Category Archives: Personal stories

My Personal Shingles Story

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Several years ago, I started getting very painful, burn-like boils on the back of my neck and chest. It was a strange intense sensation that began deep in the tissues of my skin, accompanied by relentless itching. Then, it escalated to feeling like several dozen bees stinging me all at once as the boils came closer to the surface. Needless to say, the sores were extremely painful and very red.

I went to a doctor to see what was going on. He explained to me that I had shingles, a viral infection caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. He further clarified that after a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in the nervous system. Years later, it can be reactivated by factors like disease, immune deficiency, or stress, and lead to shingles.

I was given a prescription, but without the promise it would heal quickly. When you’re told it could still take several weeks before you’re free from shingles, it is very disheartening. It felt like an endless battle with little relief in sight.

Two years ago, a friend of mine, John, told me he had shingles. I said, “Come on over, and I’ll give you some essential oils that may help ease the pain.” John was reluctant but eventually decided to give it a try. I consulted my Modern Essentials book and discovered that oils like melaleuca, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, geranium, and bergamot have been studied for their potential to help with shingles. I combined five drops of each oil in a roller bottle and diluted the mixture with fractionated coconut oil. John applied the oil blend to his shingles, and just four days later, his suffering was making a dramatic turn for the better.

Reflecting on my own experience with shingles, I wish I had known then about the natural remedies that could ease the pain. The journey of learning and sharing has become so rewarding. I never get tired of hearing stories of how essential oils may help improve someone’s quality of life, and I love seeing firsthand the profound influence they can have on others.

My Christmas Memories

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Every year at Christmas, I love to reflect on past holidays. One of my earliest memories is getting out all the Christmas decorations and starting to listen to all the fantastic music of the season. It was magical taking things out of boxes that had been stored away for an entire year while listening to Andy Williams sing It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.To this day, I love decorating for Christmas and never get tired of listening to the music. This ritual of listening to holiday favorites starts on the first of October every year.

Coming from a large family has its blessings. I learned early on that making things homemade saved a lot of money and allowed us to enjoy things that cost much more in the store. We loved making fudge, old-fashioned taffy, popcorn balls, peanut brittle, and lots of cookies. We also made many strands of popcorn for our tree. We created silver bells out of egg cartons and wrapped them in aluminum foil so they would shine. I remember being disappointed when I was very young, opening a small present on our tree and finding nothing in it, realizing that it was just a decoration.

Growing up on a little farm, I was taught from a young age that the animals get fed first, and the goats got milked before we ate—even on Christmas. I remember watching a movie one year where a boy’s gift to his dad for Christmas was waking up early and doing all the farm chores before his dad got up. My brothers and I decided to do this for our dad. He got a little emotional when he realized what we had done for him.

Because there were so many kids, our parents gave us the idea of all sleeping together downstairs. I say the word “sleep” very loosely. We mostly played games all night on Christmas Eve. We were told once you went downstairs, you were to stay there until morning. One year, we decided to hang the girls’ long stockings for Santa to fill. At about 2:00 a.m., we snuck upstairs to see what we got in our stockings. We dumped all the loot on the floor in one big pile when we heard our oldest sister telling us to put the stuff back in the stockings. We hurried and put it all back, then went back downstairs. In the morning, when we looked in our stockings, all the things were mixed up. I think I got nail polish, and my sisters got Matchbox cars. Everyone had a good laugh. My dad seemed to know how to straighten it all out.

Later, when my youngest son was a baby, he was such a meddling child that my wife and I decided to put our Christmas tree in his playpen so he wouldn’t take the ornaments off the tree. Another year, we decided to go with our friends to chop down our own tree. We got home, and the trunk was too big to fit in the base. I started cutting more of the trunk off and kept cutting until it fit. I was so frustrated by the time it fit that it looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I think that year, as soon as we opened all the presents, I took the tree outside because it was dead, and all the needles were falling off.

I remember with our own five children, we had them all sleep downstairs together like I did as a child. Since we didn’t have our basement fully finished, there was no bathroom downstairs. We told them, “If you need to go to the bathroom, yell, and we will blindfold you so you don’t see all the Christmas surprises.” One year, our son Rick played his trumpet to wake Cassie and me up. We always had the kids line up, youngest to oldest, when coming up the stairs. These are happy memories.

I have so many fond memories and love reflecting on past Christmases. I wish you the very best and hope your new year is full of many positive blessings.

Riding Into Joy

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Unicycles have fascinated me since I was a child. I vividly remember an elementary school assembly featuring performers on unicycles—some with tiny wheels and others towering 8 feet tall. Their skill and balance amazed me, sparking a fascination that stayed with me throughout my life.

One Christmas, my two older sisters received a unicycle as a shared gift. Though it was technically theirs, I secretly wished it was mine. Thankfully, they didn’t mind sharing, and I quickly became its most enthusiastic rider. I loved it so much that I nearly wore it out. When the seat broke, my sister Sherry helped me repair it by crafting a wooden replacement padded with foam for comfort.

Over time, the pedals wore down too, but my determination never wavered. We crafted replacements from wood, keeping the unicycle in action. My other sister, Ramona, wasn’t as interested, which gave me plenty of time to practice. Those DIY fixes kept the unicycle going for years, and every ride was a joy.

When I turned 16, I faced a choice: a school ring or a new unicycle. My family encouraged me to choose the unicycle, saying, “You’ll never wear a school ring after high school.” They were right. That unicycle became a constant companion and one of the best decisions I ever made.

As I grew older, I continued to challenge myself. I mastered riding forward and backward, learned to descend small sets of stairs, and even rode my unicycle to work—covering two miles each way with ease. At my job as a school custodian, I brought my unicycle to assemblies, performing tricks and dressing as a clown for Halloween parades. Seeing the kids’ laughter and cheers made every moment both fun and meaningful.

As a child, unicycle riding was my passion—I couldn’t get enough of the thrill and challenge. Over the years, though, it became something more. It transformed into a symbol of joy and serving others. Now, the true reward is seeing someone light up the way I did as a child. That spark of happiness and wonder makes it all worthwhile. Similarly, essential oils have the power to bring people joy and offer a fresh perspective on life. When you see the positive changes they can bring—improving well-being and transforming lifestyles—it’s a reminder of how simple things can make a big difference.

Clean up Your Life

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“Better keep yourself clean and bright;
you are the window through
which you must see the world.”
George Bernard Shaw

    Have you ever noticed that people who are the busiest are the people with the clean homes and yards? Then you go into neighborhoods that have a large portion of the people who are unemployed; they have plenty of extra time on their hands yet their yards are huge disasters, garbage everywhere and many

yards have a car or two not working with weeds growing out the windows. I believe a home clean or dirty is a direct reflection of a person’s life.

    I have a friend who never lets people come visit her at home. She tells stories of the few times she has had visitors. She will hide dirty dishes into the trunk of her car or put them in the oven. That seems like too much work. Wouldn’t it be easier to just clean up the kitchen?

    I remember when I was still living at home my mom loved to have parties at our house. She would tell us we could have a party but we first needed to clean the house. She was very wise; she had a clean house and we got a party. Most of the time the parties were outside so it didn’t even mess up the house.

    One thing I love to do is every year when it gets close to Christmas I will tell my children to go through all of their old things and give them  away, or donate them to Good Will to make room for the new things they will be getting. I am amazed at all the stuff we get rid of.

    How many of us are guilty of saving things because our excuse is you never know when we might need it. Then the day comes when you need the darn thing and you can’t find it among all the piles of stuff. Another thing that boggles my mind are the people who love to hang onto the past with all their clothes.

They have a closet full of clothes yet they can only wear a fourth of them. There is a reason behind saving everything in their closet. When I lose 30 pounds I can wear that dress again, or  I can’t get rid of that suit I wore at Junior Prom 20 years ago.

    In order to make room for what you want, you need to get rid of what you don’t want. This is how it works. Anything you have not worn or used in the past year give to a friend or donate it to Good Will. You will be amazed how letting go of the things you don’t need will open up channels for receiving things that you will use or need.

    Out of the blue you might see a new outfit that is perfect for you at that moment or a friend will give you a new kitchen table they no longer need. It is fun to watch the miracles happen.

    Cleaning up your life will be one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family. Remember things are not important. Good relationships with family and friends is what matters.

Two Roaches

Two roaches were munching on garbage in an alley. “I was in that new restaurant across the street, ‘ said one. “It’s so clean! The kitchen is spotless, the floors are gleaming white. It’s so sanitary the whole place shines.”

“Please,” said the other roach, frowning. “Not while I’m eating!”

God is in Control

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I was talking to my brother Wes while waiting for my daughter Jessie and wife Cassie  to land at the airport. They were returning from visiting family in Texas. I asked Wes how his life path would have been different if he had not decided to go to the high school where our dad taught.

For years, our dad was a math teacher at East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. A few of my siblings struggled at the high school near our home. My parents asked them if they wanted a fresh start at a different high school, and they eagerly agreed.

I mentioned to Wes that I wished I had been given the opportunity to go to East High like he was. I asked him what the biggest blessing about going to East High was. He told me he loved the conversations he had each morning as they traveled to school. East High was an influential school, attended by some of the most prominent families. He was able to make lasting friendships as part of this community.

One day, Wes was on his way to his English class when he saw a huge line of people waiting to fill out an application for a scholarship. His teacher said, “Wes, if you fill out the scholarship application, I will not require you to come to class today.” After waiting in line for almost an hour, he was able to fill out the application.

After a few weeks of waiting to see who would get the scholarships, one day during the morning announcements, Wes was named as one of the three students who had won one of the scholarships. At a banquet in his honor, he was given a check for a year of schooling at Salt Lake Community College. He then went on to Utah State University, where he got a dual major in advertising and design.

I asked Wes if he would have gone to college if he hadn’t gone to East High School. Wes said, “I truly believe I wouldn’t have gone to college if I had gone to the high school near our home.” Wes is the fifth of ten children and the first to graduate from college in our family.

I like taking a deep breath and stepping back when I come to a crossroads in my life. God is in control of my life, and He knows what will give us the most growth. Just when you think you have everything figured out, God always gives us moments that will help mold us into the person we are today, and that is okay.

Great Examples of Service

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Cassie is the kind of person who loves serving others. Most of her days revolve around service. Cassie loves helping students at her school and making meals for people in our neighborhood. Any member of the family knows what an amazingly selfless person Cassie is. I have seen her make one of the kids a grilled cheese sandwich at 11 o’clock at night or take them to the store when this is the last thing she wants to do. Cassie is an inspiration to me and many others.

There is another person who has a huge heart and loves to serve others, that is my Mom. As long as I can remember, when she knew someone new was moving into our neighborhood, my Mom would welcome families with fresh loaves of bread or vegetables from our garden. Year-round, my Mom would have parties and invite people whom she didn’t know or wanted to get to know better. By opening up her heart and home, she is loved by many because of her love in serving others. Both Cassie and my Mom have discovered true happiness comes through service.

Make the World a better Place

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When we think of talents, we often think of people who can run the fastest, sing amazingly well, or play a musical instrument. Many talents that people have include having patience, being very positive, or getting along with people easily. Each one of us is blessed with talents to share with others. Who can we reach out to with our talents today?

My daughter Jessie is a very compassionate person. She will help people in need and go out of her way to lighten the burdens of our family and neighbors. One of Jessie’s greatest talents is her ability to sense when someone is in need. She jumps right in without being asked. Her love for little children is heartwarming. We had backyard neighbors who had small children that just loved Jessie. Hunter, who was two, would sneak over to our house and just walk in and ask to play with Jessie.

This world is a better place because Jessie is in it. I believe we all have special talents that only we can use to reach certain people. Let’s make this world a better place by sharing our talents.

What is Your Love Language?

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If you can figure out what your love language is, and the love language of those people that are part of your life, it will help you understand why people do the things they do. Have you ever wondered why some people love to give you gifts, or why your husband can’t understand why you don’t give him praise? This will help you understand this better. In his book The Five Love Languages, author Gary Chapman discusses how knowing the love languages of others can improve your relationships with them.
Words of Affirmation
: This is when you say how nice your spouse looks, or how great the dinner tasted. These words will also build your mate’s self image and confidence. This is my love language, so it is easy for me to give others praise.
Quality Time:
Some spouses believe that being together, doing things together and focusing on one another is the best way to show love. If this is your partner’s love language, turn off the TV now and then and give one another some undivided attention.
Gifts
: It is universal in human cultures to give gifts. Gifts don’t have to be expensive to send a powerful message of love. Spouses who never give gifts to those who truly enjoy receiving gifts, will find themselves with a spouse who feels neglected and unloved.
Acts of Service:
Discovering how you can best do something for your spouse will require time and creativity. These acts of service like vacuuming, cooking dinner, planting a garden, etc., need to be done with joy in order to be perceived as a gift of love.
Physical Touch:
Sometimes just stroking your spouse’s back, holding hands, or a peck on the cheek will fulfill this need.

My Family’s Love Languages
My daughter Jessie, loves quality time. For many years we have had special times when it is just the two of us. We have gone to the Utah State Fair, rode bikes, and have gone to the sand dunes. I cherish our time we spend together.
Jessie loves little children. If you can’t find Jessie she is probably helping one of our neighbor’s kids. Jessie gets a gold star when it comes to acts of service. When the doorbell rings, most of the time it is a four year- old wanting to play with Jessie.
My son Daniel also loves doing acts of service. Every day without being asked he will clean up after dinner. Even when my wife Cassie will say, “I can wash the dishes” Daniel will say, “No mom you cooked, I am going to clean up.” What a blessing to have a son who is so considerate. Daniel also loves quality time. Every night the two of us will talk about our day before we go to bed. When everyone else has fallen asleep, we love this quiet time together talking about everything and anything.
My son Nathan loves gifts. Nathan loves it when Cassie buys him special treats, even just little things like orange juice, or getting him socks when his get holes in them. Nathan is great at randomly doing kind things for others. One thing that Nathan was wonderful at doing is,writing to us every week while he was in Mexico on his church mission. This was a huge act of service keeping connected with his family.
My daughter Stephanie also loves gifts. Last year we were at a boutique in a small town. Cassie bought her a bracelet for our granddaughter. This really made her day. Quality time is huge for Stephanie. Anytime she can get together with family and friends she does. Even when she lived in northern Utah she loved to come visit us every chance she could.
My son Rick really enjoys quality time. He loves doing anything that makes you laugh, Rick loves playing games or being in nature. My favorite thing to do with Rick is go hiking or just talking. Rick also likes words of affirmation. It is very easy for him to accept words of praise as well as giving others praise.
My wife Cassie loves physical touch. Anytime I can sense Cassie has had a rough day at work I will give her a neck or back massage. Cassie also loves to do random acts of service for others. I am very blessed to have such a caring person as my wife in my life. If anyone is sick in our neighborhood, Cassie is usually right there with dinner for the family.
As for myself, I love words of affirmation. I will do a lot of extra work just to hear someone say thanks for all you do. Those simple words are like music to my ears. I love it. If people don’t know your love language, let them know. I like to make it very clear that I like words of affirmation. Learn the miracle of the love languages. It will change your life, and the lives of others.

This is a post I wrote years ago yet still applies today.

A Fish Tale

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When I was nine or ten I went fishing with my dad and older brother. We must have caught three or four good sized fish. Then my dad and brother gutted the fish which I considered disgusting.

When we got home my mom cooked up the fish, and I remember the entire house smelled of it. Then we sat down as a family to eat all this fried fish for dinner. I didn’t get all the bones out of my fish and I didn’t like the fishy taste. As a result of this experience, I don’t like anything to do with catching or eating fish. So my own rule is don’t eat the fish. This is a great rule for me because of a negative experience that I personally had. For many other people this would be a terrible rule.

How many of us follow rules even when we don’t understand why we are following them? Many rules that we follow are because of a negative experience that happened to someone else, or because of some unusual circumstances.

Mary was cooking a ham for dinner when one of her children asked her, “Why do you cut off the end of the ham when putting it in a pan? Mary’s response was “when I saw my mom cook a ham she always cut off the end of her hams.” Mary decided to call up her mom to find out why she cut the end of her ham off. Her response was, “my hams wouldn’t fit in any of my pans, so I cut the end off.”

Most things we do are based on how it was done in the past. When we get sick, what do we do, we reach for the pain relief capsules. We do what we were taught as children and young adults. We did the best we knew how with the knowledge we had at the time.

Now we know that with every man made drug there are harmful side effects, some minimal, others very dangerous, and compromising to our health. There is hope! I am excited to learn that there are essential oils that have no dangerous side effects, with positive results. I am happy to report my first line of defense when sick or healthy is by using powerful essential oils that have been studied for their positive properties.

A Tale of Two Cars

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Screen shot 2014-10-04 at 5.25.06 PMSeveral years ago my dad was a teacher at East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. One of my dad’s former students, Mike, owned a car dealership that sold many high end cars. One day my dad decided to drop in, and say hello to a former student. While visiting he asked, “Mike, tell me one of your most interesting stories here at your car dealership.” Mike replied,” A few months ago a man in torn ragged clothes came into the show room looking at all the cars on display. It was not uncommon for homeless men and women to wander in off the streets to warm up from the cold. When this man came in, he was spending most of his time looking at the Rolls Royce automobiles.

Mike noticed he had two salesmen that could have helped this man, but chose not to. Feeling a little embarrassed that his salesmen were in no hurry to help this man, he went up to this man and asked if he could help him. He began to tell Mike that he had always wanted to own a Rolls Royce, and it was his wife’s birthday. He wanted to surprise her with a white Rolls Royce, and he wanted to get a black one for himself. The commission that the salesmen passed up would have given them an equivalent of four months of pay on those two cars. Mike called the bank, and the cars were ordered while the salesmen were left squirming with their mouths wide open. They judged this man unfairly because of the clothes he was wearing.

The moral of the story: Don’t judge anyone, even people dressed in rags could end up helping you more than you realize.