The Response USA 08/06/11

Many of  you that read this blog and my facebook know how excited I was about The Response USA which was held at Reliant Park in Houston last Saturday.   None of us who attended (approx 40,000 present, 1400 hundred churches live-streaming the event, and approx 150,000 personal online viewers!) were one shred disappointed.   It was a truly glorious occasion, and I believe a history maker!

The purpose of The Response was to obey God's instructions in 2 Chronicles 7:14, to weep over our sins, our nation's sins, our blood guilty hands, our immorality, our faithlessness, our prayerlessness, our economy, and to pray for our President, for jobs, for rain, and for revival.   Look at this precious man.  There was not one dry eye in the place.

My daughter Casey and I attended together, and after having gotten lost in Houston via some funky internet directions, we eventually got inside the stadium exactly 19 minutes before the event began.  I mean!  Chills, thrill,s tingling all up and down me while walking up the ramp to enter the building.   The presence of God was so strong that I immediately began alternately weeping and laughing out loud!   That is how awesome the glorious Presence of our Jesus is!   This is my friend Leah; she goes to my church.

If her face doesn't tell you enough, let me explain: the Bible expressly states that in His Presence is fullness of JOY!  Joy, unspeakable, and full of Glory!   Unspeakable joy!  I mean, who does not want JOY?  The Bible says that the Joy of the LORD is our very strength!

Here is her mom, Linda, who trained me to be prayer Captain over my home church.  I love Linda and just look at the joy on her face, as her prayers were, on that very day, answered to see an army of the Living God raised up to intercede until we see the return of our Lord and SAVIOR!   Yep, they are mom and daughter and I love each of them so much.

The whole weekend was just awesome.   On Friday I loaded up my Camry with my daughter, my best friend, her daughter, and my daughter's best friend, and we joined about 50 other silent siegers at the largest abortion clinic in the Western Hemisphere.   We are praying that God will move on our behalf to shut down this facility which is planted right in the heart of Houston's poorest of the poor.   They claim many "health services" but the largest "service" they provide is the murder of our most helpless of minorities, the unborn.  Sacrificed on the altar of money and convenience, America has killed over 52,000,000 million babies sine the edict of Rowe vs.Wade in the past 40+ years.   God is angry with us over this atrocity, and we act like it is nothing.

It's a peaceful protest and our main goal is to stand there, and pray, and let others know that we stand for LIFE!

For more information on this and other silent sieges, see the Bound 4 Life Website.

I wanted you to see some clips from our time on Saturday.   I hope you enjoy the videos!  I just don't have words to say what a wonderful time it was.  I do believe that God was so pleased, and that He heard from Heaven, and that He will turn the tide and heal our land.

Well, lovelies, now that this event is over, I need to get back to work!    I have almost

1/4 tons of fresh oils to begin making my Christmas Soaps!   

The first thing I will make is this since I am totally out of stock!

Rustique savon a la lavande francaise

Then after that, I need to make some more of this:



Cranberry Fig Cold Processed Soap

What do you think about The Response?   Yes, there were some angry people outside; about

100 people outside protesting at the approx 40,000 inside.   

My friend, this is a glorious day to be alive!   Jesus said, "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His rightousness, and all these (other) things will be added to you!"  Matthew 6:33.   He said, "Do not fear, for I am going to prepare a place for you"! John 14   "In this world there will be tribulation, but be of good cheer; for I have overcome the world"  John 16.   

It is a day to seek the Lord.  To seek His face, and His favor.   To fear nothing but God, and hate nothing but sin.  It is a day to pray, and see God intervene in the affairs of men.   He has given US the earth, and He expects us to use His resources wisely.  He expects Kings to reverence Him; to honor Him. obey His laws, and to seek to reign righteouisly  over the people over whom He has given them authority.  Our duty is to Pray for them for wisdom, guildance, and divine fortitude.   

Soon, Jesus will return to establish His kingdom over all mankind.  There will be two kinds of people in two separate groups;  He mentioned them as "sheep" and as "goats".  The sheep hear His voice, obey Him and follow Him.   The goats go astray, and run around and disobey Him.   The sheep He gathers like wheat into the barn, but the goats he scatters like chaff which is burned up.   It is time to seek the Lord so that He can come and reign in righteousness.   

I love you, my friend.  Thank you for coming over for a visit today!

So I'm on "Vacation" but I cannot rest?

G'day Maties!   I hope you all had the best Christmas ever!

After running, and running, and running some more in the time which elapsed before Christmas,

 my little family of three woke up on Christmas morning, and sauntered downstairs.

It wasn't snowing, or raining but the sun wasn't shining either.

It was cold outside, and the sky was grey.

That might sound a bit dismal to you, but cold and gray weather puts me in a

kind of really cool mood; it kind of winds me down and mellows me out, 

to borrow an expression from the 60s...hee hee!

The first thing after coffee we had to do was to wrap presents.

DON'T SAY A SINGLE WORD!

The Taylors, well.......you really do need to feel sorry for them.

Holidays we kinda flunk every year.

So anyways, we wrapped presents on Christmas morning.

Before we could open them, though, we did fulfill one Taylor Family Tradition:

we listened to the Perry Como Christmas Album

that I listened to when I was a little girl.   

He tells the full story of Christmas according to the Gospel of Luke

Chapter 2, and inserts Christmas Carols in between the verses.  

It is  my absolute favorite childhood memory!

We listened, me with tissues, and closed eyes, 

savoring the precious story of our Savior, Jesus' Birth and humble beginnings. 

 We sat for a moment and savored this memory and tradition as a family.

Then...we opened presents!

and the Big Present This year was for my darling daughter, Casey.   She got this:

yes, an electric guitar and amp!  She was so excited!

I got some black high heels from my darling husband, Joe. and some sorely needed

mineral eye shadow and purple smoky eye pencil  from my daughter.   

It is kind of hard to describe, but the peaceful feeling that morning was so visceral.

We just basked in each other's company, relishing the fact that there was nothing we had to do, 

nowhere we had to go, and nobody we had to see.  Just us three.

This year has been a whirlwind.  Time has flown like never before.  I still

cannot grasp how it has passed so quickly.  

This month we sold a litter of 5 beautiful Mini schnauzers.  Just in time for Christmas!

I was SO grateful both the time that they were born, and also for the 

amount of people looking for them on Kijiji.com.    On Monday of Christmas week,

we still had 4 to sell and I was slightly panicked that our ad was going to be overlooked, but the phone began to absolutely ring off the hook and by Christmas Eve, all but one little pookie was left!

She cried all night, so we got up and put her in our bed.

If you have never snuggled with a little puppy, let me tell you, the only thing better is 

your very own tiny baby!  So soft and sweet!

Here is a picture of my friend, Lindsay Summerlin Munson.   I am so glad one of our

babies is going to a friend who lives close by!   

The other wonderful thing that I have to report is that I got a friend to come and

help me the last two weeks before Christmas.   Chanda if you read this, you actually saved my life and my sanity over the last month!  Thank you for going above and beyond in your love and service to my business and to me! I love you!

We actually got to "babysit" two of our grand daughters as I call them:  Snowy and Bella 

This is my favorite picture of them running in their backyard.  I actually hand delivered Snowy last March, and then had to bottle feed her to keep her alive.   That was an experience that I will never forget!

But now she is thriving!  God never ceases to amaze me at His wonderful creation!

Sometimes life seems so fragile, and at other times, so indestructible too.  Snowy was one of those "fighters" who just refused to die no matter what the odds.

Anyways, alot has happened in this month!   We are still selling at the local market on Saturdays, come rain or shine!   A couple of weeks ago we got to be part of a big celebration that the The City of Conroe did for Christmas.   Here are some pictures of my booth there:

I think it is starting to look like a real business with real branded product and overall I am pleased although there is always ALOT of room for improvement!

So now, this week I am "resting".....but it is hard!

On one hand, my body is tired, and needs rest.

But on the other, I am so energized by what has been 

happening and the excitement of taking off finally.

So what am I doing?    Here is a microcosm of my brain:

well, not that well ordered and neat of course.....

way more artistic things are happening in my brain as well....

So I am filled with a passion and zest to run run and run some more!

But not until I take a wee bit of time and look out over the 

horizon, and reflect, and think, and mull over, recant and plan.

My friend, Anne-Marie, has been a big part of this part of my journey.

Every year, this time, she writes posts and she knows what she is talking about. 

As the CEO of her own Company and a successful millionaire in her own right at the ripe

old age of 32, she writes about planning, goals, and business development.

Why don't you take a hop on over to her blog?   You may find something vital to your success

this year; whether it is ministry, a band, a new business, or a new family or even relationship!

There is great power in taking stock and evaluating our successes and failures!  

Day 1 of her Mini Series called "Designing Your Best Year Ever" can be found here.

Day 2 can be found here.

I highly recommend this reading!

My friend, this was kind of a jumbled post, but I felt compelled to write.   

May this time be a time of rest, recuperation, and reflection for YOU, my friend!  Let's take off our glasses, wipe them clean, close our eyes, and dream again!  Let's write down the vision that we may "run".   And after running for awhile, let's take out our compass to see where we may have gotten a bit off course, and then re-direct ourselves back afresh!     

I love you, my friend!   And for me.....it's beddy bye time!  Hee hee!

Oh, one last picture and a bit of a puzzle for you:

This picture was taken 12/26/10.  

Do YOU see anything amiss in this picture?

Comment, if you DARE!

The Catharsis of Writing, Candidly....

Dearies, how are you?  It has been awhile and honestly, I don't know how bloggers do it.  I mean, how exactly do YOU do it?  I guess the answer lies in the scheduling.    If it is on paper, I guess you have the permission to and the edict to actually sit down and write!

I have to make a few confessions on this post, so, if you didn't grab a cup of coffee, you might want to..  or hot tea, or hot cocoa.   Today I will exorcise my own frustrations at myself for not being more together, and then I will forget all about  it.  Because I just have to or else...

So.....I planned this lovely Holiday Launch.  Yeah, that one.  Visions of grandeur.  A launch of a gift line that included (did you laugh yet today?  Good, get ready)  cards, chocolate and other gifts in addition to soap and toiletries and candles.  Yep, all that.  I think I have a Martha Stewart complex. (Well she is my hero in a myriad of creative ways).  As my husband reminded me, Martha Stewart has a whole army working for her who does nothing but sit around all day and cater to her whims and fancies, and who, by the way, is also a megalo-millionaire and can snap her fingers and launch a whole new line of pet product at Petsmart.  Oh my, who in the heck do I think I am kidding?

So I started making soap and more soap and more soap and even more soap until soap filled my kitchen.  Then I ordered gift boxes and more gift boxes, and more.......well you get the picture.

So anyways, here we are 7 weeks before Christmas and everyone else has their cra I mean stuff  I mean products up on the website and looks like they all have their act together, and I still have boxes and labels and card making material all over the place.

Last week I felt like I literally was going to explode with the pressure of having to have my act together.   It kind of sucked the living life out of me,  ya know?

So then I tell myself to slow down, think, write a plan, just keep it simple, You know the psychobabble we all tell ourselves.   Calm down and carry on.  And it works, sometimes, for a duration of about 5 minutes.  And then, all falls apart in my synapse center as I fall prey to the pressure again.   Oh well.  

So then I get these two new ideas for two new designs.   And go to the drawing board and they fail, not once but twice, and then thrice, and now on the fourth try it is starting to look like I can pull it off.  But then the pressure mounts again and I start to cry from feeling like a complete lunatic in my own kitchen.

But alot right has happened and alot of really yummy soap and completely good boxes and pretty cardstock is sitting here looking at me to get ready to swing into full blown production mode.   And besides the boutique is calling asking me for more soap, with a referral to another boutique and another boutique, and the art school directors across the street from me consented to me putting up a dispaly in their art school that is full of high ranking international oil executives and ambassadors kids,  and a couple of schools wanting vendors, and a really posh boutique wanting me come come and sit outside for 2 whole weeks and sell, and then orders are coming in so -  what am I so down about?  

I think it is the Pitfall of Comparison.   Rome did not get built in one day.   Brands did not get instantly established.   Labels are made and remade everyday by solo-preneurs wanting to prefect their image.

So, now I have raved and ranted, I feel somewhat better, although this blog is configured to my facebook and my twitter and all kinds of other media, so in retrospect I might feel a tad awkward if everyone reads this.   But confession is good for the soul.   So I let it rip.

Here is some of the yummy soap I have in my kitchen and have begun to list it into my Etsy Shop.   Again, I had the distinct quandary as I tried to decide if I should wait several  more days until my new labels were done and it was all wrapped and ready to go, or just get it up so everyone can actually see what is curing and get some Christmas ideas ready for gift giving.  So, I chose the latter, as I can always go back and add new photos of these things and tweak the listings.......

So here goes:  some quick crummy photos with better ones coming hopefully soon

Lavender Essential Oil Shea Luxe Soap

 Purely Peppermint Salt Spa Soap

 Frankincense & Myrrh Luxe Soap

 Pomegranate & Black Currant Luxe Soap

not listed yet =)

 Vanille de Noir Luxe Soap 

Cranberry & Fig Artisan Soap

Passionfruit Rose Luxe Shaving Soap

Wasabi Intensely Fresh Men's Soap (not listed yet; heck the label isn't even made yet)

You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch Gag Gift Soap =)

Assam Tea Garden Soap (for men, or unisex)

Black Amber & Lavender Soap;  oh my it smells good and so luxuriant too!

and no, it's not listed yet......=) still drying and curing.

Lavender Pumpkin Soap

Peppermint Patty All Natural Glycerin Soap

So my plan is, after I get all the soaps labeled and tagged and wrapped and listed, then to go on and  make the corresponding lotions, and scrubs, and perfumes and bath bombs and shea whips to accompany each one.   I have beautiful little see-through boxes that are slim line and will fit an whole ensemble even with a small candle into sets to sell.   

When I get "my act together" yes, you will see and hear all about how wonderful they are!

So until then, my dear friend, we will keep calm and carry on now, shall we not?  It will all work out in the end!   It always does.  

Do you ever share some of these feelings?  Share, PLEASE!  It might comfort a friend with consternation issues!  Toodles until next time!

Gearing Up: The Most Wonderful Time - of the Year!

Hi Everyone!

We've been hard at work here in Santa's Workshop (aka, Cassia's Kitchen!)   On any given day, there are smells wafting through here bringing smiles and sighs, and expressions of pleasure from mainly me.   (LOL!)

Soap has been filling (literally) all horizontal spaces!  My mom used to do the same thing.  Guess I inherited this propensity from her, rest her soul.  Hers was a very avid, keen and inquiring mind.   Daily reading the entire Los Angeles times, her quest for learning caused her to save all kinds of clippings.  Me, I 'm just disorganized.    "Outta sight, outta mind" is one of my expressions; lamely excusing my distaste for filing and lack of organizational planning.   Oh, well, maybe one day I can hire a professional organizer.   But until then, all plans are laid out where I can see 'em!

Which leads me to the unveiling of my latest organizational acquisition and merger:  the baker's rack purchased at a restaurant supply and auction site here in our town!  Woo Hoo for Conroe, TX!

Dave, the owner, and his lovely wife Kathryn buy soap from me every week at the Conroe Saturday AM Market which is in the new parking lot on the Corner of Metcalf & Main in downtown Conroe, TX!  Come out and see us sometime!  I've been eyeing Dave's sundries in his shop and there are some equipment pieces that I hope to acquire someday as we expand our operations.   

I have found that it's a whole lot easier to think clearly and have a sense of peace when working if I keep the work area clean!  A whole lot of time can be wasted looking for things buried under other things.   There's no time to waste as Christmas fast approaches.  

My new baker's rack with 20 spaces for racks (I purchased all the store had: 10 racks) can probably hold up to approximately 500 bars of soap.  I plan on filling this up daily to get ready for numerous parties, market days and website sales.    Woo Hoo!   It's been fun!   

Other news is that my new friend Anna is buying soap to stock her lovely boutique and that boutique is right here in town as well.  Every week I deliver once and even twice.   I wish I had a picture to show you of her display of my products there.  I am SO thrilled that a beautiful lady like Anna would want to purchase from me and that she keeps me busy!   Bring me more Anna's Lord!   About 20 more would do just nicely!

Other than that, I am cookin' up a plan that is bigger than anything I have attempted so far;  a Holiday Products Launch and Open House........HERE!  Yikes!   I want to invite business leaders and target customers to enjoy hors d'oeuvres, wine, music and a walk through of Cassia's Kitchen.  Eliciting the help of my friends, I hope to have at least all the horizontal surfaces and several tables stockpiled by color and fragrance with cash and carry and a 15% discount.    I can SEE IT in my mind.   I want to mail color postcards to all my neighbors, friends and contact.  WHEW!  It's alot of work but I think it's totally do-able! I would like to also afford the opportunity to some friends who are complementary of my industry and let them also showcase their business and products as well.   Up to 4 vendors.   More on that - later!

My timer just went off, so I have to run; my new Spa Salt Bar with Sage, Cedar, Orange, Tangerine, Spruce and Peppermint Essential Oils is ready for me to put in the mold!   

So long for now, and thank you, dear reader for stopping by!  You just don't know how it makes my day to have your visit!

Toodles!