To look at me, you wouldn't know it, because, thankfully, I've learned how to manage it over time to minimize flare-ups. When I was a teenager, however, the Eczema got so bad that certain parts of my hands, legs and neck would crust over, crack and bleed. My skin was dark and discolored and felt, pretty much, like sandpaper.
It was awful.
Now that I have a regimen that works for me, I don't veer from that... not typically, at least. But, last night, after reading about a natural method that cleanses, exfoliates and supposedly boosts your skin's health, I thought I'd give it a try. After all, the remedy was simple. I just had to do a gentle facial scrub with nothing more than 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. According to this method, all I needed to do was make a paste out of those two ingredients, rub it into my skin and rinse.
"Hey, that sounds pretty easy," I thought. "And you can't go wrong with baking soda, right?"
Wrong.
Immediately when I put it on my face, it started burning. I thought that was a bit unusual, but I wasn't sure, so I kept going. Let's just say, about two minutes later when I rinsed my face, I turned "beet red" and hives started popping up all over my face!
I looked like I had the Chicken Pox... literally.
Then, all down my arms and back began to itch. The hives rapidly multiplied on my eyelids, chin and around my nose. My husband Kenya took one look at me and his face said it all. His expression was "3 parts" terror and "1 part" sympathy.
It was NOT pretty.
Needless to say, that tried and true, proven, natural remedy, was a nightmare for me. It may have worked for millions of other folks, but it just wasn't for me.
I learned a very valuable lesson from that, which is, if you've discovered what works for you, then do that. Whether it's related to the health of your physical body, relationships, spiritual life, emotions, or some other personal area; don't veer away from what's right for you, simply because there are other options out there.
Now, does that mean we can't be open to new things?
No, not at all.
We're constantly learning, growing and evolving. Also, it's an inescapable truth that, trial and error is a natural part of life. Still, with that said, we must be careful about what we "try," because it can lead to unnecessary "error" and heartache.
I wonder. Have you ever had something "down to a science" in your life, but then, under the influence of others' opinions and ideas, you changed course only to end up in a mess? More than likely, the answer is yes.
We have to be careful about embracing every new idea and concept that comes across our table. Be sure to weigh matters carefully and by all means, do what works for you! Of course, always, always, always be led by God. Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He'll direct your path. (Proverbs 3:6)
Be careful about the advice you take. When considering a new course of action, pray first, be patient and then take appropriate action once you feel sure. That way, you won't run into trouble as often.
As for me and my skin dilemma, the side effects of the allergic reaction cleared up after I took my allergy medicine and waited a few hours for the symptoms to completely go away. Now, I'm all better and it was a lesson learned.
But, in life, when we make more serious choices on a whim, the negative side effects of those impulsive decisions don't always go away so easily. It can take years to put our lives back together again as a result of one bad choice.
All it takes is one.
So, today, if you're considering a different path, this post is to help you weigh things out before you make a move. If, on the other hand, you've already made a move that turned out to be a bad one and has ultimately left you dealing with residual side effects, don't fret. God is faithful to help you through it. Just let it be a lesson learned... and then, go back to doing what works for you and eliminate what isn't.
When you stick to what's tried and true for you, you won't try everything and you'll stay true to yourself. This is the key to living a hive-less life of peace, purpose and productivity.
Oh yeah and from now on, I think I'll reserve the baking soda for baking! :-)
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
