Author: deborahanndykeman

Writing has always been a love of mine. Except for school reports! I didn't cherish those moments. I began with poems in grade school, and short little stories that I illustrated. I created something for each family celebration, and probably wore my family out. But I graduated to a longer 'book' by the time I was 18. Following traditional romance novel writing, I pounded out a pretty cheesy story on a Royal typewriter I had found at a garage sale. You didn't worry about your nails when using one of those! When our first four children were still young, I wrote my first full-length book back in 1998. I followed it with three more in that series. Those are my current WIP, needing many updates and editing before I give them to my editor to slash to bits. But the books are always much better with her advisement and help! Currently, I have ten published books. My husband and I have been married for thirty-nine years and we have five children and nine grandchildren. I've been a homeschooling mom, Sunday school teacher, AWANA director and a pastor's wife. I've worked as a CNA and an Activity Director. A new love of mine is book cover designing! Stayed tuned for more on that. When I'm not busy writing...which I love, BTW, I'm working on home projects, marketing and attending events, where I love to meet you...my readers!
Yummy Food!

Dessert Every Day

deborahanndykeman

All social media sites, blogging sites, and general computer companies…STOP! We older people, can’t keep up with all the changes! Just about the time I get the hang of something new, a team of ‘experts’ come along and change it for the better…they think. I hope I’m doing pretty good, and then the platform is ripped out from under me once again.

That said, WordPress probably is great for some people that are really tech savvy. All the little changes are probably for the better. But I’m under the probably radar. And, just as a side note, I don’t feel that my age of almost 57 is that old. But when my 12 year old grandson is able to show me how to manage sites…it’s a little humbling.

Those two paragraphs were just a little venting to take me to the real post. So yes, the title does make sense now. 😉

I’ve been amazed at how many people have stopped by my site that are enjoying the keto diet. I’ve tried to check out some of your sites, and read some posts. But there is SO much information out there! I could read for days and still be learning more. So thank you keto-people/bloggers! I’m just starting this journey…or I should say taking my time with it. I started a little over a year ago, and I’ve just been incorporating all the information I’ve had over the years with everything I’m learning new.

For me, losing weight was kind of secondary to just eating better. I wanted to feel better, have more energy, rid my body of inflammation, and hopefully lose weight along the way. That has all been happening gradually. I’ve read up on Intermittent Fasting, Trim Healthy Momma https://trimhealthymama.com, and absorbed what our chiropractor has had to say about different diets.

When I began this journey back in August of 2020, I was really concerned about making it through the holidays, and no chocolate. I did make it through the holidays, and did not get pulled away from my eating guidelines. And now, after a little over a year, my chocolate cravings are a thing of the past. At first, that seemed a bit disappointing, but now, not really.

Baking dessert items has been a huge help for me. We have always eaten pretty well. I’ve never purchased packaged items on a regular basis, don’t use very many canned foods, and I make almost all meals from scratch. Salads were a daily meal when our children were growing up, and I usually made my own salad dressing. But desserts had to be not eaten, or enjoyed for holidays and special occasions only.

When I found all sorts of sites that were keto-friendly, and they had desserts, I was thrilled! These days, I bake several times a week. I’ve shared some of the desserts on here, and the sites I’ve found them on. With the holidays right around the corner again, I’ve been narrowing down my dessert menu. (I started out with a rather big list.) My husband has been a very willing taste-tester. Through all this baked-goods eating, he has lost 10 pounds!

My recipe tweaking has me making a Pumpkin Roll that serves 16. Well, it should be 16 people. It doesn’t seem to last long for my husband and I. The recipe I first used served 4, and was microwaveable. I don’t own a microwave…by choice. The recipe also called for almond flour and coconut flour, and almond milk. The recipe is right here for those of you that are interested: https://joyfilledeats.com/mini-pumpkin-cake-roll/. For my recipe, I used a baking blend, which I found to make the cake more moist and easier for rolling my larger version. I also switched out the almond milk for cream, and added a few more spices. It’s wonderful!

The other recipe I would like to make for Thanksgiving is an Apple Cobbler. The same site above has an amazing Peach Cobbler recipe which we love. I have some ideas for the Apple Cobbler that I want to try out. Topped with some of my homemade whipped cream…absolutely delicious!

https://joyfilledeats.com/keto-butter-cake/, foundation for the peach cobbler

Of course I will be checking out some of your sites to find more recipes for Thanksgiving, and everyday use! My only regret is that I don’t have time to try them all! Happy baking everyone!

I would like to say here, that I am not a keto-food blogger. The site above, and others that I follow have the correct nutrition information for the original recipes. I’m not as concerned about that, so switching out a couple things here and there has worked well for me. But if you want to be strict, follow their recipes exactly. Also, as I have said before, I’m extremely thankful for these people that have these sites and have shared their culinary talents. It’s a very complicated, and time consuming process, and they are appreciated!

Home Projects

On the Homefront

deborahanndykeman

I think autumn has finally arrived in our part of the world. Here in Kansas it always seems to peek around the edges, giving little snippets of cool weather and fluttery days, mixed with hot and humid. Then suddenly, it’s cold, and the leaves disappear from the trees.

Very different from the autumns I remember as a teenager in upstate New York. The colorful show began in August, evenings with cool suggestions of winter to come. Gorgeous colors seeming to turn overnight. By October, you knew those wintery days were just a breath away, and the holiday season was upon you. It always seemed to be a colorful parade, leading up to a finale of crystal snowflakes.

Here in Kansas, there is no stroll through the off-seasons of autumn and spring. More like a plunge.

So, the kitchen projects I needed to finish took a backseat to the outside projects that kept popping up. I probably shouldn’t word it like that. One would imagine just springing onto the scene, rather than items on a list I always have running through my mind.

Our oldest grandson came for a week or so to help with those outside goals. Poor guy…he will probably never return. This grandma’s house isn’t a safe haven of cuddles and cookies. It’s more of a boot camp for life-training. But there was some baking thrown in for good measure.

He worked like a trooper, helping me dig holes for fencing, and pushing wheelbarrow load after load of dirt to fill holes around the yard. He mixed cement, and got out supplies that are a burden for me after a long day of digging. And he hung in there. Projects that were on my long list were accomplished, and then some. And now this grandmother feels better about the cold winds around the corner.

We assured him that the holidays were upon us, and days of playing games for hours were promised to come. Days when we all can sip hot chocolate and eat yummy baked goods. I hope those remembered other times will be an enticement.

In the meantime, I can look at my very happy roses climbing on the white fence, walk on the stone path Joshua helped me with, and look forward to some steaks on the firepit he helped me move to a larger area.

My beautiful pink roses on the arbor and fence.

At the end of those days with our oldest grandchild, our son and son-in-law helped replace the windows in our bedroom. This was the third set of windows they have done in the past couple of months. It was a huge project…more than we expected…just like all the others. But they are beautiful, and they fit in with all the other windows now. I’m hoping for at least one more warm day to get them painted outside.

View of new windows, and kitchen door installed in kitchen renovation.
View of windows from the inside.

This year has accomplished way more than I had hoped for when it began. The kitchen was to be the main project, and it probably was. But so much more has been done. All with the help of family. Some would read this post and think that all I care about is getting stuff done around the house. Some of those readers may even be my family! 😉 But what sticks out even more in my mind is the time that I have spent with all the family that has been here to help…and that I am blessed to have children, sons-in-law, and grandchildren that are willing to be here for us. And not just when it comes to projects. I know that if we ever need anything, our family would be there in any way that they could to lend a hand. That means so much in this world today of each person looking out for themselves.

The past few months have given me many memories of frustrating times of things not going right, boards in the face, dropped hammers on toes, wiring cut, and rethinking of a plan. But so many more memories of stepping back and thinking, “Wow! We accomplished that!” And I believe all of us can say that. Thank you to everyone for just hanging in there!

Before picture of the east wall with our cat having a snack.

As a side note, I had another blogger at https://bluewillowcottage.com/2018/10/12/make-a-coffee-station-at-home/ ask about my coffee station. It ended up being a question about my previous kitchen remodel in the home we sold in 2020. My how time flies! So here is a picture of our coffee area now. I don’t have it as cute as some, but it is extremely handy. All coffee supplies are located in those cupboards and drawers. The counter provides enough room to hold many cups waiting for coffee. (Grandchildren have some cocoa, lots of cream and a bit of coffee). For me, it works perfectly!

The east wall now.
Yummy Food!

Three In a Day?

deborahanndykeman

Last Friday was a baking day, and most importantly a trying-new-recipes-day.

For me to make three new items was a pretty big accomplishment. They all turned out delicious…as always. So far, most of the keto recipes I’ve tried have been pretty good. Of course there are those that are my favorite, and some that were good, but probably won’t happen again. And with so many to try, that last statement occurs every once in a while.

My first endeavor was mayonnaise. I’ve been wanting to make my own for several years now, but for some reason I had this vision of a labor-intensive not-so-good-tasting glop of stuff I would never put on a sandwich. None of the above applied to this process. I made it in a pint-sized mason jar. I added all the ingredients, and used an immersion blender to combine. It was literally done in about a minute. And, yes it is gloppy, but isn’t all mayonnaise? I used organic olive oil for my first try, and the one I use is a stronger-flavored one for our salads. So, the mayonnaise is a bit bold, but it is still delicious. There are so many recipes for this homemade goodness. Choose your favorite one online. Here is a picture of mine:

The next recipe on my agenda was cake. This recipe was easy to make, and I was wanting that ooey goey butter cake taste. I may have baked mine just a tad too much, but it was still very soft and yummy. There is just a tiny taste of the almond flour, but if this bothers you, use a finer ground version. It was definitely buttery!

See, just a tad too brown on top.

Here is the link for this recipe and tips to make your cake perfectly! https://joyfilledeats.com/keto-butter-cake/

Lastly I tried a new brownie recipe. I will forever be on the search for the perfect-tasting, and texture brownie that is keto. I love chocolate, and brownies have always been a favorite of mine. These were also very easy to make. I was shocked that they used so little coconut flour! If you are not a fan of almond flour, then this recipe is for you. I used the Anthony’s brand mentioned in the recipe, because that is what I had. I did not notice any coconut flavor in these brownies. A major ingredient in these is eggs, and the batter tasted pretty close to those remembered boxed brownies I made so often. I may have undercooked these just a bit, but they are very good.

Coconut flour brownies.

Try your own here: https://www.fittoservegroup.com/low-carb-brownies/

The day was a triumph for me. I don’t normally bake so much when it is still hot outside. Last Friday was nearing 90 or so again. But autumn is almost here, and cooler temperatures will have me in that baking mood. And of course, I have a list of new recipes to try already to go. 😉

What are you looking forward to making? And if you try any of these recipes, please let me know how they turned out. I would love to hear about your adventure. Have a great day!

P.S. As with so many of the keto recipes I’ve tried, a couple days after…the cake and brownies are even better! The mayonnaise is holding up very well too. I do apologize for the wrong spelling of immersion blender in the original post. This was caught by my husband. What was I thinking? Probably not much…and that was the problem! 😉

A Day to Remember

Farewell Summer

deborahanndykeman

Summer is officially over…as of today.

When I was young, this made me sad. Summer, and all the activities we were involved in was one of the highlights of my youth. For a few years, I was in summer school. I know that may send shivers down some spines, but for me it was a few weeks when I could extend the classes that I really loved in school. I took art classes…fun stuff like pottery, and macramé. My siblings and I always took swimming lessons, and then spent every day at the pool.

When the first cool breezes hit Longmont, Colorado, (where I lived until I was thirteen), we knew it was time for school to begin once again. There was always a shopping trip to purchase new clothes and shoes for the school year. These clothes came with instructions from our mother of what day, under what circumstances, and what kind of weather those pieces of clothing were for…and we didn’t stray. You were not caught in school clothes if you were playing in the yard, and never on a weekend. Work clothes were not worn to school, and church clothes were for church, and only very special occasions. This list of instructions was the same for all children. When the cool weather changed to winter, you added a cardigan to your dress, and sometimes tights, or knee-high socks. I spent many mornings waiting for the school bus and wishing I had remembered my tights instead of the knee-highs. I would board the bus with red, chilled-to-the-bone knees.

Image by JudyGilmore from Pixabay

After the first day of school, you had your school-supply list. That of course meant another trip to the store. I think I was in middle-school before a list was posted before school started. That second trip to the store was fun, and must have cost my parents a small fortune when all four of us were in school. But back then, those supplies were yours to use. A nifty little school box, (that we kept caterpillars in), stored our pencils, erasers, and little scissors. If you were really fortunate, you had your own pencil sharpener that didn’t eat up too much of your pencil, saving you the wait time of using the class crank one. Life was easy back then, and the little things meant a lot.

Memories make up so much of our lives, and I have many good ones. I started this post with the end of summer, and even as an adult, it makes me melancholy. The days are already becoming shorter, and the mornings have that autumn feel, even if the temperature rises into the nineties. Outdoor projects once again beckon me, but now they are a process of getting things ready for the winter. A winding down, preparation for the holiday season ahead.

One day, my goal is to spend a substantial amount of my year beside the ocean. Seaside is still my favorite place to be. A few trips to see my father’s side of the family in the San Diego area, made many good memories for me. Most notably the time we spent at the ocean. The beaches were a little more crowded than I liked, but the crashing waves, sand sifting beneath your feet, and that salt-water tinge in the air were always there. In my young-adult years, I was introduced to the Cape Cod surroundings, and I felt as though I had found my special place beside the ocean. It still beckons.

Image by Demiahl from Pixabay

For me, summers always mean water, and that seaside experience. I don’t even want the palm trees and sand, but the sand dunes and beach roses. White picket fences trailing into oblivion, dune grass swaying in the ocean breeze. Even though I’ve lived in the middle portion of the United States for most of my life, this is my picture of summer.

And today, those pictures are replaced with the memories of trudging off to school in a plaid dress, wet leaves plastered on the sidewalks. That damp smell filling your head, as the heavy air lingers around the trees.

Good-bye summer…until next year.

A Quick Thought, Bible Verses, Our Christian Walk

Pray Without Ceasing

deborahanndykeman

Good Sunday morning to you!

The title to this post says it all. We ask for prayer for our loved ones, our friends, to help us get a job, to be patient, and the list goes on. At times, I just need prayer for myself…without ceasing.

This video was from many years ago. Back when our family was doing concerts. Back when our three youngest children still lived at home, and only our oldest was married. There have been so many miles traveled since those days! So much prayer needed for our family, and struggles we’ve had. Just like any other family out there.

Here’s Catherine Emily singing. She has a beautiful voice now, at almost seventeen years old. Alyssa Lynn is on the mandolin, and our son, Nathan on the guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcBA3Uc2XC8

Special memories!

Home Projects

Making Progress…

deborahanndykeman

With cooler temperatures just around the corner here in the mid-west, I won’t be able to put off our kitchen project finishing-touches much longer. There is something to be said about opening a door and letting the autumn breezes drift through. Especially when you are painting and staining. I will be able to do just that very soon!

The major projects involved are about done. Two extremely gracious and merciful son-in-laws will be over this weekend to install a window in the attic. I rely heavily on this kind of help, and I’m very appreciative of it! Me climbing very high on a ladder has never happened much, and most certainly not now at 56 years young. Hopefully we will have a chance to celebrate the window installation with a hot dog roast over the fire pit. Also a cooler weather kind of thing to do!

I have promised updates on the kitchen. After all the trim is back up, I will share again. For now, just a few little peeks at what has been happening. And may I say again…I absolutely love the kitchen!

Northwest wall of kitchen. Refrigerator is now on the east wall.
Northwest wall, looking more toward the east.

The two pictures above are the north wall of the kitchen. The cupboards are all the same color, so something with the bright sunlight coming in the new kitchen door was making the butter-yellow take on a different hue. Note the cookie jar on the left counter. My mother enjoyed her grandmother’s cookies in this little gem.

Looking northwest.

My view out the new kitchen door, where there was once a window. This is looking northwest.

The goldfish/lily pond.

My view out the same door looking southwest. Our grandson worked very hard digging out this little pond area for me! We have seven goldfish, that aren’t so little anymore. They survived the frigid winter this past February, and they even had some babies. This year the plants had two yellow flowers. It’s been a pleasure to see this view out my kitchen!

I hope you are enjoying the beginning of September in your part of the world. For me, it’s always signaled the start of autumn. A time of cooler weather, more baking, and the delicious aroma of spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and apples.

Have a great day!

The header picture for this post is by: Image by Peter H from Pixabay

A Quick Thought

A Walk With a View

deborahanndykeman

Now that my husband is home more often…I think they call it retired, we have been trying to incorporate a morning walk into our routine. At some point, more than a mile would be great, but that will have to be after the temperature drops into the sixties. Walking in ’80’s and above with the sun beating down, and humidity at jungle level is not fun!

We are blessed to live in a small town with a lot of places to walk safely. Just from our front door, we could head to our River Walk in less than five minutes.

Council Grove River Walk – July 2021

Those two trees on either side of the bridge are gorgeous in the autumn when they turn red. This past year, they have extended the River Walk once again, and you can meander along the Neosho River for quite a bit. Some amazing volunteers from our town also put in an amphitheater just down a bit from where we took this picture. It has been put to fantastic use several times in the past few months since it was finished.

Even though the River Walk is just a few minutes from our house, I always prefer to walk at the lake whenever possible. I love being near water, and in the summer, the cool breezes blowing our way make it very nice. Four times around this loop make it a little over a mile. This picture does not show the brilliant sunlight that day!

Our little town also has a portion of a rail trail running through it. For me, it’s not the best place to walk because of the vegetation nearby. (I seem to break out in a rash whenever I glance at something green and potentially itchy.) But it has been the location for a few family walks over the years, and great for bike-riding.

With lower temperatures just around the corner, our walking routine may pick up. Those cooler temperatures also make yard work, and kitchen projects a little easier to handle. So, keep checking in. I will post some after pictures of the kitchen soon. I haven’t forgotten.

Until next time, this is where I would love to be walking. Have a great afternoon!

Image by Michelle Raponi from Pixabay
Yummy Food!

Summery Lemon Goodness

deborahanndykeman

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since I started eating better, and basically applying a lot of Keto-type eating to my diet. I stopped weighing myself long ago because of the debilitating roller-coaster it put me on. I do know that I’ve lost weight, but more importantly I feel so much better! Much of the inflammation I struggled with is gone, and I have more energy.

My husband has also been doing better. He isn’t as strict as I am, but I’ve been amazed that he has enjoyed many of the recipes I’ve tried. I no longer bake with flour or sugar, and I try to stay away from those two items as much as possible.

The community of people that apply this way of eating has been such a tremendous help in my journey. Without the recipes, and the encouragement from others, I don’t think I would have stayed the course. There is so much support out there! Because of this phenomenal support, there are so many sites and groups you can hook-up with.

This post is about the yummy lemon cookies I made on Saturday. I love anything lemon, and I especially love it during the summer months. So my only regret with these cookies is I found them in August and not April!

Easy Keto Lemon Cookies

I’ve printed off several recipes from this group. Another one I’m anxious to try is the Red Velvet Cake. I’ll be ready for the winter months with that one! I was always disappointed that a Red Velvet Cake did not taste more like chocolate, because I always thought that was part of it. It was very interesting to learn of the reason why it doesn’t taste more like chocolate. But I’ll save that for another post…after I’ve tried the Red Velvet Cake recipe. 😉

For now, here is the link for these lovely lemon cookies: https://www.fittoservegroup.com/low-carb-nut-free-tangy-lemon-cookies

At one time I made boxed-cake mix cookies. These lemon cookies, after being refrigerated, had the same softness, and tasted very much like the lemon cake mix. But so much better! These cookies have a freshness that is lacking in anything boxed. The drizzle you put on top really does harden, and it is so good! I’ve kept these cookies in the fridge because of the heavy whipping cream in the drizzle. That coolness just makes these taste better in my humble opinion. For those that are not a fan of almond flour, these cookies use only coconut flour. I was also concerned that the recipe would not make much. After baking/cooking for large families, I always double everything. I did not do that for this first-time-through. The recipe says it will make 24 of these little gems, but I had about 30, and they were nice-sized cookies. I will double it next time though! I want these around for awhile. My husband and I did quite a bit of damage to my supply this morning with coffee.

Another group I follow is: https://www.facebook.com/JoyFilledEats

I have shared a recipe or two on here, and I have made most of my recipes from Joy Filled Eats. I make the Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars weekly, and I always double the recipe. These were my husband’s go-to snack with coffee or tea while he was still working. They travel nicely and I store these on my kitchen counter for a week at a time. I love the collagen in them, and I attribute that to the amazing finger nails I’ve been growing over the past year. Although those nails are not so good for my writing career! Here is the recipe for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars: https://joyfilledeats.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-bars

I know this keto way of life is a really big thing right now. For me, it is very much the way I was eating before I was married…before it was cool. And I didn’t even know I was doing anything special. I just ate as pure as I could, stayed away from anything fried, and didn’t eat flour or refined sugar. I limited fruits to treats, and generally ate some form of protein with them. Any of our children will tell you that their snacks were generally a banana with peanut butter…and the peanut butter was just peanuts. I don’t think any of them enjoy a banana to this day! lol That way of eating worked for me when I was nineteen, and it’s working now.

The absolute best thing about eating this way now, and I say lifestyle most of the time when I refer to it…is the recipes available. A big shout-out to those that take the time to figure out the recipes, take pictures, post about them, and answer questions. You all are loved!

Image by Zozz_ from Pixabay

Bible Verses, Our Christian Walk

The Deep, Deep Love…

deborahanndykeman

Today is Sunday, a day when many go to places to worship. A day set aside for that purpose in our busy lives. As a Believer, Sunday is not the only day for me, and many days are filled with hours of praying, recalling Bible verses, and applying God’s Truth in my life.

Once such verse I was reminded of recently is one I used frequently when our children were growing up. 

Ephesians 4:32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (KJV)

This verse was memorized and quoted, usually for the purpose of a disagreement, and a reminder of how we should respond and treat one another. 

Our children are grown, and this verse came to mind once again. Not to be a reminder for them...but a reminder for me. A verse to be applied to all. Not just those I like, or admire, or agree with. But those individuals that pass through my life, that I may not agree with, or admire in a particular way. Just another person that is deserving of kindness, and forgiveness, just as Christ has done for each one of us. 

This verse levels the playing field, leaving no room for prejudice, judgement, or hate. We are all equal, and race, color, education, and monetary success means nothing. 

Today is Sunday. Remember what God has done for us, and the deep, deep love He has for each one of us. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPlOQk-Rr8U

social media

Just the Bears Watching

deborahanndykeman

As a rule, I generally don’t talk politics on social media platforms. I may like or comment on something that is important to me. But I don’t engage in heated discussions.

The biggest reason for this is my writing. As an author of women’s Christian inspirational fiction, I want to reach readers with the redeeming message of God’s work in our lives. We are here for a purpose, each one of us. And it’s our responsibility to figure out what that is and live it to our fullest potential. I want my books to show that life is really rotten at times, but you can survive that and go on. You don’t have to be perfect, look beautiful, or have your life in order. You just have to keep getting back up and forging ahead.

I don’t want that message taken away by me fighting for my rights, or taking sides. All of us know what side we are on, what we believe. Some are more vocal about it than others.

Believe me, I’ve prayed, and thought long and hard about my position concerning social media platforms and writing. They are a huge help with any small business. They are a fantastic marketing tool.

But they are also developed by people that don’t have the same goals in life as I do as a general rule. Every decision I make in my life, every step I take is balanced with my belief in the Bible first, and then my beliefs as an American. I believe the Bible sets us free, and I choose to live my life by certain standards.

I firmly believe that all the social media platforms developed by all the names we are now familiar with have the right to control content. They developed them, it’s their site. They made the rules. We can play or not.

Because I believe I have freedom to choose, freedom to live my life the way I want, I may not play much longer. And that is my choice.

The problems begin when someone’s rights step on mine. Just because you have the freedom to do something, doesn’t mean you have the right to do it, or that you should. There are always consequences. You may like to run around in your yard with no clothes on. If you live in the middle of nowhere and just the bears are watching, that is your choice. But in a neighborhood, there are consequences for those actions. The biggest one being against the law in most places. On a more human level…just plain offensive to some.

Image by Annick Vanblaere from Pixabay

This past year, maybe more than others, has really clouded the freedom to choose. In past years, if you didn’t want to be exposed to something, you stayed home. If you were sick, you stayed home. Believe me, I spent many years working in church programs such as the nursery and AWANA wishing parents had made the decision to keep their sick children home! But, I could not control them. I could only make my immune system stronger, and be ready.

I think we are on shaky ground now because of fear. People don’t make good decisions when fear is controlling them. As a Christian, it shouldn’t be an option, but it is at times. Because we are human. Being informed, researching, and knowing the facts helps with that fear.

Anyone that knows me, understands that health-related topics have always been important to me. As I said in my last post, that stems from my mother having leukemia at a very young age and using alternative methods. That included her going to Mexico for treatment. There were risks involved. So, I have always believed that health-related decisions are a person’s freedom to choose. I’ve worked in the medical profession enough to not believe it all, and remember to be informed, and make my decisions based on facts. I have that freedom.

I use natural products as much as possible. My daughter recently introduced me to Earthley Wellness.

Image by silviarita from Pixabay

Their site: https://www.earthley.com/ I’m including that link for those of you that may be interested in more natural products. I’ve liked the few products that I’ve tried so far. I do not know the people that own the company, and I have no reason to promote them, other than what I read this morning. And that is what prompted this post.

This company was started because of a mother’s concern for her child. She had the freedom to do that. I think the company understands what is happening, and they are taking steps to do what they need to do to sell their products, and speak their mind. Again, their freedom to do. You can read about that here:

https://www.earthley.com/earthley-news-instagram-deleted/?redirect_mongo_id=607e1b80c931070022dccc1d&utm_source

My rights end when they infringe on your rights.

No company, business, or person has the right to share their content on someone else’s platform without consent to do so. I don’t want views that I don’t believe put on my author’s page, etc. Hence the reason I may soon disappear from the big social media platforms. That may be a bad decision from a marketing standpoint.

But I never began writing to make money.

I firmly believe that those readers that stand behind me, will still be there. I have a message to share, and I will until I’m no longer allowed to. I will keep adjusting my strategy until then.

As a side note, and another reason for this post this morning. My yahoo news feed informed me of this:

Yahoo News

The Postal Service is running a ‘covert operations program’ that monitors Americans’ social media posts

Really? A big sigh. More research for me to do! Have a great day everyone!