A Day of Opportunity

A day of opportunity awaits me. To some it might just be another ordinary day but I see change. I see a blank slate on which I can write anything that I desire. It is up to me. It can be a great day or a down day. This is the day that I can recognize areas where I have plateaued and begin to climb again.  I can allow my children to frustrate me or I can see opportunities to disciple them. I will finally read that book that I have been putting off, go for that run, make that phone call, write that note of thanks, buy that gift. It is a great day. I can write a new song, patten a new idea, meet a new friend or lift someone's spirits. I can connect with one of my children, have intimate time worshipping the Lord, send a love email to my husband at work and cook a marvelkous creation for supper. Or...I could complain and rush to get the kids in bed early so that I can do what I want to do. I could go to bed tired and wake up still tired. I could look to escape through food, television or procrastination. But it won't be like that for me. It is a day of opportunity. My neck is outstretched and I am expecting. Anything is possible!

Stuff

I think yard sales are wonderful. My husband despairs when I mention that I am thinking of having a yard sale. The thought of cleaning out my closets and eliminating bins from my attic is an absolutely liberating experience for me. What's even better is to have someone else come alongside you on a cleaning out binge becasue they are even more objective than you are. Someone close who doesn't mind telling you the truth. I rememeber a visit from my older sister once to my home. We must be so weird. We think its fun to get together and clean out closets in our houses. Most girls' outings probably consist of getting mani pedis and a latte at Starbucks. Not us...nooooo. We clean out each other's closets. So, on one of her trips here she began to help me with my linen closet. It is a small narrow closet at the end of my hallway and in my house closets are cherished. We even turn little wall cubbies into closets and cover them with curtained "doors". We need closets! So, in tackling the linen/gift/laundry hamper closet I knew that many things had to go. I would generously lay aside a sheet set and say, "I'll yard sale this" to which she would shake her head, roll her eyes and pull out two more sets and emphatically state: "You only get to keep two sets per bed!" Oh I love it! This was love. This was such a help. We threw out old quilts, old pillows, old pillow cases and, yes, even a few sentimental baby items only because there are sooo many sentimental items in life that we must learn to rank our sentiments and some had to go. My closet looked beautiful. I felt like a better woman. My whole house felt cleaner and all because I got rid of some stuff. The Latin word for "stuff" is impedimentum, where we get our word impediment. That's right! Owning more stuff slows us down, it impedes our progress. This is why we study classical languages, everyope! It opens our eyes to greater truths and helps propel us on our way. This is why I love having yard sales and cleaning things out; I am no longer hindered bu clutter or things that I own. Think about it- the less we own, the less responsibility we have to maintain.  Own less, de-clutter, sell off a few things or give them away and liberate yourself! Throw off those impediments and run a little bit faster than before!

"..Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."    Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

Preparing your home for Fall: Diffusing Essential Oils

The sounds and sights and smells of fall are in the air- crunching leaves, apple cider and a crisp air of change that no other season seems to bring. I love to bring the outdoors in but it seems a little messy bringing dying leaves in and strewing them about the kitchen table. I would love to sit buckets of apples about but I might have a fruit fly invasion, and now that I know about the toxins in my formerly beloved Yankee Candles, I no longer light up my beautiful jars with evocative names such as Cranberry Chutney, Buttercream and Orchard Harvest. But there is a way to create an atmosphere of fragrance in your home using the life-giving, immune building and spirit-lifting essential oils......It's called diffusing.

dif·fuse/diˈfyo͞oz/

Verb:	Spread or cause to spread over a wide area or among a large number of people.
Adjective:	Spread out over a large area; not concentrated.
Synonyms:	verb.  spread - disseminate - propagate - disperse - distribute adjective.  diffusive - prolix

Young Living sells a number of diffusers to aid in spreading the beautiful fragrance of the oils throughout your home. They carry several types and styles now but I still rely upon their traditional nebulizer, air pump diffuser. With Young Living's innovative air pump, oils are dispersed in a micro-fine vapor, allowing them to remain suspended in the air for extended periods of time. The diffuser disperses the oils without heating them so they retain their therapeutic benefits. When inhaled, the oils are easily absorbed through the lungs. Depending on the oil used, diffusing can cleanse the air of odor, calm overactive children, and support respiration. I often hear of people who excitedly order their diffusers only to plug it in and wonder how to really use it for the most benefit in their home and lives. I want to share with you some practical tips making your diffuser work the best for you.

When you first begin using your diffuser, it will need to be primed- this usually requires 15 to 20 drops at least and, depending on the oil you use, you may need to add more within a half hour. Some oils are thicker than others and they diffuse at a much slower rate. Other oils are thinner oils and may diffuse through rapidly. Also, this will depend upon the way you have adjusted the little clear plastic knob on the air pump itself. This allows for greater or less air flow going into the diffuser itself. I find that keeping my diffuser primed and not letting it run dry causes it to work the very best. When I see it getting low or the air stream does not sound as powerful, I add about 10 more drops unless I am preparing to turn it off for the day. On a typical day, I usually run my diffuser most in the afternoon and evening. Everyone is usually home at that time and I am preparing to run the vacuum and do a quick pick up of the house before we all settle in for the night. The smell of the diffuser adds to the cleanness of the air and dispels any little germs that family members have brought home with them from work, school, play, etc. Put your diffuser in the room where you most commonly stay. Position it so that it can flow to other rooms as well. Turn on ceiling fans to help with the dispersion of the oil throughout your entire house. If you have fried fish or cooked something particularly odiferous, diffuse briefly in the kitchen with Purification, lemon, lemongrass or Thieves.

 The oil that you want to diffuse should be poured into the little well. You can diffuse a blend, a single oils or create your own blend by pouring in one single oil and then adding another. Peppermint and Lavender are a great combination used like this. You may invent your own. I would not mix blends unless one blend is almost gone and then you want to add another. Instructions on the diffuser probably tell you to remove one oil before adding another but I never do this, unless the two are radically different. In my, case, I diffuse such similar oils so often that I do not find the need for this. However, if you have been diffusing something like Joy and then you want to switch to R.C because someone is fighting a cold then you can use an eye dropper to remove the joy oil as best as possible and replace it in its original bottle. If you are very particular you can wash the diffuser before beginning the next oil.

Cleaning your diffuser:

 To clean your diffuser simply unplug, detach the clear tubing (this should never need cleaned) and submerge the glass nebulizer and the the metal base in hot, sudsy water. I simply use my mild dish soap. After letting them soak for about 30 minutes, rinse and lay out on a towel to dry or dry with a hair dryer if you're in a hurry!  

Remember that even though the diffuser has an air pump to cause the oil flowing in to be dispersed, the flow of the oil itself from the little well into the actual nebulizer works by gravity. Therefore, the more oil in the well, the greater the flow will be and the better the diffuser will work. If you are diffusing throughout the day, continue adding oil as you see necessary. If company is coming over, I would diffuse for at least a full hour before they arrive but not during their time there. You can run your diffuser all day if you wish but I would not recommend this. The pump needs a chance to rest occasionally. Diffusing at night is wonderful- as you sleep or as your children sleep. It guarantees 8 hours or so of inhaling the therapeutic oils and receiving their benefits.

Favorite Diffusing oils:

Abundance- almost a rich perfume smell. The smell directly from the bottle I do not care for but it diffuses beautifully and creates a sense of just what the name implies...abundance.

Cinnamon Bark- Wonderful for the Fall and Christmas seasons. This oil supports a healthy immune system and wards off infection.

Any woodsy oils like Douglas Fir at Christmas time.

Geranium- not necessarily a fall or wintry smelling oil but just wonderful. Your home will feel like a beautiful flower garden. Geranium is wonderful for women to inhale and helps everyone's respiratory system.

Lemongrass- one of the best and very affordable for frequent diffusing.

Christmas Spirit- just as it says and very affordable. Diffuse all through December.

Purification- I save this more for Spring cleaning and summer diffusing but it is wonderful.

There are so many more but these oils are affordable and diffuse well. If you want to splurge for the Balsam Fir you will be hooked forever but it is a significant price difference. It does diffuse longer, however, and is well worth it. Save it for special days- particularly those when your mood needs elevated. It works like a natural anti-depressant. Wonderful!

Come up with your own favorites-- I would love to hear!

What's in your Washing Machine? Chemicals go skin deep...

 

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It covers your body. It was put there to protect everything that is on the inside and should be treated with great care. Chemicals that come in contact with our skin enter directly into our bloodstream before they have the chance to be filtered out. We must become educated about exposures to our skin and take note of the various chemicals in our lotions, hygiene products, face creams, make-up, etc. Anything that we put on our skin. One thing that is usually overlooked, however, is our actual clothing itself (which we wear almost 24 hours a day) and the bedding we lay upon as we sleep at night. Bearing this in mind, it is absolutely critical that we think about what our clothes are being washed in. Many of us have grown up loving that Downy fresh smell but if you realized the negative effects of fabric softeners you would, I believe, seriously reconsider their use. The more and more you become accustomed the natural, uplifting fragrances of the essential oils, the more your nose recognizes just how obnoxious manufactured frangrances and chemicals really are-- whether  Febreeze, Yankee Candle, Glade Plug-ins or fabric softeners. Just consider the following:

 

Fabric softeners are some of the most toxic products made for daily household use.  They contain chemicals like chloroform, benzyl acetate and pentane that are known to cause cancer and/or damage to the lungs, brain and nerves.  These chemicals are even more dangerous when heated in clothes dryers.  The toxic fumes go into the neighbor-hood and everyone is forced to breathe them in.   

Fabric Softener chemicals are made to stay in clothing and release slowly for a long time.  That slow release of chemicals into the air affects the health of those wearing the clothes and also other people around them.

Some of the symptoms caused by fabric softener fumes are: breathing difficulty, tiredness not resolved by resting, nervousness for no known reason, difficulty controlling body movements, problems with concentration or memory, dizziness, headaches, feeling faint, upset stomach, and/or rashes.   

Babies, children, older people and those who are already sick are especially harmed by these chemicals.  Damage can be permanent, causing lifelong illness.  Babies often react with rashes, frequent crying and/or diarrhea.  Disinfectants can have these same effects.  Experts suggest a possible connection between Sudden Infant Death (“Crib death”) and the use of these products for washing baby clothes, crib sheets and blankets.   

 

If you are looking to actually soften your clothes try dissolving 1/2 cup baking soda to your water and letting dissolve prior to putting in clothes. If you buy fabric softnener for the frangrance then here are some suggestions:

 

Oils can be added to each washer load of clothes. Lemongrass is one of my favorites right now for several reasons: It is economical, has a potent smell, helps clean and disinfect the clothes along with your laundy soap and keeps your washer very clean and disinfected at the same time. I add about 5 drops to each full load that I wash and a few extra drops to the rinse cycle if the clothes were especially soiled. You may use other oils according to your preference such as Thieves, Lavender, any citrus oils, Purification, etc.

I also add lemongrass or something like it to a spary bottle that I use to iron with. I do not use spray starch nor do I dry clean any longer unless absolutely necessary because they use formaldehyde among other toxic chemicals. I love ironing with my lemongrass spray and it adds layer upon layer of smell. If you must dryclean be sure to air your clothes out of doors before wearing them. Remember- know what you are buying for your family and know what you are putting on your body all day. It is more than just changing creams, lotions, and eating organic. When it comes to happy, healthy laundry don't get taken to the cleaners!!

.

My hair is falling! My hair is falling!...out, that is

My husband will be so happy to know I have made this post. Husbands everywhere may thank me. As soon as I have washed and blown my hair dry, my husband (a.k.a. Mr. Clean) is waiting outside the bathroom door with the vacuum cleaner because he will not enter until the mass of black hair has been swept clean away. When he does enter, he will dutifully check the drain and pull out a clump of black ookiness (he calls it a dead rat)  while holding his nose and rush to the trash can to deposit it. Then, he looks at me as if silently assessing whether or not I actually have any hair left on top of my head and shakes his head as if to say, "How can any normal person lose that much hair?" Well, ladies, we do. If you have had a child or have passed the age of 35- or both- there is a good chance that you are a shedder! I want to help to shed some light on this phenomenon and get to the root of the problem. Did you see my little jokes? "Shed" some light? "Root" of the problem-- hee hee. Okay, so down to business......It is all hormone related. Yes, yes.....isn't everything?

 Let's look back to when you were pregnant with your first little one. Did you notice how luxurious your hair and nails were? How fast they grew, how strong and lustrous it all seemed? Many write it off to pre-natal vitamins and determine to take them the rest of their lives. After delivery, however, a few short months may have passed and you found yourself with dry, brittle nails, split ends, thinning hair. It just didn't style the same, it didn't blow dry the same. Switching shampoo didn't help.... and then the shedding began. If you were breastfeeding this process may have been delayed until you began to wean or your baby began on solid foods (which is, in fact, weaning).And if you were very observant the shedding escalated right before you began to menstruate again and then followed your monthly cycle thereafter. The primary reason is due to Progesterone. When you are pregnant your body is producing about 400 mg of Progesterone A DAY! That level plummets after delivery (thus, postpartum depression) unless you are a diligent nurser. Then the drop is a little less though still noticeable. However, as nursing your baby draws to a close or you start solids and there is less nursing, hormones begin to shift and Estrogen once again tries to assume its dominant position of being miss bossy pants. Ask your husband, he probably noticed (:

The body is so wonderful and resilient that in an ideal life with the ideal body living in ideal circumstances you would sail through the adjustment and barely notice. But with women today already struggling for good health, facing autoimmune diseases, having evidence of hypothyroidism (even though the Dr. says levels look fine) there is very little margin for our bodies to handle these hormone changes. Increased hair loss is yet another result. On average, everyday, you lose about 10 % of your hair. Everyday! This is normal shedding, and should only be detected when you see a little left in your hairbrush. Low progesterone levels or excessive Estrogen cause a marked difference and changes that percentage to more like 40% loss a day. Natural Progesterone could be a great help if you match any of these descriptions. Young Living's Progessence Serum is plant-derived natural progesterone mixed with Frankincense oil. You can use it daily and do not have to cycle it with your monthly period. You can use it only when you detect symptoms of low estrogen or daily as a prevention. If you have seen so much hair loss that there are bald spots I would apply the serum directly to that site. Otherwise, applying along the carotid arteries of your neck makes for great absorption. Keep written notes on your calendar of what days you use the serum and what results you begin to see. This will serve as a log for you to check back with and tell if there has really been a difference. Also write down the days your hair loss seems more extreme and see how that coincides with your monthly cycle. In addition to addressing hormones- or as a treatment on its own- use essential oils as a scalp and hair treatment. Rosemary and Cedarwood are both oils that cleanse, nourish and strengthen the hair follicle and help to prevent hair loss.

Recipe for thick, lustrous hair once more:
5 drops Rosemary
5 drops Cedarwood (can use both oils or select one)
Mix with extra virgin olive oil, pure coconut oil or Jojoba oil and massage into the scalp (pay special attention to balding spots)
Leave on scalp for at least 15 minutes and then wash hair as usual

I would suggest doing this while you soak in the tub or during an excercise routine.
If you are serious then be dilligent and do this before each hair washing. For it to work, YOU have to work it! Let me know your results...and may your hair be luxurious once more!

Fall cleaning with Thieves!

Fall is in the air! This is one of my favorite times- boiled peanuts, football games, sweaters, crisp air and hot apple cider! God is so good to give us all of the changes in seasons so that we have variety throughout the year. Usually, when I need a change, I simply rearrange the furniture in my house or switch around a closet. Fall is an especially wonderful time to do this because we are all tucking away our summer wardrobe and bringing out the oranges, browns, bluejeans and courderoys that will serve us for the next several months. I recently changed out my boys' clothes and revamped the closet that they share- getting rid of old and finding what would fit for the coming season. I also took advantage of having the closet empty to clean in there. Inevitably, cleaning out one space motivates me to clean out another and this weekend I was on a de-cluttering and cleaning out binge. I went through each room asking myself "What can I get rid of in here?" It was fun! Bags are loaded in the back of my car now to be dropped at the thrift store or to be delivered to various friends with children who can now wear the clothes that mine have outgrown. It is a great feeling to SIMPLIFY. My husband and I are adopting this as a theme for this coming year- we are simplifying time, schedules, finances, clothes, TOYS (can I get an amen?) and our lives in general.

 One of the tings that drew me to begin using the Young Living products was a desire to SIMPLIFY my cleaning regimen and find a cleaner that was not killing brain cells along with killing the germs and dust in my house. In fact, my first order almost 4 years ago now was the Thieves cleaning kit. It comes with the all-purpose Thieves household cleaner (2 of them!) that can be used from your kitchen to your bath to your laundry area as well as for windows and mirrors. It is very simple to use. The kit also comes with the fabulous Thieves oil which is wonderful to diffuse and kills must, mold and mildew throughout your house. The Thieves handsoaps comes with the kit as well as the toothpaste which we love. It is a great way to start. You can throw out the six or so assorted cleaners that you have bought for different area and replace them all with the Thieves cleaner. The cleaner is concentrated so to use it you dilute it and make up your own bottles tailored for whichever area of the house you want to use them in. Start with 2 or three 32oz. cleaning spray bottles you can find at the dollar store. I pour the Thieves cleaner into the bottle up to about 1/4inch. I have never measured this but I would guess it is about 1 to 2 Tbsp. Fill the rest of the bottle with good water- not chlorinated from the tap but one that has been through a carbon filter or buy distilled water from the grocery store for 99 cents (use this for your ironing, too and you won't have brown spots left on your clothes). Here is the fun part with the cleaner- if you desire, you may add oils to enhance the smell and effect of the cleaner. The cleaner can stand on its own for sure but I use the oils for the scent and the added action they bring. Lemon or lemongrass is wonderful in the kitchen. Both are antibacterieal and antiviral. Spray down your cutting boards, your counter tops, particularly crusty casserole dishes before they go into the dishwasher, etc. For the bathrooms you can use the same or try lavender, peppermint or purification which is one of my favorites for cleaning. Spray your baseboards or, better yet, make a big soapy bucket with about 1-2Tbsp of thieves cleaner and add in the thieves oil or purifaction and go through your house cleaning baseboards, all surfaces, floors, and wiping down the walls of those closets you've been cleaning out. You will love the smell and feel accomplishing. Diffuse with Purification as you do this and watch your house be transformed. It is amazing how a house that feels clean to you also looks better to you! Mix up a lightly more concentrated bottle and put the cleaner in your laundry area to replace your old Spray n Wash or Shout! For a terrible greasy pot put a capful of the undiluted cleaner right in with a little water and wipe off after 10 minutes or so. It is a wonderful degreaser. Use lemon oil in place of goo-gone. It is great for getting tough price tags off of picture frames, stickers off of windows, etc. Just be careful using it on painted surfaces because it can take off the paint as well! I cannot say enough about diffusing. Wait for a beautiful Fall day with good breeze and open up all of your windows as you clean to give your home a good airing. Then, begin to diffuse with Thieves, Purification, Lemongrass, or your choice. These three wil have you breathing better, kill viruses living in the air as well as mold spores and dust mites circulating from all that cleaning! AT the same time, you are protecting and building up your immune system particulalry when you are using the Thieves oil. One final tip- rub a little of the Thieves oil on the bottom of your children's feet before they head out the door to school. It will protects their immune system and help fight off whatever they are being exposed to during the days. More on children and oils to come later but for now go tackle your homes, give things away, move some furniture around and enjoy a simple and effective cleaning of your house and home. You will feel better for it....

Make your own air freshener/carpet freshener recipe:

1 drop of essential oil per ounce clean water

Spray on carpet before vacuuming, spray on cloth furniture like febreeze and spray in the air

Favorites to use:

Any of the oils I listed above plus Joy, Peppermint, Christmas Spirit (with the season, of course), Balsam Fir or your choice

Essential oils- why we love them!

Essential oils are fragrant little bottles of goodness. They are medicines, they are perfumes, they are deodorizers and aromatherapy. The most common question that I receive from people is- "What oil do I use for such and such". While there is often a specific answer to this question, the general answer is to just begin using the basic oils in your everyday life and let them have tehir powerful affect generally before focusing on specifics. It is like finding God's will for your life. To many, that seems like an elusive idea that may only be discovered by prayer and fasting, but the Truth is that God's general will for EVERYONE is contained within His word. There is enough of the genereal will of God for each of us to be doing that quite often if we are faithful to do that, He will take care of His specific will and not allow us to miss it. God's general will includes first seeking God with all of our hearts. talking to Him daily, loving all people and showing it by displaying patience, self-control, joy and other fruits of the Spirit. This alone could keep us busy for a lifetime! Sharing Christ with people is God's general will for all of us. If we make this our aim He will take care of our lives and lead us into the very specifics such as who we are to marry, where we are to work, if we are to work, what home we should live in, where should our children go to school, should we sign up for soccer this spring, or should I serve in that area of ministry at church.  It seems to be our nature to go looking for the specifics instead of giving our time to what we already know.
Our health and our bodies are very much the same.
Essential oils are not greasy oils like our cooking oils(olive, coconut, canola, etc.). They can penetrate the skin but do not clog pores. They are obtained by low pressure/low temperature steam distillation rather than being pressed from a plant. They have a shelf life of hundreds of thousands of years as they in themselves carry super ability to preserve and nurture life- they will do the same thing in your body! Look at some of the wonderful properties of these plant oils:
Antimicrobial- against bacteria, viruses and fungi
Insect repellant and used to treat bite symptoms
Antispasmodic- promotes muscle relaxation- menstral cramps, injuries, tension
Settling for stomach discomforts
Pain relieving
Increases circulation and oxygen to the tissues (we will come back to this one)
Stimulates the immune system
Hormone-like properties
Initiates regeneration of nerves
Assists in balancing psychological symptoms
Lessens anxiety

Increase alertness

Humans need blood to live and plants need their essential oil to live. The chemical structure of these oils is compatible with the human cells and tissues. They are compatible with human protein, therefore, our bodies readily identify the oils and accept them in. They have the ability to actually penetrate the cell membrane and diffuse through the blood and tissues and travel to all parts of the body within minutes. Essential oils can increase oxygen at the cellular level! As we will see later on, all disease growsbecause of an acidic enviromnet where oxygen levels are low and depleted. The ability to increase oxygen to cells is equivalent to giving life to the cells and enabling them to do what they were designed and created to do. Whether it is a heart cell, a liver cell, or a hormone cell- we want them all working at their optimum level! Click on the following link for a great explanation of how Young Living's oils are purely therapeutic and to see suggestions on certain oils and their uses.

http://www.nurturedfamily.com/blog/index.php/2010/11/essential-oils/