Substance of Living

Do you remember playing with homemade dough when you were little?  Oh my gosh, my middle sister and I would sit at the kitchen table for hours playing with our dough.  Mom would put a few drops of food coloring so we would have colored dough - like the kind that was available in the stores.  We would use cookie cutters, make our own shapes, blend the colors together to make another color.  We sometimes even saved our creations.  Searching (falling down the rabbit hole) Pinterest one day, I came across  this recipe By Oleander and Palm.  Aren't her ornaments gorgeous in their simplicity? She puts her designs in the oven to dry.  I read in another blog that you can also air dry them.  So I did; and I used this recipe that uses cinnamon !  Oh, they smell heavenly! I used cookie cutters on hand.  Here's the kicker.... patience was my friend.  It took about a week for the dough to thoroughly dry.  I started them out ...

Thank you, dear readers, for sending us thoughtful emails such as this one below. I believe in angels and that once a parent, always a parent. A drunk man in an Oldsmobile   They said had run the light   That caused the six-car pileup.   When broken bodies lay about   And blood was everywhere,   The sirens screamed out eulogies,   For death was in the air.   A mother, trapped inside her car,   Was heard above the noise;   Her plaintive plea near split the air:   Oh, God, please spare my boys! She fought to loose her pinned hands;   She struggled to get free,   But mangled metal held her fast   In grim captivity.   Her frightened eyes then focused   On where the back seat once had been,   But all she saw was broken glass and   Two children's seats crushed in. Her twins were nowhere to be seen;   She did not hear th...

I'm so happy to say that I am a BzzAgent and was able to sample Clairol's Age Defy Expert Collection in Light Brown. AARGH the gray hair! After coloring my hair I received responses and questions that prompted conversations such as: "Did you get your hair cut?"  "You look younger," and "What are you doing differently?"  When I explained that I colored my hair at home they were shocked that it wasn't professionally done.  In fact, my hair dresser complimented my hair color - that's saying A LOT! I feel younger with the gray hair hidden and I really like the softness and manageability. Gray in the new hair growth If you've never colored your hair or did so many years ago, this is a super easy product to use.  The smell is pleasant and the directions are easy to understand.  There are four individual packets inside each box marked 1, 2a, 2b, and 3.  Packet 1 is a pre-treatment to prepare your hair to fully accept the col...

Follow the brick path to your dreams. A void negative sources, people, places, things and habits. B elieve in yourself. C onsider things from every angle. D on't give up and don't give in. E njoy life today; yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come. F amily and friends are hidden treasures.  Seek them and enjoy their riches. G ive more than you planned to give. H ang on to your dreams. I gnore those who try to discourage you. J ust do it! K eep on trying.  No matter how hard it seems, it will get easier. L ove yourself first and most. M ake it happen. N ever lie, cheat or steal.  Always strike a fair deal. O pen your eyes, and see things as they really are. P ractice makes perfect. Q uitters never win, and winners never quit. R ead, study and learn about everything important in your life. S top procrastinating. T ake control of your own destiny. U nderstand yourself in order to better understand others. V isualize it. W ant it more than anyt...

Creating Your Destiny You can begin controlling your life's destiny today.  It doesn't matter where you are in your life, your career, or anything else as long as you begin believing in yourself today.  Sure, there will be slips down the slide but each time you will come back stronger and healthier.  Healthier in the belief that you are on the right path. So, remember that your destiny begins with your thoughts.  That means no more negative self-talk or putting yourself down because you made a mistake. Who was it that first said we must take care of ourselves before helping others ?  I'm sure I'm paraphrasing but if we don't take care of ourselves and get ourselves on the right path, who are we to help others?  Here's a prime example: If you are dirty from working outside and don't wash up or change your clothes before bathing your children, who are also dirty from being outside, won't you get them dirty all over again after they get out of the b...

You know how some things touch you even though you don't remember where you read, saw, or heard it?  Sometimes you might even misquote someone as having said something because you don't recall who actually said it.  I've done it!  In this case, I guess we're not really trying to misquote or give someone else credit, it is the message that we are trying to get across. I think that is what has happened with this editorial that was forwarded by a reader.  Don't get me wrong, I really do appreciate the emails and stories and this particular reader didn't actually give someone else credit, I think the message was simply forwarded onto me.  Thank you for thinking of me. The message is powerful and I believe reflects the feelings of many Christians around the world.  Let me stop there for a second, if I may.  I say Christians, but wouldn't any person feel strongly about their faith and want to stand up?  Stand up and have the freedom to pray. The f...

Monopoly Board Games used in WWII Starting in 1941, an increasing number of British Airmen found themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their escape...Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a useful and accurate map , one showing Not only where stuff was, but also showing the locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam could go for food and shelter. Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise when you open and fold them, they wear out rapidly, and if they get wet, they turn into mush. Someone in MI-5 (similar to America's OSS) got the idea of printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up into tiny wads, and unfolded as many times as needed, and makes no noise whatsoever. At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that was John Waddington,...

Welcome to the new year!  I love the word "new".  It gives me hope and allows me to think of the future.  What image comes to mind when you hear or see the word "NEW"? January is such a busy month what with putting away all the holiday decorations, making preparations for the new year by creating Visual Boards , and setting goals so we'll go easy with this month's book club selection. These two books were both referred to me by neighbors who also are dear friends.  These are light reading but hopefully they will touch and speak volumes to you. When God Winks at You by SQuire Rushnell If you're looking for more books to read, take a gander at our previous Book Club selections. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron Don't you love it when simple things, such as a kitten, have HUGE impacts on our hearts?  What other books have you read that touched you deeply? Tweet this Post Please share me...

This is a story about miracles, blessings, and the belief in angels. There are times throughout the year that I find myself cynical and sweet stories, such as this - even though it is fictional - restore my heart. Source Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa at the McAllister Mall in Saint John. The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl. "Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling. "Your friend? "Yes, Santa," he replied. "My sister,  Sarah, who is very sick," he said sadly. Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!" the child exclaimed. "She misses you," he added softly. Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy's face, asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas. W...