It's Not a Box

A cardboard box is so much more than just a box, especially when given to a small child.  With her wild and vivid imagination, the box transforms into a car, a train, a boat, an airplane, a rocketship, a house, a grocery store, a restaurant, or even a bed.  A cardboard box can keep a child entertained for hours on end.

Such has been the case in our house this morning.

As I write, Coralyn is sitting in the box, attentively watching the Olympics and marveling at the Synchronized Swimming routines of one country after another.  I think she is not only mesmerized by the shiny costumes, but also the amazing feats of gymnastics that these women are doing while swimming, jumping, kicking, twisting, and smiling...all in complete unison.

But back to the box.  It is a very special box.  Not only is it providing seemingly endless fun for the kiddos today, but what was inside the box when it arrived at our house yesterday evening is even more important.

Hopefully the contents of the box will help change our lives.

Last week I blogged about how I haven't been feeling very well for the past 3 and a half years (since I was pregnant with Coralyn).  We have been praying for God to heal me, to show us what to do to help me have energy and strength every day.  He has given us several answers, in ways I never would have expected, but I am grateful for each of them.

First, I have visited a naturally minded wellness doctor (kind of like a chiropractor and health doctor all in one), not too much of a surprise there really, I guess.  He spoke at a free seminar type meeting at our church awhile back, and what he had to say was pretty interesting.  I took him up on his offer for a free consultation, figuring it couldn't hurt anything and that he just might be able to help me.  Knowing that he is a Christian was an added bonus.  When I went, he recommended that to start I cut gluten out of my diet and briefly explained the kind of "treatment" I would need to fix what was happening inside my body.  We were leaving for camp a few days later, so I couldn't really implement the changes right away, but as soon as we returned, the "makeover" began.

Then, last week I went back for my first official treatment session.  I was somewhat skeptical about what poking around my stomach would tell him, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only was he able to "diagnose" my symptoms, but after he felt my stomach, he asked if I had shoulder and back pain.  Yep, every single day!  Apparently that is linked to what's happening in my gall bladder, intestines, adrenal glands, thyroid, and liver.  After poking around some more, he then used some acupuncture and massage to get everything realigned.  Again, I didn't think that a short massage and a few pounds from his "jackhammer" would really make a difference.  I couldn't have been more wrong!!!  When he was finished, he pressed on the same pressure points, and this time I didn't have any pain!

I was also surprised when I went to check out and get the supplements he recommended.  I thought it was going to cost an arm and a leg, but thankfully I was wrong again.  I am simply drinking aloe vera juice and taking an enzyme tablet after every meal to help me properly digest the food I eat and cleanse out my system.  It's only been 5 days, but I truly am starting to see a difference.  I go in again on Tuesday for another massage and acupuncture treatment, so hopefully that will help me stay on this track of feeling better.

The second way that God has answered our "What can we do to help me feel better?" prayer came about in a rather strange way as well.  I have to skip back to Dr. Salas for just a second.  At the seminar, he mentioned that chemical stress can wreak havoc on our bodies.  I didn't think too much of it though, honestly.  Then, Lawrence went home in between the two weeks of camp so that he could ride the bus with the first time campers.  While he was home alone, he watched a few documentaries on Netflix.  One of them was called Chemerica (I think).  When he returned to camp, I asked him how his weekend was and he told me about the various documentaries he had seen, beginning with the Chemerica one.  He explained how the story featured a family who transformed their home - and lives - by using all natural cleaning products, hygiene items, and everything else in between.  We talked about how that would be a fantastic thing to try, and that it might even contribute to helping me feel better (and be safer for our girls, and the kids I will have in daycare to boot).  I have been meaning to make my own soaps and such for a long time now, but somehow I never get around to actually doing it.  Again, I made a mental note to look up some recipes or just buy the natural products available at Wal-Mart.

Before I could go shopping though, I received a call from a lady who had seen my Childbirth Classes sign both at the library and then again when she was dropping her grandkids off at church for VBS.  Diana told me she wasn't pregnant or interested in taking my classes, but instead thought I might be interested in some natural cleaning products, given that I teach about natural childbirth.  She mentioned that the company sold a host of other natural products as well, and even if I didn't want to use the products myself, Diana wondered if I would like some information to give my students.  I hesitantly agreed that Diana could come over and share with me about the products she had mentioned.


Well, last week I met Diana and discovered that her daughter works with Lawrence at Edge Gymnastics!  Small world!  The connection helped ease my skepticism, as did the fact that Diana is also a believer.  In addition to the natural cleaning products, she also showed me a whole host of other products sold by the same company: vitamins, health food, nutrition supplements, cosmetics, lotions, candles, and more!  I hadn't even thought about things like my make-up and lotion.  I was very intrigued: the cleaning products, nutrition supplements, health food, and personal products are very comparable in price to the natural products I can find at Wal-Mart, Hy-Vee, Price Chopper, GNC, etc. (often cheaper actually!).  The vitamins are also extremely similar to what I already take, but cheaper as well!  To top it all off, everything is delivered right to my front door!  So, I told her I would talk to Lawrence to see what he thought about trying out some of the products, just to see if they will help make a difference in the way I feel.

We decided to go for it!

And so our box came yesterday!

I am excited to transform our home and eager to see how this "makeover" will change our lives.

Stain Remover, Disinfectant, Glass Cleaner, and  Bathroom Cleaner

With the spray bottles
(Each bottle of cleaner will make 4-6 spray bottles worth of product!)

Laundry Supplies: Fabric Softener, 2 kinds of Detergent (different scents), and  Stain  Remover
Each bottle of detergent will do 48-64 loads
The pretreatment/stain remover will make 4 bottles

Dishwasher Detergent

Disinfectant Wipes

Sei Bella Hair and Skin Products
Timeless Age Defying Serum
Leave in Detangler
Shampoo, Conditioner
Styling Gel, Hair Spray
(These are the "top of the line" similar to Biolage.
When I reorder, I am going to try the value brand they offer.)

Body Satin Hair and Skin Products
Body Polish, Body Wash
Body Lotion, Hand Creme
Deodorant
(These are the "middle of the line" similar to Bath and Body Works.)

Mouth Care
Breath Spray, Mouth Wash, 2 kinds of Toothpaste, Sugarless Gum, Floss

Miscellaneous Stuff:
Renew Lotion, Herbal Shampoo, Antibacterial Hand Soap, 3 Soap Bars, 2 kinds of Chapstick

Kitchen Pantry
Meal Replacement Bars, Fiber Drink Powder (like Metamucil), Sports Drink Powder (like Gatorade),
Cereal, Oatmeal, Workout Bars

Vitamin Pack for a month

Morning and Evening Packets

First Aid and Medicine Cabinet
Pain-A-Trate Lotion (like Icy Hot)
MelaGel (for burns, bites, etc.)
Cough Drops
Cough Syrup, Pain/Fever Reliever
Melaleuca Oil
Calmicid (like Tums, I think)
Travel Size Hand Soap