Tommy Mom | Teri Helms | Mom of 5 Sons | Home Educator
Lover of Leadership Education-The Thomas Jefferson Way
“Homemaker is the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only — to support the ultimate career!”~ C.S. Lewis
In two weeks…
Mother’s Day will be officially over.
Moms…
are the hands that rock the cradle…
and rule the world.
It is my pleasure…
to celebrate and honor Motherhood…
and Homemaking…
here for the next two weeks.
I’ll highlight moms…
both past and present…
celebrate this transcendent vocation…
and give away some fabulous prizes…
Stay Tuned!
Many thanks to my dear friend, Beth Lambdin, whom I credit in this post from 2011, for some of our Good Friday traditions. This year as a family, along with several friends, we are attending a live performance of “The Way of the Cross” at St. Paul the Apostle, where our dear friends, Racquel and Rebekah Hernandez are performing.
I wish you and yours a Blessed Easter!
Observance: The act of observing; the act of keeping or adhering to in practice: performance…
I am old.
At least that’s what my lovely Sons tell me quite often!
Funny, isn’t it, how every generation perceives those that go before them?
The fact of the matter is, in some ways, I probably am.
I am “old” enough to remember when Good Friday was an observance in this country, whether you were “religious” or not.
Schools were out for the day.
Businesses closed…
whether for a half day or full.
As our society continues to get busier and busier, there are many observances that just seem to go by the wayside.
Good Friday and the contemplation of Holy Week would be one of them.
I have my dear friend, Beth Lambdin to thank for today’s inspiring post.
She is the product of a Leadership Education…
and is raising the 6 of her 7 children remaining at home in the same fashion.
They are a family that is rich in everything that matters.
They’re leaders.
She and her husband, Dan, founded a Christian high school together in the Stockton area years ago.
They have chosen to home educate their children until high school age…
and then send them to this school.
We will eventually be hearing from her personally here on TommyMom.
However, at the moment, she is up to her eyeballs in an annual fundraiser.
Allow me to “show and tell” some of her family traditions that we have also adopted…
in order to practice observance…
reverence…
honor and respect.
For those that are Christians, this is Good Friday…
The “end” of Holy Week.
Here, on our dining room table, is a simple yet powerful reminder of what this week means for followers of Christ.
Each evening, one of the candles is lit, in order to commemorate a day leading up to the Crucifixion.
Tomorrow morning, we will light a candle in the cross as well.
Then, we will read the account of the Crucifixion from the Bible in Matthew 27…
starting at verse 11 and going through to the end of the chapter.
Once this is completed…
we will discuss and contemplate what we’ve just read.
Then, we will cover the candles in the shape of the Cross…
and the Cross itself with a black cloth.
I want my family to ponder the tenents of our faith…
and the sacrifice that was made for them.
Drawing the blinds and simulating darkness is also very powerful.
It’s hard to ask young children to be still and think for a long period of time.
Beth had many preschoolers at one time and came up with a great solution.
This movie…
Is 3 hours and 30 minutes in length.
It is a poignant depiction of the Crucifixion as well as the culture at the time.
We will watch this together.
Another tradition that the Lambdins have is Maunday Thursday.
They choose to clean their house spotless…
telling their children all the while that “this is part of the celebration”…
and observe a Passover Seder.
Regardless of your faith base…
it is my hope that you will observe…
reflect…
take in the parallels to those that were there at the Crucifixion.
They had placed their faith on something that was seemingly dying…
and eventually dead.
There was huge emotion, angst, and doubt involved.
When it was all over…
I’m quite certain that a feeling of futility enveloped many.
Doubt brought questions like…
Was I wrong to believe?
Am I foolish?
Did I place faith and trust in something or someone that was, indeed, wrong?
We’ve all been there as humans.
We will undoubtedly be there again.
Life is difficult.
No, at times, it is downright hard.
Issues arise and emotions run high.
People betray others and hurt…
both intentionally and unintentionally.
However, standing on truth is what matters.
Even when others don’t…
or simply won’t.
And when you know you’re doing the right thing in this life…
you can always rest on the fact…
that Sunday’s comin’!
but the years are short.
I certainly wish I could remember…
who I am quoting here.
If it is you…
let me know and I’ll gladly give credit.
Regardless…
the truth of it is profound.
This weekend brought it home.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrated…
family…
along with the inclusion of a friend…
and the sincere fellowship and camaraderie…
between siblings…
that has nothing to do with luck…
or being of Irish descent.
In fact…
looking back…
years filled with PB & J…
potty training…
lively discussions…
regarding who wasn’t properly sharing…
or which body part was over the imaginary line…
have given way nearly over night…
to the dance of life…
involving geographical distance…
tangled with adult and near-adult schedules…
that at times preclude fellowship…
which becomes more and more elusive…
in a face-to-face environment.
Togetherness…
and spontaneous fun…
involving inclement weather…
are blessings to be cherished.
Together they birth memories…
that become treasures…
equal in value to that pot…
at the end of the rainbow.
Faith…
Family…
and Fellowship…
have me feeling very grateful…
at the start of this week.
And perhaps even a little bit lucky!
“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.”
“Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.”
“Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples’ liberty’s teeth.”
“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” (more on this thought Wednesday.)
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
Truly great men with tremendous wisdom; yet they were individuals just like us. May we honor their legacy with ours.
Dear Readers,
I LOVE and APPRECIATE you.
And to prove it…
I have a giveaway in honor of St. Valentine!
It is my pleasure to introduce to you…
My darling friend, Jenna…
did the introductions for me…
and it is a match made in heaven!
The boys think so, too.
I dialed Neil at the Hurraw! office…
and explained what I wanted to do.
They were as personable to speak with…
as they were on my invoice.
I love that they won’t compromise…
their values…
their product…
or their service!
Please read on.
They give a lot of food for thought.
My personal ones are in pink.
Hope you win!
About Hurraw!
Hurraw! Balm lives in Whitefish, Montana; a tiny ski town nestled among the amazing peaks of Glacier National Park. We started out of pure intent; a personal obsession to create the perfect balm: all natural, vegan, made from premium raw, organic and fair trade ingredients…complete with a bunch of natural and fun flavor options! It also had to meet some tough criteria…
Criteria:
Super smooth, not draggy, not sticky, not sweet, not too glossy, not too smelly, never grainy, long lasting; plus, it had to hold up to being in a back jeans pocket all day without melting! It took us several obsessed years to formulate Hurraw! Balm and put it through all the rigors. We love it, use it, and hope you do too!
Why Hurraw! is unique:
We hand mix and individually pour each tube of Hurraw! Balm. We truly care about the quality and integrity of our product and feel Hurraw! is the finest all natural, vegan, raw balm available…a great product to be used by everyone regardless of lifestyle or eating habits!
Sourcing honest, fair trade, organic, vegan and raw ingredients from reputable suppliers was difficult at best. We finally did it and we are thrilled to share the labors of our hard work with other balm lovin’ individuals. Your purchase supports legit fair trade, organic farmers and suppliers here in the States and around the World. Thank you!
Vegan:
Hurraw! Balm is a Certified Vegan product! ‘Vegan’ means no animal products (ie: beeswax) are included in our product. We are proud to also be CCIC approved. The CCIC provides the leaping bunny logo which assures our cruelty free standards (no animals are used/harmed/tested on in any stage of the manufacture of our product, including our suppliers).
Raw:
Hurraw! Balm contains certified organic, raw, cold pressed and centrifuged extracted, nut/seed oils and butters that have been processed below 118F degrees and are still chocked full of their essential nutrients and enzymes. Although more expensive, the quality of raw oils and butters is superb and you’ll feel the difference!
We gently warm our oils and butters seperate from our candelilla wax (which melts at 155F). We combine them at a high speed which keeps the overall temperature low and also why you might get a lucky tube with a few tiny air bubbles on top! We hand pour them into our custom made tube cooling trays (yeah, we are a lil’ obsessed 
… your lips will be stoked! This isn’t hype, but rather, gospel truth.
Organic:
Hurraw! Balm contains certified organic ingredients, if you would like our supplier certificates, please contact us. We choose not to use the USDA Organic Seal on our product until:
1.) The USDA and FDA can define and legitimate the National Organic Program guidelines for the cosmetic industry and make it a viable option for small companies.
2.) The USDA must designate and enforce humane and sanitary methods of treatment for animals raised for food (factory farms), leather, and other commercial practices.
It’s hard for us to support and promote the seal of an agency that doesn’t make this a priority and we look forward to the day when it does.
Gluten Free, No GMO’s, Kosher:
Hurraw! balm is Gluten Free. Our ingredients contain no GMO’s and all are certified Kosher Parve.
Non toxic:
No petroleum, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors. Did you know the shine in many lipsticks and glosses come from petroleum jelly (a bi-product of oil drilling linked to many health problems including cancer). A recent statistic showed that over the course of a decade regular users of lip products containing petroleum, can end up ingesting seven pounds of the stuff…essentially it’s like drinking gasoline. Ugh. (source: www.doctoroz.com) Scary.
Our Core Ingredients:
almond oil: Our 100% natural almond oil is pressed in California at a family-run mill from raw almond kernels. It comes direct to us right after pressing, allowing it to be super fresh and exceptionally rich in nourishing fatty acids. Great for your lips; almond oil moisturizes, softens, soothes, and re-conditions them superbly.
coconut oil: We use a raw, organic, fair trade coconut oil direct from Mexico (less travel=less pollution) that has been extracted using a centrifuged method. This method gently separates fresh coconuts and allows a pure raw oil to be obtained. The result is amazing. Coconut oil is a fabulous moisturizer, a great free radical buster and super soothing for chronic lip inflammation.
cacao butter: Our natural sourced, equitable trade cacao butter is pressed from the organic raw seeds of the cacao tree. Our rich, certified raw butter comes direct to us from small farmer owned lands in Bali. It will nourish, soften, soothe and moisturize your lips. Cacao butter not only improves skin elasticity but smells oh so divine.
jojoba oil: Our organic jojoba oil is obtained farmer direct after being cold pressed in Arizona from simmondsia chinensis beans and is actually a “liquid wax.” Jojoba oil’s properties are very similar to our skin’s own, allowing it to be a deeply absorbed, wonderful moisturizer for the lips.
olive oil: Cold pressed from a fruit and used for over 5000 years…no doubt olive oil is amazing! Our Californian grown olive oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A & E; natural squalene properties moisturize, repair and protect your lips.
castor oil: A natural emollient from India, our organic, cold pressed, hexane free castor oil makes an excellent protective barrier against harsh conditions. Anti-inflammatory, healing, very soothing and deeply absorbed, it will help your lips stay soft and supple.
candelilla wax: We use a very high quality candelilla wax that is sustainably wildcrafted from candelilla plants in Mexico. We combine this fabulous wax with our raw / cold pressed oils and butters to provide an excellent long lasting protective shield for your lips.
flavors: All of the flavors we use in our balms are derived from 100% natural sources. Most come from pure essential oils, the others (Rootbeer, Chai Spice, Chocolate, Green Tea, Black Cherry) are made for us from 100% natural, organically derived flavor compounds through various processes of distillation and extraction. The smells are simply divine!
Infuse:
We make Hurraw! Balm in small, fresh, handcrafted batches. This allows us to infuse our balms with raw seeds, pods, fruit zests, barks and roots for flavor and natural color! It’s not a quick process but we think it makes a better balm! Oh, and those little black specks in the vanilla balm are real vanilla bean seeds. Yum!
Oval Tube:
Hurraw! Balm comes in an oval tube for one main reason: so it doesn’t escape from the back jeans pocket like our round tubes used to…we also really love applying Hurraw! “ovally!” People comment on the oval, while my boys think they’re cool for carrying it!
Recyclable?
Being an environmentally conscious company is important to us. Our office uses 100% recycled paper to print on. Our wholesale packs are made from 100% post-consumer paperboard and we ship in recycled and recyclable corrugated packaging.
Our oval tubes are recyclable #5 plastic. We realize #5 is a tough one at times to recycle locally. Please check with your local recycling center about recycling #5 plastics and if they don’t recycle #5, encourage them to do so!
Did you know that almost all screw on plastic bottle caps and prescription bottles are #5 plastic? There is a huge amount of #5 circulating and a big need for its recycling. Preserve’s “Gimme 5″ program is awesome and they are making it easier then ever to recycle #5. Check out this link for a location near you! http://www.preserveproducts.com/recycling/gimme5locations.html
SPF balm?
Yes! We just launched the Sun & Moon Balms. Over-the-moon about it, and shortly, “Here Comes the Sun!”
These are our brand new treatment balms and they are packed with tons of great ingredients for your lips!
Shelf Life:
Cold pressed (raw) oils and butters are room temperature stable but do have a shorter shelf life than oils that are exposed to high heat when processed. Our balms are made without any artificial preservatives and in small fresh batches. We recommend using your tube of Hurraw! Balm within a year of purchase and storing it between 40-80F (4-27C).
Gift?
First of all, thank you for wanting to gift Hurraw! Balms. We send our balms wrapped in a cotton tea bag and cute brown paper with gift messages at no extra charge (and there is no limit to gifting In the notes section of your order, just let us know what you would like us to say to the lucky receiver.
And if they have something encouraging to say to you…they’ll write it on your invoice! Love it!
Tea Bag?
That little pouch your balm came in (if purchased direct from our site) is a reusable, unbleached cotton tea bag made here in the States from US grown cotton. Fill ‘er up with herbs and steep some goodness!
p.s. The dye we use to stamp our tea bags is food safe and permanent. If you look at my invoice closely, and realize that they come packaged in groups of 3, you will also realize that it’s time for tea over here! Woo-HOO!
Leave a comment (or three) and Friday, one lucky reader will “feel the love” with a 3 pack from Hurraw!
Flavors? Mint, Cherry and Chocolate.
Very Valentine-esque!
XOXO,
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream, 1963
“Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.”
Martin Luther King, Jr., The Purpose of Education
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” ~Benjamin Franklin
It is my hope that your day is filled with family, friends and a great start to 2012.
Looking forward to sharing a special resolve with you on Wednesday.
“Break all of your bad habits”…
“Lose weight even faster!”…
“Get Organized: Once and for all!”…
Any remaining trees…
are beginning to look rather bedraggled…
and headlines on magazines everywhere…
scream for demand resolve.
The problem is…
(at least for me)…
so much of what is highlighted…
not only seems rather unrealistic…
but driven, obsessive…
and a sure set-up…
for failure.
Lord knows…
none of us need…
more pressure…
failure…
or feelings of inadequacy.
Here are some things I’m focused on…
as the New Year fast approaches.
I hope that they will be of help to others.
1. Be realistic.
The “Power of Three” resonates with me.
Sure, I could lay out a nearly endless number of resolutions…
but please refer to the above.
I will soon be overwhelmed.
Three of nearly anything…
I think I could handle…
even if it’s still one at a time.
2. Be holistic.
I read an opinion the other day…
that really resonated with me.
It was along the lines…
of encouraging people to think more holistically…
where life, personal values, and priorities are concerned.
It went on to state…
that in order to have effectiveness…
that is lasting and a part of legacy and identity…
one needs to evaluate whether or not…
their faith…
their money…
investments of time…
talents…
priorities…
and actions…
are in sync.
When they compete with one another…
one is ultimately left…
to compete with one’s self.
I love this.
There is room for growth…
on the part of most individuals…
in these thoughts.
3. Be futuristic.
The past is a great resource…
motivator…
and teacher.
Don’t mire in it…
use it as a crutch…
an excuse…
or a reason to be stagnant.
The unknown is scary…
but embracing it…
or at the very least…
realistically facing it…
is more than a step in the right direction!
It can end up being steps…
that form your direction…
and define personal growth.
4. Be kind.
To yourself…
to your family members…
to others.
Kindness always works to the benefit…
of those who practice it.
It produces a welcome…
non-condemning environment…
where freedom to be one’s self…
and being open to change…
can usher in unlimited possibilities.
The world is short on this virtue.
Resolve to be abundant in it.
And until this season comes around again…
know that I love you…
I’m a work in progress…
and I look forward…
to the growth…
that 2012 brings.
Happy, Happy New Year!
Even before I could clean up the carnage in the living room…
that was a tangle of ribbons, bows and discarded wrapping paper…
people were asking in earnest how we were doing as a family.
It is…
after all…
the elephant in the room…
so to speak.
Fact is…
we’re doing well…
and at the same time…
probably not.
I had the privilege of fellowshipping…
with my dear friend Vernie DeMille today by phone.
Vernie is one of those people that affirms…
while making you think and ponder deeply.
Since September I’m realizing…
that much of life…
is made up of consistent dichotomy.
How you respond…
coupled with choices…
determines so very many things.
For example…
there is a part of me…
that simply can’t wait to bid 2011 adieu.
On the other hand…
stepping into a new year…
presents many opportunities…
for personal growth…
and intentional change…
when viewed in light…
of the tragic death of my brother, Tim…
this past September.
I, along with my parents…
and personal family…
have clung to the tenets of our faith…
with tenacity and resolve…
that is accompanied by determination.
Determination to learn…
embrace…
and move ahead…
albeit at times crawling…
with a resolve to own knowledge.
Knowledge from grief…
from death…
from the example Tim set.
Because in doing so…
there is tremendous opportunity…
for even greater life.
And I want that.
During our conversation…
Vernie observed the following:
“Grief is universal…
and yet we tend to make it personal.
We isolate ourselves within our pain…
when so many others can benefit…
from our experiences, examples, and feelings.”
She’s right.
I promised to tell the story of Tim’s life.
I have already been surprised…
even shocked at times…
by some of the things…
that were seemingly insignificant…
at the time of their occurrence…
that have come flooding back…
from the recesses of my mind.
Other situations…
have been recanted by others…
who were fortunate enough…
to know him intimately…
or to call him “friend.”
One of the most profound discoveries…
that I have personally experienced thus far…
in my admittedly brief grieving period..
is the fact that there is mercy in all things.
Sometimes…
you just have to be really willing…
to listen…
to be quiet…
and to diligently seek it.
But it’s there, friends.
In the most challenging of ways…
daring us to embrace…
face…
and walk through…
the tough things.
In the end…
I’m convinced…
that the effort…
produces greater character…
along with new-found knowledge and understanding…
that is even inclusive of those…
who are no longer present in the day to day.
I’m ready to move ahead.
And it will be my privilege…
to share the story of Tim’s life…
and many,many lessons with you.
I think 2012 beckons…
with tremendous mercies.
Laura Story…
wrote an incredible song entitled “Blessings”…
that brings to light in a beautiful way…
some deeper thought processes.
It is my hope that you will take the time to listen.
It will be my privilege to have you join me…
in this journey…
throughout 2012.
There is, after all…
incredible blessing…
as well as strength, in numbers.
“…As we gather with our family and friends to honor Christ, we can experience the same peace and joy as the shepherds and the Magi did almost two thousand years ago. If we make that peace and joy a part of our lives, our example will serve as a guide and an inspiration for everyone we meet.”
~ Ronald Reagan
December 1985, Message on the Observance of Christmas
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