Shame On You!

Originally published April 20, 2016

As long as we live in this world with other humans, we are going to need to learn forgiveness. It is some thing that I have been taking a long time meditation on lately.

There are ways that I have been hurt or offended and have in turn, hurt and offended others..intentionally or not.It is so easy to say that we forgive some one, but then have a wall around ourselves so that we do not get hurt again.When we build that wall, we really have to ask ourselves if we have truly forgiven the other person.

It gets tricky, because we need to have healthy boundaries in relationships and we need people to be responsible for their own garbage. But I whole heartedly agree that freedom comes into our life when we walk in forgiveness.

As in The Lord’s Prayer;

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

and Jesus also says “forgive your brother and sister from your heart.”

He also says that if we do not forgive one another, our heavenly father will not forgive us.

That sounds harsh at first, but then if we realize that God sent His son to earth to take all of the sin and offenses of the world so that we could ultimately have forgiveness of our sins to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ..it is the ultimate gift. And God isn’t expecting us to do any thing that He wasn’t willing to do first. Forgiveness is extremely important to Him, and He wants it to be a priority to us.

There are many studies that show if we carry un- forgiveness it can cause physical problems in our body. Many people who are unforgiving have faces that show a continual disappointment and resentment. I never want to be that way inside and I never want it to manifest itself by reflection on my face!!

The cross of Jesus Christ was all about forgiveness.  He was perfect and took all of the tragedy, pain, and every kind of suffering of the world on Himself. He took it out of the way between us, tearing down the wall, making a way to fellowship with Him. We can do much less than that with each other and walk in forgiveness and love.

I wrote my term paper on Spikenard, which has so many properties that are used in healing and forgiveness. It is the oil that a woman poured out on Jesus Christ to show her admiration for him and he said she was preparing him for his burial. It is an amazing oil that can heal deep wounds, physically as well as used emotionally.

“I forgive you” can be the most powerful words you can ever say or do…especially if the other person really doesn’t deserve it. It is empowering! Let’s practice it together!

What are your thoughts on forgiveness? We want to hear from you today!!

Forgiveness

Originally published March 21, 2016

As long as we live in this world with other humans, we are going to need to learn forgiveness. It is some thing that I have been taking a long time meditation on lately.

There are ways that I have been hurt or offended and have in turn, hurt and offended others..intentionally or not.It is so easy to say that we forgive some one, but then have a wall around ourselves so that we do not get hurt again.When we build that wall, we really have to ask ourselves if we have truly forgiven the other person.

It gets tricky, because we need to have healthy boundaries in relationships and we need people to be responsible for their own garbage. But I whole heartedly agree that freedom comes into our life when we walk in forgiveness.

As in The Lord’s Prayer;

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

and Jesus also says “forgive your brother and sister from your heart.”

He also says that if we do not forgive one another, our heavenly father will not forgive us.

That sounds harsh at first, but then if we realize that God sent His son to earth to take all of the sin and offenses of the world so that we could ultimately have forgiveness of our sins to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ..it is the ultimate gift. And God isn’t expecting us to do any thing that He wasn’t willing to do first. Forgiveness is extremely important to Him, and He wants it to be a priority to us.

There are many studies that show if we carry un- forgiveness it can cause physical problems in our body. Many people who are unforgiving have faces that show a continual disappointment and resentment. I never want to be that way inside and I never want it to manifest itself by reflection on my face!!

The cross of Jesus Christ was all about forgiveness.  He was perfect and took all of the tragedy, pain, and every kind of suffering of the world on Himself. He took it out of the way between us, tearing down the wall, making a way to fellowship with Him. We can do much less than that with each other and walk in forgiveness and love.

I wrote my term paper on Spikenard, which has so many properties that are used in healing and forgiveness. It is the oil that a woman poured out on Jesus Christ to show her admiration for him and he said she was preparing him for his burial. It is an amazing oil that can heal deep wounds, physically as well as used emotionally.

“I forgive you” can be the most powerful words you can ever say or do…especially if the other person really doesn’t deserve it. It is empowering! Let’s practice it together!

What are your thoughts on forgiveness? We want to hear from you today!!

Boundaries

Originally published February 22, 2016

A very helpful book I have been reading lately is Dr. Henry Cloud’s Changes That Heal.  He is also the Co- Author of Boundaries another super helpful, life book.

Although I always knew I had boundary issues, I never understood how many boundary issues I had in relation to how I see myself. This is truly eye opening to me! I have always felt guilty for having boundaries! I would feel selfish and like my needs weren’t as important as putting other’s needs ahead of mine. We have all seen people abuse these things, infringing on or controlling people….and I guess as a Christian, I just thought the opposite was true but I was distorted in my thinking.

I want to share some thoughts from his book for us to consider. …

1. “We have all grown up in a world that is severely mixed up about where one person begins and another ends. As a result, we grow up understanding what we own and what we don’t, what we are responsible for and what we are not.”

2. “As a result of injuries and fallenness, we distort God’s reality. Just as we need to clear up distorted thinking in the area on bonding, we need to clear it up in the area on responsibility.”

3. “Probably the biggest problem to work through in terms of boundaries, is the guilt we may feel in realizing freedom to own our own life. Many people have been taught that they are selfish and bad for not being responsible for others’ feelings, behaviors, and choices…this teaching keeps codependent behavior going.”

4. “People who make the remark, “I am selfish for owning my own life” may have been told, “you are selfish if you do not give me what is yours.” When people are vulnerable to control, they feel that they are selfish for deciding what to do with their own property. In reality, deciding for ourselves is the only way we can ever have true love, for then we are giving freely.”

5. “My wants are not important”, denies one’s life in an unbiblical way. We are told in the Bible to deny ourselves, but we can only do this if we first own ourselves. People who do not own their own lives cannot give them away! We must be good stewards of our lives before we can give to others.”

That’s a lot to chew on right there. It is a lot to consider and weigh. I am going to bet that these statements are challenging to you in some way, they are to me. Depression, Blaming, Victim Mentality, Panic, Passive Aggressiveness and Resentment are just some of the symptoms that can result from these lack of boundaries! I know I have dealt with these and I know a lot of others do as well.

I picked the photo above because most of us think of property when we think of boundaries. I have been thinking of myself like a property …deciding what is “in my yard” and isn’t. I have found some one else’s trash in my yard a few times lately!! It isn’t mine!! It is the first time I have ever thought of it in that way. I hope this has been holistically helpful to you as you begin your week!

What ideas do you have about boundaries? We want to hear from you today!!

This Is My Story

Originally Published February 17, 2016

Well, part of it any way;-) In continuation of the Essential Oil Education Theme this week, I want to share my story and education.

As far as holistic health is concerned, I lived like most Americans do for the first 20 years of my life. I ate the SADiet and looked and felt like it!! I was always struggling with weight and was very sick and tired most of the time. I also enjoyed to0 much alcohol and smoked.

When I was about 20, I had a major encounter with Jesus Christ and the relationship caused me to want to make changes in all parts of my life, even the way I looked at health. Prior to that, I spent a lot of time at the doctors office, mostly for bronchial and allergy issues.

Moving ahead….I had my first child. I became even more aware of how I wanted to use natural methods as a mother. I started questioning immunizations and started dealing with my daughter’s allergies. After repeated ear infections I decided “doctoring” wasn’t working for her either.

I sought out a holistic practitioner and talked to a lot of health store owners. They seemed to actually be healthy and all had “before and after” stories. The doctor I went to was and still is considered “a quack” to those in our area, but he is a researcher and truly wants to help people get well. This was 20 years ago, and he was all over gut health and gluten intolerance before it was in fashion.  He gave us a hands on education about allergies and diet. Changing our diet completely changed my daughters health. No more breathing treatments, no more ear infections. There was some thing very true to all of this!

Then comes the second child…the first child’s allergies completely paled in comparison to child #2- son #1! He was so intolerant of almost every food, he almost died when he was 10 months old of major leaky gut syndrome. He ended up on a diet of yams and venison for a year. I would spoon feed him olive oil as well, but that was it!! (Obviously I still had major health issues going on and passed many allergies through to him- our life was also extremely stress filled at the time.)

Through that journey, we had to completely rid our home of dust, dust collectors, and chemicals.  He slept in a linoleum floored room with no curtains, no stuffed animals, no detergents. He couldn’t use commercial diapers and no way, wipes! Home made diapers and wash clothes with him. We believe he was miraculously saved by God. So, in my new journey of not running to the store to buy cleaners, I started experimenting with natural cleaning elements and starting to use some essential oils.

Through the next 20 years I dealt with more of my own health issues and was ever researching supplements and holistic health. I had a lot of people ask me questions about health because they were aware of our journey and saw the changes we had made as a family. When the “Essential Oil Boom” came over the last few years, I had a lot of people asking me how to use them. I had my ideas and my understanding, but I felt compelled to become certified so that I could really know what I was talking about in order to help my self and others.

I started looking on line for training and found Aromatic Wisdom Institute in my great state of PA! I was looking for hands-on-training and after visiting the school and spending time with Liz Fulcher, I knew this was the place for me!

It was a challenging course, especially with many other things I had going on in my life, but I did it! I cannot express the confidence in the education I received. This is going to sound really harsh, but bear with me. My husband says; the difference between being an Aromatherapist versus some one who sells essential oil, is like the difference between a doctor’s prescription and a drug dealer.  Ouch! I have sold essential oils for a Multi Level Network,  I am not against it!  But some of that analogy fleshes out… we have to challenge our selves and each other to  higher standards. I encourage every one who sells essential oils, to get more personal education- preferably from a NAHA or AIA recognized school, like Aromatic Wisdom Institute or Aromahead Institute to name a few. I took my Physiology and Anatomy course on line at Aromahead. If we care about health and want to be helpful and taken seriously, we all have to do our part to be as professional as possible…it only helps our cause to do so.

So, this is my story, my journey into Aromatherapy Certification. What is yours? Has your interest been piqued to have more formal training in this area? We want to hear from you today!

Break the Cycle!

Originally published February 9, 2016

Over the last several weeks I have been hearing a re occurring theme…..break the cycle!

Whether it has pertained to my own negative thoughts or relational cycles, my son’s ADHD patterns, or other cooperate negative cycles, in church or work etc. ….breaking old cycles is the only way to foster change and allow us to keep going in a positive direction.

Here is a very helpful activity I did recently, I want to share it with you.  Write down 3 recent personal situations that really got your attention. For each situation, write down all of the emotions that you experienced for each one. (frustration, loneliness, jealousy, etc.)Then write down the ways you acted or responded in each one.(Snapped at your children, dog or cat;-) depression, shopping spree, etc.) Compare the lists, and take notice to any commonalities between them. Same emotions? Similar reactions? Even the situations…did they have any common themes?

Now, locate the common theme, or reoccurring  problem. Once you have located it, take responsibility for your part in it…that is the first and biggest step! You may be tempted to blame the other person but just focus on your responsibility to it….so you can grow and change. The second step, is  deciding how you are going to do the opposite or take a different direction the next time it happens. The third step is, as you are moving forward in this new direction it is going to feel uncomfortable or even come with a whole new set of responsibilities. Decide ahead of time to accept the challenge with courage!

Practicing these steps will help you to ” keep going” in the right direction. It may take a lot of practice and you may not even feel like you are progressing forward, but I promise you, you are! It has been through much personal prayer and support of others that I have been able to do this. The books I am reading, the conversations I have been having and the sermons I have been hearing, all have this echoing theme.

My good friend, who cares about my heart and my soul, bought me this mug. I use it often and read it out loud! I need to keep going!  What good is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? It is insanity!

I created the New Dry, Cracked Hand Lotion for this friend….she was fed up with the dry hand cycle she got every year! She encouraged me to formulate some thing that works. She loves it so much, she exhorted me to make it for all to buy! So now it is available to you! So as you break the negative cycles in your life, you can break the winter dry hands cycle at the same time;-)

Lets” keep going” forward… together.<3

I Miss My Mom

Originally Published February 1, 2016

(This lily was created in memory of my mom, and it is named “The Edonna Mae”.)

Today is my mom’s Birthday. She would have been ….79. I miss her. There are things going on in my life that I wish I could talk to her about. I would like to know what I know about her now….and have that conversation. I would even share things with her that she didn’t know about me.

We didn’t always have that kind of relationship. For the first 20 years of my life, my mom was an alcoholic. I got to experience a wide range of emotions and situations growing up. Family and marital tension were a way of life. No one really wanted to live at home. It seemed like every one’s goal in life was to “get out”, including mine. We had our times of laughter and mirth  and “the family Wheeze”…. don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for that out let. We also had many people come in and out of our home. Every one was welcomed and that was a good thing.

It is sad, because in retrospect, all that my mom ever wanted to do was be a wife and mom. And despite her failures, she was all that. We always had home- cooked, delicious meals and the importance of the family table was definitely ingrained in us . We went to church every Sunday and we took a yearly family vacation in the Vista Cruiser. We sang songs together and my parents definitely fostered a love of music which all of us have carried into our adult lives. My mom, with her children’s help, also took care of her mother in our home and that was no easy task. So, good job mom! I appreciate you for all of the things you did for me.

My mom went through rehab when I was 20. When she came back, she was a deeper and no pun intended- much more sober person. No one really knew how to relate to her, and we didn’t dare talk about what life changing situation had just occurred! I stepped trepidaciously into unknown relational territory with her! I wanted it so desperately. She was a completely different person that the one I had always known.

She was given a second chance at life and we were given a second chance with her as well! Her humor really emerged in a way that I had never known before! She could laugh and make every one else laugh along with her, but she also knew how to laugh at her self! Some thing that I have, because I am so good at putting my foot in my mouth, learned how to do as well!!

Her grand children, who she adored, never knew a “different” grandma. They knew the patriotic, snack drawer, bed time story reading, memory building grandma. Through having my own marriage and children, I grew into much more understanding of the trials and tribulations my mom had been through her self. We had some really transparent talks and some not- so- great frustrations with each other. But we did have a relationship with each other and we ended up being pretty close by the time she passed away. The last week of her life was a precious time that I got to spend with her and I am extremely thankful for the privilege.

A year after her death, I learned that my mother had had a baby girl when she was 19. She gave the baby up for adoption and I grew up knowing this child, but of course not as my sister. There were soooooo many things that made sense to me about my mom as this secret was revealed. I understood her pain and the shoes she walked in, a lot better. I wish that she could have talked about  it with us while she was still here.

The truth is, we all have our own shoes to walk in…don’t we? And none of us knows what it is like for another person, because we are all different. We all approach and handle things differently. My mom, did an amazing job of over coming obstacles in many ways…and a lot of it she kept to her self.

I have to talk through everything!!! That is how I process situations/life. Like I said at the beginning, there are a lot of things I would like to discuss with my mom now. I know she would give me her honest opinion, she was good at that, whether you liked it or not!! She cared deeply. She loved us and my dad was the love of her life.

When she had a heart attack, she was getting ready to be helicopter transported to a larger hospital, and her tennis shoes were at the foot of her bed. She said; “Jul, grab those and bring them to me at the hospital, because I am walking out of there!” She had a feisty determination that way.

The Bible tells us to “run the race that is marked out for us”. Today, I do not really feel like running, but I will put my tennis shoes on and walk! Remembering my mom today…loving her and missing her.

Perception...

Originally published January 25, 2016

“When we perceive our lives as having no value, purpose or significance, we become miserable.” The Search For Significance- Robert McGee

Well this must be an epidemic then, because the world is full of miserable people…..I can even be one myself at times!

This will not be a lengthy blog, but just some thing to think about today as we start the week. If you take an irritability or frustration back to it’s core emotion….what is your perception? What are you believing about that situation- true or not so true?

The truth is, every one of us has value, purpose and significance and the way we perceive that shows up in our lives. You were created for some thing great. You were created for a purpose. You matter to those around you. No matter how bad things are, there is a way to see beyond it, you just may not be able to do it right now-but don’t give up. You are extremely valuable….far above “rubies”.

What step can you take today to believe that? Is there some one in your life who has been an encouragement to you in the past? Is there some one in your life who encouraged you in your talent or your skills? Is there some one in your life who told you that you did a good job? Think about those things (Philippians 4:8) reach out to those people, and be that to some one else!

Take a step today! I am here to tell you, you can have a new out look<3

Progress...

Originally published January 18, 2016)

How do we measure progress? I primarily think about relationships when I ask that question. It isn’t easy to answer, either. One thing I have been contemplating lately is….”what was I doing or not doing when our communication seemed to be better?”

In the case of weight control….”what was I eating or not eating and what kind of exercise was I getting when my weight was where I wanted it?”

Of course you have other factors that are out of your control.Hormones can be your worst unseen enemy when you are trying to manage weight or any type of health issue. Stressors and situations in our lives are always making us adapt and adjust.

So, we can never have utopia all the time, but we can do the best we can. I guess for me when I am feeling mentally fit, energized  and in healthy communication with others,there are a number of factors that I am purposed in. I get up in the morning and first thing Give Thanks to God for a new day and recite the Lord’s prayer to direct my focus.

I immediately hit the yoga mat and do my routine that wakes up my mind and body. Then I spend time praying and reading The Bible and what ever other book I am working through at the time….usually relationship based.

Through the day I make a list of things that need done and work toward it. I make time to sing, play the drums and guitar. I make every attempt to get to Wednesday night Bible Study and fellowship on Sunday mornings weekly.

These things are all “peppered” through my day to day routines and high calling of being a wife, mom, business owner, employee and friend.

So progress….I spent a long weekend with my daughter and brother and sister-in-law’s family in Nashville. I took time off! That is progress for me. I re connected with my daughter as I hit the seat in the air plane and fell fast asleep on the ungodly hour flight we had!! She covered me with her hoodie and ordered a water for me!! Well, it is a memory that she and I will not forget as I woke up laughing with a crick in my neck and saliva coming out of the corner of my mouth!!!

We woke up late in the mornings, laughed a lot, went sight seeing and spent wonderful evenings talking and sharing stories around the dining room table over delicious home made food.

How is your progress? What unhealthy habits are you giving up in exchange for a less chaotic life? What healthy things are you putting in it’s place? It is your journey, yes there are things out of your control, but only you know how much progress you have or haven’t made.

I want my relationships to look a lot different  this year. It is going to take effort and adjustment. Would you like to take a step with me a long the journey?

I have recently added some new oils to my repertoire; stepping out and trying some heavier hitters. Clove Bud, Cinnamon and Birch. I was afraid to use these strong oils when I first got my certification, but am amazed with their muscle pain (in a lot of carrier) benefits.

My Son has Special Needs??

(Originally published September 28, 2015)

Yes, my son has special needs.

Being the last of 4 children, I was aware early on that this child was in deed “specialer” than the rest of my children!

There are so many feelings and emotions I have experienced and continue to experience. It is amazing to me that even after 10 years, I find myself still wanting to deny  in stead of embrace his unique needs.

I think as humans we just want to press through what ever is going on in the present to get to the future- as if situations and even other humans are a block in front of us preventing us from the goal.

Children in general will cause you to slow down and re-evaluate what is important in life..as they should. But when you have a special needs child, you go through denial- it is a strange phenomenon. You see the glaring difference in the person who sits in front of you, and feel a certain amount of underlying frustration- yet still want to gloss over the situation and approach it the way you always had in the past.

My son has been diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum for some time, and we are getting ready to do a more specialized evaluation this week. We then will have a better understanding of what tools he needs to succeed and a better idea of what we need to do as parents to re-learn our communication skills with him and fortunately (in response to unfortunate mistakes) be able to address behavior on all of our parts, that has been a negative in the parenting process.

Did you know, many couples with special needs children do not sustain their relationships? Special needs children or terminally sick children take a lot of the family focus and energy.  It is extremely taxing on couples who many times already have trouble communicating in their marriages, let alone learning a “new language” to communicate to their child. It is also very taxing on siblings and the parent-children relationships. I completely understand the hardship and have compassion on parents wherever they have landed on this aspect of raising a special needs child. I think for me, knowing the rate of divorce in these situations has validated my feelings of being overwhelmed- it really isn’t  just”me”….these are tough life situations! Having said that, we have been willing to do what ever it takes to learn how to communicate better and be a better team for our child….both parents need to be willing.

Then there is my son! How does he feel? What are his frustrations? What loss does he experience?

He usually feels like no body likes him…not friends, teachers, leaders, and at times even his parents and siblings. He usually feels like he is stupid and unable to grasp things that are taught. He actually is extremely intelligent…he has a high IQ. He just takes longer than a “typical person” to process and communicate the information in what ever form that takes.

He has a loss of joy and peace. He tells me he was born grumpy!! He tells me he wasn’t born like others when I am trying to fit his “round peg into a square hole”! He is amazingly accurate when it comes to behaviors (usually in others- oH….we are all like that;-)much more transparent and discerning than any of us would like to admit!

Part of this journey with him has expanded our holistic health philosophy. We have always tried to approach our children with a holistic mentality- serving their spirits, souls and body. Making sure we are building them in their spirit by prayer and being part of a church body, their souls by having a home school way of life – even if they went to another school during “school” hours, and in their bodies teaching them about true healthy foods and supplements.

I make him a special oil formula to help calm him down and rub on his legs and have introduced him to kombucha, pro-biotics and L-glutamine -all researched and proved to help autistic spectrum children be better supported. He eats gluten-free and has developed his own awareness of what foods make him feel well, and which ones do not.

He refers to Honest Aromas as mom “doing her oils”!! And now asks me if I will make him special inhalers for this or that, or if I would blend him an anti-bacterial spray!

He is fearfully and wonderfully made! He has a purpose in this life, and I bear much responsibility in helping him to over come and leading him to the skills that will help him succeed in this life. I didn’t know I was “signing on for this” when I had this child, but I see every day….. it is all part of my path as well as his.

Proverbs 127:3 says “children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward”.  Whether you understand that reference as an old book that has been handed down through the centuries, or the inspired Word of God, it holds great wisdom for us to glean. That particular scripture is what I feast on, moment by moment, as I walk this this narrow road with my little man….and I tell him often he is a blessing.

God Bless you today if you walk this narrow road of special needs. I hope you are encouraged and have an invigorated sense of purpose as a parent- no matter how special your child is!!

We want to hear from you today! Thank you for your emails and texts- they are a great encouragement to us<3

Here's My Life...

(Originally Published September 4, 2015

Each day I find

Miracles in my life

Gifts so great

They could only be yours

Friends in time

Changes kind

Strength from your loving hand

I’m on my way

Bearing the new man

Lord, Here’s my life- Heal my heart- Heal my soul

Lord, Here’s my life- as I seek you – make me whole

Here’s my life- O Lord, make me whole

I wrote this song years ago when i was going through a great change in my life. My eyes were opened and I had newness of life. The change was good and kind.

But, changes are not always seen as kind. Change can be excruciatingly painful….. but if we do not surrender under the stress of the change, we will miss the benefits that change was designed to offer.

I am learning how to play the guitar while I am starting this business. I learned how to change my strings so the guitar sounds better….and it does sound better even despite my wrong fingering! I had to change the strings- it was some thing that I had to do, it didn’t happen by itself. I could have left the old ones on, I suppose, but it wouldn’t sound as sweet.

I am purposely singing songs I have written, like the one above, while I am learning my chords. With all of the changes going on in my life, the words are sung with more feeling, coming from a different perspective when I sing them this time.  I have a frustration in learning the chords, because I want the song to be seamless, but the irritation of changing my hand position and singing a lyric-presses me to get my fingers in the right place.

Changes are ultimately kind if we are willing to put our self aside and be willing to learn. It may come with tears and repetition of doing some thing uncomfortable, but it will produce some thing great if we let change have it’s way.

Taking even a baby step toward change in health can feel overwhelming. But if we want to have some thing different in the end than we have always had, we have to be willing to make changes. The pain is momentary in the big scheme. It will make us stronger, it will produce endurance and it will produce health and character.

So, here’s a little of what is going on in my life! What changes are going on in your life? I want to be a shining light encouraging your way! I am right there with you walking the narrow, hard road. We can do it walking together, friend. Have a great, long weekend.

You Are My Sunshine!

(Originally published August 17, 2015)

You make me happy when skies are grey, you’ll never know dear how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away! I recently sang this with my daughter and a good friend in 3 part harmony…one of my favorite things to do that bring me joy:-)

Have you ever struggled with depression? I have. I know a lot of people who do as well. Right now we are all dealing with summer winding down and looking toward the start of a new school season.

For us who live in Northern states, and who deal with depression, we can already start thinking about the long winter that is ahead…..noooooooooooooo!!!

My daughter and I were discussing this in light of relationships this weekend. We have people in our lives who are quite auroral– they are like the dawn, a bright spot in our lives, we look forward to them.

We have others who are constantly prickly. They sharpen us and make us have to rely on patience and grace to respond to them in a right and healthy way.

We have others who are a constant source of grey-skyedness!! ( I like to make up words;-) These people are like Eeyore from Whinnie- the P00h! We tend to want to avoid them because they can drag us down, and the truth is, we need to be wise about how to interact with them, for their sake and ours.

Honestly, lately, I have been grey. Sometimes I feel like the things I am dealing with in my life are never going to change. ..hopelessness is the worst of all feelings.  I do not always get to spend time with the shiny people in my life and some times that is just a reality.

As my daughter and i were talking, we discussed how you can not make attaining happy feelings all the time your goal- giving it God status in your life. But being aware of how you are feeling and what small changes you can make to incorporate “sunshine” in your life, is just wise.

I can easily loose perspective and give up. I can also turn around and be super excited and exuberant when some thing goes right for me or some one else!! I always want to be that person, really! I always want to be sunshine in other people’s lives.

As part of the Holistic theme of our business, I just wanted to validate the mental health part of our complex person. I want to  tell you I am there too and want to be a support and your biggest cheerleader!

This weekend I decided to turn to some helpful and healthy teas when I want to relax. Lemon Balm was my tea of choice for the evening. It is uplifting and calming at the same time.  Skin Detox tea with it’s bright red Hibiscus, is my choice for mid mornings. Instead of having that 5th cup of coffee (or Monster…)that can make me edgy, I am putting some beautiful high anti-oxidant mixes in my cup.  Kombucha is also a great choice. It is intestinal flora friendly, calming and energy promoting at the same time.

So, lets LIVE today with our fond memories and our hopes for tomorrow!

God Bless you! We want to hear from you today!

Walk By Faith

(Originally Published July 3, 2015)

We had a successful first day at the Oil City Farmers Market! We wouldn’t have known that except that we made products, set up and followed through on being a presence there.

I hope to encourage you today, even as I am encouraged writing this post. If you would have told me even a month ago that I would be seeing fruition of a dream I have had for years, I would not have believed you.  And next week when some thing breaks down at our house, a relationship or the vacuum, when the bill that we have to pay is bigger than the paycheck we received, or when my quixotic side gets the best of me and I tail spin into a low of lows, you may have to encourage me!

If I had not made the step to start school, do my best and follow through, order supplies (not knowing how or where I was going to sell them), get a tax ID #, process a DBA form through the state, mix ingredients together and label packaging, or believe the things that people who love me said to encourage me, (walking by faith and not by sight), I would not be writing this right now.

Being in the community yesterday and interfacing with people was so exciting! It was mutually encouraging to hear other’s visions and dreams for the area. There is a comaraderie among the vendors as well. We are doing what we love, helping others in some way, and supporting each other in it.

As a Christian, I believe God uses all things in my life (from extremely difficult circumstances to my own failings, to the highest of highs when all is right with my world), for His good and to make me more Christ like ( less selfish, more giving, more loving), so that He can use me the way He wishes. I am so grateful to be able to do some of the things I love doing every day, while trying to embrace and be present in the not so great things of life as well.

Walking by faith, means that you cannot see the road ahead, but when you know what your destination is, you will find it, if you don’t give up. If you yield to all of the turns and valleys and accept that they are part of getting there, and if you (and I;-) die to ourselves and love others more, we will all see the fruit.

What dreams do you have? What step of complete faith do you have to take today, to start the process? We want to hear from you!

Sunshine On My Shoulders Makes me Happy!

(Originally Published June 23, 2015)

We all need sunshine….Vitamin D helps our bodies to function properly and lifts our spirits. Even if you do not like spending time in the sun, purposing to get out in it for even a short time every day, will have a healthy impact on your body.

We are also, all aware of the dangers of the sun. We use sunscreen to help protect our skin from damage that the sun can cause. Premature skin aging and skin cancer are concerns for all of us.

But did you know that we can use natural oils that have a Skin Protection Factor (SPF) and do not have any of the harmful chemicals that can be in popular sunscreens?

Here are a few options. Coconut oil has a low SPF of 2-8 all by itself, Avocado Oil 4-15, Wheat Germ 20, Raspberry Seed Oil 28-50, and Carrot Seed Oil a whopping SPF of 40! All of these oils are very good and nourishing to your skin as well.

As a skin cancer prevention measure, research shows that Red Palm Oil’s Tocotrienol’s not only inhibit the growth of skin and other cancers, but kill off the skin cancer cells! I used Red Palm Oil topically on areas I had questionable skin removed, and I am reminded even now, to take it orally every day as a preventative.

Of course we all know that Aloe Vera is a good and cooling after sun measure to protect and heal your skin.

Never use Bergamot, Lemon or Grapefruit, or cold pressed Lime Essential oils  in the sun as they are photo toxic and can cause white patches (as well as other concerns) to form on the skin!

So, go out and enjoy that great big ball of fire in the sky as it was intended to be enjoyed and supply us with the necessary elements we are to gain from it. Healthy Oil Up!

What are your recipes for natural sunscreen? We want to hear from you!

Can You Drink the Cup?

(Originally Published June 9, 2015)

“When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Can You Drink the Cup?



To live life to it’s very fullest, we must be willing to drink both joy and sorrow. That sounds like an oxymoron. This was Henry Nouwen’s experience. A fascinating man who spent nearly two decades  teaching at academic institutions including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School and Harvard Divinity School, Nouwen went on to work with mentally and physically handicapped people at the L’Arche Daybreak community in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

I have not finished his book Can you drink the cup?, but I can relate and be exhorted and challenged in what I have read.

As I hold my morning coffee cup making plans for my daughter’s wedding; it’s a celebratory cup! I lift it up! How exciting, a new family  being forged together in this world. It may have even come in contact with tears of joy from my cheeks as I drink… excitement for my daughter and soon to be son-in-law and the plans they exuberantly communicate for all to hear.

And I have also held this cup two hand-idly and  tightly going through a deep personal journey…close and to my chest. My tears most definitely coming in contact with the contents within the cup, making it salty and the drink honest and raw.

I am looking at my cup, like Nouwen suggests, reflecting on each experience life brings….embracing the uncertainties, the sorrows, the joys….It brings healing to our lives when we do. It makes us people with more depth, more compassion, and more love.

…Although they do not press the grape seeds used in grape seed oil, but use a chemical extraction….the oil made from it can be very useful to us in a variety of ways.

It can be used as a carrier oil in Aromatherapy leaving a glossy sheen on the skin.

It can also be used as an oil to infuse herbs into; try garlic, rosemary, thyme or tarragon among others. This infusion could be used as a salad dressing as grape seed has many good oil properties. It also has a high smoke point which makes it a great oil to cook in.

It can also be used as a lubricant for shaving and as a hair growth and strengthening treatment.

Have you ever used grape seed oil? Have you ever read a Henry Nouwen book?!! We want to hear from you.