How I Became Refined

[originally posted November 14, 2006]

It's been on my mind a lot lately.

The excesses of our lives.
The unnecessary stuff.
The stuff that ends up holding us down and owning us.

It's been a year since everything was pulled out from under us... A year since, my husband had to pick up and move, temporarily, with what little he could fit into his car, across the country (literally, we were in Maryland, he was in Oregon.) Away from the newborn son he'd barely gotten to know. Away from his other two children, who adore him completely. Away from his wife, who, though she doesn't say it properly enough, adores him and is so proud to have him by her side.

It had been a slow, painful process prior to that. Before it all started, we had owned our own home, nice cars, owned a very successful business of our own. We weren't nasty prideful, but we were proud of our things. And I don't think we shared what the Lord had given us very well with others.

As our descent began, we tried to keep our grip and climb up out of it. However, it seemed as if every decision we made, even after prayerfully presenting it before the Lord, turned out to be a bad decision. In the end, we were having to live with Sean's parents and use food stamps for groceries.

I can look back over that year now, and see how the Lord was refining us.

Have you ever considered the definition of "refine". We hear it a lot in churches. But what does it mean?

re‧fine /rɪˈfaɪn/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ri-fahyn] verb, -fined, -fin‧ing.
–verb (used with object)

1.to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities: to refine metal, sugar, or petroleum.

2.to purify from what is coarse, vulgar, or debasing; make elegant or cultured.

3.to bring to a finer state or form by purifying.

4.to make more fine, subtle, or precise: to refine one's writing style.
–verb (used without object)

5.to become pure.

6.to become more fine, elegant, or polished.

7.to make fine distinctions in thought or language.
—Verb phrase

8.refine on or upon, to improve by inserting finer distinctions, superior elements, etc.: to refine on one's previous work.

refine. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 14, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/refine

To take something coarse and vulgar and make it elegant and pure??

No small feat...

It becomes clear that, though the finished product may be beautiful and elegant, the process is not.

This year I have resolved in my heart, to not look the other way when I see someone hurting... to not cling to things when someone else has a need for it... to not judge others by their circumstances... I now understand what is important, and what is just fluff...

Some lessons are harder to learn than others. This one was excruciating at times.

But I wouldn't trade the changes in myself and my family for anything!!

Thank you Lord, for seeing my heart and refining it for your glory.

Don't Be a Lipstick Dipstick

In an earlier Fight the Frump post, I explained how to apply lipstick/gloss so that it would last. I never imagined what a hit it would be!

Never one to drop a subject (I was born with that ability, thankyouverymuch), I'm revisiting the topic. Only this time, I have a warning!

It seems as though lip gloss has been in the news a lot recently. First, we were told that lip gloss can help lose weight (sadly, this was debunked). But now, we are being told that lipgloss can cause cancer. When I first heard this, I wanted to crawl in a corner. Not my beloved lip gloss!!??! Say it ain't so!

A study at Baylor University "discovered that cosmetic lip balms and glosses attract ultraviolet rays, increasing the wearer's risk of developing skin cancer. In other words, that shiny lip gloss is magnifying the sun's effects." And even more disturbing, "cancer occurring on the lower lip can be much more aggressive than other forms of skin cancer and there is the potential for spread to nearby lymph nodes." (source)

And that Bonnie Bell Bubble Gum Lip gloss could be frying your lips, setting you up for bigger problems than lipstick on your teeth.

What are we to do? I'm all for looking good, but not at that risk! Shiny lips = oh so lovely. Shiny lips that cause lip cancer = very very bad.

Fortunately, there is an easy workaround: Always apply lip gloss only after applying a 30 SPF sunscreen to your lips.

Do I really neat to repeat myself? Don't let this happen. Vanity is so not worth this.

And that is so not a look we are going for.

[originally posted May 2, 2008]

My Random Thought for the Day

For years, we have speculated that the car industry has had the technology to produce super-fuel-efficient automobiles.

"Oh, they could do it, if they really wanted to." or "They aren't making them because the oil industry has paid them off/has lined their pockets."

However:

today's economy

+ the price of gas

+ the fact that car industries are starting to suffer and preparing to tank?

Yeah - that, to me, equals a big fat NO THEY DON'T. Because IF they did have that technology? They'd be producing the crap out of it so that people would be gobbling up their super-fuel-efficient autos and putting money back in their company.

Just my humble opinion.

What is yours?

Epson Artisan 800 Printer

When Alli and I first decided to throw a party for bloggers in October, we were unsure of how we'd fund it. But we had the drive and the confidence that we could pull it off.

Fortunately, Barbara Jones, of One2One Network contacted us about throwing the party with Epson as a sponsor.

I know! I know! you've heard this all before.

But, this time, I want to actually tell you about the printer that Epson graciously gave to us and asked us to review.

My Epson Artisan 800 printer arrived prior to BlissDom, and I immediately set it up (all.by.myself! it was that simple to do.) I spent the entire afternoon swooning at its loveliness.

It's lovely - it's sleek. It's wireless. I spent a full hour that night, twittering and bragging about the fact that I was in one room and printing in the other (feel free to still follow me - I don't just drool over printers.)

You can imagine that once I had totally bragged up this printer at BlissDom, it was all anyone could think about:

I couldn't focus on what I had prepared to talk about. I was too smitten with it's all-in-one-ness (it scans, faxes, prints and copies), its fast printing speed, its ability to keep my children happy for an afternoon with its capability of taking any image and turning it into a coloring page and its better-than-lab-quality photo printing.

Instead of thinking about my talk, I was thinking about all the ways this printer was going to make me more efficient; help me build my empire; simplify my life!

It quickly became the center of attention - posing and looking good in all of its sexy sleeky-ness.

In the end, we toasted it and cheered on its greatness.

It's a fabulous printer. Awesome in every sense of printer awesome-ness. It has allowed me to print out amazing photos to frame and hang around my home. Photos that will last LONGER than lab printed photos. My creative side has thought up at least 2.6 million ideas to create with it. Who knows how many ways you'll come up with for using it.

Want one or want to know more about it? Check it out here.

all photos by the fantabulous Secret Agent Mama 

I am Blissfully Domestic

We've started something new and fun over at Blissfully Domestic: A linky post where you can add your posts from the prior week - share your favorite tips, your cute crafty idea... anything that is Blissfully Domestic related.

And while you are at it, grab one of the super cute buttons I designed and spread the word!

Don't forget to check out the posts from the BOO-YA! participants.

And feel free to still add your own.

Surprise your kids with a Package from Santa

When I was little, the slightest suggestion that something from Santa might have been left for me was one of the highlights of the Christmas season. What child wouldn't be excited to receive a package with Santa Claus letters? PackageFromSanta.com is a site that can take care of that for you and create personalized packages for your child.

The Basic Package ($12.99) includes a personalized Santa letter from Santa Claus printed on his custom North Pole letterhead signed with Santa’s real signature, official gold foil Santa Seal of Approval, and personal details about your child that only Santa would know!

It arrives in a bright green, shiny, metallic package personally addressed to your child! It even has a genuine Santa Claus return address label and custom North Pole postage.

The Standard Package ($27.99) includes the personalized letter from Santa Claus, as well as a letter from Rudolph (with a real Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer photo!) Your child also receives a custom, personalized Nice List Certificate with Official Gold Foil Seal. They'll be please to know that they made "the list".

An autographed full color photo of Santa working away in his private workshop is also included in the package, which arrives in an extravagant, gold, metallic envelope addressed directly to your child, with Santa's return address label and custom North Pole postage.

The Deluxe Package ($54.99) has everything listed above, but, it has a lot more: There’s a hand signed and numbered Collector’s Piece of Santa’s Suit. There’s a personal greeting from Santa on CD along with Santa’s own telling of the classic, “Twas The Night Before Christmas.” A serving of Santa’s Special blend of magical reindeer food in a precious collector’s tin is also included.

Each deluxe package ships in a bright red box with a North Pole stamp, and Santa's gold foil return address label. The inside is adorned with an original Sam Doodle the Elf painting and poem.

Children will remember these gifts from Santa for years. With PackagefromSanta.com and personalized Santa Claus letters, you can keep the spirit of Santa alive for your children this Christmas season.

BOO-YA! Share your Tricks and Treats

I have always enjoyed Halloween. For me, it signifies the start of fall.

Of course, having two kids now in school also means double the classroom treats for classroom parties. {stick a fork in me}

So I look for the easy-peasy stuff to create. This means using my good-'ol standby Kraft Food & Family magazine:

Easy Ghost Cookies:

How stinkin' cute are these?!! And they take mere minutes to make {swoon}...

What You Need

1 pkg. (6 oz.) BAKER'S White Chocolate

18 NUTTER BUTTER Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

decorating gels and/or assorted small candies

Make It

MICROWAVE chocolate in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds.

SPREAD chocolate onto one side of each cookie for the ghost's "body." Cool slightly.

DECORATE with gels and/or candies to create "faces." Cool until chocolate is set.

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Spider Cupcakes:

another super easy, yet adorable recipe

What You Need

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

1/3 cup KOOL-AID Orange Flavor Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drink Mix

2 Tbsp. hot water

1 can (16 oz.) ready-to-spread white frosting

24 OREO Cookies

12 pieces black string licorice (32 inch each)

48 miniature candy-coated chocolate pieces

Make It

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package; blend in dry pudding mix. Spoon evenly into 24 paper-lined medium muffin cups. Bake as directed on package for cupcakes. Cool completely.

DISSOLVE drink mix in hot water. Stir into frosting until blended. Frost cupcakes, reserving some frosting for attaching candies.

CUT each licorice piece into sixteen 2-inch pieces; set aside. Place 1 cookie on top of each cupcake. Insert 4 licorice pieces into each side of each cookie for the "spider's legs." (Eight licorice pieces for each cookie.) Add 2 candy-coated chocolate pieces to top of each cookie using some of the reserved frosting for the "spider's eyes."

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Candy Corn Clay Pots:

These are fun and inexpensive to make. I have picked up the little clay pots for these at Hobby Lobby for less than $1.00

Directions available at Reader's Digest.

To take part: Please add the link FOR THE POST FOR BOO-YA! onto Mr. Linky. (do not just link to your home page)
Next to your name, indicate whether it is a decoration, craft, or treat (or any combination)
[And please link back to my site in your post.]

As always - Thank you for participating! I hope you enjoy traveling around to view all of the posts as I know I will.