EASTER SUNDAY REFLECTING ON BLESSINGS

Today, Easter Sunday, helps me reflect on just how blessed we are. We can spend time looking at all the ugliness within the world but I believe it's best that we focus on all the small miracles that surround us in the midst of the negativity that can take place in the world. You see, "all things work for the good for those who love the lord and are called according to his purpose." On Friday I went to see a movie called Miracles from Heaven. This movie reminded me of how true that statement is.

I spent a bit of time this morning reflecting on all the miracles that have taken place during my efforts to fulfill my calling. I believe that I was called to produce products that are helpful to people and despite all the following situations God has managed to continue using me and guiding me with ways to stay out of harms way when I've had to battle with the attacks from the Goliath's within the industry.

After winning awards and receiving lots of media attention for our efforts to produce truly clean water-less products that really do serve your health and the planet well. Lovely Lady Products has been bombarded with ugly competitor attacks that went beyond just business but have struck at the very core of our civil and federal rights. You see many big commercial brands want to continue deceiving the public about healthy products and they spend a lot of effort and money to keep the smaller companies who are doing the right thing from succeeding (a professor from the Kellogg School of Manage wrote a book about this very thing, it's called, "Defending Your Brand" written in an effort to help small companies to become of aware of competitor attacks). Some of this gave me pause to give up but it was the individuals who support our products and the many testimonies of how our products are helpful that kept me in this industry (but most of all I realized that I am safe in the knowledge that God has his hands on me and I'm truly honored for his grace and mercy). So please note that no matter what you are going through use today to ask God for guidance and praise him through it all. I'm sure by now my customers know that I don't follow the traditional rules for running my business. My heart leads me to speak my truth and produce my products in an honest fashion and if that takes away from what others call success so be it because I know that God is in charge of my pathway.  Lovely Is As Lovely Does.

Troubles that God helped us to over come and he's still watching over us:

• Discovering that competitors were using some of our employees to spy and sabotage our business.
•  Competitors using some vendors to attack our effects to produce our products and grow
• Competitors trying to interfere with our continued success to receive our organic certifications.
• Competitors using Major Retail Chain Employees to slow our growth within their many retail stores, we continue to have success after removing our products from this major health food chain.
• Home and office invasions, using some of my neighbors, friends and I'm sad to say FAMILY MEMBERS too in an effort to do so.
• Police corruption and lack of assistance from Federal Employees when we reached out for help (major effort to cover up for the BIG GUY).
• Surviving what I believed was an attack on my life via someone cutting my car brake line.
• Continuous attempts to place my life under surveillance once it was known that we went to the press, the ACLU and other watchdog groups. 
• Not to mention continuous subtle threats in an effort to keep me quiet because they are well aware of how far they have strayed from the law with their tactics to destroy a smaller competitor. 

Now let me just say this, I no longer have bitterness in my heart and I have learned that your enemies can serve to push you to live at a higher level of consciousness and God also uses them to help you move towards whatever he has in store for you. I know it's very difficult for us to love individuals who attack us but I've learned that we can do it through the love of God. I decided to share this brief version of my story regarding the trials and tribulations I've endured while running my business to inspire others to following their calling no matter the obstacles. There is definitely a reason we decided to formulate with a plant called Everlasting, an oil from a tree that has the ability to rebirth it self after laying dormant for 7 years (this is another blog story). Just remember to walk in the light.
 
Happy Easter and Blessing to all of our followings.

BEAUTY

What does this word mean and how does it affect your life, your views, your health and the well being of the planet. Once you take a moment to ponder on this, it's kind of deep, isn't it? My opinion is that it all depends on what you're pouring on and into your body to influence your efforts at beauty. I also believe it to be a mental state as well as something visual.

Let's start with the standard explanation for what beauty is. 

Wikipedia states: 

"Beauty is the quality of being pleasing, especially to look at, or someone or something that gives great pleasure, especially when looking at it."

Webster's 1913 Dictionary states the following:

1. An assemblage of graces or properties pleasing to the eye, the ear, the intellect, the æsthetic faculty, or the moral sense. The old definition of beauty, in the Roman school, was, "multitude in unity;" and there is no doubt that such is the principle of beauty. - Coleridge.
2. A particular grace, feature, ornament, or excellence; anything beautiful; as, the beauties of nature.
3. A beautiful person, esp. a beautiful woman.
4. Prevailing style or taste; rage; fashion. She stained her hair yellow, which was then the beauty.
- Jer. Taylor.  Beauty spot, a patch or spot placed on the face with intent to heighten beauty by contrast.

 WordNet Dictionary States:

1. Beauty - the qualities that give pleasure to the senses. Antonyms: ugliness - qualities that do not give pleasure to the senses.
2. Beauty - a very attractive or seductive looking woman. Synonyms: lulu, mantrap, knockout, stunner, looker, peach, ravisher, smasher, sweetheart, dish
3. Beauty - an outstanding example of its kind; "his roses were beauties"; "when I make a mistake it's a beaut"

 Lovely Lady Products' Explanation on this word, Beauty:

 

Beauty is all encompassing; it's really not for one individual to interpret. It's in the eyes of the beholder and it's not singular in description. I can only explain it from my personal opinion on what I believe it's meaning is and my views on how we should be responsible with this powerful word and how it influences our lives.

To me beauty is anyone who strives to make their life meaningful by caring for others, making decisions that are based on how it will affect others, their health, the well being of the environment, their environment. Excepting ownership and responsibility for the word, not allowing others to dictate what it is and it's meaning to you and your individuality. It is a knowing, a confidence and the ability to care about things other than the superficial or just ones self. You see, I believe beauty thrives in those who shine from the inward out. A kind spirit, a loving heart and a generous and honest nature.

Yes, Lovely Lady Products create products that enhance the skin, but we do this by producing products that are created with your health in mind. We produce these products with a consideration for the planet. I believe that when one thinks of beauty, he or she should consider the effects of their efforts to attain it. How does your view on beauty affect your life, your views, your work, your career, and your treatment of others?

Beauty is within everyone's grasp and the best way to attain everlasting beauty is to aspire for greatness through love and light. Shine by being a good person and you'll find the true depth of beauty. The truth of it is to be lovely from within and everyone will see your beauty radiating outward. Beauty is As Beauty Does!

Gosh, my heart hurts, the organic industry needs help, so what’s a small company to do?

Not too long ago we had our 3rd annual organic certification audit via our USDA Organic Certifying Agent, Oregon Tilth. Over the years we have been so proud of all the knowledge we’ve gain and our constant efforts to over achieve with our standards/policies and procedures to ensure success at receiving approval to carry the USDA Organic Seal on our products so you can believe that what we say about our products are true.  This year we did just that again, the organic inspector states this about Lovely Lady Products on the Handler Report Outline, “Excellent Facility Pest Management using mechanical and herbal methods. No pests. All materials for sanitation are organic or allowed to come in contact with organic products. This is a very clean operation.”  Yes! We are here to please and serve using the talent God gave the owner to produce body care with the best skin supporting ingredients available all while running an efficient and clean organization.

However, despite all our efforts, big companies use their power to destroy so many hardworking small organizations trying to do the right thing for the consumer. Their money knows no boundaries using many organizations and groups to assistant them with their efforts to sabotage your right to know and the movement to produce truly clean products (buying store employees to interfere with sales growth, spread untruths about so many of us, and in some cases work to remove clean products completely off the retail shelves in favor of companies who produce toxic products). Many find out whom the vendors are that small companies are working with to assistant in making it difficult for small companies during the right thing to survive (this includes, phone service vendors, ingredient suppliers, website host, shopping cart vendors and sometimes higher authorities, corruption is alive and well). This is so sad, but honest to God, it’s true.  How do we fight back, besides using God's Love, I’m not completely sure, but one way to start is via education. It’s so important to communicate with the consumer, explaining to them how important it is for them to be aware of what they are purchasing and whom they are purchasing their products from (how to get to the core of a person or organization's character, listen to what they say and then look at what they do or what is on their shelves and/or in their products). It's important to hold accountable individuals and organizations who would at all cost, sell you products that not only destroy you and your families health, but also the very air you breathe, as well as the planet, which is the only home we have.

The following are links and articles that inspired me to write this blog and will be helpful to education you about the industry. If you care about your health, your family’s health and the Planet, please pay attention to local vendors who care and are doing the right thing. Fight for your rights and for those who serve you honestly.

I recently read an article about Eden Foods and I can honestly say, I’m truly inspired by them. Perhaps one day, we’ll be able to hold our own and stand firmly planted in our own truth too. Here’s what I like about them:   http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/view.php?articles_id=78&eID=72u98kov1pidg10sajadejoh95 

Another company that I admire is Natures Path, a few years ago in Boulder Colorado, I was lucky enough to meet Nature’s Path CEO Arran Stephens and his lovely wife (they shared with us some of their business insight and I’ve held on to what they so generously offered, which has proved to be sound advice.  Here’s why this organization is so great:  http://www.urbanfoodrevolution.com/natures-path-ceo-arran-stephens-impassioned-talk-on-gmos/

The Organic Consumers Association is a group who is truly fighting hard to Safeguard Organic Standards and keep you education on the industry. Please be sure to follow them and keep abreast of the important issues within the industry.  https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/five-ways-fda-has-failed-consumers-genetically-engineered-foods

And one of my favorite companies is Dr. Bronner! Yes they make organic body care and one could say they are a competitor of ours. However, I refuse to see it that way, I look to them as an industry leader, an organization to learn from. You see, Emanuel Bronner, the founder of the Dr. Bronner Organization was a dedicated pioneer within the organic industry and used his fame and company’s resources to fight for what is right. Small companies today working hard to grow while doing the right thing are standing on the shoulders of this giant. You can learn more about him here –

http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/04/dr-bronners-magic-soap-fair-trade-organic/

Finally, one more voice in the industry, Natural Grocers. They really are a retail store that has the consumers’ best interest at hand. They are not afraid to speak out for your right to know and they place their money where their mouth is. I am honored to not only shop there, but to also have our products on their shelves and hopefully will continue to do so.  Here’s what you need to know about them:

http://www.naturalgrocers.com/store-info/blog/natural-grocers-anti-gmo-action-update-you-are-voice-change

It is my intention to education while producing products that help to support the health of your skin and hopefully continue to grow and be able to stand as firmly planted as the organizations I have listed above. I’ll leave you now with this quote by Richard Rogers, “The only way forward, if we are going to improve the quality of the environment, is to get everybody involved.”

Lovely Is As Lovely Does!

PLANET THERAPY THURSDAY: LIVING GREEN MEANS NOT BEING MEAN

It’s Planet Therapy Thursday and today I’m going to move off the body care for a minute. The attack on the Paris community saddened my heart. I believe it also weakens the foundation of humanity, for we are all interconnected. Crime is a problem for all and the road to correcting this problem starts within each and every one of us. If a child is being bullied/abused at school (or in a home) and you know about it yet do nothing, you’re part of the degradation of society and the planet. If you know that someone is hurting another by maliciously attacking them, be it verbally or physically and you act as if it doesn’t exist you are part of the degradation of society and the planet. If you run a business within an industry and are profiting by trying to ruin another be it by means of malicious cyber attacks (or you’re aware of such crimes but do nothing because you stand to gain form it), you are a part of the degradation of society.  Terrorist action doesn’t just start on foreign soil, it starts from within and how we respond to the small negative things that may not seem to be that big of a deal, at least that’s the lie we tell ourselves in order to justify the behavior. If someone accepts money to hurt another and the excuse that it’s simply business is used, it makes you no different then those who are considered to be terrorist (just another form of the behavior).

So if you find yourself watching the news, hearing the many concerns for our safety here on American soil, consider paying attention to the small minded criminal behavior of those you may know around you because that would surely be the same person for sale to compromise your safety, your families safety and the safety of a nation as well as the planet.  We are all in this together and ignorance knows no boundaries so we must be our brother’s keeper.  I believe you can’t live a green and organic lifestyle and ignore the ugliness that’s out there. Let’s all take a moment to send the planet some love and light.

LOVELY IS AS LOVELY DOES