carefully followed other signs until I pulled up to a flower filled and cheery home with a table display of raw honey, soaps, lotions and eventually lip balms I had the owner bring out. I was greeted by a lovely lady with a New Zealand accent who was delighted to tell me about her homemade treasures! I grabbed me a nice sized jar of raw honey and became enthralled with the intoxicating scents of her soaps. WOW! They smelled delicious. I couldn't decide which one to buy but settled on an exfoliating rose soap that doesn't smell like old lady rose but like a fresh rose petal - delicate and sweet. She uses all natural ingredients, including honey, in her products. I was given 4 soap samples and I will honestly admit I have never washed myself more in my life since my purchase and freebies. It's almost become and OCD issue because I love the way the soaps smell and make my skin feel - scented & soft! I put the samples out on display in my bathroom (won't last for long since I'm devouring them!) and they left a light fragrance in my bathroom! Wonderful! Finding a good soap can be tricky. We've all dealt with soap dilemmas - some soaps do not produce a hearty lather, some leave you with residue aka soap scum looking skin, some leave you the opposite of what they claim - dry instead of moisturized... but not these bee-babies! They are the real deal. Janet's get up is Mom and Pop style, a small little store front from her home and online shop but charming and worth the standard rate price for homemade gift goodies. A small discount is given if bought from her home verse her online store but the online store specials! Check out: http://beezsoap.com
That's a wrap my friends! More treasure-box-treats as I slip into the season and lavish myself with love ; ) Top three Fall must haves: LOVE, winter squashes - all varieties and warm scarves! I feel the beautiful bundle and bounty from my head down to my toes! Activity of the Month: VOLUNTEERING and CLOSET CLEANING/DONATING to One Warm Coat http://www.onewarmcoat.org and local homeless shelters/low income organizations!
