Worms & dirt or diamonds & beauty???

"Imperfection is beauty; madness is genius; and it is better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." - Marilyn Monroe

Are you more at ease with worms & dirt or diamonds & fashion? I am most definitely a worms and dirt kind of girl. I have an amazing friend who is more inspired by diamonds and fashion. What is important isn't where your passion lies, it is that you have passion in the first place. If you live from your heart, it won't matter a hoot where you find joy. It is in finding joy that makes your heart smile.

When you heart smiles you are beautiful, because that beauty comes from within. Inner beauty radiates a joyful light. There is no makeup in the world that can give you radiance like a heart filled with joy and love.

The last couple years of my grandma Ella's life she could no longer see clearly and yet her eyes sparkled. She was in her 90's, in wheel chair and a bit wrinkled. She was magnificent. I remember sitting with her visiting and thinking how incredibly beautiful she was. It took my breath away. Her beauty wasn't physical, it was her inner beauty that shone so bright. Always, teaching me lessons, she again taught me, your true beauty is internal not external.

If you have the grace to take fashion to an art. If your eye's light up when you see gold and diamonds then celebrate this. If you are most at home digging in dirt and making compost then celebrate this. It isn't what you do but how you do it. If what you love gives you great joy, then this will be seen by all. There is no need to judge ourselves or others by outward appearances but to learn to see the light in us all. If you find joy in dirt,diamonds or even fruitcake don't question but celebrate. Let this passion be your best beauty treatment.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."- Oliver Wendell Holmes

As always, wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise Frakes
Co-owner of Blue Sky Services
Healthy home specialist

Of chips and faith for 6 weeks

"Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest."-Sarah Ban Breathnach

This year I am observing Lent. I'm not catholic nor do I really have any reason to observe lent, yet somehow it seems so right. In college, my roommate and best friend observed lent. She would usually give up candy. She introduced lent to me via her yearly experiences.

I like the idea of changing how you view the world. We live day to day. Sometimes this day to day living gets rut like. We need to shake up our ruts, take off our blinders and open our eyes- or at least I do.

For Lent this year, I am giving up chips. I'm not a big chip eater but lately I find myself snacking away. If I'm going to snack with no thought- chips is my thoughtless snack food of choice. I can sit down to write, bag of chips full. I can stop writing, bag of chips empty??? For the next 6 weeks no chips, maybe more veggies, possibly eaten mindfully.

Besides chips, I am going to give up worrying, fretting, muddling over and stewing. My family has generations of formidable worriers. It is embedded in my bones and blood. But for 6 weeks I am going to try on a new habit on for size. I'm going to practice faith. I do understand this might be a little more difficult than giving up chips. I also realize the benefits of practicing faith far out way the benefits of not mindlessly eating chips.

How will I do this? Change a life pattern? Oh course, I will have to figure it out as I go. I've enlisted Dallas, my hubby, to give me gentle and predetermined reminders (an essential ingredient to a happy marriage:). I will use it as a practice knowing full well, I am human and should treat myself kindly. But don't you love the idea of practicing faith???

Think about it, when something you perceive as stressful comes into your life, instead of wigging out and filling your days and thoughts with worse case scenarios. Wouldn't if feel good to say "all will be well" and truly know all will be well? Living in Faith vs worry may be the ultimate in a residue free life!!!

As always, wishing you a happy and residue free home,
Denise Frakes
Co-owner of Blue Sky Services
Certified Healthy Home Specialist