Evolution of Clean

Our evolution of clean all started about 6 years ago when Kei's emotional health was rock bottom. In the process to find balance we attempted to rid the house of as many chemicals as possible... natural shampoo (for Kei), natural laundry detergent, natural "girl" products, etc... We also started her on various supplements to avoid harsher drugs, the brief window when she was on drugs was not pretty, nor did they seem to help. Over time, a precarious balance has been achieved. As long as life doesn't throw too many changes her way all is well. If maintaining balance means no chemicals, then that is a small price to pay...except chemical free products are often a little pricey. 

The biggest evolution of clean has been in the laundry department. Somewhere along the line, I started using soap nuts, which worked well, but were a bit of a pain - especially for young laundry students (The girls started being responsible for their own laundry when they hit high school). I then switched to a soap nut derived liquid detergent - which is easy peasy to use but pricey. Off and on I've toyed with the idea of making my own laundry detergent, but have always bulked at getting all the ingredients - a daunting and somewhat costly pursuit when attempting to find Japanese equivalents or imported products. 

This leads me to today... 

I just finished baking Baking Soda in an attempt to make Washing Soda, a main ingredient in homemade laundry detergent. 

My next step was making liquid laundry detergent using this recipe.

I am honestly surprised at how simple the process was, even with the added step of making my own washing soda. I think the most complicated thing might be figuring out earthquake tie downs for the 2 gallon sized glass jugs. 

So was it a success? It IS considerably cheaper!! How it actually works - we'll have to see how everything comes out in the wash 😄

BTW - I will also be making Laundry Scent Booster as soon as Amazon delivers my order of Epsom salt. 

Stillness

This past week several things have come up to remind me to be still. 

ONE

Last week was a crazy week with 3/4 of my once a month classes converging into 1 week. Add doctor appointments for Joshy, Kei, & I with an additional twist - the abscess in Joshy's arm we though was gone came back, so an additional doctor appointment was needed. There was also an influenza scare - one of my students was in class Wednesday and came down with influenza on Thursday then a Friday student, who was still under the "influenza quarantine", decided to go ahead and come to class on Friday anyway. All on top of the fact that Joshua seems to have a new year's resolution to start the day in the wee hours. Needless to say, I was more than ready for short stay - 2 nights & 3 days - to chill out... and like... sleep! 

However, I have a new year's resolutions, too: to exercise & eat right. Exhaustion really messes with willpower! For the 1st time this year I did not make my step goal on either Friday or Saturday 😓  I was feeling guilty, then I saw the following meme:

Resting, being still, is needed.

TWO

A meme I posted 7 years ago, when Joshy was in the cancer center, popped up on Facebook memories. He had already been hospitalized for 4 months and the end was not in sight. He blood counts were not rebounding as quickly as anticipated. It was rough all the way around; Jerry & the girls were at home fighting record snow, classes - Jerry was teaching his classes & mine, homeschooling without a teacher, in general - life without us being together, while Joshy and I were stuck in the hospital with nothing but lab work and transfusions to fill the hours.  The reminder of "Be still. God is in control." was a much needed, gentle reminder to trust the LORD.

THREE

Sunday's memory verse was:

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord." Romans 12:19

The message was from 1 Samuel 24:1-7. David had every opportunity to take revenge against King Saul, but he didn't. In another reference, 1 Samuel 26:10, David left revenge in the LORD's hands.

"As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.""

Another verse from the message was:

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

My over all take on the message was; relax, be still, and trust God to handle the situation. Taking matters into our own hands isn't God's will. 

Pulling the randomness of this post together:

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

God has every situation under control.