Because I Need Him

I found Luke crying in the playroom a few days ago, and when I asked him what was wrong, his reply was sweet: "I want my daddy." I tried comforting him, but he kept insisting that he needed his daddy to come home. I asked him if he could tell me why needed his daddy, and this was his simple response:

"I want him because I need him."

At the time, I had that "file-it-away" feeling, and knew I'd have to think about the depth of his reply again.

"I want him, because I need him."

I thought through what Luke meant. He didn't want his daddy to come home and do anything specific. He didn't need his diaper changed or to be fed; he didn't want to play a particular game or read a favorite book. He wanted his daddy to be home. That was all.

He wanted him because he needed him.

Oh, to be loved by a child! Or better, to love like a child. There's a Spiritual truth that was undeniable in what Luke was saying. I was convicted: Do I want God because I need Him? Or is it much cheaper than that? Do I only want God because I need Him to _________ (insert earthly desire here)? Often, the answer is yes. I want Him - not because of my undeniable need for Him, because I need something from Him. I'm not proud of that, but it's the whole, sinful truth.

Today my prayer has been that I would simply love like Luke, and that I would be able to say in any circumstance, that I want my Father, not because of my immediate need, but just because I need Him - and only Him.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

We are snowed in. SNOWED IN. I live in Mobile, AL, also known as the most insanely hot and ridiculously humid city on earth. WE DON'T HAVE SNOW DAYS.

But today we did.

I would love to say that I got out and made a snow angel, build a snow man, and then made homemade snow cream with my children... but I didn't. I wasn't built for snow.

I did, however, realize half way through making lemon-blueberry muffin batter, that I couldn't find my muffin tin. Who does that? Who loses a muffin tin? Me, apparently. So I made lemon-blueberry bread. It was nothing short of serendipity, my friends. DELICIOUS.

Most of you know that I've been using Young Living essential oils. We've used them a number of ways, but I hadn't cooked with them yet. Today, however, I decided that since we are already breaking some sort of record with the weirdest weather on earth, that'd I'd also break away from my normal recipe and use a little lemon essential oil. And since I have absolutely nothing to do except clean my house during nap time today (and since I'm just not feeling that), I thought I'd share my recipe with y'all. I tweaked a recipe from Joy of Cooking, so shout out to the person who came up with the original, but I'm not going to lie, this one is better.

Preheat Oven to 350.
Mix together in a bowl:

2 cups of flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
a little of salt (maybe 1/2 tsp or so)

in a mixer, combine:

2 eggs
1/2 stick melted butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
4 drops of Young Living lemon essential oil

Slowly add the dry mix into the wet ingredients. Add about 1 cup of blueberries. Pour into a greased bread pan.

For topping:
combine 1/2 stick melted butter
about 1/3 cup flour
about 1/2 cup sugar
(play with the amount until it's dry enough to crumble over the top the bread batter)

Once you've crumbled the topping over the batter, bake for about 45-55 minutes at 350.

Let cool.

Slice, enjoy. Wait for snow to melt. Repeat.

I hope y'all enjoy this as much as we did! If anyone has any recipes that call for essential oils, please send it my way. I want to try a few more - and soon!

Stay warm, friends!

"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Essential Oils and Immunity

I'm finding new ways to use our essential oils every single day. Right now, for example, I'm diffusing lemon and purification for the first time, and our whole house just smells CLEAN (which is an enormous feat with 3 small children, 2 of whom are in diapers). I feel like I should invite someone over just to have a witness. I've got to remember this blend!

Although I've tried a handful of new combos of oils to make creams, cleaners, etc lately, I've had one main goal: Immunity. It's flu season, and it is rampant in Mobile. At Shep's doctor's appointment last week, FOUR nurses were out with the flu. Four. I think our house will permentantly smell like Thieves after all of the diffusing I did when we got home that day! But so far, we have stayed well (with the exception of Luke having Fifth's disease - also known as "Slap Cheek," but I'm fairly sure he actually was exposed before we started using the oils much at all), and I am thanking God for using these oils to strengthen our immune systems! Here are some ways we are using them for immunity (disclaimer - I am only using Young Living essential oils):

-I'm applying Thieves, diluted with coconut oil, to the bottoms of our feet at night.
-I'm diffusing Thieves, purification and lemon (not all at the same time) a few times a day.
-I'm using one drop of lemon in place of hand sanitizer after any and all outings.
-I'm giving one drop of Thieves in a spoonful of honey when I start getting really freaked out about germ exposure. (And I'm using valor on my wrists and behind my ears to calm the heck down about germs. Seriously. I am a little crazy with a newborn around!) And a quick side note about Thieves: it's hot, hot, HOT. Honey helps, but oh my soul. Beware. Spice CITY.

This is my favorite way to use Thieves!

It's very hard to measure the effectiveness of any type of immune boost, because you are trying to guage what you're NOT experiencing. But we are healthy and well, and I'm extremely thankful. As always, I want to remind anyone that reads this (and myself) that any protection of our health is God's  doing. These oils in and of themselves are just tools in the hand of the Great Physician.

And I also should note that I've been pushing probiotics and clean(er) eating, because I truly believe this is about balance and moderation. I am really thankful for the direction God is giving us in our journey towards better health, and half the fun is meeting other moms (and whole families!) who are on this journey alongside us. God gave us one body, and I really want to continue to learn to take care of mine. Being a good steward of what we've been given is so important to me, and it's a lesson that my children can learn early, prayerfully, by our example.

If you have any questions about Young Living or essential oils in general, please feel free to email me. You also are welcome to use this link if you want to purchase anything. BUT the sign up process can be a little tricky, so I would love to talk to you and tell you a few important things first! :)

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth... At Least a Co-pay!

I love modern medicine. I really, really do. I love every single thing about my OB, and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that she was a God-send. She took incredible care of Shep and me, and there's just no way to say how much I appreciate her and how much I respect her knowledge and expertise. I also love our children's pediatrician. Our last visit was a well-check up (yes, friends -- vaccines included), and I left her office truly knowing that she has been and will continue to be used to help keep my children well.

With that said, I also love prevention. I love the idea of strengthening our immune systems, and if that reduces the number of times that we go to the doctor, than HALLELUJAH! Not because I don't love our doctors, but because that means we are WELL. It also means we are one copay richer. Seriously - thirty bucks is thirty bucks, and I'd way rather have a date night than a doctor's visit. Can I get an "amen??" I also like the idea of being able to treat minor things that don't necessarily warrant a doctor's visit. It always seems so silly to waste a copay AND be exposed to all the funk in a doctor's office (especially with this awful flu and RSV going around) for issues like allergies, skin issues, stomach aches, colds, and other not-so-serious ailments, but not necessarily with a bunch of over-the-counter stuff. I have been searching for some time to strike the balance between modern medicine and natural remedies, and I've completely struck out -- until now!

A dear friend introduced me to Young Living essential oils. She had successfully taken her daughter off of allergy medicine (which was a HUGE deal!) and really recommended that I look into them. Her children's pediatrician was fully supportive of her decision to try the oils. I decided I would look into them, and after a good bit of reading and asking friends who used them what they thought, I bit the bullet and bought a kit. I am so glad I did! We are just getting started, but we've already seen great results from the oils: Luke's stomach issues were resolved with diluted peppermint oil. His eczema issues that were starting to make him uncomfortable are so much better. We've helped headaches, sleep issues and even stress and anxiety. 

There is one HUGE point that I want to pause and make, though. I think these oils are wonderful, but I know that any and all healing comes straight from the Ultimate Healer. We give full credit and glory to the Creator, not Creation. God has used these already, and I believe He will continue to use them in our lives, but just like I believe that modern medicine is merely a tool that He uses to heal, I believe these oils are merely means by which He may protect our health. I love remembering that He knew that a fallen world would be broken and sick, and that He would, in His mercy and love, make provisions for the unavoidable issues and illnesses we face. 

We always pray for wisdom as we travel down new paths, and as we begin to explore the ways that these oils can be used, we're doing it prayerfully and carefully. I'd LOVE to hear if any other families are giving them a try, and I would love to hear your experience so far! 

Just for fun, I thought I'd share one of my favorite ways to use theses oils. I have made two face creams: one for morning, and one for night, and I'm in LOVE. Here are the recipes:

Morning: 1/2 cup coconut oil, 5 drops of lemon, 5 drops of frankincense. 

Evening: 1/2 cup coconut oil, 5 drops of lavender, 5 drops of frankincense. 

I love, love, love them both! 

I also just made a honey and lemon scrub, and I love it so far. I'll share that recipe soon! :)

P.S. If anyone has a question about ordering, please email me! I'd love to help: annie.persinger@gmail.com Signing up is super complicated, so I'd be happy to walk you through the process.  

ABCs of Christmas: D is for Depravity

Depravity means to be depraved. The definition of “depraved” is this: “marked by corruption or evil.” This may seem like a strange word to remember at Christmas, but really, this word is in many ways, the reason FOR Christmas!

The Bible says in the book of Romans, “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In Isaiah it says, “there is none righteous, no not one.” What that means is, we are all depraved - all sinful and all hopeless on our own. But because God loves us so much, He sent His own Son into the world to pay the penalty for our sins. The whole reason Jesus came to earth was to redeem those who would trust in Him, so at Christmas, remembering that we are spiritually depraved gives us even more reason to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life though Christ Jesus, our Lord."

The ABCs of Christmas: C is for Carols

C is for Carols.

At Christmas time, we always sing songs called “carols.” Many of these carols are about Santa, Rudolph, and snowmen.  Others are about the birth of Christ, and they are good reminders of the true meaning of Christmas. Some carols are just for fun, and others can be for worshipping God. Songs like "O Holy Night" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" tell about the miracle of Jesus' birth and remind us of the reconciliation He established between God and repentant sinners.

Matthew 21:16 says that children of all ages can praise God, "And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

We can sing the fun carols, and we can sing the worshipful carols, always remembering that without the birth of Jesus, we'd have no reason to sing or celebrate at all!

The ABCs of Christmas: B is for Bethlehem

B is for BETHLEHEM.

At Christmas time, we remember the city of Bethlehem because Jesus was born here! Jesus’ family didn’t live in Bethlehem, but they had to travel there to be counted. Everybody had to return to the city or town from which their ancestors came. Mary and Joseph were both descendants of King David, and David's city was Bethlehem, so Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem to be counted.

In order to fulfill Old Testament prophesy, Jesus HAD to be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 says, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

When the orders came from Rome for everyone to return to their ancestor's city to be counted, the rulers of the time had no idea that they were setting the stage for this ancient prophecy to be fulfilled, but God knew. God had planned this since the before the beginning of time, and the fact that the Roman rulers were used to accomplish HIS plan points to His sovereignty and faithfulness.

So when we read Luke 2:4, “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David,” we are reminded that Jesus fulfilled all Old Testament prophesy, and we can be sure that every Word of God WILL come to pass.