ChristianMilitaryWives

I  had the pleasure of interviewing a dear friend of mine, Sue Gallogly, on our show last Friday. Sue was raised as a military dependent, and later she married and lost her husband in the Vietnam war. After becoming a Gold star wife of the Vietnam war, Sue later remarried another man in the military and now has two sons in the military who have been through several deployments. 

Even as a young child Sue was a believer in Jesus, but she also was covered over in fear, doubt and insecurities. Instead of taking her fears, doubts and insecurities to the Lord she took food and used it to comfort her and fill in the empty places.

Sue "dieted" her way to 280 pounds. At a point of desperation she reached out and found a 12-step program that helped her to deal with her addiction to food. She lost 110 pounds in 9 months and has kept it off for more than 13-years. 

Sue is willing to personally talk to any woman from CMW who fears she may have an addiction to food. For more information listen to the show ("listen" tab at the top - show is hunger and thirst for righteousness) and then email me at claire@christianmilitarywives.com  with your questions for her or indicate that you would like to talk with Sue personally.
 

A large-scale study published yesterday found that 36.6percent of women whose husbands had deployed had at least one mental-health diagnosis, compared with 30.5 percent of women whose husbands had not deployed. Depression, anxiety, sleep disorder and acute stress reaction and adjustment disorder were the most common diagnoses in both groups. 

We promised our listening audience that we would post recipes for the homemade bath and beauty products we discussed on our Friday night show about a month ago! We may be slow, but we always deliver!

If you are looking for a good, creative, homemade gift to give to friends and family members this Christmas season, they you are in for a treat -- and if you make these things for them, they will be in for a treat too! Enjoy and feel free to post your questions here and we will answer them as we are able!  

Bath Fizzy Bombs!

All the ingredients I use:


Dry ingredients: (I measure by weight)
Baking Soda - 8 ounces

Citric Acid - 4 ounces
Corn Starch - 4 ounces
Salts - 4 ounces (Dead sea salts, mineral or epsom salts all work fine. I use epsom since they are the most affordable and they make the fizzies sparkle a little)

Wet Ingredients:
Water 1 T
Essential or Fragrance Oil - 2 tsp (Below I listed the supplier I use for fragrance oils)
Oil  2.5 T (I use almond oil a lot because it's light scented and feels nice on skin. If you use olive oil or other pungent oils consider how it may smell with the scented oils.)

Food coloring - 1 or 2 drops. (I personally don’t like using color. Just remember the color could stain skin and tubs, although not likely if it’s very light.)

1. Dry Ingredients:
 

Combine all dry ingredients in a (preferably glass) bowl. Whisk all of the clumps out. Be gentle with the whisk because the powders are all fine and you will be in a cloud before you know it! Your ingredients should have a fine consistency throughout.

2. Wet Ingredients: 

Blend your wet ingredients together. Do not worry if they do not mix well. You have water and oil in the same small bowl. I use a whisk and whisk it right before I pour it. You can also, alternatively, shake it in a small jar with a lid on it. 

3. Combine Ingredients:

I make a small well in the center of my powder and I use my hand to mix at this point. Take off all your jewelry if you do this. As I pour the mixture I use my hand to quickly and evenly distribute the moisture. If your mixture has a “reaction” (begins to fizz) quickly mix it into a drier (non-reactive) part of the mixture. The goal is to get the ingredients well blended and moist enough to mold, but you do not want the fizzy reaction to happen yet. That’s the reaction you want later in the tub! Add liquid about 1 tsp at a time. The consistency of the mixture, when you are all done, should be like damp sand that is easy to mold. When you grab a handful of it and squeeze it should be molded when you open your fist like in the picture above.

4. Give them shape!

Once your mixture is together, you have a pretty limited amount of time in which to get it into molds. A lot of people who make the bombs (myself in included as you see in pics) use the hollow Christmas tree ornaments you can find at your local craft store. They come apart at the center and are made to fill with stuff. 

To do the big bombs like these, you have to pack each side first and then overfill at the center and press the two sides together. You will eventually learn how much you need but you always need both sides of the orb full and then a heaping amount in the middle. This allows you to press the two sides together and hold it for 30 seconds or so until it molds them together. You don’t pull them apart, but rather you will gently shake or tap them and they will unmold. 
 

This recipe makes 4 good sized bombs and one half of a bomb. You can use smaller ball molds or use molds that have a shape to them (you can get these at the craft stores in the soap making section. 

When you unmold them there are a few things to remember:

1. Store them in a dry area, but do not do anything to dry them quickly. If they dry too quickly they will crack (no fan and no putting them in a warm oven, etc). They take approximately 24 hours to dry completely.

 2. As they dry, let them rest on a dry, white towel. I also turn them often for the first few hours. This keeps moisture from building up under them on the towel. The softness of the towel will keep the balls from developing a flat side. 

3. Some times small “warts” will appear. These are just small areas where the fizzy was has activated either because the mixture was not mixed really well OR there is too much moisture. It’s best to make them on a dry day. 

4. When they are hard and completely dry they can be stored in a bag or airtight container.  The shelf life for these is about 6 months. I have never had to find out if they last longer than 2 weeks! 

The only instructions you need to add, if you give them as a gift, is “Fill tub with hot water, drop in bath bomb, watch it fizz, enjoy its scents, feel the oils release on your skin.... sit back and relax!”

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Sugar Scrubs 


I have discovered that a good sugar scrub is the best way to exfoliate and add moisture to your skin in one step. I looked for many recipes this summer, but basically what I do is add brown sugar (or white if you want a harsher exfoliant) to pure vegetable glycerine. I mix in my essential oil and my favorite moisture oil - which again I use almost or sunflower oils for their light scent. 

Vegetable glycerine can be a little hard to find, but there is a link at the end of this article to an herb store where I get my ingredients. They have glycerine that is inexpensive and very good to use.

With a body scrub the key thing is to suspend the sugar in a main substance that will not dissolve the sugar. Many other recipes omit the glycerine and use a light oil such as safflower, sunflower or almond and a fragrance oil.  

Regardless of what you use the portions tend to be as follows:
1 Cup of brown sugar
1/2 to 3/4 Cup of glycerine or oil
1-2 tsp essence oil (based on your preference)
other additives like berry seeds for extra exfoliation or honey for added moisture.

Get creative! Put the mixture in a pretty jar, add a label and give it to a friend who would enjoy the wonderful mixture for her skin! Quick hint: The best batch I made was with a chocolate scented oil, brown sugar, and a little cocoa butter mixed in! YUMMY!

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Milk Bath 
Last year my mother in law asked me to make baskets filled with homemade goodies. The milk bath I made was a huge hit. I made it and filled up small old fashioned glass milk bottles I found at Hobby Lobby. 

Again the ingredients are basic and you can make it in many ways -- look in your pantry and get creative!

What you will need:
Dry milk (2 Cups)
Almond or other light scented oil (2 Tbs.)
Essence/Scented oil (1-2 tsp depending on preference)
Bath salts 1/2 C.
Optional: honey, oatmeal ground in a food processor, etc. 

Add the ingredients until well blended! Put in a nice container with instructions to add about 1/2 C. of the dry mixture to a running bath! Enjoy!  

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The next two recipes are from the book "Natural Beauty at Home" by Janice Cox.  Janice was kind enough to give us permission to publish them in this article for our military wives! Thank you Janice! I encourage you all to check out her book for other ideas!

Oatmeal Cleanser/Facial

1 Cup Oatmeal
½ cup Powdered Milk
Herbs of your choice (Green tea, Chamomile, Peppermint, Lavender)

Place oatmeal, powdered milk, and herbs (one tea bag worth is good) in a food processor  or blender and process till powdery. Store in an air tight container. To use as a cleanser mix two tablespoons of the mix with just enough honey and water to make a paste. Gently scrub face with the mixture. Rinse with tepid water. To use as a facial use enough of the oatmeal mixture with an egg and some honey to make a paste. Leave on face for at least 15 minutes. Rinse with tepid water.

Green Tea Toner

1 cup boiling water
1 Green tea teabag
1-2 Tablespoons Witch Hazel

Steep tea for 15 minutes. Discard tea bag and allow tea to cool completely. Add in Witch Hazel, 1 Tablespoon if you have dry, sensitive skin, 2 Tablespoons if you have oily skin. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To use dampen a cotton ball with the toner and gently wipe face. 

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Our final recipe comes to us compliments one of Linda's good friends! I hope you all enjoy the recipe... the name sure may give you a boost of confidence!

Katie’s Super Sexy Silky Smooth Leg Scrub

1 cup Cornmeal
1 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Coconut Oil

Mix the ingredients till it is the consistence of wet sand, adding more Coconut oil if need be. Store in an airtight container. Has a very long shelf life as Coconut oil is very stable and takes a long time to reach rancidity. Use after shaving in the shower. Take two Tablespoons of the mixture and exfoliate well. Rinse with warm water. Dry with a soft towel and work the remaining  Coconut oil into the skin. This can be used as a full body scrub. Do not use on the upper chest as the skin is very sensitive. Do NOT use on the face. The cornmeal can get in the eyes and scratch your cornea. 

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Things to keep in mind if making for gifts:

Small pretty canning  jars are fairly inexpensive to use. You can also find a lot of cute jars and bottles at craft stores. Be sure you always use very clean containers (I sterilize mine in my dishwasher -- just the jars no other dishes in while I sterilize them).  I also use very fresh ingredients and I use organic when I can. Good luck, and if you make anything, please post about it here and give your own tips and tricks! 

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**I use sweetcakes.com as my supplier for fragrance oils. They have great oils and wonderful prices! 
I also use www.mountainroseherbs.com for my almond oil and my citric acids. I also buy my vegetable glycerine from them.  

 

God made us in HIS own image.  HIS image is perfect.

When looking in the mirror, some think they are too skinny - too chunky (or as my kids like to say - "plumpin"), too short, too tall.  They may think they have crooked teeth, a crooked nose, or that their ears are too big.

Some people do not think they are very smart, think they are clumsy or maybe they are not athletic enough.

When feeling down, remember Gods word... it's never wrong.  The Lord loves you, you are HIS child.  He wants what's best for you.  Our Heavenly Father created you in HIS image.  You are Gods creation, and you are beautiful!

In Genesis 1: 24-27 (NIV) it says:

²⁴ And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. ²⁵ God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

 ²⁶ Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

 ²⁷ So God created man in his own image,
       in the image of God he created him;
       male and female he created them.

Ps 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. (14) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

I posted this last year on another blog, but I wanted to dust it off and post it here. Depression and suicides are always on the increase this time of year. Please take good care of yourself, and if you know a friend who is struggling with depression, make it a point to check in with them more during this time of year. Sometimes just knowing someone cares is a huge help!

Depression during the holidays is nothing new. Thanksgiving and Christmas can be a very happy time for some, and a very lonely, painful and sorrowful time for others. Between the stress of trying to live up to unrealistic expectations, financial stress, being separated from people you love and the decrease in sunshine and time to be outdoors, the season is ripe to cause an onset of situational depression.

Military families are not immune to this problem. Depression is an equal opportunity condition. Below are the signs of depression as well as some ideas on how to avoid having a blue Christmas.

Signs:

Feeling more tired that usual

A general sense of apathy, cynicism or anger toward the holidays

Isolation from festivities and normal holiday traditions

Crying more than usual

Eating more or eating less (change in habits or weight)

Consuming more alcohol than normal

More serious signs:

Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or helplessness

Thinking of suicide or how much better things would be if you were to die

Inability to get out of bed, practice normal hygiene, or dress yourself.

If you experience some of the signs, and ANY of the serious signs of depression, please call your physician and schedule an appointment today. Some depression can start out due to a situation, but it can escalate into a more serious condition that needs proper medical attention.

What can you do?

Yes, Virginia there is hope! This time of year can be a serious pitt fall when you have a loved one who is deployed. There is a normal stress and sometimes even depression that comes when you are holding down the home front every day and on a day to day basis, but couple that with the message that holidays are supposed to be perfect and over brimming with joy and family and it is an awful lot for a person to handle.

First and foremost you must evaluate what is truly important to you during the holiday season. If it’s being with friends and family then make every effort to be around people. Even if you can not be around your spouse who is deployed or your parents who are across the continent from you, there are still opportunities during the holiday season to be with people. If you are new to an area and do not know many people, now would be a great time to seek out a local Church body. Another outlet for being around others during the holiday season is volunteer work at a local nursing home or other organization.

The holidays do not need to be a Norman Rockwell painting to have meaning. If you are a perfectionist and have stressed yourself to the point of burnout because things are not going the way you have planned, it’s time to put things back into perspective. Materialism and commercialism has forced a holiday rush, disappointment and disillusionment that can bring on the Christmas blues. Do what you enjoy doing, but take a deep breath and remember that you are human as are the people you love. So you didn’t score the gift you really wanted to give your husband this year because it sold out. It’s only a material object. Your health, well being and sanity are tantamount to anything that a department store could carry.

Take care of yourself! Avoid drinking alcohol if you struggle with depression during the holidays. Alcohol is a nervous system depressant and will exacerbate symptoms of depression. Eat healthy and enjoy the goodies of the season in moderation. Overeating and binge eating can lead to feelings of guilt and even anxiety over weight gain. Under eating will leave you tired, physically and mentally.

The holidays are a season, and so is deployment. Neither lasts forever, but in the thick of things it feels like both can be never ending! Make yourself a garland of red and green interlocking paper rings. Make one ring for each day your soldier has left until he comes home. Every day tear one ring off and watch as your chain gets smaller and smaller, reminding you every day that this season of separation is coming closer to being over. Hold onto your hope, and don’t allow the depression grinch to steal your joy during the holiday season.

So since I’ve uploaded my “before” pictures, so many of my friends have been asking me, “What in the World did you do to lose so much weight??.”  If you haven’t seen them, I’ve lost over 70 lbs since those shots were taken.  As I explained some of the steps I took, the regular response was, oh, so you did it the way it’s supposed to be done right?

RIGHT!

There is a reason that’s the way it’s “supposed” to be done.  It’s not instant, its hard work  BUT I’ve learned so much about myself in the process and believe it or not, I’ve come to really enjoy physical exercise as a part of my lifestyle and daily routine.  Just like brushing your teeth or combing your hair, you really can get to a point where hitting the gym or going for a run is simply a part of your routine or, are you ready for this??? Something you actually enjoy and look forward to!

In so many areas of our life, we feel that no matter how hard we try, or what effort we put into it, we never get out what we put in.  We feel hopeless and disempowered, even depressed.  Whether these are internal circumstances, or things outside of ourselves, we feel that we can’t gain control.  With your body and well-being, you can be in control, and you, YES YOU, can start calling the shots, and getting out of it what you put into it!

So how?!?!  Well, I think it starts with why.

The first thing you have to do is decide why.  For everyone, it’s different.  Some want to get in shape to overcome illness.  Others want to contribute to preventing disease but for me, and most of you, it’s looking good in that little black dress.  Envision the situation where you have reached your goal.  Is it visiting a doctor and having them tell you that your condition is under control?  Is it showing up at that event and having everyone stare?  Is it crossing the finish line at a race you’ve always wanted to run??  You have to figure out why you want to lose the weight and envision what your life will be like once you get there.  Picture it.  Describe the emotions that are associated with achieving this!

Next, make a game plan - So how did I do it??  Just like you are “supposed” to – everyone has a different suggestion and theory so I want to share what little changes I made at first, that lead to big changes, and ultimately, a transformation in my life.

1.       Food is for Energy – so do you need energy before bed? No.  This was the first and most difficult change for me.  I love snacking late at night.  Especially when I am studying or in front of a show that I love.  But, the food you take in is truly for energy and if you are headed to bed shortly, you don’t need it!  Curb late night cravings with simple replacements like chewing gum or what your body probably really wants, a big glass of water.

2.       View your body as a machine – doesn’t really translate for me honestly… the only machine I know about is my car and where the gas tank is.  But I think despite having a mechanics license, you know what I’m getting at.  What you put out is what you put in.  Everything you put in.  Your body is masterfully designed to delegate the nutrients that you intake to prepare your body to perform.  If you aren’t going to run a marathon in the morning, you don’t need a giant intake of carbs for dinner.  Match your intake with your output if you want to see a change.

3.       Carbs early.  Carbohydrates are designed to provide energy to your body.  So the chips in front of CSI will most definitely go straight to your hips.  They are the first thing to burn off when you start working out or living life.  So take them in early in the day.  You are more likely to get rid of them through daily activity than you are before bed.  These stack up quick!

4.       6 small meals a day.  I get teased for always snacking.  Whether its at work or in pretty much every class, I always have a snack!  If you write out and prepare to eat 6 small meals, you will not only keep your blood sugar and metabolism up, but you will reduce your cravings for foods that aren’t good for you.  Apples are a great choice – they have natural hunger reducing benefits.  Yogurt (light & fit – watch for sugar content in other yogurts) can also be a great snack.

5.       WATER – 60-70% of your body is water.  Back to it being a machine, it can’t function without this.  Try running an engine without oil, it will blow up – TRUST ME! Made that mistake!  Seriously though, so many cravings in your body exist because you are dehydrated.  It makes you fatigued and makes concentration difficult.  I could talk forever about the health benefits of flushing your body of toxins and all of the other benefits of water but that 8 glasses a day thing is true.  It’s a hard habit to get into at first but before long, others will be hard pressed to find you without a water bottle by your side!

6.       Just walk a minute!  It’s hard to get into the routine, but when you spend the other 23 hours and 30 minutes standing around, sitting, or sleeping, don’t you owe it to yourself to get moving for at least 30 minutes??   When I first started, I told myself 15 minutes.  If I didn’t feel better after walking 15 minutes on the treadmill, I didn’t have to keep going.  But inevitably, I always did and was always glad I did.  Getting there was the hard part.  What’s going to drive you to go?

These are only a few suggestions to get started with.  Controlling your portions and deciding to make better choices are the first key to getting your weight under control.  Immediately followed is developing an exercise routine to match. So before I dive deeper into the many things I’ve learned over the years about what contributes to success in this area, try these initial steps!!  Once you cut carbs late in the day, increase your water intake, and start incorporating some exercise into your daily routine, you will be amazed at your results!!  Can’t wait to hear how it affects you and share the next steps with you!