For years we have been told about massage therapy and aroma therapy. I really didn’t take it seriously until a few years ago. I knew I like candles burning when I took a scented bubble bath. I knew the lavender scent was my favorite because it was relaxing. What I didn’t know was why. I didn’t even consider investigating the properties of lavender. About two or three years ago I was introduced to Young Living Essential Oils (YLEO). A member of our church introduced us to a couple visiting who were distributors of YLEO. They came over to our home and shared the benefits of essential oils. More than that, the wife massaged my husband’s legs and knees with the oils. At that time he was in a lot of pain and was having difficulty walking. The oils relaxed his muscles and aided in the relief of the pain. He was sold. We ordered the oils mainly for him. I still didn’t get on board fully. I wasn’t against them but just wasn’t ready to be involved with selling oils. I had just gotten burned with another so called business opportunity and I wasn’t interested. I was satisfied to be a distributor for the purpose of buying the oils for my husband.

Over the next two years, my attitude changed. I began using the oils for my lower back pain, sore throat, congestion, stress and fatigue. The scents were so relaxing. My husband and I joking call the cloves and thieves oil our scented heating pads. Now here is the clincher that tossed me to the business side. My mother has severe arthritis and she has heart disease. Her doctors had to change her arthritis pain medication to something less effective because it affected her heart. For weeks afterwards she had difficulty sleeping. Her pain was worse at night. She told me what was going on so I decided to try rubbing her legs with some of the oils. I decided to use one of our scented heating pads, Thieves. I massaged her legs and feet when I got there. Shortly, she told me the pain was reducing to a bearable intensity.  I hadn’t read about the foot reflexology yet. I just massaged her legs and feet. I left the Thieves with her because it did relax her while I was there. She called me the next day and told me she slept the entire night. After four nights I checked in to see if it was a fluke. It was not. She slept every night after that. She then put it on her other joints. My Mom and I are sold. Her side benefit was relief from sinus congestion just by having the essence in the room.

I am now a student of the essential oils. It just supports the belief that God placed everything on earth in our plant life for our health. You can have similar experiences at home that you have at the day spa. You can massage your own legs, feet, hands and neck. You can get a loved one to massage your back. Home spa with the occasional visit to the day spa.

It is not about having more medicine or that the essential oils are medicine in the American Medical Association or the Food and Drug Administration defining way. But if something natural aids your medication or relaxes the tension by infusing it into the air or rubbing it on your body then there is benefit to your well being. It will at least comfort you while the AMA is looking for a cure or better medication for what ails you.

If you would like to experience Young Living Essential Oils or become a distributor, click the Get Essential Oils link on the sidebar. You are not required to distribute if you don’t want to. I didn’t and no one harassed me to do so. I did, however, get the discount for being a member.  Try it. You won’t be sorry.

This week has been very interesting for my family. We gathered together for a wonderful family dinner on Sunday at my mother’s house. My sisters and their families were there, along with some close friends. The meal was off the chain. We laughed and joked until late into the night. The next morning we gathered at Kaiser Permanente, Sunset Blvd for one of two brain surgeries one of my sister’s faced. There were prayers and some were anxious but she and I had complete peace. God promised that He would not allow us to be caught unaware. Translation, He would warn us or give us divine intel so that we could prepare for what was coming. She and I were at peace. There was no need to be forewarned because everything was fine. Parking created the greatest anxiety. It was a tiring day because they kept delaying the time of her surgery. A more critical patient arrived and had priority. The family stayed. We had favor from the ICU staff. They allowed all of us to enter her room at the same time. ICU’s usually limit the number of people who can enter.

The next morning those of us who went home to sleep re-assembled. This time they took her on time. So we gathered and waited. About 4pm the doctor emerged to tell us the surgery was a success. The tumor was removed, there was minimal bleeding and her vitals were stable. About 6pm we were able to see her. Yes, they allowed all of us to enter the ICU unit. We stood outside her room and took turns going in. The funny thing is, she gave the orders. She first sent for her kids, then parents, and then sisters. She showed us that she was still our loving organizer. She was released from the hospital on Friday and she is resting at home.

In Spite of the seriousness of the occasion, we had a wonderful family reunion. All that time spent waiting was spent talking and catching up on each others lives. There was no sense of doom. We could have easily still been in my mother’s family room. Being with family can be a time of warm, comforting love or a time of anger and chaos. Choose love regardless of the situation.

Hey Friends,

Some of you have said you wanted to comment but it was confusing or difficult. I went to the blog as a guest and tried to comment. Here is what I discovered had to be done to be successful.

If there have been no comments click on “No Comments” and a drop box will appear.

In the box that says “Comment As” click on the arrow and your choices will appear.

You may choose:

You know how people say they “fell off the wagon” when they return to an old habit that they had walked away from? Well, I didn’t fall off the wagon. My wagon ran off the road, down the hill and flipped over, pinning me down in the ravine. I allowed other people to derail me. Yes, that’s right. I allowed. I can’t blame anyone else. The funny thing is I continued to study about good health through good nutrition as I rolled down the hill.

So what is your point. My point is that even the knowledgeable, and I have a lot left to learn, can succumb to their weaknesses. I asked myself the question “How can I help anyone else when I can’t help myself.” The only thing I can see coming from this is an understanding of others’ struggles. If this helps me have more compassion for them then it is worth it. It takes a former alcoholic to best help an alcoholic, so I guess I am going to be that foodaholic to help other food drunks.

It was a powerful and beautiful thing to see black woman of different ages and backgrounds working together for a common cause. We dispelled the lie that we are a bunch of angry woman who always want to fight. We dispelled the lie that we are ignorant and hoochie only. We dispelled the lie that no man can work with us and be supported for his strength.
Now this is not news to most of us. We know our strength is not angry. Our assertiveness is not angry. It is knowledge, wisdom and respect. For my sisters out there that have accepted the lie, give it back. You are better than that.

On Saturday, October 11th a group of black women executed the plan that a subset of those women created in order to present to the community a women’s symposium on depression. We worked as a team, a well-oiled machine. Additionally, our host an Hispanic Pastor and one of his female (Latina) members worked with us. She became part of the female team. Pastor Ruben was our spiritual leader that day but he rolled up his sleeves and served us. There was mutual respect shown both ways. The other men who were presenters or vendors worked with us. They  were PhD’s, Pastors and professionals. They all could have demanded respect because of their positions but they supported us, instead. They did not demand homage to be paid to them. They wanted us to be successful and helped us get there. This is how it is suppose to work; together making possible everyone’s success.

Today, I worked with some different sisters at church. This was a mixed ethnic group and once again the “sistahs” worked like a machine. A well-oiled machine. To those who want to continue to portray us as angry, sex-crazed, classless, ugly, bossy, people, let me set you straight.

• We are loving, protective, assertive, strong, sexy but not sex-crazed, beautiful, classy, women.
• When we commit, you can count on us. 
• We are the people who have your back.

So when we seem bossy and angry, step back and ask why. It is probably because we are trying to protect YOU; help YOU. We are working for the best for YOU.

I began a stress reduction plan last month. I thought it might be good for accountability’s sake to give an update on my progress.

I am eliminating others peoples drama from my life. Being a pastor’s wife puts me in a position to face or be exposed to “other people’s drama.” I cab’t eliminate nor do I want to eliminate the people, but I can eliminate my acceptance of the associated stress. What I am trying to say is, I can listen, empathize, problem-solve and love you without allowing your issue to stress me out. I had a recent situation that actually hurt me and made me angry. After stepping back and looking at things objectively, I realized it was not my issue. I didn’t have to hurt and I didn’t have to be angry, so I stopped both. Stress reduced!

I have had a few days that I did something I enjoyed that was not about church or the Outreach Center. I need more of those but I have started. Stress reducing!

I have begun exercising. I am still not as consistent as I need to be or would like. Still working on that. Stress Reducing!

Some of you commented or sent me messages stating you were going to create and begin your own stress reduction plan. How are you doing?

Let’s keep it up so we can be healthier, mentally and physically.

This is a portion of the sermon I delivered on September 28th at Eagles Wings Christian Church

It’s Monday morning in sunny, hot Southern California. I had a beautiful but busy weekend. I know in the world of blog I need to post if I want you guys to stay connected. But today, at this very moment, I feel so uninspired to write. I only feel like sleeping.

Beginning the day a little tired just makes all that is vying for my attention more overwhelming,

        I wanted to clean up my outlook file.
                It seems to have grown more than usual over the weekend.
        I wanted to shred paper. I think the paper had babies when I wasn’t looking.
        I wanted to do some housework. Not all that is needed but just some of it.
               My plan is to do a little each day until I’m satisfied.
               You don’t understand, my level of satisfaction may never come.
               My grandmother set “white glove” standards and I have been infected.
        I want to sew. That’s my fun time.
        I have to work. See why I am uninspired.

It’s Monday and that is just way too many decisions to make. I think I will run some errands. Get away from all these wants and needs. Who knows maybe inspiration will be found in the sunlight. After all it is a beautiful Southern California Day.