A Spring Challenge

We are on our third week of hotel living and I am So. Over. It.  Like, so over it.  Our girls are over it, too. We spend our days trying to run around and stay out of the room so we aren't bored to tears (or interrupting all of our "neighbors") but that's exhausting in itself as well. I have seen more meltdowns, tantrums and heartaches in this past week than I thought was possible from two little humans. Alas, we think the end is nearing, closing is set for March 31- I think I can, I think I can.  
We miss our friends, so much. Our 4 year old, especially, spends many times a day aching for her friends at her old house and yearning for new friends here. We have cried together and prayed relentlessly for those special friendships to blossom here. 
Having so much time to sit around and listen to squeals, I've had time to think. Think about my journey and what impact I am making on those around me, what message am I spreading and sharing. Of course, that message of Christ's love, mercy, and grace is primary. Relating this to my passions and feelings of purpose, I keep coming back to sharing health and truth in caring for our bodies. I've taught fitness classes, nutrition classes, and essential oil classes. I get weary from trying to share the same message to closed ears, but I know how important relieving ignorance is, and because of this, I'm sharing more :) I will use this blog and mostly my Facebook private group, Oils and Grace. Starting on Monday, March 21, I will hold a Spring cleaning challenge to encourage you to replace the toxins lurking in your home! If you are already in that group, visit the page and like a few posts to make sure you get the notifications, because I have some fun ideas over the next few weeks. I won't bombard with solely essential oils just yet, because some of us may really cling to a certain few oils while others have no immediate interest in those. The vision I have for the next few weeks is to help equip you with practical ways to REMOVE TOXINS from your home. Yes, I will provide replacements that are non toxic using Young Living essential oils (quick note- only Young Living because I do NOT promote the use of any other essential oils, you will not find a cleaner company. For more info, check out their Seed to Seal process, it is un-rivaled! If you want to remove toxins, why replace it with anything less than total purity?) and other low cost items. 
So, why is this topic so important? Well, it always has been to me. I am very "crunchy" and refuse to be ignorant about health, I want to know what is out there and how to best protect my family, I don't want to close my ears to knowledge and wonder why my body isn't functioning in the perfect way it was created. By the way, our bodies were created to function in perfect form, but we have flooded our systems with so many toxins that normal processes have been completely disrupted.... and the rate at which we are exposing our children is TERRIFYING.
I knew this is a big deal and have been totally convicted. About a year and a half ago I started removing toxins that I could control- cleaners, detergents, body care, beauty products, etc and it feels so comforting knowing the soap I am pouring over my girls isn't disrupting their hormone balances or creating toxic cells in their body or that the cleaner they are helping me spray isn't destroying their neural pathways- y'all this is seriously the types of things that are going on when you use chemicals in your home! Since, we have gone clean with all of our cleaning products, I have not been exposed to harsh chemicals until this hotel stay. I came prepared with my Thieves cleaner and homemade detergent, but a couple of weeks into it and I am broken out in hives from reactions to the toxins that are used when the cleaning lady comes by and the detergent the sheets and towels are washed in. It really scares me to think that I lived a life up until 1 1/2- 2 years ago that accepted these chemicals and was used to them. This just re-opened my eyes and convicted my heart even more to share, and to hope that you will join me in learning how to value our bodies and the systems in them. We have the job of taking care of our bodies, not destroying them with toxins! If you haven't joined yet, please feel free to "like" my facebook page, Oils and Grace. I promise you won't get emails and messages with info you aren't feeling quite yet, but let's raise awareness of what is in our environment and what we can control. Go clean out those cabinets, friends and let's learn about how to make our cleaning closet a happier place :)