Seeking to Become - September 2012

As I begin another year of Seeking to Become segments, I am reflective and full of wonder for how this next year will look, how much I will change. Time and experiences would mould us into what we will be but I ponder on what God would have me be and desire my will to become closer in resemblance to His.

In 2 Chronicles Chapter 33 in the Old Testament, Manasseh has become full of idolatry and has led his kingdom into error until he is bound and taken captive into Babylon by the Assyrian king's men. The scriptures then state:

And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers

2 Chronicles 33:12

God hears his supplication and Manasseh is then restored to his kingdom. He cleanses it of the idols, repairs the holy altar of God, and offers up peace and thanks offerings.

While I am not a king leading my people to condemnation, I am a mother, friend, sister, daughter, and individual with faults need of strengthening. I seek restoration and repair, and in order to achieve them, I know I must seek God, humbling myself before Him. How much do I have to learn before I can overcome my afflictions? A great many things, I'm afraid. However, the humbling learning aids the growth of my understanding and I will be better prepared to face the other challenges of life as they come.

This month's challenge is to do self-introspection to see where we need to improve and seek to humble ourselves before God in whatever areas necessary that we may restore and repair where necessary in order to receive Him into our lives more fully.

I hope you will join me. Your comments are very welcomed, so please feel free to do so if impressed upon to share your thoughts or experiences throughout this month.

related link:

What is Seeking to Become?

Fabulous: Essential Oils

I did an experiment this summer. A friend gave me a starter-pack of doTERRA essential oils. I promised an honest review. Since I am a lover of tried and true medications and a skeptic of natural stuff (don't ask me why), she really took a leap of faith asking for this review. I do admit that I was intrigued by the experiment, and so I was more than happy for the opportunity.

I used lavender, lemon, and peppermint and here are the results:

Lavender: I used this one the very most (Need you ask why?). I applied it to the bottoms of my children's feet at bedtime and across the back of my neck when feeling stressed. The children usually have a long wind down period, but after some time of using lavender essential oil consistently, they seemed to be able to get to sleep better. They got to liking it so much that they would ask me for it.

I have stress issues. All you have to do is read every other post on here and you'll figure that one out, which means I used the lavender on the back of my neck pretty much daily if not more often. I don't care for the pungent aroma of lavender oil, but it made a difference for me. Who knows if it was just because I knew I was doing something about my stress even when there seemed to be nothing to be done, but it did help calm my nerves. That's all that matters in my book.

Lemon: A few drops of digestible grade doTERRA lemon oil in a glass of water, drinking several glasses a day, takes away swelling. I didn't read this in a book-- a sister-in-law told me and I tried it and it worked.

I had been driving in a car for way too long, staying up way too late, and getting way too little sleep and so my legs and feet suffered with discomfort due to swelling and tension. In my divalicious way, I complained to my sister-in-law. And in her patient-licious way, she reminded me about the lemon essential oil I was supposed to be to trying out and told me about the anti-swelling properties of it. I tried it for a couple of days, reaped the rewards noticeably, then proceeded to forget to continue. At the end of that day, I complained again; she reminded me again; I repented and dutifully used lemon essential oil in my drinking water the rest of the time. It really worked!

Peppermint: I've been told that peppermint essential oil helps to enliven you when sleepy and aids in concentration when studying and such. I tried it and I cannot say for certain if using it directly affected my success, but I know it didn't hurt. The tingling sensation is stimulating, and the scent itself is invigorating.

My peppermint doTERRA essential oil success story comes from when another friend of mine and I were feeling sleepy-ish at church. She had shared peppermint essential oil droplet capsules with me in the past, but this time was different. She told me to put one drop on the back of my hand and lick it with the back end of my tongue, then breathe in deeply. Wow! Talk about cleared sinuses and an awake and alert mind! My nose had been stuffy for quite some time since I have allergies, but not in that moment nor for about 24 more hours afterward. I was astonished by its immediate effectiveness--way better than popping a Sudafed pill that takes twenty minutes to work and causes me to crash and burn after the hype it causes wears off.

Because my experiment had such positive results, I am even more interested in the other benefits of using essential oils and I recommend giving doTERRA essential oils a try.

You can learn more on Facebook here: doTERRA and the direct website here: www.mydoterra.com/oil

To sweeten the end of my experiment, doTERRA essential oils will be part of

The Second Annual All Things Purple Half-Birthday Bash with a giveaway! 

So be sure to come back the week of September 17-21 to join in the celebration.

Disclosure: 

I was given one (1) three-oil trio pack in exchange for this review.

Buried Treasure

It's been a rough and tumble type of day and all your thoughts tend to lead you into Temptation's unkind hand showing you how to loathe yourself by lathering on negative self talk and unhealthy habits that only create a thriving environment for more self-loathing, which chips away at and inevitably buries the strength you must have to blossom in such an unforgiving world with endless demands on your heart and mind and physical body, until you begin to truly want to give up on your dreams and stop caring so deeply about people who continually spurn what you have to give--what you give so freely and beautifully--as you continue on your journey toward eternity, which appears to be completely out of reach and maybe not for you, no, because maybe you don't deserve to be happy or loved or appreciated or make any measurable difference in this brutal existence since whichever direction you turn there continues to be disheartening and terribly disenchanting dead ends, but then--you reach out one more time with a quiet, pleading heart and someone is able to read your humanity right and care enough to reach out in return even though it might be a risk to take as well to show pure loving understanding, and a treasure is unearthed: friendship in its perfect form.

Source: twowritingteachers.wordpress.com via The Purple on Pinterest

Hot Off the Presses: Textistory

Preface

Have you ever heard of Found Poetry? If not, it is when you take a completely random text such as a short story, pages in a magazine or novel, text messages in your cell phone, etc. and create a poem using only the words and phrases found within that text with small changes for connective tissue, thus creating a completely separate and new piece of writing--a poem.

I want to take this idea and run with it. I want to create Found Stories, which I will label as Textistory. The term is a blended word from texts and history that describes a short story created entirely from text messages we send through our phones. While my first ever textistory will be solely from phone texts, the genre may include any instant/direct messaging.

Now, without any further ado, I give you

Six Weeks

Alexandria just listened to I Think We're Alone Now. No worries. She had a good night's sleep, but not in a calm, controlled type of mood. What were we expecting, really? Still, don't take things so seriously. She is in control of her state of mind and will figure it out; however, they could use a talk. She and Robert.

While together with a friend at dinner, Robert whispers I love it when you talk to me that way...I'm glad you did because life is short, Gorgeous...Do you remember you used to call me that? It makes Alexandria smile and the greenness of her eyes distracts him. That night, unadulterated by electronic devices, their voices become all tangled up, beautiful, and oh so romantic. After a few hours, both have to go but she offers a rain check for another time. So many ways to take that...

On another lovely evening, he realizes how he didn't mind being drawn in to her by lovely compliments. He thinks Be brave. So, like a shamelessly adorable door to door salesperson, he calls in the rain check. She feels fortunate even though it looks like daytime is coming.

Who knows what she told her parents so she could be awake? It takes so little to make Alexandria smile that he knows he should be crossing his fingers he doesn't fall asleep as she laughs and talks softly-- then, she only hears him breathe so she says she is proud of him, loves his writing, and a few goodbyes in sweet tones as not to wake him. Now it's her turn for falling asleep radiant with happiness.

Some time later...

He, proud as a frightened peacock, announces that he is not the marrying kind, but only dates women. History and wishing leverage against her favor. Don't wait around. She realizes the real problem has been all the ambiguity flying about. Rendered speechless, her heart crawls inside itself. Pandora's box. Her first thought is What's wrong with you? Stop. She is enough knowing genuine love can never be madness, except for when we deny or feign it. Remember, it's all about you--a wandering, divine, glimmer girl. You are it.

Exquisite. Pain. Love. Together. On the train to celebrating nothing.

So there won't be any misunderstandings, even if you are sleeping emotionally at the moment, take care and don't underestimate guys.

Epilogue:

As far as I'm concerned, texting is such a brutish way of communication. Smoke signals would be much more witty and ravishing...and nerdy.

Book Love

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fresh and exciting Can't Put It Down Until It's Done book. Go read it. Now. Hurry.



View all my reviews