Wednesday, October 29, 2008

To Your Health

To get a flu shot or not? My Natural News friends say NOT. In fact they give six reasons why NOT. I'm getting more scared of Big Pharma day by day. Perhaps we should all be more scared. Meanwhile, Sheryl Walters, who wrote the article I linked to above -- and I might as well linked to here again (click) -- says, rather than getting a flu shot, build your immune system. Here are her tips:

Make sure that you get plenty of sunshine over the winter research continually indicates that the winter flu is often a result of vitamin D deficiency from lack of sun. If you live in a place without sunshine, take cod liver oil, find a place that offers sunshowers (natural tanning beds), and if it is sunny go outside as much as you possibly can no matter how cold it is. Raw, unpasteurized milk is another vitamin D abundant food.
·Exercise, exercise, exercise! When you get out and get your body moving, you are much less likely to get sick. Yoga, for example is a fabulous way to get fit, relieve stress and boost the immune system.
·Eat plenty of immune boosting foods such as garlic, vitamin C containing fruits and fresh green juices (broccoli, cabbage, cucumber and celery.) A diet rich in live foods is a sure way to stay healthy all year long.
·Cut out sugar. Sugar suppresses the immune system and causes disease. Today there are so many wonderful healthy alternatives such as agave nectar and xylitol that it is totally unnecessary to ever consume sugar.
·Deal with emotional stress. Anger and stress suppress the immune system. Yoga, meditation, counselling, natural therapies and plant medicines can transform stress and help you live with abundant health in mind and body.
·Get plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep suppresses the immune system, but is a reality for millions of people. Find ways to make life less hectic so that you have more time to catch those zzzzs.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Guess What!

Can you guess what I see outside my window? You won't believe it! I can hardly believe it. SNOWFLAKES! They're pretty, they're fun, they're dancing around, they're not sticking -- thank goodness. As entertaining and amusing as this is, I'm not ready for snow on the ground, not ready for snow in earnest. But I was so surprised and excited I just had to take a minute to tell you...it's snowing.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Who's in Control?

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

God approves this message
and, don't worry, He is in Control.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Hiking





A beautiful October day in PA -- here we are with family taking a hike 'round about our old stomping grounds. It was fun, invigorating, and nostalgic. More than 35 years ago Tom and I used to stroll hand in hand and sit on the beach in the sand. Right over there.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

What Am I Looking For?

A friend left a comment on one of my previous blogs and said...something like...I don't think you'll find the change you're looking for. (That was in regard to my candidate of choice for president, Barack Obama.)

So I thought about that. What am I looking for? Well, truth be told, I'm not looking for anything. My hope is in the Lord, and I've found that. But, perhaps I'm hoping that Christians won't compromise either of the two greatest commands given in the Bible*** for the sake of a political stance. I see our country in trouble in some ways that could be fixed with the right leadership -- God willing. After studying the situation the best I can, trying not to be swayed by fanatics on either side, sorting through half-truths to uncover the whole truth and looking at all of the issues, I find that Barack Obama comes closer to being a good, righteous, and godly man than McCain does. (Neither one is God or our savior. Neither one is evil incarnate either. The end of the world probably won't come because of one of these men. Although if it's God's timing, neither one of them will stop it.) There are only two candidates, really, and the responsible thing to do is make a choice and vote. Neither one of these men will solve all the world's problems, nor all of our country's problems, but hey...one of them is going to be president. I said this before, it really is a free country -- isn't that great??? -- I get to vote for the candidate of my choice and so do you! Whoever wins on November 4th may not change the country much, but he'll be our president...the person of authority over us...by God. And I'll respect that.

Aren't these exciting times? For those of us who aren't rooted here, those who are on a spiritual journey, just passing through, these are exciting times! I can't wait to see what God does with all this.

***"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind... love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Fish Stories


Everybody who threw in a line caught a fish!





The neighbor caught a fish and gave it to us. It was the biggest fish caught, and that's no fish story.


And the wittle guy threw sticks.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

That's Debatable

One last(?) political blog before I post more pictures from Connecticut. Previously I said I had good reasons to be an Obama/Biden supporter. The reasons have not changed nor have I waivered. In fact, I've been pushed further left by Righties. Well meaning friends, attempting to sway me, have appalled me with prejudice and misinformation. But I only want to expound on one issue. Abortion. That was the one issue that made me uncomfortable with Barack Obama. Turns out all I was uncomfortable with was the Christian propaganda (lies) on the issue.

Abortion is a terrible thing. No one would deny that a woman considering abortion is in a difficult place. Physically, emotionally, spiritually and probably financially, she's in an incredibly difficult place. There are literally two lives hanging in the balance when a woman finds herself in a crisis pregnancy. I am pro life, and I care every bit about the mother's life as I do the innocent baby's life.

For all of my adult years I've cast my votes based on the single issue of abortion. For all that time the number of abortions has not diminished. 3 1/2 decades of Pro-Life office holders haven't helped to save the lives of babies. They had their chance and they didn't succeed. I'm voting for change for the sake of our economy, health care, tax relief, and education, and for the sake of our country, for the sake of middle class people, and yes, for the sake of little babies who might get a chance at life if their moms are given opportunity to step back, think, and make a good choice.

Speaking of health care -- please read this from Whymommy's Blog.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Peak Leaf Season!

We had a delightful road trip to Connecticut during what the weather man told us would be the peak leaf peeping weekend. What artist could improve on or add to the colors God painted in the leaves of maple, oak, birch, beech, black cherry, walnut, ash, even aspen trees? Magnificent shades of orange, red, gold, brown and green dotted hillsides all along the way. And the reward once we arrived at the lakehouse? ...reflections in the water of all those colorful trees by day and moonlight shimmering on the lake by night. Yes indeed, it was too beautiful for words. So perhaps I should stop trying to capture it in writing and download a picture or two (of the hundreds we snapped).

On the way.



The house.
The dock.


The view from the dock.

And some of the key players.





Good times. Good company. Nice lakeside cottage. Phenomenal scenery.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Officially Fall

The leaves are turning color and falling off the trees. The weather is fristy frosty cold in the mornings. It's dark before 7 o'clock in the evening. We're closing the pool.

The fall colors are gorgeous, the cold mornings are invigorating, getting dark early makes for relaxing evenings to read, visit, or watch a movie. But I can't find a positive spin to put on closing the pool.

Then again, I have to confess it is my idea to close it this week rather than waiting until the end of October...Because... It's too much work to uncover and clean out the leaves for a quick swim. It's too hard to close when the air is any chillier than it is right now. It's too wasteful to run the heater keeping the pool at a comfortable 84 degrees when the air is 32 at night and 60 in the warmest part of the day. So alas, we're saying good-bye to swimming until next April.

Whatever will we do for exercise? Rake leaves, cut fire wood, and walk the Johnstown Road. Yep, that's what we'll do.