An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I think that's how the saying goes. With that in mind, I'm ending the cancer topic today with a quick look at ways to prevent getting it in the first place.
As I read the book Knockout, I wrote down every suggestion for avoiding cancer that was offered by the doctors Suzanne interviewed. These are doctors who truly care about healing people. For a further explanation of why these suggestions work, you'll have to read the book yourself. But here's my outline for avoiding cancer, taken from what I read in the book Knockout.
Get adequate protein throughout the day (helps the liver eliminate toxins)
Increase fiber to 50 grams per day (this may only apply to adults)
Work up a sweat-it carries toxins out of the body
Drink lots of clean water
Get enough Omega 3's from fish oil or flax (5 to 7 grams)
Vitamin D and K work together to reduce cancer
take a Resveratol supplement
Turmeric, a spice used in cooking is a cancer fighter or take a Curcumin supplement to help stimulate bile flow in the liver
take Green tea extract
take a Ginger supplement
take CoQ10
Citrus peel inhibits cancer
take Vitamin A with mixed carotenoids
No Artificial Dyes
take B 12
take Vitamin D3 (one doctor claimed it is the most powerful vitamin for preventing and slowing cancer)
Melatonin is an anti-cancer
Get plenty of Folic Acid--broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, cauliflower are some suggestions
Avoid MSG, which stimulates cancer growth
Avoid Omega 6 fats
Avoid Sugar, cancer is fueled by sugar (carbohydrates turn to sugar)
Reduce Iron, which causes inflammation
No red meat unless eaten with vegetables
No burned or charred meat
Don't cook on high heat
Eat Berries
No Glutamates, which stimulate cancer growth
(Glutamates are listed on food labels as hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soy protein, soy isolates, caseinate, autolyzed yeast enzymes, autolyzed yeast extract, and "natural" flavoring.)
Avoid all Soy foods, which are high in fluoride, manganese, and glutamate (brain toxins)
Drink the juice of one lemon every day for your liver
Avoid Zinc, which activates the cancer process
Deep breathing helps the lymphatic system
Calcium reduces colon cancer risk
get sufficient Iodine (ask your doctor)
Other vegetables that are anti cancer-cabbage, carrots, beets, squash and artichokes
Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment, but don't do well when the body is more alkaline. Drink alkaline water and take green powders that contain wheatgrass, ryegrass, barley grass and algae. These substances alkalinize the body.
Learn about the chemicals in your environment that contribute to cancer: styrofoam, plastic bottles, pesticides, hydrocarbons, phthalates, plastic food wrap, microwaving in plastic containers, etc. These toxins accumulate in our bodies along with poisons from the food we eat.
I hope all this information helps you make good decisions that will keep you cancer-free. Share this information with everyone you love. See you tomorrow.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
ESSIAC: THE HIDDEN CURE REVEALED
Today I'm continuing my blog from yesterday about Essiac, a cure for cancer that's been hidden from the general public since 1922. The message of Essiac is beginning to be heard worldwide, but only by word of mouth. My information comes from an interview with Dr. Gary L. Glum that was conducted by Elisabeth Robinson. In that interview, Glum offers several examples of how Essiac has been withheld from the public as a cure for cancer.
Dr. Charles A. Brusch was a personal physician to the late President John F. Kennedy. Dr. Brusch worked with Rene Caisse from 1959 to 1965. Caisse discovered the original herbal formula known as Essiac through a patient who was cured of cancer. The formula originated from a Ojibway herbalist. After ten years of research, Dr. Brusch concluded "Essiac is a cure for cancer." All studies done at laboratories in the US and Canada supported his conclusion.
After he made this announcement that a cure for cancer had been found, the federal government issued a gag order and said he has two choices: keep quiet about his findings or be hauled off to military prison. The public hasn't heard from the good doctor since. Ted Kennedy's son who had a sarcoma on his leg was one of Dr Brusch's patients. At that point, no one had ever survived with that type of sarcoma. Dr. Brusch put him on Essiac and after that he didn't have a cancer cell in his body. But his healing was never made public.
Dr. Glum is trying to get this information out to people so they can make their own decisions about Essiac. "You have the right to make this remedy and use it in the privacy of your own home without anyone's approval," he says..."without the approval of the AMA or FDA or anybody else."
"What will keep Essiac know is its effectiveness," said Dr. Glum. He mentions findings that Essiac normalizes the thyroid gland, heals stomach ulcers, and regulates the pancreas in cases of diabetes mellitus. He even claims that dying AIDS patients were brought back to health by taking Essiac three times a day. "This information isn't being disseminated," said Glum. "AIDS is on the horizon as another big moneymaker. The chairman of the AIDS project in Los Angeles makes over $100,000 a year."
Dr. Glum has been taking one ounce of Essiac a day for seven years and hasn't had a cold, flu, or virus in seven years because Essiac elevates the immune system. This simple Native herbal remedy contains Turkish rhubarb root, burdock root, the inner bark of slippery elm, and Sheep's sorrel. The sheep's sorrel destroys the cancer cells and the other three herbs are blood purifiers. Glum claims that Essiac has shown no negative side effects and up to six ounces a day can be taken (two ounces, three times a day-- morning, noon, and evening).
My husband and I just ordered our first batch of Essiac. It has to be brewed like a tea in stainless steel pots then poured through a strainer. The herbs are all organic and prepared by healing arts people if you order them from www.herbalhealer.com. The Herbal Healer Academy is based in Arizona. Ordering requires membership, but membership is free. You can become a member by following the instructions on the website. We heard about Essiac from family members who are taking it daily with good results. They claim Essiac has healed their acne, skin cancer, and other ailments.
So there you have it, a cure for cancer and many other ailments. Only you can decide if you want to believe it. What you do with this information is up to you. I'm just passing it along like Dr. Glum is trying to do. The Bible says we suffer for lack of knowledge. Essiac could be the ultimate example of that.
Please note: In cases where there was severe damage to life support organs, Rene Caisse's patients died. She was only allowed to treat those who had been given up by the medical profession as untreatable. The Ontario government had not legalized the use of Essiac, which limited her ability to administer it.
Dr. Charles A. Brusch was a personal physician to the late President John F. Kennedy. Dr. Brusch worked with Rene Caisse from 1959 to 1965. Caisse discovered the original herbal formula known as Essiac through a patient who was cured of cancer. The formula originated from a Ojibway herbalist. After ten years of research, Dr. Brusch concluded "Essiac is a cure for cancer." All studies done at laboratories in the US and Canada supported his conclusion.
After he made this announcement that a cure for cancer had been found, the federal government issued a gag order and said he has two choices: keep quiet about his findings or be hauled off to military prison. The public hasn't heard from the good doctor since. Ted Kennedy's son who had a sarcoma on his leg was one of Dr Brusch's patients. At that point, no one had ever survived with that type of sarcoma. Dr. Brusch put him on Essiac and after that he didn't have a cancer cell in his body. But his healing was never made public.
Dr. Glum is trying to get this information out to people so they can make their own decisions about Essiac. "You have the right to make this remedy and use it in the privacy of your own home without anyone's approval," he says..."without the approval of the AMA or FDA or anybody else."
"What will keep Essiac know is its effectiveness," said Dr. Glum. He mentions findings that Essiac normalizes the thyroid gland, heals stomach ulcers, and regulates the pancreas in cases of diabetes mellitus. He even claims that dying AIDS patients were brought back to health by taking Essiac three times a day. "This information isn't being disseminated," said Glum. "AIDS is on the horizon as another big moneymaker. The chairman of the AIDS project in Los Angeles makes over $100,000 a year."
Dr. Glum has been taking one ounce of Essiac a day for seven years and hasn't had a cold, flu, or virus in seven years because Essiac elevates the immune system. This simple Native herbal remedy contains Turkish rhubarb root, burdock root, the inner bark of slippery elm, and Sheep's sorrel. The sheep's sorrel destroys the cancer cells and the other three herbs are blood purifiers. Glum claims that Essiac has shown no negative side effects and up to six ounces a day can be taken (two ounces, three times a day-- morning, noon, and evening).
My husband and I just ordered our first batch of Essiac. It has to be brewed like a tea in stainless steel pots then poured through a strainer. The herbs are all organic and prepared by healing arts people if you order them from www.herbalhealer.com. The Herbal Healer Academy is based in Arizona. Ordering requires membership, but membership is free. You can become a member by following the instructions on the website. We heard about Essiac from family members who are taking it daily with good results. They claim Essiac has healed their acne, skin cancer, and other ailments.
So there you have it, a cure for cancer and many other ailments. Only you can decide if you want to believe it. What you do with this information is up to you. I'm just passing it along like Dr. Glum is trying to do. The Bible says we suffer for lack of knowledge. Essiac could be the ultimate example of that.
Please note: In cases where there was severe damage to life support organs, Rene Caisse's patients died. She was only allowed to treat those who had been given up by the medical profession as untreatable. The Ontario government had not legalized the use of Essiac, which limited her ability to administer it.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
IS THERE A CURE FOR CANCER?
Almost everyone has been touched by cancer, either personally or through a loved one. I've been reading some very interesting information about cures for cancer and how these cures are being hidden from the general public. A few months ago, I read the book, Knockout, by Suzanne Somers. In that book, several doctors go on record claiming that they are curing cancer, without chemotherapy and without radiation. Their methods of treatment vary. But what I found most interesting in Suzanne's book is the claim that people in high places don't want a cure for cancer because cancer is a moneymaker.
"Both the government and the pharmaceutical companies are making billions of dollars off the improper treatment of cancers," says Dr. Russel Blaylock in the book Knockout. In other words, they don't want you to be cured, they want you to stay sick. Blaylock goes on to explain, "The problem is that cancer has gotten to be such big business. If we found the cure to cancer, there would be a terrible economic impact. Hospitals would have to get rid of all their mammogram units; they would get rid of a lot of the CT scanners and MRI scanners. Oncologists would be out of their jobs; radiology units would close. The impact would be hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars. The pharmaceutical companies would lose major revenues...That is what keeps research from following a course that would lead to truly curing patients."
The above paragraph is the most interesting in the entire book. To think that a cure for cancer is out there, but it's being withheld from the public because of greed is unimaginable. But I believe it. Why would so many doctors tell these stories if they weren't true? Stories of lives being threatened if they don't keep silent about their natural cures. Stories of medical research being destroyed so word doesn't get out that there really is a cure for cancer, a cure that doesn't involve radiation or chemotherapy.
When Suzanne Somers was diagnosed with breast cancer, she chose not to receive the usual treatment of radiation and chemotherapy. She chose a more natural approach to curing her cancer. Yet she is still alive and healthy as ever. That should say something to us. Within the time she was thinking about writing the book Knockout, she watched 25 friends die of cancer. Most of those friends were receiving the traditional cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, etc.) They are dead. She is alive.
If I had cancer, I would listen to what Suzanne has to say and I would also refuse chemotherapy, radiation and any other treatment that poisons the body. There are alternative choices to treating cancer and some of these treatment paths are leading to total cures of the disease. One of these alternative treatments is Essiac, which is considered by some to be nature's cure for cancer.
Essiac is a non-toxic herbal cure for cancer that's been with us since 1922. It was discovered by a nurse named Rene Caisse, who came across the remedy through a patient who had been cured of cancer. The patient had used an herbal remedy given her by an Ojibway herbalist. Dr. Gary L. Glum published a book in 1988 titled, Calling of an Angel. The book details the story of Rene Caisse and the effectiveness of the remedy she named Essiac.
When Rene Caisse died in 1978, the Canadian Ministry of Health & Welfare burned 40 years worth of documentation about the cancer patients that were cured with Essiac. They burned all that information in fifty-five gallon drums behind Rene Caisse's house. Why would they do such a thing? "Money and power" says Dr. Gary Glum. "Cancer is the second largest revenue producing business in the world...money and power suppress the truth." He claims that greedy entities only want to control cancer and its profits, they don't want a cure.
All this evidence pointing to the same conclusion is rather fascinating to me, but also sad. Three different sources offering cures for cancer "they" don't want us to know about should be of interest to everyone. Suzanne Somers' book Knockout suggests that doctors are curing cancer, but that information is being swept under the rug. Then another book titled, Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About makes a similar claim. And now I come across an article about Essiac, a natural cure for cancer that has been hidden from the general public since 1922. Tomorrow I'll continue on this subject and tell you where you can get more information about Essiac.
"Both the government and the pharmaceutical companies are making billions of dollars off the improper treatment of cancers," says Dr. Russel Blaylock in the book Knockout. In other words, they don't want you to be cured, they want you to stay sick. Blaylock goes on to explain, "The problem is that cancer has gotten to be such big business. If we found the cure to cancer, there would be a terrible economic impact. Hospitals would have to get rid of all their mammogram units; they would get rid of a lot of the CT scanners and MRI scanners. Oncologists would be out of their jobs; radiology units would close. The impact would be hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars. The pharmaceutical companies would lose major revenues...That is what keeps research from following a course that would lead to truly curing patients."
The above paragraph is the most interesting in the entire book. To think that a cure for cancer is out there, but it's being withheld from the public because of greed is unimaginable. But I believe it. Why would so many doctors tell these stories if they weren't true? Stories of lives being threatened if they don't keep silent about their natural cures. Stories of medical research being destroyed so word doesn't get out that there really is a cure for cancer, a cure that doesn't involve radiation or chemotherapy.
When Suzanne Somers was diagnosed with breast cancer, she chose not to receive the usual treatment of radiation and chemotherapy. She chose a more natural approach to curing her cancer. Yet she is still alive and healthy as ever. That should say something to us. Within the time she was thinking about writing the book Knockout, she watched 25 friends die of cancer. Most of those friends were receiving the traditional cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, etc.) They are dead. She is alive.
If I had cancer, I would listen to what Suzanne has to say and I would also refuse chemotherapy, radiation and any other treatment that poisons the body. There are alternative choices to treating cancer and some of these treatment paths are leading to total cures of the disease. One of these alternative treatments is Essiac, which is considered by some to be nature's cure for cancer.
Essiac is a non-toxic herbal cure for cancer that's been with us since 1922. It was discovered by a nurse named Rene Caisse, who came across the remedy through a patient who had been cured of cancer. The patient had used an herbal remedy given her by an Ojibway herbalist. Dr. Gary L. Glum published a book in 1988 titled, Calling of an Angel. The book details the story of Rene Caisse and the effectiveness of the remedy she named Essiac.
When Rene Caisse died in 1978, the Canadian Ministry of Health & Welfare burned 40 years worth of documentation about the cancer patients that were cured with Essiac. They burned all that information in fifty-five gallon drums behind Rene Caisse's house. Why would they do such a thing? "Money and power" says Dr. Gary Glum. "Cancer is the second largest revenue producing business in the world...money and power suppress the truth." He claims that greedy entities only want to control cancer and its profits, they don't want a cure.
All this evidence pointing to the same conclusion is rather fascinating to me, but also sad. Three different sources offering cures for cancer "they" don't want us to know about should be of interest to everyone. Suzanne Somers' book Knockout suggests that doctors are curing cancer, but that information is being swept under the rug. Then another book titled, Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About makes a similar claim. And now I come across an article about Essiac, a natural cure for cancer that has been hidden from the general public since 1922. Tomorrow I'll continue on this subject and tell you where you can get more information about Essiac.
Monday, December 13, 2010
A MAGNIFICENT SOURCE OF STRENGTH
I'm really starting to realize what a commitment it is to blog every day. I spent most of my day trying to complete my latest freelance writing assignment. And right now, the last thing I feel like doing is writing some more. But that's one thing about life, we don't always get to do what we want. Sometimes we have to push through the things we don't feel like doing and just get on with it.
Every time I step on the treadmill, I feel the urge to say, "Why don't you just skip it today?" But I force myself to take the first step and after about 20 minutes I know I'm going to make my four-mile goal because I'm feeling energized. I feel a sweat starting to break and my mind is starting to clear. At that point I don't want to skip it, I want to keep going so I can reap the full reward of a good workout. Some call it a runner's high because the body releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins, but I also have a feeling of accomplishment when I step off that machine because it takes so much mental effort just for me to get on the darn thing. I'm proud of myself after four miles.
Every day I come across some thing that I know I should do, but I just don't feel like doing it. Every day I pray for God to take control of my day and show me the things he wants me to accomplish. I pray for strength to do everything I need to do. And He never fails to provide it. One of my favorite Bible verses is, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." When God is the source of your strength, you can do anything. That's what that verse means, and I believe it with all my mind.
If you find yourself unable to finish things or unable to get motivated enough to start things, perhaps you need to reconsider the source of your strength. Are you depending on yourself, your positive attitude, a healthy diet or a bottle of vitamins to get you through each day? Or is your source of strength more magnificent than that?
Accomplishing great things requires help from a great God. Only a fool would choose not to tap into that. Thanks for helping me to write today, Lord. Now I'm headed for the dreaded treadmill because I need to work off some stress. I'm inviting You to go with me because if You don't, I just might talk myself out of it.
Every time I step on the treadmill, I feel the urge to say, "Why don't you just skip it today?" But I force myself to take the first step and after about 20 minutes I know I'm going to make my four-mile goal because I'm feeling energized. I feel a sweat starting to break and my mind is starting to clear. At that point I don't want to skip it, I want to keep going so I can reap the full reward of a good workout. Some call it a runner's high because the body releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins, but I also have a feeling of accomplishment when I step off that machine because it takes so much mental effort just for me to get on the darn thing. I'm proud of myself after four miles.
Every day I come across some thing that I know I should do, but I just don't feel like doing it. Every day I pray for God to take control of my day and show me the things he wants me to accomplish. I pray for strength to do everything I need to do. And He never fails to provide it. One of my favorite Bible verses is, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." When God is the source of your strength, you can do anything. That's what that verse means, and I believe it with all my mind.
If you find yourself unable to finish things or unable to get motivated enough to start things, perhaps you need to reconsider the source of your strength. Are you depending on yourself, your positive attitude, a healthy diet or a bottle of vitamins to get you through each day? Or is your source of strength more magnificent than that?
Accomplishing great things requires help from a great God. Only a fool would choose not to tap into that. Thanks for helping me to write today, Lord. Now I'm headed for the dreaded treadmill because I need to work off some stress. I'm inviting You to go with me because if You don't, I just might talk myself out of it.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
EVERYTHING THAT AILS US
By Danelle Carvell
Mold, fungus, toxic fluoride, parasites, MSG, lymes disease, salmonella...these are just a few of the things that can make our lives miserable. Some people concern themselves with these things and others don't really think about them. The Bible says that we suffer for lack of knowledge. But the more knowledge we aquire, the more effort we must make to protect ourselves. Perhaps that's why people stick their heads in the sand.
I, too, get tired of discovering a new health risk every day. I just watched a video about lymes disease. We find ticks around here all the time. My husband has pulled several off him after hunting and my daughter had one on her head when she was a toddler. According to the video, lymes is a silent epidemic. And doctor's are misdiagnosing the ailment. People are being told they have lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, parkinsons, and other diseases when actually they are suffering from the symptoms of lymes disease. Also a pregnant woman can pass lymes onto her unborn child. Some doctor's claim that lymes can be transmitted sexually as well.
I know some people who were treated for lymes disease with colloidal silver. Most doctors treat lymes with a round of antibiotics, but antibiotics are becoming less effective as resistance to them grows. Silver suffocates and kills all kinds of fungus, viruses and bacterium. Antibiotics can only kill bacteria. Silver also stimulates healing and helps support the immune system.
Here is a list of ailments that can be cured with liquid silver taken internally-- bladder infections, bronchitis, candidia albicans, colitis, cystitis, diarrhea, dental abscesses, enlarged prostrate, Epstein Barr syndrome, food poisoning, hepatitis, influenza, malaria, meningitis, nasal infection, parasites, pneumonia, blood poisoning, sinus infections, sore throat, runny and stuffy nose, cough, headaches,nausea, chills, night sweats, staph and strep infections and tonsillitis.
Externally, silver is used to treat acne, athlete's foot, boils, burns, canker and other mouth sores, conjunctivitis, cuts, dandruff, dermatitis, diaper rash, eczema, eye infections, fungus, herpes, itching skin, moles, poison ivy, poison oak, psoriasis, rashes, shingles, warts, and ringworm. Ringworm? hmmm.
You do have to be careful when treating yourself at home with silver. You don't want to take too high of a concentration or continue treatment longer than necessary. Do your research first. Children need smaller doses than adults.
We surely could drive ourselves crazy thinking about all the things that can make us sick. I've read that the bottom of a woman's handbag is one of the germiest places. Women set their handbags on the floor when they go out to dinner or even when they go in public bathrooms. I always look for a hook to hang it on. Germs are everywhere. The cart at the grocery store is another place we can pick up viruses, fungus, and bacteria. I often see people wiping the handle with antibacterial wipes. I started doing that myself, and I try to open doors with anything but my hand when it's possible. Sometimes that can be comical to watch. I see others doing the same thing. People are getting smart about avoiding illness.
I recently discovered a surprising source for sickness. Apparently, traces of salmonella can be found in pet food. Amazing! Now I have to wash my hands after feeding the cat. Is there no end to this? Speaking of cats, I also read that one of the biggest causes of food poisoning is having food or food utensils come in contact with cat feces. With litter boxes in homes, this can easily happen and it can result in toxoplasmosis infection. This is why pregnant women aren't supposed to clean litter boxes. This is also why our cat is an outdoor cat. But the way it sounds, having a dog in your home is a risk too. Getting parasites from the dog? Who knew?
And here's something else people don't know. The FDA has received thousands of reports of adverse reactions to MSG. Monosodium Glutamate is a toxin that is in most main stream foods. MSG is a drug, a neurotransmitter which stimulates brain cell activity. MSG tricks the brain into thinking the food you are eating tastes good and you want more. This overstimulation of brain cells actually kills brain cells. Reactions to MSG can include headache, migraines, stomach upsets, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, panic attacks, heart palpitations, mental confusion, mood swings, neurological disorder symptoms like Parkinson's, MS, ALS, Alzheimers and behavior disorders to name a few. Sometimes, what people think are allergic reactions are actually reactions to MSG.
I don't know about you, but it makes me mad that we have all this junk in our food supply and the FDA does nothing about it, even when they receive reports of adverse reactions. Apparently not enough people got sick to justify taking it off the market. MSG is a money maker. Enough said.
Well, I think that's enough health scares for one day. If you want to read more about all the things that can make you sick and what you can do to heal yourself, go to www.herbalhealer.com You can order a catalog of alternative natural medicine that has some great information about the things that ail us and the natural cures that are available. Also, I'm posting the lymes disease video, Under Our Skin, which I think you'll find interesting. Stay healthy! See you tomorrow.
Mold, fungus, toxic fluoride, parasites, MSG, lymes disease, salmonella...these are just a few of the things that can make our lives miserable. Some people concern themselves with these things and others don't really think about them. The Bible says that we suffer for lack of knowledge. But the more knowledge we aquire, the more effort we must make to protect ourselves. Perhaps that's why people stick their heads in the sand.
I, too, get tired of discovering a new health risk every day. I just watched a video about lymes disease. We find ticks around here all the time. My husband has pulled several off him after hunting and my daughter had one on her head when she was a toddler. According to the video, lymes is a silent epidemic. And doctor's are misdiagnosing the ailment. People are being told they have lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, parkinsons, and other diseases when actually they are suffering from the symptoms of lymes disease. Also a pregnant woman can pass lymes onto her unborn child. Some doctor's claim that lymes can be transmitted sexually as well.
I know some people who were treated for lymes disease with colloidal silver. Most doctors treat lymes with a round of antibiotics, but antibiotics are becoming less effective as resistance to them grows. Silver suffocates and kills all kinds of fungus, viruses and bacterium. Antibiotics can only kill bacteria. Silver also stimulates healing and helps support the immune system.
Here is a list of ailments that can be cured with liquid silver taken internally-- bladder infections, bronchitis, candidia albicans, colitis, cystitis, diarrhea, dental abscesses, enlarged prostrate, Epstein Barr syndrome, food poisoning, hepatitis, influenza, malaria, meningitis, nasal infection, parasites, pneumonia, blood poisoning, sinus infections, sore throat, runny and stuffy nose, cough, headaches,nausea, chills, night sweats, staph and strep infections and tonsillitis.
Externally, silver is used to treat acne, athlete's foot, boils, burns, canker and other mouth sores, conjunctivitis, cuts, dandruff, dermatitis, diaper rash, eczema, eye infections, fungus, herpes, itching skin, moles, poison ivy, poison oak, psoriasis, rashes, shingles, warts, and ringworm. Ringworm? hmmm.
You do have to be careful when treating yourself at home with silver. You don't want to take too high of a concentration or continue treatment longer than necessary. Do your research first. Children need smaller doses than adults.
We surely could drive ourselves crazy thinking about all the things that can make us sick. I've read that the bottom of a woman's handbag is one of the germiest places. Women set their handbags on the floor when they go out to dinner or even when they go in public bathrooms. I always look for a hook to hang it on. Germs are everywhere. The cart at the grocery store is another place we can pick up viruses, fungus, and bacteria. I often see people wiping the handle with antibacterial wipes. I started doing that myself, and I try to open doors with anything but my hand when it's possible. Sometimes that can be comical to watch. I see others doing the same thing. People are getting smart about avoiding illness.
I recently discovered a surprising source for sickness. Apparently, traces of salmonella can be found in pet food. Amazing! Now I have to wash my hands after feeding the cat. Is there no end to this? Speaking of cats, I also read that one of the biggest causes of food poisoning is having food or food utensils come in contact with cat feces. With litter boxes in homes, this can easily happen and it can result in toxoplasmosis infection. This is why pregnant women aren't supposed to clean litter boxes. This is also why our cat is an outdoor cat. But the way it sounds, having a dog in your home is a risk too. Getting parasites from the dog? Who knew?
And here's something else people don't know. The FDA has received thousands of reports of adverse reactions to MSG. Monosodium Glutamate is a toxin that is in most main stream foods. MSG is a drug, a neurotransmitter which stimulates brain cell activity. MSG tricks the brain into thinking the food you are eating tastes good and you want more. This overstimulation of brain cells actually kills brain cells. Reactions to MSG can include headache, migraines, stomach upsets, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, panic attacks, heart palpitations, mental confusion, mood swings, neurological disorder symptoms like Parkinson's, MS, ALS, Alzheimers and behavior disorders to name a few. Sometimes, what people think are allergic reactions are actually reactions to MSG.
I don't know about you, but it makes me mad that we have all this junk in our food supply and the FDA does nothing about it, even when they receive reports of adverse reactions. Apparently not enough people got sick to justify taking it off the market. MSG is a money maker. Enough said.
Well, I think that's enough health scares for one day. If you want to read more about all the things that can make you sick and what you can do to heal yourself, go to www.herbalhealer.com You can order a catalog of alternative natural medicine that has some great information about the things that ail us and the natural cures that are available. Also, I'm posting the lymes disease video, Under Our Skin, which I think you'll find interesting. Stay healthy! See you tomorrow.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND
I totally understand how someone could become a hypochondriac. Every day I hear about another health risk I should be concerned about. I've been reading about black mold because we have mold growing behind our toilet tank. I guess it's been there a while and I'd have to remove the tank from the wall to clean it. So I guess it's staying there because I have no clue how to do that. I also have to spray down the shower with clorox water every few days to control mold in there.
From what I've read about mold, the first place a person suffers from it is the lungs and sinuses. So is it a coincidence that my daughter and I both suffer from sinus problems? She can't even breathe through her nose some nights. We have to run a steam vaporizer every night so she can breathe. The vaporizer is probably contributing to a damp house, which mold thrives in. So we run a dehumidifier as well. Mold can contribute to memory loss, brain fog, fatigue, and learning disabilities. Mold can get into the lungs and cause breathing difficulties and sudden onset asthma.
Another health risk found in the bathroom is fluoride toothpaste. I recently stopped using toothpaste with fluoride after watching a video that claims fluoride is banned in nine countries because it's toxic and it causes all kinds of health problems. You can view this video under my Labels heading on the right side of my blog. Just click on the Videos category.
One of the ailments that is contributed to fluoride is arthritis. I recently had a blood test that concluded I have the early stage of rheumatoid arthritis. So I started using toothpaste I make at home and you know what? Since I've been off fluoride toothpaste, I haven't had arthritis symptoms. Coincidence? I guess it's too early to tell, but there might be a connection. You can get the recipe for homemade toothpaste by clicking the home recipes category under Labels on the right side of my blog.
While I'm on subjects that start with "f", I'll mention fungus. Ringworm is a fungus that grows on your body. It's extremely hard to get rid of, as I have discovered. I have ringworm on my right leg just above my ankle. It's embarrassing to talk about, but I guess it's easily contracted because I'm a clean person when it comes to hygiene. Ringworm can grow on different areas of the body and can cause hair loss and thick deformed toenails and fingernails. It also causes extreme itching, sometimes a rash. Often it forms a red ring, which is how it got it's name.
I have no idea where I got ringworm, but I suspect our cat because she often rubs against my leg (her way of showing affection). My doctor suggested an over-the-counter cream but all that does is control it. The itch drives me crazy at times and I would love to find something that gets rid of the problem completely. It's strange that fungus can grow on your body and stay there, almost like parasites.
Speaking of parasites, there's another health concern. I know parasites are for real because I know two people who have had them. I also know of a case where a young boy contracted a parasite from his dog and it eventually attacked his brain and almost killed him. You can contract parasites from your dog, cat, or horse. Parasites can be in your drinking water, garden dirt, or you can get them from using public toilets.
Contaminated food is another source, as well as undercooked meat, especially pork. Did you know that Japan worms their school children every year? Parasitic infections often go undetected by conventional medicine, especially in the United States, where people don't take parasites seriously. Also our primitive testing methods do not detect blood born parasites, liver flukes, lung worms, heart worms, etc. If a doctor suggests you have a parasitic infection, wouldn't you look at him as if he's crazy?
Yet parasites are an epidemic in the United States. Cancer, Aids and all chronic deadly ailments have been found to be accompanied by primary or secondary parasitic infections. Symptoms of parasitic infections include: chronic fatigue, skin problems, headaches, constipation, gas & bloating, loss of appetite or uncontrollable appetite, itchy ears, nose and anus, nail biting, PMS, forgetfulness, premature aging, malnutrition, anemia, dull hair, brittle nails and more. Well I guess I'll sign off for now and continue this tomorrow, when I'll finish my list of ailments every time I turn around. I'll also share some natural remedies for some of these problems and where you can get them. See you tomorrow.
From what I've read about mold, the first place a person suffers from it is the lungs and sinuses. So is it a coincidence that my daughter and I both suffer from sinus problems? She can't even breathe through her nose some nights. We have to run a steam vaporizer every night so she can breathe. The vaporizer is probably contributing to a damp house, which mold thrives in. So we run a dehumidifier as well. Mold can contribute to memory loss, brain fog, fatigue, and learning disabilities. Mold can get into the lungs and cause breathing difficulties and sudden onset asthma.
Another health risk found in the bathroom is fluoride toothpaste. I recently stopped using toothpaste with fluoride after watching a video that claims fluoride is banned in nine countries because it's toxic and it causes all kinds of health problems. You can view this video under my Labels heading on the right side of my blog. Just click on the Videos category.
One of the ailments that is contributed to fluoride is arthritis. I recently had a blood test that concluded I have the early stage of rheumatoid arthritis. So I started using toothpaste I make at home and you know what? Since I've been off fluoride toothpaste, I haven't had arthritis symptoms. Coincidence? I guess it's too early to tell, but there might be a connection. You can get the recipe for homemade toothpaste by clicking the home recipes category under Labels on the right side of my blog.
While I'm on subjects that start with "f", I'll mention fungus. Ringworm is a fungus that grows on your body. It's extremely hard to get rid of, as I have discovered. I have ringworm on my right leg just above my ankle. It's embarrassing to talk about, but I guess it's easily contracted because I'm a clean person when it comes to hygiene. Ringworm can grow on different areas of the body and can cause hair loss and thick deformed toenails and fingernails. It also causes extreme itching, sometimes a rash. Often it forms a red ring, which is how it got it's name.
I have no idea where I got ringworm, but I suspect our cat because she often rubs against my leg (her way of showing affection). My doctor suggested an over-the-counter cream but all that does is control it. The itch drives me crazy at times and I would love to find something that gets rid of the problem completely. It's strange that fungus can grow on your body and stay there, almost like parasites.
Speaking of parasites, there's another health concern. I know parasites are for real because I know two people who have had them. I also know of a case where a young boy contracted a parasite from his dog and it eventually attacked his brain and almost killed him. You can contract parasites from your dog, cat, or horse. Parasites can be in your drinking water, garden dirt, or you can get them from using public toilets.
Contaminated food is another source, as well as undercooked meat, especially pork. Did you know that Japan worms their school children every year? Parasitic infections often go undetected by conventional medicine, especially in the United States, where people don't take parasites seriously. Also our primitive testing methods do not detect blood born parasites, liver flukes, lung worms, heart worms, etc. If a doctor suggests you have a parasitic infection, wouldn't you look at him as if he's crazy?
Yet parasites are an epidemic in the United States. Cancer, Aids and all chronic deadly ailments have been found to be accompanied by primary or secondary parasitic infections. Symptoms of parasitic infections include: chronic fatigue, skin problems, headaches, constipation, gas & bloating, loss of appetite or uncontrollable appetite, itchy ears, nose and anus, nail biting, PMS, forgetfulness, premature aging, malnutrition, anemia, dull hair, brittle nails and more. Well I guess I'll sign off for now and continue this tomorrow, when I'll finish my list of ailments every time I turn around. I'll also share some natural remedies for some of these problems and where you can get them. See you tomorrow.
Friday, December 10, 2010
FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS (and a recipe for skunk wash)
By Danelle Carvell
 |
| Jazz liked jazz music. It calmed him down on his first ride home. |
I always said I'm not a pet person. Not that I don't love animals and think they're amazing creatures, I just never wanted one in my house. But that was before our dog, Jazz. Jazz is special. He's white with a band of black at the base of his tail and a patch of black/ brown around one eye. My favorite marking on him is a black spot that looks as if someone dipped one finger in black paint and tapped the top of his head.
We believe Jazz came to us through prayer. My daughter wanted a dog for a long time and I kept saying, No. Eventually I softened after months of begging. I told her to start praying for the perfect dog. And I remembered something Pastor John Hagee shared about his family's pet.
Hagee's daughter also was begging for a dog, so he told her that if someone offered her the exact dog she wanted for free, then she could keep it. Well she kept praying, and one day a neighbor who was moving to a place that didn't allow pets offered her the exact kind of dog she wanted at no cost. Mr. Hagee was amazed. And so were we when we got a phone call from my mother telling us about a Jack Russel terrier mix for sale in Duncannon. We didn't expect to get the dog for free, but we did pray that God would lead us to the right dog. He did that through my mom.
Jazz has the cutest habits. You can't help but love him. When there's no water in his bowl, he flips his water dish. I sometimes hear the clang of metal on the wooden floor early in the morning. I'm a light sleeper so I answer his request. He'll look up at me, then look at his turned over dish, as if to say, "Sorry to wake you, but I need a drink." Once we almost bought him a water bowl that set inside a heavy wooden base. When we realized he wouldn't be able to flip the bowl, we decided against it. I don't mind getting out of bed for a request that cute. To me, his cutest habit is the way he wedges himself between my ankles when I'm standing at the sink washing dishes. And I love the way he lays in that little patch of sunshine that comes through our glass front door.
One of his funniest habits is he'll bark if a doorbell rings on TV. He's a good little watchdog. He gives the UPS guy a warning when he comes and the mail lady. He considers it his job to protect us. Sometimes he even barks at the wind. He's on top of things that way. We also get a kick out of the way he eats. If he doesn't like a certain morsel of dog food, he'll carefully set it outside his dish. Eventually he has a collection of these morsels, all the same size and color. If he eats something he really likes, he'll walk around the house smacking his lips quite loudly. The noise is actually from his tongue slapping all around the outside of his mouth searching for stray pieces.
Jazz got his name during his first ride home. My daughter noticed that when the radio dial was set to Jazz music, her new dog settled down and fell asleep. I thought it was a great name. I call him Jazzy. Jazzy has favorite spots to lay throughout the house. He loves to sleep on the footrest of my husband's recliner while he watches TV. At night, he sleeps on my daughter's bed, which I don't like. After seeing him eat droppings from our cat (his most disgusting habit) I worry about bacteria, not to mention fleas and ticks. But she doesn't worry about any of that stuff. One morning I walked into her bedroom and saw my daughter sleeping with her mouth open. Directly in front of her on the pillow was Jazz asleep with his paw on her mouth. We've made some trips to the doctor for strep throat. No one but me seems to think it has anything to do with Jazz. He's still on her bed every night no matter how much I harp.
A few months ago Jazz went outside to do his business and got more than he expected. He was nailed in the face by a skunk. My husband was irate at first, but then took pity on him and washed him in a downstairs sink. His little eyes were dripping tears from the strong odor all around him. He looked so pitiful and scared. I thought he would stink up the whole house if we brought him inside and I was ready to sleep at my mom's. But to my surprise the house didn't smell and my husband got Jazz cleaned up to where we could barely smell the skunk odor. I had a recipe in my file cabinet for skunk wash, just in case we ever needed it. Most people think tomato juice does the trick, but you actually need something alkaline to combat skunk odor. Tomato is acid PH.
Jazz has become a beloved part of our family and now I understand how people become attached to animals. He even has eyebrows, we discovered. That's what makes his facial expressions so expressive. He tilts his head every time we talk to him as if he's trying to understand. And he has the softest ears. I love to pull his floppy ears through my fingers. So I guess now I am officially a pet person, thanks to the little dog we prayed for. God works all things together for good and he cares about every detail of our lives, even what kind of pet we bring home. So if you're thinking about a pet, start praying and see what comes along. And if that pet happens to encounter a skunk, here's the recipe for skunk wash.
SKUNK WASH HOME REMEDY
1 quart hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp liquid dish washing detergent
Let pet soak for 5 min then rinse and repeat as necessary.
Be careful hydrogen peroxide can bleach your pets hair, fur, and coat.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
MEET LYSA TERKEURST
www.lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com
Today I'm giving you the pleasure of reading another woman's blog because I need a blogging break. Lysa Terkeurst is a wonderful author and speaker. She is so honest about her own struggles and this makes her very likable in my book (If I had a book). I first saw Lisa on TV when she was talking about her book, "Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl. I instantly liked her and what she had to say.
Lysa discusses topics that every woman can relate to. Her newest book, Made To Crave is soon to be released and if you struggle with weight gain and emotional eating, (Who doesn't at this time of year) you will most likely find her insight helpful. You can subscribe to Lysa's site and receive all her blog posts by email. Hope you enjoy exploring her blog.
Oh, and the commercial I posted today is an afterthought from yesterday's blog post. See you tomorrow.
Today I'm giving you the pleasure of reading another woman's blog because I need a blogging break. Lysa Terkeurst is a wonderful author and speaker. She is so honest about her own struggles and this makes her very likable in my book (If I had a book). I first saw Lisa on TV when she was talking about her book, "Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl. I instantly liked her and what she had to say.
Lysa discusses topics that every woman can relate to. Her newest book, Made To Crave is soon to be released and if you struggle with weight gain and emotional eating, (Who doesn't at this time of year) you will most likely find her insight helpful. You can subscribe to Lysa's site and receive all her blog posts by email. Hope you enjoy exploring her blog.
Oh, and the commercial I posted today is an afterthought from yesterday's blog post. See you tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
THE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS
I'm officially in the Christmas spirit. Our family just returned from our daughter's Christmas concert. I haven't had a moment to blog until now. One of those days. It's funny how Christmas events can brighten your mood and get you humming tunes you haven't hummed for an entire year. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas was the opening and closing song at the concert. That's the tune I've been humming while baking cookies at 9:00 pm. A Christmas apron and a pair of red slippers would complete the picture. I'll put it on my list.
Last night Charlie Brown Christmas was on TV. That's another thing that puts me in the Christmas spirit. All those shows I used to watch as a kid in the weeks before Christmas. Rudolph, Frosty, and my favorite, the Grinch. I get just as much joy watching those shows as an adult, maybe even more than when I was a kid. I'd be upset if they ever stopped airing them. My favorite part of the Grinch is when that little dog of his is dangling from a rope suspended from the sleigh that's about to fall off a cliff. The Grinch pulls the dog by his paw and says, "It came without presents. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags."
The Christmas commercials were just as entertaining as the shows. When you heard the repeated ping of Andre champagne glasses raised in a toast to the tune of Ring Christmas Bells you knew the Christmas season was approaching. Then there was the Budweiser commercial with the Clydesdale horses and the Norelco commercial where Santa came riding down a snowy hill atop an electric shaver. My favorite commercial was aired by Miller in 1981, a horse-drawn sleigh ride through a snow-covered countryside to the tune of I'll Be Home For Christmas. I have it posted above and the Norelco commercial follows it. If you keep clicking, I don't endorse anything you see beyond the commercials I mentioned. Watch them and savor the memories.
One of my favorite Christmas memories is a night in the late seventies, when I went Christmas caroling with my sister and some of her friends. We walked around my hometown, Pillow, Pennsylvania and sang for neighbors that we knew. There was snow on the ground, lots of it. And as the evening progressed a light snow dusted our noses and eye lashes, just like in the song Favorite Things. It was cold that night, but I loved it. Some of the people we sang for invited us inside for hot chocolate. Other folks offered us cookies or fruit. I guess if I'm ever starving I could survive in December. Or maybe not if I had to sing solo.
I remember the Christmas shopping trips my parents would take us on when I was very young. That was before the mall was an option. We bought our gifts in the town of Sunbury. About 20 miles from home, it was the closest place to find a variety of shops down each side of the street. People were bustling down the sidewalks to the tune of familiar Christmas music. I remember looking up as I walked from shop to shop with my parents and siblings. Every block had a decorative arch of sparkly vine that stretched across the street. Teal blue and red were the colors I remember. They put the same decorations up each year, but I thought they were beautiful.
I love to see how people decorate their homes for Christmas, especially the outdoor lights at night. It's neat to drive through the countryside viewing homes close up and in the distance. Like lit-up gingerbread houses, the glowing colors bring magic to the landscape and a touch of fairytale charm. Some people really get ambitious with the lights. I slow down for those houses. My favorite are the blue icicle lights hanging under the roof. I'm partial to blue lights for some reason. That's my favorite color lights to put on a Christmas tree. Certain colors just affect your mood in a positive way and I think blue is one of those colors.
Even more fun is snooping in people's homes to see how they decorate inside. I'm talking about those Christmas House tours that send you on a road trip stopping at churches, businesses and homes. Some people even set the dining table as they would for Christmas dinner. They get out the good china, linen napkins, candles, amazing centerpieces. One woman told me tonight at the concert that she recently attended a Christmas open house and counted over 40 decorated trees throughout the house. There was even a tree in the garage.
Some people have such a gift for interior decorating and they really put on the Ritz at Christmas. They set out displays of sugar cookies, pastries, and breads. Offer you a warm cup of spiced cider. Christmas tunes play softly in the background, the scent of cinnamon and gingerbread in the air, and the only thing that makes you want to leave is the promise of something even more magical at the next stop on your map.
Christmas parties, plays and concerts, shopping and wrapping gifts, caroling in the snow, gazing at decorations inside and out, baking cookies, exchanging them with friends, and getting together with loved ones. The tastes of the season, the smells, the sounds, a visual celebration to take in. Christmas is a magical time. A feast for all the senses. And if we keep in mind the true reason for Christmas, we'll have joy in our hearts as well. I hope your calendar is filled with events and gatherings that will lift your spirits and have you humming familiar tunes, ushering in another year of Merry Christmas memories.
Last night Charlie Brown Christmas was on TV. That's another thing that puts me in the Christmas spirit. All those shows I used to watch as a kid in the weeks before Christmas. Rudolph, Frosty, and my favorite, the Grinch. I get just as much joy watching those shows as an adult, maybe even more than when I was a kid. I'd be upset if they ever stopped airing them. My favorite part of the Grinch is when that little dog of his is dangling from a rope suspended from the sleigh that's about to fall off a cliff. The Grinch pulls the dog by his paw and says, "It came without presents. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags."
The Christmas commercials were just as entertaining as the shows. When you heard the repeated ping of Andre champagne glasses raised in a toast to the tune of Ring Christmas Bells you knew the Christmas season was approaching. Then there was the Budweiser commercial with the Clydesdale horses and the Norelco commercial where Santa came riding down a snowy hill atop an electric shaver. My favorite commercial was aired by Miller in 1981, a horse-drawn sleigh ride through a snow-covered countryside to the tune of I'll Be Home For Christmas. I have it posted above and the Norelco commercial follows it. If you keep clicking, I don't endorse anything you see beyond the commercials I mentioned. Watch them and savor the memories.
One of my favorite Christmas memories is a night in the late seventies, when I went Christmas caroling with my sister and some of her friends. We walked around my hometown, Pillow, Pennsylvania and sang for neighbors that we knew. There was snow on the ground, lots of it. And as the evening progressed a light snow dusted our noses and eye lashes, just like in the song Favorite Things. It was cold that night, but I loved it. Some of the people we sang for invited us inside for hot chocolate. Other folks offered us cookies or fruit. I guess if I'm ever starving I could survive in December. Or maybe not if I had to sing solo.
I remember the Christmas shopping trips my parents would take us on when I was very young. That was before the mall was an option. We bought our gifts in the town of Sunbury. About 20 miles from home, it was the closest place to find a variety of shops down each side of the street. People were bustling down the sidewalks to the tune of familiar Christmas music. I remember looking up as I walked from shop to shop with my parents and siblings. Every block had a decorative arch of sparkly vine that stretched across the street. Teal blue and red were the colors I remember. They put the same decorations up each year, but I thought they were beautiful.
I love to see how people decorate their homes for Christmas, especially the outdoor lights at night. It's neat to drive through the countryside viewing homes close up and in the distance. Like lit-up gingerbread houses, the glowing colors bring magic to the landscape and a touch of fairytale charm. Some people really get ambitious with the lights. I slow down for those houses. My favorite are the blue icicle lights hanging under the roof. I'm partial to blue lights for some reason. That's my favorite color lights to put on a Christmas tree. Certain colors just affect your mood in a positive way and I think blue is one of those colors.
Even more fun is snooping in people's homes to see how they decorate inside. I'm talking about those Christmas House tours that send you on a road trip stopping at churches, businesses and homes. Some people even set the dining table as they would for Christmas dinner. They get out the good china, linen napkins, candles, amazing centerpieces. One woman told me tonight at the concert that she recently attended a Christmas open house and counted over 40 decorated trees throughout the house. There was even a tree in the garage.
Some people have such a gift for interior decorating and they really put on the Ritz at Christmas. They set out displays of sugar cookies, pastries, and breads. Offer you a warm cup of spiced cider. Christmas tunes play softly in the background, the scent of cinnamon and gingerbread in the air, and the only thing that makes you want to leave is the promise of something even more magical at the next stop on your map.
Christmas parties, plays and concerts, shopping and wrapping gifts, caroling in the snow, gazing at decorations inside and out, baking cookies, exchanging them with friends, and getting together with loved ones. The tastes of the season, the smells, the sounds, a visual celebration to take in. Christmas is a magical time. A feast for all the senses. And if we keep in mind the true reason for Christmas, we'll have joy in our hearts as well. I hope your calendar is filled with events and gatherings that will lift your spirits and have you humming familiar tunes, ushering in another year of Merry Christmas memories.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
ANOTHER KIND OF STUCK
Yesterday I wrote about how I was feeling stuck. I couldn't get motivated. This feeling was caused by physical tiredness. Not quite exhaustion, which requires lots of rest. I just felt a little depleted and tired of the whole routine. Last night, at our church Christmas party, we had the pleasure of hearing a lady speak about something most of us can relate to--anxiety. After hearing what she had to say, I realized that there's another kind of stuck--being mentally stuck with anxiety and worry that robs your energy.
The speaker shared her struggles with worry and fearful thoughts. Her mind was stuck in a negative pattern of "what if this happens" fear and "if only I would have" regrets. Instead of living for today, she was stuck in the future, worrying about what might happen or stuck in the past regretting what already did happen. This pattern of thinking caused her to become deeply depressed. Her constant worry and anxiety had robbed her energy and put her into a terrible state of mind.
She went to her pastor for help. She also was lead to an encouraging book, Loving God With All Your Mind by Elizabeth George. I recognized the title because I read that book and it's one of my favorites. George says we must be faith oriented, not feeling oriented. We should never view our lives through the lens of feelings because they are too varied and unstable. When we feel panic, worry or any kind of anxiety we need to put our faith in God and the truth of His word, not in our feelings.
That's exactly what the speaker did to win her battle with anxiety and depression. The first thing she did was ask God to bring any unconfessed sin to her mind so she could confess and be forgiven. This was her way of starting fresh and cleansing her mind. She didn't want anything to hinder her healing. The second step was filling her mind with the truth of God's word. She knew that she had to replace her worried thoughts with more positive thoughts.
Phillipians 4:8 was one of the scriptures she began to dwell on: ..."whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things." She said she had notecards of scripture placed around the house-- where she stood to wash dishes, at the bathroom mirror, even in her car. Whenever a negative worrisome thought crept into her mind she took that thought captive and pushed it out of her mind. Then she replaced that thought with the truth of God's word.
Speaking God's word out loud was another weapon she used to battle her anxiety. Speaking God's promises out loud has great power she said. Jeremiah 29:11 was another scripture she would dwell on to keep her mind free. In that scripture God promises this: "I know the plans I have for you...plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
In Loving God With All Your Mind, Elizabeth George says God reassures us that His purposes for us are good. Romans 8:28 says, "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." We can use this promise in our prayers. Simply say, "God, Your word says all things including this (you name the present problem) work together for good." This is sometimes called praying God's word and it forces us to acknowledge God's involvement in our lives and reminds us that He is the source of our hope.
No matter what kind of stuck we are... physically, mentally, or emotionally, the answer is the same. Go to God and dwell on the truth of His word. Commit your work to Him. Dedicate your day to Him. Psalm 37:5 says, "Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him and He will do it." Elizabeth George paraphrases that promise this way: "Trust God to take over your career, home, work, all the circumstances, aims and ambitions of life, and He will so mold events that your deepest and purest desires shall find unmeasured fulfillment, and life will be filled with utter satisfaction" "What a promise!," she adds. "What hope! What a plan God has for us, His children!"
The speaker shared her struggles with worry and fearful thoughts. Her mind was stuck in a negative pattern of "what if this happens" fear and "if only I would have" regrets. Instead of living for today, she was stuck in the future, worrying about what might happen or stuck in the past regretting what already did happen. This pattern of thinking caused her to become deeply depressed. Her constant worry and anxiety had robbed her energy and put her into a terrible state of mind.
She went to her pastor for help. She also was lead to an encouraging book, Loving God With All Your Mind by Elizabeth George. I recognized the title because I read that book and it's one of my favorites. George says we must be faith oriented, not feeling oriented. We should never view our lives through the lens of feelings because they are too varied and unstable. When we feel panic, worry or any kind of anxiety we need to put our faith in God and the truth of His word, not in our feelings.
That's exactly what the speaker did to win her battle with anxiety and depression. The first thing she did was ask God to bring any unconfessed sin to her mind so she could confess and be forgiven. This was her way of starting fresh and cleansing her mind. She didn't want anything to hinder her healing. The second step was filling her mind with the truth of God's word. She knew that she had to replace her worried thoughts with more positive thoughts.
Phillipians 4:8 was one of the scriptures she began to dwell on: ..."whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things." She said she had notecards of scripture placed around the house-- where she stood to wash dishes, at the bathroom mirror, even in her car. Whenever a negative worrisome thought crept into her mind she took that thought captive and pushed it out of her mind. Then she replaced that thought with the truth of God's word.
Speaking God's word out loud was another weapon she used to battle her anxiety. Speaking God's promises out loud has great power she said. Jeremiah 29:11 was another scripture she would dwell on to keep her mind free. In that scripture God promises this: "I know the plans I have for you...plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
In Loving God With All Your Mind, Elizabeth George says God reassures us that His purposes for us are good. Romans 8:28 says, "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." We can use this promise in our prayers. Simply say, "God, Your word says all things including this (you name the present problem) work together for good." This is sometimes called praying God's word and it forces us to acknowledge God's involvement in our lives and reminds us that He is the source of our hope.
No matter what kind of stuck we are... physically, mentally, or emotionally, the answer is the same. Go to God and dwell on the truth of His word. Commit your work to Him. Dedicate your day to Him. Psalm 37:5 says, "Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him and He will do it." Elizabeth George paraphrases that promise this way: "Trust God to take over your career, home, work, all the circumstances, aims and ambitions of life, and He will so mold events that your deepest and purest desires shall find unmeasured fulfillment, and life will be filled with utter satisfaction" "What a promise!," she adds. "What hope! What a plan God has for us, His children!"
Monday, December 6, 2010
TODAY I FEEL STUCK
Do you ever feel stuck? Just tired of going through the routine of life? Your energy is drained and you wonder if you'll get through another day. It's not depression, it's just plain tiredness. You feel spent, depleted, like you have nothing left to give. That's how I'm feeling today, so I guess that's what I'll write about, being stuck.
What do you do when you're stuck? I think the worst thing you can do when you're stuck is isolate yourself from friends, family, and community activity. That's what I really want to do when I'm burned out, but I know it's not a good idea because isolation only contributes to that stuck feeling. If the problem is exhaustion, we do need rest and maybe some solitude, but what we need when we're stuck is encouragement, inspiration, a fresh perspective. Those things can only come from being close to other people and being close to God.
When I'm stuck, I can't concentrate. Everything I do takes twice as long. I procrastinate. Get distracted easily. I daydream a lot. I'm just in a different state of mind when I'm stuck. I need something to unstick me. Something or someone needs to lift me up again. And that won't happen if I shut myself off from the world and ignore God.
I think God knew how I would be feeling today, because he booked an extra busy week for me. Lots of activity is exactly what I need. But I need more than that. I need to spend time with the One who knows me better than anyone. I need to praise God for all He does for me. I need to talk with Him. Pour out my heart to Him.
So many people don't realize how much they need God. They don't realize that the frustration they're feeling is actually a longing for closeness to God. He created us to have a deep need, a longing for Him. We feel that longing every day from childhood through adulthood. It's a constant craving that never goes away.
I'm grateful that I know what I really need when I'm feeling stuck. I don't reach for a bad habit to comfort me. I reach for friends, family, and the Comforter himself. I know I'll be feeling differently by the end of the week because I have the cure for this ailment. I've been stuck before and I know how to break free. I won't stay stuck for long.
What do you do when you're stuck? I think the worst thing you can do when you're stuck is isolate yourself from friends, family, and community activity. That's what I really want to do when I'm burned out, but I know it's not a good idea because isolation only contributes to that stuck feeling. If the problem is exhaustion, we do need rest and maybe some solitude, but what we need when we're stuck is encouragement, inspiration, a fresh perspective. Those things can only come from being close to other people and being close to God.
When I'm stuck, I can't concentrate. Everything I do takes twice as long. I procrastinate. Get distracted easily. I daydream a lot. I'm just in a different state of mind when I'm stuck. I need something to unstick me. Something or someone needs to lift me up again. And that won't happen if I shut myself off from the world and ignore God.
I think God knew how I would be feeling today, because he booked an extra busy week for me. Lots of activity is exactly what I need. But I need more than that. I need to spend time with the One who knows me better than anyone. I need to praise God for all He does for me. I need to talk with Him. Pour out my heart to Him.
So many people don't realize how much they need God. They don't realize that the frustration they're feeling is actually a longing for closeness to God. He created us to have a deep need, a longing for Him. We feel that longing every day from childhood through adulthood. It's a constant craving that never goes away.
I'm grateful that I know what I really need when I'm feeling stuck. I don't reach for a bad habit to comfort me. I reach for friends, family, and the Comforter himself. I know I'll be feeling differently by the end of the week because I have the cure for this ailment. I've been stuck before and I know how to break free. I won't stay stuck for long.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
By Jim Carvell, guest writer
Are believers not called to be doing the Lord's work?
I was reading Paul's writings in (I Cor. 16:10). Paul said,"Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord's work, as I also am."
Just what is the Lord's work? And are all believers to be doing this as well today?
In verse (13 of I Cor. 16), Paul says, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." This to me sounds like a serious commitment. Then in (2 Tim. 2:1) Paul tells Timothy, "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." In verse 3 he says to be a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Verse 4 says... "no soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier."
"Be sober in all things ,endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry," says Paul to Timothy in (2 Tim. 4:5). In all of Apostle Paul's letters, he is writing to either a particular brother or sister in Christ or to a church body of believers. We,today, who believe in Christ Jesus and his resurrection are that same body of believers. So that makes us soldiers as well.
What is the fight? We are to put on the full armor of God so that we will be able to stand firm against the [schemes of the devil] (Eph. 6:11). We are not to participate in unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them (Eph. 5:11). I believe this could be false shepherds/pastors and teachers as well as the evil darkness that is taking root in our government, schools, and sometimes our families.
Jesus said to the Jewish believers..."if you continue in my word, you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32). This battle we're fighting is of the truth between Jesus, our light and savior, and the devil, who is of darkness, despair, confusion and destruction of eternal life.
Paul sums it up in (Eph. 3:9-11) where he states: the mystery of God's manifold wisdom, which was hidden for ages, might be made known "through the church"...made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (Satan's demons). This was in accordance with the eternal purpose carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This battle is spiritual. Sometimes it becomes physical, but it's real. We are told in (Col. 4:2)..."devote yourselves to pray, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving"; and in verse 5..."conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders."
I believe that through intense study of God's word we can see the truth and the evil we live in today. "A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty." Prayer is the weapon that binds Satan and his evil. "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).
If we peacefully expose evil men and imposters in our government and schools, which will grow from bad to worse in these last days (2 Tim. 3:13). And if we warn those who may not know the truth, then we just might be doing the Lord's work. And as Paul said..."consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything" (2 Tim. 2:7).
My goal is to be listed under the church of Philadelphia as in (Rev. 3:7-13) where Jesus states in verse 10..."because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."
What's your goal? Are you doing the Lord's work or are you entangled in the affairs of everyday life?
Are believers not called to be doing the Lord's work?
I was reading Paul's writings in (I Cor. 16:10). Paul said,"Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord's work, as I also am."
Just what is the Lord's work? And are all believers to be doing this as well today?
In verse (13 of I Cor. 16), Paul says, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." This to me sounds like a serious commitment. Then in (2 Tim. 2:1) Paul tells Timothy, "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." In verse 3 he says to be a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Verse 4 says... "no soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier."
"Be sober in all things ,endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry," says Paul to Timothy in (2 Tim. 4:5). In all of Apostle Paul's letters, he is writing to either a particular brother or sister in Christ or to a church body of believers. We,today, who believe in Christ Jesus and his resurrection are that same body of believers. So that makes us soldiers as well.
What is the fight? We are to put on the full armor of God so that we will be able to stand firm against the [schemes of the devil] (Eph. 6:11). We are not to participate in unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them (Eph. 5:11). I believe this could be false shepherds/pastors and teachers as well as the evil darkness that is taking root in our government, schools, and sometimes our families.
Jesus said to the Jewish believers..."if you continue in my word, you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32). This battle we're fighting is of the truth between Jesus, our light and savior, and the devil, who is of darkness, despair, confusion and destruction of eternal life.
Paul sums it up in (Eph. 3:9-11) where he states: the mystery of God's manifold wisdom, which was hidden for ages, might be made known "through the church"...made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (Satan's demons). This was in accordance with the eternal purpose carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This battle is spiritual. Sometimes it becomes physical, but it's real. We are told in (Col. 4:2)..."devote yourselves to pray, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving"; and in verse 5..."conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders."
I believe that through intense study of God's word we can see the truth and the evil we live in today. "A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty." Prayer is the weapon that binds Satan and his evil. "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).
If we peacefully expose evil men and imposters in our government and schools, which will grow from bad to worse in these last days (2 Tim. 3:13). And if we warn those who may not know the truth, then we just might be doing the Lord's work. And as Paul said..."consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything" (2 Tim. 2:7).
My goal is to be listed under the church of Philadelphia as in (Rev. 3:7-13) where Jesus states in verse 10..."because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."
What's your goal? Are you doing the Lord's work or are you entangled in the affairs of everyday life?
Saturday, December 4, 2010
100% HOMEMADE VANILLA IS WORTH THE WAIT
I just got back from another day of shopping. Feeling like I accomplished a lot. Mostly I was looking for items to use in my homemade gift baskets. The Goodwill store really came through for me. I found some beautiful glass sugar bowls with lids for a dollar a piece. I don't think those gals at Goodwill know what they have sometimes. I hear stories of people finding valuable treasures in that store. One girl said she spotted a familiar piece of pottery in the exact color she loves. When she turned the piece upside down and saw the name engraving, she knew it was a collector's piece from the very collection she buys. They were only asking two dollars for it, and she knew it sells for fifty. "I couldn't get out of there fast enough," she said. She thought they might discover the pricing error and ruin her rush.
I love the rush of finding treasures like that. Some people get a thrill from buying pricey items. My thrill comes from knowing that I'm practically stealing it. But not really. I'm planning to use the sugar bowls to hold my homemade vanilla sugar. I'm also planning to give homemade vanilla as gifts. And last night I watched a video on how to make tea cup candles. Can't wait to try that.
I have these beautiful Victorian teacups that I found at an antique store. They are so elegant and expensive looking because of the splashes of gold, the pretty patterns and bold floral designs. Some of the cups even have pedestals or little feet under them. I fell in love with those teacups as soon as I saw them, but they've been collecting dust for years. I'm finally going to put them to more practical use and make some candles out of them. Teacup candles are so pretty when they're lit. I'm sure the gals I give them to will be tickled with them.
Today I had no problem finding the paraffin wax to make candles, but I couldn't find wicks with anchors on them, so I'll share the teacup candles another time. I like to try these things myself before explaining how to make them. But I have tried making homemade vanilla, and that's the recipe I'll be sharing today. I heard about vanilla sugar and I have a recipe, but I haven't made any yet. But those sugar bowls are going to be so happy when they're filled with the wonderful scent of sweet vanilla. Vanilla sugar is a great gift for people who put sugar in their coffee or tea. My husband adds my homemade vanilla to his coffee and loves it.
So why make your own vanilla? Lots of reasons. First of all, store bought vanilla is very expensive and when you realize what you're getting, it kind of makes you mad to pay the price. Did you know that artificial vanilla flavoring, imitation vanilla flavoring, natural vanilla flavoring, vanilla extract, and pure vanilla extract are all names that can be used to describe wood pulp that's made to taste like vanilla. If you buy vanillin, you're also getting a cheaper, lower grade vanilla substitute. Most store-bought vanilla contains 35% alcohol. Real vanilla should contain 100% alcohol. Vanilla manufacturers thin their extract with water to make a bigger profit. If you want the best tasting vanilla, you need real Bourbon Grade A vanilla beans and you need to let them soak in 100% alcohol for three months. But oh, is it worth the wait!
Besides the exceptional taste, one of the benefits of using pure100% alcohol vanilla is that it will make whatever you're making or baking, ice cream especially, softer and smoother. I add two Tablespoons to a batch of ice cream, but not so much you can taste the alcohol. Your ice cream will be softer since alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than most freezers are set to. You can make homemade ice cream and then put the leftovers in the freezer, and it will be amazingly soft and easy to scoop the next time you eat it. Okay, I'm sure I convinced you that it's worth the trouble, so here's the recipe. Have fun.
You will need
12 vanilla beans about 7-8 inches long (bourbon grade A)
a fifth of 100 proof vodka (NIKOLAI is fine. Quality doesn't matter so go cheap)
Open your vodka bottle and pour out about four ounces. It's up to you what you do with the excess. Cut the vanilla beans down the middle with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds (caviar) with a dull knife. Use a funnel or carefully drop the seeds into the vodka bottle. Then add the remaining vanilla bean skins. Put the lid on, shake, and store in a cool, dark place. I put my bottles in a paper bag in the back of the fridge, so as little light hits them as possible. Light is not a friend to vanilla and it shouldn't be stored near any heat source. Every few days shake the bottle well and then put it back to sit and steep. When your vanilla is done steeping after three months, you can grind the vanilla skins and use them in your baking as well. Some people prefer to strain the vanilla when it's done steeping, but I love those flecks of vanilla bean in the liquid. If you prefer a stronger infusion, you can let the vanilla steep up to 12 months, but who could wait that long for something so good.
I love the rush of finding treasures like that. Some people get a thrill from buying pricey items. My thrill comes from knowing that I'm practically stealing it. But not really. I'm planning to use the sugar bowls to hold my homemade vanilla sugar. I'm also planning to give homemade vanilla as gifts. And last night I watched a video on how to make tea cup candles. Can't wait to try that.
I have these beautiful Victorian teacups that I found at an antique store. They are so elegant and expensive looking because of the splashes of gold, the pretty patterns and bold floral designs. Some of the cups even have pedestals or little feet under them. I fell in love with those teacups as soon as I saw them, but they've been collecting dust for years. I'm finally going to put them to more practical use and make some candles out of them. Teacup candles are so pretty when they're lit. I'm sure the gals I give them to will be tickled with them.
Today I had no problem finding the paraffin wax to make candles, but I couldn't find wicks with anchors on them, so I'll share the teacup candles another time. I like to try these things myself before explaining how to make them. But I have tried making homemade vanilla, and that's the recipe I'll be sharing today. I heard about vanilla sugar and I have a recipe, but I haven't made any yet. But those sugar bowls are going to be so happy when they're filled with the wonderful scent of sweet vanilla. Vanilla sugar is a great gift for people who put sugar in their coffee or tea. My husband adds my homemade vanilla to his coffee and loves it.
So why make your own vanilla? Lots of reasons. First of all, store bought vanilla is very expensive and when you realize what you're getting, it kind of makes you mad to pay the price. Did you know that artificial vanilla flavoring, imitation vanilla flavoring, natural vanilla flavoring, vanilla extract, and pure vanilla extract are all names that can be used to describe wood pulp that's made to taste like vanilla. If you buy vanillin, you're also getting a cheaper, lower grade vanilla substitute. Most store-bought vanilla contains 35% alcohol. Real vanilla should contain 100% alcohol. Vanilla manufacturers thin their extract with water to make a bigger profit. If you want the best tasting vanilla, you need real Bourbon Grade A vanilla beans and you need to let them soak in 100% alcohol for three months. But oh, is it worth the wait!
Besides the exceptional taste, one of the benefits of using pure100% alcohol vanilla is that it will make whatever you're making or baking, ice cream especially, softer and smoother. I add two Tablespoons to a batch of ice cream, but not so much you can taste the alcohol. Your ice cream will be softer since alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than most freezers are set to. You can make homemade ice cream and then put the leftovers in the freezer, and it will be amazingly soft and easy to scoop the next time you eat it. Okay, I'm sure I convinced you that it's worth the trouble, so here's the recipe. Have fun.
You will need
12 vanilla beans about 7-8 inches long (bourbon grade A)
a fifth of 100 proof vodka (NIKOLAI is fine. Quality doesn't matter so go cheap)
Open your vodka bottle and pour out about four ounces. It's up to you what you do with the excess. Cut the vanilla beans down the middle with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds (caviar) with a dull knife. Use a funnel or carefully drop the seeds into the vodka bottle. Then add the remaining vanilla bean skins. Put the lid on, shake, and store in a cool, dark place. I put my bottles in a paper bag in the back of the fridge, so as little light hits them as possible. Light is not a friend to vanilla and it shouldn't be stored near any heat source. Every few days shake the bottle well and then put it back to sit and steep. When your vanilla is done steeping after three months, you can grind the vanilla skins and use them in your baking as well. Some people prefer to strain the vanilla when it's done steeping, but I love those flecks of vanilla bean in the liquid. If you prefer a stronger infusion, you can let the vanilla steep up to 12 months, but who could wait that long for something so good.
Monday, November 29, 2010
MAKE YOUR OWN TOOTHPASTE IN ONE MINUTE
I'm so excited! I just whipped up my very first batch of homemade toothpaste and I'm thrilled with the results. This was not a time consuming project. I added all the ingredients and had them mixed in one minute. I've been reading bad things about fluoride, so I've been looking for a fluoride-free toothpaste. Not so easy to find, and the brand I did find costs about four dollars a tube. So I checked out one of my favorite sources for homemade everything and discovered two recipes at Passionate Homemaking. There's a link to this site under Home and Health Links on the right side of my page.
I decided that I wanted baking soda in my toothpaste, so I made a combination of the two recipes suggested on the Passionate Homemaking website. Here's my recipe:
Nell's Homemade Toothpaste
1/2 Tbsp. Dr. Bronners castile liquid soap (or any natural castile liquid soap)
5 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp baking soda
2 packets of stevia
1 Tbsp of water (less or more depending on the consistency you want. I added very little water).
I stored my toothpaste in a small glass jelly jar. You can also water this down enough to store it in a new soap dispenser bottle and then you can pump it directly onto your toothbrush. It may sound strange to make toothpaste out of soap, but Dr. Bronners soap is made with natural ingredients and organic oils. No health hazards to worry about, unlike the store-bought toothpaste that contains not only toxic fluoride, but also might contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which is considered unsafe by some experts. I used the orange oil soap. It also comes in peppermint and other varieties. I found Dr. Bronners soap while out shopping one day, but it's also available at Amazon.
The coconut oil I found at Wal Mart. It's called Lou Ana and I found it on the top shelf in the cooking oil section. I also bought the stevia at Wal Mart. It comes in a box of 100 packets and it's made by Spring Valley. You can find it in the vitamin section. Stevia is an all natural herb that is a safe substitute for sugar.
I just love homemade recipes. It makes me feel self-sufficient when I don't have to depend on already-made store-bought products. Anything I can make myself is just more satisfying to use. The reason I want to avoid fluoride is because it's toxic. And although we might not ingest much since we spit out toothpaste, I still feel better knowing the fluoride isn't in there.
Did you know fluoride is banned from drinking water in nine countries? Yet in this country we hand out fluoride pills to children in school. I'm not sure if they still do this. I opted out of the school's fluoride program years ago, but I remember taking those little white pills myself in grade school. Kids would put them in their mouths and then spit them out when the teacher wasn't looking. Although they probably didn't realize that they were doing themselves a favor. They just hated the taste.
If you're not convinced that fluoride is worth your concern, I posted a video below that you might find interesting.
I decided that I wanted baking soda in my toothpaste, so I made a combination of the two recipes suggested on the Passionate Homemaking website. Here's my recipe:
Nell's Homemade Toothpaste
1/2 Tbsp. Dr. Bronners castile liquid soap (or any natural castile liquid soap)
5 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp baking soda
2 packets of stevia
1 Tbsp of water (less or more depending on the consistency you want. I added very little water).
I stored my toothpaste in a small glass jelly jar. You can also water this down enough to store it in a new soap dispenser bottle and then you can pump it directly onto your toothbrush. It may sound strange to make toothpaste out of soap, but Dr. Bronners soap is made with natural ingredients and organic oils. No health hazards to worry about, unlike the store-bought toothpaste that contains not only toxic fluoride, but also might contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which is considered unsafe by some experts. I used the orange oil soap. It also comes in peppermint and other varieties. I found Dr. Bronners soap while out shopping one day, but it's also available at Amazon.
The coconut oil I found at Wal Mart. It's called Lou Ana and I found it on the top shelf in the cooking oil section. I also bought the stevia at Wal Mart. It comes in a box of 100 packets and it's made by Spring Valley. You can find it in the vitamin section. Stevia is an all natural herb that is a safe substitute for sugar.
I just love homemade recipes. It makes me feel self-sufficient when I don't have to depend on already-made store-bought products. Anything I can make myself is just more satisfying to use. The reason I want to avoid fluoride is because it's toxic. And although we might not ingest much since we spit out toothpaste, I still feel better knowing the fluoride isn't in there.
Did you know fluoride is banned from drinking water in nine countries? Yet in this country we hand out fluoride pills to children in school. I'm not sure if they still do this. I opted out of the school's fluoride program years ago, but I remember taking those little white pills myself in grade school. Kids would put them in their mouths and then spit them out when the teacher wasn't looking. Although they probably didn't realize that they were doing themselves a favor. They just hated the taste.
If you're not convinced that fluoride is worth your concern, I posted a video below that you might find interesting.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
WHY PAY FOR A MOVIE TICKET?
I just returned from a day of shopping with my mom. We walked the mall for three hours, and I'm feeling it. The shopping headache hit at about 3:00. Why shopping never fails to give me a headache I don't know because I do enjoy it. I love walking. It's the best exercise and it's nice to have things to look at while walking, unlike time on the treadmill where there's not much entertainment.
Shopping is certainly entertaining. There's no place like the mall for people watching. I don't know if you'd call it eavesdropping, but I love to tune into the conversations that are going on around me as I walk the mall. The way people look at one another, the things they say and do. I'm fascinated by all that stuff in a curious sort of way. I witnessed an argument between a man and a woman. She stood directly in front of him while loudly accusing him of something. He showed no emotion while trying to change the direction of his steps so she wasn't right in his face.
I'm not sure which group is more entertaining, adults or children. Kids love those fountains that you throw money into, and every mall seems to have one. When my mom and I sat near the trickling water, just before heading home, a young girl came running up to the fountain with such enthusiasm that she leaped across the outer perimeter and jumped up onto the water's edge. She had a wish to make and it should have been that her mom would take it easy on her. After throwing in her coin, the girl was met with a verbal punishment and a yank of her arm that sent her to the floor.
Why pay money for a movie ticket when there's a free show in the mall? Walking among so many different people allows you to see glimpses of who they are. Some of it isn't pretty, but other times you get to witness joyful moments, acts of kindness, or glances between couples that are obviously in love. While coming out of J C Penney, I saw a man looking over at the woman who walked beside him. It was a look of adoration that any woman would love to receive. He was saying something to her I couldn't hear, but it didn't matter because the way he looked at her said it all. Love walked by me and made me smile.
Then I overheard a conversation in the ladies room between a mother and her son. I was standing at the sink while they were chatting in one of the stalls. The boy was telling his mom about the mean kids at school and she said, "When someone talks to you like that, just say, Don't talk to me and walk away." I caught a glimpse of them coming out of the stall as I was leaving, and again I had to smile. It was a sweet moment that reminded me of the days not too long ago when my son was young enough to go with me into the ladies room. It's funny how watching and listening to people can spark memories you weren't expecting to recall.
Shopping is more than looking for items to buy. A day of shopping can be filled with all kinds of wondrous surprises. Like running into someone you haven't seen in a long time, someone you would want to run into. Or free samples of really good pizza. We happened to be in the right place at the right time when we noticed a sheet of sliced pizza, fresh from the oven with a "free sample" sign nearby. People were gathering quickly, but we managed to snatch a slice. I especially enjoyed the crust. I don't get people who chomp pizza up to the end crust and then toss the best part. This pizza crust was crispy and thin, just the way I love it.
But the highlight of the day was when my mom found a red Christmas blouse with a touch of ruffles and sparkle. She tried it on and loved it. It was so her. But the price tag said No. Forty eight dollars is a lot for one blouse. After carrying it around for a bit she decided it's okay to splurge once in a while. I watched from a distance as she paid for the blouse then headed toward me smiling with her arms in the air, waving the register tape. I knew what had happened. "Nineteen dollars!" I said in disbelief. She saved almost thirty dollars. "Now we can go out to eat," I joked.
I think that maybe my headache today was from taking the whole day in. Shopping is drama. I only mentioned some of the drama, but it was a good day. And the thought that kept nagging me on the way home was why we don't go shopping together more often.
Shopping is certainly entertaining. There's no place like the mall for people watching. I don't know if you'd call it eavesdropping, but I love to tune into the conversations that are going on around me as I walk the mall. The way people look at one another, the things they say and do. I'm fascinated by all that stuff in a curious sort of way. I witnessed an argument between a man and a woman. She stood directly in front of him while loudly accusing him of something. He showed no emotion while trying to change the direction of his steps so she wasn't right in his face.
I'm not sure which group is more entertaining, adults or children. Kids love those fountains that you throw money into, and every mall seems to have one. When my mom and I sat near the trickling water, just before heading home, a young girl came running up to the fountain with such enthusiasm that she leaped across the outer perimeter and jumped up onto the water's edge. She had a wish to make and it should have been that her mom would take it easy on her. After throwing in her coin, the girl was met with a verbal punishment and a yank of her arm that sent her to the floor.
Why pay money for a movie ticket when there's a free show in the mall? Walking among so many different people allows you to see glimpses of who they are. Some of it isn't pretty, but other times you get to witness joyful moments, acts of kindness, or glances between couples that are obviously in love. While coming out of J C Penney, I saw a man looking over at the woman who walked beside him. It was a look of adoration that any woman would love to receive. He was saying something to her I couldn't hear, but it didn't matter because the way he looked at her said it all. Love walked by me and made me smile.
Then I overheard a conversation in the ladies room between a mother and her son. I was standing at the sink while they were chatting in one of the stalls. The boy was telling his mom about the mean kids at school and she said, "When someone talks to you like that, just say, Don't talk to me and walk away." I caught a glimpse of them coming out of the stall as I was leaving, and again I had to smile. It was a sweet moment that reminded me of the days not too long ago when my son was young enough to go with me into the ladies room. It's funny how watching and listening to people can spark memories you weren't expecting to recall.
Shopping is more than looking for items to buy. A day of shopping can be filled with all kinds of wondrous surprises. Like running into someone you haven't seen in a long time, someone you would want to run into. Or free samples of really good pizza. We happened to be in the right place at the right time when we noticed a sheet of sliced pizza, fresh from the oven with a "free sample" sign nearby. People were gathering quickly, but we managed to snatch a slice. I especially enjoyed the crust. I don't get people who chomp pizza up to the end crust and then toss the best part. This pizza crust was crispy and thin, just the way I love it.
But the highlight of the day was when my mom found a red Christmas blouse with a touch of ruffles and sparkle. She tried it on and loved it. It was so her. But the price tag said No. Forty eight dollars is a lot for one blouse. After carrying it around for a bit she decided it's okay to splurge once in a while. I watched from a distance as she paid for the blouse then headed toward me smiling with her arms in the air, waving the register tape. I knew what had happened. "Nineteen dollars!" I said in disbelief. She saved almost thirty dollars. "Now we can go out to eat," I joked.
I think that maybe my headache today was from taking the whole day in. Shopping is drama. I only mentioned some of the drama, but it was a good day. And the thought that kept nagging me on the way home was why we don't go shopping together more often.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
CRAVING COMFORT cookbook review
My neighbor brought me a loaf of banana bread yesterday. It's neat to know that people still do that sort of thing. As we stood at the door chatting, the bread warmed my hand. Warm banana bread is something I can't resist. Two seconds after saying goodbye, I was slicing a generous end piece while inhaling the sweet aroma. This bread was made with fresh walnuts, which made it extra special because I don't add nuts to my recipe.
I love to bake, and banana cake or bread is the goodie I bake most. It seems that every week I have three or four spotted bananas on my counter that I need to do something with before they spoil. I recently discovered that bananas freeze very well if frozen whole or in chunks. And my sister-in-law claims that banana is great to have in the freezer because it can be tossed in the blender to make an icy cold smoothie. She adds chunks of frozen banana to a pack of Carnation instant breakfast and milk. Sounds yummy!
Comfort food, that's what banana bread is. And my favorite recipe actually comes from a cookbook titled, Comfort Foods: America's Favorite Foods Cooked The Way You Like Them by Rita M. Harris. This book is available at Amazon and I highly recommend it. My Comfort Foods has many stained and wrinkled pages, the sign of a good, often-used cookbook. I like the personal notes added by the author at the top of each recipe. She says that Moist And Creamy Banana Cake is a very old cake recipe that was given to her when her daughter was born and is her favorite cake. Mine too. It's moist and delicious.
Right beside the banana cake recipe is a recipe for carrot cake, my second favorite cake. And the Super- Moist Chocolate Cake made with mayonnaise, that's a winner too. Some other dessert recipes I have marked as winners are Peanut Butter Bars, Macaroons, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Apple Pie, Chocolate Mousse Frosting, Very Rich Cheesecake, and Oven-Baked Caramel Corn With Nuts
But this cookbook isn't just about desserts. It also contains recipes for appetizers, breads, soups, salads, sandwiches, main dishes, side dishes, vegetables, sauces, dressings, condiments and beverages. I wrote "excellent!" at the top of the crab cake recipe. Also marked as good are the recipes for buttermilk biscuits, stew, potato salad, layered salad, burritos, chicken parmigiana, cheese manicotti, fettucine alfredo, meatloaf, twice-baked potatoes, and tuna noodle casserole.
There were many days when I'd come home from school and find a pan of warm tuna noodle casserole on the stove. That dish reminds me of my childhood. That's what comfort food is. It's memories. It makes us feel warm and cared for. A big bowl of buttery mashed potatoes does that for me. That's also my daughter's all-time favorite food. But she prefers instant, which I can't understand. I like real mashed potatoes with lots of lumps. And sure enough there's a recipe for Lumpy Mashed Potatoes in the Comfort Foods cookbook.
Well I gotta go. I have a pile of laundry waiting for me and an empty cookie jar that I'm sure I'm going to hear about before the day's over. Hope you find some comfort in your day.
I love to bake, and banana cake or bread is the goodie I bake most. It seems that every week I have three or four spotted bananas on my counter that I need to do something with before they spoil. I recently discovered that bananas freeze very well if frozen whole or in chunks. And my sister-in-law claims that banana is great to have in the freezer because it can be tossed in the blender to make an icy cold smoothie. She adds chunks of frozen banana to a pack of Carnation instant breakfast and milk. Sounds yummy!
Comfort food, that's what banana bread is. And my favorite recipe actually comes from a cookbook titled, Comfort Foods: America's Favorite Foods Cooked The Way You Like Them by Rita M. Harris. This book is available at Amazon and I highly recommend it. My Comfort Foods has many stained and wrinkled pages, the sign of a good, often-used cookbook. I like the personal notes added by the author at the top of each recipe. She says that Moist And Creamy Banana Cake is a very old cake recipe that was given to her when her daughter was born and is her favorite cake. Mine too. It's moist and delicious.
Right beside the banana cake recipe is a recipe for carrot cake, my second favorite cake. And the Super- Moist Chocolate Cake made with mayonnaise, that's a winner too. Some other dessert recipes I have marked as winners are Peanut Butter Bars, Macaroons, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Apple Pie, Chocolate Mousse Frosting, Very Rich Cheesecake, and Oven-Baked Caramel Corn With Nuts
But this cookbook isn't just about desserts. It also contains recipes for appetizers, breads, soups, salads, sandwiches, main dishes, side dishes, vegetables, sauces, dressings, condiments and beverages. I wrote "excellent!" at the top of the crab cake recipe. Also marked as good are the recipes for buttermilk biscuits, stew, potato salad, layered salad, burritos, chicken parmigiana, cheese manicotti, fettucine alfredo, meatloaf, twice-baked potatoes, and tuna noodle casserole.
There were many days when I'd come home from school and find a pan of warm tuna noodle casserole on the stove. That dish reminds me of my childhood. That's what comfort food is. It's memories. It makes us feel warm and cared for. A big bowl of buttery mashed potatoes does that for me. That's also my daughter's all-time favorite food. But she prefers instant, which I can't understand. I like real mashed potatoes with lots of lumps. And sure enough there's a recipe for Lumpy Mashed Potatoes in the Comfort Foods cookbook.
Well I gotta go. I have a pile of laundry waiting for me and an empty cookie jar that I'm sure I'm going to hear about before the day's over. Hope you find some comfort in your day.
Friday, November 26, 2010
ARE YOU REALLY GONNA EAT THAT?
Writing about food the day after Thanksgiving might not be my greatest idea, but it's what's on my mind today. I've been trying to make some changes in my eating habits and diet, which might be rubbing off onto other family members. Yesterday I noticed that my husband didn't use the microwave. Instead he reheated some Thanksgiving leftovers from Wednesday night on the stovetop. This amazed me because I've been saying for years that microwaving isn't healthy and he would just laugh at me. I gave up using the microwave years ago after reading that the molecular structure of food is drastically changed in a microwave oven and the food is left depleted of vitamins and nutrients. I never did feel good about microwaving food. It's one of those things that just seems too good to be true. Heating food that quickly can't be healthy.
Apparently my hubby has come around to my way of thinking after reading about the downside of microwave cooking. So now I'm wondering what we could do with that space above the stove. Perhaps I could remove the door, disconnect the unit and use it as a space to put some potted herbs. Or maybe a book shelf. Hmmm.
It doesn't take much effort to educate ourselves about the food we eat and the best way to prepare it. Yet how many people really think about what goes into their stomachs. How many of us realize that there is a direct connection between our health and the foods we eat? And how many of us are willing to read labels, give up certain foods or make the changes necessary to live a healthier life? For some people it's just not worth the effort or maybe they just don't know where to start so they put it off and pretend it doesn't matter.
I discovered a good place to start if you're looking for a simple guideline on what to eat and what to avoid. One of my favorite blogs, Hallee the Homemaker, is a treasure chest of all kinds of information in an easy to read format. You can find a link to this blog under "Home and Health Links" on the right side of my page. Today Hallee posted an interesting article about the health benefits of cinnamon. If you hit the "Our Diet" button at the top of Hallee's blog, you'll discover some excellent suggestions about what we should and shouldn't eat and why.
Hallee and her family adhere to the Levitical Diet which is based on three principles that make total sense. One of those principles is to eat only substances that God created for food. Another is to eat foods as they were created before they were changed or converted into something humans think might be better. I especially like this principle because our food supply is polluted with food that is anything but natural. Humans have taken the food God gave us and converted it into unhealthy substitutes.
They tell us sugar is bad for us, so they add chlorine to it, call it Splenda and tell us it's a healthy substitute for sugar. Or maybe you prefer aspartame, which causes cancer in laboratory animals. Equal, Nutrasweet, Sweet N Low, it's all the same processed chemicals that make us believe we're doing something good for ourselves when we may as well drink poison.
Margarine is another example. I grew up on Blue Bonnet margarine in the sixties and seventies. Back then it was touted as a "healthier" alternative to butter and our parents believed it. Margarine is simply an artificial animal fat substance. It's fake butter. If you set margarine outside in the sun, it doesn't melt. It reminds me more of plastic than food. Probably does a great job of coating the arteries. Everything's better with Blue Bonnet on it? Thanks, but I'll pass. God gave us butter and I trust Him more.
The latest health craze is soy. The soy industry spent millions of dollars putting out stories that soy is a miracle food. What they don't tell people is soy has one of the highest concentrations of manganese. Dr. Russell Blaylock advises people to avoid all soy foods. In an interview with Suzanne Somers for her latest book Knockout, Blaylock explains that soy also has very high concentrations of fluoride and glutamate. "Manganese, flouride, and glutamate are terrible brain toxins," said Blaylock. "Giving soy formula to children is associated with Parkinson's because of the manganese. Women have been lulled into thinking that eating and drinking all this soy is good for them, but it is loaded with all this manganese, which is a powerful brain toxin and has been shown to cause brain atrophy."
Unless the label says otherwise, you should assume that the soy you eat is genetically modified. The National Institute of Environmental Health Services states that unfermented soy is an endocrine disrupting chemical. It contains natural hormones that emulate human hormones. In case you're wondering why your son or daughter went through puberty at 11 when you went through puberty at 14, read some food labels. Soy is in everything. And precocious puberty isn't the only thing that results from the consumption of soy. Cardiovascular disease, brain abnormalities, miscarriage, and various cancers are also on the list, among others.
Genetically modified food (GMO) is another example of humans messing with the natural food God provided. These foods are scientifically engineered to behave a certain way. If you splice a tomato with DNA from an arctic flounder, you have a tomato that can withstand cold temperatures. Yum! They've even created seeds that contain their own pesticides. Isn't that clever? And the reason they don't label genetically modified foods is because they're afraid you might be turned off by it and not purchase it. Imagine that!
There are currently eight major GM food crops on the market, so memorizing them will help you avoid any and all food products that might contain GMO's. Avoid soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, sugar from sugar beets, hawaiian papaya, some varieties of zucchini and crookneck squash. You'll also want to avoid any derivative of these such as high fructose corn syrup and cooking oils.
Who knew eating healthy was so darn complicated? Yes it's a hassle to learn these things and try to avoid the garbage out there that's being passed off as food. You could throw up your hands and say I'm nuts and I read too much. But if you look at all the diseases that are present today, diseases that were unheard of 200 years ago, before people got the bright idea of messing with the natural forms of food, then you might start to think I have a point. Whether you believe it or not, check out Hallee the Homemaker. Her site just won a 2010 Best Blog Award.
Writing about food the day after Thanksgiving might not be my greatest idea, but it's what's on my mind today. I've been trying to make some changes in my eating habits and diet, which might be rubbing off onto other family members. Yesterday I noticed that my husband didn't use the microwave. Instead he reheated some Thanksgiving leftovers from Wednesday night on the stovetop. This amazed me because I've been saying for years that microwaving isn't healthy and he would just laugh at me. I gave up using the microwave years ago after reading that the molecular structure of food is drastically changed in a microwave oven and the food is left depleted of vitamins and nutrients. I never did feel good about microwaving food. It's one of those things that just seems too good to be true. Heating food that quickly can't be healthy.
Apparently my hubby has come around to my way of thinking after reading about the downside of microwave cooking. So now I'm wondering what we could do with that space above the stove. Perhaps I could remove the door, disconnect the unit and use it as a space to put some potted herbs. Or maybe a book shelf. Hmmm.
It doesn't take much effort to educate ourselves about the food we eat and the best way to prepare it. Yet how many people really think about what goes into their stomachs. How many of us realize that there is a direct connection between our health and the foods we eat? And how many of us are willing to read labels, give up certain foods or make the changes necessary to live a healthier life? For some people it's just not worth the effort or maybe they just don't know where to start so they put it off and pretend it doesn't matter.
I discovered a good place to start if you're looking for a simple guideline on what to eat and what to avoid. One of my favorite blogs, Hallee the Homemaker, is a treasure chest of all kinds of information in an easy to read format. You can find a link to this blog under "Home and Health Links" on the right side of my page. Today Hallee posted an interesting article about the health benefits of cinnamon. If you hit the "Our Diet" button at the top of Hallee's blog, you'll discover some excellent suggestions about what we should and shouldn't eat and why.
Hallee and her family adhere to the Levitical Diet which is based on three principles that make total sense. One of those principles is to eat only substances that God created for food. Another is to eat foods as they were created before they were changed or converted into something humans think might be better. I especially like this principle because our food supply is polluted with food that is anything but natural. Humans have taken the food God gave us and converted it into unhealthy substitutes.
They tell us sugar is bad for us, so they add chlorine to it, call it Splenda and tell us it's a healthy substitute for sugar. Or maybe you prefer aspartame, which causes cancer in laboratory animals. Equal, Nutrasweet, Sweet N Low, it's all the same processed chemicals that make us believe we're doing something good for ourselves when we may as well drink poison.
Margarine is another example. I grew up on Blue Bonnet margarine in the sixties and seventies. Back then it was touted as a "healthier" alternative to butter and our parents believed it. Margarine is simply an artificial animal fat substance. It's fake butter. If you set margarine outside in the sun, it doesn't melt. It reminds me more of plastic than food. Probably does a great job of coating the arteries. Everything's better with Blue Bonnet on it? Thanks, but I'll pass. God gave us butter and I trust Him more.
The latest health craze is soy. The soy industry spent millions of dollars putting out stories that soy is a miracle food. What they don't tell people is soy has one of the highest concentrations of manganese. Dr. Russell Blaylock advises people to avoid all soy foods. In an interview with Suzanne Somers for her latest book Knockout, Blaylock explains that soy also has very high concentrations of fluoride and glutamate. "Manganese, flouride, and glutamate are terrible brain toxins," said Blaylock. "Giving soy formula to children is associated with Parkinson's because of the manganese. Women have been lulled into thinking that eating and drinking all this soy is good for them, but it is loaded with all this manganese, which is a powerful brain toxin and has been shown to cause brain atrophy."
Unless the label says otherwise, you should assume that the soy you eat is genetically modified. The National Institute of Environmental Health Services states that unfermented soy is an endocrine disrupting chemical. It contains natural hormones that emulate human hormones. In case you're wondering why your son or daughter went through puberty at 11 when you went through puberty at 14, read some food labels. Soy is in everything. And precocious puberty isn't the only thing that results from the consumption of soy. Cardiovascular disease, brain abnormalities, miscarriage, and various cancers are also on the list, among others.
Genetically modified food (GMO) is another example of humans messing with the natural food God provided. These foods are scientifically engineered to behave a certain way. If you splice a tomato with DNA from an arctic flounder, you have a tomato that can withstand cold temperatures. Yum! They've even created seeds that contain their own pesticides. Isn't that clever? And the reason they don't label genetically modified foods is because they're afraid you might be turned off by it and not purchase it. Imagine that!
There are currently eight major GM food crops on the market, so memorizing them will help you avoid any and all food products that might contain GMO's. Avoid soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, sugar from sugar beets, hawaiian papaya, some varieties of zucchini and crookneck squash. You'll also want to avoid any derivative of these such as high fructose corn syrup and cooking oils.
Who knew eating healthy was so darn complicated? Yes it's a hassle to learn these things and try to avoid the garbage out there that's being passed off as food. You could throw up your hands and say I'm nuts and I read too much. But if you look at all the diseases that are present today, diseases that were unheard of 200 years ago, before people got the bright idea of messing with the natural forms of food, then you might start to think I have a point. Whether you believe it or not, check out Hallee the Homemaker. Her site just won a 2010 Best Blog Award.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
THE POWER OF THANK YOU
By Danelle Carvell
I love a great story, especially one that inspires me. The December Reader's Digest contains a great story about a man who had reached his breaking point. John Kralik's law firm was losing money and its lease. He was being sued and he was going through a difficult divorce. Some days he was so preoccupied with his problems that he walked into the street without checking for a Walk sign. One day a car missed him with a honk of the horn, and John wondered whether he might be better off if he had been hit.
He didn't want to die exactly, but he craved the peace he might have in a hospital room. His list of problems grew when the woman he had been dating broke up with him. Hoping to clear his mind, he went for a hike on New Year's Day in the mountains alone. Only his inner voice that kept saying, "Loser" went with him. While hiking, John became lost and he worried that he wouldn't find his way back home before dark. Then he heard a voice.
"Until you learn to be grateful for the things you have, You will not receive the things you want." was the voice's message. He couldn't explain the voice, but he knew the message was important. After walking 15 miles, he finally made it home. And John had an idea. Every day he would find one person to whom he would write a Thank You note.
He sent the first note to his older son, thanking him for the Christmas gift he had given him, a single-cup coffee maker. When he signed the card, See you soon, he realized that he hadn't made an effort to spend time with his son, aside from a major holiday. He didn't even have his son's address. So he called him and his son suggested they get together for lunch. During that meeting, his son repaid a $4,000 loan that the father had forgotten about. His son was selling real estate and had received his first big commission.
After this strange and wondrous visit with his son, John wrote to him again, thanking him for repayment of the loan and being true to his word. He also wrote to his younger son pointing out the positive changes that were taking place in his life...a new job and a clean, organized apartment. John was becoming a cheering section for his children and building a closer relationship with them by sending Thank You notes.
By February, John was sending Thank You notes in all directions. It made him realize how many people he had neglected to appreciate. He sent a thank you note to his apartment manager when he responded quickly to a toilet that wouldn't stop running. John suffered from insomnia and that week he blamed the noisy toilet. Shortly after thanking Mr Roberts, John discovered that the man had died. He decided to go to his funeral and was surprised to see so many people there because he was an odd man with a spooky presence.
Mr Roberts had liver cancer and had been waiting for a transplant that never came. When he was trying to fix that toilet, he was in the last days of his life. At the funeral, John spoke to Mr. Roberts' wife and was told that he was "such a people person." He had misjudged this dying man and was now grateful that his last words to him were words of appreciation.
Like John, I've learned to express appreciation too. Of course I have frustrating days that lead me to complain at times. That's part of the human condition, especially in today's hectic world. And being a writer gives me a certain literary license to share frustrations people can relate to and maybe get a laugh from, like the many mishaps that can ruin my day, which I wrote about weeks ago in "Life In The Spin Cycle."
I have moments where I throw up my hands and say, "Lord, could you give me a break?" But more often I have joyful moments and I'm extremely grateful for so many things, so many people, and I don't hesitate to show it. I've given flowers to teachers and bus drivers, baked cookies for the mail lady, brought gifts to neighbors, and I've sent countless Thank You cards for every reason imaginable. The last card I sent was addressed to the mother of my son's best friend. I thanked her for raising such a thoughtful young man who has been a cherished friend to my son. What mother wouldn't love to hear that?
I've said my share of Thank You's and I'll say many more as the years go by. Since my husband reads my blog, I'm including a Thank You to him. James, I love you and I appreciate that you take an interest in my writing. That means the world to me. Also, I fell in love with your sense of humor many years ago. And although you act like a goofball at times, I would rather have laughter in my life than grouchiness. And although you are a bit too thrifty, I'm grateful that I'm married to someone who's conservative with money. Your frugal ways have gotten us out of debt while people much older than us are still making house payments.
And while I'm at it, I must include a Thank You to the other person in our home, my beautiful daughter, Delaina. Lainy, you have your dad's sense of humor and it is such a wonderful thing. I'm so glad you're in my life. Thank you for being who you are...my talented, silly, girl. You are such a smart cookie! So determined to get A's. I love your thoughtfulness and the way you love to make and give gifts. You and Kody have been my greatest gifts. I am so grateful that God blessed me with children.
I also count among my blessings some pretty terrific friends and a loving family. My dad died years ago, but my mom is living not too far from me. I'm grateful that she's healthy...still roller skating after seven decades of life. She's doing better than me. I gave up skating this year after falling and needing several chiropractic visits to fix me. The rest of my family, my brothers and sister, I cherish them. How boring my childhood would have been without them. How empty my life would be now without my siblings. I'm grateful that God blessed my parents with a house full of children.
As for my friends, I don't have a long list. What I have is quality friendships with a few fabulous ladies that I look forward to seeing at our monthly gatherings, which we call girl's night. Next month we're meeting at a restaurant. December is the only month we break from those yummy home-cooked meals we take turns making. Girl's night is a chatty time. We laugh, sometimes there are tears, and we always walk away from the evening feeling like we're part of something really special. Friends are a soft place to land when life gets messy. Friends take the edge off life and without close ties to other women, I feel an emptiness I can't explain.
My friends are my support group. They're my cheering section. They think it's great that I'm freelance writing and volunteering for good causes. My friends see the value in what I do, so they don't have all kinds of suggestions as to how I could "enrich" my life and get "further ahead" financially. They're not competing or comparing. They actually care about me and what makes me happy.
When someone celebrates your happiness as if it were her own good fortune, that's the sign of a true friend. How many people do you know that actually do that for you? Who comes to mind? If I were you, I'd show my gratitude to each one of them now, while they're here and the opportunity is available. That kind of friendship is a treasure that deserves doting over.
If we open our eyes, we can find treasure in every situation, in every moment of every day. And if we openly express our gratitude for those things, we set in motion a blessing that eventually returns to us in even greater measure. John Kralik learned that lesson and wrote a story about it, which ended up getting published in Readers Digest. He proved the power of a spoken, "Thank You" Those two simple words changed his life.
Kralik discovered something that made him richer than all the people he had envied. Never again would he question whether life was worth living. He started paying attention when he crossed the street. He learned that each day held something that he didn't want to miss.
Maybe that's why we set aside one day each year to remind us that Thanks giving is powerful stuff. Some of us really do need to be reminded. Happy Thanksgiving!
 |
| Until you learn to be grateful for the things you have, you will not receive the things you want. |
I love a great story, especially one that inspires me. The December Reader's Digest contains a great story about a man who had reached his breaking point. John Kralik's law firm was losing money and its lease. He was being sued and he was going through a difficult divorce. Some days he was so preoccupied with his problems that he walked into the street without checking for a Walk sign. One day a car missed him with a honk of the horn, and John wondered whether he might be better off if he had been hit.
He didn't want to die exactly, but he craved the peace he might have in a hospital room. His list of problems grew when the woman he had been dating broke up with him. Hoping to clear his mind, he went for a hike on New Year's Day in the mountains alone. Only his inner voice that kept saying, "Loser" went with him. While hiking, John became lost and he worried that he wouldn't find his way back home before dark. Then he heard a voice.
"Until you learn to be grateful for the things you have, You will not receive the things you want." was the voice's message. He couldn't explain the voice, but he knew the message was important. After walking 15 miles, he finally made it home. And John had an idea. Every day he would find one person to whom he would write a Thank You note.
He sent the first note to his older son, thanking him for the Christmas gift he had given him, a single-cup coffee maker. When he signed the card, See you soon, he realized that he hadn't made an effort to spend time with his son, aside from a major holiday. He didn't even have his son's address. So he called him and his son suggested they get together for lunch. During that meeting, his son repaid a $4,000 loan that the father had forgotten about. His son was selling real estate and had received his first big commission.
After this strange and wondrous visit with his son, John wrote to him again, thanking him for repayment of the loan and being true to his word. He also wrote to his younger son pointing out the positive changes that were taking place in his life...a new job and a clean, organized apartment. John was becoming a cheering section for his children and building a closer relationship with them by sending Thank You notes.
By February, John was sending Thank You notes in all directions. It made him realize how many people he had neglected to appreciate. He sent a thank you note to his apartment manager when he responded quickly to a toilet that wouldn't stop running. John suffered from insomnia and that week he blamed the noisy toilet. Shortly after thanking Mr Roberts, John discovered that the man had died. He decided to go to his funeral and was surprised to see so many people there because he was an odd man with a spooky presence.
Mr Roberts had liver cancer and had been waiting for a transplant that never came. When he was trying to fix that toilet, he was in the last days of his life. At the funeral, John spoke to Mr. Roberts' wife and was told that he was "such a people person." He had misjudged this dying man and was now grateful that his last words to him were words of appreciation.
Like John, I've learned to express appreciation too. Of course I have frustrating days that lead me to complain at times. That's part of the human condition, especially in today's hectic world. And being a writer gives me a certain literary license to share frustrations people can relate to and maybe get a laugh from, like the many mishaps that can ruin my day, which I wrote about weeks ago in "Life In The Spin Cycle."
I have moments where I throw up my hands and say, "Lord, could you give me a break?" But more often I have joyful moments and I'm extremely grateful for so many things, so many people, and I don't hesitate to show it. I've given flowers to teachers and bus drivers, baked cookies for the mail lady, brought gifts to neighbors, and I've sent countless Thank You cards for every reason imaginable. The last card I sent was addressed to the mother of my son's best friend. I thanked her for raising such a thoughtful young man who has been a cherished friend to my son. What mother wouldn't love to hear that?
I've said my share of Thank You's and I'll say many more as the years go by. Since my husband reads my blog, I'm including a Thank You to him. James, I love you and I appreciate that you take an interest in my writing. That means the world to me. Also, I fell in love with your sense of humor many years ago. And although you act like a goofball at times, I would rather have laughter in my life than grouchiness. And although you are a bit too thrifty, I'm grateful that I'm married to someone who's conservative with money. Your frugal ways have gotten us out of debt while people much older than us are still making house payments.
And while I'm at it, I must include a Thank You to the other person in our home, my beautiful daughter, Delaina. Lainy, you have your dad's sense of humor and it is such a wonderful thing. I'm so glad you're in my life. Thank you for being who you are...my talented, silly, girl. You are such a smart cookie! So determined to get A's. I love your thoughtfulness and the way you love to make and give gifts. You and Kody have been my greatest gifts. I am so grateful that God blessed me with children.
I also count among my blessings some pretty terrific friends and a loving family. My dad died years ago, but my mom is living not too far from me. I'm grateful that she's healthy...still roller skating after seven decades of life. She's doing better than me. I gave up skating this year after falling and needing several chiropractic visits to fix me. The rest of my family, my brothers and sister, I cherish them. How boring my childhood would have been without them. How empty my life would be now without my siblings. I'm grateful that God blessed my parents with a house full of children.
As for my friends, I don't have a long list. What I have is quality friendships with a few fabulous ladies that I look forward to seeing at our monthly gatherings, which we call girl's night. Next month we're meeting at a restaurant. December is the only month we break from those yummy home-cooked meals we take turns making. Girl's night is a chatty time. We laugh, sometimes there are tears, and we always walk away from the evening feeling like we're part of something really special. Friends are a soft place to land when life gets messy. Friends take the edge off life and without close ties to other women, I feel an emptiness I can't explain.
My friends are my support group. They're my cheering section. They think it's great that I'm freelance writing and volunteering for good causes. My friends see the value in what I do, so they don't have all kinds of suggestions as to how I could "enrich" my life and get "further ahead" financially. They're not competing or comparing. They actually care about me and what makes me happy.
When someone celebrates your happiness as if it were her own good fortune, that's the sign of a true friend. How many people do you know that actually do that for you? Who comes to mind? If I were you, I'd show my gratitude to each one of them now, while they're here and the opportunity is available. That kind of friendship is a treasure that deserves doting over.
If we open our eyes, we can find treasure in every situation, in every moment of every day. And if we openly express our gratitude for those things, we set in motion a blessing that eventually returns to us in even greater measure. John Kralik learned that lesson and wrote a story about it, which ended up getting published in Readers Digest. He proved the power of a spoken, "Thank You" Those two simple words changed his life.
Kralik discovered something that made him richer than all the people he had envied. Never again would he question whether life was worth living. He started paying attention when he crossed the street. He learned that each day held something that he didn't want to miss.
Maybe that's why we set aside one day each year to remind us that Thanks giving is powerful stuff. Some of us really do need to be reminded. Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Sweet Potato & Apple Casserole
This is one of my favorite websites, Passionate Homemaking. Spend some time exploring this site. It's a joy to read and will inspire you to be a Martha.
Sweet Potato & Apple Casserole
Sweet Potato & Apple Casserole
Thursday, November 18, 2010
TRUTH: HANDLE WITH CARE
By Danelle Carvell
If we could only open our mouths to speak truth, how often would we speak? When we pass along information that may not be true, we are guilty of assuming...a tempting thing to do, but not the right thing. Gossip thrives on assumptions. Since we don't know the facts, we can create all kinds of reasons why people do things. But are we speaking truth? And if it's not true, will it do good to pass it on?
These are questions I ask myself every time I write, every time I share a link or a video, every time I speak. Sharing truth is not easy. People disagree on what's true and what isn't, so my truth isn't always seen as your truth. But regardless of how people feel about a subject, that subject is either true or it's not true. We can't take something as black and white as truth and make it subjective to individual areas of grey. The law of contradiction tells us that opposite ideas cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. For example, the earth can't be round and flat at the same time. It's simply not possible.
One example of making truth subjective is the belief that all religions are true and equal. "Tolerance is the new mantra in America today...You are now supposed to accept every belief as true. You are supposed to be especially tolerant of religions and are not allowed to question anyone else's beliefs...BUT to say that it is intolerant and narrow to question another person's beliefs is in itself an intolerant and narrow position." -Bringing Your Faith To Work Norman L Geisler and Randy Douglass
When I'm trying to say something, I often recall that someone said it perfectly in a book I have read, so I weave their comments into my own comments. This is how I convey truth. I agree with what that person is saying and I believe it to be true. But it's not true simply because I believe it. Its true because it's true. And if I pass along information that's not true, then I helped no one and I've contributed to a lie. Hence the saying, "When you assume, you make an a*# out of "U" and "ME".
How many times a day do we assume things? And how many people do we hurt by our assumptions? Only the person involved can know the truth of her situation. No one else can really know the whole story unless she herself tells it. But for some reason we thrive on assumptions and second-hand information to draw conclusions about people. I've done this myself and whenever I do it, I get a bad feeling. That's the holy spirit convicting me of my wrong. I'm so grateful to have that inner radar to set me straight again. I'm reminded that I need to step off my all-knowing pedestal and hand the keys to the kingdom back to God.
Sometimes we simply don't know if something is true or not. Only God knows. So wouldn't we be better off to pray about those things than to harp on them or pass them on as fuel for the gossip fire? Truth is a big responsibility and we don't always handle it with respect. We get a thrill dragging others down with our gossipy tidbits. Or when we do speak truth we speak it harshly. Sometimes I find myself going back to past blogs and deleting certain comments because they're too harsh. I'll remember something I wrote and it will nag at me until I reword it or delete it altogether. Always needing to have a harsh condescending comeback is a sign of pride. Another thing I've learned to do is pause before responding to criticism. The first thing that comes to my mind when someone trashes me is never pleasant. I want to tell them to get a life. But what good would that do?
Doing the right thing, choosing the good option is a struggle. We can either promote assumptions or we can promote truth. But just because something is true doesn't mean we should pass it on to others. It takes a great deal of integrity to keep truth to ourselves when sharing it would hurt someone. I guess the ultimate question is, "Will sharing this information help anyone or will it do more harm than good?" When that becomes our guide for exchanging information, then we've put other people above ourselves..above our need to appear intelligent, above our need to have a clever comeback, above our craving for gossip, above our wanting to lift ourselves up by dragging others down.
Assuming takes no maturity at all. Blurting out everything that comes to mind is something a toddler can do. But handling the truth in a caring manner requires discretion. Lord help me to do it in a way that is pleasing to You. I know I can't please everyone with my words, so help me to please You. Then I can be sure that what I say will do more good than harm.
If we could only open our mouths to speak truth, how often would we speak? When we pass along information that may not be true, we are guilty of assuming...a tempting thing to do, but not the right thing. Gossip thrives on assumptions. Since we don't know the facts, we can create all kinds of reasons why people do things. But are we speaking truth? And if it's not true, will it do good to pass it on?
These are questions I ask myself every time I write, every time I share a link or a video, every time I speak. Sharing truth is not easy. People disagree on what's true and what isn't, so my truth isn't always seen as your truth. But regardless of how people feel about a subject, that subject is either true or it's not true. We can't take something as black and white as truth and make it subjective to individual areas of grey. The law of contradiction tells us that opposite ideas cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. For example, the earth can't be round and flat at the same time. It's simply not possible.
One example of making truth subjective is the belief that all religions are true and equal. "Tolerance is the new mantra in America today...You are now supposed to accept every belief as true. You are supposed to be especially tolerant of religions and are not allowed to question anyone else's beliefs...BUT to say that it is intolerant and narrow to question another person's beliefs is in itself an intolerant and narrow position." -Bringing Your Faith To Work Norman L Geisler and Randy Douglass
When I'm trying to say something, I often recall that someone said it perfectly in a book I have read, so I weave their comments into my own comments. This is how I convey truth. I agree with what that person is saying and I believe it to be true. But it's not true simply because I believe it. Its true because it's true. And if I pass along information that's not true, then I helped no one and I've contributed to a lie. Hence the saying, "When you assume, you make an a*# out of "U" and "ME".
How many times a day do we assume things? And how many people do we hurt by our assumptions? Only the person involved can know the truth of her situation. No one else can really know the whole story unless she herself tells it. But for some reason we thrive on assumptions and second-hand information to draw conclusions about people. I've done this myself and whenever I do it, I get a bad feeling. That's the holy spirit convicting me of my wrong. I'm so grateful to have that inner radar to set me straight again. I'm reminded that I need to step off my all-knowing pedestal and hand the keys to the kingdom back to God.
Sometimes we simply don't know if something is true or not. Only God knows. So wouldn't we be better off to pray about those things than to harp on them or pass them on as fuel for the gossip fire? Truth is a big responsibility and we don't always handle it with respect. We get a thrill dragging others down with our gossipy tidbits. Or when we do speak truth we speak it harshly. Sometimes I find myself going back to past blogs and deleting certain comments because they're too harsh. I'll remember something I wrote and it will nag at me until I reword it or delete it altogether. Always needing to have a harsh condescending comeback is a sign of pride. Another thing I've learned to do is pause before responding to criticism. The first thing that comes to my mind when someone trashes me is never pleasant. I want to tell them to get a life. But what good would that do?
Doing the right thing, choosing the good option is a struggle. We can either promote assumptions or we can promote truth. But just because something is true doesn't mean we should pass it on to others. It takes a great deal of integrity to keep truth to ourselves when sharing it would hurt someone. I guess the ultimate question is, "Will sharing this information help anyone or will it do more harm than good?" When that becomes our guide for exchanging information, then we've put other people above ourselves..above our need to appear intelligent, above our need to have a clever comeback, above our craving for gossip, above our wanting to lift ourselves up by dragging others down.
Assuming takes no maturity at all. Blurting out everything that comes to mind is something a toddler can do. But handling the truth in a caring manner requires discretion. Lord help me to do it in a way that is pleasing to You. I know I can't please everyone with my words, so help me to please You. Then I can be sure that what I say will do more good than harm.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
LIFE IN THE SPIN CYCLE
What if everything could be exactly the way you want it? I often wish for one perfect day, just to see what it feels like. My perfect day would begin by waking on time without an alarm clock. I'd feel energized, rested, and eager to jump out of bed. I'm not a morning person. I always wished I could be, but whatever those morning people have pulsing through their veins isn't pulsing through mine. Maybe I need to start drinking coffee. When I wake up, I just want to go back to sleep.
At this time of year, it's even harder for me to crawl out of bed because our house is cold. My husband likes the thermostat set to 62 degrees. No, that's not a typing error. I said sixty-t-t-t-twooooo. I recently read another woman's blog in which she was complaining that her husband sets the thermostat to 68. She should spend a week at my house. This morning I threw off the covers, ran to the bathroom, turned up the heat to 80 and jumped back into my warm bed. When I complain about the cold house I usually get a speech about our tough and frugal ancestors who lived without electric heat and trudged outside in the dead of winter to use the outhouse. Every time I hear that speech I want to steal his toilet paper and replace it with shucked corn cobs.
My husband has his own bathroom, which is my idea of perfect. I think every family member should have a separate bathroom. I share a bathroom with my daughter and it's one of my biggest gripes. Every day I'm frustrated by her habits...water on the floor, water around the sink, hair bands, hair pins, and soggy wash cloths in the bathtub, overturned shampoo bottles leaking down the drain, toothpaste tubes without the cap, gobs of toothpaste here and there, dirty clothes left on the floor. And right now she has a collection of twelve bath towels hanging behind her bedroom door, each one used only once. My perfect day involves none of these things. My bathroom is sparkling clean every time I walk in. The toilet is self-cleaning, no mold grows in the shower, loose hairs disappear instead of collecting on the floor or on the walls after blow drying, and I never have to change my socks after stepping on a wet bathroom floor.
My perfect day would have no inconveniences of any kind. No wasted time answering phone calls from people I can't understand trying to sell me things I don't want. And the things I do want arrive in the correct size and they always work when I first purchase them. I don't have to ship anything back and get charged for return postage. I also don't have to stand in line waiting for service. Waiting is something I don't do well. Yesterday my daughter and I both had doctor appointments. We waited in the waiting room. We waited in the examining room. We waited to check out. Then we drove to the pharmacy but couldn't get our prescriptions because the computers were down. So we drove to Wal Mart only to find a line of people waiting. So we drove to Rite Aid where we waited some more but thankfully the line was much shorter. After dropping off the prescriptions, we were told it would be a thirty-minute WAIT. Four hours later we arrived home. I headed straight for a tub of hot water, hoping to lower my blood pressure.
I know there are worse things in life than waiting. But for just one day I want to know what it feels like to have nothing deflate my day. No lost sunglasses, no getting home from the grocery store and discovering I forgot the most important item on the list, no automated messages when I want just one question answered, no running kids to doctors, no ugly itchy skin ailments that won't go away like ringworm and rosacea, no discovering my favorite shoes chewed to pieces, no dog puke on the carpet or worse yet from the other end, no stink bugs in my tea cup or lady bugs in my hair, no checking ourselves and the dog for ticks after each outing, no setting off the smoke alarm with a pan of burned peas and having to scrub the black stain left behind, no forgotten cookies that come out looking like lumps of charcoal, no pink socks that should be white, no shrunken wool sweaters or twisted, stretched-out clothes from being spun too hard.
Being spun too hard. That's a good comparison. Life spins us too hard at times. Sometimes we need to escape the spin cycle and make time to do nothing. Stress is constant doing without a break We feel like we're being pulled in a thousand directions and we have nothing left to give. We want to cry out, "When do I get time for me?" After the day I had yesterday, I changed my plans for today and lightened my load. Today I'm goofing off, spending the day in sweats and slippers, sipping hot drinks and watching the dust settle. I learned a long time ago how to take control of my life and claim time for myself. Even if it means saying "no" to an already scheduled outing, I'll do it without guilt. Even if I must disappoint someone, I'll claim time for myself. Because if I'm not mentally and physically well, then I'm no good to anyone else.
I'll never get the perfect day that I fantasize about, at least not in this life. But I'm grateful that I have the ability to step away from the frustrations now and then. Living in the spin cycle is a daily reality for many women. All the frustrations I described above are chores that women tackle outside the workplace. Add work stress to the mix and it's no wonder women are exhausted. Maybe a perfect day means more than a day without mishaps. At the end of the day, it's even nicer to be appreciated. If you know a woman who is constantly doing for others, constantly on the run and living in the spin cycle, give her just one perfect day and let her know she's loved and appreciated.
What if everything could be exactly the way you want it? I often wish for one perfect day, just to see what it feels like. My perfect day would begin by waking on time without an alarm clock. I'd feel energized, rested, and eager to jump out of bed. I'm not a morning person. I always wished I could be, but whatever those morning people have pulsing through their veins isn't pulsing through mine. Maybe I need to start drinking coffee. When I wake up, I just want to go back to sleep.
At this time of year, it's even harder for me to crawl out of bed because our house is cold. My husband likes the thermostat set to 62 degrees. No, that's not a typing error. I said sixty-t-t-t-twooooo. I recently read another woman's blog in which she was complaining that her husband sets the thermostat to 68. She should spend a week at my house. This morning I threw off the covers, ran to the bathroom, turned up the heat to 80 and jumped back into my warm bed. When I complain about the cold house I usually get a speech about our tough and frugal ancestors who lived without electric heat and trudged outside in the dead of winter to use the outhouse. Every time I hear that speech I want to steal his toilet paper and replace it with shucked corn cobs.
My husband has his own bathroom, which is my idea of perfect. I think every family member should have a separate bathroom. I share a bathroom with my daughter and it's one of my biggest gripes. Every day I'm frustrated by her habits...water on the floor, water around the sink, hair bands, hair pins, and soggy wash cloths in the bathtub, overturned shampoo bottles leaking down the drain, toothpaste tubes without the cap, gobs of toothpaste here and there, dirty clothes left on the floor. And right now she has a collection of twelve bath towels hanging behind her bedroom door, each one used only once. My perfect day involves none of these things. My bathroom is sparkling clean every time I walk in. The toilet is self-cleaning, no mold grows in the shower, loose hairs disappear instead of collecting on the floor or on the walls after blow drying, and I never have to change my socks after stepping on a wet bathroom floor.
My perfect day would have no inconveniences of any kind. No wasted time answering phone calls from people I can't understand trying to sell me things I don't want. And the things I do want arrive in the correct size and they always work when I first purchase them. I don't have to ship anything back and get charged for return postage. I also don't have to stand in line waiting for service. Waiting is something I don't do well. Yesterday my daughter and I both had doctor appointments. We waited in the waiting room. We waited in the examining room. We waited to check out. Then we drove to the pharmacy but couldn't get our prescriptions because the computers were down. So we drove to Wal Mart only to find a line of people waiting. So we drove to Rite Aid where we waited some more but thankfully the line was much shorter. After dropping off the prescriptions, we were told it would be a thirty-minute WAIT. Four hours later we arrived home. I headed straight for a tub of hot water, hoping to lower my blood pressure.
I know there are worse things in life than waiting. But for just one day I want to know what it feels like to have nothing deflate my day. No lost sunglasses, no getting home from the grocery store and discovering I forgot the most important item on the list, no automated messages when I want just one question answered, no running kids to doctors, no ugly itchy skin ailments that won't go away like ringworm and rosacea, no discovering my favorite shoes chewed to pieces, no dog puke on the carpet or worse yet from the other end, no stink bugs in my tea cup or lady bugs in my hair, no checking ourselves and the dog for ticks after each outing, no setting off the smoke alarm with a pan of burned peas and having to scrub the black stain left behind, no forgotten cookies that come out looking like lumps of charcoal, no pink socks that should be white, no shrunken wool sweaters or twisted, stretched-out clothes from being spun too hard.
Being spun too hard. That's a good comparison. Life spins us too hard at times. Sometimes we need to escape the spin cycle and make time to do nothing. Stress is constant doing without a break We feel like we're being pulled in a thousand directions and we have nothing left to give. We want to cry out, "When do I get time for me?" After the day I had yesterday, I changed my plans for today and lightened my load. Today I'm goofing off, spending the day in sweats and slippers, sipping hot drinks and watching the dust settle. I learned a long time ago how to take control of my life and claim time for myself. Even if it means saying "no" to an already scheduled outing, I'll do it without guilt. Even if I must disappoint someone, I'll claim time for myself. Because if I'm not mentally and physically well, then I'm no good to anyone else.
I'll never get the perfect day that I fantasize about, at least not in this life. But I'm grateful that I have the ability to step away from the frustrations now and then. Living in the spin cycle is a daily reality for many women. All the frustrations I described above are chores that women tackle outside the workplace. Add work stress to the mix and it's no wonder women are exhausted. Maybe a perfect day means more than a day without mishaps. At the end of the day, it's even nicer to be appreciated. If you know a woman who is constantly doing for others, constantly on the run and living in the spin cycle, give her just one perfect day and let her know she's loved and appreciated.
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