Rewards of God's medicine cabniet...

So this week we have been dealing with some of beginning fall yuckies.... sore throats, stuffy nose, headaches,  ear aches and bug bites.... so instead of my same ole same ole of reaching in the medicine cabinet and giving the girls and myself something that does not really treat the actual symptom I created a new medicine cabinet, a box that is getting filled up with the essentials of each day.

In this medicine cabinet we have all that we need at this moment to combat against these yuckies.... each morning we are rubbing Breath on our chest, throat and back.... Gargling with peppermint and lemon.... rubbing Wild Orange on Elaina's feet for focus, rubbing peppermint across Carly's forehead and on her temples and on the back of her neck for her headache, placing Frankincense on a cotton ball and inserting into Elaina's ear and then massaging the oil on the outer part of her ear and on her lymph nodes then placing a warm wet wash cloth over the sore ear.  Last, I rub Lavender on both of the girls feet....  I know some may think I am nuts... I know what all the other medicines do, yeah they work... but do they really concentrate on the immediate need or pain?  My sweet precious girls are fast asleep no tears or complaining of medicine that tastes bad... Carly's headache was gone, her cough is cleared up and we are on day three....  Elaina has very little congestion left, ear just started today....  Where am I going with this :)  Here is where I am going with this, I realized tonight as I rubbed, mixed, researched and included the girls in what they liked the best of the different oils that are helpful to each symptom, I am actively involved with their care.  I am touching them, laying with them, talking with them, asking them to be a part of their health and well being...  Is that not what God does for us, cares for us, nurtures us, provides the choices, talks to us, asks us to be a part of his life for our well being?  Taking care of them is healing me and helping me see the joy in being a mother of my growing young girls.... Carly is turning 13 this year, we are using these oils for skin care, moods, and other symptoms of teenagedum... My favorite moments is the time spent sitting together talking about each other, what we can do to help each other laughing and then praying for each other and those we love that are not with us.  When you see the rewards of what God created for us to use to keep us well you just cannot help but sing his praises... so I am singing and so excited and joyful about continuing to fill our medicine box with God's love, grace, joy and blessings. 

Summer art....

As the summer winds down and we are into our last true weekend of summer, I have found our little family hibernating in the comfort of our fans and air conditioning.  In Eastern Carolina, our summer can be so hot that it can make it difficult to enjoy the outdoors.  Most of our summer this year was not spent playing in the water and doing the things we typically do, it was spent in the kitchen doing something else we find fun!  Canning our blessings from our garden.  This is truly an art, those that can know what I am referring too.  It takes knowledge, time, patience and and knowing which way to can a crop.  I have been exposed to canning throughout my life, but since John Murphy has come into my life I have had the most wonderful opportunity to learn and experience it first hand in my kitchen.  I am so thankful to have full cabinets of yummy goodness.  Canning is not only an art for the one that is cooking, it is an art for those of us who have an eye for beauty all around of us.  I love to try and capture the moments on camera....  below are my attempts of finding the essential moments that I carry with me.  

At a crossroad....

Today I received some news I had been waiting to hear about for some time.  It comes at a time when I have been knocking on the door and asking God to show me the way I should go.  I do have faith in God, but at times it will sway like the leaves on the trees.  I question him all the time.... Even with all of these faults that I have, I find that he knows this about me already.  He anticipates me to sway and question, he tells me he is not finished with me yet and I should not forget to breathe....  So today I found myself holding my breath a lot....  why do I do this?  As I spent a wonderful walk with my sister we pondered this question as well, we are woman of God, we seek him daily in our lives, why are we not confident and totally trust him.  God is essential in my life, I look for him in the morning, in the afternoon, when my children are sick, when I am struggling with my path, when I feel selfish and jealous, I seek him when I am happy and joyful... so why does my faith sway?  Where am I going with this... As I realized I was holding my breath I took a whiff of my wrist and the aroma of sandalwood filled my mind and I felt grounded and centered my mind was at ease and I let all the tension and anxiety out... then it hit me.  I am a woman of faith, even when I am swaying in the wind, I do not blow away, I am grounded and centered in God....  my news is about a job I have applied for, I knocked, asked and he opened the door.  I am walking through this door confident that he has prepared the path for me.  He is showing me that I may sway but he still holds me in his hands and will provide for me and those I love.  It may not be in my timing but in his.  My heart is filled with joy and thankfulness.  The scent that got me through this day was sandalwood, I am somehow drawn to it... when I am feeling like that leaf and I catch a slight breeze of sandalwood I feel my mind, body and spirit still feeling carefree, but grounded in God, centered on his will and path... I am walking in his word, he is the light at my feet... and the tree that holds me at the steam so I can sway but stay centered and focused on him.

The joys of discovering an old love....

I have been toying with the idea to start a blog.  My sweet sister told me that my facebook posts could be wonderful blog material.  The idea started to swirl in my head and then I just decided to try, what could it hurt?  I thought about a name, idea and what to write about.  I got so caught up in the idea it made my head hurt just to think of a name! Well obviously I came up with a name, and an idea :-)  It is not exactly what I thought it would be, but I think it will be awesome!!!  Even if I just read it, hee hee....  So I have this secret love, well it is not really a secret to most who know me, to some it is.  I LOVE ESSENTIAL OILS and I truely beleive the plants, trees, and flowers were placed here on earth for us to use to heal our minds, bodies and spirit.  They are wonderous gifts from God.  The bible has many references to essential oils, I will share that a bit later. I know they are meant to use because I have witnessed the amazing atributes of many of the oils that I have drawn too.  So this is an introductory blog to how essential oils are helping me and my little crazy crew heal and renew our spirits.... children and animals :-)  I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I am...  more to come later :-)