Happy Thanksgiving!

I am feeling very blessed this Thanksgiving. True we don't have a great excess, but I have a safe place to live, my immediate family close my, easy access to clean clothes, water, and a abundance of food. We had a fun day with the kids yesterday, they are all healthy and happy. What more can you really need?

I also just read the book "The Poisonwood Bible", by Barbara Kingsolver. It is a story that takes place in Africa. I have always known the conditions that some people live, and that there are wars and corrupt governments, and how children in developing countries go hungry. But this book really put a face on that suffering for me. It is a story of an American family that goes to Africa on a mission trip, in the late 1950's. The book encompasses cultural differences, politics, family dynamics and so much more, it really moved me. It made me feel guilty for living in such a country as I do with so much waste, greed and over consumption, while I go about carefree while there is such suffering to other humankind. Especially while America exploits other countries to ensure they have cheap coffee, bananas, diamonds, rubber, etc.

This book really made me realize how lucky we are to live in the country we do, where we are safe, well fed, and have so many opportunities it is overwhelming. It made me think of a program that we had donated to previously, Compassion International. In the process of digesting the book I felt very moved to DO something, so I decided to start sponsoring a child. For just $38 a month you can provide funding to ensure the child is given adequate food, shelter and schooling. Without an opportunity at an education where would any of us be? We opted not to look through all the pictures of needy children and try to pick which one to chose, instead letting them choose for us a child who has gone the longest with out a sponsor. I know it isn't a huge difference in vast enormity of how many children go hungry every day throughout the world, but to that one child it will make a world of difference, and I am content with that.

I have made a decision to be more aware of need around me and am looking for other ways to help in my community locally as well. I think Thanksgiving is a great time to really look at what you have and give thanks for it, and give to those in greater need if possible. It is not easy, it requires you to get out of your comfort zone a little bit.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Love to all, I hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Grapefruit Sugar Scrub

This is a body scrub that you can easily make at home, and mostly with ingredients you already have. I promised my sister I would post this recipe. I gave her half of my first batch, and we both loved it, and are now both out. I love how easy it is to make.

The recipe:

1 1/2 C Sugar

8 drops Grapefruit essential oil (not really needed if you have scented castile soap, and no essential oil)

1/4 C Jojoba Oil **
1/4 C castile soap (scented or unscented)

Slowly add each ingredient in, thoroughly stirring in before adding the next.

If you have especially dry skin you can add 1-3 teaspoons of raw honey, and use slightly less than 1/4 C castile soap

**Jojoba is the best, it is most similar to our bodies natural oils, but sweet almond, grapeseed or Olive oil work as well. I used olive oil this time around because that is what we have at the moment, and my skin was feeling extra dry.