Lavender Does All That

So if you have kids this is an oil you should know about.  I took 2 of my kids to have a Zyto scan (will talk more about this in another post) They both scored very high for needing Lavender.  If you are like me and your kids get hyper and hard to calm down then this is your new best friend.  I love it.  

Now many use this oil for sleep.  For some reason it did not work as well on our family for sleep.  We use cedar wood instead and LOVE it.  Remember our body chemistries are different so if an oils does not work like it did for your friend don't be discouraged another oil will work for you.  

**I want to put this out there.  I have had people tell me "oh I can't use lavender I'm allergic or it breaks me out.  I want you to know that the lavender candles and scents you smell in laundry detergents or lotions are not 100% Therapeutic grade oils.  So give Lavender another try you will be amazed.**   

Lavender (lavandula angustifolia) is the most versatile of all essential oils. Most commonly known for its relaxing effects on the body, therapeutic-grade lavender has been highly regarded for the skin. It may be used to cleanse cuts, bruises and skin irritations. The fragrance is calming, relaxing and balancing – physically and emotionally. Carrying a bottle of lavender around with you is like having your own personal first aid kit, perfume and pick-me-up.

Here are 13 ways you can incorporate lavender in to your daily life:

1. Calming

Rub 2-3 drops of lavender oil in your cupped palms, then use the inhalation method to draw the scent all the way into your amygdala gland (the emotional warehouse) in your brain to calm the mind. Then, rub on the feet, temples, wrists (or anywhere) for an immediate calming effect on the body. Great for use in crowded areas like planes or subways to carve out your own personal oasis.

2. Sleep aid

Use the cupping method.  All you do is cup put a drop of oil in the palm of your hand and the cup your hands around your nose and mouth.  Then, rub a drop of Lavender oil on your palms and smooth on your pillow to help you sleep.

3. Bee sting / Insect bite

Put a drop of Lavender oil on a bee sting or insect bite to stop itching reduce swelling.

4. Minor burn

Put 2-3 drops Lavender oil on a minor burn to decrease pain. I recently did this after I spilled scorching hot tea on my hand at Starbucks and luckily had my lavender with me. Result: NO redness, swelling or pain. NO sign of any burn. Lavender works wonders!

5. Cuts

Drop Lavender oil on cut to stop bleeding, clean wound, and kill bacteria.

6. Eczema / Dermatitis

Mix several drops of Lavender oil with a nut or vegetable mixing oil (coconut, sesame, etc) and use topically on eczema and dermatitis. 

7. Nausea or motion sickness

To alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness, place a drop of Lavender oil on end of tongue, behind the ears or around the navel.

8. Nosebleed

To stop a nosebleed, put a drop of lavender oil on a tissue and wrap it around a small chip of ice. Push the tissue covered ice chip up under the middle of the top lip to the base of the nose and hold as long as comfortable or until the bleeding stops.

9. Dry or chapped skin

Rub lavender oil on dry or chapped skin.

10. Chapped or sunburned lips

Rub a drop of lavender oil on chapped or sunburned lips.

11. Hay fever. 

Rub a drop of lavender oil between your palms and inhale deeply to help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever.

12. Dandruff. 

Rub several drops of lavender oil into the scalp to help eliminate dandruff.

13. Cold sores. 

Put a drop of lavender oil on a cold sore.

Remember  #educationispower

My Thanksgiving

 My Thanksgiving was so wonderful.  It may have been the best Thanksgiving ever.  I have had many Thanksgivings but something was different this year.  It was not that we were blessed this year more than years past but it was definitely how I looked at this year compared to others.  

This year was filled with such JOY.  Joy for all that has been given and Joy for all that has been taken away.  I have so much to be grateful for this year.  I sat and counted and began to lose track of the number due how much He has blessed me.  

I guess some may feel that I need to not boast but because of Him and all he has done, for that I boast for that I will tell others, for that I will not keep quiet.  I will not stop telling of all that He has done and all He promise to do.  

This year I spoke to my children about the Pilgrims and all they went through to be able to Worship God.  I spoke of Squanto the Indian who was taken from his home to finally return many many years later to his home, and be able to help the Pilgrims.  

Nothing happened back then and nothing happens now that God does not know about.  

I am amazed at how God can take even the bad things that happen like a mother not talking to you,  lost friendships, diagnoses that no mom wants to hear, and the list goes on and on and do such great healing.  This year above all others I have learned to not look at my situation but at him and then stop and  praise Him in all things.  Hard yes, everytime no, but I'm still learning.

This year I have learned to stop and find His blessings in all things.  Some of these things have been hard.  Some of them have hurt and yet in all of them I have seen his hand.  

Here are some pictures from My Thanksgiving Day.  It started off with David and Keisha running a 5k.  It ended with me counting my blessing for my husband, for my children, for friends, for hurts and even for broken relationships.  Yes a lot has happened but in all things I will Praise Him.  For He is good all the time.

(These are people that mean more to me than they will ever know)

Oh how I love this guy.  He makes me smile like no other human has ever been able to do.  He still, to this day, makes my heart skip a beat when I see him across the room.  He is so special to me! 

 Not my favorite picture but the days of hiding behind the camera are gone.  I want my children to have memories of their momma.  

This girl is such a daddy's girl! Boy does her daddy love that!!

  

 Matt and Kristie have the best Chaperon.  D is always between them.   

We had a total of 19 people for Thanksgiving.  God had the exact number of people at our house.  We enjoyed every ones company.  It was such a blast.  

Thank you Lord for my family.  I love them so much.  Thank you for my Wonderful Husband who is truly the best.  Thank you that even though I mess up, you still love me.  Forever I am yours.  

Are your Essential Oils Pure??? Mine are!!!

This is an article that I read today.  It is very good.  This is why I choose to use Doterra on my family and why I tell everyone I know about these oils.

Essential Oils: From Seed to Bottle

Determining which company has the highest quality of essential oils can be a very daunting task. Many companies say they offer “Organic Essential Oils”, “100% Pure Essential Oils”, or “100% Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils”. What does all of this mean though? Are different producers really that different and does the quality of the essential oils really matter?

Essential oils can be life-changing when used properly. Their uses range from mood enhancement to reducing seizures, and everything in between. For those who have found pure essential oils they will tell you that quality definitely matters and that all companies are in fact not the same. These amazing bottles have changed the way we look at ailments and how we treat them. Gone are the days of cancer-causing, stomach-eating, liver-damaging OTC products that mask symptoms. We now use the best quality, safest, and most pure essential oils to address the health concerns of our families.

The United States does not have a regulatory committee that oversees the production of essential oils. To which, you’re probably asking yourself this question, “How do I know which company offers the best essential oils then?” The answer is…Research.

It takes a lot of time to personally research all of this though…and is probably the last thing you want to spend your precious time doing. So we’ve done it for you. We have taken the time to find out the different methods of growing, extracting, testing, and bottling, as well as learning how to use them safely. Below is what we have found to be the most important factors in determining what company really does offer the purest essential oils.

It’s important to note that in our research, we found that most companies that offer essential oils do try to produce what they consider to be a high quality product. Sadly, many of them fall short of actually accomplishing that though.

Here is what we determined to be the most important aspects of producing essential oils and what you should look for.

1. Sourcing

Sourcing refers to the location of which the plant is harvested prior to extracting the oil.  Many think that lavender oil is lavender oil no matter where it is grown, but as we studied we discovered that the active aromatic compounds of a plant actually changed based on the environment it is grown in.

What to look for:
Each plant should be sourced from a location that promotes the growth of the plants natural concentrations of active aromatic compounds (basically the plant should be sourced from where it grows naturally to keep its original and intended compounds intact).

• No pesticides or chemicals are used to protect or enhance the growth of the plants.
• The grower harvests the plant at a specific time of day when all the aromatic components are present.
• The grower harvests the correct part of the plant that produces the best quality essential oils… eg. the bark, seeds, or the flower.

2. Extraction

Extracting essential oils from plants is a delicate and complex process that not all companies pay close attention to. The composition of essential oils makes them very vulnerable during extraction because they evaporate easily and can be compromised.  Essential oils are most often extracted from plants through distillation, a process in which steam is circulated under pressure through plant material, thus liberating the plant’s aromatic compounds into the steam. As the steam cools, the mixture condenses and the essential oils are collected in their pure form.

What to look for:

• Strict monitoring of heat and pressure during distillation. Too little heat and pressure will not release the aromatic compounds of a plant, while too much can alter the delicate chemical composition and potency of the extract.
• Ensure that the plants are not treated with chemicals or alcohol. Not only can the chemicals be damaging to the plant, but it also leaves a residue in the oil which you then apply to your body or inhale aromatically.

3. Testing

This step can be one of the most confusing of all because of the wide variety of testing standards…or lack thereof.  Two of the basic tests that some companies will promote are the Gas Chromatography (GC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS) tests. Essentially what these tests do is separate the compounds within the oil, verify that there are no foreign contaminants, and make sure that the oil has it’s normal number of elements.

While two essential oil extracts may be pure, they can differ dramatically in their active constituents depending on plant selection, growing and harvesting methods, and distillation. Ensuring correct composition of an essential oil requires both precise testing and accurate interpretation of results by credentialed chemists with expertise in essential oils.

What to look for:

• Credentialed independent third party testing.
• Every batch of oil needs to be tested with both the GC and MS tests. We were surprised to find many companies who only test once or twice a year or only when they found a new supplier. This allows for a great deal of fluctuation in potency and purity. Also, to pass the GC test by itself only 3% of the essential oil needs to be present. The MS test is what verifies if it is all essential oil or if it has been diluted. As Beth mentioned earlier this week, some companies don’t even conduct the MS test at all.
• Total Plate Count – the TPC is designed to test the essential oils against bacteria, viruses, and mold. This test is not conducted by most companies but is an extremely  important test because it determines if the oil is potent and can be used to aid in fighting illness and other ailments.
• FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectophotometer) test makes sure the oil is of organic origins. It also identifies the species of plant the oil comes from and whether or not it comes from one source. Here’s why this test is ran. Some oil producers will isolate a particular element found in, lets say Geranium, which is also found in Frankincense. They will take that element along with other frankincense elements that are found in other oils and make a cocktail of sorts and call it “frankincense oil” when in fact it isn’t at all. The FT-IR can determine if it is actually all from the same organic origin or not.
• Organoleptic Testing – designed to test for the right color, viscosity, feel, odor, and taste. One thing we found in our research was that synthetic oils can smell the exact same as  pure oils. While it is important to make sure that the oils have all of these things it’s also important that this is not the only test that is conducted because many synthetic oils will pass this test.
• Shelf Life Test – With everything having expiration dates these days, it’s in the forefront of our minds when we look at products. How long will this stay good? When treated and processed with care, most essential oils can outlive you. Citrus oils are different since they are processed differently but they can still last for several years.

4. Bottling

While this step does not sound very important, it is in fact one of the most important steps.  We discovered that when it comes to bottling the essential oils, some companies would use filler oils to dilute and make their resources go further. These companies label their bottles “100% pure essential oils” because that was all that was needed to pass the Gas Chromatography testing and make it to your home or health food store as a “safe and natural” product for you and your family.

What to look for:
Again, because synthetic oils can pass the “smell” test it’s important to make sure that the FT-IR & MS tests have been conducted. They determine whether or not the oil has been diluted and if it is a cocktail or the real thing. Some companies will use synthetic oils because they feel it is no different than the real thing, or they will dilute the oil so that it stretches further. This is why there can be a huge difference between the potency and benefits from different brands of oils. The proof is in the actual user-experience. We have found people that use large amounts of Oregano or Peppermint daily and when we offer to try our oils they are blown away by the difference.

Also, an easy test that you can perform is to put a drop of your existing oil onto a piece of paper. Allow it time to dry completely (an hour or so). If it leaves behind a residue or watermark, that is a good indicator that your oils have been  diluted with a carrier oil.

5. Application

While application refers to the user experience of the oil, we include it here in our research as a critical piece of the essential oil puzzle.  Many companies simply place their oil on a shelf and expect potential customers to understand what each one can do and how to use it safely. Finding a company that recognizes the importance of education and safe practice of their oils is key to a safe and user friendly application of the oil.

What to look for:

• The company teaches and facilitates the responsible use of essential oils in health applications.
• The company works closely with healthcare professionals of traditional and alternative medicine.
• The company collaborates with universities and other research institutions to encourage continued study and application of essential oils in modern healthcare practices.

6. Now what?

Now that you know the “ins and outs” of producing the purest essential oils, where do you find them? After all the research that we conducted the only company that we have found that does all of the above is dōTERRA. We encourage you to conduct your own research and determine what you feel is best for your family but dōTERRA is the company we felt we could trust and that we could stand behind. Their products have empowered us to be in control of our family’s health.

While this post is not intended to sell you anything we recognize that there are going to be people who want more information about these products and how to get them in their homes.

Essential Oils and Homemade Baby Wipes

Homemade Baby Wipes- Help Prevent Diaper Rash!

I have not used these recipes on Rylee but I have a plan too.  Now that she is teething she has formed her first rash.  I love essential oils and have found them very helpful with Rylee when dealing with fever, teething and now diaper rash.  Below you will find 2 recipes that can be used when making your own wipes or just using a cloth.  I know many mommies who are using cloth diapers and this would be ok to use with them.   

Baby Wipe Recipe 1

2 cups water
1 tsp. Dr. Bronner's Unscented Baby-Mild Pure-Castile Soap
3 drops Melaleuca
3 drops Lavender

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle.  Spray on paper towel or cloth wipe right before use.

Baby Wipe Recipe 2

1 cup water
1 Tbsp. Dr. Bronner's Unscented Baby-Mild Pure-Castile Soap
1 Tbsp. Apricot or Almond Oil
2 drops Melaleuca
5 drops Lavender

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle.  Spray on paper towel or cloth wipe right before use.

Essential Oils are an everyday use in our home.  If you are interested in knowing more about essential oils let me know.  Even if you do not live in Colorado I can still help you!!

Monical.mpc@gmail.com

Take control of your own health care.    

Oregano Vs Amoxicillin

Educate yourself! Take charge of your own healthcare!

http://youtu.be/RAcl7PhOaBM

I don't know about you. But antibiotics were a thing in our family while my girls were growing up.  My girls would get your ear infections all the time. I would take them to the doctor and they would always prescribe an antibiotic like amoxicillin. I did not have any idea that most ear infection will eventually get better on their own  (according to web M.D.)

When my girls were young I knew nothing about the idea of taking control of my own health care.  All I knew as a young mom was if your kid was sick you took them to the DR.
If I knew then what I know now I would have made a lot of different choices.

Essential oils can be the first thing that a parent goes to before choosing to use an antibiotic. There are times when an antibiotic might need to be used but it will not be the first thing that I go to now.

Essential oils do not claim to cure, heal, or treat anything but then in comparison Dr's practice medicine.  I would much rather not put synthetic medications in my body if I don't have to.

Couple drops of oregano on your feet sure beats the cost of a Dr visit!!

Contact me if you would like to know more information about Essential Oils.  I would love to have a one on one consolation or have a class with you and a couple of your friends!

Monical.mpc@gmail.com

Start Education Yourself because no one else is going to do it.

His Work

His Work

May the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.  

Ps 90:17

I begin day two of praying for my husband with a text from my husband saying: “Day going Bad”

  

My husband texted me his wife to ask for prayer.  To lift him up to the King of Kings what an amazing privilege.  

Not knowing what day two of the “Power of Praying Wife” held for me I was not surprised that God had me praying for his work (because thats how God rolls)

I started out remembering Day one of my prayer time for David….Don’t be overwhelmed by the many ways to pray for David, allow the holy spirit to lead me, and remember that I may not see answers to my prayers right away.  

As I am thinking about my husband, I’m thinking about how his job does not acknowledge him for his hard work.  My attitude turn ugly toward them.  God corrects my thinking and I begin to pray for those he works for too.  Now that is not as easy as it sounds when people come up against your man.

Amazing things happen to our heart when we pray for another person.  

We can stand in the gap for our husbands by praying for them and the work that they do.  David is an amazing provider and somethings I take advantage of that by not thinking him for all he does.  

Here are some very practical ways to pray for our husbands and the work they do…

*That his gifts and talents would be revealed 

*That he would know the calling God has on his life

*That doors would be opened to him 

*That he would become all that God created him to be

*That he would find fulfillment, and confidence

*That he would develop skills that would become more valuable over the passing year

Lord I Pray today that you will show me how to encourage my husband when whose he works with are doing the very opposite.  Show me how I can show him appreciation for the hard worker he is for his family.  Lord thank you that I have a man that is willing to work hard for his family and also has his priorities inline.  May David be planted by the stream of your living water which will bear your fruit all the days of his life.  Amen

Reputation

Esther 10

What could be more important than a persons reputation.  Well, a few things but it definitely ranks up there fairly high.  

I have always been concerned about how people see me.  My reputation has been something that I strive to make sure is positive.  

I remember thinking after I became a Christian that I wanted my kids to remember me when I pass as a bible thumbing momma.  It is important to me for my kids to see me reading and living out the scriptures.  

I have always wanted to be seen as a person that loves her husband and respects and submits to him.  

I want those looking at my life to know that yes I have made billions of mistakes but that my heart is not vindictive and that I desire to love more than I hate.  

I also want those watching this bleep of a life to know how much My Savior means to me and how He changed my life from ashes to beauty.  

As I finish reading the book of Esther I realized that the one thing that was keep intact was Mordecai's reputation.  He had a good reputation among the Jews and the King.  

It was also a good reminder while reading Esther that even when the world looks like it is in the hands of evil people, God is still in control and he protects His people.  Although we may not understand everything that is happening in our life we can trust that God is in control.  We also need to maintain our integrity by doing what we know is right, even when it would be easier not to.    

No matter how hopeless the condition, or how much we want to give up and throw in the towel we need to remember that God is in control of our world.    

This is sometime easier said than done.  Our family is dealing with some hard things right now.  I have ask God many time Why? and questioned His decision to have our family carry this certain cross.  I keep hearing Him say "Monica I am God and you are not".  Although I know this I sometimes act like I am in control.  I try to act like I know better.  

There could not be anything farther from the truth.  

While I'm asking God to help me and show me what I can not see for myself, I am also continuing to pray that the cross be taken.  With that said, I end my prayers with but if you choose not to I will still serve you.  I want to leave a reputation of a person that followed God to the ends of the earth carrying what ever my lot.  

In the end I want to live a life that magnifies that He is God and I am not!

God's Goodness

Esther 9

My bible reading today was from Esther 9.  We see in this passage that the Jews have been given the right to defend themselves.  We have here a decisive battle fought between the Jews and their enemies, in which the Jews were victorious.  Haman has been killed and now his sons receive the same fate as he does.  

Reading this chapter I am struck by a few different ideas. 

The main thought is of Gods Goodness to his people.  What looks like a total possible annihilation of the Jews turns out to be a victorious fight for the Jews.  

However, they take nothing from their victory in means of possessions.  This was left because victory was not theirs but Gods.  

Interesting fact about this fight was that they gathered themselves together in their cities.  If they had not had an edict to warrant them, they may not have done it.  Had they acted separately, each family apart, they would have been an easy prey to their enemies; but acting as one, and gathering together in their cities, they strengthened one another, and face their enemies. 

Wow!!!  We talk a lot about relationships at MPC, about the R in C.O.R.E.  (C-corporate worship, 

O-Others focused, R-relationship with other believers, E-education of Gods word)

This passage talks about Gods people uniting together to defeat the enemy.  

Today the enemy would like nothing more than to separate us so that he could pick us off one by one.  

However, when we are in fellowship with other believer, when we are standing shoulder to shoulder against the enemy we are able to stand stronger against the enemy and draw strength from one another. 

Today we see so many people bashing and talking about other believer or other churches.  We see lots of people fighting and taking other beleivers to court over stuff.  

I think that we need to be very careful about this.  Yes I believe that we need to warn people when false teaching is being taught or when something is being said that is unbiblical but bashing just to make ourselves or our church look better can be very harmful to the body.  The big C-church as a whole.  

I don't say this without fingers pointing back at me.  I have been guilt of this on many occasions.   I hope that as I mature in Christ,  I begin to see things the way He sees them.  That my eyes are open to the things that hurt him and that they begin to have the same impact on me.  

I want to make it very clear however that when a church or its pastor begins go down a road that looks and  feels unscriptural that they should be called out.  I also believe that their are some that seem to look the part but if you listen carefully to their teaching you'll find that its really about them and not about God.  I believe that scripturally as believers its the obligation of the church to point this out.  

This is very different than just talking down about a church or pastor to make yours look better.   

Ok enough of that soap box!

Sometimes when I'm wrapped up in my own problems my own stuff I stop looking up.  I stop looking at where my help comes from.  The Jews relied on the goodness of their God and the justice of their cause, and resolved to make their utmost efforts against their enemies.  

I need to remember that my fight, my enemy is not flesh and blood but against the rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:12) Amen

Join me as I begin a two week journey to get Spiritually Ripped.  Catch up and listen to the past messages they are really good!!!

 http://meridianpointchurch.com/category/weekend-messages/

Vision

I talked to my Team Members on Sunday about the type of vision we wanted to have-

Panoramic Vision

 types of vision that we sometimes can have-

Myopic, tunnel, peripheral

I want for all of us to see the BIG picture.  To see beyond ourselves, beyond what only our eye see.  

Vision is SO important.  

I left Sunday feeling like oh I certainly have the capability of doing that in my Ministry but wow is that hard to do in my life, with my kids.  

I have began to read another book on prayer, which I am loving.  It is by Stormie Omartian, called Just enough light for the step I'm on.....trust God in the Tough Times.  

I have been enjoying this book very much.  I have been doing the study guide in the back during my quiet time and have found it to be very good for my soul.  I recommend buying it if you have not read it before.  

What I believe has been most fascinating thought is this over arching theme of trusting even when there is very little light.  When I have not idea where the situation that God is leading me to or through is going to take me.  

Easy enough right...just trust God in the tough times?  Nope not so easy.  Even after all theses years.  Yes I admit it has gotten easier, but definitely not easy.  I have lots of reservations still.  Which I know must hurt Gods heart.  He has done so much and has never failed me and yet......

Life is a walk.

Each day we take

steps.  Our tomorrow 

is determined by 

the steps we 

take today.  

Today as I continue on in my walk with the Lord I am choosing to not stay still but to take another step closer to him.  Knowing that he will be there with me to help and support no matter what.  

MICAH 4:2

 COME AND LET US GO UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD,

TO THE HOUSE OF THE GOD OF JACOB;

HE WILL TEACH US HIS WAYS

AND WE SHALL WALK IN HIS PATH!

I know how to count...... 1,2,3

Sometimes, life seems to just go by day by day, month by month until you look back and think, wow where has the time gone?  

There are other seasons where you find yourself counting down the minutes.  Realizing that you have managed to get through five or even 20 without thinking about this or that situation.   

God has made us so wonderful, this I know.  My brain continues to think on many nights way past what my body believes is a good thinking time.  

Sometimes I have to talk myself down off the thinking train long enough to get a few good hours of sleep so that I'm able to function the next day.  

Recently my brain is in over drive.  A desire for more information about certain topics is driving me crazy and maybe my husband too.  God is continuing to talk to me and explain that He's got me and my family and that all the knowledge is not going to be enough because what I am lacking right now is........FAITH

Seems like such an easy thing right?  He has always been faithful right?  He has never steered me wrong, has He?  And yet when I come to this fork, the fork I've been to before, different situation different time......always the same fork will I choose to trust him or will I choose my own road I stand scared.  

Not because I don't know which way to go but because I don't have any control.  When I feel a lack of control the forward motion ceases.  I feel like I'm in quick sand.  Have you ever felt that way? 

Oh God why?  You have not changed.  You are still the same God as yesterday!  Why do I doubt?  

And so as I ponder choosing His way, living by FAITH and not by sight I will count because that is one thing I have not forgotten how to do.  

I will count all the ways he shows up in my life.  I will count all my blessings.  I will count every way I see Him moving in my life and sometimes the way he sit right beside me while I cry.  I will choose to even in the hard Eucharisteo count.  I will choose to count I know how to count.....

1. thankful for western medicine and holistic medicine
2. for a husband who knows no end to the way he loves me
3. for the opportunity to be the mom to 3 little kids who came to me at different times, at different ages, but found their way to my home and into my heart forever                                              

and the counting begins, again so that I may see Him better 

#learningtocountagain

Cupping?!?!?!

What I looked like after cupping

Yep call me what you want but I will just about try anything once, as long as its legal and not against what the bible says.  

Today I went for an acupuncture treatment.  

Oh boy, I always enjoy how I feel afterwards.  

And today....was no different.

However Jerry, the  acupuncturist did a procedure called cupping.  It really has not been "proven" to work but many non traditional holistic medicine people believe it does.  

Basically here is the low down....a suction cup, a diabetic type needle and weird round bruising afterwards ^ as picture shows above.  

I try all kinds of things and enjoy learning alternatives to modern medicine, cupping included.  Although it looks like it must have hurt, it really didn't.  In fact, I left feeling very rejuvenated and refreshed.  I had tons of back pain and shoulder pain and left with no back pain and minimum shoulder pain. 

I love the look I get when I tell my boss what weird thing I'm doing now.  Most he would never try and laughs on the inside and outside at me when I tell him what I have done or are doing.  

 I enjoyed very much letting him know I will be leaving to have needles stuck in me, on purpose.  

Although I had no idea about the cupping I agreed to it and hope that I see extra relief from it too.  I text my boss to see if he knew what cupping was.  I know him pretty well and he most likely googled it.  I never heard back from him so i figured he is still shaking his head and laughing at me...oh and thinking what a freak I am.  

All the above might be true but the one thing I do know is that my back and shoulder feel better, and I don't have to take any medicine that will destroy my liver. 

So since that is the case I will be returning on Wednesday for more needles.....now that sounds weird :) 

"I don't want to pray"

On Saturday I overheard my husband talking on the phone and what I heard coming out of his mouth is not something I want to hear again.  My oldest daughter had been held up at gun point at a local bank.  A gun had been pointed at her head and $3000 of her companies money taken from her. 

She was not by herself another employee was in his car not far and tried to protect her but the gun was then turned on him.(please pray for him. He is having a hard time and I don't know if he is a believer)  

As I sat holding my 5 month old, freshly bathed, grand daughter I began to cry.  I knew she was safe, I knew he had not harmed her physically, he had not harmed her coworker physically, but I knew then he had taken something.....her sense of safety.  

Tons of emotions went through my head and I began to thank God for keeping her safe.  I had actually been praying for her all day.  A friend and I had gone to lunch and within a 30 minute period of time 2 prayers were lifted up for her regarding another situation.  I had no idea that God would be answering our prayers for her that day in a much bigger way.  

As I waited for my baby girl to get home I called upon some prayer warriors to pray for our family, for Jelissa.  I literally called people, I posted on Facebook and I called upon our lifegroup to pray pray pray!!! And let me just say no one let us down.  We had text messages and calls coming for 24+ hours.  We had people willing to drop everything and come to our house if we needed and we had people posting on their Facebook pages to pray for Jelissa.  I loved seeing the Church lift her up and cover her in prayer the way they did.  

When my baby walked in the door I knew she would need her momma, and she sure did.  Her head immediately hit my chest and tears ran. As I held her I thanked God over and over for allowing me to hold her again.  

It was a long night of talking and talking and crying but we finally made our way to bed.  Jelissa did not sleep all night but her brother woke up and came down and watch TV all night with her.  (Sure glad it was a Saturday night)

As I went to bed the event kept playing over and over in my head.  It was hard to stop thinking about it.  Eventually I found myself thinking about the man who had done this to my daughter.  I felt so many emotions.  I keep hearing God tell me to pray for this man.  I remember rolling over and thinking 

"I don't want to pray"

I eventually did give in and found myself being obedient to God.  I did pray for this man who had done this horrible thing to my daughter.  I have prayed for some hard things in life but this was close to the top.  

Forgiving a man who holds a gun to your babies head, and asking that he finds God that night was hard but I did it.  I will continue to do it so that hatred and anger will not build up in my heart as Satan would like it to.  

God never said this road would be easy or this life here would be easy, He did however say we would never be alone.  I am so glad that He is with me, He is with Jelissa and that He was with her that night!  

He is so Faithful!!!

Doterra Wellness Advocate

DOTERRA

I recently became a Doterra Essential Oil Wellness Advocate.  I'm super excited.  I began to use essential oils around 2 months ago because I needed to find an alternative way to help my daughter who has ADHD.  

We had tried medication last year and it turned her into a little girl who ended up being scared to walk on grass, and refused to separate from us.  It got so bad that when she started Kindergarten after several weeks she was crying everyday, rocking under her desk, and having so many melt downs that she was unable to continue school due to her emotional break downs.  

I normally don't share this much about my kiddos.  I feel that in order for you to see the whole picture you have to know the beginning.  So we pulled her out of school, took her off all ADHD medications which included stimulates during the day and sleep aids at night.  And the worse part is NONE of this helped my little girl at all.  In fact it changed her personality and who God had made her.  

Fast forward to 2 months ago......I knew school was going to be starting and I had no idea what we were going to do.  She definitely has ADHD she needs help to focusing and a little side note a lot of people who deal with ADHD also have issues with depressions so this is another area that we have to deal with regularly.  Oils!!  Sounds kind of Witch Doctor to me!  

Seriously I used those words :)

At this point I would try anything and especially something that was all natural.  

I have been using oils for 2 months now.  Is everything perfect?  No she still has had a bad day here and there but it is nothing like it was.  She has started school and in the past 2 plus weeks she has only had 1 bad day.  Which is so much better than it was before oils.

I love these oils.  They have worked for several things in my house from headaches, stomach aches, fevers, and sleep issues.  We use them all the time.  

Would you like to find an alternative to using synthetic medicines.  Would you like to replace your medicine cabinet with Natural Solutions.  Let me know.  I would love to let you know what we are doing in our house.  I would love to show you a Natural Alternative to Modern Medicine.  

More about what oils I’m using coming soon!!

Email questions to lifeatthelivingstons@gmail.com

Eagle Lake Camp

My boy went to Camp this past week.  He had an amazing time.  He started the week off wanting to do artery.  Of course the one thing that he wanted to do the most did not happen until Friday the very last day.  He took to artery easily.  I was so proud of him.  His best friend stood behind him and cheered him on.  I was so glad that him and Lucas were able to be in the same group.  They got really close and we really like Lucas and his family a lot.  Camp was the best and D can hardly wait for next year.

 

Dehydrating Herbs....

So while I was down in Otis Colorado for the 4th of July my wonderful sister-in-law gave me TONS of herbs out of her garden.  I love fresh herbs!!!  However, with that said I was given so many that I began to think immediately what I would do so that I I did not waste any.  

Both her and my mother-in-law have mint peppermint and spearmint growing at their house.  I dug up lots to "try" and grow at my house.  If you know my at all your surprised that my kids are still alive because I don't have a green thumb.  In fact now that I think about it when it comes to gardening I am thumb less, can't grow a thing.  (however I have managed to kept 6 kids alive so that should count for something lol)

Any who.....I brought home parsley, chives, rosemary, Greek oregano, tarragon(I've never used this spice so send recipes please), BBQ rosemary, Greek thyme, spicy oregano, cilantro, sage, and the wonderful basil.  

I had so much that I thought first should I freeze it?  But in the end after much deliberation dehydration won!!!

Spearmint plant that we are putting in the background!

This last picture is mint that I decided not to dry out and not to plant.  I have been putting mint into my water and my ice tea.  Oh boy does it make my drinks taste yummy.  So I decided to leave some in water on my counter to take root.  This here is peppermint but I also have a spearmint one on the counter too.  Sure makes drinking water a whole lot easier. 

Still In Love

I got to go to Otis Colorado for the 4th of July which is so fun for me and my family.  This year was very different.  My father-in-law just had his second knee operated on in less than 8 weeks.  

It was the first time that I got to see him.  He is doing so good.  I have never seen him on drugs which was very interesting :)  the slurred speech after he took his medications made me laugh. 

He slept a lot and ate very little which is very out of character for him.  He also has a physical therapist come and exercise with him several times a week.  

One of the exercises that he has to do causes him extreme pain.  He dreads doing this exercise and the worse part is he has to do it 2 time a day and it takes him approximately 12 minutes to do.  

I heard him and my mother-in-law talking about him having to go into the room begin.  I sat in the recliner in the living room and I could see my in-laws laying on their bed beginning the exercise.  The next thing I heard was singing.  For the next 12 minutes my in-laws sang hymns while doing the very painful stretching.  

I watched them lay on the bed hugging each other singing hymns.  

It bought tears to my eyes to watch them 2 times each day love on each other.  

I did not grow up seeing parents love on each other like this.  So this is so foreign to me.  I am so blessed to have the privilege to be a part of this love story that is so beautiful. 

  

EO

Yah what in the world is EO.  Well I have recently entered the world of essential oils..I have now attended 2 classes and the more I learn about oils the more I know that I really want to use them for my family. 

God made our body to do amazing things. And when given good nutrious food and natural herbs and vitimans the body can do amazing things all without the synthetics medications drs want to prescribe.

I'm super excited learn as much as I can so that my family can be as healthy as they can be. 

Facebook

So I've decided not to use facebook anymore. I guess the main reason is it was no longer uplifting to me anymore. I find myself more upset by the comment than anything. I see so much gossip and church bash that I finally had enough. I don't care if you don't go to my church, I don't care if you like hobby lobby or not.  Don't get me wrong I care about people. I care about their relationship with God but using facebook to bash the church is not ok. Jesus loves the church. He loves His people. I love the church, I love His people. It was just hurting me inside. 

In the end facebook was about connect to people seeing their kids, seeing people from far away not a place where I wanted to see peoples political agenda argued or even discuss hobby lobby and birth control. 

By the way that it just a couple reasons for leaving. I also don't like family drama. I don't want to be a part and a good way to avoid it is to not get involved. I don't want to be the facebook family stalker.  

"I wonder if so in so posted anything today, or look she is doing" (and then I'd be upset) which is what I was doing. I'm sure God was really please with that.....NOT

So all in all facebook was not a health place for me and for that reason alone I must step away. 

I will be posting here and on twitter more regularly.