Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Christmas Behind the Badge


"We all have a role to play and joy awaits each one of us. The Lord appoints and anoints as He chooses and we should delight in our individual callings."- Patti Tingen, A God For All Seasons.




It's the Christmas season and we are busy getting ready for the holidays. 


The stockings are hung by the chimney with care.

My husband took all the older kids out on his birthday on the "great Christmas tree hunt" while I stayed back with the baby.

(Here is my husband with four of the kids when we started cutting our own Christmas tree at a nearby Christmas tree farm in 2008.)


It's a tradition we started because we didn't have the extra money to buy a tree one year, so we cut one down in the woods behind our house on my parent's property. Now we can't imagine buying a tree when cutting our own has turned out to be quite a lot of fun!
(Here is our "second chance clan"all ready for Christmas.)

So our tree is up inside. I made a wreath from its trimmings and hubby hung it on the front door. He hung lights on our growing fur tree outside. Every year the tree grows and we need to buy more lights for it. It looks magical in the evening when the moon shines high above and is then reflected by the crisp, white snow. Magical indeed. I love that tree!


Our kids are growing too. All seven of them, each with different talents and gifts and abilities. There's never a dull day here homeschooling these precious kiddos for sure! (I love it when they try to help each other too!- They don't know they are actually learning MORE by teaching their siblings!)

(My oldest daughter, age 7 helping her younger sister, age, almost 5)

With all the busyness of this most wonderful time of the year though my heart is very heavy.
Two police officers were executed in New York for simply doing the job they signed up to do, to protect and serve. My heart is broken for the families having to get through the holidays without their beloved officer. It's so hard to understand. I watched the wife of one of these officers sobbing on t.v. and my heart was with her. I may not know her personally, but I know her. Every time the phone rings in the middle of the night and my husband puts on his uniform, I pray. We are sisters in these moments.
(May these officers lives not be forgotten. R.I.P. Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos)

I don't write about my husband's job on my blog usually. It is his chosen profession and his calling. I have supported him through 21 years of marriage while he worked as a military policeman and then as a small municipal officer, to where he is currently serving as a Maine State Trooper. We've been through a lot together. I know what it feels like to have officers show up at my door and not know whether my husband was going to survive.

(This is the car accident my husband survived in 2006
with thankfully only a broken arm and leg and cuts and scrapes.)

I've pushed him in a wheelchair and cared for him while he recovered from a terrible car crash while on duty nearly nine years ago. He has also seen me through seven c-sections, several knee surgeries, an appendectomy, and a tubal reversal. He is my rock. He keeps me going when I want to quit. All the while he, himself works tirelessly to provide for our growing family as he puts on his blue uniform and performs the often thankless job of protecting and serving in our State. He usually works Christmas on call too. Thankfully this year he was able to get the day off. We are so excited to be able to have him home with us for Christmas!

 So as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and prepare to ring in the New Year let us remember the fallen as well as the officers out there working around the clock to protect us so we can sleep in Heavenly peace. They are NOT monsters, and hateful people. Many of these officers are like my own husband, just trying to come home safe to their wife and kids at the end of each shift. Just trying to carve out a little peace, a little hope, and spread little more love than hate.



We leave a candle glowing blue in our window each night to remember the fallen and those who currently protect and serve our great country nationwide.



 How will you show your support to your local police and stop the spread of violence and hate?

 Thank you to all our officers who put on the badge each day to protect and serve our great country!

May you have a blessed Christmas and a peaceful New Year!








Sunday, December 21, 2014

A God For All Seasons by Patti Tingen A Review


With Winter upon us I am pleased to know a few moms like me who love to read AND talk about the books they've read. We love to share books we have enjoyed that are shaping our lives! Winter in Maine is taking on new meaning for me...

BOOK CLUB SEASON!

We read fiction and non-fiction and learn and grow from each book chosen and discussed. Before our next book club meeting begins and since we are now in a new season of Winter, I was pleased to be chosen to review this book for CWA, A God For All Seasons by Patti Tingen.



Hope for all seasons. Encouragement for all times. Love from God for all year. “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT) 

ISBN: 978-1621417705| List Price: $13.95|Format: Softcover | Page Count: 110

My Thoughts on this book:

I really loved this book. It is a quick read but jam-packed with wonderful words of wisdom from Patti as she shares her life's lessons in different seasons while weaving scripture though out.
The book begins in Winter with December and coincidentally that is right where I am at in the calendar month! What I liked about this book was it isn't just another book about the "seasons of life". As I read along with the author she not only describes the different seasons of life but she walks you through each MONTH of the seasons bringing hope and inspiring her readers to keep looking for God every day no matter what season He is bringing you through! In Winter's darkest days, "Hope, renew, and wait on the Lord". In the Spring she encourages the reader to "change, plant, and trust". In Summer, we should "give, celebrate, and rest". In Autumn, we should practice "harvest, believe, and thank".

I think this is a wonderful little book every woman should read to inspire and reflect on life, no matter what season they are experiencing right now!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtBpV4bVWag

About the author:




Patti Tingen is an award-winning author and speaker. She also serves as an elder at her church and is involved in various ministries including prayer and teaching. Patti’s nonfiction inspirational books have offered hope and encouragement to many. Her book, A God for All Seasons: Inspiration and Reflection for All Times, won the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal for Christian Non-Fiction. Patti’s prayer is that her words of personal experience, humor and testimony will continue to bless and inspire others. Patti lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with her husband Doug and their cat Braveheart. Please visit http://pattitingen-author.blogspot.com/ to learn more.




I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.




Saturday, December 6, 2014

Using Essential Oils on C-Section Scars



I was first introduced to essential oils after the birth of my seventh baby last Christmas.
My cousin had begun using them in her own family to support them through environmental and seasonal issues. She gave me a sample of Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, and Digestzen (and a cute little pair of baby shoes too!).




 I fell in love with the Lemon right away and began using it in my water. I liked the Lavender too!

I attended one of my cousin's classes on making over your family bathroom cabinet and thought it would be wonderful to use all natural products!






 I eventually signed up with my own wholesale account to save money on my oils and I began to do more research on my own and learned about so many more health benefits from using essential oils. It seemed endless the possibilities and the uses of these amazing oils and what they can do for a body, especially one like mine that has been through seven, (UPDATE now EIGHT, yes EIGHT C-sections) and an appendectomy AND a tubal reversal!
We began applying  the ten oils and learned how to use them! We put the On Guard to the bottoms of our feet, Digestzen on upset tummies, Lavender on cuts and scrapes, inhaled Peppermint for occasional nausea on car rides, Lemon in my water, Oregano and Melaleuca in the diffuser for environmental threats, and the Deep Blue! Now that stuff is AMAZING! It really sold me after I applied it to a hurting wrist and it took the pain away in less than 5 MINUTES!
I started my own Facebook Page to save all my research and invited everyone I knew to join along with me! I never intended to build a thriving team with  doTERRA, but I couldn't help sharing! 

Why should I keep this to myself?!


I got a FREE bottle of Immortelle for purchasing 200 PV (product value) on my LRP (Loyalty Rewards Program, super way to save on oils!) back in early September of 2014. I thought, "well, I'm 40 now, I'm going to need help with wrinkles! I'll jump on the deal of the FREE bottle!)


Then I read somewhere on one of the Facebook groups I follow that someone uses this for their c-section scar. I thought, "I'll have to try it!" So I did!

 

"A proprietary blend of powerfully renewing, rare essential oils used throughout history for their beautifying benefits, Immortelle Anti-Aging Blend is formulated to protect and nourish skin while helping to reduce contributing factors to the appearance of aging skin. These powerful essential oils help sustain smoother, more radiant, and youthful-looking skin. Immortelle easily absorbs into the skin and can be used on the face, neck, and décolletage to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and aging skin."-doTERRA blog.

After less than two weeks, I noticed much of the redness had disappeared in my top c-section scar.

 (I have two c-section scars from 9 surgeries). My lower scar had become less lumpy and less sensitive and in general, after 10 years, looked less "angry". This stuff is incredible and a true gift from God in my opinion!


 (I am not a medical professional and I make NO claims that this WILL work for you, but it has worked for me. If you have been wondering how you'll ever get back to normal after your c-section, you might want to give this amazing essential oil blend a try! After placing your order, it will come straight to your home and arrive in only 2-5 business days! )

With less sensitivity I may even begin doing this massage technique, although the video below is kind of hard to watch the whole thing!





How to Properly Massage a Scar.





If you would like to know where to purchase this amazing essential oil and help your c-section scar, go to my website to order. There are two ways to order Imortelle, Retail or wholesale  I am not a medical professional and I make NO claims that this WILL work for you, but it has really diminished my redness and supported my body in its recovery process. Your order will come straight to your home and arrive in only 2-5 business days! If you have been wondering how you'll move on after your c-section, you might want to give this amazing essential oil blend a try!

If you are here on my page and read this far, you might be interested in the emotional piece that comes from recovering from delivering by cesarean. DoTERRA is working on the scientific research on the significance of how essential oils work through our olfactory senses to help our bodies recover and support our emotional health as well as our physical health. I will be writing and sharing about this more soon! But I am excited to announce that doTERRA has just released an entire roller bottle "Touch" kit with all of their emotional oils!
 ORDER HERE
This kit is simply splendid and contains six unique essential oil blends combined with Fractionated Coconut Oil in 10 mL Roll-Ons. They are super convenient and have are meant for a gentle topical application. "These proprietary blends provide targeted emotional health benefits for the entire family and can be applied every day to specific points on the body to help balance and brighten your changing moods."-doTERRA blog-***COMING OCTOBER 3, 2016*** (Because I went to convention we got to purchase these products before they are available for purchase, and they are wonderful! More details to come)


*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

You can also see my latest posts on other oils and supplements at Everything Essential For Me