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.