5 Reasons to Clean Out Your Home

I strongly believe many people would be much happier and have a higher quality of life if they lived in a clean and organized home.  Obviously, life happens and it's not always easy to keep up with.  Since this is a passion of mine, I've written a few blogs about this topic.  6 Easy Tips For Organizing and Decluttering Your Home and 5 Easy Tips For Organizing Your Closet  are worth checking out to help get you started.

Today I wanted to share why it's important to keep your home organized.  Some of these benefits may surprise you.

1. Make Your Home More Visually Appealing & Welcoming

The less you have the better.  A minimalist look is way more visually appealing than seeing clutter everywhere.  Your home will be more welcoming for guests because they'll be able to admire your home rather than be overwhelmed with where to look first.

2. Create a Healthier Home Environment for You and Your Family

An overlooked perk of having an organized living space is it makes cleaning much easier.  The less you have to move around while cleaning, the easier and faster it will be.  You'll create a physically healthier environment for your family.  This also applies to your psychological health.  The less clutter there is to organize, the easier it will be to get things done because you have less distractions and a clearer focus for what you're working on.

3. Discover Old Memories

Even after years of decluttering my personal items, I still find new things that bring back good memories and feelings of nostalgia.  Old pictures, videos, voice recordings, and letters are just a few of the things you'll find when sorting through your home.  It's always exciting when you discover something you've completely forgotten about.  There are probably hidden treasures all over your home, you just have to look for them!

4. Become More Organized & Efficient

This one may seem pretty obvious, but it's definitely worth mentioning.  The more often you clean out your home, the less you have to keep up with, thus making your time at home more efficient.  You can spend more time with family and friends and focus on your goals and passions.

5. Donate Unused Items to Those in Need

When you realize certain items are no longer being used, it's time to get rid of them.  You can sell them, throw them away, or donate them.  It makes the most sense to give these items to someone who will use the item, rather than leave them sitting around collecting dust.

These are the reasons I've discovered over the years to consistently organize your home.  I do every room in my house at least every few months and I always find something to get rid of or donate.  I hope this inspires you to do the same so you can see the true value and sense of accomplishment that comes with living in a clean and minimal living space.

The Deceit of the Christian Music Industry

I've been a Christian for the majority of my life and grew up on Christian music.  As a teenager, I began to move away from radio mainstream forms of music and started getting into bands like Underoath, As Cities Burn, Emery, blessthefall, and The Devil Wears Prada.  They were still considered Christian, but were definitely not being played on Christian radio.

I still love these bands, and as a result I listen to the BadChristian Podcast, which is hosted by two members of the band Emery (and Pastor Joey).  When my music tastes began to evolve as a teen, I could no longer connect to Christian radio because something about it wasn't authentic to me.  My suspicions have been confirmed after listening to episode #219 of the BadChristian Podcast with Aaron Gillespie, the drummer of Underoath.   

Please don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying all Christian radio artists are purposely being deceitful.  There are definitely some very talented artists in this genre who are in it for the right reasons.  What I am saying is there is a huge problem within this realm of people writing music that doesn't come from the heart.  The goal is to appeal to the masses and make money, and that disgusts me.

At about 20 minutes into the podcast, Aaron talks about his experience with the Christian music industry.  Here are a couple of quotes I pulled that shocked me, but then again, this makes sense.

"You have to be perfect in order to make it in Christian radio."  "I've sat at tables in song writing meetings with Christian labels before and had them tell me that this song has to feel a certain way to a certain age group and it's a mid 30's soccer mom whose husband is messing around on them...she's got five kids, a ton of shit to do, and her life is falling apart.  You need to write a song for her.  And that's when I started to think years ago, I don't want any part of this.  This isn't holy, this is business."

Toby from Emery goes on to say that he and Matt were told the same things when they went to write Christian music for their side project, Matt and Toby.

We as Christians should be insulted this is the goal for songs that are meant to bring glory to our God.  The foundation should be about Jesus, not a generic formula designed to make money.  As a woman, I'm greatly offended by this mentality, especially if these business people think the generic pop that ends up on Christian radio is what would appeal to most women.  Maybe I am in the minority because of my taste in metal/hardcore, etc., but this still breaks my heart.

I would like to see a movement towards authentic Christian music being created.  As Aaron puts it, "I believe that people find the most hope, the most actual hope in something that is genuine, and something that is not invented..." and that is what Christian artists should have in mind when writing music.  He goes on to say "Christian music should be insane...the music we should make to His glory should be...full of soul and full of art and, most importantly, is genuine."

BadChristian has a music label and from what I've seen, they and other labels like Tooth & Nail and Solid State are putting out quality Christian music, it's just not mainstream.  That's fine with me because I've always been into alternative forms of entertainment anyway, but I just want the people within Christian culture to wake up and realize what they're buying into.

All the credit for this inside info comes from the podcast episode mentioned and linked above so I highly recommend you listen to it!

A Healthy Alternative to the Pumpkin Spice Latte

Autumn is finally here, so of course pumpkin spice is everywhere.  Many people will undoubtedly be filling up on Starbucks' famous Pumpkin Spice Lattes.  But have you ever stopped to think about the specific ingredients you're consuming?  If not, I'd like to share them with you.

This comes directly from the Starbucks website.  The ingredients are Milk, Pumpkin Spice Sauce [Sugar, Condensed Skim Milk, Pumpkin Puree, Contains 2% Or Less Of Fruit And Vegetable Juice For Color, Natural Flavors, Annatto, Salt, Potassium Sorbate], Brewed Espresso, Whipped Cream [Cream (Cream, Milk, Mono And Diglycerides, Carrageenan), Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)], Pumpkin Spice Topping [Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove, Sulfiting Agents].

Many people were happy to discover Starbucks recently started making this drink with real pumpkin.  That's a scary thought if you've had one in the past with "fake pumpkin"?  But let's talk about some of the other ingredients.  The first is milk, which I personally do not believe should be consumed by humans.  Milk is extremely acidic and hard for us to digest.

There are 26g of sugar in a short and 64g in the venti.  That's way too much for anyone to consume in one sitting.  The whipped cream contains mono and diglycerides, which is in a lot of processed foods.  Please check out Food Babe's article, There’s No Safe Level Of This Ingredient, So Why Is It In Almost Everything?, for more information about this toxic ingredient.

There are 75mg of caffeine in a short Pumpkin Spice Latte.  Coffee is also acid forming in the body and it's hard on the liver.  Please give Kimberly Snyder's blog, 5 Reasons to Give Up Coffee, a read for more information about this.

After discovering how detrimental these ingredients can be, it makes more sense to create your own healthy version of this drink.  I looked on Pinterest and found several options for pumpkin spice smoothies and created my own version with just a few simple ingredients.  It's easy, fast, and much less expensive.  Plus, you're not flooding your system with sugar and chemicals.

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (Serves 1)

1 frozen banana
1 cup of vanilla almond milk (or unsweetened almond milk with 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract)
A dash of ground ginger
1 cup organic pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Blend all the ingredients and chill for an hour or drink right away if you can't wait!
You can play with the amount of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice if you'd like more or less of those flavors.  You can also add a little cinnamon on top.

Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to miss out on traditions.  You can enjoy delicious alternatives like this and still feel the magic of fall.  I guarantee you'll feel better physically and about yourself when you make this healthy choice.

Below are the pumpkin smoothie recipes that inspired me to create this one.  These would all be great options as well!

Skinny Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Emery's You Were Never Alone Concept Album Review and Bible Verse Explanations

It's been over a year since Emery's 2015 release, You Were Never Alone, came out, so it's been long enough for everyone to reflect on it.  I really enjoyed the Break It Down Podcast episodes where Matt Carter and Toby Morrell from Emery explain how the record is a concept album and each song is a Bible story.  Toby wrote the lyrics in the first person perspectives of different people from the Bible. 

As a Christian I see a devastating lack of originality in most "Christian" music, so this concept greatly intrigued me.  It's refreshing to find a faith based album that isn't generic and shallow.  It is deep and thought provoking.  The podcast episodes are definitely worth listening to, but I thought I would give a run down of each song and the correlating Bible verses/stories.  I'll also provide the podcast discussion times for each song.

The first podcast episode is called Toby Morrell of Emery explains that You Were Never Alone is a concept album Pt. I (S2 Ep7) and it contains the discussions for tracks 1-3.  The discussion about the concept of the album starts at about 35:30.

1. "Rock, Pebble, Stone"- Mathew 3:13-17 & 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13 (39:20 in the podcast) 

This song is about Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist, His 40 days in the wilderness, and being tempted by Satan.   The title represents the Trinity.  Jesus is the rock, The Holy Spirit is the pebble, and God is the stone.

2. "Thrash"- Acts 7:54-60 (46:55 in the podcast)

"Thrash" depicts Stephen's thoughts as he's being stoned for preaching the Gospel.  The beginning is really heavy as the stoning is going on.  The poppy chorus is where he explains these people are breaking his heart for doing this and the slow jazzy part at the end is him going to heaven and realizing everything he stood up for is true.

3. "Hard Times"- Judges 13-16  (51:45 in the podcast) 

Samson's thoughts are explored in this song.  He is reflecting on his sins and apologizing to his parents.  He talks about literally being blinded because of his love for Delilah and at the end he pushes the pillars, killing himself and everyone around him.

The next podcast episode is called Toby Morrell pt. II You Were Never Alone is a Concept Album (S2 Ep8) and it explains tracks 4-12. 

4. "The Beginning"- Genesis 3 (12:00 in the podcast) 

Adam's perspective is shown here as he reflects on his sin after the fall.  The sexuality of the first humans and the realization of what death is also ties into these lyrics.

5. "The Less You Say"- Matthew 16:13-23 (19:19 in the podcast)

These lyrics are about Peter pleading with Jesus to stay with him and not go to the cross to die.  He's telling Jesus how powerful He is and how they should just run away.  This shows Peter's selfish desire to keep his friend and his lack of understanding the big picture.

6. "Pink Slip"- Exodus 7-14  (25:00 in the podcast)

Moses' perspective is shown here as he calls Pharaoh out.  The end of the song also discusses Moses' thoughts as he's standing at the red sea waiting for God to move as Pharaoh's men are approaching and the fear he might have felt in that moment.

7. "To the Deep"- Genesis 6-7 & Genesis 15-17 (42:17 in the podcast)

This song starts in Noah's head as he realizes the flood is coming and goes into Abraham's perspective as he wonders about the future God promised him.

8. "What’s Stopping You"- Matthew 1:18-25 (31:59 in the podcast)

These lyrics give Joseph some space to process anger and disbelief as he realizes Mary will give birth as a virgin.  It also depicts his dream of the angel speaking to him about Jesus being born and him accepting this.

9. "Go Wrong Young Man"- Acts 9:1-22 (37:28 in the podcast)

This song is from Paul's perspective as he's traveling on the road to Damascus.  He realizes everything he's doing is wrong, even though he felt like it was for God.  He sees Jesus in the light and then goes blind.  He is changed from Saul to Paul and becomes a new man.

10. "Taken for a Bath"- 2 Samuel 11 & 12:1-23 (41:09 in the podcast)

Aptly named "Taken for a Bath", this song is about King David realizing his sin of sleeping with Bathsheba after seeing her bathing on the rooftop.

11. "Salvatore Wryhta"- Matthew 26:36-46 (46:25 in the podcast)

The title of this song means "savior carpenter" in old English.  These last two songs flow into each other and are both in Jesus' perspective.  This one depicts Him being led to the cross and accepting His role as the savior to His Children.

12. "Alone"- Matthew 27:46, Luke 23:28-31 (51:53 in the podcast)

"Alone" is about Jesus hanging on the cross waiting to go home to heaven.  He feels the sins of the world as God turns His back on Him.  Jesus has pity on us because we're enslaved here on earth to these sins.  The record ends with Jesus feeling what it's like to be truly alone more than anyone ever could.

The title of the album, You Were Never Alone, has a double meaning in that Jesus knew what it was like to truly be alone, but we never will because we have Him in  our hearts.  It's also a reference to Emery fans who have stuck by them through the years.

You can enjoy this album whether you are a Christian or not.  Please check it out and listen to the podcast episodes linked above because they are the real source of this information.  I just wanted to make a list of all the songs with the correlating verses so they can be easily looked up.  Some of the verses were a little harder to nail down but I did my best.

Alternate track listing on the vinyl.

Please Stop Drinking Poison

Before I get into the main points of this post, I'd like to say my intent is not to judge people who drink soda.  God has put this message on my heart and I feel I have to share it.  At a young age, I learned my body could not handle soda since I felt awful the few times I tried it.  You can read more about this story in my other post, My Aspartame Horror Story.  I count that as a blessing, but I also acknowledge it has made it easy for me to avoid soda, whereas others are addicted and it's hard to stop.  I am not perfect and I have struggles too.  I try to recognize if I'm doing something harmful to my body and work my hardest to stop any bad habits.

So let's get into the reason for this post.  I believe soda is one of the most detrimental things you can put into your body.  It breaks my heart to see people consuming this poison.  People are addicted to soda and diet soda and drink it multiples times daily.  If this is something you do, I'm not trying to call you out.  I passionately care about this issue because I have felt the negative effects in my own body and I hate seeing others struggling with health issues that could be easily resolved just by cutting out this toxic drink.

Recently, I went into a store and looked at the ingredients in Coke and Diet Coke.  I knew it was bad, but the proof right before my eyes was horrifying.  Regular Coke contains high fructose corn syrup and Diet Coke contains the poisonous artificial sweetener, aspartame.  The rest of the ingredients are no better.  It isn't just Coke, but all soda contains harmful ingredients.  These drinks are on the market because the companies are making a LOT of money, so by purchasing them, you're contributing to the problem.

I'd also like to challenge my fellow Christians.  I am shocked by how our culture highlights certain sins and completely ignores others.  Unhealthy food and beverages are often promoted in Christian settings and no one ever questions it.  But I cannot stay silent about this issue.  The Bible says "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." James 4:17  This verse is very clear.  If you know drinking soda is harmful to your body and you don't cut it out of your diet, it is a sin.  You are hurting your body by consuming soda.  1 Corinthians 6:19 says "...your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you..." so we should be doing everything we can to make sure we're putting only the healthiest foods and drinks into our bodies.  I am deeply saddened these are not priorities and obesity and poor diet are rampant in many Christian circles.

Whether you are a Christian or not, I am begging you to please stop consuming soda and diet soda.  If you are addicted, try healthier alternatives, such as Kombucha Tea, which has carbonation and flavor, but is low in sugar and has probiotics and other health benefits.  Water is the best drink you can consume, so trying to drink more will help flush the poison out of your system.

P. 41 of The Beauty Detox Foods by Kimberly Snyder, C.N.

22 Ways Drinking Soda is Bad for Your Health is an extremely helpful article about the studies and science of the effects soda and diet soda have on the human body.  There is no controversy and the truth is simple.  At every angle you look at it, scientifically and morally, consuming soda is wrong.  Please stop drinking poison!

5 Crucial Subjects Sorely Lacking in K-12 Schools

 

I was in public school from 1995-2008.  I realize many things have changed in the eight years I've been out, but to my knowledge, schools are still not teaching some extremely important subjects.  Why are practical life skills neglected while busy work we won't remember or ever use in real life is the focus?

I'm not saying all the knowledge I gained during my K-12 education was a waste.  I'm saying there is a severe lack of basic life skills that should be a major focus of school curriculum.  Below are the specific areas I see a desperate need for in our U.S. schools.

1. Taxes & Finances

Taxes are something I still do not understand.  Thankfully, my husband takes care of our taxes and finances.  Even so, I believe schools should require classes that specifically teach students how to do taxes and balance a check book.  I remember personal finances were briefly discussed in high school, but much more is needed.  Teach kids how to budget their money in smart ways.  That way, when they enter the real world, they don't feel overwhelmed by the instant pressures to get everything right.

2. Home Economics

When I was in middle school, there was one Home Ec elective that I was very interested in.  Of course, I was disappointed when I never actually got the class.  It was clear this was not a priority for every student to take.  In high school, I took interior design, the only thing close to Home Ec they offered.  My suggestion would be to require everyone to take several classes in this field.  Teach kids how to cook nutritious meals so they have a foundation for cooking when they move out on their own.  This would reduce laziness to rely on take out or unhealthy frozen dinners.  I would also like to see a class taught on cleaning, organization, and home maintenance.  This would encourage students to keep clean, clutter free homes, thus significantly improving their future lives.  I would love to teach that class if I could!

3. Nutritional Health & Personal Hygiene

As a young adult, I'm extremely horrified by the things I've had to learn on my own.  I had to experience numerous health problems before researching nutrition and learning basic food science to eat the most healthy way. I understand food is a very controversial topic, but we at least know the importance of eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies and to avoid processed foods and sugar as much as possible.   Teach how important it is to drink at least 8 cups of water a day and explain the science behind that.  Start with the basics, then branch out to the more controversial aspects of food.  Teach different sides with scientific facts and let the kids decide what works best for their bodies.   I also had to experiment with personal hygiene products, ultimately discovering that many of these on the market today are filled with chemicals and are dangerous to health.  For example, antiperspirant should not be used because it prevents the body from sweating, therefore keeping toxins inside.  For years I was preventing my body from a natural detoxifying process.  These topics should be a top priority in schools!

4. Psychology

This is obviously a broad topic, as there are many different aspects involved with studying human behavior.  I'd recommend the focus of this class be on learning about who we are as people.  Have students take personality tests, such as the Meyers-Briggs or  The Enneagram test.  Help them learn about who they are, what they're interested in, how they deal with conflict, what their learning style is, etc.  This will equip them with healthier strategies to navigate the emotional roller coaster of growing up while it's actually happening.  Their relationships and ability to communicate will improve and they'll have a clearer idea of what career path to choose.

5. Self-Defense

Finally, I'd like to discuss the joke that is physical education.  Making kids play harsh team sports with unhealthy competition or running in the heat is not a good strategy to develop a healthy motivation for exercise.  How about implementing a self-defense class?  Teach students how to defend themselves in extreme situations.  I wish I'd had this opportunity in school because self-defense classes are expensive.  I'd also love to see alternative methods of exercise being taught in schools, such as yoga.  Yoga is extremely beneficial for the body and the mind.  It would teach a healthy way for students to reduce stress and build strength.  My 16 year old cousin recently told me she took yoga in school, and this has given me hope that maybe things are changing.

You may be thinking these things should be taught by parents, but the thing is, it doesn't occur to most parents because they didn't learn them either.   As a result of this lack, families struggle with finances, homes are cluttered, disorganized, and dirty, optimal nutrition and psychological health are not a priority, and kids are lazy and defenseless.  School boards need to get on this.

  I'm just someone that has been through the school system and sees the true flaws.  We can see the educational system's current motives are not genuine.  Of course, we still need reading, writing, math, science, and history.  But let's take the emphasis off standardized tests and focus on helping to create a generation of healthy, well adjusted, intelligent citizens.  

Urban Outfitters Apartment Merch Haul

I've always been very particular about most things in my life.  I know what I like and I know what I don't like.  This results in a struggle to find things that are my style.  Say what you want about Urban Outfitters, but they have high quality merchandise.  They're the one store where I can always find something, whether it's clothes, accessories, or apartment décor.  I'd rather spend a little more money on items I know are high quality and will last.  Today I wanted to share and review all my UO apartment purchases.  I'll link any items still on their website.

Crossley Vinyl Record Player

This has been great beginner player for me and my husband.  We got into collecting records over a year ago and decided to get something that wasn't super pricey.  We got just the player for about $100 and I wish we had gotten the speakers, but we didn't see them at the store.  The built in speakers are okay, but they're not very powerful for records.  On the other hand, the auxiliary mode allows you to plug in your phone and the volume gets significantly louder when using this feature.  It does have a radio option, but I hate the radio so I haven't used it.  This player is easy to use and is a great value for the price.

Records

The records I've purchased in the store are Homesick by A Day to Remember, Nirvana's Nevermind, and Death Cab for Cutie's Kintsugi.  They have a wide variety of music genres available in the store and online, so it's pretty easy to find records for your collection.

Kurt Rahn Mountains Through The Trees Art Print

Pictured in the center.

I loved this picture as soon as I saw it.  I love nature art, especially with trees, so this was an especially easy choice for me.  We have the smallest size (8x10) but it comes in a variety of larger sizes.

13x13 Mareike Bohmer Grass 2 Art Print

Pictured on the right.

Unfortunately, this wall art is discontinued.  We got it on sale right before they ran out and I think it fits nicely with our nature theme.

Kevin Russ Road Fox Art Print

I immediately fell in love with this artwork because I think foxes are beautiful and majestic and I love the background.  I had my eye on this for several months and just couldn't forget about it.  This is also in the 8x10 size and larger sizes are available.

4040 Locust Embroidered Arrow Pillows

These pillows are awesome and fit perfectly with our style.  I couldn't find them on the site anymore, so I'm guessing they're discontinued, but they still have the 4040 Locust Black + White Arrows Shower Curtain with the same unique design.

Kris Tate For DENY Forest Fleece Blanket

This is another discontinued item, but I love it so much.  I love Native American art so this blanket immediately grabbed my attention.  Not only is it gorgeous, but it's incredibly soft as well.

Dark Blue Rag Rug

I'm not even sure if this is the official name of the rug, but it's the rug I have in my kitchen.  My husband bought it in 2012 so it must be discontinued.  It's held up all these years, even after washing it a few times.  It's soft and comfortable to stand on and it's unique compared to the other boring options we often saw when looking for a kitchen rug.

Magical Thinking Rag Rugs

Speaking of unique rugs, we got these awesome and simple rugs for our bathroom.  They are the 2x3 size in grey.  There are other color and size options available on the website.

Pattern State For DENY Triangle Shower Curtain

I love this triangle design shower curtain.  The DENY brand always has unique designs and I was thrilled when I ordered this one.  The background color is a little more off white than I expected, but it looks amazing in my bathroom.  It definitely encompasses my style in that it's simple, unique, and modern.

4040 Locust Spacedye Jersey Comforter & 4040 Locust Spacedye Jersey Pillowcase Set

Last year I was searching for a new comforter since the duvet my husband and I had was becoming a pain in the butt.  I specifically searched for a comforter and found this gorgeous one on sale.  It is super soft and comfortable.  We have a queen sized bed, but ordered a king because we like the oversized look and feel.  I think it looks sophisticated in our room and the grey color is a nice contrast against the black pallet board bed frame.  The pillow cases are also soft and eventually I'd like to get some throw pillows to complete the look.

Firefly String Lights (Pictured above the bed)

I love these lights because they add a romantic vibe to the bedroom.  They are easily molded and were easy to hang with a few nails on the wall.  This type has a plug in.

Firefly Battery Powered String Lights

I also love these battery powered lights because there's a little more freedom to where you can place them.  They are made of the same flexible wire as the plug in kind, so you can wrap them around whatever you want.

Mini Geo Terrarium

Also pictured in the center of the dresser above.

I started seeing a lot of these terrariums pop up in the store and thought they looked cool.  I didn't know what I'd do with it, but I knew I wanted one.  I think they can be used for plants, but I like mine as a dresser decoration and it looks great with the string lights.

PF Candle Co. Amber Jar Soy Candles

After reading an article about the dangers of chemicals in commercial candles, I began to search for alternatives.  Apparently, soy candles are the healthier option.  As a candle lover, I was excited to try some soy options from UO.  I absolutely love these Amber jar ones.  Not only do they look awesome, they come in amazing scents.  I got the Spiced Pumpkin and Teakwood & Tobacco.  I like earthy scents so I was thankful for these choices.  I got the $20 medium sized ones.  I still haven't burned them yet, but since fall is approaching, they'll probably be burning soon.

Printed Tin Candle in Black Tea + Mint

I got this candle on sale and it is discontinued, but they have similar ones the website.  I like the small jar design and the scent.

Paddywax Café Jar Candles

I recently got these soy candles because of the amazing scents and classic jars.  I got the Tobacco + Patchouli and Black Coconut + Amber scents.  I'm excited to start burning these as well.

I hope this inspires you to check out your local Urban Outfitters and spruce up your home décor with some high quality pieces.  Let me know what your favorite décor items are!