Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Blessings From Lyme

Earlier in the month I attended a local Lyme support meeting at the Alta View hospital. I have mixed feeling about attending these meetings—wanting new information, but not wanting to focus my life on the disease. This disease called “Lyme” does not define “who I am,” and I refuse to allow it to bring me down.

The meeting turned out to be very informative and truly a “wonderful day.” They try to address all aspects of health improvement at the monthly meetings, and this month we discussed the medical benefits of essential oils. Interestingly, it was a discussion specifically about my favorite dōTERRA essential oils! I even learned some new things about fighting the Lyme battle that I didn’t know before.

Towards the end of the meeting the group leader, Jenny Bezzant, who is also Mrs. Utah and a fellow Lymie, gave us a sheet of paper with a stethoscope water image on it to use in an emotional exercise. We were asked to address the statement, “Things Lyme has taken away from me.”

I let go of the anger and sorrow associated with my condition long ago, so I didn’t expect to gain anything from the emotional exercise. However, it turned out to be an interesting experience for me. As we each shared our feelings I was surprised at the sadness still hidden deep within. We learned that it is important to address our sorrow over about the things Lyme has taken from our life, instead of putting on a happy face and stuffing those feelings inside. As children we are often taught it is a sign of weakness to display our emotions. Loving, well-meaning parents calm our fears and tell us not to cry—to be a “big” boy or girl. We learn to hide our true feelings, fearing the judgement of others. Interestingly, as we shared our feelings and a few tears were shed, the emotional release in the room felt extremely healing.

After we finished Jenny gave each of us a second piece of paper with a beautiful river stream of life-giving water on it. We were asked to address a second statement: “Things Lyme has given me.” Interestingly most of us had a longer list of things Lyme had “given us”—blessings of gratitude that we wouldn’t have realized otherwise!

Lyme disease has taken away my ability to be the wife, the mother, and the grandmother I’d wanted to be. I wanted to be the grandmother that hosted slumber partied and made gingerbread cookies with her grandchildren. I’d wanted to be the mother who took her grown children shopping and out to lunch and tended their children. I wanted to be the wife who traveled to far away places with her husband in joyous retirement.

However, that was not to be. So in honor of the month of Thanksgiving, I’m counting my blessings with those of you who are suffering from your own life challenges. We all have our own “Lyme disease” or trials. Everyone is walking his or her difficult path. May we have compassion for one another and learn to live in gratitude for all we have been given. And in doing so, may you come to realize your gifts far outnumber your sorrows!

Things I Have Gained From Lyme:
1. Tranquillity—I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore—fingerprints, broken China dishes, or spilled milk.
2. Being Present in my Life—I live more in the moment, enjoying each day with whatever it brings.
3. Closer Relationships—I enjoy close relationships with each of our children and with my husband—who demonstrates his unconditional love for me daily.
4. The Love of Nature—I appreciate more fully the great gifts God has given us—the sunshine, rainbows, sunsets, trees and flowers.
5. Remembrance of My Love of Music—Somewhere along the hustle and bustle path of life, I’d forgotten how much music has always meant to me. It calms my Spirit and soothes my soul. And with our world of technology—iTunes, and iPods, it’s always available.
6. Knowledge—Learning has never been easier with the information Internet highway of electronic books. I’d forgot how much I enjoy reading for pleasure!
7. Laughter—They say, “Laughter is the best medicine,” and my life is blessed with all the various forms it comes in—hilarious things my grandchildren say, jokes I receive from friends in forwarded emails, my husband’s zany dry sense of humor, and the “laugh out loud” books and movies so easily obtained.
8. Knowing “Who I Am”—Lyme has given me a closer relationship with my Heavenly Father and the knowledge that I am truly “valued” in His eyes.
9. A Strong Testimony—My testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown and been strengthen. This is the greatest of all His gifts—to know “Who we are,” “Where we came from,” and “Where we are going” after this life.

In the words of one of my favorite recording artists and songwriters, Joshua Radin, “It’s a brand new day”—a day of gratitude for the gifts of Lyme. Like in the song’s lyrics, I hope “the sun is shining” for you during this season of Thanksgiving.

“Wishing you a day full of thanksgiving without the turkey hangover!”


* * * * *
“A grateful heart … comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives … When we encounter challenges and problems in our lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However, if we reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize just how much we have been given.” (“The Divine Gift of Gratitude,” General Conference, October 2010) ~ President Thomas S. Monson

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Happy Birthday!

“Laughter is the music of the heart.” 
~ Author Unknown

"A diamond is merely a lump of coal that did 
well under pressure." ~ Author Unknown

Happy 19th Birthday Kenzie!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Tuesday dōTERRA Tip!

Depression Hurts. 
We all go through ups and downs in our mood. Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but depression is much more than just sadness.

“It seems like this [is] one big Prozac nation, one big mess of malaise. Perhaps the next time half a million people gather for a protest march on the White House green it will not be for abortion rights or gay liberation, but because we’re all so bummed out.” 
~ Elizabeth Wurtzel, from the book “Prozac Nation”

Recently there was an interesting article in the Salt Lake Tribune that said, “Nearly 1 in 5 Utah Women use Antidepressants.”  So if you suffer from this devastating illness, you may be comforted to know you are not alone.  While the statistics are gloomy, the good news comes from the recent dōTERRA Convention that more and more individuals are discovering how to alleviate this situation with dōTERRA’s “Life Long Vitality Pack” and essential oils.

Here’s a summary of how essential oils can help:

Overview
In March 2006, the Washington Post ran an article from a $35 million dollar government-funded study on depression drugs with these facts: “Antidepressants fail to cure the symptoms of major depression in half of all patients with the disease even if they receive the best possible care.” According to a definitive government study depression seems to be an epidemic in today’s society.  



For Mild Depression
Clove, Lavender, Melaleuca, Sandalwood, and Ylang Ylang among others, are effective.  Also Balancing and Elevation blends are very beneficial.  Citrus Oils like Wild Orange, Lemon, and Grapefruit are uplifting.  DoTerra's Bergamot essential oil is also very powerful in combating depression. At the recent 2010 doTerra Conference Dr. Hill recommended a blend of Melissa, Wild Orange and Peppermint as an excellent blend to help some with depression.



Application
Diffusion is most effective, but body and foot massage and baths also offer good results.  Rub 1-2 drops under nose, on the back of neck, on the chest, the wrists, or anywhere you can smell it throughout the day.  You can also rub 1-2 drops on the bottom of your feet.  Try experimenting with different oils to find out what oils offer optimum results.  Some point out that if help is required over a long period of time, a single oil or blend can get “boring” or less effective.  For best results rotate or change oils or blends periodically.

Safety Precaution
As a safety precaution it is recommended that when severe states of depression persist the help of a qualified licensed professional should be sought because, “Depression is often nourished by a lifetime of UN-grieved and unforgiven hurts.” 

For more research on dōTERRA’s Essential Oils and Depression click here. To purchase dōTERRA’s Essential Oils click here.

dōTERRA is the only company in the world that has CPTG (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade) essential oils.

PURE—100% natural, no artificial ingredients, fragrances, or fillers.
SAFE—Certified to be free of pesticides and other chemical residues.
POTENT—Standardized active compounds.
TESTED—Tested by independent laboratories, not in-house vendors.