The Science of Life and Tea

Last night I had a wonderful down to Earth facial and herbal tea bath!
::::Facial::::
First cut a lime (or lemon) in half and rub it on your face, wash the lime off first then apply aloe to your face from an aloe vera plant! Leave each on for about 10 minutes. You will feel refreshed, your skin will look brighter and tighter! No girl can complain about that one! :) I also hear lime juice can help lighten skin so this is a plus for those tough acne scars!

::::Herbal Tea Bath::::

Okay-who doesn't love the smell of lavender and a bunch of other wonderful herbs! Gather your favorite smelling and calming herbs such as lavender, chamomile, sage, rosemary steep till the tea is darker than you'd probably drink it in a full pot of water. Drain the leaves out, apply the herbed water to your bath and voula! your very own herbal bath! For those who want silky smooth skin-add some milk to your bath-Cleopatra used to do this for her own skin health! If you're feeling really adventurous-apply the lime and aloe facial while in the tub and enjoy!

Science, meet Bible.  Bible, meet the awakening of the knowledge'd man, proving your very words. Last year I read Dr. Caroline Leaf's book "Who Switched Off My Brain" after seeing her on popular preacher and best selling author Joyce Meyer's TV show. For the science educated, this book will be a little bit of a bore with it's simplified language and silly drawings, but definitely a good read in how to control your thought life. As Joyce says, "the battlefield is in the mind" coming from her book Battlefield of The Mind (Check out her newest book which is a continuation called Power Thoughts, putting the principles from Battlefield of The Mind to practice).

For those of you who love to spend an occasional evening pampering yourself, give this a try. French clay powder can be bought in bulk online or if you're lucky you can buy it at a local natural foods store. It's fairly inexpensive when bought at a local store if you can weigh your own. I like to add lavender for it's calming effects, it is also an antiseptic and can benefit acne prone skin. Echinacea is also an herb I like to use for acne. I have tried using it alone as a facial toner once in the morning and once at night to see how my skin would react. I made an herbal infusion (tea) out of it and applied it to problem areas, after a week of use I did not notice any irritation or an increase in acne (this is with the Simple Echinacea Toner). It made my skin feel refreshed and helped calm acne flairs.

Echinacea is a good source of vitamins and minerals, some including vitamins A, B-Complex, B3, C and E among others. The polyphenols in Echinacea also protect the skin from oxidative damage from the sun and the antioxidants prevent cellular decay (Zak). In 2006 the German government approved the use of Echinacea for the treatment of minor skin wounds, and various other studies have shown Echinacea to be effective in treating a variety of skin disorders.

The yogurt in this recipe is optional, I have added it with and without and didn't notice any difference. The recipe will make enough for about 4 applications and can be kept in the fridge for a few days. More or less clay or infusion may be added for the right consistency.

Note: Be careful the clay will stain your clothes and washcloth. It will not stain your skin. French green clay may also be used. 

Simple Echinacea Facial Toner:
Add about 2 Tsp. dried Echinacea (purpurea, angustifolia, pallida) or 2 tea bags of pure herb to a cup water and boil. Let steep for a few minutes till it gets brownish in color. Let cool in the fridge and apply to face with a cotton ball. Store in fridge, make fresh toner every three days. 


http://www.skincare-news.com/n-2930-Germany_Approves_Echinacea_as_Skin_Care_Treatment.aspx

(20,000 Secrets of Tea: The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature's Healing Herbs- Victoria Zak)

An Indian friend of mine gave me a taste of the real deal, Masala (spice) Chai (tea). Of course, her blend of tea and spices was perfect. After my first attempt today...I realized that too much of the spices is just too much! I'm typically a strictly plain girl when it comes to my tea, I like it au natural, but it was suggested to me that I add milk and sugar to this blend. I agree, add it. For those that don't know Chai, you're really missing out. It's a aromatic blend of cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and cloves added to orange pekoe black tea.

When asked do you love tea more than God? I'd have to admit, it's easy to get caught up in God's creation and loving the creation more than the Creator (http://wherethecloudsettles.blogspot.com/) but God is so totally radical it's pretty hard to not want more of Him. <3 We can be pretty foolish, all we have to do is go to the source (God) and he will provide everything we need.

Promise Land Style

"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we 
trust in the name of the Lord our God" (Psalm 20:7).

Nehemiah 6:8-9 "I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head." 9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."

So strengthen my hands Lord, to do the work you have set me here to do. To reach this land for you. Day by day, step my step, word by word, action by action, love by love, reaching the hospital here for Christ! Why work for man, when you can work for God!

Why Jesus?

-He established authority over the laws of nature, walking on water (Matt. 14:25)

-He controlled the forces of nature, altering weather patterns (Mark 4:39)

-He trumped the laws of physics, multiplying food, turning water into wine, translating his physical body from one place to another, and destroying trees simply by speaking to them (Matt. 15:36; John 2:9; 6:21; Mark 11:13-14,20)

- He demonstrated authority over the animal world, using a fish to collect money needed for a tax (Matt. 17:27)

-He had dominion over disease, healing multitudes (Acts 10:38)

-He even displayed power over death, bringing dead people back to life (John 11:43-44)

-He rose from the dead, physically (1 Cor. 15:35, 39, 42-44)

http://www.carm.org/christianity/christian-doctrine/jesus-resurrection-was-physical

Boasting is usually wrong, but not when it involves Christ.