Skin Deep Exposures Magazine Issue #9 by SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES MAGAZINE

HEALTH & FITNESS . SPECIAL INTEREST . INSPIRATION . NATURAL BEAUTY . FOR THE HOME . FASHION

SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A

Wonderful

LIFE

EXPOSING

Beautiful

FROM THE INSIDE, OUT.

Disclaimer: The articles in this issue are opinion pieces based on personal research and experience. None of the information provided has been approved by the FDA. We at Skin Deep Exposures Magazine are not doctors or health care professionals. Nothing in this magazine is intended to diagnose or cure any disease. The information in this magazine is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Implementing any of the tips or strategies suggested in any of our articles is done at your own risk.

THOUGHTS

Image by tab 1962

“Christmas waves a magic wand over the world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” -Norman Vincent Peale4

Did You Know?

Seven not so well known facts about Christmas

The image of Santa Claus flying his sleigh began in 1819 and was created by Washington Irving, the same author who dreamt up the Headless Horseman.

The Montgomery Ward department store created Rudolph the Reindeer as a marketing gimmick to encourage children to buy their Christmas coloring books.

The Christmas wreath was originally hung as a symbol of Jesus. The holly represents his crown of thorns and the red berries the blood he shed.

NORAD’s “Santa Tracker” was born from a misprint in the newspaper. A 1955 Sears ad was supposed to print the number of a store where children could call and tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas. The number printed was to the hotline of the Director of Operations for the U.S. Continental Air Defense. Colonel Shoup ordered his staff to give the children updates on the flight coordinates of Santa.

‘Jingle Bells’ – the popular Christmas song was composed by James Pierpont in Massachusetts, America. It was, however, written for thanksgiving and not Christmas.

Our modern day Santa Claus has to travel at more than the speed of light to deliver gifts to all the kids in the world and he would have 31 hours (considering all the times zones) on the Christmas day to get his favorite job done.

In 1914 during World War I there was a now famous Christmas truce in the trenches between the British and the Germans. They exchanged gifts across a neutral no man’s land, played football together, and decorated their shelters.

- FOR THE HOME -

CREATIVE GIFT WRAP Four Ways To Up Your Wrapping Game

A great way to add a little charm to your gifts this Christmas- use felt stickers, buttons, twine and burlap to make each gift unique. Image by Peter Bernik

Add a bit of sweetness to some plain tissue paper by addinga bit of jute twine and a classic candy cane. Image by Scukrov

Who says brown paper has to be boring? Embellish it with some twine, a few sprigs of pine and a sweet pinecone like this one for a simply elegant presentation for your gifts this year. Image by Konstantin Aksenov

For the book and music lovers, use pages from novels or sheets of music as embelishments when wrapping their gifts! Image by Ruth Black

- INSIDE THIS ISSUE OF SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES I SSU E N I N E Special Christmas Edition 2017 On The Cover // 32 Wendy: My Pheochromocytoma

S P EC I A L I N T EREST .....

An Adoption Story

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note // 11 Naomi Mautz An Adoption Story // 12 Sarah Coleman Love What You Do // 22 Featuring 3 Women Entrepreneurs December Reading List // 46 Three Books To Read Over Christmas Break

Be The Perfect GiftGiver This Christmas

Be The Perfect Gift- Giver // 49 Isabel William Faith For The Future // 63 Naomi Mautz

60 Guilt - Free Mince Pie Recipe

H EA L T H & F I T N ESS ..... Surviving The Season Of Overeating // 58 Freya from Berry Good For You Guilt- Free Mince Meat Pie // 60 Freya from Berry Good For You N A T U RA L BEA U T Y ..... Master Your Makeup // 44 Jordan Klee The Benefits Of Activated Charcoal // 52 Megan Thompson F A SH I ON ..... 5 Ways To Wear A Scarf // 26 Stefan Simonovic F OR T H E H OM E .....

26 Five Ways To Wear A Scarf: Winter Fashion

Creative Gift Wrap // 06 Four Ways To Up Your Wrapping Game Four E.O. Blends For Christmas // 40 Festive Essential Oil Diffuser Blends Homemade // 54 Naomi Mautz

41 4 Holiday Essential Oil Blends For The Diffuser

EMAIL: WEBSITE:

sdemagazine@gmail.com sdemagazine.com

EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION NAOMI MAUTZ

Editor in Chief Photographer MICHAEL MAUTZ Creative Director M.J. Senior Editor

on the cover

SURVIVING A PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA “I woke up in recovery with two people over me unwrapping endless amounts of lines and machinery. My very first thought as I came to consciousness was, “Thank you Jesus! I made it!” I immediately asked if I could see my husband. They agreed to only 5 minutes. Oh what a wonderful sight he was. I looked at him, smiled, took his hand and fell back into a peaceful sleep. “

CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Coleman, Isabel William, Freya from BerryGoodForYou.com, Jordan Klee from BeautifullyAlive.com, Megan Thompson from rockymountainessentials.net, Stefan Simonovic from FirstBeatMedia.com. Images by White Nova Studio, Canva, Freepic, Zastavkin, Hasloo Group Porduction Studio, Denise Torres, Alena Ozverova, MabelAmber & Mythja. FEATURED: Megan from Downloads That Donate. Wendy Carns: Surviving A Pheochromocytoma.

SPONSORS Colorado Custom Building and Remodeling www.coloradocustombr.com After This Chapter: Bookish Things Shop website Naomi Mautz Photography www.zenfolio.com/ naomimautzphotography

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Image by White Nova Studio

EDITOR’S NOTE

I am a big fan of tradition. I love the nostalgia tradition brings and the sense of security and togetherness that even simple traditions foster for our family. Christmas time is ripe with tradition in our home. One of my very favorite Christmas traditions is one that happened all by itself without any planning on our part. My birthday is November 12th, so one year on my birthday when my kids were really little, it was already turning out to be a very cold Colorado winter. It had snowed several times and the temperatures were freezing outside for days on end. The kids were going stir crazy from being cooped up inside for so many days in a row and we needed some excitement. My tradition growing up had always been to set up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. That was something I always looked forward to, so it was pretty exciting for everyone when for my birthday I announced that I wanted to spend the day decorating the house and putting up the Christmas tree. At first everyone was a little confused because it was way too early to put up the Christmas decorations (we hadn’t even had Thanksgiving yet after all) but once the boxes of decorations were scattered around the living room, we all got into it.

forward to every year.

We made hot chocolate and played Christmas music and once the tree was up and the sun started to go down we sat down together to watch A Christmas Carol. It was such a cozy time and no one wanted it to end, so we ordered pizza for dinner, dragged all of our blankets and pillows into the living room and stayed up late playing games and making cookies before finally crashing under the Christmas tree. Every year since then it has become an unspoken understanding that on my birthday (or the weekend following my birthday) we put up the Christmas tree, drag the decorations out of storage, order a pizza, make cookies and hot chocolate, watch A Christmas Carol and camp under the tree. Yes, we are that crazy family that decorates before Thanksgiving much to the confusion of many but the magic that this accidental tradition holds for the five of us has become something we all look

Putting the tree up early every year has actually proven to be quite a blessing for me. Besides the fact that I love Christmas and having the decorations up longer is awesome, it also gives me the oportunity to have that couple of extra weeks of “Christmas time” and things tend to not feel so last minute in those last days before December 25th. Every year as we sit under the tree on that first night, I remind myself to slow down and focus on spending quality time with the people I love , not just making sure I am checking off all of the activity boxes. Our Chritsmas seasons are not always perfect. We don’t always have time to coordinate matching outfits for the perfect family photo on our Christmas cards, in fact we don’t always send out Christmas cards! Time goes by fast (it seems to get faster and faster every year) but as we look back on years past, the one thing we always talk about, no matter how many exciting things we did, are the simple things, like the nights we spent drinking hot chocolate and watching movies together. May this Christmas be filled with the simple traditions of togetherness for you and yours. Merry Christmas! Naomi Mautz

- EDITORIAL-

An Adoption Story by Sarah Coleman

We always knew adoption would be a part of our story. Even though we didn’t know exactly what that would look like, we just knew that was what we wanted. Aaron and I were married in 2006 and we successfully avoided having kids for about ten years- on purpose, because it looked really hard and we were terrified. The process started for us when a friend of mine contacted me one day and said, “hey I know you guys are looking into adoption and that you have a heart for kids with down syndrome. I know

a child in California that needs to be adopted.” She asked us to be praying about it. We felt like the whole situation was too perfect to be coincidence and that this was God moving in our lives telling us it was time to get the ball rolling. So we started the process through Project127, which is a ministry that helps recruit Christian families to become foster/ adopt families here in the United States. It took us about a year to go through all of the training and begin the background checks in order to be

Images by Sarah Coleman

certified. December 2013 we became officially certified. By this time the child with downs had been adopted by another family, but in March we were contacted to do some respite and watch some twins for their current foster mom.

and the reality of that possibility hit us really hard about two months into the process. Their caseworker contacted us to let us know she had found some distant relatives that were interested in adoption. Three days after getting this news, the relatives came to take the kids for a weekend. At this point we were heartbroken. The kids were confused, we were having attachment issues and we realized that we really had had no idea how quickly and how hard we would fall in love with these kids.

These particular twins had been put into the foster system when they were seven months old. Luckily, the women who took them in at seven months was wonderful to them and she lived very near to us, so we were able to become a small part of their lives as well. Pretty soon, The rest of that summer was just this as their court case moved along, the waiting game. We had no idea how this twins were in a was going to play situation where â&#x20AC;&#x153;God really created a situation out and we had they needed to live day-toa permanent that allowed us to embrace day knowing that home. We were at any time they asked if that each other and surround these could be taken was something from us. This was we would tremendous kids with love and support. â&#x20AC;? aamount be willing to of stress consider. After to live under for much prayer, we realized that these so many reasons. Obviously, we had two babies, now fourteen months old become very attached and having to were meant to be a part of our story, give them up after they had become so on April 1st we began the two week such a huge part of our lives was transition of bringing them into our home. terrifying, but also the knowledge that this was family they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know and just That following summer was one of the the process and trauma of them being hardest we have had. As foster parents uprooted again was a painful thought. one of the things we are called to do To add to it though, they had a birth is attach. These kids need to be loved sister who was eleven at the time and and cared for and be embraced as a this move would take them very far real part of our lives and our family. The away from her as well. hard part is not attaching, it is attaching with the knowledge that we could loose Finally in July there was a hearing to them. That loss is always a possibility decide if they would stay with us or be

taken by their relatives. We spent twelve hours in court that day listening as family gave testimony and pleaded their case. It was clear that everyone wanted what was best for the kids, but it was a long and heart- wrenching day. After about a twenty minute deliberation, the judge finally came back and declared his ruling that the kids would stay with us. We were so relieved and thankful. The kid’s relatives, who were awkwardly sitting right next to us during the ruling, were obviously grieving, but they were so gracious and we were all able to go back to our home and spend some time together and give them an opportunity to say goodbye to the kids. It ended up being a very special time for all of us. It was a time that could have been very full or heartache and brokenness and God really created a situation that allowed us to embrace each other and surround these kids with love and support. Through it all we were able to remain on good terms with these people who still very much wanted to be a part of the kids’ lives. It was just really neat the way God worked through the whole situation. So September rolls around and we have spent the last few months in and out of court with the parents as they are deciding whether or not they want to terminate their parental rights. The dad is in and out of jail and the mom is struggling with a mental disorder that hinders her from being able to care for them, so when the termination of rights hearing rolls around, it ended up becoming a three day process. As hard as the process was, I have to say that their mom is a good person who loves them very much. She really did fight for them and I love that we can tell them 18

that. The whole process was long and so hard. As much as we wanted to keep them, we also wanted what was best for them and we really were grieving the loss that this was going to be in their lives as rights were terminated for both parents. Once rights are terminated, the birth parents have twenty-one days to submit an appeal. Being the fighter that she is, the mom did appeal and because of some issues with the court, it took ten months for us to get a ruling on the appeal. Finally, after almost a year of waiting, we were told that the appeal had been denied. Her response to that was to appeal to the Supreme Court, which took about two more months, but was denied. At that point, the decision is final and we were able to begin the process of adoption. Without further hiccup, we went in for our adoption ceremony on November 23, 2015. The best part was listening to the kids in the backseat of the car as they practiced saying their new names! We still feel called to be foster/adoptive parents right now so we have kept our licensure current. We don’t have any other children in the home at this time, but we do still feel called to foster/adopt a child or children with Down Syndrome. We don’t know what God has in store, and we have become better practiced at expecting the unexpected. God’s heart is deeply rooted in adoption, in protecting and loving His children, in caring for widows and orphans as Scripture articulates so clearly. And though it is one of the most difficult things we’ve done (It seems like Satan goes on super power mode to destroy foster or adoptive children and families), we are so thankful to serve God and that we

and that we have the opportunity to live out Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word on a daily basis. Children belong in families. Christmas is an extremely special and magical time of the year, celebrating the Gift of Christ Jesus and the spirit of His love that permeates during the holiday season. But it has taken on an even deeper meaning for us now having children and teaching them about their unique story. Though we celebrate their adoption and how God brought our family together, at the same time we grieve their losses as well, especially at Christmas when the birth parents are thinking about and missing. At Christmas especially, we find ourselves even more thankful for Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faithfulness, sovereignty, and deep love. And like most parents, like I imagine Mary and Joseph prayed, we pray for wisdom to be the best parents we can be for our kids.

SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES: the blog Be sure to catch us in between issues on our blog. Each week we share original posts on our favorite subjects including Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Natural Beauty, For the Home, Fashion and Special Interest editorials. We look forward to connecting with you! WWW.SDEMAGAZINE.COM

HEALTH & FITNESS Discover healthy recipes , advice & fitness tips

SPECIAL INTEREST Editorial articles including book reviews, faith and artist features.

FASHION Get tips on what to wear, the latest styles, and where to shop.

NATURAL BEAUTY Natural ways to get great skin, hair and nails.

INSPIRATION Need a little boost? Check out our inspirational posts including HERstory, quotes and uplifting articles.

FOR THE HOME Do you love DIY projects and ideas? We have you covered! Check out our For The Home category on the blog.

Would you ike to write for Skin Deep Exposures Magazine? We are always on the look out for great writers with original and interesting content for our upcoming magazine issues and our weekly blogsite. If you are a writer looking to get published, we would love to check out what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got. Contact us for more information. sdemagazine@gmail.com 21

Meet Megan

DOWNLOADS that DONATE Living Her Dream

Here at Skin Deep Exposures Magazine, one of the things we are passionate about is supporting small business, especially women who are pursuing their own dreams in the form of a small business. Like many before us, we have become Etsy-aholics and we can often be found browsing through for shops that specialize in handmade wares from all over the world. It is so amazing to see the vast, and often incredible talents that abound out there. We love hearing peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stories and being able to share in the excitement and passion of what they create. We recently stumbled upon a beautiful shop that we immediately fell in love with. After contacting the owner and hearing her story, we knew we had to share it and do whatever we could to help support her and her cause. Meet Megan, creator and designer and Downloads That Donate, and online source for digital designs that can be downloaded and used by small business owners, crafters and the like. Megan creates all of her own designs and has a huge heart for rescue animals. A portion of all of her proceeds from sales goes to animal shelters to halp save animals from being put down.

To summarize my life so far in just a few sentences, I’m a graphic designer with a weakness for packaging. I’ve been lucky enough to design for both Fortune 500s (Kraft, Coca Cola, etc.) and branded startups that went on to be in big box retailers. I somehow got published over 50 times in 9 countries, and my senior project in college ended up turning into a company I pitched on abc’s Shark Tank. I ended up selling it, launching another company, and spending my spare time helping animal shelters. I was super excited when I got into People Magazine, then found out it was the “sexiest man alive issue”! Ha! I have 4 feline fur-babies, I foster kittens for local shelters, and care for feral cats. I have been told that might make me a cat person.

Tell us about your shop/ business. (The “what” of it all). Downloads That Donate is a source for digital art files for crafters - both hobbyists and Etsy shop owners. You can immediately download your files and have a craft finished that same day. The designs are for just about anything you can think of - shirts, mugs, hats, “onsies”, you name it! A lot of the crafters coming to the shop worth with vinyl to make trendy mugs and “giftables” that looks just like what you’d find in stores, but at a fraction of the price because it’s DIY! Tell us about your process (from order to delivery of your product). I use an iPad Pro with an Apple pencil to draw my designs (I’m slightly obsessed with the “Procreate” app). I then bring the art into Adobe Illustrator to clean them up and vectorize them, as well as create multiple files types and mockups for the store listings. I typically grab my iPad, grab a cat, and some green tea and just start drawing. Most files are made in part by a cat. 90% of files are edited by a large furry ball laying across the keyboard or a happy flopping tail whacking my mouse. So, they are files made for cats, by cats. What can people expect when they work with you? Unlike other shops, the key differentiators for Downloads that Donate is tri-fold. 1. Every file you buy helps save animals ( wish this was the status-quo) 2. You’ll get multiple file types, so your artwork is ready to go for just about any craft machine or project requirements you have now or in the future. Not to mention they’re professionally made so they’re clean and well organized. 3. Emotional Support! Computers tend to be a pain in the butt now and again. A lot of Etsy 24

crafters get frustrated from shops that don’t respond to messages. I’ve never understood that. I make it a point to try to reply as soon as I see the message. I’ll admit I’m guilty of sending a message or 2 at 1 am. But I’m trying to stop! All that goes to say, I do my best to quickly reply to any questions, even if it’s about a software I’ve never used! I’ve learned a lot through helping crafters. Why did you decide to start this shop/ business? One day, my cat, Mr.Sprinkles, came up to me, sat down, and politely lifted his paw to give me a “taptap” and a tiny meow. I knew right away he was saying “Mom, stop everything and start an online business raising money for kitties in need and make it have something to do with computers because I like walking on keyboards. Kthnxbye.” And that’s how it started. I know some people refer to me as a “bleeding heart” animal person. I don’t mind it. Honestly, it can be exhausting being so passionate about something. I started this shop as a way to raise money for the animal shelters I support that actively rescue animals from “kill lists” and are working to reform the shelter system and make us a no-kill nation. 20% of all proceeds are donated to the shelters I’ve personally vetted.

What are you inspired / driven by? The entirety of my life is focused towards one core goal - helping cats. I grew up in an abusive family, and my cat, “Princess” was everything to me. The love I got from animals made me who I am today. I know the unconditional love and loyalty they can give. Not a single animal should every be killed to make space in a shelter, and I will spend every day of my life fighting to make all animals safe.

“I Love seeing and sharing finished projects! Honestly, I don’t know why it makes me so incredibly happy seeing photos. I turn in to a little kid who just got a surprise present.”

Everything I do is an effort to help rescue animals and reform the shelter system in America. My ultimate goal is to one day fully fund a cat shelter. At the end of the day, I’m not going to look back and be fulfilled looking at all of the projects I’ve made or sales I’ve generated. I want to look back and see that I was able to make a difference in helping cats. Be it through donating proceeds, fostering, probono design work, or anything else. Being on TV or People Magazine was great, but it couldn’t even come close to how happy I was seeing photos of cats being rescued because of a donation I was able to make, thanks to caring like-minded crafters. My love for animals is the driving force behind everything I do. How can people get in contact with you?

I‘ve started an email list as well to send out free ﬁles and exclusive coupons. You can join it at: bit.ly/DownloadsEmail I’m also working on setting up a vinyl shop for people who don’t have a cutting machine and just want to make a couple of DIY gifts. That should hopefully be up and stocked in the next month or so.

I make it a point to reply to Etsy messages as quickly as possible. I feel like I’ve won something when I can reply seconds later and always get a “oh my gosh! that was so fast!” reply. I really hope Etsy eventually offers a live chat option for shop owners! https://www.etsy.com/shop/ DownloadsThatDonate I’m always looking for crafters with great photos that I can collaborate with to test out new designs! If you’re interested, please message me! 25

- FASHION -

5 WAYS TO WEAR A SCARF

by Stefan Simonovic

Winter is the single best season when it comes to fashion. The earthy tones, long layers of clothing, romantic accessories, and obviously scarves make this season your time to shine. Scarves can make any outfit more stylish and add some much needed warmth during the frosty days. You can wear a scarf every day of the week and with these top five ways to style it, your look will always looks fresh and modern and never boring.

The Hidden Knot A trendy way to wear your scarf that even your mom would like, the hidden knot is a great choice if you’re looking for a new yet safe twist that’s easy to pull off. Take your scarf and fold it in half lengthwise, wrap it around your neck once, and make sure it’s not too loose around your neck. Take each side of the scarf and tie it in a knot twice. Take the knot and tuck it under the part that’s right around your neck.

The DIY Infinity Scarf

The Sweater

The great thing about a long rectangle scarf is that you can wear it in so many different ways that it looks like a new piece every time. For instance, if you like those infinity scarves you keep seeing around town, there is no need to go and buy one because you can make it out of the scarf thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already in your closet. Put the scarf around the back of your neck. Take the ends and tie them together. What you now have is an unwrapped infinity scarf. Twist the bottom part around into a loop, wrap it around your head, and voila! Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got yourself an infinity scarf without spending a dime.

Wear it as sort of a sweater. With your scarf nicely wrapped around your back, take the two corners of the scarf and tie them together. This will give you a hole for your arm. Repeat on the other side and put your arms through the holes. What you get is the angel sweater kind of look, which will keep you warm and covered up. Add a thin belt for extra style.

The European Loop

The Shawl

The simplest and one of the most stylish ways to wear your scarf, the European loop deserves a spot on this list because it can be made with literally every kind of scarf, including the silk ones that are making a comeback. Take your scarf, fold it in half lengthwise, and wrap it around your neck. Open the scarf where you’ve made your loop, and put the end of the scarf through it, and tighten it up all the way to your neck. Fluff it up if you like, and enjoy the warmth and style of the simple yet elegant European loop.

If you’ve got a rectangle scarf you can wear it as a shawl, which is the easiest and the most classy way to rock your favorite accessory. All you need to do is open up your scarf and put it over your shoulders. Make sure the ends are close to your body so you can more your arms, and you’ve got yourself a way to dress up any shirt and instantly get an outfit without spending more than 10 seconds on it.

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” MATTHEW 2: 1-2

Image by White Nova Studio

- HER STORY -

WEN DY My God-shaped hole. Surviving a Pheochromocytoma

I don’t know how many times I heard “That will never happen to me” and I believed it, I never thought something like this could happen to me, until it did, and my world came crashing down. Five years ago I was on a business trip and I did what you should never do on a business trip, I ate fish for dinner. That night in my hotel room I began to get very sick. It started with a dull pain in my side and quickly spiraled out of control. I stayed up all night thinking I had a bad case of food poisoning and by eight o’clock the next morning instead of going to my meeting I took myself to Urgent Care. I spent several hours being treated for dehydration and soon I began to feel better. I made it home and about a week later, I still was not feeling normal and decided that I better see my doctor. She listened to me as I told her what had been going on and was not convinced that what I had experienced had been food poisoning. She sent me to get an ultrasound to check out my gallbladder, as all my symptoms were indicative of a gallbladder attack. It quickly became clear to the ultrasound technician that my gallbladder was completely full of stones, as my doctor had suspected. As I lay there under the scrutiny of the ultrasound wand, the technician by chance (or by the hand of God) rolled the wand over my chest. She wouldn’t say anything, but she kept it there and stared intently at the monitor. I could tell that she was trying not to appear to be concerned. I wanted to ask why she was looking in my chest when my gall bladder was several inches lower but I didn’t. She eventually printed a few pictures, smiled and told me the doctor would discuss the results with me. I was always healthy. I took care of myself, ate right and exercised but in the past few years I had developed high blood pressure. The doctors did not know why. They just put me on medication and every few months I would go in for a test and they would increase my dose a little more. My doctor was becoming increasingly more concerned and told me that I absolutely had to get rid of whatever was causing me so much anxiety and calm down. I didn’t have anxiety and I really had very little stress in my life. I felt fine. It was frustrating. A few days later I received a call from my doctor. “Your gallbladder definitely needs to come out but there is something else that unexpectedly showed up too. It’s a mass. It looks to be on the liver or pancreas”. My heart fell. No one could tell me what the mass was, only that it was there and it would cause complications during a gallbladder surgery. Finally, the radiologist suggested that I do a blood test just to rule out a 32

Photos: Naomi Mautz Colorado Springs, Colorado.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;For me to give up control is not easy but I knew that this was completely out of my hands. â&#x20AC;?

very rare adrenal tumor called a Pheocromocytoma. My doctor agreed that it would be wise to take the test as a precaution. Even though the chances were extremely slim that the test would come back positive, we needed to figure out what the mass was and if ruling things out got us closer to the answer, that’s what we would do. I went to the hospital to do the blood test and then headed back to work feeling like I was wasting my time and wishing there was a way to find out what this mass was instead of what it wasn’t. Several days later, I was sitting in my office when I received a call from my doctor. The tone in her voice concerned me immediately. “Wendy, the test results came back for the tumor. It’s positive. It appears to be on your pancreas. You will need surgery right away.” She told me she was going to get in touch with University Hospital in Denver. There happened to be one surgeon there who had theoretical knowledge of a pheochromocytoma and he might have some idea as to how to go about removing it- if removal was possible. I hung up the phone and sat in the office numb. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think anything except… My pancreas? I’m going to die. Just then a co-worker came in to see if I was ok. She cried with me, and silently sat with me until finally she said, “Wendy you have to call Joe (my husband)”. His office was right across the street from mine. I knew he would be there in two minutes but I just wasn’t ready. I couldn’t figure out how in the world I was going to tell him this news, I couldn’t even get my own brain wrapped around it. Finally I called him. We sat in my car in front of my office and cried.

I went to University Hospital and began to complete a string of tests. I met with my surgeon, one of the best at the hospital. He was a very confident man, as all surgeons must be but he was also honest enough to be straight with me. He showed me my test results and explained that he could not tell exactly what the tumor was sitting on but that it did not look good. It appeared to be fairly large and because it is an adrenal tumor it was full of adrenaline (this is why I had high blood pressure and anxiety) so extracting it would be very tricky. The anesthesiologist would have to be very skilled as the tumor would release excessive amounts of adrenaline during the surgery. This could cause me to stroke out if not skillfully controlled. Also, because this was such a rare tumor, he, nor anyone else in the state had any practical experience for how to handle this. Oh, this just kept getting better. We had our second meeting with him about a week before my surgery. He told us that the tumor looked to be encapsulated and hopefully was not malignant (full of cancer) but that was certainly a possibility. As a Christian, I have always believed in the power of prayer and that our lives and fate are in the hands of our creator, God. I am a type A personality. For me to give up control is not easy but I knew that this was completely out of my hands. Even the doctors did not seem to be confident. In the weeks of waiting for the surgery I prayed so much more earnestly that I ever have in my life. God showed me a Scripture verse and when He did it was like I could hear His voice telling me to listen. Psalm 62:1-2 says, “Truly my soul finds rest in God”. Yes, He is my refuge, I will never be shaken”.

Verses 11-12 go on to say, “Power belongs to you God and with you Lord, is unfailing love”. Wow! I had never experienced that kind of instant peace and absolute calm that my God was with me. I knew He had this. Finally, December 6, 2012 arrived. The day of my surgery. I was calm but begging God to let me make it through to see my husband, kids and grandkids again. As they laid me on the table two surgeons looked over me. All I could see was their eyes. I had to tell them…. “Just one thing”, I said. “I am praying that God’s hands are your hands”. I saw their eyes cut over to each other and I could just imagine what they were thinking. They had a religious fanatic on the table. I woke up in recovery with two people over me unwrapping endless amounts of lines and machinery. My very first thought as I came to consciousness was, “Thank you Jesus! I made it!” I immediately asked if I could see my husband. They agreed to only 5 minutes. Oh what a wonderful sight he was. I looked at him, smiled, took his hand and fell back into a peaceful sleep. After not eating and being in ICU for 5 days I was finally ready to move into a room. I was the most popular patient in the hospital. Every doctor and nurse there came by to see me and every one of them was amazed. What a miracle it was that I was alive. Even my surgeon came by and confided in me that mine was the hardest and most touch and go surgery he has ever performed. While I was lying on that table, he realized that

the tumor was against my vena cava. It was much bigger than anyone thought and had actually moved several of my organs around. He panicked as he realized that the chances of him being able to get the tumor without damaging organs or nicking my heart were impossible. If not for me insisting that I did not want to come out of that surgery with that tumor still inside of me, no matter what, he would have sewn me back up with the hopes of giving me another six months or so to be with my family before the tumor took my life. He told me the story that as he stood in that operating room frantically weighing his options and having no idea how to proceed, he looked up into the observation room, where several students sat watching the surgery. He saw one of the residents eating peanuts and suddenly knew what he had to do. He immediately had several peanut shells sterilized and began using them to, layer by layer, scrape the tumor off of my heart. He said it came off like butter. Everyone was in shock. He confided to me that he had never been a believer in God, but even he could admit that there was certainly some kind of divine intervention in that surgical bay that day.

“There was certainly some kind of divine intervention in that surgical bay that day ”

I went home on the seventh day after my surgery and began a seven-week recovery. On December 22, I went to my post op to hear the results of the biopsy on the tumor. It was malignant. Everything about this thing was the most unexpected scenario. The rarest. Because the tumor is so slow growing,

so I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to endure chemo or radiation. My surgeon was confident that he got it all as he took 2 lymph nodes and as much of the surrounding area as possible. This was still scary news to hear, but I was lucky to be alive and I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about to take that for granted. That Christmas was one of the most beautiful. I knew how blessed I was and I was thankful for every second of it. This year I will celebrate 5 years since my surgery. I just had my annual visit and my oncologist assures me that everything look great. The funny thing is that none of my organs ever shifted back once the tumor was gone. If you were to see an X-Ray of me, you would clearly see that everything is a little out of place and that right behind my heart, there is a hole that will probably always be there. That hole does not symbolize emptiness, though. That is a hole full of grace and mercy. It is a hole of salvation and a reminder of a God who is bigger than this world, who in fact holds this world in his hands. That hole is a reminder that even someone as small and insignificant as me has the love and protection of a God of miracles.

FOUR ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS

for Christmas

There is nothing quite like the smell of Christmas. Gingerbread cookies, cinnamon and nutmeg, candy canes, fresh pine or the warm scent of a burning fire. These are the smells that remind us of time with family friends and celebration. If you have a diffuser and a few essential oils on hand, the scents of Christmas are never far away.

IMAGES BY: Hasloo Group Porduction Studio, Denise Torres, Alena Ozverova, White Nova Studio & Mythja.

01 Let It Snow 3 drops Eucalyptus essential oil 2 drops Juniper Berry essential oil 1 drop Sage essential oil

03 The Gifts Of The Magi 2 drops Frankincense essential oil 2 drops Myrrh essential oil 2 drops Wild Orange essential oil

02 The Fire Is So Delightful 3 drops of Wild Orange essential oil 2 drops of Cinnamon essential oil 1 drop of Clove essential oil

04 Christmas Candy 4 drops wintergreen essential oil 2 drops cinnamon essential oil

- BEAUTY -

Master Your Makeup in Under Five Minutes By Jordan Klee

eing a mom can be tiring work. Sometimes the last thing you have time for is yourself. Trying to shove self care into your morning routine can often seem like the impossible dream. Most days we are lucky to grab a shower, am I right? Who among us has not had that panicked moment when you hear an unexpected afternoon knock at the door from the postman needs a signature for a package or the well meaning neighboor who has decided to stop by for a chat and you are still rocking those jammies and bed head?

Yikes! Studies show that momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who are able to carve out small amounts of time in the morning to self pamper are less likely to become depressed or overwhelmed. Doing something as small as taking a shower, fixing your hair or putting on some makeup can mean a huge emotional boost to help you get through your day! There are a lot of busy moms out there who look great and actually spend just 5 minutes a day putting on makeup. So, if you can carve out five minutes in your morning to take care of yourself , and be ready for any unexpected company that

Image by Zastavkin

decides to come knocking, here are a few simple tips to get you started. Have Your Makeup Products Ready Keep your stash of beauty products easily accessable. Most women keep their makeup in their bathroom, but do what works for you. If you have a bedroom mirror that is convienient or somewhere else that allows you to keep your children in sight then use that. Wherever you decide to keep your makeup, be sure to keep everything fresh, clean and well organized. Check expiration dates often and replace anything that has expired.

Go To Bed With Clean Skin Before you turn in each night, make sure you’ve washed all of the makeup off of your face. Not only will this mean less time in the morning, but it will go a long way in keeping your pores free from build up and your skin looking fresh and healthy. Any makeup you leave on your face when you go to bed at night not only cloggs up your pores but also creates a build up on your pillow and blankets that becomes the gift that keeps on giving night after night. Waking up to a clean canvas in the morning is a great way to start the day. Stick With The Basics Narrow your every day routine down to cleanser, moisturizer, a light foundation, a blush or bronzer, mascara and a neutral lipstick. If you love to have a few extra additions around for those special occassions, grab an additional makeup bag to keep the extras in. Having just the basics on hand without the clutter of anything extra can help reduce clutter and help streamline the process. On days when you want to get a little fancier add in your eyeliner, eye shadow and fun shades of lipstick. You may be pleasantly surprised that you don’t need half of what you thought you needed to achieve a clean, fresh, put together look.

Try New Things Keep the boredom at bay by shaking up your routine every once in a while. Consider trying a self tanner. You may find that by using a bit of self tanner, you may not need as many of the other products that you are used to using. Nothing beats that look of a healthy glow. Think less is better instead of more is needed. Make It A Family Activity If you spend your morning wrangling little ones, get them involved in your morning makeup routine. Set up a timer and have them time you. Make them your official makeup handlers, you know, like the surgical nurses who hand the doctor each instrument when it’s time. “Foundation... check, mascara... check”. Purchase or even make a pretend makeup kit for your little girl and have her do her own makeup routine along side you in the mornings. creating opportunities to spend time with your kiddos while also keeping them busy is a great way to free you up to take care of yourself. Give Yourself A Break You are most likely your biggest critic. When you look in the mirror in the morning be sure to be kind to yourself. Spend time admiring the beauty that is staring back at you and try to resist the urge to notice every little flaw. Try to see your makeup routine not as a means of covering up your flaws, but instead as a way to enhance the beauty you already possess. Putting on makeup each day can be a fun time and it really can go a long way in making you feel a little less overwhelmed and a little more ready to take on the day. On those days when five minutes is really all you have to give, your makeup doesn’t have to be the impossible dream.

- SPECIAL INTEREST -

THREE BOOKS TO READ OVER CHRISTMAS BREAK THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristen Hannah

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson

An amazing story of the love, loss, harship and bravery experienced by two sisters during WWII. This story will mercilessly yank on your heart strings and leave you breathless.

Book one in an incredible YA trilogy by a brilliant author. Rae Carson builds a world that you long to step through the pages and become a part of. Elisa is a character that you can’t help but route for and her epic adventure is one that stays with you long after you have read the last page.

Summary: With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime. STILL LIFE by Louise Penny The ﬁrst in a terriﬁc crime and suspense series that will have you hooked as Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and the residents of Three Pines steal your heart and refuse to let go.

Summary: Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Summary: Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a Image by MabelAmber

- SPECIAL INTEREST -

Be The Perfect Gift- Giver by Isabel William

Holiday shopping is stressful. We all want to be the friend that everyone can count on to give the best gifts, because no one wants to be “that girl”. You know, the one who obviously spends zero time thinking about the person they are shopping for when picking out gifts every year. The girl who wraps up the kitchy sweaters or socks or the necklase they tripped over in the discount bin at Penny’s. There is a definite art to picking out the perfect Christmas gift for someone. Rule number one is to know the person you are shopping for. Think about that person’s likes and dislikes. Is there something that person is constantly making reference to as something they need or want? Rule number two is shop for them, not you. Just because you see something that speaks to you doesn’t necessarily mean the reciever of the gift will be as thrilled as you are especially if it is a pair of sterling silver earrings for a friend who has a silver allergy or a super cute cat shirt for your friend who loves dogs. I’m sure you see where I’m going. Rule number three, make the gift personal. Nothing says, “this gift was meant for you and you alone” like a cute emroidered handbag, a birthstone necklace with their initials or a fantastic new leather journal with their name or favoeite quote engraved in it. Personalized items let people know that you took time to shop specifically for them.

On that note, we all have that one friend who is impossible to shop for. No matter what you get them, you know it will probably end up collecting dust in some dark drawer or will be given away to somebody else. So, if you want to give them something that you know they will love and use every day, here are a few great gift ideas to consider. FOR THE CHEF: A sturdy cutting board is always an appreciated item in any cook’s arsenal. Grab a board made of durable and easy to clean bamboo, so it will last for a long time. I recommend Fred THE OBSESSIVE CHEF Bamboo Cutting Board. It has detailed guidelines for different size and angled cuts, which allow you to slice and dice with precision. Also, the lines are not printed but burnished, so they won’t wear off. To complete the chef set, you can throw in a detailed cheese chopping board as well. Similarly, it includes engraved patterns, which is perfect when serving cheese platters. This gift is anything but cheesy, and the chef in your ife is guaranteed to love it. FOR THE ORGANIZER: One of the best gifts you could give to your well-organized friend is a good label writer, such as the fantastic DYMO LABELWRITER 450. Though thier home is probably already as neat as a pin, things can sometimes be difficult to find even in the midst of perfect organization. The label writer prints out self- stick labels quickly and easily, so labeling folders, food jars, office supplies, photos, pantry containers, garage boxes and anything else they can imagine is easy as pie. Just type, print and stick. 50

FOR THE ALWAYS PREPARED: For that friend who likes to have anything and everything on hand- just in case, consider a bag organizer like the HANDBAG PURSE 13 POCKET ORGANIZER BY BORN TO ACCESSORIZE. These handy items line the inside of a handbag and hasveplenty of pockets in various sizes that will ensure all items are kept in place and readily accessible. Plus, there is no wasted time reorganizing stuff when switching from one handbag to another –simply remove the organizer with everything in tact and place it in another handbag, which can be a real lifesaver in a hurry. FOR THE NOT SO ORGANIZED: Most of us know the struggle of trying to unlock our front door for 15 minutes because there are so many keys on our keychain, we have no idea which one opens what. Instead of resorting to the usual technique of marking them with nail polish (and probably forgetting which color means what), a much more sensible solution is a key organizer. These handy little accessories allow easy attachment of all keys and then stows them all away much like a swiss army knife. This allows for easy access without the jangly mess of a traditional key chain. FOR THE FASHIONISTA: What do you get for that friend who is always on top of the latest fashion trends? Consider a Zulily gift certificate. Zulily is the perfect go to store for grabbing the cutest fashion finds for amazing prices. They offer brand new deals on fresh finds every day, so you (or your friend) will never run out of options. The best part is that you can download the free Zulily app right to your phone and shop whenever and wherever you want.

“She is My Spirit Animal” collection from After This Chapter at Zazzle.com

- HEALTH & BEAUTY -

THE BENEFITS OF ACTIVATED CHARCOAL by Megan Thompson

When you think of charcoal, you may visualize the smell of a summer barbecue or an effective source of mulch for your garden. But did you know that activated charcoal is a natural purifier, allowing you to benefit from a number of health and beauty-boosting effects. Hold on, what is activated charcoal? Although you may believe that activated charcoal is a trendy new term, it actually has a vast and impressive history in terms of medicine. Today, it’s mainly used as a possible poison antidote and natural detoxifier. Activated charcoal, also known as activated carbon, differs from regular charcoal in one key way – it is heated, causing expansion, resulting in a more porous surface. The result? Charcoal that can chemically bind to other substances, effectively absorbing atoms, ions, and toxins. While focusing on why you should welcome activated charcoal into your life, it’s important to focus on some of its medicinal properties and overall benefits. Considering charcoal is known to adsorb up to 200 times its own weight in impurities, it’s now giving other health and beauty products a run for their money.

3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE USING ACTIVATED CHARCOAL. Reason #1: Supports positive outcomes in certain emergency situations No one wants to be faced with an emergency, but if the worst case scenario arises, activated charcoal may actually save your life. If you ingest a toxin or a potentially fatal drug, activated charcoal can prevent absorption and support more rapid elimination. Whether you’re concerned about mercury, morphine, or DDT (a pesticide), when administered within the first hour, activated charcoal can encourage a more optimal recovery. Within one study, published in the International Journal of Biological, Biomolecular, Agricultural, Food and Biotechnological Engineering, it was found that activated carbon in rice straw, significantly reduced the amount of Carbofuran in bodies of water. This highly toxic pesticide is just one of the numerous toxins we’re exposed to on a daily basis. Although extremely beneficial in emergency situations, activated charcoal can also be used on a more regular and routine basis. Reason #2: Improves skin health Toxins influence skin health, encouraging anything from wrinkles to acne. Since it is highly absorbent, activated charcoal can draw a number of toxins and bacteria to the surface of your skin. When you unclog your pores by drawing out dirt, toxins, and oil, you essentially reduce your risk of skin issues.

Although you may be drawn to the beauty benefits of an activated charcoal soaps or masks, the benefits do not end there. If you suffer from a bee sting or bug bite, this natural remedy can reduce the associated burn, itch, and irritation. By administering diluted activated charcoal to the affected area, you’ll also reduce your risk of infection. Reason #3: Whitens teeth Black charcoal is the last thing you’d associate with a mouthful of pearly whites, but this simple remedy most certainly supports a brighter, whiter smile. Since it’s naturally adhesive, it sticks to anything from coffee stains to plaque. It is also believed to improve the overall pH and health of your mouth. To whiten your teeth and potentially prevent cavities, keep activated charcoal powder or capsules in your medicine cabinet. Firing up the barbecue to cook hot dogs may not be the best health move, but utilizing activated charcoal is a step into the right direction. From digestive cleanses to the prevention of cellular damage, activated charcoal is a natural remedy that has the history and positive results to back it up. If you’re interested in trying this natural beauty and alternative health remedy, discuss its varying uses with your holistic doctor – sourcing powder and capsules from health stores or a reputable online source. Chang, K., Lin, J., and Chen, S. (2011). Adsorption Studies on the Removal of Pesticides (Carbofuran) using Activated Carbon from Rice Straw Agricultural Waste. Journal of Biological, Biomolecular, Agricultural, Food and Biotechnological Engineering. 5(4), 210-213.

HOMEMADE

Upcycle an old box of Christmas cards to make some super cute DIY tags for all of your Christmas gifts this year. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have an old box of Christmas cards? Grab a box at any walmart or craft store- or even better, visit your local Dollar Store for a budget friendly option.

Image by White Nova Studio and Freepic

- FOR THE HOME -

SOCK DOLLS My daughters and I ran across the idea for these adorable dollson Pinterest and decided we had to try them. We headed out to grab several pairs of cute socks from Walmart and the Dollar Store and got right to work. We quickly got the hang of it. They were so easy and fun to make, it became hard to stop! We found ourselves sitting down together to make at least one doll per nighteach. With all of these homemade dolls piling up, we had a brilliant idea- we decided these would be our Christmas presents for family and friends this year. Our dolls arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perfect, and a few are a little quirky, but we are getting better at it with each new one and it has been a great girl time project for us to do toegther. 56

Check out our blog for step by step instructions on how to make sock dolls of your own www.sdemagazinecom 57

- HEALTH & FITNESS -

Surviving The Season Of Overeating By Freya from Berry Good For You It crept up on us like it does seemingly every year but it’s official, the holiday season is well underway. And with it comes the chocolate, eggnog, and over-indulgence that we’ve come to love (and hate) so much. But it doesn’t have to be that way! What if, instead of writing December off as a month when anything and everything you eat comes dipped in chocolate, we could actually make it to January without that feeling of dread? Without the looming threat of a costly gym membership or the prospect of swearing off alcohol. Simple as they may sound, we’ve come up with a list of tips to help you curb that snacking habit and reign in your appetite during the holidays.

Opt For Non-Alcoholic Drinks Not only will alcohol leave you feeling bloated and less inclined to make healthy choices when it comes to food, there’s no denying how calorific it is. Delicious? Yes. Good for you? Unfortunately, not so much. Why not try swapping mulled wine with mulled apple juice? You still get the same beautiful spices and lovely, warming flavor but without the guilt. Plus, it’s kid-friendly - win-win! 58

Make Veg the Star of the Show When it comes to the big day, veg doesn’t have to be an afterthought; pairing vegetables with the right flavors, marinades or sauces can transform them into a central part of the dish - meaning you can gorge on more without as much of the guilt! We’re talking roasting carrots in an olive oil, orange and maple syrup glaze or roasting potatoes with cloves of garlic and sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Put a Healthy Twist on Your Festive Favorites Some dishes skip hand-in-hand with the holiday season - we all know Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the classics. But making healthy versions of your favorite festive treats can be a great way of getting around this one. In most cases, opting for a veggie, vegan or even gluten-free alternative, instantly creates a healthier version that’s often much lower in fat, too. This could mean swapping full-fat butter with sunflower spread or using a can of chilled coconut milk to create whipped cream.

Photography Credit: Photos by Adam Ryan Hutt ARHutt Photography www.arhutt.com

For those of you who don’t know, mince pies are a staple Christmas treat in Britain. Contrary to what the name suggests, these shortcrust pies are actually sweet not savory, filled with a spiced fruit mixture called ‘mincemeat’. By omitting the usual culprits found in sweet treats (we’re looking at you, butter) this recipe is far healthier than you might expect.

- HEALTH & FITNESS -

Guilt - Free Mince Pies INGREDIENTS: FOR THE PASTRY 600 g all purpose flour 350 g margarine (such as sunflower or soya spread) 100 g sugar Zest of 1 orange Juice of 1/2 orange FOR THE FILLING 2 large apples, peeled 20 dried apricots 250 g mixed jumbo raisins 2 tbsp agave syrup 50 g sugar 50 g vegetable suet or vegetable shortening Zest of 1 orange 125 ml orange juice 2 tbsp water 1-2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp ground cloves

On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to your desired thickness (if, like me, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in it for the pastry, feel free to be generous here). Using a cookie cutter, cut out the bases for the mince pies and add to a cupcake tray, making sure that the dough goes most of the way up the sides. Spoon in the fruit filling and cover with a pastry lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes in a fan oven at 190 C / 375 F / Gas Mark 5 or until the pastry has turned golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before taking the mince pies out of the cupcake tray and dusting with powdered sugar. Enjoy hot or cold!

In a food processor, combine the pastry ingredients until a smooth dough has formed. Transfer the pastry to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the apples, apricots, and raisins and add to a large, non-stick pan along with the orange juice, zest, and spices. Stir well while heating gently. Next, add the agave syrup, sugar, water and vegetable suet/ vegetable shortening. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the fruit has softened and the mixture has become cohesive, set aside.

Freya is the co-founder of vegan recipe blog Berry Good For You, which she runs with her sister Xanthe. As a keen writer, as well as food and health enthusiast, she loves finding creative, delicious new ways to make vegan and veggie alternatives to classic dishes and decadent desserts. www.berry-good-for-you.com Facebook: @berrygoodforyou Instagram: @berrygoodforyou Twitter: @berrygood4you

Faith FOR THE FUTURE CHOOSING TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR J. Vernon McGee tells a story about a man who, when asked what his favorite bible verse was, replied: “it came to pass”. When asked what he meant he said;

in living a life without fear, wholeheartedly seeking the Lord and his direction for our future. Learning to trust that God is a God of his word and remembering that he promises us a hope and a future is the very thing that will set us in the camp of Hope as opposed to a life spent wandering in the desert of our own making.

“When I get into trouble and problems pile up, I turn to my verse and I know that my troubles have not come to stay: they have come to pass.” …

LOVE

this!

...

As we stand on the edge and look back at the year that is coming to a close, I wonder how many of us are looking back with a sense of regret, fear, loss, despair? Are you staring at the giants of overwhelming circumstances? As you turn and look into the sunrise of the upcoming year are your giants following right on your heels? Are you looking forward to the coming year with excited anticipation or are you dragging the chains of your circumstances dreading a year filled with more of the same? McGee , in the same story, shares his belief about the formula for living a life full of possibility.

He says the formula contains three steps:

As Martin Luther said,

1. FAITH to forget the past 2. FAITH to face the facts 3. FAITH to face the future

“One with God is a majority”.

That is a lot of faith. There is no doubt that it can become easy to feel stuck, easy to crumble to our knees with our face in our hands as we mourn the things we can not overcome. “I know I am not perfect, but what in the world do I ever do to deserve this?” It seems a fair question and I am sure that I am not the only one often playing this particular question on repeat. The pastor at my church often says, “if it ain’t good, God ain’t done.” There is freedom

God is bigger than our giants and he has big plans for us. He has big plans for you, and he has promised to give you a hope and a future. Let us strive to live this new year wholeheartedly in faith for the day we come into that promise. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) May you and yours be blessed in abundance this coming year! 63

OUR NEXT ISSUE: Winter 2018 Coming in February. Get in touch with us for contribution opportunities. sdemagazine@gmail.com Image by White Nova Studio