Praise God!!!

I want to PRAISE GOD for helping my friend and her family raise ALL the finances they need to adopt their little boy, Noah. They leave this coming Saturday, June 4th, flying to Europe to finally meet their little man and bring him home in a few weeks. Please continue to pray that all continues to go smoothly for them as they have meetings and appointments to attend to while there and also that Noah will bond to them quickly and feel the love of a family that he so desperately needs.

On-line Stores and Websites

If you haven't checked out my favorite on-line stores and websites, you should check it out. I just added a new one today (that my wonderful husband found for me), it is: Homesteadstore. It has a lot of things to offer, from clothing to kitchen gadgets, from laundry supplies to books and DVD's. They also have a blog that you might want to check out.

Does It Matter If Our Children Know Their Gender?

Traditionally, men taught their sons to channel their energies in acceptable ways. This included learning a trade, being protective of women and children, and preparing to take on their adult roles as husbands and fathers. Women taught their daughters to nurture children and keep the home. Husbands and wives balanced each others' strengths and weaknesses.
What's in vogue today is to teach children that their gender-specific instincts are wrong. Boys are punished for being rambunctious and restless in school. Girls are ridiculed for wanting to embrace the home. Children become confused when their instincts conflict with what they're being taught, either at school, at home, or in society.

Read this entire article on WND and see what Patrice Lewis has to say.

Herbal Book Recommendation

I went to a preparedness seminar a couple of weeks ago and am finally getting around to writing a little about it. One of the seminars I went to was what to do if there is no doctor available. The presenter was an RN. She was very passionate about what she had to say. She felt it is very important for us to utilize NOW the "medicines" that God created for us to use. So here are three books that she recommended. I ordered all three from Amazon.com, they were used so cheaper than if purchased brand new. I am so excited to be able to read about the herbs and their usages. She highly recommended that you pick up the PDR (physicians desk reference) for Herbal Medicines as soon as you can, because she really is convinced that it won't be available to the public much longer, just because they don't want us to know how good the herbs are for us and that we can take care of ourselves. Just remember this is for informational purposes only, it is imperative that you do due diligence when researching the benefits of herbs in your diet and for your family.

Go to this link to see more about this book.

Click on this link to read more about it

Check out this link for more information about this book

Another Insect Repellent

Here is another insect spray that I found. I would give them both a try to see which one works best!

Bug spray blend- mix with one quart of Witch Hazel in spray bottle and enjoy. Keep out of eyes!

1/2 teaspoon citronella essential oil       
1/2 teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil
1/2 teaspoon lavender essential oil   

Potent Herbal Remedy for an Insect Repellent

Summer is coming and so are the insects. If you haven't already experienced them this year, I am sure you will at some point. So if you don't want bites and hitch hikers, here is a great recipe to help prevent that. Make it now before the real heat comes on.  I picked up this recipe from Bulk Herb. There aren't too many ingredients, maybe you could go together with some friends and buy the herbs, if you don't have them already.

Vinegar of the 4 Thieves
2 quarts - apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons - lavender
2 tablespoons - rosemary
2 tablespoons - sage
2 tablespoons - wormwood
2 tablespoons - mint
2 tablespoons - fresh, chopped garlic

Combine dried herbs (except garlic) and vinegar in a one-gallon jar with lid, and soak in the sun for 2 weeks, shaking often. Then strain out the used herbs, and retain the herbal liquid mixture. Add several cloves of crushed garlic, and close lid. Let soak for three days, and strain out the garlic fiber and discard. This liquid tincture needs to be stored in a cool place, like the refrigerator, or it can be preserved by canning. Fill canning jar with boiling liquid tincture to within one-half inch of top. Cap with rubber seal canning lid, tighten ring, and turn hot jar upside down; leave it undisturbed until it cools to room temperature. This will cause the jar to seal. Don’t forget to date and label it.

The Vinegar of the Four Thieves is a super-strong insect repellent. It should be diluted with water to half strength if you spray it directly on your skin. This repellent can be used many ways. Splashed on your socks or shoes will discourage ticks, chiggers, and mites. An herbal cloth kept in your pocket and rubbed on your skin every hour or so would be very beneficial during outdoor work or recreation. Or, a nightly bath with a little herbal vinegar and oil will keep it on your skin for many hours and could prove helpful for families who live in the country or while out on camping trips.
The name of the repellent was started following the Black Plague. Thieves would steal from people who had the plague, but for some reason they never got sick. They found out that they applied these herbs to themselves hoping to keep from getting sick and it worked.

Using Oregano Medicinally

by Carmen from Off the Grid News

Usually considered as a culinary herb, oregano has medicinal properties that have been understood and used for many years. The name of this herb is derived from the Greek words oros(mountain) and ganos (joy or splendor). Besides being a beautiful plant, the mountains that it grows on are much more beautiful because of its presence and the fresh aroma that is carried on the breezes all around it. Oregano grows wild year after year in mountainous areas that are free of pollution and flourishes in sunny fields late into the summer months. The power of oregano’s healing properties lie in its oil-laden leaves. Be aware that in many of the grocery stores and supermarkets of North America, oregano has been mislabeled as marjoram and even thyme. But the medicinal properties of these two herbs may be somewhat different than those of oregano.

Oil of Oregano

Oil extracted from the leaves of oregano has been used safely for reducing pain related to toothache. When poured into the cavity of the painful tooth it is as useful for some as oil of clove has been for others.

Oil of oregano has also been used successfully as a fungicide in treating recurrent fungal infections, such as the chronic yeast infections associated to Candida albicans – systemic or chronic intestinal yeast overgrowth. Oil of oregano has shown helpful in cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Leaky Gut Syndrome and other intestinal parasites and bacterial infections.

Oil of oregano historically has been used to replace anti-inflammatory medications for reversing pain and swelling. Some report it as being nearly as strong a pain killer as morphine.

Oil of oregano can be used topically to give immediate relief for bug bites, bee stings and other venomous bites until proper medical treatment can be sought.

Oregano’s oil has also been suggested for treating dandruff, diaper rash, and other disorders of the skin.

Dried Leaves

The leaves can be dried and put into gelatin capsules for internal use when using as a tea is inconvenient.

Externally the leaves can be pounded into a paste by adding a small amount of hot water to reach the desired consistency. Some oatmeal can be added to thicken it, if needed. This can then be applied to relieve the pain of rheumatism, itching and swelling, aching muscles, and other sores.

Placing a handful of dried leaves into a cheesecloth bag or a sock and tying it closed and placing into hot bath water can sooth tired joints, muscles, and aching feet. Allow it to steep in the bath as you relax in the warm, fragrant water.

People from Jamaica have been known to burn incense of oregano to ward off coughs and other respiratory complaints.

Oregano Tea

Tea made from oregano leaves can be used for loss of appetite, nervousness, indigestion, excess gas, bloating, urinary problems, coughs, headaches, bronchial problems, swollen glands and to induce and regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle. Some have used this tea to relieve fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and jaundice. Unsweetened, you can use oregano tea as a mouthwash or gargle.  Sipping it hot gives one its maximum benefits.

Prepare the tea by steeping 1 teaspoon of dried leaves or 3 tablespoons of crushed, fresh leaves in 8 ounces of boiling water for 10 minutes.

Another Tea recipe

4 to 6 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

2 ½ cups water

1 tablespoon honey

Tea strainer

Cut the leaves to release the oil. Boil the water on the stove for 10 minutes, and then add the leaves to the pot. Steep over low flame for 20 minutes, tasting often to keep from getting bitter. Strain and add the honey. Avoid sugar or artificial sweeteners as they may block its medicinal properties. Pour into mugs and sip slowly while hot to enjoy its maximum benefits.

Other Uses

• Depression, flu, constipation, parasites, brain fog, fungus of the toe and fingernail, head lice, lung fungus, warts and athlete’s foot.
• Eczema, ear infection, allergies, burns, bleeding, fatigue, sprains, colds, and back pain.
• Lyme disease, colitis / gastrointestinal disorders, canker sores, E. coli – and try it for whatever ails you.
• Used in combination with Marjoram, Oregano can be used as a food preservative, as an antioxidant and antibacterial, for potpourris and to give fragrance to soaps and lotions
• Oregano tea, when sprayed, cleans the air, kills bugs on plants, and can kill fleas.

Disclaimer

Not been enough current research has been done to support or refute any of these claims. However oregano can be safely tested at home, so experiment to see what it can do for you.

"Ruled by Love Far More Than by Fear"

from Scott Brown of NCFIC

Here is the testimony of John G. Paton of the spiritually sensitive manner in which his father disciplined his children:

"The very discipline through which our father passed us was a kind of religion in itself. If anything really serious required to be punished, he retired first to his closet for prayer, and we boys got to understand that he was laying the whole matter before God ; and that was the severest part of the punishment for me to bear! I could have defied any amount of mere penalty, but this spoke to my conscience as a message from God. We loved him all the more, when we saw how much it cost him to punish us; and, in truth, he had never very much of that kind of work to do upon any one of all the eleven—we were ruled by love far more than by fear."

Slacker Moms

by Patrice Lewis

"One of the things that happens (largely for commercial reasons) around Mother's Day is the media covers all mothers with a thick, superficial, suffocating layer of syrupy-sweet mush about all the sacrifices we make, the wonderful things we do, the perfection we achieve and other saccharin accomplishments. Held up to this lofty and unattainable ideal, it's enough to make any mother ashamed of her numerous faults, oversights and insecurities.

But what does it mean, really, to be a mother?"

Go to WND to read this great article by Patrice on what Motherhood is REALLY all about.

Happy Mothers Day!!!