Good Health Naturally!

Today's post is a little different. We wanted to draw attention to and explain the links to other sites on the side of our blog. You will see several other sites listed. Two are for other blogs we write that focus on our other interests. One for Faith and Finance and one for Party ideas. Two links are for Health products that we firmly believe in. So much so that we have joined the companies and built a  business with them. This is our story with those companies.

In 2000, Karen had just had our fifth child and was tired all the time. Naptime was not just for the baby, Karen had to rest daily too. We knew we needed more energy and better health. We took vitamins but we never felt any difference from any of the pill form vitamins we took and we tried a lot of them. We were constantly looking for something that would be good for  us and give us the energy we so needed. In fact we looked and tried products for 2 years before we found the best supplements on the planet and knew we had found the ones that really work.

A friend of ours, who happens to be a world reknown nutritionist introduced us to the Biometics products. They are liquid nutritional supplements and the only ones that are Micellized for maximum absorption and results. We knew immediately that these products were different.  We immediately felt the difference! They taste great and you can feel the energy go all through your body as you drink them.  2002 began our lifelong relationship with the products and the company.

Since being on the products we have many stories of results to share and those stories built a business for us that is still growing. Joint pain-gone, blood pressure lowered, energy levels raised, never being sick, rashes and allergies cleared up. As we got personal results we also learned more about nutrition and health and that if we give our bodies what it needs it will heal and repair itself. This led to seeing results with friends, family, neighbors and even clients. ADHD improved. Behavior issues improved, Autism improved.

As a psychologist, Russell was captured with the results that ADHD children (and adults) were reporting as a result of a unique blend of the Biometics products.  He started recommending the products to some of his patients and coaching them using the products.  The results were more than impressive.  After several years of seeing result after result, Russell felt that he needed to share his experiences working with the products and ADHD in written form.  In 2008 he published Turbo Charged Childhood and has continued to work with families and their children, combining traditional counseling with a unique blend of liquid nutritional supplements.

When we first brought our adopted children home, they were malnourished and sickly. We began giving them Biometics and they began to heal. One of our sons had chronic ear infections and had been on and off antibiotics his whole life. Another was born premature and was still using a respirator. Within weeks, the premature son no longer needed his respirator and both responded incredibly to the Biometics products with drastically improved health.  No more antibiotics.  No more respirators.  All are growing stronger everyday!

The other link is for Essential Oils from Young Living. We just recently found these products and have been equally impressed in just a short time. We believe in taking care of our bodies and using natural resources to heal and help with everyday issues. In using these products we have been able to stay healthy and off of medication.  We have experienced relief from headaches, toothaches, back & neck pain, sore muscles, and eczema.  The oils have a lovely aroma that is both soothing and relaxing, generating a calming effect in your home.  The are also effective in promoting a good nights sleep!

We love natural results and healthy lives. We love to share our results with others and help them get the same great results we have gotten. We love learning more and more about healing the way God intended it. Please feel free to click on the links and try our products. We would love to hear from you and help you navigate your health and healing as well.

Our journey down the health path has been exciting and we have shared our experiences and results many times in a variety of venues.  As a result, we have developed a variety of training opportunities including on site seminars/ workshops, webinars, and phone consultations.  If you, your church group, or support group are interested in having us speak at your event or simply have questions, please feel free to contact us.  We would be honored to share with you what we have discovered for ourselves over the past 10+ years!

The Habakkuk Story HOT OFF THE PRESS! BRAND NEW RELEASE

Karen & I are so excited about our new release, Did You Ever Wonder Where the Swaddling Clothes Came From?:  The Habakkuk Story.  This delightful story began 25 years ago when I was trying to comfort an 18 month old colicky daughter and innocently asked, "Do you know where the swaddling clothes came from in the manger"?  To my amazement she stopped crying and waited in anticipation of a story.  On the spur of the moment the story of Habakkuk, an undersized sheep dog with a big heart and special purpose in life, was born.  It was a hit with all our children as well as dozens of other children in preschools throughout our community.    Several years ago Karen persuaded me to put our popular story in writing.  Through her beautiful artistic illustrations, she has masterfully made the story come alive as she has captured the characters of the story.  There's the playful essence of Habakkuk, the dastardly Willie the Wolf, the pompous and rotund Shelly the sheep, the enigmatic Ms. Feedell Kloddeshopper, and of course, Mary and Joseph.    The Habakkuk Story will warm your hearts and capture the imaginations of your children as they discover 7 important life lessons or principles.  We've embedded the principles in the story and will be revealing them after the holiday season. In addition, Karen has added special little creatures in many of her illustrations that will hold your child's attention and peak their interest in the story.  These little creatures are placed in the pictures quite by design in order to enhance your child's ability to scan his/her visual field.  This ability is highly correlated with positive, creative problem solving and social skills.  You and your child will have fun trying to find the ants marching, crawling spiders and butterflies fluttering! To preorder your copy, Go to www.Simplesolutions4.com and be one of the first to own this timeless treasure. Orders are expected to ship 12/21/12.

Karen & I sincerely wish all of you the most peaceful of holidays and blessings to you and your families. Warmly, M. Russell Thomas, PhD

A Note of Thankfulness

On July 23^rd of this year, we wrote about our oldest son Jason and his wife, Becca (True Beauty and Real Super Heroes!).  Specifically, we wrote about the couple’s approach to dealing with a diagnosis of breast cancer.  We wrote about their strength and refusal to be victimized by the dreaded words, “the lump is malignant”.  Jason and Becca taught us something about a deep, abiding sense of well-being at a time when many would simply cave under the temptation to accept self-pity.  If they weren’t already, they became our heroes.

Now, six months later we would like to update our readers on Becca’s health.  A couple of months ago the doctor uttered the words, “all the cancer cells are in remission”!  In the spirit of the 1 leper who returned to say thanks (see Luke 17:7…and one of them [leper], when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.), we stop, return to the Healer, and shout out, “Hallelujah!  Thank You, Jesus!” 

Until we talk again…

Family Moments...They're Getting More Popular

As we look back over the past 21 months and our experience with adoption, it often feels like we've been overly critical, disillusioned and perhaps even disappointed with our decision or even worse, our children.  Well today we'd like to set the record straight.

While it is true that we do not believe that anything could have prepared us adequately for the adoption of these children and the impact that they would have on our home and lives, we also recognize that this has been a blessing beyond description.  Sure, we've endured some difficult times and had moments that made us wonder if we were inhaling some strange gas through the air vents of our house!  We've wondered what in the world our children were thinking when they turned somersaults in mud puddles or cracked farm fresh eggs on their forehead or touched the electric fence surrounding the pasture just to see if really was on!  We've had our moments of wondering if we were parents or group home managers and if we were becoming totally different human beings than we'd been all our lives.  But one thing has been driving us: 

God called us to adopt these children and without us they would be lost in a system that would never make decisions solely in their best interest, tuck them in bed each & every night and make sure that they understood their intrinsic, God-given value in this world and that without them we would live the rest of our lives with a sense of emptiness and a feeling that we somehow missed something special that we were suppose to experience.  

So we've talked much in our past blogs about the bad and the ugly of dealing with a system that tries its best to meet the needs of children such as ours but miserably fails as parents.  We've talked about our feelings of being in this alone and wondering if they would ever be able to love us back and we've talked about all the challenges involved in trying to assimilate a sibling group into our family.  But now its time to talk about the good!  Its time to talk about Family Moments.  You know, those moments that you experience as a family that are uniquely different than any other moment you will experience outside of your home.  Those moments that indicate you belong to something permanent and that informs you that you will never be alone as you walk through this life.  These are the moments that later anchor our souls and allow us the necessary resiliency to function and thrive in a world that's lost its collective mind and heart.

So here's to those moments, which by the way are becoming more frequent.  Some of them are serious and some are humorous.  They are defined by Jonah, the 4 year old, climbing up into a dinner chair and "washing dishes" while Karen & I make dinner only because he wants to be in the same room as Mom and Dad.  Then there is the recent breakdown by Judah, our 6 year old, who subsequently crawled up into Karen's lap for comfort when he usually works real hard to hide his disappointments, vulnerabilities, and avoid affection at all costs.  And then there's the faint voice that came this morning from the front our house.  It was Jaden, the 5 year old, whose quivering voice could be heard declaring that "Oh, no!  I'm  going to be stuck in these bushes for the rest of my life!" and then pleading desperately for help!  

And then there is the time when the 2 youngest were actually playing together in the play room and the night that they all went to sleep without any significant parental interventions...it was short-lived but a breakthrough moment, nonetheless!  We all gathered around the dining room table recently to share a meal that was eaten in relative peace while on another occasion all the boys were playing on our playground together without incident.

Yes, we continue to bump into stubborn wills and collide with dysfunctional behaviors, but overall, we are beginning to notice moments of family and flashes of parent-child ways of relating that seem to be coming our way more frequently.  We raise our hands to the air and say, "Thank you Jesus!" while thinking deep down inside that "This is what we signed up for!"
   

     
Until we write again...a longing fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12). 

True Beauty and Real Super Heroes!

This is blog about some very special people...our handsome oldest son, Jason; our beautiful daughter in law, Becca and our adorable first grandbaby, Kimber.  As you can see in the pic below, they are a lovely family.  With natural beauty.  So full of life and love.  What you can't see in the picture is just how deep that strength and beauty goes.  We're writing about them today to pay tribute to that strength and beauty that has never before been so radiant, so apparent and so very much on display in their lives as it is right now.  Let us share with you a piece of their story.  Please excuse us if we come across a bit braggadocios in the process...we are guilty as charged and we readily admit our pride and our respect for these two beautiful people and our wonderful granddaughter.

Their story began way back in their freshman year of college.  They weave their way through their respective Bachelor's degrees, decide they want to spend their lives together, hitch their wagons in April of 2005 after completing their college degrees. Jason works as a police officer, while Becca is our family computer whiz taking her talents to work each day and making the world a better place for all of us to log on.

Fast forward the clock 6 years since the wedding.  Jason & Becca decide its time to expand their family.  In September of 2011 they welcome into the world the beautiful, talented, intelligent, full of life & personality, Kimber Rose (ok, ok, remember we're the grand parents here!).  To say that she was an instant hit is an understatement.  She brought joy and pride to her parents, while grandparents have been pretty near out-of-control ecstatic with the addition of little Kimber to our lives.

In May of 2012, after having some concern about a lump discovered, Becca goes to the doctor to have it checked out.  In a whirlwind of appointments, tests, examinations and questions, and after only a few days, she is told that the lump discovered in her breast is malignant and that she now has a new enemy named invasive ductal carcinoma.  The diagnosis alone is intimidating for most people.  But Jason and Becca chose to believe for the best, embrace life and one another, and begin the fight...together.  It is predictable that at such a time as this most will have a plethora of thoughts in the privacy of their prayer closets and alone that begin with a simple "why?".  Most would assume the worst.  But we never once heard a negative word out of either one of their mouths.  Jason was strong and focused while taking on the logistics of situation, e.g., scheduling appointments, baby sitters, re-figuring finances, filling out a mountain of forms, etc.  Becca on the other hand, might have wrestled with the more ephemeral, spiritual questions that tend to arise at moments like this, but we never knew it.  She was focused on the task at hand, i.e., winning the war in which she had been cast without her permission.

So the doctors armed Becca with chemo and radiation as her weapons of warfare.  Complete with prognostications and pamphlets explaining the side effects and adverse reactions, off to war the two of them went.  Jason to the desk to fill out the insurance papers, and along side Becca while she took her place in a recliner chair positioned beside an IV drip.  Initial results have been extremely encouraging and both have engaged the battle as courageous soldiers.

On other fronts, friends and family have also taken up arms.  We are all aware that there is another weapon of warfare that the physicians could not provide...prayer!  While we could not fight the battles within the doctor's office or the drip of an IV, both Becca's family and ours understand that there is a war in the spirit realm that now includes us as well.  Now all the theology classes don't mean a thing.  All the sermons preached and statements of belief suddenly are real.  This isn't some preacher on TV making promises, this is real life.  Was Jesus' blood shed for salvation only?  What did Peter mean when he said, "by His stripes you were healed"?  All of us made a decision that Becca's diagnosis must bow and Jesus' sacrificial beatings, death and resurrection provided all the firepower Becca and Jason need for life!

Now to the best part of the story to date.  Jason, Becca and baby Kimber came to visit us this past weekend.  It was the first time we have seen them since she has been undergoing chemo.  It is the first time we have seen Becca since she has lost her hair.  We were not quite sure what to expect.  Would she be sensitive about her hair loss?  Would our boys say something embarrassing and inappropriate that would trigger emotional buttons?  How are Becca and Jason really handling all of this challenge and how can we provide some solace and encouragement for their world that has obviously been rocked over the past few months?  What we found was astonishing to us and our questions were quickly answered as the 2 entered the house.

Jason and Becca, with Kimber in arms, entered our home with a radiant glow about them.  Becca was not wearing a hat or scarf or any type of apparel that may somehow hide her battle wounds.  No, quite the opposite!  She entered the house and began talking to us immediately as a confident, poised, and secure young woman.  Throughout the weekend she spoke openly and frankly about her life and challenges.  No hesitations, no self-pity and no pessimism.  There was a notable presence of inner strength that dismisses "the normal" in favor of grace and the security of love.  I'd even say that she had a glow about her that seemed to radiate in much the same way that a woman does during the second and third trimester of pregnancy.  Instead of giving into what the world would say she should hide, Becca has embraced her own thought process.  It is a thought process that is defined by positive self-esteem, a beauty that goes well beyond how long her hair may be, and a security in one's self, spouse and God that goes way deeper than most of us will ever experience.  Rarely have we seen such a display of security and peace with one's self.  In a world defined by its 97 pound supermodels with painted makeup faces and self-esteem directly linked to their near-anorexic appearance and airbrushed hair, it was down right inspiring and refreshing to witness Becca's strength, confidence and true beauty.

Jason, on the other hand, could have been subject to the "there's-nothing-I-can-do" pity party.  No one would question that. Only thing is, he has decided not to attend!  He, no doubt, has had his moments of speculation.  Such moments make or break a person.  Jason, like Becca, has found an inner strength.  Part of it may be his strong, unshakable faith.  Part of it maybe the strength that spouses find when they realize that one can put 1000 to flight, while two can put 10,000 to flight (Deut. 32:30).  Part may be that he understands the love and strength of family.  Whatever it may be, Jason has embraced the challenge, stands strong with Becca and maintains the positive faith necessary to navigate choppy waters.

We just wanted to say how very proud we are of them.  Not everyone could travel the path as they are.  There is no sense of heaviness, only cheerfulness, optimism and life.   We sit here this morning after they left last evening, with a sense of peace, renewed optimism, faith and love that only God can provide.  But lets not forget that while He provides, God delivers the goods through people like Jason and Becca.  We are thankful for all that God is doing in their lives, as well as, ours.  We cannot wait until we hear the words, "You're cancer free!"  We know that Jesus has provided for that.  We were privileged to spend time with these 2 unique people whose inner strength and beauty transcends all worldly expectations and an energy that we found to be completely contagious!  Until we talk again, we'll just be busting at the seems!...

Team Thomas!

Last evening Jeffrey (our 12 year old son) was just wanting dad to do something with him.  "So will it be basketball or archery, Dad?" he asked with a forced-choice quiz that let me know he was not going to be denied a little father-son time.  Of course I'm going to choose the basketball (although later we actually did shoot the bow and arrow).  So here we are playing a little one-on-one complete with dad's play-by-play commentary highlighting our every move.  Before we know it, the other 3 boys are interested in what we are doing and want to join in.  While to some degree it was stealing the moment, it also seemed to be a moment to teach a little something about teamwork, playing together, having fun as a family unit...you know, a bonding moment to some degree.

For the next 20-30 mins all 5 of us frolicked around with a basketball, occasionally even hoisting the ball towards the basket.  The other 95% of the time boys were tackling each other, tucking the ball under their arms and running away at top speed, and just laughing and having fun.  A real moment! And for that moment we felt like a family.  We don't get a lot of those yet, but yesterday was one of them.  Boys just laughing, rough-housing a bit, competing and enjoying life.  If only for a few minutes, the frustrations, neglects, speculations of diagnosis, and all the weirdness were suspended.  It was just sons playing with dad, safe in the security of a loving environment and secure in the confines of family.  Mom provided the cheering section as each boy had his "One Shining Moment".  Hugs were all over the court as mom also provided the media frenzy, snapping pictures.  It was as close to normal as it gets!  And it felt good!

It was somewhat uncanny, perhaps even prophetic that we had this family moment on the basketball court.  Just days before, I mentioned to Karen that it sometimes feels like God has given us a little basketball team of our own.  Kinda like there's going to be this basketball tournament coming up, I've been selected to coach a group of boys in that tournament and its my job to get them ready to play as both individuals and a team.  But here's the catch:  They are cute, energetic and intelligence, but they have absolutely no skills in which to compete in the game of basketball!"  And what's worse, they have little motivation to learn how to play basketball, no desire to operate as a team and are even resistance toward the whole process!

How does a coach take a team like that and win the tournament?  Just get back to the basics.  The fundamentals.  Teach!  Teach!  Teach!  And when we've taught everything we can, teach again!  

...and today's practice objective:  just see if we can have a little fun together!

...and it worked!  

Until we talk again...

Feral cats, Feral kids...

Country life is great.  We moved to the country over 7 years ago and have never regretted having a few acres on which to spread out and play Junior Farmer.  We have enjoyed a variety of livestock at one time or another including horses, cows, pigs, goats, chickens, and rabbits.  However, there are a few things that we have, how do you say, learned to live with.  

One such thing is our cats.  We enjoy having a few cats around to hold down the mouse population and overall we have had very few problems with mice in our home/barn.  As far as the cats, we've had them all.  Little ones, big ones, calico, tabbies, black ones, grey ones, black & grey ones, orange, white, part orange-part white-part black, short haired, long haired...you name the cat and we've probably had one that took up residence on our property at one time or another.  Some of them we agreed to while others sniffed us out and decided we were suckers to provide them their next meal!

Each morning the routine is similar.  We set a dish of cat food out on the back porch and have as many as 8 cats to dine with us at one time.  Funny thing about cats though is their finicky, skittish behavior around humans which is a direct result of their socialization when they were young.  Apparently kittens must be held, cuddled and otherwise pampered at a unique period of their life, somewhere between when they first open their eyes and about 8 weeks.  Miss that window of opportunity to make friends with your cat and the result is a feralcat.   In other words, a feral cat is one that avoids loving camaraderie, lives life unto himself, and behaves as if trust is the last thing he is willing to do.  Feral cats go beyond independent.  They are unable to form and significantly attach to their caretakers (i.e., those who feed them) and generally exist in their own little worlds simply surviving while avoiding any potentially affectionate relationships.  Feral cats can be easily identified when humans are present.  They are the ones that stand 15 feet back, while the other, more socialized, connected cats feast away at the food and intermittently rub up against human legs, purring and generally demonstrating all the feline attitude that they are famous for and makes them attractive as pets.  Feral cats will have none of that nonsense.  They act as if they would rather be put in a room full of pit bulls than to have one seconds worth of affectionate interaction with a human being!

This truth was demonstrated in a very real way recently when Bella, one of cats that we got at about 4 weeks of age and whom is adored by Karen and Jeffrey because of her long hair, delivered 3 kittens.  The kittens were promptly snatched up and placed along with their mother in a safe location within our house.  You would have thought Bella had died and gone to Kitty Heaven!  She purred so loud that I thought a motor was errantly left running under our house!  She confidently went outside to do her business and left us with her babies.  Her entire demeanor was that of trust, affection and connection to us.  This is compared to one of the feral cats who roams our back yard, has delivered multiple litters of kittens and never, ever, ever has allowed us near her or her offspring.  While once named, this cat is now known simply as "The Wild Momma Cat"!

Through the years Wild Momma Cat has soften her ferality (if that's a word!). We have spent much time wooing, talking sweetly, offering her sweet assurances, and our patience.  We continue to feed her and make sure that she has her own special place on our farm.  After several years, Wild Momma Cat has gotten to where she can tolerate being on the back porch at the same time with us and will even eat when we are within 6 feet of her.  Not exactly Bella, but for her, progress nonetheless.

Recently, while considering the behavior of our feline population, we noted the similarities between them and our experience as adoptive parents.  Children too, have a window of opportunity to win their hearts and affections.  Miss it and the consequences are dire.  It may take years to find their trust, love and ability to connect again.  They act much like our feral Wild Momma Cat who is quite willing to eat our food and enjoy the shelter of our house, but never really experience the joy of connection that is felt in a loving, no-strings-attached embrace or the sharing a toy or falling asleep knowing that you are loved in this world and not alone.  Instead, feral kids seem to be locked into a state of hypervigilant anxiety, question the angle in any given situation, live life in a self-protective narcissism that precludes satisfying, meaningful attachment to others, rarely feeling the security of falling asleep encompassed by a caring family, while at the same time willing to eat the food and have a roof over their little heads.  

Much more so as we have done with Wild Momma Cat, we spend our days trying to woo, talk reassuringly, and taking our best shot a patience with our children.  Its obvious the window of socialization has passed and we are left with the consequences.  We ask God to repair their broken hearts while we provide food, clothing and shelter.  Like Wild Momma Cat, the kids show signs.  An occasional "thank you" or seeing them play together successfully or doing the right thing when we're not around to see it keep us going.  But taking a child who has so insulated himself against connecting with any other human being...well, it just takes time.  For now, I guess we'll be happy when they just 'eat on the back porch with us'!

Until we talk again...