Herb Spot: Lemon Balm

If you want to start an herb garden, start with Lemon Balm. You can basically neglect it and it will still grow! It will grow in the shade, sun, in a pot and even with the weeds!

My first experience with Lemon Balm was when a friend brought me her handcrafted, backyard tea. It makes the best tea!! Since then I have been in love and planted my own.

After a little research, I found that Lemon Balm is a great stress reliever. YAY! Not only does it taste great, it helps soothe the mind.  It's beneficial for winter illnesses, children's overall health, the digestive tract and a boost for the immune system. ALL in one plant! It's like God telling us, "I got this, just use what I give you!" hehe.

You can buy a plant at almost any nursery or you can buy the dried herb from a wonderful herb company.

Amazon also carries Lemon Balm tea! I have not tried this brand, but I'm sure it's wonderful.

Want to know who else has something to say about Lemon Balm?? 

St. Hildegard of Bingen!

I found the recipe below in the book, Saint Hildegard's Kitchen. I have yet to try it, so if you do let me know how it taste!

Lemon Balm Soother

Take 1 part lemon balm to 3 parts fennel leaves, boil together in water, strain out the plants, and drink the remaining liquid. This is an elixir used to combat mental confusion. Lemon balm reduces the effects of harmful humors and prevents them from gaining the upper hand, says Hildegard. The juice from the fennel plant puts the person in a proper, cheerful mood!

If you haven't already, enter to win 4 bars of handmade soap, they are lovely!

“Prayer is the best weapon we possess, the key that opens the heart of God.”

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Roots Soap Co Sponsor

One of my dearest friends is a soap maker. She uses her mother's recipes to create the best  soap you'll ever use. They lather well, last forever and smell heavenly!

She makes all of the soap in her own little kitchen with two little one's running around. (and one in the oven!)

Make sure to check out her etsy shop and her facebook page. It really helps support this wonderful, Catholic family. If you are getting married make sure to look at the wedding favors, they are beautiful! 

She is always so gracious in giving away soap when someone is interested or simply because! During the Christmas season RootsSoapCo donates heavily to local families in need. Anna has the biggest heart and refuses her love to no one!  (and I know she will cringe when she reads this, she's also very humble!)   

Can you tell I love bragging about my friends? I love her business and I love her. In fact, Darren and Anna are my son's Godparents, they are that awesome. :)

Selling soap together at a street fair last summer

Pouring the oils into the mix

Biking down to the post office to deliver the packages of soap. These are her two beautiful children.

They smell as good as they look!

On another note, come join me over here at GAPS legal Thursdays. Have a good day! 

When I am weak . . .

Does your kitchen look like this? 

 . . . because this is my kitchen!!!

I can make all these wonderful post about what I do in my perfect little kitchen but it wouldn't be real. This is what my kitchen looks like most of the time.

I am always weak and I always need help in the kitchen.

Underneath the little picture of St. Gianna (above) says, "One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving." -St. Gianna. 

It's so true! Suffering can also include the dishes and the dreaded laundry. In fact, those are my sufferings. I dream of being a missionary and going back to the days of doing pro-life work. But for now, this is my suffering and boy does it stink.

It's the silent suffering that only God knows about. It's this vocation of motherhood that I have chosen, and it is really hard.

I  have realized that it's OK to ask for help when I am weak.

My mom was just talking to me about being a supermom. She said the idea that we have to be a supermom is worldly and ridiculous. We are not supermoms, and neither should we strive to be one. We are weak and need help from those around us. Being a wife and mother is hard and it's absolutely necessary to ask for help.

 What do I need when I am weak?

 I need strength to make better choices regarding what I eat and feed my family. 

I need help in the kitchen to make better foods for my family.

How do I get this help?

 I have to ask for it. I can't expect my husband (or children) to read my mind.

I have to be specific. If I need the dishes done, I can't assume my husband knows that, I have to say it!

I need courage to say no to foods that make me tired and grumpy. For me this is sugar and gluten. 

I need humility to realize that I have to take care of my health. I have different food needs and I cannot ignore or pretend that things are different.

How do I get all these things that I need?  

I pray. 

In fact,

I cannot afford not to pray. I have to make those dishes and laundry a prayer and a sacrifice. It's what gives me the strength to get through.

"With God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26

Linking up at Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, and Real Food Wednesdays

Saving Lives . . . ONE sacrifice at a time . . .

I had to share this video. The inspiration almost brought me to tears! My husband and I met walking across the country with Crossroads - the grassroots organization that spreads the Gospel message of life. This is a video of the walkers on the Northern walk.

(read all about it here)

This video adds a lot of humor to the walk . . . mostly because it's the hardest thing you'll ever do! (and you need humor to get you through all the blisters and pain!) 

If you feel inspired, say a prayer for these guys. If you feel really inspired, share the video, get on your knees and pray the rosary for women in crisis pregnancies, they need you!

God bless your day!