Currently Updating the Blog

To the wonderful person who is currently visiting my blog,

Drinktheearth is currently undergoing several updates and will be properly functioning in a short amount of time.

However, you may enjoy the most recent posts that follow this announcement.

Have a "tea" kind of day! (not sure what that means, just felt like saying it)

Kayla

Grow Your Own Chamomile: Phase One

So I basically have one of the greatest friends in the world.

Last weekend, my friend Brettley came through Tulsa on her way back to Oklahoma City and gave me a little gift:  a grow-your-own-chamomile kit she found at Target.

Since I started experimenting with tea, I've wondered if there was a way I could grow my own, so I'm super excited to try this out.  Not only that, but chamomile is one of my favorite kinds of tea.  I always tell people I love the taste so much I could just chew on the bag.  Chamomile is a "sleepy-time" tea, which means it has no caffeine and has a calming effect on the body.  If you know me, you're probably thinking in the back of your head that this is the worst thing I could drink (people call me a half-narc).  Chamomile has been known to help reduce stress and anxiety.  It may also help with muscle twitches, skin conditions, and stomach problems.  It is also said to help with blemishes.  

So this starts the first blog post on my journey to grow this tea that I take such a liking to.  I'm calling it "phase whatever" because I'm not going to bore you with a post every day telling you "Today, I watered the soil."  I will just write in phases (when noticeable differences take place).  

So this is phase one:  planting the chamomile.    

Luckily, this little guy came with an instruction sheet. 

The first thing I did was pour the soil into the tin about 3/4ths of the way.  I then sprinkled the chamomile seeds on top of the soil.

After sprinkling the seeds onto the soil, I covered them with the rest of the soil that was left until the tin was almost full.

I then lightly watered the soil, put the lid on the tin, and set it by my dorm window so it can get some heat from the sun.  The soil is supposed to remain moist and covered with the lid until the seeds begin to sprout.

If you have a small pot or herb garden, I encourage you to join me on this journey.  You may be able to get the seeds at Target, Walmart or a garden center of some sort.  Or you can order them online!

Let's grow our own tea together.

Kayla

     

Hot Tea @ Will Retherford's Album Release

Last week I was given the awesome opportunity of serving hot tea at my friend Will Retherford's album release.  Will was releasing his second album called "Walk" at Sactuary Church in Jenks.  I highly encourage all of you to get his new album off iTunes!

This experience was was a joy to me, since I absolutely love any time I get the opportunity to serve tea to anyone.  I get to talk about which kinds I like, answer questions, let people know the health benefits of what they're drinking, and watch to see if they enjoy it in the same way.  However, serving tea to almost a hundred people was a first for me.  My main concern was how I would heat up the water and get it to the people.

Luckily, my roommate Courtney Jones tagged along with me to the event and helped me out the whole time.  We had a good little setup and system going and got a lot of great feedback.

Thank the Lord I knew a couple of people who had good sized pots (thanks Laura Cooke & Charis Key).  Will gave me some money to get the supplies I needed (tea, cups, etc.) and I picked out different box teas that either I liked or thought people would enjoy.

My choices for the night were:

Green 

Chai

Lemon Ginger

Peppermint

Raspberry

Cinnamon Apple Spice

I thought the majority of people would either choose chai or green tea.  But to my surprise, Cinnamon Apple Spice was a complete hit.  I personally had not tried it until the night of the event.  If you want a good herbal tea with a great flavor, this is the one for you.  This tea tastes almost exactly like hot apple cider and it's much better for you.  You can most likely get it at Wal-Mart.  That's where I got it.

So we set up the table with a personal card for each kind of tea and emptied the boxes in front of them. We placed honey and stir sticks on the table and then carted out the cups of hot water, so people could pick which kind they wanted and make it to their own suitable taste.  

I personally enjoyed getting to see each person walk up to the table to make their own cup, and chatting with them about why I have a fascination with tea and how I got interested in it.  
 

This is something I would definitely love to do again.  Thanks to Will Retherford for the invite and Courtney Jones for the help!

So how about you?  Are you a tea lover and looking for something that will bring a chill atmosphere to something you're hosting?  I'd love to come and serve hot tea for you.  Just let me know!

Kayla

 

SA Concert at ORU @ 9:00pm with Mark Niemeyer

Tulsa!

Come join my friend Mark Niemeyer and myself tonight at 9:00pm outside at ORU.  We will be singing and playing a mixture of originals songs as well as a couple covers.  We would love to see you there!

Address:  7777 S. Lewis Avenue, Tulsa, OK, 74171 in between EMR and Claudius dorms.

Click to hear Mark's song "There is a Sound" that we will be playing tonight

Click to hear my song "Orphaned One" that we will be playing tonight

Music Recommendation: Brian Nhira's "Hope" EP

Something I love about Tulsa, Oklahoma is the artsy community and talented musicians that my school, Oral Roberts University, attracts.  It's ridiculous.  I have never met so many talented musicians and writers who have the passion to create high-quality music for the Kingdom and who want to use it to penetrate into the secular industry.  

Side note:  for those of you who don't live in Oklahoma and have never visited, I'm sorry to break it to you, but we don't just ride around in wagons through fields.  

Nope.. that's not how it is guys.  The community is actually very artsy and full of coffee shops.  By the way, I wonder how claustrophobic people felt riding in those?

Anyway, I have made incredible connections with people who have the same heart as me when it comes to music, and one in particular is a guy named Brian Nhira, who just recently released and EP called "Hope".  

Brian is an independent artist with a sound that is similar to the styles by Israel Houghton, Lecrae, Smokie Norful, Jimmy Needham, and Matisyahu.  Brian is a ridiculously good vocalist and I love the pop style of his music.   

This guys heart is gold.  I know Brian personally and he is a man who is truly seeking to bring the hope of Jesus to mankind through his music.  Not only that, but his character backs up his music.  Here is what Brian says about his vision:

"My hearts desire is not fame. My only aspiration is that the message that God has placed within me, and continually places within me through song and through the word-to be an ambassador bringing hope, healing, and restoration to my generation-will be heard by every nation on earth."

Brian's EP "Hope" is just that.  It reflects the desire of his heart to see people receive hope, healing, and restoration.  

I highly encourage you to get his EP!  Support this guy.  

Click to listen to "It's Time", a single from his EP

You won't be disappointed,

Kayla 

EVENT: Serving Tea Tonight at Will Retherford's Album Release

When:  Tonight (9.05.12) @7:30pm

Where:  Sanctuary, Tulsa

What:  My good friend, Will Retherford, will be releasing his second album tonight called "Walk".  Symon Hajjar and Brooke Williams will be opening for him.  I will be serving a variety of hot teas that you may choose from.  It will be a great night!  Hope to see you there!

Click to listen to Will's album on iTunes

Got Your Money on Your Mind?

The term "salesperson" usually gets a bad rap.  When most people hear that word, a common stereotype pops up in their minds:  a salesperson is a person who has their mind on their money and their money on their mind.

Not in trust-based selling.

Trust-based selling is two-way and a naturally collaborative interaction that allows buyers and sellers alike to develop a better understanding of the need situation and work together to generate the best response for solving the customer's needs.

A person who is not operating under trust-based selling has their mind on their money, not the relationship they are building.  It is a one-way street.  They sell first and listen second.  They pitch their product without first investing time into understanding what their customer's needs are and how they are not being met.

SCENARIO:

I want you to imagine going out to eat at a restaurant.  You walk in and take your seat.  A waiter comes up and serves you a glass of water, then leaves.  You start looking over the menu to find what you want, but the waiter never returns to ask.  After about 15 minutes or so, the waiter comes to your table and puts a meal before you.

Picture taken by Katie Johnstonbaugh (dishinanddishes.com)

Most of us would turn to the waiter immediately and say, "I didn't ask for this.  I was never asked what I wanted."  A person who is not functioning under trust-based selling is like this waiter.  They try to serve the buyer before they even figure out what the buyer's needs are, and because the buyer feels like there was no interest expressed in his or her needs, he/she turns away the offer that is placed on the table.

Trust-based selling is not about the money.  It's about developing a trust relationship with potential clients or partners.  It's about understanding a customer's needs before offering a product or a service.  It's about integrity and being genuinely interested in what your customer wants and is not currently receiving.

A person who is being driven by trust-based selling is an effective listener:

1. They pay attention.  They listen to understand, not to reply.  They resist the urge to interrupt and receive the full message the buyer is communicating. 
2. They monitor nonverbals.  They make effective eye contact and check to see if the buyer's body language and speech patterns match what is being said. 
3. They paraphrase and repeat.  They confirm their correct understanding of what the buyer is saying by paraphrasing and repeating what they have heard.
4. They make no assumptions.  They ask questions to clarify the meaning of what the buyer is communicating. 
5. They encourage the buyer to talk.  They give positive feedback and help the buyer to stay on track by asking purposeful, related questions. 
6. They visualize.  They maximize their attention and comprehension by thinking about and visualizing what the buyer is saying.   

A potential buyer wants to feel like you understand where they are coming from and the problems they are dealing with.  Then, after they feel understood by you, they want to know what you can do about those problems.  

And that, my friend, is where you pitch your product or service.  That is where your product or service becomes most attractive.  

Fill the need, not your pocket. 

Kayla

Sources:  Sell by Thomas Ingram (Chapter 4)

Make your Tea Convenient for College

School has started back up and with that comes the question, "How do I have time for tea?"

For most people, including myself, it just seems more convenient to wait in line and purchase a cup of coffee.  That way, we don't have to make it ourselves and can just take it with us to our destinations.  It becomes very easy to grab a cup of sugary coffee (if you drink it black, props to you) every day on the way to class.

I thought I'd give you my two solutions to this problem.

1.  Make tea in your room and take it to class.

This really doesn't take as long as it sounds.  Microwave a cup of water, pour it into your travel mug, drop your tea bag in and take it to class.  Or you can get a tea tumbler.  If you like looseleaf tea, this would be a good option for you.  A tea tumbler comes with a strainer in it (usually at the top of the tea tumbler).  You put your looseleaf tea in the strainer and then pour your hot water into the tea tumbler for it to steep.  Then you take your looseleaf tea out of the strainer and you're good to go.  I have a hot water heater that I fill with water and plug in.  After it heats up, I pour it in my travel mug, drop my tea bag in, and take it to class.

2.  Take your tea in your purse/bag.

I recently went to a tea room called Inspirations in Oklahoma City that I go to often with my mom. My friend Brettley and I found these little cases that have five tea sachets in them.

We thought it would be a good idea to buy one to carry in our purses and just refill with different kinds of teas.  It has been a great help for me coming back to school.  My cafeteria serves hot water next to the coffee and so does the deli in the building I have classes.  This is a great option for if you don't have a travel mug.  I just grab a cup, fill it with hot water, and take a tea bag out of my case from my purse.  It's a really convenient way to make tea.  Look for those "hot spots" at your school.

Hopefully this will make making tea a little more convenient for you at school!  Give it a try.  Plus, making your own tea saves you a lot of money.

Kayla

S.I.T with Me

Never did I think I would be a business major.

I was that person who walked around campus wondering why people would ever want to be business majors and telling myself I would never be one.  My perspective was that the Kingdom came through music, church ministry, and missions.  And because I wrote music and wanted to use it to see people come to know the love of God, I very strongly stood behind my perspective.

But here I am today, a business major going into the field of marketing.

More and more people are beginning to move towards social business.  These days it's not just about hobbies.  People want their hobbies to mean something.  Everyone wants to make a difference in some way.  Playing a guitar or loving to cook is now taking the appearance of putting on benefit shows for the impoverished or putting on nice dinners for the homeless.  

People today don't just want to live.  They want to live knowing they are helping others live.

This is where my heart is as well.  I don't just want to create.  I want to create for good.  But it takes business to do that.  And my hope is to be a student every day and gain insights.  Insights that I can use now and in the future and apply to my every day life.  And I hope to pass on that information to you that you may gain insights for what you hope to do as well.

So let's s.i.t (student insights today) together, become students, and change the world.

Kayla

He Makes All Things Beautiful in His Timing

This is one of those times I've felt a few times in the past year, since I started my music campaign "Songs for Orphans" in January.

One of those times where I just sit here and can't even begin to believe what the Lord has done and is doing right now in my life.

I feel like the happiest person alive.  And how could I not be?  God has tapped into the deepest desires of my heart and let me in on His, and our dreams and desires have molded together into something that honestly puts me in awe and sometimes to the point of tears.  I get to write His words and sing His fatherly heart over people.  I, in one of my most passionate areas (music), get to see people reconciled to the Father's heart.  I get to sing for orphans.  He makes all things beautiful in His timing.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed that this is what I would be doing with music.  I had totally different plans in my mind.  But even though I had different plans in my mind, He knew the true dreams in my heart that I didn't even know about yet.  The dreams that would be the most fulfilling for me and that I couldn't take the credit for.  He makes all things beautiful in His timing.

Two years ago and for two years, doors slammed shut in my face because I didn't know what our dream was yet.  And now the Lord has awakened our dream inside of me, surfaced it, and completely provided for it.  I honestly have always had a hard time saving my own money, and so I have never really been able to get my own equipment when it comes to music.  But the Father has provided for me even in the midst of my weaknesses.  All of the money and the equipment I needed (for recording and shows) have literally, what I feel like, come out of nowhere and left me with still more money that can be given away.

I'm completely blown off my feet by the Father's love.

And I hope this can be a testimony to someone that if you feel like you are in a period where doors are slamming shut in your face, don't be discouraged.  Give it to Him completely.  You may have plans in your mind but have no idea what the dream for you and Him is yet on this earth.  He wants to awaken that dream inside of you, surface it, and provide everything for it in His timing.  He makes all things beautiful in His timing.

And I'm sure someday soon you'll be sitting down like me, having one of these times where you can't even begin to believe what the Lord has done, or what He is doing right now in your life.

Kayla

DIY: Iced Black Tea with Milk & Cinnamon Dolce

Lately I've been getting this drink from Starbucks that a friend told me about.  It's iced black tea with milk instead of water and cinnamon dolce syrup.

This drink is awesome to get at Starbucks because it tastes great and is cheaper than most drinks (since it's tea).  This is a sweet drink and is great for the middle of the day (especially during this heat) or after dinner.  It has the same texture and consistency as iced chai so if you don't like iced chai you may as well skip on this post now.

Anyway, I decided after getting it a few times that I was going to try and make it myself in the near future.  Well, today is the near future and I didn't do such crappy of a job so I thought I'd pass it on.

DO IT YOURSELF:

Step 1.  Brew your tea.

You want to get this started first so it can steep for a little bit and you get all the flavor.  I bought a box of regular black tea from the Asian Market here in OKC but you can probably get a similar kind at your local grocery store.  I would recommend getting the Iced Black Tazo Tea if you can find it.  I let mine steep the whole time I prepared everything else.

Step 2.  Make cinnamon dolce syrup.

I actually googled how to make it and there are several recipes out there.  It's not too hard and doesn't take much time.  This is how I made mine:

Put 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small saucepan.  Stir it up.

Add 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Heat until it boils and keep stirring.

Remove from the heat and let it cool for several minutes.

Step 3.  Here is what you need from this point: your cup, brewed tea, syrup, ice and choice of milk (I am using original almond milk-at Starbucks I get soy and probably like it better).  You can get these both at the grocery store.

Take your cup and pour your brewed tea (by now it should be semi-warm) into it as so:

Add your choice of milk (you want about as much milk as tea):

Add your syrup (you can add as much as suits your tastebuds):

Stir it all up and then add your ice.  I would recommend refrigerating it for ten minutes or so.  The colder this drink, the better.

There you go!
I hope this drink helps you enjoy the rest of the summer! (It's ridiculously hot here in OK).

Kayla

Not Too Hot!

Recently I got into a conversation with my sister about Green Tea and she told me it can cause cancer.  My first reaction was shock because all I've ever heard about Green Tea is that it prevents cancer (because of it's nutrients and antioxidants that fight and kill free radicals.) However, I decided to do some of my own research on the subject and see what I could find.

For the most part, everything I found online talked about how Green Tea and tea in general prevents different types of cancer and diseases.  But I did come across one study that had to do with the temperature of the tea and not the actual tea itself.  Drinking very hot tea can cause problems with your throat.

If you're a big tea drinker like me, you may want to pay attention to this.  Tea is really good for you, but you need to be careful how hot you are drinking it.  Let it cool off at least four minutes  before you drink it.  If you drink your tea a couple minutes after it was boiling, you are increasing your chances of having throat problems and getting throat cancer.

I haven't found anything really saying that consuming Green Tea can cause any type of cancer.  Almost everything I have found recommends drinking Green Tea and other kinds of tea for health benefits and to fight against free radicals in the body.  Plus,  it's also mentioned and is interesting seeing the health of Asians compared to Americans and how much Green Tea they consume on a daily basis. If you want to know more about Green Tea and where it comes from, check out this site.

So I would say that it's safe to drink Green Tea and the other varieties of tea out there as long as you drink it at the right temperature.

Treat your throat kindly, don't burn it.

Kayla

Can't Cook? Ask Your Mom..or Mine.

One thing I love about being home for the summer is my mom's cooking.  From making homemade pad thai  to cream cheese frosted pumpkin cookies to pesto stuffed zucchini boats, she can pretty much make it all.

Several years ago when my sister went to college, she kept calling my mom and asking her how to make different recipes.  My mom finally decided to start up a food blog so my sister could get online and see step-by-step pictures on how to make different meals.  The blog quickly turned into a hobby and she started using it for other stuff like Oklahoma City restaurant reviews and family story posts.  

Not long after, the views on her food blog started going up and local chefs began to recognize her as a food blogger.  Then, two years ago the Oklahoma City Channel 4 News contacted my mom asking her to come on for a day.  When she went on the News, they talked about her blog and showed some of her recipes.  The views were higher that day than any other day during the week.  She was offered a weekly segment on the News which she has been a part of for two years where she brings in local chefs to make a famous dish or shows viewers how to cook her own recipes.  Lastly, my mom was recently asked to be the author of a book titled "Food Lover's Guide to Oklahoma", where she has written about hundreds of "hole-in-the-wall" places across Oklahoma she recommends trying.  PRE-ORDER the book now! 

To say the least, my mom is an amazing cook.  But it's not only that.  She is the type of person who is willing to let you get in the kitchen and be a part of it with her or figure it out yourself.  But be cautioned as to what you're wearing or what you look like, because she could be taking pictures for her food blog at any moment..

Oh how it saddens me to go back to school every year (and after breaks) to Saga (if you don't or did not go to ORU, just ignore this-if you did or do go to ORU, you can share in my grief).

My mom's blog is a blog worth visiting.  If you are looking for a diverse selection of cooking recipes, this is the blog for you.  

http://www.dishinanddishes.com/

Kayla

French Press Your Tea

There's one problem when it comes to looseleaf tea (tea that is not in a bag): you need a strainer of some sort.  I currently do not have a tea strainer, which may come as a surprise.  So, I was talking to my mom recently about it and we both thought it would be a cool idea to use the french press for loose leaf tea.

"What is a french press?" you say.

A french press is normally used for coffee and is known to give a coffee and extremely smooth texture.  How it works:  you put your grounds in the bottom of the french press (if you have coffee beans, you want to make sure they are ground before you put them in the french press), boil some water, pour the water in the french press, and then after a bit of time press down the grounds and pour out your coffee into a cup. 


So why is this relevant to tea?  Sometimes when you use a tea strainer, you can still get some floaties in your cup.  I don't really have a problem with them, but if you do and you want a really smooth-brewed looseleaf tea, you should try this method.  I'm going to use my french press in the same way I would with coffee, but to make looseleaf tea instead.


If you are still confused with how to use a french press, you can check out this video or these if you prefer reading instructions. 


What you need:

-French press (you can get these at target or cheaper on amazon) 
-Desired amount of water brought to a boil (plug-in tea kettle or stove top tea pot)
-Looseleaf tea of your choice
-Good size mug
-Any other ingredients you desire (sweeteners)


DO IT YOURSELF:


Get out your looseleaf tea of choice and pour your desired amount into your french press.  I'm going to use my Darling Darjeeling tea.  If you want to know the facts behind this tea check out my blog post on it.

Now that you have your tea in there, boil some water.  I like to use my trusty plug-in tea kettle that heats up water in a matter of twenty seconds.  You can get one for super cheap at Walmart.

After your water is boiled, pour it into your french press and put the lid on it, but don't press it yet.  Let it sit for a few minutes.

After a few minutes, use the lever on the lid to press down the leaves to the bottom of the container.

After you press the leaves to the bottom, pour your tea into your tea cup.

After your tea is poured, add whatever else you want and stir.  I like to add some honey to my cup.

There you have it. I really hope you enjoy it!  This was my first time making a cup of tea this way and I already absolutely love it.  Using a french press, especially for tea, is wonderful because it presses nutrients out of the leaves and into the water for you to drink.  You get a lot more nutrients and antioxidants this way compared to a regular tea bag. Try it out.  You may find you love it as much as I do.

Kayla