Get Ready For Summer Fun--NATURALLY!

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Photo by Todd DeSantis on Unsplash

Summer is just around the corner and that means FUN IN THE SUN!!!

That also means, bumps, bug bites, sprains, scratches, sunburns, and all sorts of owies! Just goes with the territory.

So, I thought I would let you know my recommendations for an all-natural first-aid kit. 

Miracle Skin Salve from Beeyoutiful is awesome at promoting healing and restoration of all those little scratches and bug bites. It works for sunburn, chapped lips or skin, minor burns (if in doubt, please seek medical attention), cuts & abrasions, and so much more.

Ow! Ease I love this for sprains, strains, bruises, and so much more.

Activated Charcoal--

• Capsules--These are an easy way to swallow the charcoal for tummy upsets or for possible ingestion of poisons. Please call the Poison Control Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 before administering an antidote.
  This is also easy transportation for charcoal used externally. Just open a capsule to make a poultice for stings and rashes. There is an informative book, Charcoal Remedies, here. 
• You can also buy activated charcoal in larger sizes 10 ounces and one pound.

Shoo those pesky insects away!!!

• Jungle Fierce
• Bug Me Not

Essential Oils--

• Peppermint is a medicine chest of its own! It helps with tummy issues, headaches, motion sickness, nausea, and when mixed with a little water and spritzed on the body, it helps the cooling down process. 
• Lavender will help that over-excited child fall asleep, calm someone down after an injury, sooth the itching of bug bites. (Please remember to properly dilute in a carrier oil before applying to the skin. Beeyoutiful has this already diluted, in a roller ball.)
• Relieve It is a blend of essential oils that is the best thing going for instant, long-lasting relief of itching from insect bites. I have found it also works well for that itch that comes along as other owies are healing up. 
• Tea Tree Oil is a natural disinfectant. Keep it handy not only for cleaning wounds (never "neat" only properly diluted.) and for using to clean up around the campsite, boat, etc. 
• Chamomile is a soother, sleep aid safe for use on even small children (when diluted), aids digestion, good for skin care, relieves pain, reduces anger, helps depression. 
• Rose Geranium is a tick repellant. I apply it to pants hems, shirt hems, and sleeve hems. Just one drop in each place. It doesn't take much. This also gives the added benefit of aromatherapy of calming.
• You can obtain the Lavender, Tea Tree Oil and Chamomile essential oils, already diluted, in rollerballs here.
  

Don't forget plenty of fresh water and the aloe gel of your choice.

You simply must stay hydrated in the heat of summer. 

Aloe gel is a cooling (keep it in the ice chest) for those that are overheated or have gotten a touch of sunburn. 

Disclaimers: Nothing I have written here should be considered medical advice. Always, always consult your healthcare provider. 

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Photo by Andrew Ruiz on Unsplash

Tolerance vs. Acceptance

This has actually been a long time coming. For many years I have been against tolerance.

Yes, heard the collective drawing in of everyone's breath. Please, let me explain.

Tolerance is defined as:

1:  capacity to endure pain or hardship :  endurance, fortitude, stamina

2
a :  sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own

b :  the act of allowing something :  toleration

Yes, this can be good. What the dictionary doesn't explain to us, is the social implications of the word. Socially tolerate conjures images of putting up with, enduring something we do not want to endure. It projects an image of, "Well, I'll tolerate this for the rest of this event." or "OMG! WHY!?"

Acceptance is defined as:

1

:  an agreeing either expressly or by conduct to the act or offer of another so that a contract is concluded and the parties become legally bound2
:  the quality or state of being accepted or acceptable3
:  the act of accepting :  the fact of being accepted :  approval

Acceptance is well, just that-acceptance.

Ask yourself, would you rather be tolerated or accepted? 

The Four (Five) Agreements First of Five Installments

Sometimes, things in your life just keep happening. You wonder, "Why?" I have come to believe it is because you have not yet learned the lesson therefore Creator God, keeps presenting it.

Recently, the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (available here The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) ) was given to me. I have read it in the past and it is one of those books worth reading. There is now a fifth agreement (available here The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery (Toltec Wisdom) ). This, i have not read, but with some research, discovered what it is.

These five simple agreements, made with ones own self, applied to your own life, are powerful. They transcend culture, nationality, religion, spirituality. They are the true reality of your own core being.

Let's explore:

1. Be impeccable with your word Speak with integrity, say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

So easy, yet so hard. We live in a society that all but demands we speak with integrity, yet at the same times we are only supposed to look a certain way, speak a certain way, think a certain way, act a certain way, have a job that pays so much, drive certain vehicles--the list is endless.

We look in the mirror at our reflection each morning as we get ready for the day and wonder how to make that illusion society wants from us a reality--or at least a believable illusion.


We begin by speaking to ourselves that we must dress to look skinny since we are not as skinny as we should be. We comb our hair into a style that will impress others around us. We tell ourselves we must use certain brands of body wash, perfume/cologne, hair products, etc. We stop at a certain coffee shop on the way to work because we must maintain the illusion we can afford it.

At work, we not only listen to the "office" gossip, we actually participate in it--even if you only listen.

This Agreement, that I believe we all should make with ourselves-tells us to speak with integrity to others and ourselves. How can you be honest with others if you are not honest with yourself?

Why do you speak "ugly" (as my Mother would say) to yourself about yourself? Creator God did make any mistakes when He made each of us. He made us in His image-therefore when we speak bad about ourselves we are putting Him down.

Ever made a mistake? So has everyone else. We tell each other, "Judge not lest you be judged!", then we start using our words against others. "Did you hear Suzy went out with that biker dude? What was she thinking?' You just judged Suzy and her date with your words. In doing so, you brought judgement upon yourself-from yourself-just wait til the drive home-you will start whispering words to yourself about every little mistake you made today.

Try speaking words of truth and love to yourself and everyone around you. Tell yourself "Good Morning!" Tell everyone you see 'Good Day." Make a positive comment, "You look nice today." After a week of this you will see such an improvement in yourself, in your attitude, in your outlook on life, in how you feel about yourself.

Consider this-[1Pe 3:10 KJV]  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

[Pro 12:19 KJV]  The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue [is] but for a moment.
[Pro 15:4 KJV]  A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life: but perverseness therein [is] a breach in the spirit.
[Pro 18:21 KJV]  Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
[Pro 21:23 KJV]  Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

When It Rains, It Pours

This was written 28 December 2000



WHY? We all ask this question a lot. Why, before we can work through one problem, does another (or several others) crop up?

Some say it is the Devil. To be glad that he is ‘after' you. If you were not serving God, Satan would have no need to be after you.

Others say it is God. He is ‘testing' your faith. Doesn't He already know all about your faith?

Some say it is God ‘whipping' you. That you are a dis-obedient child and He is lovingly trying to get you back ‘where you should be'.

Still others say it is just part of the fall from grace.

I am not sure which of these theories is correct, if any of them are. I know I have believed each and every one of them at some point in time.

It is not good to ask ‘Why?' sometimes.

Maybe there is truth in each of these theories.

Maybe one comes into play when the others do not.

I do know God said it would rain on the bad and the good.

Maybe this is one of those questions we are not to know the answer to.

People!?

This piece was written 13 January 2001



Why do others question your decisions in your walk with God?

Is it really their business? Do they make themselves feel better by making you feel belittled? Are they trying to get God to see your faults so maybe He will lay off them??

It is so frustrating to pray and seek God's will for a situation and He tells you to do 'A' when your heart is screaming to do 'B'. You know you must submit to His grace, justice and love and obey, but you still have to deal with fear and questions.

You do something, knowing it is what God wants you to do. Knowing He has a greater thing to accomplish and what happens--those He called before you to do this, those He wanted to do it in the first place--try to make you feel like a dog.

Think before you run from God's calling. When you refuse to obey, He has to get someone else to do it in your stead. Your disobedience does affect more than just you. You may protect yourself from some pain, but you may cause pain for others.

Family

This piece was written 16 January 2001


Is blood really thicker than water? We all grow up being told it is. We all want to believe we can count our family in times of trouble, but can we?

We go through rough times and if they are Christians they will say they are praying for us. Most likely they do. Some will pray fervently and not stop until they get that prayer through to the throne room. Others will say a quick, "God help them." if they think about it.

Pretty much like your friends, some are good time buddies and some are there through thick and thin, sick and sin.

Is it that they think your troubles will rub off and they'll have problems also? Do they not want to make a sacrifice of anything? Do they think God is chastising you? Are they surface Christians? Do they think the trial will make you stronger?

OR...

Do they know they are God's arms and legs here on earth? Do they know God never wants His children to suffer? Do they know God may be chastising you, but that He answers prayer and this could be the time you hit your knees?

The Bible says that in the end times families will turn on each other... Are we living in the end times???

Of Bibles, Books & Denominations

This is something I wrote on 26 February 2001. It was previously published on a no defunct website that paid per view.


We recently met a gentleman that is a wonderful person. At least we thought so. He offered to help us out with transportation problems, taking me places when David was at work and offering to sell us his extra vehicle. We helped him gather wood and offered to help him with any chores around his homestead.

He approached his church to take up a love offering and have a clothing drive for us. We knew nothing of this and of all things did not need any clothes. I have sent a pick up load to the local food bank that gives clothes also and plan on sending more! My husband wondered how to let this church know they were not buying our "membership".

This gentleman then proceeds to let us know that only, or at least mostly, his denomination was going to Heaven. Now, I've heard of this sort of thing before but never encountered it. My personal beliefs are that man and NOT God created the different denominations. Your Godly, Christian character, your heart, your relationship with God will determine your entrance into Heaven.

The next point was that only the 1611 King James Version of the Bible is the real Bible and anyone that has ‘funny' Bibles in there home is asking for demons to come torment, oppress, and possess them. That very Bible says to study to show thyself approved. As KJV was not translated from the original languages but from other ‘versions' and knowing that something is lost in translating from one language to another, what is wrong with studying to show thyself approved?

Next came that only ‘church' is the correct place to worship God and gather with other believers. and that there has to be an ‘altar call' at each and every church service/gathering of believers. We have been fellowshipping with some Plain/Amish Christians. The Bible says not to forsake the gathering together of believers. In the early days of the Church, people met in each other's homes, caves, or wherever they could get together. Witnessing was done out. They went ‘out' to witness to those considered lost. If the altar call is to allow lost souls to pray for salvation, isn't it a moot thing if the gathering is of BELIEVERS?

God did not create the church building or denominations. He created us. He gave us His Son as atonement for our sins. He does not dictate that if you join one church or the other, that is the way to Heaven. He said we have to accept the offering of Jesus. We must confess to Him our sins. We are commanded to share the gospel with all we can.

Please, do not join the ranks of this man and loose sheep. My husband will not set foot in this particular church because of its views. My oldest daughter feels the same. My children had grown to love this gentleman and have now been hurt by him.

©Mary Ellen Harvley 2001
May not be copied or reproduced, in any way without prior permission from author.

Help Heal Phoenix

UPDATES ARE ADDED AT THE BOTTOM.

Phoenix and his twin brother Malachi were born prematurely by emergency c-section. Their Mother discovered her pregnancy when she went to the doctor for missed periods and he told her that as she had undergone a tubal ligation and was using back-up birth control she wasn't pregnant. After an exam the doctor said she had a "missed miscarriage" and wanted to do a D&C. 

Misty refused. She preferred to wait to see if her body would do this on its own. Weeks later she was told was pregnant-one baby. She planned a weekend retreat to tell the Daddy. Before that weekend came, he was killed in a car wreck .Now she is told she is expecting twins. She chooses names. Though her heart is breaking, she has other children and these two wonderful Gifts from God on the way. She must go on. Now the news is that the babies are sharing not only an amniotic sack (bag of waters) they are sharing the same placenta.(Learn more about MoMO Twins here.) This makes it nearly impossible for both babies to live to birth. As a matter of fact, she was told no less than three times that Phoenix was dead. 

She is put on bed rest. During this time my husband was nearing the end of his walk on this earth. Misty had offciated at our Wedding. He asked for her. She came. Sat with us as much as she could. When he passed, she was there to bless the gound and perform his last Ceremony.

A few weeks before the birth Misty was told Phoenix had a "small hole" in his heart. Nothing bad-they would give him some medication for 24 hours after he was born and all would be well. I got there right after the Cardiologist left--Phoenix indeed had a small hole in his heart-along with several other heart defects. There was a name for it-Tetrology of Fallot. He would need to be kept calm at all times. No crying. Several surgeires throughout his life. For the first few months he would have to be fed very small amounts around the clock as to not stress his heart. He also had to gain weight slowly so his damaged heart could keep up.

Fast forward five months. He goes in for surgery. They find another hole in his heart. He has been splayed open, fixed temporarily until he grows so much more surgery is needed. He has complications but is sent home. Now he must not be exposed to many people and definitely no germs for six weeks. his Mom and God-Mother take up residence in the master bedroom of the family's apartment to keep as isolated as possible.

Misty has not been able to work in months. She has a family to support. Times are tough.

Please, consider making a donation to help this family make it through these times.

There are three ways to donate--if you are in the Nashville, Tennessee or Dickson, Tenneessee area just go to a Cornerstone Credit Union Branch. Tell them you need to make a donation to the Phoenix Garrett Account. Or you may send a donation through PayPal to twinphoenixboy@gmail.com. any amount, no matter how small is needed. Small actions will add up to something big. Or you can go to Indiegogo by clicking here or on the box to the upper right.

UPDATES

Sept. 3 2012 Phoenix is still having crying spells that last up to an hour. The doctors warned this could happen. It happens around the clock. His heart rhythms still are not correct so they are now saying another surgery soon to put in a pacemaker. 

This will entail another blood drive. His blood is B negative. The doctors do not want to tax his already taxed body by giving him O negative. If you are B Negative and can get to Nashville be on standby and contact Misty below at her Facebook page so she can set the appointments up when the time comes. 

No matter your blood type, but especially if your Rh factor is negative, please donate blood on a regular basis.


Sept. 5, 2012 Phoenix saw his Pediatric Cardiologist yesterday. His heart is still out of rhythm. She wants to do a 48 hour test on him but the stickers have to go where his scar is. She wants to wait until that his healed so as to not risk irritation that could lead to infection. It does look as though he will be needing a pacemaker. 

He has also lost his appetite so the doctor has decreased his lasix dosage (this is to move the excess fluid from around his heart and lungs). He is already on 22 calories per ounce of intake and may need to go to 24 calories ounces per ounce.

Here is the link to the first story done by Fox17 Nashville.

Misty can be contacted through her Facebook page.

I can be contacted through my Facebook page.

Questions On Spirituality We Should All Answer for Ourselves

I began reading "Native Wisdom: Perceptions of the Natural Way" by Ed McGaa, Eagle Man. I only read a few pages. I read enough to understand that the book had come out of an invitation to speak, along with others of differing belief systems, at a college. He was addressing a Humanities class and they had submitted a set of questions they wanted to be answered by each speaker.

I turned to the back of the book and found the list of questions. Reading through these I realized that it would be truly beneficial for every person to answer these questions for themselves about themselves. 

In reality, how many of us can calmly, rationally and convincingly answer serious questions about our own Spiritual Beliefs?

Most of us were taught things like, "Never discuss religion." 'Never argue about religion."  and "Never discuss religion and politics in the same conversation."

I have never understood these idioms and I prefer to use the word Spirituality as opposed to religion. Your Spirituality, or claimed lack of it, affects every aspect of your thinking and living. How are we to ever understand and accept each other, if we do not discuss it?

These questions presented to Ed McGaa are divided up into sections, the sections reflecting a general category that the answers would fall under. He addresses each section of questions in a separate chapter of the book. These are as follows:

1. Who is God?
2. How did you become involved?
3. Worldwide Philosophy
4. Good, Evil and Afterlife
5. Beseechment
6. Miracles
7. Rules, Restrictions and Conflict
8. Hierarchy, Matriarchy, Patriarchy
9. Government and Social Issues
10. Followers of the Natural Way (note the sub-title of the book)

My plan is to answer the questions under each heading/chapter, for myself and where better to do this, than my blog? I would truly love to have a true conversation here on my blog, with my readers about this. Please do join in.

I make no promises about how often I will write but will try my best to write each week. 

My Pet Peeves as a Cashier

I work for a large retailer that I will not name. As the title of this blog post implies, I am a Cashier at this time. This is not my first job working with the public or with people, so these are not first timer problems. These are things I have watched for many years--31 to be exact as I began working when I was 13 (at the Dairy Queen in Greenwood, SC).

These are not presented in any order other than as they come to mind I will write/type them out and expound.

1. Getting in the checkout line while still on the phone. Cell phones can be a great thing or a bad thing. Staying on them while in a checkout line is a bad thing. You are on the phone and paying attention to the conversation and not to unloading the buggy, loading your bagged purchases or paying for for your purchases.

I see this hold up not only the person on the phone, but everyone in line behind them, on a daily basis.

People are talking or texting and literally stop in the middle of aisles, blocking the whole aisle off from both directions. Other people may need to look at or purchase something on that aisle.

People will be talking or texting and pushing their buggy and they run into other people, carts, even strollers with children in them!

And be forwarned--I am NOT referring to kids or teenagers but adults!

2. Turning the bag carousel while I have my hand and arm in a bag. It takes a time, not much, to properly bag your purchases. Note-the arms that hold the bags are heavy and metal. When I am actively bagging your purchases please do not grab the carousel and turn it--those metal bag holders leave bruises on my arms.

3. This relates to Number 2 above-complaining that I only put a few items in your bags when you were turning the carousel while I was trying to load each bag. If you are turning that carousel, I am going to move my arm out of harm's way asap.

4. Separating your non-food purchases from your Food Stamp (or whatever it is called in your state) purchases. Having two separate orders is needed at times, but not for this reason. We live in a technologically advanced era. The computer will separate your order into food stamp-able and non food stamp-able items on its own.

5. Trying to purchase items with food stamps that you know you can not buy with food stamps. This one is self-explanatory, but click here to be taken to the USDA web page explaining just what you can buy:

benefits can only be used for food and for plants and seeds to grow food for your household to eat. SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy:

Any nonfood item, such as pet foods; soaps, paper products, and household supplies; grooming items, toothpaste, and cosmetics

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco

Vitamins and medicines

Any food that will be eaten in the store

Hot foods

6. Not selecting the correct WIC items. Please, I know it gets confusing as the program changes so often. Your worker or nurse will give you a paper listing what foods are allowed. Most of you toss it away. Don't. Keep it. Read it. Glance over it before you go to in the store. Refer to it as you select your foods. Each time you go to pick up vouchers--ask for a new handout on what foods are allowed--if it has changed you will have the new one.

7. Not having your ID ready when you are purchasing alcoholic beverages or fussing at me for asking for it. This is law in Tennessee and has been since 1 July 2007. It only applies to the the retail sale of beer. It does not apply to bars and restaurants that sale alcohol for on-premises consumption. If you have a problem with this law, please do not fuss at me, throw your ID at me or demand I break the law. Please, be a good citizen, obey the law until it is changed and in the meantime, contact your state lawmakers with your desire to have the "Responsible Vendor Act" repealed.

8. Being impatient. Computers do not always work properly. When a store is busy, they do work slower--your computer at home gets slow sometimes so why do you expect other computers to never have a problem? You have days when you are slower have things on your mind. Why do you get so upset with another person for having to dig a little bit for the exact change or another dollar? I have noticed that the ones that complain the most about the previous customer being "so slow" usually end up holding the line up in some way themselves.

9. Trying to tell me something was marked down when you know it was not. Yes, things get moved around and put in the wrong places and things get priced wrong.Please do tell me and I will have it checked and do what store policy says do. But bringing a $50 item to the check-out and telling me it was on sale for $5 is not acceptable.

10. Putting items you have decided not to buy any where you are at the moment you decide not to buy it. Please, just hand it to the cashier so they can have it put back. this is especially true for frozen or refrigerated items. you wonder why prices are so high? Part of it is losses the stores must recover--when a hundred people place a pack of steaks under a box of candy bars at the register, that is about $1,000.00 lost. Multiply that by 365 and you can see a fraction of the loss from this type of thing happening.

Bottom line? Remember your basic manners when shopping. Be considerate of your fellow human beings. Think before you say or do something.