I found a pen in my office the other day, and on it read this: “I’M THIRD God is first, Others second and I’m third”
I am not sure where it came from, who left it, or why it was on my desk. Rarely do slogans on pens get me thinking so much, but this one certainly did.…
Every year, I dread Christmas. Part of it is due to my procrastination tendencies. It always sneaks up on me, and I find myself trying to plan my gift-giving at the last minute. I like to find gifts that have meaning attached, but every year, I can’t seem to recall all those brilliant gift ideas I didn’t write down throughout the year.
The consumerism of Christmas drives me bonkers, too, which I’ve mostly managed to escape without cable and newspaper subscriptions. Regardless, I’ve certainly felt the pressure of dropping lots of dough because ‘tis the season of “giving,” because we’re “supposed to,” because I don’t want to look like a cheap skate in comparison. Those feelings really put a dreary damper on the holiday spirit. And isn’t this supposed to be a religious holiday? Santa’s got Jesus beat, hands down.
Needless to say, finding the perfect gift for every person on my list in a short amount of time that doesn’t break the bank makes my holiday season quite the stress fest.
Last year I decided to do something different, ditch my cycle of stress, forget about getting it “perfect,” and instead, prowl the thrift stores for great books and …
There is no better time than now to give thanks to the beautiful elder (Sambucus nigra).
All parts of the elder can be used in different ways although most tend to use the berries and flowers. The flowers are amazing in teas as this can have a slightly sedative effect and opens the pores to reduce heat which can be comforting to those who have dry irritable skin. The flower is also beneficial for colds, flu and inflammation in the lungs. The berries are very similar to the flowers, but they also build the blood and can be used for anemia. The berries are also useful for sore throats and nasal congestion.
Because elder is both stimulating and sedative it is said to have a normalizing action. Because it has this normalizing action it can be helpful for most conditions that are hot or cold, dry or damp. Mathew Woods writes, “Elder opens all tubes of the body (skin, lungs, colon, kidneys, blood vessels), improving oxygenation, blood flow, perspiration and elimination by colon and kidneys.
Elder is a wonderful herb to use with children. As a relaxant, it calms the spasmodic cough, and can be helpful with croup or intestinal …
