Stop taking offense at the truth

SO speaking the truth these days has become offensive. Everyone has become so concerned with offending someone or hurting their feelings or really just not wanting other people upset with them.

Let me first preface this by saying that your value is not based on if a person likes you or not. Your value is not determined by "other peoples" opinions of you. It's not. Value is not the number of likes you get on a Facebook post. Value is not how many Instagram followers you have. That is not value THAT is vanity. I am not saying that it doesn't feel nice to post something that tons of people "like" or super cool when people see your Instagram and want to follow you. Yeah it is cool but it does not determine your value. Now having said that... on with my blog.

I have this desire, it is like a part of my DNA, it is like this deep instinct that beckons me to it every day; get to the truth of the matter. I say things honestly and by golly people start taking offense left and right. I am appalled at the immaturity of it all. Ok so maybe not appalled but yes frankly appalled that when I am the one giving the truth that I am the one perceived as offensive. STOP TAKING OFFENSE. Listen I have posted on my Facebook page several times (it is like the warning label) "don't take offense by what I am saying because none is being given." It takes courage to be honest. I am not trying to toot my own horn. But it does take courage to tell people the truth, how it really is without sugar coating it. You have to be willing to withstand the mud they start slinging once you have voiced it (wrote it, post it, tweeted it, however you get it out there). Duck and cover because once you start being frank with people they run to there "go to" person who will tell them what they want to hear, who will walk down that pity party road holding their hand, who will allow them to wallow in the offense they have just scooped up and ran with... you know the friend I am talking about. That one who feeds into your drama. This is not a healthy reaction. Those drama feeders weigh us down. They feed on our insecurities and fuel them when we run to them in crisis. "Yeah you should be offended, how dare she say that to you? Who does she think she is, you should..." BOOM justification of our offense. Wouldn't you rather hear the friend that tells you: "Uh... you're over reacting. Don't take offense. You know she wasn't trying to hurt you. 99% of the time people aren't trying to hurt you." End of drama. OHHhhhh perhaps that is why, because then the drama would be done. And I am not talking good drama, life can be filled with positive good drama or negative drama. Positive drama will make you belly laugh so hard your drink comes out your nose. 

I ask people all the time, be honest, tell me the truth. I would rather you tell me "Oh no girl you should not wear a shirt that tight," then me walk around in a shirt where everyone is thinking "Why is she wearing such a tight shirt" BECAUSE NO ONE TOLD HER THE TRUTH! Yeah that's right. When you see someone and wonder "what were they thinking..." just know that someone probable lied to them and they just don't know any better. I am not sure I can stay awake long enough to hit on that aspect of the non-truth speaking that we have all grown so accustomed to we can't stand the truth, you know, the lies. UGH that might have to be for a whole 'nother blog.

I want to give an example of what happens when someone is courageous and speaks the truth, they get set free oh and they set others free too. Like us take for instance Anna and Elsa from the movie Frozen. Anna goes to her sisters Ice Castle and approaches her with .... are you ready.... the truth. Here is the younger sister who has no special powers going into an amazing creation made by her angry older sister who does have powers, talk about intimidating. Anna has more courage in her pinky than the rest of us in our whole bodies. Then she has a choice, stay when Elsa obviously wants her to go and face offending her with the truth or turn tail and run home. (ok so you have seen the movie and you know what happens but let's just flip the coin for a moment and see what if she would've been cowardice) Ok so Anna takes the hint and decides that she better just leave her angry ice queen sister in her ice castle on her ice mountain alone so she can simmer down now. She goes back to Aerondale. Aerondale remains frozen. Anna manages to keep the others away from her sister for a while but marries Hans. Then Hans takes over ... hmmm not the Disney happy ending we all love now is it? NO instead she tells her sister the truth. "Aerondale's in deep, deep, deep, deep snow" I know what you're thinking..." But her sister froze her heart and nearly killed her" Her sister, Elsa's actions prevented her from marrying the wrong guy, helped them discover the right guy, brought them to the realization that sister love is true love, helped Elsa learn how to thaw (love) and control her powers. Life was far better after the truth set them free. So they had to go through the pain of Elsa freezing Anna to discover love. They went through that terrible time, such a short time it was in the grand scheme of things. But they went through it and got to the other side. I just don't see people taking these risks anymore.

It is so risky to be honest. To be vulnerable to the backlash of speaking your mind. "How dare you say that?" you ask? Well, I am "Daring Greatly" I want to be on the other side of the storm. I want to get through it. I want to be set free. I want that life of freedom that God so promised in the bible. How dare I not say that?!

Have your cake and eat it too! oh I mean brownies...

The words "and you can eat all you want" have not left me and are pretty close to the truth when you eat a Paleo diet. Well I guess if I ate a true Paleo diet they would be true. But seriously folks dairy (which I did cut out for a month NOT EASY) is like a HUGE part of my diet and I am blessed to say that it made no difference health wise for me as far as food allergies or sensitivities. So, no I do not eat a true Paleo diet. 

I do however eat a MOSTLY Paleo diet. Which left me pacing the kitchen and standing in front of the refrigerator when I wanted a treat or sweet. Like a crazy cat prowling around ready to pounce. My aunt made an awesome carrot cake, like better than the regular carrot cakes I've had, totally paleo. I asked her about it and she said "Just google Paleo cake or whatever Paleo food you want." Well DUH I told myself. But this opened up a whole new world for me and I have been baking ever since. Problem is, as I was just telling my friend Misty, I cannot follow the recipes (because I can't follow rules-hence eating dairy). Usually this caused my baking to be terrible when I ate wheat flour and sugar. However I have come to discover that my Paleo baking rule breaking rocks. YEP! I am like naturally gifted at making awesome Paleo treats (HA! believe that? you shouldn't) Not at all I just keep tweaking a few recipes making them better each time. This time I took a cookie recipe and tweaked it into a brownie recipe. It was really good, so good, my 4 year old who wouldn't eat the cookies, licked the bowl and ate 4 right away. I know what you're thinking... who lets a 4 year old eat 4 brownies? Well, there's no sugar in them. They are high in protein. So... ME. I do. The 1 yr old after her first bite literally said "nom nom nom nom" to get some more. She had 2. 

In my google searches I came across a Paleo baking blogger who suggested using this almond flour because the Bobs just didn't bake up well she said. I tried the Bobs because I had the Bobs and they did not bake well. Sorry Bob. So I ordered a 5 lb bag of Honeyville. I am now on my 2nd 5lb bag of this flour. Great stuff. So if you're going to use my recipe, you've been warned: you need the Honeyville Almond flour. Just order it, spend the money, get it in the mail and eat well. NO I get nothing from that company for sending you there. There stuff is just good. I ate 2 of these myself tonight. They always taste best warm out of the oven and I like it with milk. But I will be tackling an ice cream recipe soon and I am sure that will pair well too!

Joy's Paleo Brownies:

2  cups honeyville almond flour

1/2 cocoa powder (non alkalized) I use this

1 heaping tsp salt 

1 heaping tsp baking soda (I use aluminum free)

1/2 cup olive oil (1st cold pressed EVOO)

1/2 cup RAW agave 

1 tablespoon Vanilla extract (I use frontier organic) 

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl mix together all DRY ingredients. In a separate bowl add all wet and mix. Add wet to dry and mix well. GREASE the pan well. I like making individual servings so I used a muffin pan. 10 -12 minutes.  You can try a 9" and tell me how that works out. Use the olive oil to grease the pan. 

Enjoy

A simple testimony of faith

So, here’s my testimony. I love Jesus. I did not however grow up with church, God or Jesus. So, I had a very misspent youth. I partied, drank, experimented, dated LOTS of guys and was never able to fill that void inside. I ached. I tried other means of fulfillment. I was very successful in my college career, establishing outreach programs to inner city kids, productions of concerts, plays, and other events, state-wide executive board. I got my dream degree and worked in my dream field- still empty inside. One night I ended up on my knees in my closet LITERALLY crying out to God. I had started to seek truth and follow my heart. It led me to cry out to God (and I had denied Him a few months earlier). I asked Him to take control of my life. I told God, I have done everything I can. I have tried my best and I just can’t get this life. I can’t get it right, I can’t figured it out, I can’t do this life anymore. I begged Him to do it for me, to lead me, to guide me. Just take over control. SO he picked me up and put me to bed. I woke up refreshed and happy with a joy I had not felt in years, like YEARS. I started playing the Christian radio station I was singing along too. Then three lovely ladies from the church I visited the weekend prior just happen to stop by… but it was like I almost expected them, I HAD no idea they would be coming over. These wonderful ladies, that I met once prior, read through a track and led me to Christ (basically helped explain what I went through the night before- this is bringing me to tears and this was 2002 because THAT is God’s timing perfect!) That church was Anastasia Baptist and is still my church home. They’re my family. Life still isn’t easy and I have a whole new set of challenges but God is with me, He never leaves me (not even when I walk far from Him). That hole inside me, that ache, that void is now overflowing with the Love of Jesus. If you are feeling that tug inside right now, a longing to know more about God and Jesus please let one of know. Please PM me or the person you feel most comfortable talking with. We love you, Jesus loves you!  

A journey begins with a single step

A journey begins with a single step...

I took my first step into my oil journey in January 2014. I would love to tell you about how blessed I am and about how great these oils have been for me. But that is not really the story. The story is that the blessings come when other peoples lives are changed, when other peoples lives are blessed, when other people that you share them with have a greater sense of well-being, have improved how they feel, mine is not the story, there's is the story.

It started out gentle for me, my reasons aside:

Helping alleviate minor aches and pains associated with daily life...
occasional irregularity...
weightloss...
digestive aid...
encourages proper nasal function...
refreshing the mind and uplifting the spirit...
antispasmodics...
promotes restful sleep...
alleviate the occasional blue feeling...
wellness and health...
help maintain a healthy blood sugar level...
help alleviate nausea...
provides nervous system support during times of stress (this is personally amazing)...
mild mood changes, cramps, and edema associated with the menstrual cycle (life changing for so many including me)...
hot flashes...
hair loss associated with aging...

Then it got super real:

supporting the immune system...
slowing signs of aging on the skin, such as liver spots, spider veins...
wrinkles associated with aging...
support heart muscle function...
support digestive function, especially of the gallbladder...
support kidney health and function...

There is more, so much more and I would love to talk to you about it and share the stories both mine and those I have shared the oils with.

It is most important to note that these effects and that these results come from only genuine essential oils. Young Living has genuine essential oils. You can view this web-page to see what I mean and know they are the ONLY essential oil company that has this and guarantees this "Seed to Seal"

My journey began by becoming a wholesale member, kind of like a Costco or Sams club, but I was super happy to know that my membership also included a LOT of product and I don't have to buy membership each year. Way better deal! OH and don't have to buy bulk and don't have to buy every month like some companies rope you into. Just pure honest to goodness genuine essential oils that have blessed so many lives. I would like to share with you in hopes to bless your life as well. The membership starts with a "kit". No, you don't have to have a membership ever at all. I share my discount with everyone. When something truly blesses your life as much as these oils have blessed mine and hundreds of thousands of others how can I not share that with you? So, I order every month. You can find me on facebook and friend request me, however if you don't PM me "because I want to know more about oils" and we've never met I won't accept so please make sure you let me know about you! Find me "here"

There's no reason you shouldn't be as blessed as the rest of us!