Tag: healthy living

Joy to the World

Welcome to the buffet table.  I couldn’t let 2015 end without posting a blog.  I’m thankful, thankful, thankful.  We have a few more days left in this year.  Many changes can take place before then.  Things can get worse.  Things can get better.  Either way, I’m thankful.  I believe that they will get better.  God has been good to me.  I know that His love for me will never change.

I don’t have a lot to say, but I have several things I want to share.  Enjoy!

Joy to the world, the Lord has come! To view video, click on the link beside my picture.

—————————————————————–

‘Twas The Night Before Jesus Came’

written by Unknown Author

‘Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed.
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter.
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be THE DAY!

The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said “it’s not here” my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound.
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There’s only one life and when comes the last call
We’ll find that the Bible was true after all!

http://www.btmi.org/Christmas/twas.html

——————————————————————

collards2Gotta love those collard greens  

 

collards

Collard greens pack in lots of nutrients for a little amount of calories. If you are trying to eat healthier, cruciferous vegetables (collard greens, kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, rutabaga and turnips) should be on your grocery list. Studies have shown and continue to show that increasing consumption of plant foods like collard greens may help decrease the risk of several diseases, promote a healthy complexion and hair, and increase energy.  Collard greens are high in both fiber and water content, which may help to prevent constipation and promote reqularity.

Collard greens hit peak season January through April. They can be enjoyed raw or cooked.  You don’t want to cook them to death because you’ll kill all of the nutrients and will be eating dead food.  Your collards shouldn’t look like baby food after you’ve cooked them.

Here are some ways to include them in your diet.

  • Collard green chips: Remove the ribs from the collard greens and toss in extra-virgin olive oil or lightly spray and sprinkle with your choice or a combination of cumin, curry powder, chili powder, roasted red pepper flakes or garlic powder. Bake at 275 degrees F for 15-30 minutes to desired crispness.
  • Sauté: Try sautéing fresh garlic and onions in extra-virgin olive oil until soft then add collard greens and continue to sauté until desired tenderness. Add black-eyed peas and brown rice instead of ham hock or salt pork.
  • Smoothies: Add a handful of collard greens to your favorite smoothie.
  • Salsa: Combine cooked collard greens with fresh tomatoes,

    onions and jalapenos and use the mixture as a nutritious salsa.

Resources

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277957.php

http://juicing-for-health.com/basic-nutrition/healing-vegetables/health-benefits-of-collards.html

 

I’m sure that by now you just can’t wait to experiment with some collard greens!  I’d like to see people add more raw or lightly steamed veggies in their diets.  Try this and let me know what you think. You can also share with us one of  your favorite collard green recipes.

Marinated Collard Greens

¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
¼ cup chopped scallions, white parts only
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoon sea salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 bunch collard greens, washed
1/8 cup olive oil

In a large bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon sea salt and pepper. Set aside. Take several collard leaves and roll into a cylinder the shape of a fat cigar. Using a knife, cut the through the collard cylinder, making strips. Repeat steps two and three until you have cut all the collard leaves. Place strips in a large bowl. Pour olive oil on collard strips and sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Massage the oil and salt into the strips until all are well coated. Transfer the collard strips to the bowl with the apple cider vinegar marinade. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.

Servings: 4

Note: The raw collard greens won’t get as soft as its cooked counterpart. That’s a good thing, cooking your greens gets rid of all the water and nutrients that they provide.

http://thenewrawyou.com/recipes/marinated-collard-greens/

 

Humor Time:

  • Tonight’s sermon: ‘What is hell?’ Come early and listen to our carol practice.
http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/christmas/funny_christmas_religious.htm

Christmas Spirit

It was just before Christmas and the magistrate was in a happy mood. He asked the prisoner who was in the dock, ‘What are you charged with?’

The prisoner replied, ‘Doing my Christmas shopping too early.’

‘That’s no crime’, said the magistrate. ‘Just how early were you doing this shopping?’

‘Before the shop opened’, answered the prisoner.

http://www.guy-sports.com/jokes/christmas_jokes.htm

laughing people

Top Ten Things to Say about a Christmas Gift You Don’t Like

10.    Hey! There’s a gift!
9.      Well, well, well …
8.      Boy, if I had not recently shot up 4 sizes that would’ve fit.
7.      This is perfect for wearing around the basement.
6.      Gosh. I hope this never catches fire! It is fire season though. There are lots of unexplained fires.
5.     If the dog buries it, I’ll be furious!
4.      I love it — but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.
3.      Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program.
2.      To think — I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity.
And the Number One Thing to say about a Christmas gift you don’t like:
1.    “I really don’t deserve this.”

http://www.you-can-be-funny.com/CleanChristmasJokes.html

 

Until next time, thanks for stopping by.  joy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Buffet Table

Welcome to the buffet table! I’ll be jumping from one subject to the next, so get your plate and fill it up. The good news: you don’t have to worry about portions, fat, sodium, sugar, GMOs, nor calories.

TOMORROW We’ve all said at one time or another, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” I’ll begin that project tomorrow. I’ll go on a diet tomorrow. I’ll start a savings plan tomorrow. I’ll start getting more sleep tomorrow night. I’ll give my life to Christ tomorrow. I’ll start working on things that God has laid on my heart tomorrow. I’ll get life insurance tomorrow. I’ll start exercising tomorrow. I’ll choose to be happy tomorrow.  Tomorrow came, and you still didn’t do what you said you were going to do. The cemetery is full of the bodies of people who said, “I’ll do it tomorrow”, but tomorrow never came. Books, ideas, songs, inventions, plays, crafts, testimonies never to be shared, and destinies never to be fulfilled have been put in files labeled tomorrow. It’s so easy to put things off for tomorrow. Tomorrow is not promised.

Let your tomorrow begin today!

RESURRECTION DAY You usually don’t hear people talking about Resurrection Day until around Easter. The ultimate resurrection was when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. He died but when He rose, He rose with all power in His hands. His resurrection made it possible for us to have resurrections in our lives. We all go through things. Sometimes the situation looks, feels, and smells so bad that we think it’s dead. Just like God raised Jesus up from the grave, and just like Jesus raised up Lazarus from the grave, He can raise your situation up from the grave also. So when you find yourself in what you are sure is a dead situation, rest assured that your Resurrection day is on the way!

REFLEXOLOGY It is said that a large percentage of disease is stress related. Getting a massage is one way to release stress. There are many more benefits associated with massage therapy including relaxation, increased and improved blood circulation, and increased flexibility. Reflexology is a therapeutic form of foot massage and of course, hand reflexology is a therapeutic form of hand massage. Reflexology may benefit people in the same way massage helps people relax and reduce their stress levels.

Reflexology is based on the belief that each part of the foot is a mirror site for a part of the body. The big toe, for example is considered a reflex area for the head. The heart and chest are around the ball of the foot. The liver, pancreas and kidney are in the arch of the foot. Practitioners believe that certain areas of the hands and feet are linked to other areas and organs of the body. For example, the brain can be helped by putting pressure on the tips of the three largest toes on both feet.

One day while on the computer, I did a search on hand reflexology. I found a web site that allowed me to print out a free 10 step hand reflexology self-treatment. I sat at the computer and did some of the exercises. I can’t begin to describe how good my hands felt. I have two different foot rollers and a porcupine massage ball that I ordered online. I had no idea that my feet and hands could feel so good after using them.

One time I had a pain in my neck. The pain was there for more than a week. I took aspirin. I applied a heating pad. Neither of those things worked. The Holy Spirit brought to my attention my porcupine massage ball. I began to roll one foot and then the other over the ball and immediately the pain began to ease. I did it the next day and the next, and then the pain was totally gone!

Check out reflexology. Visit the library or google it. There are reflexology charts available that show the locations and therapeutic indications of pressure points on the hands and feet. I thank God for letting me discover the benefits of foot and hand reflexology. I use my porcupine ball on a regular basis. I get so busy that I sometimes forget about my foot rollers and hand reflexology techniques. That’s why I like sharing healthy living tips: As I review topics and share them, I get reminded of certain things.

GROWING UP It’s generally thought that wisdom comes with growing older. It does happen with some people, while others become stupider (yes, I had to look it up: stupider or more stupid). I like using stupid because it really gets people’s attention. I’m growing up while growing older. Sounds silly doesn’t it? Life seems backwards. By the time you grow up and begin to figure life out, it’s time to exit.

“I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it makes sense.” Harold Kushner

I like to think that my life would have turned out much better if I would have had the wisdom I have now, when I was 25. But I don’t dwell on that thought because I can’t go back to when I was 25. I can’t undo what’s already been done. All I can do is learn from the mistakes, stupid decisions, trials, and disappointments because they were instrumental in making me who I am today. Not that I’m all that, but I like to think that I have become a better person. I’m not where I need to be, I’ll be growing up until I die, but I thank God I’m not where I used to be.

“In the trials we’ve faced, something good has happened too: God has fine-tuned us so we are more compassionate, more caring, more loving, more aware of others’ pain.”

I would have never chosen this path for my life, but my strategic, all knowing, loving, Daddy God had other plans. He knew and still knows the best route for my life. After all, it was He who formed me while I was yet in my mother’s womb. He tells me in Jeremiah 1:5a “I knew you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart for me before you were born” and in Jeremiah 29 verse 11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Now that’s good news!

HUMOR TIME Willing to take a bullet for Jesus? The two thousand member Baptist church was filled to overflowing capacity one Sunday morning. The preacher was ready to start the sermon when two men, dressed in long black coats and black hats entered through the rear of the church.

One of the two men walked to the middle of the church while the other stayed at the back of the church. They both then reached under their coats and withdrew automatic weapons.

The one in the middle announced, “Everyone willing to take a bullet for Jesus stay in your seats!”

Naturally, the pews emptied, followed by the choir. The deacons ran out the door, followed by the choir director and the assistant pastor.

After a few moments, there were about twenty people left sitting in the church. The preacher was holding steady in the pulpit.

The men put their weapons away and said, gently, to the preacher, “All right, pastor, the hypocrites are gone now. You may begin the service.”

The dog closed his eyes in concentration. This fundamentalist Christian couple felt it important to own an equally fundamentally Christian pet. So, they went shopping. At a kennel specializing in this particular breed, they found a dog they liked quite a lot. When they asked the dog to fetch the Bible, he did it in a flash. When they instructed him to look up Psalm 23, he complied equally fast, using his paws with dexterity.

They were impressed, purchased the animal, and went home (piously, of course). That night they had friends over. They were so proud of their new fundamentalist dog and his major skills, they called the dog and showed off a little. The friends were impressed, and asked whether the dog was able to do any of the usual dog tricks, as well. This stopped the couple cold, as they hadn’t thought about ‘normal’ tricks. “Well,” they said, “let’s try this out.”

Once more they called out to the dog, and then clearly pronounced the command, “Heel!” Quick as a wink, the dog jumped up, put his paw on the man’s forehead, closed his eyes in concentration, and bowed his head.

I hope you leave today – as full as a tick.  laughing happy face with tongue   Bye for now.  Thanks for stopping by.

Resources http://www.christian-jokes.net/Jokes/Church-Jokes/115-willing-to-take-a-bullet-for-Jesus.aspx http://www.christian-jokes.net/Jokes/Bible-Humor/141-The-dog-closed-his-eyes-in-concentration.aspx Jeremiah 1:5 International Standard Version http://biblehub.com/isv/jeremiah/1.htm Jeremiah 29:11-13New International Version (NIV) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A11-13&version=NIV Johnson, B. (2006). I Don’t Suffer From Insanity….I Enjoy Every Minute of It! (Mar. 3) Siloam Springs, AR: DaySpring Cards, Inc.

Hold on, it’s not over.

I love plants!  I don’t have a lot of space for them so I only have five.  I try to get plants that are low maintenance because I don’t have the gardener’s touch that my mama had.  I talk to my plants.  Research says it’s good for them.  I have given my plants names:  Tangy, Grapefruit, Sunshine, Blossom, and Rae.

One summer day a few years ago, I decided to try to prune Rae’s leaves cause she was getting too big and I didn’t want to put her in a bigger pot.  Then I had this bright idea to just take some of her leaves out of the pot.  I ended up taking her completely out of the pot, and she kind of fell apart.  I put her back in after removing some of the leaves.  She didn’t like it.  Her leaves started withering one by one.  I was sad to see that she was dying.  I took her outside on the back porch.  She’s an indoor plant but I thought that maybe being outdoors would help.  It didn’t seem to help.  She continued to wither away.  I saw little gnats on her soil.  I placed her in the corner on the back porch and stopped watering her.  I figured it was over.

All her leaves withered and turned brown.  She looked completely dead to me.  My feelings were a little hurt because she had been with me for a long time.  You may be saying, “My goodness, it was only a plant”, yes, but it was my plant.  One day I was getting ready to throw everything out of the pot, I saw something green.  Now remember all the leaves were withered and brown.  I immediately pulled out the brown, withered leaves and there it was: a little green baby leaf.  I asked myself, “How could this possibly be?”

I added some dirt to the pot and left it outside.  I noticed a few days later that she seemed to be doing just fine.  I cleaned up the pot and took it back inside.  Everyday Rae grew a little bigger, and then I saw another leaf.  I smile now every time I look at Rae.  She seems to be doing just fine.  What would have happened had I just dumped everything out of the pot without looking closely at it?  Yes, it was just a plant, but I think God used that plant to remind me and you that, it’s not over until He says it’s over.

Are you on a quest to be fit for the Master’s use?  Have you been on a quest to be fit for the Master’s use and have given up and quit?  Have you been letting healthy living information that you have heard about go in one ear and out the other, thinking that it’s too late to change or improve now?  Well my friend, it’s not too late!

Let me share two examples of when it looked like it was over, but God said it wasn’t.  We read in the 11th chapter of John about three people whom Jesus loved: Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus.  One day Jesus got the message that Lazarus was sick.  Jesus didn’t go see about him for two days.  Lazarus had died and had been buried by the time Jesus arrived.  Now you’ve got to admit, this was a hopeless situation.  It was indeed over!  When Jesus arrived, they took Him to the tomb where Lazarus was buried.  Jesus took time and spoke to God the Father.  He then cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth and in the first part of the 44th verse we read: And he that was dead came forth.   God showed everyone that it was not over!

We read in the book of Exodus about the freedom of God’s people from slavery and the beginning of national identity.  Pharaoh had finally let the people go in verse 13, but later had a change of heart.   He took his army and went after them.  They had gotten as far as the Red Sea when they saw Pharaoh and his men.  This situation looked hopeless.  I’m sure they thought it was over.

God said it wasn’t over!  He divided the waters of the Red Sea like a wall in two directions at once (north and south).  The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground.  The Egyptians pursued and went in after them, like a bunch of fools.  God released the waters once the children of Israel had crossed to the other side.  That was the end of Pharaoh’s army.  They drowned in the Red Sea.  Can’t you just imagine God saying, “Now, it’s over“!

You may be sick in your in your mind, in your body, in your spirit and/or financially.  It may seem like every time you lose five pounds, you gain back eight.  It may seem like trying to live a healthy lifestyle is just too difficult. You may feel like you will never get to where you desire to get to in life.  You may have already said, “Just forget it.”  There have been many times when I have said those words – but God is saying, “It’s not over.”

Job 22:28 reads, “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”   We want to decree and declare these words:  “It’s not over, it’s not over, it’s not over until God says it’s over.”  Family members may say it’s over.  Circumstances may say it’s over.  You may have said before you read this blog, that it’s over.  My friend, it’s not over until God, the author and finisher of your faith says it’s over!

You can still experience peaceful living if you have a right relationship with God.  You can still learn a way of eating that is simple, balanced, and easy to understand.  You can still make time to do some form of exercise. You can still stop smoking and drinking.  You can still stop speaking negatively.  You can still be delivered from any habit.  You can still have the victory. You can still give your life to Christ and let Him use you.

When I think of Rae, I am reminded that it’s not over until God says it’s over!

A little humor

Jonah and the Whale

One day, a teacher was talking to her first grade class about whales when a little girl had a question.

Little Girl: “Do whales swallow people?”

Teacher: “No, even though they are much bigger than a person, they have throat pleats that filter their food of krill and plankton.

Little Girl: “But Mrs. Thurston says Jonah was swallowed by a whale.”

Teacher getting angry: “Blue whales cannot swallow people.”

Little Girl: “Well, when I get to heaven I’ll just ask Jonah if he was really swallowed by a whale.”

Teacher, still red with anger: “What if Jonah went to hell?”

Little Girl: “Well, then you can ask him.”

Do you want to go to Heaven?

Father Flannagan was diligently trying to win souls for the kingdom of God. One day he had a fine idea. He would go to the local pub to evangelize the local drunks and bar flies. He walks into the pub and notices one of his flock from the local church he preaches in. “John!” he screams, John! do you want to go to heaven!!!! John answered,” Father Flannagan,, why ,,yes! of course I want to go to heaven.”” Then, get over here behind me now,” says the father. “Patrick!, Father Flannagan screams out again.. “Patrick do you want to go to heaven?” Well father,, yes… yes ,, I do. “Then get over here with us now… so Patrick joined the two men..

Father Flannagan spotted anouther and said,, ” you! do you want to go to heaven? The third man paused. No answer! Flannagan again asked the man,” you sir! Do you want to go to heaven!! The man paused again and then shouted,” no!” the Father was dumbstruck and asked the same quesion,, What do you mean you DON’T WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN?? The young man then stated, ” no,,not today ,, it seems as if you’ve got a group to go today and I don’t want to go today!!!!

Bye for now.

Jonah and the Whale            http://www.jokesclean.com/ChristianJokes/

Do you want to go to Heaven?     Submitted by Evelyn  http://www.christian-jokes.net/Jokes/Heaven-and-Hell-Jokes/404-Do-you-want-to-go-to-Heaven.aspx

http://clipartpictures.org/images/stories/flowerclipart/potplants/Plant_in_Pot3_Flower_Clipart_Pictures.png

A Healthy Lifestyle

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.”
James Allen

“There is always something to be thankful for. If you can’t pay your bills, you can be thankful you are not one of your creditors.”

I hope this video blesses you.  This is one of my favorite songs.

Six components of living a healthy lifestyle

There are many reasons to try to live a healthy lifestyle:

To lower the risk of disease.

  1. To relieve stress.

  2. To have increased energy.

  3. To increase the length of your life.

  4. To increase the quality of your life.

  5. To be fit for the Master’s use.

I am not trying to increase the length of my life, but I am trying to increase the quality of my life. I don’t do everything right. Some days are better than others. I love food. I love to eat. The problem is I eat too much. Anyway, I’m working on it.

If I had to pick the most important reason for striving to live a healthy lifestyle, I would choose #6. We all have a destiny to fulfill. We have been given gifts and talents to use for God’s use. I don’t think most of us truly grasp that. If we did, we would be doing more for Him.

Everyone won’t write a book, be a movie star, the president of a large corporation, or a great artist. The greatest accomplishment that any of us can do is to accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior and be found trying to fulfill our destiny. Life passes by so swiftly. We have only a limited number or years. I don’t want to die without at least trying to discover and use my gifts and talents. What you do may not be on a professional level. My videos and my blogs sure aren’t. But at least I can say – I tried.

I want to share with you six components of healthy living.

 Air is a component of health that we totally take for granted. We don’t go to bed and say, “I sure hope that I won’t run out of air while I sleep tonight or I wonder if I’ll have enough air in the morning.” We just assume that we will have air.

It is possible to go weeks without food and days without water, but six minutes without air and you’re a corpse. Air is so important because of oxygen. The blood and trillions of cells that make up the body perform the functions of life. They must be oxygenated regularly or death occurs. We receive our supply of oxygen by extracting it from the air we breathe into our lungs. This is called respiration. In tiny air sacs in the lungs, the blood is purified, supplied with oxygen, and sent on its way to the rest of the body. When we breathe out, we exhale carbon dioxide gas and a lot of other waste materials.

Even though it’s practically impossible to have really pure air in this day and age we can still do what we can to make the best use of the air that we breathe.

Deep breathing         breathing     is a component of health that supplies us with the fuel that keeps us alive. How we breathe affects how we absorb oxygen into our bodies. The oxygen feeds the brain, the nervous system, and every cell of the body.   Normally, we should breath abdominally. There are enormous benefits that accompany breathing the way the body is designed to breathe. Most people breathe totally from the chest.

Abdominal breathing clears your mind and relaxes you. It balances you. It’s the key to relaxation and to the correct oxygenation of your body. Abdominal breathing takes pressure off the heart, and has an amazing effect on the nervous system.  We want the abdomen to expand as we breathe in, and then we want the air to move up and out as we exhale.

Exercise    exercise    is a component of health that greatly assists in the oxygenation of your entire body, especially aerobic exercise, which accelerates the heart’s pumping action. There is an exercise routine for everyone. Bones are alive, and just like every other part of the body, they benefit greatly from exercise.

Life depends on the flow of blood in our bodies. Every drop of blood circulates through the entire body, every minute! A larger heart is a healthier and stronger heart. Any good exercise routine should address basically three areas of fitness: (1) cardiovascular, or aerobic, (2) strength, and (3) flexibility. Aerobic exercise is the form that strengthens the heart.

Water: There is not one function of the body that is not dependent on water. Approximately seventy percent of the body is water. The brain is 80.5% water, the lungs 80%, and the blood 90%. From the minute food enters your mouth, every process necessary to transform it from a food to blood, bone, muscle, and tissue – depends on water.

Water holds nutrients in solution and transports all food necessary for life to the various parts of the body. The body uses water to extract the vitamins, minerals, proteins (amino acids), carbohydrates, fats, and the other basic nutrients of life to the proper place and drops them off in the exact amounts needed at exactly the right time in the body.

Water holds wastes and toxins that it picks up from the cells and carries them to the organs of elimination. Water carries them to the four organs of elimination – bowels, bladder, lungs, and skin for disposal. Water brings in what we need and carries out what we don’t.

Without sufficient water you would have no saliva. You wouldn’t be able to swallow! The organs that perform the functions of life are all more water than anything else. Water is the chief agent in regulating body temperature, like water in the radiator of a car.

As to how much and what kind of water to drink, well the experts have different opinions. One thing is for sure, the less you get from your food, the more you have to drink.

 

Continue reading “A Healthy Lifestyle”