Helping Mom Relax By Dr. Kathleen Oden
What do moms do the most? They give of themselves. And what most moms do best is caregiving to their family and others. This is the perfect picture of Jesus. When moms care for us they are “Being His Hands and Feet.” This month, show some extra love to the caregivers in your life. Help them relax and chill out! Lavender essential oil is one of the most popular essential oils worldwide; gentle and safe for most people, including children. Ancient texts tell us that lavender has been used for therapeutic and religious purposes for over 2,500 years. The Egyptians used it for mummification and as perfume. The Romans used it for cooking and scenting the air. They also added lavender to their bath water; hence, the name from the Latin “lavare” meaning “to wash.” Mary may have applied lavender essential oil with her hair to anoint Jesus. Interestingly, many researchers claim that 2,000 years ago, lavender was referred to as spikenard or simply “nard” from the Greek name for lavender, naardus, after the Syrian city of Naarda. John 12:3 tells us what is probably the most famous use of lavender essential oil… “Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet
with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (NJKV) Today, lavender is the most commonly used essential oil in the world. “And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” (Mark 14:3 KJV) Lavender is a “must-have” oil to keep on hand at all times because of its versatile uses, including relaxing properties that promote peaceful sleep and ease feelings of tension and/or stress. The lavender flowers are steam-distilled for their essential oil, and the aroma is floral, sweet, and calming. In February 2019 shingles appeared on my left shoulder but I thought it was a rash at first. However, my doctor informed me it was shingles and she asked me what I was using for the pain. She was very surprised when I told her essential oils– Lavender, Frankincense, and Pine. All 3 of these contain a pain compound and other healing properties, which is the reason I choose these 3 oils:
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