Home: Have a SWEET day! (10/31/10)

Happy Halloween!

If it's going to be a day full of sugar anyway....why not make it home-made, baked with love and goodness!!

Today's "Home" post is a simple one! Just bake something! Yep, that's it, that's all. Create something yummy for your family as a special treat this Halloween.

A few ideas:

All of the below ideas are simple and only require a few ingredients, to serve up a completely Halloween experience for your loved ones. Click here to see photos of each of these ideas, along with simple prep instructions!

Mummy Rolls (also referred to as mummy dogs): Just take little sausage links and roll some Pilsbury Crescent dough around them like a mummy being wrapped up in a cloth.

Nutty Ghosts: Nutter butter cookies, dipped in white chocolate or almond bark, and place mini chocolate chips for the eyes!

Candy Corn Pizza: This is soooo simple! This is just a simple cheese pizza, with mozzerella cheese around the inside and cheddar on the outside, then cut into wedges. Reference the link above for picture and instructions.

There are soooo many other neat and festive treats you can create. Just visit this site for inspiration and ideas today!

Happy Halloween!

Shalom: Unexpected Healing (10/28/10)

Happy Thursday to you!

Today's "Shalom" post is on the subject of healing. Playing a part in the healing of others will have a direct result on your own healing - whether physical, spiritual, or emotional.

Today I challenge you to make the time to reach out to someone you know that is coping with some sort of health issue - whether a chronic condition, an injury that has impacted their normal daily activities, a disease that someone might be battling, or even someone that is experiencing a bout of depression.

Make the time, and then take the time, to connect with them. This person might not even realize that they needed someone to express care for them and their current health condition, but may realize through your gesture that they are uplifted and renewed with hope and healing. In turn, you will also enjoy the "heart" rewards that come with your kindness and compassion.

Many times, the person in need will not ask for help when they are coping with a personal struggle. They don't want to "burden" others with their situation. And in some cases, a person will even refuse help when it is offered. That is why communication can sometimes be a powerful ingredient in these circumstances.

Here are my suggestions for spreading a little love, peace, and healing in the world today:

• Pick up the phone today and call someone who is coping through an issue in which they need some healing.
• Ask them how they are doing.
• Just listen. Don't judge. Don't try to solve their circumstances. Just listen.
• Express your care. Offer to pray for this person.
• Let this person know that you are available to them, should they need support.

You will probably make someone's day! (And just think, if you don't pick up the phone and call someone, you will have missed out on such a wonderful opportunity to touch someone's heart that may very well need you, and not even know it.)

Home: Smells like home! (10/27/10)

Personalize your home!

Scents can evoke emotion. They can connect us to experiences and memories. They can relax us, or energize us. A scent can even change your mood. I have found value in surrounding myself in our home with scents that I love. I enjoy changing out the scents in my home as holidays approach, or a new season arrives. I love to walk in the door and be immediately drawn in by the welcoming aroma of sweet maple and buttery vanilla. Sometimes I want to feel surrounded by clean scents of satin sheets and crisp cotton. Sometimes I even opt for a feminine floral and flirty scent. I love to envelope our home with something that draws upon our senses and makes us smile.

My Suggestion:
If you don't already have your home personalized with fragrance, consider investing in a home fragrance system. You can accomplish this on almost any budget!


A few options:

$5-$10 Budget: The Renuzit adjustable twist-cap cones can be purchased for under $1 and come in a handful of fragrances, from clean scents, to a standard vanilla, and even scents that can ring in the holidays, such as apple and cinnamon.

$10-$20 Budget: If you have a bit more to spend, you can look at the plug in systems that have two scents that compliment each other, or even scented candles, or scented oils and waxes.

$20-$40 Budget: And....if budget is not an issue....here is my recommendation: Scentsy. I absolutely love Scentsy products, and would be happy to offer my personal guidance based on my own use. I can also help you personalize your selection to fit your home (as well as order your products!)

I am happy to share my opinions on any of the above - so just email me (enjoycalm@yahoo.com) with any questions!

Most importantly, find what works for you, and your home, and your space - - and let fragrance be yet one more way that you make your house a home!

Visit again real soon for tips on fragrance placement in the home, as well as using fragrance to rewards children's good behavior! Get your whole family involved in making your house a home!

My Baseball Champion!

After a six-game weekend tournament...still a genuine "Lawson smile!" Such a happy child!

Jump for Joy!

I went out to our trampoline this evening with my daughter. I caught a few pictures of her in the air and was just swept away by how beautiful she looked, almost floating in the air! She is precious. Then we both laid down on the trampoline for a "mommy/Elle" photo.

Introducing Ambasha!

At our board meeting today, one of our board members treated us by bringing some homemade Ethiopian bread, called Ambasha. I much prefer this particlar type of Ethiopian bread, to their more abundant staple bread, called injera. Injera is a bit sour to me, and just not all that delightful to eat. But ambasha...well, a whole different story! It is slightly sweet, and made with honey!

Ambasha went over well with the family! Everyone enjoyed it over dinner tonight, and it was a real treat to be able to share some Ethiopian food with my family. When I am actually in the country of Ethiopia, I actually don't get to enjoy Ambasha because our partners are very careful with what they allow us to eat, and what they do not - so that they keep us healthy and strong. For the most part, we don't eat ANYTHING given to us in the villages. Those are the days we live on our protein bars! Even though the bread is baked, it is the contaminated elements involved in the preparation that can cause us to get very sick. For example, most of the time the people baking the bread have very contaminated hands, and even the plates and bowls in which they prep the ingredients in, are very dirty. Also, remember, for the most part, there is not even any clean water in which they can wash their hands, nor the dishes they use to cook and bake...so yes, a filthy situation with tons of contamination. So....I had to come all the way back to America to enjoy an Ethiopian treat!

Our board member that brought the bread has a son that he adopted from Ethiopia. His son and daughter-in-law (also Ethiopian) and their children, live in San Antonio. Alganesh (daughter-in-law) graciously prepared this bread for us! Thank you Alganesh!

Their family story is amazing (and I will have to share it some day on this blog!). Anyhow, I thought I would share a simple post about our enjoyable evening with ambasha at the dinner table. Also, I have included a picture of a traditional Ethiopian dinner (served on the traditional injera bread) from a night that my husband and I went and enjoyed Ethiopian food at a restaurant in Pflugerville. Enjoy!

Shalom: Reflection for today (10/26/10)

Every time I come across this quote, I find myself taking time to simply ponder on it for a bit. Hopefully you will do the same!

Sometimes I'd like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world, when he could do something about it. But, I'm afraid God might ask me the same question. - Anonymous.

Om: The Art of Meditation (10/25/10)

The Art of Meditation

Have you ever been intrigued by that very simple word: "meditate?" Which, by the way, is anything but simple, actually. Have you ever wondered about the lives of those that meditate daily, and how different their lives must be from your own? They are probably calm, cool, and collected under the pressures of everyday life, right? They probably float through each day like a breeze carries a light feather in it's gentle flight. They probably don't feel the burden of daily responsibilities the same way that us average, non-meditating folk do, right? They probably sit in rush hour traffic as if they were relaxed and sitting in their favorite soft, plush chair, listening to the honking of horns fading into the scene like a soft touch of background music.

Well, not exactly. The difference is that these zen seekers (and I say "seekers" intentionally, because it is a constant path of progression) are committed to their happiness and state of balance. They invest in it. They don't just wake up carefree and mellow. It is a process. It is a regiment. It is a commitment. It is a lifestyle. They are dedicated and devoted, and put forth the continuous effort and time to maintain this level of structure in their lives....regularly.

You don't just arrive at enlightenment one day, and poof, you are there. It isn't a place. You don't find your way there, and then somehow leave behind this world as we know it. It doesn't work that way. You find your way there, and then make the commitment to keep coming back. That's how it works. You bring yourself back, over and over and over and over. This is what "centering" is.

Through meditation you can find your "center". You can find the place inside of yourself where peace, and harmony, and safety, and happiness, and holiness all reside. You can find the place where acceptance and love, and affirmation dwell. This is your center. This is your place of balance. This is your true self. It is only when we quiet down the chaos of daily life, that we can begin to hear our inner voice, and begin to really listen.

It is amazing what your "self" will tell you, when you give yourself a chance to talk...and you quiet your life enough to listen.

For more information, contact me at enjoycalm@yahoo.com.

Look for an upcoming post on a simple meditation technique, and beginning your own personal meditation practice, right from your home.

The Meaning: Om. Shalom. Home.

I wanted to start a blog to communicate with others - but I wanted it to be more than just a space for me to post about my day, and share photos of my family. I wanted it to have purpose. I wanted it to touch the lives and hearts of other people. I wanted people to identify with it. I wanted it to bless others. I wanted to enrich people's lives and motivate their soul's to dig deeper inside, to search themselves for something greater, and to live more meaningfully.

"Om. Shalom. Home." is my philosphy on living a purposeful life - a humanitarian life that we can all achieve.

Quite simply it is "giving back" in three ways: to yourself, to the world, and to your family.

"Om" is the giving back to oneself. Taking care of yourself. Recognizing that you must take time to nurture your own body and soul and heart and mind, in order to be able to give back to others. You must first set your own foundation, and set right your own path, in order to better love and lead those around you.


"Shalom" (also meaning 'peace') is the giving back to others, and giving back to the greater world around you. This is critical. Just as you are blessed, you need to return those blessings by sharing them with others.


"Home" is your family! It is important to always find ways to nurture your family life, and be a more "present" person in your home.


Therefore, my simple recipe for living is: Om. Shalom. Home.

In this blog, in addition to my random "life stuff," I will make posts that relate to one of the above focuses. I hope to help you grow, to encourage you to search yourself on new levels, and to play an active role in life. I hope to motivate you to "give back" and to experience the joy that comes with being a blessing to others. I hope to inspire you, in some way, to breathe deep, share peace, and love fully.

Enjoy!

Cute hats!

We had a baseball tournament for my son this weekend. Also.... my daughter and I got new hats (really cute hats, I might add!) So...we can somewhat blame the purchase of the new hats on the fact that we had a baseball tournament - you know, we needed to be sheilded by the hours and hours of time spent on the sun, the wind, and the rain! Totally cute hats, for a totally GREAT weekend.

Sometimes.....all you need is LOVE!

This past week, I had my two youngest kids take the time out to "stop" everything for a moment, put their arms around each other, and pose for a picture. I had no real reason to take a photo...but it just sort of felt like an opportunity to "connect" with each other. The photo turned out really cute.

Gedamba, Ethiopia: Clean Water Flows!!!

A great video from our trip to Ethiopia in June, 2010. This highlights one of the biggest project undertakings we have done to date...two years in the making! Finally....clean water flows for the people of Gedamba! People that thought they might be overlooked....yet again. But not this time, dear friends, not this time! We came, we saw, we answered. Peace and blessings to you!

Why is it?

Why is it that we are so blessed with the most basic of needs, and some struggle each day to survive without? How did we become so blessed? And how is it that so many of us don't even realize how blessed we are? How is it that we settle into a habit of becoming too comfortable with our daily privileges that we don't take time out to realize the struggles that others are facing?

I am so grateful that we can wake up each morning with the gift of clean water. Take a shower. Brush our teeth. And keep our children safe from disease. I am so thankful that each day we have enough to eat and drink to keep our bodies healthy and strong. I am so thankful that each night I can tuck my children in to bed underneath a roof that provides them shelter, and a house we call a "home."

But the reality is that so many people don't have these basic things that we take for granted. So many people struggle for a drink of water that isn't going to be filled with disease, and essentially, death. So many mothers live with the burden of knowing that the water they are giving their families, and their precious children, could possibly kill them...and many times, DOES. Imagine that burden.

Imagine not having enough food to eat. Imagine living in a hut made of sticks, or mud, with nothing but a dirt floor. Imagine sharing that dirt floor with your entire family...to sleep, to eat, to relax, to live. Each and every day and night. Imagine wearing the same piece of clothing every day....whether summer or winter. Imagine shoes being a luxury. Imagine school being a luxury. Imagine....

And yet....imagine living with a hope and faith so strong that you still find a way to not only smile, but to feel that smile in your soul.

We can learn so much FROM others. We can also share so much WITH others.


Now imagine, amist all these circumstances of trial and tribulation.....imagine love. Joy. Faith. The faces of pure hope and pure light. The faces of smiles, and laughter. And song. Now you can begin to see the spirit of the Ethiopian people. Despite their circumstances, they live with a heart that radiates peace and love.

Imagine simply living in the environment in which you are at present time, and finding a way to seek joy each and every day right where you are.

Happiness through a child's smile!

Does it get any better than this? Seeing pure joy and happiness through your child's smile! I am so blessed. Had to share! This is my precious Elle, dressed so beautifully (yes, in a dance outfit!) for a party we were going to...nope, not a dance party, nor a costume party...but what the heck....it brought her such happiness to put this on and feel pretty...why not let her shine!

Daddy and Elle Date Night!

Just had to share some pics of my precious baby girl and her daddy on date night!

Star Wars: Boys will be Boys!

Just had to share a few pics from my son's birthday party a few months ago. Was downloading some images the other night and came across these from my son's birthday party. They are tooooo cute. He is so "into" his Star Wars! He wanted everyone to come to his birthday party dressed as a Star Wars character. To my surprise, in the heat of the Texas summer, the boys DID INDEED show up in their costumers. What amazes me even more....they actually played in the 100 degree heat with these costumes STILL ON! Go boys!

Go Renegades!

I am so proud of my son! Little Lawson is just a shining light in my life (just as ALL of my kids are). He is so vibrant, so loving, so inquisitive, so kind, and so energetic. He loves life. He has to TRY EVERYTHING at least once. He is active.

He is currently on the Renegades baseball team, a select team, that is playing together for the first time. I am so proud of him, and all his time and effort that he puts towards this team, and the game of baseball.

Last weekend they won third place in their tournament and they all won medals. The boys were so proud. They are the youngest in the league, and are one of the only teams that has never before played as a team. They have come a long way in just a few very short months.

The boys were so excited to hang these medals around their necks and they have definitely EARNED them! Go Lawson! Go Renegades! Mama is sooooo PROUD of you!! (At the moment, I only have the above picture to post, and of course, Lawson is sporting a 'funny face' on this one!)

All the same, a wonderful, great, beautiful, absolutely precious child!

Little Baby T Rests in Heaven

Little Baby T rests in heaven. A sad, but divine, truth.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were given the sad news that our baby's heart had beat it's final beat. Our baby's heartbeat had stopped. I believe that time stood still for a few moments. The doctor placed his hand upon my arm, and said the words "I am so sorry. I am so sorry." I felt lost.

The days and weeks following were difficult. Although it was a sad time for us, I have remained steadfast in trusting God's divine purpose in it all.

I am so enveloped by a blanket of warmth and love by the amazing out-pour of support and love that so many people have shared. Thank you to all of our friends and family that have graciously lent an ear, a hug, a shoulder, words of encouragement, and even stories of your own loss.

My heart breaks, of course - - but I also have faith that what God breaks, He breaks with purpose - - because He has a plan of putting it back together in such a beautiful way, that only His hand could craft. So I wait to see what that will be!

We are thankful for the many prayers. God has held us close in His care and comfort, and continues to bless us.

Little Turner Bundle of Joy!

How blessed am I?! Recently we let friends and family know that I am pregnant. Yes, indeed, pregnant! Yay. We are so excited. It has been over 7 years since having a little one around, and what a joy it is to be expecting another child!

We have had two ultrasounds so far, and have another one next week. I suppose when you have a few complications, as a trade off, you get to at least enjoy the increased frequency with which you get to see your baby through imaging! Most pregnancies do not have ultrasounds quite as often, and have to wait longer between ultrasounds - which can be hard to do! I have had two in the last week, and have another one next week. I know....I know...although it could be labeled a "high risk" pregnancy, I could also look at it as God's gracious blessing to see little Baby T so frequently!

We are all rooting for little Baby T to continue to grow healthy, and for this pregnancy to keep me and baby both safe and sound for the next many months.

More to come!

And I get to call this a job!

And I get to call this a job! How blessed am I?!

Program Director, Water to Thrive

http://www.watertothrive.org/

Yes, that is me, and my dad....all the way across the world. Africa. Ethiopia to be specific.

Even though we get to be a part of the process of getting thousands and thousands of rural villagers clean water for the first time in their lives....the gift that we get in return in priceless. Life changing. Transforming. Without adequate words to describe.

My life has been changed by this "job." My life has evolved. My heart has expanded. I am so blessed...over and over and over again.

The pictures above were taken this past June (2010), and I return in just a few short weeks. I was so blessed to have the experience of my father going with me on this past journey. It was rough. The conditions were not always easy. The travel, the jet lag, the physical adjustments, battling illness, and so on and so on....but it isn't until you come back home, and begin to process the experience over time that you look back and realize what a tremendous, once-in-a-lifetime, and absolutely God-given opportunity we were just a part of.

That was my second trip to Ethiopia. The first trip I took was in May of 2009. This coming October will mark my third trip.

My time in Ethiopia has impacted my life in so many ways. I hope to write about this much....and to provide you with a fuller sense of what getting involved with something like my organization can do, not only for those in need, but for your own life too.

God desires us to help those in need. But what we may not always realize is that out of our own selflessness, we get so much in return. We learn. We grow. We become better educated. We understand humanity a bit better. We understand abundance a little bit better. We understand our own situation and circumstances a little bit better. We understand how thankful we should be. We come to know that life is bigger than us.

We all have purpose. But are we doing something with it? I am.

I thank God that I am. Because it has changed me.

Much more to come on my work with Water to Thrive. Much, much more!