Guest Post: Essential Oils in the Bible

Not very long ago I was blessed to experience the Bible stories in a way that I’ve never considered before. I find myself going back through the Bible and delving into many passages that I have read time & time again throughout the years, but this time the perspective has shifted. As a person who loves to study history, science, cultures and language I am in complete awe at just how many times God can continue to reveal Himself in new & mysterious ways in our lives. I’d like to share with you two verses:

“Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the door frame. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning.” Exodus 12:22

“A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.” John 19:29

The parallels in the Passover and the Crucifixion are not only in the marking of a sacrificial lamb’s blood (literal lamb in the Old Testament and metaphorical “lamb” – Christ – in the New Testament) nor only the symbolism of a wooden door frame in the Old Testament and wooden crucifix in the New Testament, but also in the specific commanded use of hyssop for Passover and the traditional use of hyssop as a “tool” to hold sponge for soaking and the guard having offered it to the lips of our lamb upon the wooden crucifix.

How many times have I read these stories, these passages and never thought about hyssop. It was just a word that I skipped over, presuming there was no significance. Oh, but God always has a purpose! Hyssop was widely used for centuries to heal any ailments affecting the lungs and as a cleansing herb to ward off the Plague and other diseases.  How appropriate, then, that hyssop was the chosen plant to aid in protection of those barricaded in their homes waiting for death to pass them over. How appropriate, then, that hyssop was the chosen plant to have offered up to Jesus – the plant that wards off death and disease in this earthly realm.

The next verse in John says, “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Fascinating!

There are many more passages in the Bible just like this that mention various plants, flowers, herbs and oils; over 200 mentions, in fact. When God created us, He thought of everything including how to sustain our life AND our health.

“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river …The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing."  Ezekiel  47:12

About the author:

Kelly is a wife, mother, church volunteer, has a background in pregnancy care, natural childbirth & lactation and has a passion for family health. She shares about the amazing healing qualities and purpose that God created in essential oils, regularly at www.facebook.com/wisewellness.

Note: The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and may not necessarily represent those of Reviving Homemaking. Accuracy of information should always be verified by the reader. 

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An Adoption Story: Josh & Erica

I'd like to introduce you to Erica and her husband Josh. Erica and I worked together in a doctors' office a few years ago. I was so impressed by her beautiful heart for children, as well as her openness about her desires for a family. She is sharing their story today of their journey through infertility and now adoption. Family is near and dear to my heart, and I hope you will take a moment to read their touching story. If you feel led, there is an opportunity located at the bottom of this post and on the sidebar for you to assist them in achieving a family. Thank you for reading, sharing and supporting this family!

“My friends, adoption is redemption. It’s costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him.” – Derek Loux

Josh and I met at a day care while sharing our passion for children. Josh worked with school age children and I worked with toddlers and preschoolers. We quickly formed a friendship that centered around our love for our job. Over the next year, our friendship blossomed and we started dating. Nine months later, we got engaged.  During our engagement we discussed our future together which we knew would include children. We often talked about how many we would have, what we would name them, where they would go to school, as if they were already here. Josh and I got married a year after being engaged.  A couple short months after, we began trying to conceive.  I believe we were both sure it would just happen right away as we had planned it, unfortunately it did not. Months went by; we prayed, we took vitamins, changed our diet, exercised, and lived by positive ovulation kits and negative pregnancy tests for a year with no luck. We decided after a year of trying to see a fertility specialist.  I was given three months of a fertility drug with again, no pregnancy.  I endured multiple tests and procedures and even had surgery to remove a cyst, all were inconclusive. There was literally no medical reason why we were unable to conceive.  We received the diagnosis of “unexplained infertility.”  I have often said this diagnosis was worse than any. There was nothing I could blame it on, “Oh if we fix that we can conceive.” I became angry and discouraged. At this time it seemed like everyone I knew was pregnant. We were even given the opportunity to adopt a family member’s baby, just for her to change her mind after we had fell in love with him and the opportunity to become parents.  This has truly been a heart breaking experience for us, but we have not given up.  We began to fill the void by spending more time with my six nieces and baby cousin as well as volunteering to coach basketball at our local YMCA.

We prayed for guidance on how to build the family we so strongly desired to have. We decided that we had rather spend money on adoption rather than further fertility treatments that were still not a guarantee.  Adoption seems like what we were called to do. We have been given the opportunity through our working at the daycare and children’s ministries, to work with children from all walks of life. I believe this is what has prepared our hearts and minds for adoption. Now comes the hard part, preparing our finances.  We have looked in to many adoption agencies, law firms and individuals, all way out of our budget, most exceeding $30,000 for an infant adoption. Recently while on an adoption forum I came across a thread from a local adoption attorney.  He was looking for families for several birthmothers that were looking to place infants for less than half of what we had been quoted in the past! Just when I had put away my dreams of becoming a mother anytime soon, here came the hope we both needed. We are no longer discouraged; we know it is not on our time, but His.

As little girls, we are prepared for motherhood, playing with dolls and caring for them like they are our own. Never did I imagine that dream would not be a reality for me. Josh and I have such a heart for family and children. We come from large loving families that would welcome a child with loving arms. We are currently hosting fund raisers and accepting donations to make this dream a reality.  Josh and I would appreciate any donations, fundraising ideas, and of course, prayers, and words of encouragement.  Thank you for taking time to read our story.

Linked up at: Growing Home Blog, Time-Warp Wife

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Guest Post: 10 Steps to a More Sustainable Life

I'm excited to share with you today a wonderful guest post written by Kailyn at A New (England) Life. Enjoy! 

 If you would like to be considered a guest poster on Reviving Homemaking, click the tab at the top of the page labeled "Guest Post" for more information. 

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10 Steps to a More Sustainable Life

     Becoming more sustainable allows you to save money, protect our natural resources, and keep you family healthy (It’s a win, win, win!).  Here are 10 easy steps that can get you started on a path towards sustainability.

1.  Start a garden

You can start out small with potted herbs on a window sill or tomatoes in a larger container on the back step.  This way you’ll know exactly what you put on your plants and on your table.

2.  Buy used

 When you buy used you are buying items that would otherwise end up sitting in a landfill.  You are reducing your impact on the environment and reducing your dependence on new products and saves you a lot of money.

3.  Get out of debt

Owing someone (the credit card companies) something is never fun.  It ties you to that company and makes it difficult to really be on your own.  Try to get out of debt and stay out of debt, saving up for bigger purchases and re-evaluating what you really need.

4.  Learn to sew / knit / crochet

 Being able to make and or repair your own clothes is super handy.  You won't have to pay someone to do it for you and you can even use it to earn money, home businesses area a great way to work on your own terms.

5.  Line dry your clothes

One less appliance running means a lower electric bill and that is always a good thing.  Also, line drying your clothes gives them that warm, sunshiney smell that doesn't hold a candle to dryer sheets.

6.  Explore alternative energy 

Currently, my husband and I are heating our home with a wood stove.  While i love the sound of a wood fire crackling I loved it even more when I heard how much our friends were paying for heating oil.  Its great to know that as long as we are responsibly harvesting our firewood, we will always have a warm house.  

7.  Learn to "put up" fruits and vegetables

Learning to can, dehydrate or freeze fruits and vegetables while they are in season is fun and inexpensive.  When you are preserving your own foods, you know what you are putting in it (and what you are leaving out)which is a great way to keep your family full of healthy meals. 

8.  Ride a bike

Bikes are people powered and cars are not.  Biking is a great form of exercise and lets you cut down on the amount of gas you are using / having to pay for.  

9.  Use public transportation

If biking isn't for you (or even if it is) use public transportation when you can.  If we are all going to the same place, why do we all have to drive ourselves?

10.  Keep learning

There are so many ways that you can reduce your impact on the environment and take care of your family.  There are a ton of great blogs and books out there and remember every little step helps!

Kailyn Shippee is a wife to Ian and a mommy to Matilda (the baby) and Fenway (the puppy).  She loves to crochet, cook from scratch, and dream of the farm they are currently working towards.   She blogs about her family, their little homestead and their journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle at A New (England) Life (www.kshippee.blogspot.com)

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Guest Post: It's a Sweet Life

I'm excited to share with you today a wonderful guest post written by Felicia Johnson at All Things Granola and Talking Fingers: Resources for Educating your Deaf Child. Enjoy!

 If you would like to be considered a guest poster on Reviving Homemaking, click the tab at the top of the page labeled "Guest Post" for more information. 

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It's a Sweet Life

 It's a Sweet Place

Many years ago, realizing that I had hypoglycemia, I had to cut out sugar. What a sad day . . . or so I thought. Being an all natural girl, I didn't want to use the artificial sweeteners that are pushed. What I soon discovered was a world full of sweet flavors! 

I'm not diabetic and didn't have to kick all high glycemic foods, but I chose sweeteners that had something else to offer me and were slower to break down. Here is what I found:

Honey

This wonderful, natural product offers more than just a sweet taste. But beware, cooked honey isn't much better for you than high fructose corn syrup. You need a raw, unfiltered choice to offer you minerals and vitamins such as calcium and potassium. It is sweeter than sugar, so I always use a bit less.

Sucanant

There are a lot of "raw sugars" out there today, but most of them are deceiving. Even an organic white sugar is still refined. Sucanant isn't perfect, but it is the closest thing we can get to the natural sugar cane. It hasn't had the molasses removed, so it still retains that dark color and taste. It can be substituted 1:1, but I tend to use 1/2 the amount and add a little honey to my baking. 

Molasses

Again, don't be fooled! There are so many brands available, but read your labels. A good molasses is going to offer you loads of vitamins and minerals. A highly processed version won't have much left to give. Our favorite use for this is to give our homemade granola a deep flavor.

Stevia

I couldn't write this blog and not include stevia. Even Wal-Mart is carrying it these days. Stevia is an herb and does not affect your blood sugar at all. It is very sweet, but depending on the kind you use will adjust how much you should use. It is offered as a liquid, dried leaves and a powder. Liquid is my preferred choice. It has a strong after taste so there are only a few things we use this for. Mainly making homemade yogurt or smoothies. My kids love it in their tea too.

White Grape Juice

This juice doesn't have a strong definable taste so it can be used in baking as a sweetener. It works great, I just don't always have it readily available. We also will sweeten our tea with pineapple orange juice in the summer. 

Coconut Sugar

I'm fairly new to this sweetener, but its taste is wonderful! It is derived from the flower buds of the coconut tree. It undergoes minimal processing. It has a high mineral content including potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. It also provides several B vitamins. I use it at a 1:1 ratio with regular sugar.

As you can see there are many choices available to avoid white sugar. This was just a simple over view and there is so much more information out there if you want to dig. Why would you miss white sugar when there are so many more flavors out there that offer you health benefits too?

Felicia Johnson

All Things Granola - www.allthingsgranola.com
Talking Fingers: Resources for Educating your Deaf Child: www.talkingfingers.weebly.com

I am a daughter of the King, wife to my combat medic, and mother to six blessings. I am a stay-at-home homeschooling mother that loves learning new things and doing things the natural way. I write about our crunchy lifestyle atGranola Farms and I also manage a website on homeschooling special children at Talking Fingers.

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Guest Post Opportunities on Reviving Homemaking

Would you like to be considered to guest post on

 Reviving Homemaking?

     Reviving Homemaking encourages and inspires the heart for home and family through homemaking. Topics covered include, but are not limited to:

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• ·         Christian faith

 

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The Pizza Hut Girl (Part 4)

    I'm so excited to share with you a guest post by my dear friend, Katie. Katie and I lived down the hall from one another in college, and we continue to keep in touch now years later. Her energy and joyfulness is contagious to all around her. She is not only an incredible singer, but also writer. 
     Her posts on her blog, Poca Luz, and Facebook page are always so wise and encouraging. She has generously written a wonderful post to be shared on Reviving Homemaking. The post will be shared over the course of four installments, so be sure to check back daily to read them all. Trust me, you're in for a treat!

    P.S. Her husband is a part of the awesome music group, The CO. You can find out more on them through their webpage and Facebook fan page.  

Guest post by Katie Ro Brace

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

          We stopped at a Pizza Hut on the way home in a small little town right off the highway.  We were exhausted and hungry and Pizza Hut seemed to be one of the only choices in this neck of the woods.  As we sat down in the squeaky booth seats, a sweet young woman, about my age, greeted us as our waitress.   Fear slowly seeped more into my brain as I chocked down a slice of pepperoni pizza.  "I'm a joke."  I thought to myself.  Our waitress came back by with refills of our drinks.  Her face shined with joy as she served us bubbling fountain sodas in red plastic cups.  I kept thinking about the failure I felt and soon enough we hopped back in the car.  

In the midst of pitty party I felt God nudge my heart.  "Katie, do you remember that girl at the Pizza Hut?"

Struck by the question I really began to listen to what God was trying to tell me.   I remember how pretty she was, not because of her looks specifically, but I remembered her beautiful heart and attitude.  "What makes that beautiful young woman any less than an American Idol superstar Katie?"  My mind came to a crossroads.  All my answers seemed shallow and meaningless.  "I look at the heart, Katie."  It all hit me like a freight train.  I remember crying so hard as we continued back to Nashville in the dark of night.  My family thought I was crying about the audition but I was crying at the lesson God has taught me that day.

It still remains one of the most important lessons I have ever learned.

You, my friend, who are reading this, please hear this if you don't hear anything else from me.

You are worth something.  You may think that what you do isn't enough, but let me tell you, all that doesn't matter.  God looks at our hearts.  If we are singing on a stage, rocking a baby, filing a report, washing the dishes, or serving people at Pizza Hut, we have the opportunity to shine just how Jesus intended us.  It's all about our heart, our attitude and our willingingness to serve a Savior who loves us and to love on a world that is full of hurting people.  Our purpose is right in front of us, right now.  It's not on it's way through some sign, or contest, or a discovering of a talent, or some sudden success, or a promotion or becoming famous.

Where has God placed you?

How can you use what God has uniquely gifted you with, to help and encourage others?

You are more than what you've been told you are to be.  And social position isn't what defines you.

And if you're embarrassed of past failures and mistakes, know that it makes your story that much more beautiful and valuable to others!  It took me three years to get up the guts to share my story.

Don't be afraid.  You are enough.  You have a reason to live.  Let your heart shine for all to see!

Katie Ro Brace

Singer | Songwriter | Musician

W: www.katieromusic.com, www.pocaluzlittlelight.blogspot.com

  

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The Pizza Hut Girl (Part 3)

    I'm so excited to share with you a guest post by my dear friend, Katie. Katie and I lived down the hall from one another in college, and we continue to keep in touch now years later. Her energy and joyfulness is contagious to all around her. She is not only an incredible singer, but also writer. 
     Her posts on her blog, Poca Luz, and Facebook page are always so wise and encouraging. She has generously written a wonderful post to be shared on Reviving Homemaking. The post will be shared over the course of four installments, so be sure to check back daily to read them all. Trust me, you're in for a treat!

    P.S. Her husband is a part of the awesome music group, The CO. You can find out more on them through their webpage and Facebook fan page.  

Guest post by Katie B. 

Read Part 1 & Part 2

     I finally was let go out of the room.  All of us remaining contestants had been told to make sure we went to the final interview room before we left with our families.  In fact the crew made sure someone escorted you so they could get all the "I hate you Simon"'s etc. :)  But the funny thing is no one came to get me.  No one was there to escort me to the interview.  We walked up the stairs and I decided to finish the process even though I didn't have to.  I walked in to two familiar faces of the AI crew and they greeted me with, "Aww Katie, I'm sorry you didn't make it!"  I broke out into tears and replied, "Actually, I'm not upset because I didn't make it, I'm upset because I sat through what felt like an eternity of being made fun of."  I told the crew what was said and even they teared up and one of them said, "Katie, don't listen to them... They are jerks!"  I told them I was ready to interview and I'll never forget the moment of being in that dark room with the spotlight shining on my head and my tears falling to the floor as I looked down at my tired feet.  The two girls from the crew pulled me aside after the interview and said, "There's a bathroom in here that we don't usually let people use, but you can if you want to pull yourself together, because Katie, after you walk out this door, there is going to be a camera in your face following you all the way out of the building."  I told them "thank you" and took a deep breath to brave what was outside those doors.  I kept a smile on my face and promoted my music career in Nashville down 5 flights of escalators with a camera in my face and a lady trying to get me to say something nasty about the judges.  My family had been so awesome and kept quiet the whole time but on the way to the car another camera came up and my husband, having enough if seeing me get beat up said, "Lady, get that camera out of her face right now or I'm going to throw it across that parking lot."  Haha, isn't he's great? :)

    The ride home that night from Louisville, KY back to Nashville was a hard one.  As I looked out at the dark sky I struggled with the peace of accomplishing what I knew was right and the flip side of being humiliated on national television.  I also felt the disappointment of others seeing me as failing.  What if I never got to sing again...  What if no one takes me seriously?  

Check back tomorrow, 10/19/12, for Part 4!

Katie Ro Brace

Singer | Songwriter | Musician

W: www.katieromusic.com, www.pocaluzlittlelight.blogspot.com

  

Become a fan of my music

Linked up at: 

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