Here it is. "We speak and hold firm to our truth while maintaining authentic harmonious connections with all living things." Don't get me wrong, I'm all for speaking and holding firm to my truth, it's the next part of the sentence that I'm struggling with right now. Yeah....the part about maintaining harmonious connections with all living things. That part...well...that part I think is gonna do me in!
Because I did spend some of my growing up years here in Texas, Imoved here aware of the bug situation. I have vague memories of pronounced swelling on certain parts of my body only after we realized I was probably allergic to fire ants. Then there were the asps, the black furry caterpiller that we were NEVER to touch or go near. And lastly, I DEFINITELY remember and will NEVER forget the COCKROACHES!
Let's talk about cockroaches for a minute. There are 3 types of cockroaches found in our area. All of which live within our home. The American Cockroach. The Chinese Cockroach and the Wood Roach. I have a few things to say about each and everyone of them. Here it is!
They're FOUL! They stink. They're FAST...so fast in fact that when you see one and feel the urge to step on it, it's gone before you can even blink. They are UGLY!! They exude this energy or presence that seriously make the hair all over your body stand up straight. What is that? and WHY? I really don't know. I don't feel that way when I think about an ant or a fly or a cricket. In fact, I can't think of another bug where ABSOLUTE DISGUST is the first word that comes to mind.
Oh, I have to just throw in this. A few months before we moved, Chris and I were watching the Travel Channel I think. This guy travels around the world eating food. It looked like a very intriguing show so we stopped to watch it. It seemed exciting enough to us just to watch him eat different foods but the show took a new twist when we realized he was eating BUGS from around the world. Ok, I just got finished eating a bit ago and I can already feel my food wanting to come up the wrong direction. It was just to much for me..
Back to the cockroaches. Let me just tell you. They are MANY! They are prevalent. They are HUGE and they are NOT leaving the lake house. I just don't know what to do. I think I finally reached my limit when I was pulling out my suitcases to pack for our trip to Utah and because the bags had sat there for longer than a few days, about 5 or 6 cockroaches had gather in and around and were now scattering EVERYWHERE. During the scattering process, one ran across the top of my bed and over the body and face of my dear Mabel, only to wake her up! It just is so GROSS to watch that happen and my brain is still trying to figure out why.
Chris says the way I feel is pretty illogical. After all, cockroaches can't hurt you. They just run fast and usually they run away from you! I understand all this. I promise I do. It's still just about the FEELING I get from them. My skin literally crawls. When we come home at night, all my kids storm into the house to start the cockroach killing frenzy as they turn lights on. It's like a war zone in there. Roaches running everywhere. Feet flying like rubber fly swatters. On that night, I walked into the house to find 25 dead roaches. Are you feeling my pain yet?Or...when your dead asleep and all of a sudden you feel something on your arm that is kind of tickly? You want to maybe scratch it but you're still too asleep. You feel it again and this time your a bit more conscious. All of a sudden it hits....WHAM!! You realize what you are feeling. You're instantly awake and sitting up only to watch the butt end of the cockroach rushing down your arm and off your hand. I can't even write this story without my toenails curling.
Here's the dilemma. I know what our mission statement says. My heart, my idealistic look at the world through rose colored glasses heart, wants to see a cockroach, explain to it that it does not belong in our house and gently pick it up and kiss it good bye while I send him out the door. Unfortunately, for my family we tried this at first until Chris finally let me know that my idealism was KILLING our family.
Then we moved onto essential oils that I diligently sprayed every night around every crack and crevice in the house. This seemed to keep them at bay for a while but never stopped them from coming. I became desperate and starting talking to people about it. EVERYONE....I'm not exaggerating here.....everyone told me the ONLY way to get rid of roaches was to use chemicals. Roach killer. (Let me rephrase that....everyone who lives in Texas told me to use chemicals. All my extremely loving idealistic friends in Utah told me to talk to the roaches and they would go away. Well, I tried that. The roaches response was merely, "Um, we are doing our jobs here. This house is falling apart so if you want us to leave don't provide such great food!")
Boric acid is our next move. Supposed to be safe for humans, bad for cockroaches. I have researched up and down for alternative methods that actually work. None so far. I would definitely love it if someone has a fool proof method that I haven't heard about so if you do....don't hold back.
Until then I am staying at my parents or my mother in laws waiting for my mosquito netting to get here. You read right. Mosquito netting. It turns out I can put up with knowing the roaches are there, I can even let somr of them reside in our home, but I WILL NOT put up with them crawling on me at night.
My mom and I sat in front of the computer 2 nights while tears flowed down my cheeks when I realized I could purchase mosquito netting and sleep peacefully without fear of being touched by roaches. (Sorry a bit of an exaggeration there!) The saddest part of it was I wished I had thought to get it 3 months ago instead of sleeping with the sheet covering my whole body including my face and head.
So, while I work on myself and my complete acceptance and love for the cockroach. For what they do for my compost. For what they do for Mother Earth...I will be applying any and all of the methods I spoke of above. Please know, that I am actually praying for that love because ultimately....I do long to live harmouiously with them....with their foulness and all.
The last 2 posts, I know, have been a bit complainy. I don't plan to make all of them, or even most of them for that matter, that way. The heat and the cockroaches just happen to be my 2 biggest obstacles right now both of which...I am VERY excited to say, seem to be changing for the better. I have had a few friends state they would like me to go into more detail of my daily life. So there it is. I know your all jealous. I would be. Until next time.
Abundant peace to all,
Rachel
Ok Rach, I’m glad to hear you are at peace with trying to kill them. This must absolutely be done. I know chemicals are naughty but God gave us a brain for a reason: so we could think up how to make awesome chemicals that kill cockroaches! As we strive for harmony we must realize that there is balance in all things. Anything that has potential for evil (i.e. chemicals) has equal and opposite power for good.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing you must remember is that “maintaining authentic harmonious connections with all living things” does not mean that you must let the cockroaches run wild and unfettered in your home. The reason mother nature gave us cockroaches was for compost purposes among other things. It was not so that they could live in our houses. There must be balance, and right now it seems like the cockroaches are multiplying in an environment at a rate that far exceeds their usefulness or intended purpose. Mother nature would kill them if they pulled this crap in nature. If fact, you could even say that the only way to honor mother nature and “maintain authentic harmonious connections with all living things” is to kill the cockroaches. You used the word “authentic” in your mission statement; mother nature keeps it real (i.e. is authentic) by killing to maintain balance in her house, you should too.
Last but not least, let’s not forget the eerie, skin crawling feeling you get when you see and feel cockroaches nearby you and your family. Who put this feeling into you? Could it be that this is an evolutionary defense mechanism (also known as an instinct given from God) to prevent us from living with things that could be harmful to our wellbeing. Cockroaches are not exactly notorious for their cleanliness. We are not supposed to live with them. Also, they can crawl in your ear at night and then you’ll get a trip to the emergency room. Ask Dad, he’ll tell you all about bugs in the ear. The doctors told him he was lucky it was a June bug and not a cockroach. Cockroaches are harder to get out.
I’m sure you’ve thought through all of this and I’m not bringing anything new to light for you. I just know it’s nice to hear a word of support and agreement from time to time. Kill the cockroaches!
Thanks Tommy! I absolutely agree with most of what you say. I guess I want to believe that Mother Nature will take over and kill the cockroaches if they become to prevelant but as I stated, I think they are doing their job and truth be told, the house should be torn down and a new one built in it's place. I still am struggling with the whole chemical thing. I appreciate your comment about their power for evil equal to their power for good but...I guess I'm searching for that balance where I am using them responsibly and in a way that would maintain balance.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what that looks like yet. Just trying to be prayerful about it and make the best decision for all parties involved.
I like your insight about the feelings I get. What a great way to look at it. Thanks for that.
All in all. It's been such a great learning experience for me. I came down here believing I could live my life in such a way that I would not have to harm anything for my survival. What a crock!! I walk out my door and kill about 100 ants just by moving. You know? So my motto now is "Least harm to the least number and most good to the most number" but like I said still trying to figure out exactly what that looks like.
Fire ants were brought to Texas from Brazil. When they were first transplanted here they created one ant hill per acre with one queen per hill. We then invented a great little insecticide for our corn crops and soon thereafter they found the ants on the attack. Now, not only were they building dozens of mounds per acre...they have up to 20 queens per mound.
So like I say. I feel a urging to be as responsible as I can and let Mother Nature do as much as she can and then I guess fill in the holes.
It was great to read your comment. I was glad to think my brother was reading my blog. Thanks so much! Love you!
Maybe you should do some research on roaches by someone who actually likes them. Maybe you and the kids could even get a box and teach them to do tricks and have a roach circus! Okay, maybe that is a bit idealistic. You can also buy some insulation foam at a hardware store and spray it around the outside cracks in your home. Other than that I don't have much advice. It feels yucky just reading about them. I am sorry for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm all for giving the roaches a mental warning -- spirit to spirit -- and having been warned, if they continue to invade your family's space, then, game on. Roaches do pose a health risk, and I've read that they can cause allergies in kids to the point of asthma. Years ago I read about roach research in Gainesville, Fla. and they described how not only are they covered with fine hairs, but they excrete oil wherever they go. Uggh. Their hygiene leaves much to be desired (I saw one in a public toilet once, munching on the debris if you get my drift--sorry, TMI,I know.) They love clutter and food and to be cocooned--so don't give them anything to hide behind. Creating Sacred Space With Feng Shui: Learn the Art of Space Clearing and Bring New Energy into Your Life had something good specifically related to roaches and I can't remember what it was. But in addition to physically clearing the space (including around the outside of the house) do consider doing some sort of space clearing. God Bless.
ReplyDeleteLyndsey, we actually thought about insulating the cracks but there are WAY too many. I was actually thinking of taking pictures of it so you could see it. Lorna, thanks for the suggestions. We try and energetically clear the space too! I'm excited to research the feng shui info.
ReplyDeleteI suggest you build your new home and get out of that place! LOVE YOU!!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't take time to read everyone else's suggestions, but we encountered cockroaches when we lived in a 100 year old farm house in Kansas. We used diatomaceous earth, which is perfectly safe and natural and will not harm babies or pets. But it will rid you of cockroaches. You have to sprinkle the stuff along all the edges of walls both inside and out. We put it in all the corners and along all the window sills, as well as along the floor boards and in places we knew the cockroaches were hiding. :) Good luck!
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