Chicken Therapy

Dorth (the chicken) is feeling a bit crummy!

Yes, this one is my kid....no doubt about it.

We traveled to see family last weekend.  The night before we returned I heard my sweet daughter say, "I miss my chickens!"

I totally understood the sentiment.  I went to bed that same night fretting over the cows even though I had stockpiled water and hay to meet their needs.  Let's just say there is peace for my soul when I get to check on them every day. 

Last night one of the chickens showed up with a respiratory infection.  She sounded raspy and one of her eyes looked kind of bubbly--like it was foaming (sorry if that was too much info!).  It was nearly dark, so I had to make a decision quickly.  (If you haven't been blessed with your own chickens, just know that they go to bed at dusk/dark regardless of what time that might occur.  So right now, they shut down at 5pm.  They climb into their coop, settle in a nest or on the roosting bar and call it a day until the sun shows up again.)

Anyway, I did some quick research to determine the best course with the sickly bird.  Some sources recommended that we do away with her to protect the rest of the flock.  I knew that wasn't the right path for us. 

We isolated her into her own little pen and secured a tarp over it since she would have to depend on her own body heat for warmth through the night.  I did a quick search to find which essential oils might help the situation.  I tapped into Jill's experience and mixed up some Melaleuca and Frankincense oil with a couple teaspoons of carrier oil.  Massaged a bit into the bottoms of the bird's feet (which she greatly appreciated, much like a human!)

This morning found the bird looking a bit better.  The raspy respirations had improved and so had the eyes!  Praise God!

And more good news, the other birds all look healthy this morning, too.  That's one of the big concerns with chickens that they will infect all their friends! (much like humans, again!)

We reapplied the Melaleuca / Frankincense oil combo to her feet in the morning and again a lunch.  Planning to keep her penned separately until all the symptoms clear.

The sun is out and we are having a gorgeous day.  While I was finishing up my chores, I found my daughter hanging out with the chickens.  She smiled and said, "Chickens are My Therapy!" 

Yes, she's definitely my kid!

may you be blessed with time for your "therapy" today, too!
pam


Praising God for All Things!!




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Therapeutic Journaling

One of the issues that has plagued me with my depression is an ongoing sense of deep sorrow.  Sorrow without explanation.  Sorrow and its cousins Guilt and Shame.  It's easy to push Sorrow, Guilt, and Shame deep down in our gut--cover it over, and do our best to be happy.  But with years of this chronic stuffing, Sorrow, Guilt, and Shame grow larger than life.  Hiding them away somehow fortifies them and they grow and grow and grow. 

Eventually they bubble over.  We are no longer strong enough to contain these toxic emotions.  They come out.  They prefer to show up at the most inopportune times.  It isn't pretty.  It's frightening to us and our loved ones. 

The first time Sorrow, Guilt, and Shame reared their ugly heads for me was about 10 years ago after a difficult pregnancy.  The outcome of the pregnancy was good, but the anxiety and fears took a toll on me emotionally.  I cried for no reason.  I sat, numb and lifeless, and cried.  I tried to pull myself together and couldn't.  That's when I started taking antidepressants.  I talked to a counselor briefly, but only dealt with the surface level which was a determination that I should be joyful--my precious baby was healthy, my lengthy hospital stay was over, I was reunited with my dear family.  I chose not to go deeper at that time. 

10 years of depression and assorted antidepressants followed.  They worked.  Sort of.

Last year, the antidepressants stopped working.  This was actually a blessing since the meds really weren't working very well overall.  I was back to feeling numb and lifeless a lot although I could still manage to hold myself and my family together to some degree. 

As the doctor changed dosages and meds, I found that sometimes antidepressants will actually mimic or worsen the very symptoms of depression!  That's when I knew that I had to get off the bus.  I didn't know how to proceed, but I knew in my heart that God wanted me off the medications.

I am happy to say that I am off the antidepressants. They were weaned over the course of many, many months.  Weaning off the antidepressants was painstakingly slow because my body was fully addicted to those chemicals.  My body had to learn to create it's own happy chemicals again. 

I've sought out a variety of alternative, natural remedies.  I use essential oils and assorted supplements to support my health.  I hope to share more about that in future posts, but you are welcome to email me if you want more info. 

I've also started working with a counselor.  Therapeutic Journaling was one of my first assignments.  This practice has great value for me. 

I like to do my Therapeutic Journaling in the morning.  It's easy to do. 
What tools will you need?  Blank paper, a pen, tissue, and a trash can. 

You'll need a safe place to work by yourself.  Sit down and start writing.  Just write whatever comes to mind.  Don't try to edit or clean up your thinking.  If anger bubbles up, let it.  Write it out.  Cry As Needed.  When Sorrow, Guilt, and Shame rise to the top of your consciousness LET THEM OUT!  Don't try to figure anything out or analyze it.  Just let it out.  Write it out.  You will cry.  You need to cry to purge these old toxic messages. 

The first few times you try this, you may write a LOT of pages.  I did.  As I chip away at the stuff in there, less is coming up.  My writing has gotten a bit shorter.  My typical journaling session fills both sides of lined paper.  This is just my experience--yours may be different.  There are no rules.

How will you know when to stop writing?  The tone of your scribbles will change.  It will change from anger and sorrow, to hopefulness and answers.  Then you'll just sort of know that you are done.

Next step?  Crumble up the paper(s) and throw them promptly in the trash.  You can choose other methods to destroy the page--you might prefer to burn or shred your pages.  Any way is fine, but you must destroy the page.  Do NOT reread the paper first.  Just get rid of it.  Be Free.  Have peace.  Allow joy to enter your soul.

So here are the basics again:
Write. Cry.  Destroy paper.  Repeat.

After that, you need to say some positive affirmations.  Fill your mind with positive encouraging words.  (we'll chat more about this later, too.)

You are a dearly loved Child of God.  God sent His Son Jesus to free us from guilt, shame, and sin.  Jesus is happy to take these heavy burdens from us.  We must choose to let Him.

may you feel God's incredible love for you today,
pam


Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
      Psalm 68:19


IMPORTANT!  I am not a doctor.  I am not prescribing health care for you.  You are a grown up.  You can take responsibility for your health and wellness choices.  My only purpose is to share what I have experienced.  I use Essential Oils and Products and share these products with others as an Independent Product Consultant.  (translation:  I make money when you purchase these products through me).  I only share these products because they work for me and my family. 

EVEN MORE IMPORTANT!  If you take antidepressants, do not stop them abruptly!  This is very dangerous.  Antidepressants should only be weaned with the guidance of your doctor. 

Updates!

Time flies when you are having fun (or running full tilt boogie like your hair is on fire!)

The days just move too fast for my liking. 


Farm Happenings

Bob the Bottle Calf
I've been afraid to say this out loud, but I think it's safe to proclaim that Bob the Bottle calf's navel abscess is healed!!  ALL the Glory goes to God!  He blessed me with a great vet with lots of ideas, who also respected my thoughts and observations.  God gave me patience and endurance to doctor Bob's wound twice daily for about 3 1/2 months.  God also put my previous training as a nurse to good use. 

Annabelle and Bob
(Bob is sad with this new "milkless" arrangement!)

In the end it was most definitely God who strengthened Bob and gave me courage to let the abscess heal over and encapsulate (this flies totally in the face of all that past training!).  I still check Bob's belly periodically and have to sing a little verse of praise every time I realize that the infection has resolved!!

Shortly after the infection healed, I had to make an executive decision and wean Bob away from Bambi (my Jersey milk cow).  I really wanted to let her nurse longer, but Bob was starting to scare me.  That probably sounds strange....I'll try to explain.  Because of so much handling by me, on some level Bob thinks of me as her mother.  This leads to a myriad of problems since Bob rapidly outgrew me in size and strength.  As long as Bob nursed I needed to lead her in and out of Bambi's paddock (unless we didn't want any milk that day).  Bob grew really pushy with me....literally.  She would no longer walk at my side, instead she shadowed right behind me and tried to bump me along with her head.  She would even come running up in the pasture and start head bumping me to get my attention.  Trust me, she had it.  It gave me the creeps and I started being fearful for myself and my kids, too. 

"Don't worry, Bob, you'll get through this."

The good news is that just a few weeks after giving up her favorite drink and not being handled very much, Bob has settled down and is much calmer when I need to be around her.  She still loves a good chin scratch and she moo's when she sees me, but she's no longer acting like an overgrown toddler. 


Chickens
We've had a rough couple weeks with chickens.  We lost 2 laying hens.  It seems that a fox made off with the first and a hawk tried to take the other. 

Chicks at about 3 weeks.
Sort of an ugly stage with half of feathers grown in.

On the same day, a raccoon got through some electric fencing, reached into the coop where we are raising our meat birds.  The coon killed one and badly wounded another.  The wounded chick lived in our garage for a while.  She's been relocated back with the other chicks.  We still have to keep her in a separate pen because some of the other birds pick on her.  (the pecking order is everywhere!)  I'm amazed at how God instilled us and all of His creatures with a will to live.  I was sure this little chick wouldn't survive for an hour after I found her, but here she is a week later....alive and growing stronger each day.

Quilty Stuff

Quilting time is shriveling up like a raisin with the summer garden and mowing and such upon us.  I'm ok with that though.  I tend to feel better when I go with the flow of the seasons and the specific work of each.... instead of demanding that life stay the same and allow me to do what I want to do all the time (trust me, I've tried the latter method, too....it wasn't pretty!)

I am still doing a bit of hand piecing on the fly.  This new pattern and stamp set by Cindy Blackberg is fun.  The  pieces are larger than the ones that I usually work with, so it goes together faster. 

Quilt Top for ministry.
Made from donated blocks.
2013

I did finish sewing a quilt top together at during our Wednesday Quilt Ministry gatherings.  This was made from donated blocks.  I sashed the blocks and added borders.  Sarah quilted it and the quilt has already been given away.  :) 

I'm trying to finish a quilt to send to an orphanage in Ethiopia through Sarah's Hands to Help project. 


Health and Well-Being

Wheat
I'm still doing the wheat-free thing. (Amazon affiliate link)  For the most part anyway.  Oddly enough, I really don't miss the wheat foods.  It's hard to figure out what to prepare for meals in their place, but I don't miss eating them.  My daytime energy level remains at a good constant level.  This is such a blessing! 

many blessings,
pam


May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.  Psalm 20:1


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