The Young Living Oil Test: Lavender

This week's Young Living Oil that I am highlighting is LAVENDER.  Last December a friend of mine was having a special offer to try the YLO oils.  I was interested because I'm kind of a granola and yogurt eating hippie.  Plus, I've really struggled with allergies, headaches, and digestive issues lately, and I was looking for some relief.  I asked her where I should start and she recommended the lavender oil, calling it the Swiss Army Knife of oils.  And she wasn't kidding.  In the past seven months, I have used this oil for many different things and all of it has helped me greatly.  Here are some of the things I've done with the oil:

1. Sleep Better.  Young Living Oil recommends that for better sleep you take two drops, rub it on your hands and then your pillow for better sleep.  I like to rub it on the bottom of my feet as well.  It definitely has helped me calm my mind and fall asleep quickly.  Now when I go to bed, I have to smell lavender to sleep!
2. Clean Better.  I put 20 drops of lavender oil in a spray bottle with some water and used it to clean windows and also as alternative to Febreeze.  Everything smells so fresh!
3. Feel Better.  When I have a stress headache, you know, the kind that starts at your neck and works your way up to your head, I take some of the oil and massage it on my neck.  Within about 10-15 minutes, I feel the tension released and my head slowly stops hurting.  Also, I was having some bad PMS a few weeks ago and I put some Lavender in my water and drank it, which helped me to feel much more calm.  Now I'm trying it out with some lemon and peppermint to help my allergies.  I'm praying I can be free of my allergy medication and feel like a normal person!
4. Heal Better.  My dad is allergic to a brand name cut ointment.  Because of this, I've never put said ointment on my body.  However, I know cuts heal better with medicine.  I got a good cut this past weekend when catsitting for The Nurse.  I've rubbed the cut twice a day with the lavender and it is healing quite nicely.  It stings a little at first, much like when you rub peroxide on a cut, but it is looking much better and healing very quickly.  Also, I had a weird bruise on my thumb and in a day, after the lavender oil, said bruise is gone.

There you go! My review and experience with lavender oil.  I'm sure that this is only scratching the surface of all the uses.  One way I am looking forward to using this oil is when school starts, is diffusing it in my classroom.  I want to create a calm environment, so I am going to diffuse it in the afternoons, which seem to be a high energy time. According to several studies, it can boost brain power and concentration while lowering stress and anxiety in the workplace, so I'm sure it will be very helpful in the classroom, especially the first few weeks when kiddos are very nervous about school and have a hard time transitioning from summer break.  (And I'm sure it will be great for the adults in the room too!) I will report back!  If you are on the fence about trying the oils, start here...you won't regret it!

*If you want more information about Lavender and the basic uses for it, check out this PDF by www.got-oils.com.  Helpful and a great printout to keep handy!  (Of course, I'm a teacher, so I really like handouts.

Matchmaker Monday: When Singleness Is Hard

Being single is hard.  I'm not even going to try and sugar coat it.  It is hard when you are in high school and all of your friends except you had a prom date.  It is hard when you are in college and are constantly "friend-zoned."  (I've been there.  I'm the Emperoress of Friend-zone land.  Which kind of looks like Elsa's ice castle and I'm singing 'Let it Go' for a number of reasons.)  It is hard in your late twenties when EVERYONE is getting together with their special someone, whether through dating or marriage.  It is hard in your thirties when your friends are popping out babies faster than you can keep up.  (2014- A very fertile year for lots of people I know.) Being single is hard.

Why do I say that? Why am I pointing out how hard it is?  Well because sometimes I think that people don't acknowledge it.  Especially Christian people and friends.  I was reading Job out of the Message last week at a small group.  As we went through it, I noticed something about Job and his well meaning friends.  You see, Job was suffering great losses because of evil in the world.  Satan was trying to draw Job away from God by causing all kinds of loss.  In fact, it got to the point, Job just sat and mourned his state of life.  He didn't know that Satan was causing all the bad.  No, Job was clueless as to the part he was playing.  Job's friends heard about his suffering and came and silently mourned with him.  But after some time, they began to offer their advice, which sounds more like, "Hey Job, you must have done something to make God mad.  Figure out your sin, repent of it, and then you'll be restored."  Job kept listening to the advice and maintained he hadn't done anything wrong.  In fact, Job finally becomes frustrated and angry with God the more he listened to the council of his friends.

Now, I'm not equating singleness to the suffering of Job.  But I have encountered a lot of friends during my singleness that are like Job's friends.  They offer advice, which if you are single you've heard. "Well, be more content with Jesus.  Once you're satisfied in Him, your spouse will come into your life."  "Maybe if you went to another church where it was easier to meet people." "When I gave up and stopped looking, that is when it happened."  "Have you tried online dating?"  "What about set-ups?"  "Keep asking God, He will bless you with someone soon."  "Maybe God is trying to teach you something."  The list goes on.  You all could probably fill the comments section with well meaning but not the best advice.  Why do I say it isn't the best?  Because often times for singles, that advice can plant a seed where we can easily become frustrated and angry with God, just like Job.

Does that mean I want all my friends or family to leave me alone when it is hard?  No, probably the exact opposite.  I think what all single people desire when it gets hard is what Job's friends did first.  We just need you to sit and listen for a while.  Come over to our house and watch some TV with us.  Meet us for a run at the park.  Help us discover our favorite ice cream flavor.  And when it is really hard and we just need someone to cry with us for a moment, hand us a tissue.  Then, remind us, not of us, not of our situation, but instead, remind us of God's character.  Instead of advising our situation, remind us that we serve the Great I AM.  Remind us that God is a good and perfect father, giving us good and perfect gifts.  Remind us that God loved us so much that while we were still sinners God sent Jesus to die for us.  Remind us that God has a plan for us, one that will show the world of His Love. Remind us that while we may have trouble in this world, God will give us peace. The truth of WHO God is will carry us through the hard times.

So if you are single and it is hard right now, find someone or a few someones to sit with you in the hard time.  Point yourself back to the truth of God's character.  Spend sometime being honest with God.  It won't "magically" fix your situation, but it will fix your focus onto GREATER things.  And then you can walk forward into the hard times.

Soulful Sunday: In The Fire

It seems like I've been going through some emotionally stretching times.  Nothing major has happened, it is just that there has been an internal struggle for me about trusting God.  Today I wanted to post two incredible sermons that encouraged me and hopefully will encourage you.  The pastor is Carl Lentz, from Hillsong NYC.  There is definitely some real talk in these messages.  Listen and be encouraged!

Saturday's List: Changes Up Ahead!

Hello My Friends!

If you haven't noticed, or if you have, the blogs have become sparse the past four months.  Part of it is the season that I'm in right now with God.  It has been difficult and hard to process.  Before posting anything, I really wanted to wrap my head around it because if I blog out of feelings, I could say something I would regret.  Not only that, but I know God is asking me to become more public with some of my struggles, to help encourage others, and I've avoided it.  However, I feel like I'm in a good place to obey and move forward with some things.

If you personally know me, you know that I can be heavily interested in about, oh say, 40 different things at once.  Maybe I have ADD and I've never been formally diagnosed.  Maybe I want to live life to the fullest.  Whatever that may be, it is difficult for me to have a blog that focuses in only on one part of my life.  I'm making some changes in order to address all of my current interests and passions at the moment.  Some of the posts will stay familiar, while I am adding new topics for the week.  Hopefully this will be beneficial not only to myself, but to you my friends.  With that being said, here is how the blog is going to work:

Sunday- Soulful Sunday: A post about what is speaking to me in my relationship with God.  It may be a song, sermon, or something I read in the Bible.

Monday- Matchmaker Monday:  A post about how to be a Christian Single Woman and the unique journey I'm on to let God bring my husband in my life.

Tuesday- The Young Living Oil Test:  I've become hooked on YLO recently.  I've just become  a member, so one a week, I'm going to pick an oil, tell you what it is for and review it as well.

Wednesday- What is Entertaining Me Wednesday:  Just a short post on the book, movie, TV show, or music that is entertaining me this week.

Thursday- Thoughtful Thursday:  A post on something I'm contemplating for the week.  It could be how OKC needs a breakfast delivery service to an opinion about religious freedom.

Friday- Fresh Start Friday:  A blog dedicated to health and fitness.

Saturday- Saturday's List:  All the random stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else!

Cheers friends!  Hope you enjoy the reboot!

Ames

It is Radiant Shades of Black, White, and Gray

God definitely is continuing teaching me about His sovereignty over all. Last year, He placed quite a few circumstances to help me see things are not always defined in black and white terms, but more often black, white, and gray.  Because of this, and because I often miss the gray area when thinking, I decided to capture any picture that I take for Instagram this year in black and white. I haven't taken many this year, but each time I do, I notice so many variations and nuances in black, white, and gray. Sometimes the images look so different and I see details I would have missed had the image stayed in full color. 

Life is like that for me. If you look at the picture above, I was using these items to begin a new art project. I was experimenting with using some different materials and new ways to manipulate the materials. After I finished, I was frustrated because it didn't look anything like I anticipated. I felt like the project was a failure. I was angry because I wasted time experimenting when I could have made progress on the actual project.  I should have just stuck to what I knew how to do.  After leaving the papers on the floor for a while, I came back and snapped a picture of the pile. I turned the image into black and white and my perspective changed. I could see where I shaded better. I could see the graphic impact of the design better. I could also see where I could improve and modify to create more of what I desired. Instead of feeling like a failure, I saw where I could make changes and go forward in learning.  By seeing the radiant shades of gray, I saw that it was ok that I tried something new. It allowed me to grow in my artistic abilities.

God allows circumstances to come into our lives. Instead of seeing them as black and white, failure or success, maybe it is time to view the circumstances through the radiant shades of gray. What was good about that experience? Where did we grow? What can we take forward with us? I'm reminded of a conversation I had with some of my single friends a few months ago. We were talking about God bringing dating situations into our lives and it not working out like we hoped. One friend made a very profound statement. She said that while meeting this man for coffee could be viewed as another failed attempt in dating, it actually opened her eyes to how mature a Christian man could be, and that is what she was looking for in life. She didn't see the coffee date as black or white, but saw the truth through the radiant shades of gray. Her perspective helped me view my circumstances in a different way. I may think this friendship failure, or this way of teaching math failed, but instead I need to look at the radiant shades of gray and learn.

Where do you need a little radiant shades of gray perspective today? Take a moment and reflect on those things you feel are either successes or failures. Process them with grace and find where you can take those lessons with you into the future.

Soulful Sunday: This is Amazing Grace

My new favorite song about GRACE

Saturday's List

Brought to you by the letter P

1. People: I'm guilty of getting trapped into thinking all about me a lot of times instead of thinking about others. Sometimes I need to step outside of myself and think how I could better love others. Maybe it is some quality time, an encouraging word or an act of service that I need to schedule or do.

2. Perspective. When faced with difficult decisions, I tend to get bogged down in the details and see things from a limited perspective. It is good to stop and ask others for their view points. Often it gives a fresh perspective and decisions become easier to make.

3. Popularity. I used to struggle a lot in school. I never wanted to be popular, but I also never wanted to do something that went against the popular wave. Lately I've struggled with how I view myself because in my eyes, my life is not one that would be popular in American society. It has been a daily struggle to lay it all down and be obedient to God's calling right now.

4. Patience. Apparently I have none. :-) I want things in my life to happen and I'm tired of waiting. Every opportunity feels more like a missed chance. For example, last Sunday night my church offered a connection event for people to find a life group. I thought this was great since I've prayed for a new group. However, the event was really hard for me to meet a leader of a group that would be a good fit. Maybe it is because I'm introverted in situations like that, but by the evening's end, I felt like it was a missed chance.  I guess I just need to continue in patient prayers.