From the Land of Milk and Honey

Scammers...

2011-11-28T09:44:00.001-08:00

Just a quick note today, about scammers: Beware of any phone calls from "Cynthia", asking you to email "cynthia_scott28 @ yahoo.com". It may be a call to your local business, asking you to email her for an order. OR, "she" may be asking you to email her back because of an odor emitting from your place. Whatever the excuse, DO NOT RESPOND! It's a scam and some folks have actually lost out on this...
(See more confirmation about the scam here.)

More Favorite Desktop Backgrounds

2011-09-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

I needed a little intermission from my bible study posts of late... Have to share my favorite-est latest desktop wallpaper. I'm using one version for my older monitor at work, and the longer version for my new, wider home monitor...

Perfect for fall! It includes a very uplifting scripture from Isaiah 55:12: "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

Go to this page for the wide-monitor version, or this page for the square-ish monitor.

Oh, and here's a small sample of the background (but don't use THIS one for the background- it's not a big enough version...).

Praying Against Ruling Spirits, Part Nine

2011-08-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

If you ever find yourself caught up in a pity party, bring on the praise and reclaim your joy! The Spirit of Heaviness seeks to weigh us down with feelings of sorrow, despair, dejection and hopelessness, but the sure cure for that is to start praising the Lord. Think of Paul and Silas stuck in jail: A perfect opportunity for a pity party. Paul could have easily said, "Wow, here I was, just trying to do God's will, just trying to tell people about Jesus, and now I'm being punished for that. I'm cold, I'm hungry... How can THIS be a blessing?!"

Of course Paul did not have that attitude. We know from scripture that he and Silas started singing praises to God, they were freed from jail when an earthquake struck, and the jailer was even saved. I suspect none of that would've happened if Paul had given in to the spirit of heaviness.

Beware of this nasty spirit! If it can manage to rob a person of their joy, it's often only a matter of time before a spirit of infirmity follows. The fruits of the spirit of heaviness make it easy for that infirmity to enter in next...

The following are the fruits of that spirit of heaviness, plus verses to read, and what to prayer for.

The Spirit of Heaviness: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Excessive Mourning
Sorrow, Grief
Broken-heartedness
Suicidal Tendencies
Insomnia
Despair, dejection, hopelessness, rejection
Self-pity
Depression
Heaviness, gluttony
Inner hurts, Torn spirit

Bind the Spirit of Heaviness: Bible References

Excessive Mourning: Isaiah 6:13
Sorrow, Grief, Insomnia: Nehemiah 2:2
Broken-heartedness: Psalm 69:20; Proverbs 12:18; 15:3, 13; 18:14; Luke 4:18
Suicidal Tendencies: Mark 9
Despair, dejection, hopelessness, rejection: 2 Corinthians 1:8,9
Self-pity: Psalm 69:20
Depression, heaviness, gluttony: Isaiah 61:3
Inner hurts, Torn spirit: Luke 4:18, Proverbs 18:14; 26:22

Loose God's Spirit:

According to Matthew 18:18: Bind the Spirit of Heaviness; Loose the Comforter, the Garment of Praise, the Oil of Joy (see John 15:26; Isaiah 61:3

A Deck of Cards

2011-08-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

I didn't write this; just got it in an email. But I don't want to forget it, so I'm putting it here, about cards:
"The One in the deck reminds me that there is only one God.
The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments
The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John .
The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of them were glorified.
The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth. The Seven is for the day God rested after ma king His Creation.
The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives -- the eight people God spared from the flood that destroyed the Earth.
The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy He cleansed ten, but nine never thanked Him.
The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone.
The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of God's first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell. The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365 total, one for every day of the year.
There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks in a year.
The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Each suit has thirteen cards -- there are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter.
So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this old deck of cards and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for."

New Christian Desktop Wallpaper for Wide Monitors

2011-08-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Real quick update, between posts on spiritual warfare... Check the new Christian desktop wallpaper here!

Praying Against Ruling Spirits, Part Eight

2011-07-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

Thank you, "virtual friends", for the encouragement I've received from previous comments during this study I've been sharing online ;) It has encouraged me to continue on with the next spirit to pray against in some situations: The spirit of haughtiness.

I'll throw in a little review here, since it's been so long since I last posted...

As Christians we often pray for unsaved loved ones. Sometimes, a person may be so influenced by the devil's minions that the truth can hardly break through. OR, a fellow believer or we ourselves may even fall prey to certain spirits, having a tendency in our sin natures to fall for certain sins over others. If certain fruits are obvious, then a certain spirit connected to those fruits is probably operating.

It's not that a believer can be posessed by that spirit. (Although I suspect non-believers can.) But even a believer can be OPpressed by a spirit...

Of course the best fix is to be so full of God's Holy Spirit that there's no room for anything else. But if you're like me, you're not perfect all the time, sigh...

So we pray! I remember praying against this spirit of haughtiness over certain loved ones (and myself), and I have seen progress, thanks to the power of our God.

Here's the low-down for today's study: The eigth spirit (mentioned in alphabetical order) that we can pray against is the Spirit of Haughtiness.

The Spirit of Haughtiness: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Pride
Scorn
Stubborness
Gossiping
Self-righteousness
Vanity
Self-asserting
Back troubles (from refusal to be humbled)

Bind the Spirit of Haughtiness: Bible References

Pride: Proverbs 6:16-19; Proverbs 28:25; Isaiah 16:6
Scorn: Proverbs 1:22, 3:34, 21:24, 29:8
Arrogance: 2 Samuel 22:28; Jeremiah 48:29; Isaiah 2:11, 17, 5:15
Obstinance/ Stubborness: Proverbs 29:1; Daniel 5:20
Idleness: Ezekiel 16:49, 50
Rebellion: 1 Samuel 15:23; Proverbs 29:1
Contentiousness: Proverbs 13:10
Strife: Proverbs 28:25
Self-Righteousness: Luke 18:11, 12
Self-Deception: Jeremiah 49:16; Obadiah 1:3
Rejection of God: Psalm 10:4; Jeremiah 43:2

Loose God's Spirit:

According to Matthew 18:18: Bind the Spirit of Haughtiness; Loose a humble and contrite spirit (Proverbs 16:19; Romans 1:4)

Praying Against Ruling Spirits, Part Seven

2011-05-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

The seventh spirit (mentioned in alphabetical order) that we can pray against is the Spirit of Fear. A lot of "fruits" are connected with this spirit, besides the obvious "fearful" condition. I had to pray against this spirit when I felt caught up in it, despite my intellectual mindset, which told me it didn't make sense. I knew I needed to meditate on the scripture, "Perfect love casts out all fear," from 1 John 4:18. I needed to be completely submersed in the perfect love of God, to overcome the illogical fears I had. (Not to mention the agitation and tension.) The verse goes on to say, "... because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

The Spirit of Fear: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Fear, fright, torment, trembling, horror, dread
Faithlessness, worry, anxiety (lack of trust)
Undue cautiousness
Agitation, tension
Timidity, inferiority, inadequacy
Inert, inactive
Manic-depressive, depressed (and therefore irritable, critical and rude, finding people unbearable)
Heart attack, neuralgia, neuritus

Bind the Spirit of Fear: Bible References

Fears and phobias: Isaiah 13:7,8; 2 Timothy 1:7
Torment, horror: Psalm 55:5; 1 John 4:18
Nightmares, terrors: Psalm 91:5,6
Anxiety, stress: 1 Peter 5:7
Untrusting, doubt: Matthew 8:26; Revelation 21:8
Fear of death: Psalm 55:4; Hebrews 2:14,15
Fear of man: Proverbs 29:25

Loose God's Spirit:

According to 2 Timothy 1:7: Bind the Spirit of Fear; Loose the spirit of love, power, and of sound mind*

* Some translations of 2 Timothy 1:7 say, "of sound mind", but some translate it as, "self-control", which implies that, to be of sound mind, we need to have self control. Self control is one of the fruits of the spirit; may we develop that fruit!

Praying Against Ruling Spirits, Part Six

2011-05-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

The sixth spirit (mentioned in alphabetical order) that has the potential to oppress believers (or downright POssess nonbelievers) is the "familiar" spirit. The Familiar Spirit should be prayed against in any situation where the false power of astrology, hypnotism, or the like seem to be operating. This spirit reminds me of the Spirit of Divination (already covered here), but the Familiar Spirit doesn't seem so intent on getting a person caught up in drug addiction (although hallucinogenic drugs may be involved), witchcraft, or rebellion; rather it seems to rely more "innocently" (ha, that's sarcasm) on impressing the naive with the "power" of "prophecy". Not God's prophecy though.

The way I see this spirit working is when it incorporates astrology, esp, and other clairvoyant activity; my notes say that this spirit might even "mimic the true servants of God, only to gain foothold and credibility, to sway one towards ultimately serving Satan's purposes". I think of the woman mentioned in Acts 16:16-23: She proclaimed loudly after Paul and some of his men, "Oooo- These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." Admittedly, Paul already knew that this woman was a slave girl who made money for her owners through her fortune-telling. So perhaps that better equipped him to discern that she was being possessed by an evil spirit. After she'd continued to follow Paul around for days, proclaiming such things about him being God's servant, he finally commanded the evil spirit to come out of her, which it did. (This got her owners so upset, as she wouldn't be making them money from fortune-telling any longer, that they led a movement that got Paul and his men put in jail.) As a young Christian, I had wondered how it could be wrong for someone to follow after a godly person, drawing attention to the fact that they were in fact servants of God. I have since learned that the devil is quite sneaky in how he might operate, trying to fool us into believing that darkness is actually light.

The Familiar Spirit: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Hypnotism
Astrology
Clairvoyant
Muttering
Peeping Tom
Mimicry

Bind the Familiar Spirit of Error: Bible References

Medium: 1 Samuel 28
Necromancer: Deuteronomy 18:11; 1 Chronicles 10:13
Clairvoyant: 1 Samuel 28:7,8
Spiritist: 1 Samuel 28
Yoga: Jeremiah 29:8
Drugs- Hallucinogenic: Revelation 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15; Galatians 5:20
Passive Mind-Dreamers: Jeremiah 23:16, 25, 32; 27:9, 10
Peeping and Muttering: Isaiah 8:19; 29:4; 59:3
False Prophecy: Isaiah 8:19; 29:9

Loose God's Spirit:

According to 1 Corinthians 12:9-12: Bind the Familiar Spirit; Loose the Holy Spirit- Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Praying Against Ruling Spirits, Part Five

2011-04-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

Fifth spirit, in alphabetical order: The Spirit of Error. If you're wondering how to pray for someone, or even for yourself, and have noticed certain "fruits" (behaviors that manifest themselves in any given person), then pray for the person, that that spirit would be bound! In the case of THIS gnarly, stupid spirit (of "error"), pray that that spirit be bound, and that the spirit of truth be let loose to reign in that person!

The Spirit of Error: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Error in actions
Unsubmissive
Caught up in False Doctrines
Unteachable
Defensive/Argumentative/Contentious
Servant of Corruption
New-Age Movement

Bind the Spirit of Error: Bible References

Error in actions: Proverbs 14:22, 1 John 4:6, 2 Peter 3:16-17
Unsubmissive: Proverbs 29:1, 1 John 4:6
Caught up in False Doctrines1 Timothy 6:20,21, 2 Timothy 4:3, Titus 3:10, 1 John 4:1-6
Unteachable: Proverbs 10:17; 12:1; 13:18; 15:10,12,32, 2 Timoty 4:1-4, 1 John 4:6
Defensive/Argumentative/Contentious: James 3:16
Servant of Corruption: 2 Peter 2:19
New-Age Movement: 2 Thessalonians, 2 Peter 2:10

Loose God's Spirit:

According to Matthew 18:18, Bind the Spirit of Error and Loose the Spirit of Truth

Praying Against Ruling Spirits, Part Four

2011-04-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Fourth spirit, in alphabetical order: The Spirit of Divination.

The Spirit of Divination: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Fortunetelling, sorcery, magic
Astrology
Hypnotizing
Drugs
Rebellion

Bind the Deaf and Dumb Spirit: Bible References

Fortunetelling: Micah 5:12, Isaiah 2:6
Witchcraft: Exodus 22:18
Astrology: Isaiah 47:13, Leviticus 19:26, Jeremiah 10:2
Hypnotism: Deuteronomy 18:11, Isaiah 19:3
"Water Witching": Hosea 4:12
Magic: Exodus 7:11, 8:7, 9:11
Drugs: Galatians 5:20, Revelation 9:21, 18,23, 21:8, 22:15
Rebellion: 1 Samuel 15:22

Loose God's Spirit:

The Holy Spirit, Gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9-12)

Praying Against Ruling Spirits, Part Three

2011-04-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

Oh, the Deaf and Dumb Spirit... The strongest of all spirits. Matthew 17:21 says, "But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting." Work time! Below is some info on this pesky spirit...

Deaf and Dumb Spirit: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Inner ear disease
Lunacy
Epilepsy
Pining Away
Gritting Teeth
Suicidal, Crying
Schizophrenia
Eye Diseases
Dumbness

Bind the Deaf and Dumb Spirit: Bible References

Dumbness: Mark 9:25
Tearing: Mark 9:18, 20, 26
Mental Illness: Matthew 17:15, Mark 9:17, Mark 5:5
Foaming at Mouth: Luke 9:39, Mark 9:39
Seizures/Epilepsy: Mark 9:18, 20, 26
Suicidal: Mark 9:22
Gnashing Teeth: Mark 9:18
Burning, Drowning: Mark 9:22
Pining Away: Mark 9:18
Blindness: Matthew 12:22
Crying: Mark 9:26
Prostration: Mark 9:26
Ear Problems: Mark 9:25,26

Loose God's Spirit:

The Spirit of Resurrection Life-Healing (Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 12:9)

Praying Against Ruling Spirits: "B" for Bondage

2011-04-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here we go with Day Two in a series of "Praying Against Ruling Spirits". Not that we want to dwell on evil. We need to be real prayed-up, in the Word, and full of the Holy Spirit to be able to contend with those nasty spirits...

In dealing with the world, or maybe even with friends and family, whenever there's an argument, I almost always remind myself of Ephesians 6:12: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." The International Standard Version puts it well too: "For our struggle is not against human opponents, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us, and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm." It helps to know, it's not actually a war of words with another person, but a spiritual battle against evil.

Keeping that in mind, let's move on in the battle against those dark spirtual powers at work in the world. In keeping with the alphabetical order, the next spirit many folks are bound by is: The Spirit of Bondage.

Spirit of Bondage: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Anguish, Bitterness
Slavery, Bound like with Chains, to Sin and Corruption
Blind of Christ
Bruised, Broken
Oppressed
Addicted
Greedy and Hoarding
Ambitious
Lusting

Bind the Spirit of Bondage: Bible References

Fears: Romans 8:15
Fear of Death: Hebrews 2:14, 15
Addictions (drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, food, etc.): Romans 8:15, 2 Peter 2:19
Captivity to Satan: 2 Peter 2:19
Bondage to Sin: 2 Timothy 2:26
Servant of Corruption: Romans 7:23, Luke 8:26-29, Acts 8:23, John 8:34, Romans 6:16
Compulsive Sin: Proverbs 5:22, John 8:34

Loose God's Spirit:

The Spirit of Liberty, Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8:15)

Praying Against Those Ruling Spirits, Part 1

2011-04-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, way back when I first got saved, poured a lot of info into me: Scripture, references from Christian books, and more, including notes from her study on ruling spirits. I tucked those notes away, but recently felt the need to pray against a certain spirit, as it seemed a close aquaintance was bound by that spirit. Nothing I did in the flesh (but of course) seemed to help that person. There was nothing I could say or do! But I started to pray against a certain spirit, and within a week, there was major transformation.

Through the experience, I realized I needed to rehash those notes. It's nice to have the hard copy of the notes, but I thought it'd be good to be able to reference them online. (Who knows- this might even prove valuable to someone else!) I can organize those notes more easily on here too, getting it all in alphabetical order, for starters...

But on a side note, remember: There is God's Holy Spirit, there are evil spirits, and there is man's spirit, that decides which spirit he will let himself be subject to. Unwittingly, the man who hasn't chosen to be filled with the Holy Spirit might inadvertedly allow other spirits in, because without that indwelling Holy Spirit, we're pretty vulnerable to whatever's wafting around. And don't we know that our "enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8

A born-again believer can't actually be possessed, but certain spirits might seek to oppress a believer. And non-believers are pretty open game, which is why we need to pray for them! So let's start today with the first spirit in alphabetical order: The Spirit of Anti-Christ.
Spirit of Antichrist: Fruits
(Behavior revealing the activity of this spirit in a person's life)

Against Christ, substituting other methods for atonement of sin
Seeks to bind people to Church laws even though they're free from law
Attacks testimonies about Jesus; vexes righteous souls

Bind the Spirit of Antichrist: Bible References

Denying Deity of Christ: 1 John 4:3, 2 John 7
Denying Atonement: 1 John 4:3
Against Christ and His Teaching: 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 John 4:3
Humanism: 2 Thessalonians 2:3,7
Worldy Speech and Actions: 1 John 4:5
Teachers of Heresies: 1 John 2:18-19
Against Christians: Revelation 13:7
Deceiver: 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 2 John 7
Lawlessness: 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12

Loose God's Spirit:

The Spirit of Truth (1 John 4:6)

Cooking Show Recipes?

2011-01-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

Recipe Hunters, just go here: Recipes from Jen's Cooking Show

I just realized that some folks out there might actually be looking for recipes that are supposed to be listed at fromthelandofmilkandhoney.com. Anyone still catching some of the cooking shows airing on the local Pinole station might be looking for my old website, which has since disappeared. Those cooking shows (titled "From the Land to the Table") were put together back in 2007, when I actually had a website called fromthelandofmilkandhoney.com

So the cooking show directs the viewer to visit that website for the recipe. Whoops. What's wrong with this picture? OK, so I was pretty green at the time; not the good kind of environmentally-correct green, but the old kind: "Undeveloped, still new at the job".

I thought that, because the name of my cookbook was, "From the Land of Milk and Honey", that should be the name of my website. I proceeded to painstakingly post all my cooking show recipes on that website. Being new to html, this was no easy feat in the beginning.

As I gained experience online, I realized that having a website that requires the user to type in 29 characters was not ideal. I soon transferred my information onto a new website that I'd called "pccuisine.com". Surely that would be an easier website to remember!

The PC Cuisine website has worked out pretty well, for the most part. A lot of internet users are actually searching for PCC Natural Markets in the Puget Sound area of Washington. PCC stands for "Puget Consumer Cooperative", although I didn't realize that when I named my website PC Cuisine, as in "Pinole California Cuisine". (Not to be confused with "politically correct", although I figured it could also stand for "personal computer", as these were "PC recipes"...)

In any case, for those looking for recipes, check out my official recipe website here ;)

"Season's Greetings"

2010-12-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

My dad sent this fun email; thought I'd share in case anyone else needs to send the greeting along to their politically correct friends!

To All My Democrat Friends
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2011 but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

To My Republican Friends
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Christmas Shopping

2010-12-07T07:21:00.000-08:00

You can bet I'll be on the lookout for "Christmas" gifts at my favorite stores. But the list of favorite stores is changing. Through the American Family Association, I've even been able to send a few stores an email about how I feel about their business policies. What a great way to get our voices heard! (See page here.)

I had been doing a lot of business at Staples, but I've reconsidered, after hearing from the AFA about how Staples is limiting the use of the word, "Christmas" in their advertising. Ditto to Radio Shack and Office Depot.

When I see all kinds of Christmas goodies online at VistaPrint, and weigh whether to run to Staples or just order through VistaPrint, guess who wins?!

Have you noticed that sometimes, the minorities have a very large voice that doesn't even reflect the general consensus? The atheists are putting up billboards about "Celebrate Reason", and about realizing that "Christmas is a Myth". I guess we Christians need to speak up too. For starters, I'll do that with my pocketbook.

The Story of Jonah, Best Told!

2010-11-21T12:19:00.000-08:00

The story of Jonah has been told by a little girl; the sweetest story-telling I've ever heard. This one is worth passing along to all your email buddies... Super cool!

The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Support THESE Stores at Christmas!

2010-11-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

I appreciate the info I get from the American Family Association. They make it easy to make our voices heard. They will often prepare email forms that we can fill out, giving our opinions to those in charge; AFA then emails the messages to the appropriate parties.

The American Family Association's newsletter is worth subscribing to; Christians can stay up on the latest shenanigans of various businesses, policy makers, and personalities. This season, as usual, they have prepared a list of who is "Naughty or Nice" in the retail world. As I gear up to spend hard-earned money on various gifts, I really don't want to be supporting an anti-Christian business in the process. How can these companies want our Christmas money, but they don't want to call it Christmas?!

You can go to this page for a nice chart of which companies are Pro-Christmas and which are Anti-Christmas. But I've also put the list here, if only for my own convenience. As follows:

Companies FOR "Christmas" updated 11-17-10

Amazon.com
Bed Bath & Beyond
Belk
Best Buy
Big Lots
Books-A-Million
Cabella's Collective Brands
Costco
Dollar Tree
Family Dollar
Dollar General
H.E.B. Stores
Hallmark
Harris
Teeter Stores
Hobby Lobby
Home Depot (Although they promote certain agendas, as seen here)
JC Penney
JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts Stores
Kmart
Kohl's
Kroger
Lowe's
Macy's
Meijer
Menard's
Michael's Stores
Neiman Marcus
Nordstrom
Petsmart
Pier One Imports
Publix
QVC
Rite Aid
Sears
Super D Drug Stores
Target
Walgreens
Wal-Mart/Sam's Club

Companies marginalizing "Christmas" updated 11-17-10

Bass Pro Shops
Banana Republic
Bath & Body Works
Gap Stores
Hancock Fabrics
Hy-Vee Stores
Old Navy
Limited Brands
Safeway
Starbucks
Toys R Us
Whole Foods

Companies against "Christmas" updated 11-17-10

Barnes & Noble
CVS Pharmacy
Dick's Sporting Goods
Office Depot
Radio Shack
Staples
SUPERVALU
Victoria's Secret

Now that the list has been made, I'll be thinking twice about going to Staples (even though they often supply our menus and printed items). That'll mean more business for VistaPrint! (I like that company a lot anyway.)

It also means I'll drive an extra mile or so to go to Walgreens, bypassing CVS Pharmacy. Harrumph! And it looks like I'll be giving a little more business to Target, less to Safeway... Nice to see Target on the good list!

Be Shrewd as Snakes

2010-11-11T21:30:00.000-08:00

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves," Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:16. And we do need to be on our toes. Lately, I got to sniff out the dirt behind the "Honorary Award" I'd received; a friend blogged about it in detail here. Perhaps I should start writing for "Consumer Report", what with discoveries of online scamming on retail websites like "Gotbody.com". (I reported on that a while back, here.)

Today, I began organizing the process of donating to charities. My husband and I love donating to certain causes; we hear lots of good stuff about all the amazing results, as God multiplies what we sow. But we also care about the earth and our precious resources, so it's just plain silly and wasteful to receive unnecessary paper through the mail. So I set out to go digital, requesting online email newsletters from our favorite charities. We can even donate online, and I can keep better track of who we've sent what to, when it's all on file on my email account. So we don't really need to be mailed those monthly reminders that just create more trash...

This was no easy task. As I typed in "American Bible Society", popular searches appeared, showing that "American Bible Society Scandal" was among the popular ones. As I tried to learn the details of that, a scam within a scam appeared. The first page I went to had zero information on the scandal, but had a lot ads that said, "Find out about THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY SCANDAL, HERE". But you would have to click on a link. Great. I got lured to someone's website (some "lindahua.net" person...), where stuff like this is advertised, but the page itself offered no real information. It amazes me that there are people out there driving traffic to their sites by having random headlines floating around on their page, designed to suck us in. Sigh...

Now this page actually did offer plenty of info on said scandal, as did The Christian Post. Ultimately, I concluded that this sounded like a very unfortunate mishap for the American Bible Society, but at least when the problem came to light, they resolved it by not renewing their contract with the faulty party. So I'll continue to support ABS.

So I continued with my chore of contacting my favorite charities, to switch the snail mail to email correspondence. I love getting updates by email from Richmond Rescue Mission, one of our local charities. And now I'll look forward to getting stuff from the Salvation Army and Jesus Film Project and Prison Fellowship, etc.

But then I came to the pile of "Feed the Children" envelopes. I never did appreciate getting letters from them. They never put "Feed the Children" on the envelope, so it always seemed cryptic. I felt compelled to open it, only to find this plea for money from some "Father Larry Jones" guy... There never were any scripture references in the letter... I just got a weird vibe that maybe this wasn't quite the kind of Christian charity I wanted to support.

My browser assumed I might well be looking into the "Feed the Children Lawsuit", and eagerly brought me to that page, where I found this article. Observing the dates, like of this recent article, it looks to be a long, ongoing process of various lawsuits and disturbances. Feed the Children even won an award on this website (like, worst charity EVER). I did manage to get removed from their mailing list, so that was one positive step in the right direction.

Now it's time to check out some of those emails I've been getting. Enough "shrewd as snakes"... how 'bout a little "innocent as doves", right?

That Time of Year

2010-11-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

'Tis the season... the days get longer, and I just want to sleep a bit more. But that's OK. I remember what Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven."

And this is my time for a little more rest! So of course I had to make this my current desktop wallpaper. A good reminder, as I see those orange berries ripening on the bushes: One season's color and glory might be over, but a new season comes along, beautiful in its own way.

You can go to my pccuisine website, or just right-click on the image here, to make it your own desktop wallpaper. Oh, and if you're looking for more Christian desktop wallpaper, with added Bible verses for extra inspiration, you can choose from several designs on my website, here. Be blessed!

"Helping" in the Church (Filling Needs Through the Flesh?)

2010-10-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

My devotional for today (October 26), from Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest, mentions that "the one great reason underneath all missionary enterprise is not first the elevation of the people, nor the education of the people, nor their needs; but first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ - 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations'".

For those unfamiliar with this wonderful author, Oswald Chambers' writings invite some deep pondering. Some may have said, "Too deep!" but I love his devotionals. It does take some pondering though. I didn't become a Christian until I was 38 years old, but I've been following Him ever since. Husband Tom and I have read various versions of Bible in a Year, and this year started out on a re-reading of good ole Oswald. I say this not to brag (Lord, you know I don't want to take pride!), but to offer some background into reading something as "deep" as Oswald Chambers.

I don't think a person can pick up this book up out of the blue and expect it to speak volumes to them. Well, it might- I wouldn't knock it! But it helps to have one's mind looking towards God on a regular basis, looking for Him in all the ordinary, regular workings of our lives, and to be reading scripture on a regular basis. Then, when we come across the devotional for the day, we just might realize how very much it pertains to our own unique situation.

This happened to me. I will share my little church story, although I will change the details a bit so as not to incriminate anyone (even though my church buddies probably don't realize I have this blog). But I share it because in some other church family, someone else may be experiencing a similar situation. And what do you do in it? I think Oswald Chambers offers a clue.

I titled this post, "'Helping' in the Church (Filling Needs Through the Flesh?)" because of the things that have come up in our church lately. First, a need went out (through the Google Group prayer-connect that we have online). Someone requested a big chunk of money for a personal need. Wha-La, the need was met. Within two months, the very object that was supplied by the church family's generous donations was completely trashed. Fortunately there was no physical harm to people, but the thing supplied was destroyed. Now there is a prayer need because of the anxiety caused (by the loss of the very object that had been supplied)!

I have to wonder, was the church supposed to donate to that cause? This is where the Oswald Chambers devotional comes in. The author asks, in his August 10th devotion, "Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others?" Perhaps there are times when we are not to become the "providence" for our friends and family, thereby supplanting the providence God is intending for them. In other words, we're not to go about "in the flesh", providing for others when God has other ideas.

Another prayer request came through the emails yesterday. I'd heard about this situation already; a woman in the church was housing a certain someone who was supposedly completely misunderstood, who was being charged in court of being an unfit mother. But my church friend believed in this person!

Weeks later, this very church friend is asking the church if it might provide the $6,500 it will take to pay for half of the rehab for said person. Turns out, this person does in fact have some problems that might make her an unfit mother. Now, does the church provide the $6,500, to show this person (an unbeliever) just how amazing Christians can be? I have my doubts. The "Christians", in their provision, might indeed prove to be amazing. But how much better it would be for this person to believe how amazing GOD is.

And that is how the Word spoke to me today. "As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." (John 20:21) As Oswald Chambers mentions in today's devotional, "the great danger is that God's call is effaced by the needs of the people until human sympathy absolutely overwhelms the meaning of being sent by Jesus". Let us avoid that danger!

Feeling Honored

2010-10-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

I received an email this morning, mentioning that I had been awarded the honor of appearing on a "Top Women in Ministry" list. Of course I had to wonder if it needed to go into the Nigerian File. (Also known as the Junk File, where those special offers go, trying to prompt me to send information so I can collect big money...).

So I did some research, as I often do. Jen Hughs from Online Masters Degree Program has honored quite a few blogs in different categories: Top Performance Art Blogs, Top Biotechnology Blogs, Top Genealogy Blogs, and the already mentioned Top Women in Ministry Blogs. The pages are legit; a number of blogs are mentioned for each category, and I appreciate that they mention the blogs whether we post a link to their page or not.

But I am a skeptic at heart, I suppose. When someone emails me, "We’ve scoured the web looking for amazing blogs that not only are great in
content, but informative and helpful when needed. And we’ve determined your
blog to be such! We like to call it a Master of its category," I have to ask myself, "Really?"

And while I feel a little honored to have received this particular distinction, I also realize that this is a good way for the Online Masters Degree Programs website to get a little express press. But, OK, I'll accept the honor; at least they didn't ask me to pay for it!

Online Masters Degrees

How We "See" the World

2010-10-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

My friend emailed me this great story this morning, by an author unknown. It had been passed through so many email addresses that the text was rather hard to read, so I thought I'd repost it here for future reference. It's a great one to remember!

I've heard that life is 1 % what happens to you, and 99% your attitude about it. Given that, here's the story:

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene. One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'

Moral of the Story?

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

The Foodie Idol Falls Down

2010-09-29T09:35:00.000-07:00

I still love to share recipes. I love helping the average homemaker discover easy, healthy recipes full of short cuts whenever possible. (I post a lot of those on my pccuisine website.) I'm just wondering how much longer the "Foodie Idol" will maintain its elevated status, what with celebrity chefs, and millions of foodies blogging about their favorite recipe of the day.

I'm in a small group that's been studying Isaiah lately (Beth Moore's "Breaking Free", specifically). King Uzziah came into reign; reigned for 52 years. Next came his son Jotham, who reigned for 16 years. But why, after seeing how disobedience to God had done his father in, did King Jotham not take God more seriously?! "He left the high places." In other words, he "followed" God but let places of idol worship remain during his reign. He didn't think he ought to take them down?!

So now I've been considering my high places. I've been pretty into my website, tweaking it, hoping to drive more traffic to the recipe pages... But of how much lasting value will that really be to people?! I don't want to encourage people to idolize food!

My original hopes, in writing my cookbook, were to "capitalize" on people's interests in cooking; as they looked for recipes, they would also be exposed to God's Word, through the extra scripture and commentary I put in the book. After all, "We don't live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

I feel like I ended up on a detour, trying to promote my book by increasing exposure to my recipe website. But that probably hasn't brought more people closer to reading God's Word! So I'm rethinking what might keep me from completely doing God's will. Not "Jennifer's will" to try to "serve" God (like He needs my help). But His will.

Lord, help me to do that!

Slow Loading Pages

2010-09-26T15:45:00.000-07:00

My dear friend at Heartbeat (the online magazine) has had her challenges getting the issues up monthly... I really wanted to help. When I discovered that some of the photo files were way too large, I sent Connie an email, hoping I could offer some helpful info.

This is what I let her in on, which some newbie website developers may not know: Some folks get pretty discouraged with "slow loading time" of any given page. I noticed my author photo was loading quite slowly in the Heartbeat issue, and in reading the "View Image Info" properties, it's no wonder! (Find this image info by right-clicking on the image). My tiny author photo was 1,712px × 2,288px (scaled to 103px × 137px). Seventeen hundred is a lot of pixels! Another author's photo was over 2,000 pixels; an even larger size. Basically, there were a lot of pages that were being slowed down by one tiny picture. That is, the picture looked tiny, but its file size was actually quite large.

I didn't send my friend an author picture that was that big to begin with. And many websites (Facebook, for example) automatically resize photos so they'll be smaller.) But I suspect that my friend took the original jpgs and put them into some program to give them the "glow" around the edges, and some photos inadvertently were made even larger than they were originally. This makes the website work extra hard to load the file for just the one little picture...

Solution: Before loading a picture up onto a webpage, resize it. Open any given photograph up using a photo program, to edit it. (I personally use Jasc Photo Shop, by Dell.) Depending on the program, one should be able to find an area in the program's menu, labeled "Image". In clicking on "Image", one should get a drop-down menu listing options. One of the options should be to "Resize". Original dimensions might be, say, 1,700 pixels. You can choose the size you want it scaled down to. For the author photos, approx. 80 pixels x 110 is about right.

IF photos are edited down to small pixel sizes, the pages load much faster.

Please note that once your computer has loaded a page, it probably still has the "cookies" or "memory" to reload the same photo without taking that long. So you yourself can click on pages and they will load quickly. Then you scratch your head when people tell you your page is acting slow. If you try viewing your website on a new computer that hasn't stored that info, you will discover that the pages indeed may take too, too long to load!

Hope this helps some newbie out there...

God Cares So Wonderfully...

2010-06-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

Playing around, making some new desktop wallpaper on this warm Sunday afternoon. Hope it blesses someone!

I wasn't sure what to title the page, to help people find it (just in case someone was looking for some inspiration). But I noticed, when doing key word searches, that some of the first searches to come up used the phrase, "God clothes the flowers". An NIV version of Matthew 6:30 does sort of put it that way, saying, "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" Luke 12:28 puts it pretty much like that as well.

Funny how pieces of the Bible might stick in our heads, and then those of us who are internet-savvy might "google", doing a little word search to track those Bible verses down. Most interpretations don't actually say, "God clothes the flowers". But that seems to stick in our minds!

Funny that there appeared to be no searches for "If God cares so wonderfully". Nope. That part of the verse doesn't seem to stick in the memory as much. But I do like the "New Living Translation" of Matthew 6:30: "And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"

Oh, of course, there were quite a few word searches for, "Ye of little faith", but most weren't even Biblical references. Guess it's just one of those more common sayings.

At any rate, I thought the main part of Matthew 6:30 was pretty uplifting. I didn't want to add the, "Why do you have so little faith" part to my desktop wallpaper though. When I first turn on my computer, I don't want to get too discouraged! I love remembering some of these Bible verses, and find that I can learn quite a few of them this way, having them on my desktop. For an index of all the other Bible verses I've worked into desktop wallpaper, just go here. And have a blessed week!

"The Secret"? Philippians 4:8

2010-05-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Rick Warren has a good devotional today, about focusing on what is good. (Find it here.) "The Secret" is really no secret. (Remember that book that gained much popularity a few years back?) God already planted all these words of wisdom in the Bible, long, long ago!

Get Rich Quick, Or, Reality: Make Pennies Slowly

2010-05-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

About making money online: I researched a lot of options. After a few months, I gave up on the idea of "getting rich", although if you pay for someone's book, there are a lot of people out there who want to tell you how you really can make a lot of money online. (I suspect that, if nothing else, at least the authors of those books get rich!)

But meanwhile, as far as how to possibly make a bit of pocket change online: I checked out several possibilities. There's "about.com", which accepts writers on a limited basis, through a lengthy process. If you're deemed worthy in a particular field, and they have an opening in that field, they might allow you to write about that subject, and they will pay. The only openings at the time I was looking into it, in the food department, were for Indian cooking or Macrobiotic diet. Yes, I've dabbled in both, but am hardly an expert. So, for me, forget "about.com"!

There's also "Squidoo". They let anyone write, as opposed to "about.com", who thoroughly vet out the prospects. The idea is that you write articles using all their tools, and the article ends up looking pretty good, and then, supposedly, bunches of people stop by to view your article, and you generate income as people are exposed to the sprinkling of ads on the page. But I find it disturbing that, if I google keywords from my article, it still never shows up. Which means, a lot of other people won't be finding my article either.

Well, I made 8 cents on that article, which has been posted online for almost a year. Certainly not a working get-rich-quick scheme. "Hubpages.com" seems to be similar to Squidoo, so I didn't even bother posting an article there. When I discovered how little return I got from my efforts on Squidoo, I figured perhaps there wasn't any point.

Meanwhile, I posted an article on AssociatedContent, just on a whim, at the encouragement of a friend. This friend explained that she has posted quite a few articles on there, and, while she's not getting rich, she does earn something for her writing. So I wrote a little article, not really putting too much into it, and almost a year later, it has made me a few cents. Again, not a get-rich-quick scheme. But I'm figuring, it might actually be worth putting more effort into my next articles, as AC seems like it might be the most legitimate option. They seem to have more credibility than Squidoo or Hubpages. And Associated Content does send their content out to search engines, which means other people find the articles, which is what you want. My article turned up at healthcare.com... Interesting!

I've also written a few articles for Ezraweb; I became their food columnist for a year or two. For Christian writers, Ezraweb might be an option, if you can persuade them to add you onto their team of freelance writers. But the articles I've written there just don't seem to show up in any word searches I've checked out. So, while I might make a few dollars a month at Ezraweb, I suspect my success there is limited, as any valuable information I've submitted there gets pretty lost in cyberspace.

But I did notice that my blogs turn up in engine searches. If you add google ads to your blog, you might make a few cents. Incorporating Google Adsense onto my blog page was not too complicated. Even if it doesn't generate lots of income, at least it's not a lot of effort either. The Amazon Affiliate Program proved to be the opposite, at least for me: Plenty of work to add products onto a Shopping Page on my website, and practically no return on those efforts. But I'm sure that it does work for some people. Perhaps you have to play around with the options to figure out what works in your individual circumstance.

I'd love to hear about other personal experiences- post a comment if you can!

Share the Love! (Or at least Try...)

2010-05-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

We're checking out this book in my woman's bible study group. So, I tried using the principles of the "Share Jesus Without Fear" book last
night. Husband Tom and I stopped by a new-found neighbor friend's house; brought him flowers (his wife just died 3 weeks ago).

So. This gentleman was nice enough. Very pleasant to talk to. I asked him if he might want us to share some of what we've learned about Jesus. He explained that he'd gone to a Catholic school for 7 years of his life, and that he'd done his part. "Escaped from that, and it didn't change me. So nothing will. As my wife used to say, 'Life is like a candle. It burns, then it goes out. And that's the end of it.' "

So I asked, "If your beliefs are wrong, would you want to know about it?" (Just like suggested in the book.)

Answer, "No, I would not want to know. And I'm not wrong." Sad face. But that's OK... I did my part! That's one of the things the author of this book tries to impress upon us. It's not about "us" winning the lost over. It's about being obedient, to love the lost, give them opportunity for the Holy Spirit to work. And if they turn down the chance, we've still done our part.

Well, I'm still hoping I get another chance to share with someone who would be more receptive. And we'll still pray for Patrick...

Christian Weight Loss

2010-04-23T10:07:00.001-07:00

New Post on Weight Loss, from a Christian perspective. More on this later. I'm off to the 3rd Annual Community Alliance Women's Retreat, doing a session on Healthy Eating. All my notes are in the post! Enjoy!

Easter, Heaven, Eternal Life

2010-03-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

With Easter right around the corner, author Lisa Miller promotes her new book through an essay in April's Newsweek, in an article posted on MSN's front page today. She lays out her case, as many folks have. She comments about one of the questions posed to Jesus: "Jesus responds in a typically cranky way: 'You just don't get it,' he says (author's paraphrase). 'You are wrong,' he said in Matthew's Gospel, 'because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.' "

Despite her views, author Lisa Miller admits at the end of the Newsweek article that, even though she doesn't buy the whole Christian concept of heaven, "I do, however, leave the door open a crack for radical acts of grace and kindness—and for humbling ourselves before all that we don't understand". It only takes one crack in that door; I am grateful that Lisa Miller doesn't have the door shut!

While many ponder and wonder how we might "live" in heaven (what kind of surroundings, what kind of pets, if any, what kind of relationships we'll have, etc.), I think of how a young child might wonder how babies are made. Could you really describe it to them? And if you could, do you think they'd look forward to this prospect in their future?

Considering the answer to that, how might we, as adults, really be able to imagine what heaven will be like? As we turn to our faith, we hope in those things yet unseen, knowing that what God has for us is far greater than we can imagine.

For those out there who are truly seeking answers to so many of the questions posed by authors like Lisa Miller, I suggest seeking those answers through God's word, in the bible. Christians have found those words to be alive. Once understood, through the spirit that God births in us, we will never be the same.

Suggested verses to read:

Romans 3:23- "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23- "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
John 3:3- "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 14:6- "Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
Romans 10:9-11- "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with our mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, 'Everyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'"
2 Corinthians 5:15- "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."
Revelation 3:20- "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

What's in a Name?!

2010-03-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

I started out with blogging as a way to promote my cookbook. Little did I realize at the time that promoting a book can be such a daunting task.

I felt compelled to establish myself as "renowned chef Jennifer Cote of The New Deli". I needed to have an image, and uphold it. So I developed quite the website, loading it full of free recipes and other resources. All in the hopes that some might recognize the value of the info, and even purchase my book.

But a sermon this Sunday has me rethinking my approach. Am I really "Jennifer Cote, chef/author/entrepreneur", or am I "Jennifer Cote, daughter of the most high God"?

Many of us are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (three Israelites thrown into the fiery furnace). We might even know that their names had been changed by King Nebuchadnezzar. But what we might not have pondered before was just what was behind the name changing. (Perhaps a whole system of social programming, to place unwarranted importance on the values of a worldly society?) Think about this:

Shadrach (meaning "Command of the Moon-God", or "Greatness on your own merit") was named Hananiah at birth (meaning "God is gracious", or "I am because of God's favor")
Meshach (meaning "Who is like the Moon-God?", or "I am because of the king") used to be known as Mishael (meaning "Who is like God?", or "I am because God is")
Abednego (meaning "Servant of Nego", or "Education has advanced you"), was born Azariah (meaning "God keeps him", or "Jehovah has helped")

So one needs to wonder, what names have we taken on in this worldly life of ours, where society wants to place a label on us? Many do not understand that I am Jennifer, friend of God, saved by grace by a living Savior, Jesus Christ. They want to put a different label on: "Jennifer, religious woman who goes to church". But that is NOT my name!

Going Green: New Deli Style

2010-02-26T09:49:00.000-08:00

"We were 'green' before green was a color." I said to husband Tom. He said, "Who said that?" Me! I told him I'd been thinking about how our business has been "going green" for 25 years now, and that I'd came up with that quote on my own.

The quote came back to me today when I looked at the headline on the MSN newspage: "Quotes of the Month". Yawn... I didn't see any exciting quotes there! But I thought of mine.

It was somewhat unheard of, back in 1985, for a food business to have a compost bucket on hand, to compost all those good kitchen scraps. How far we've come; now we even have a mandate, a San Francisco composting law, that will soon require all citizens in the area to recycle even their kitchen waste.

Our home garden benefited much from all the composting we did, thanks to our small sandwich business at The New Deli. At one point, it almost seemed like we had too much compost; yes, you do need a balance of dry stuff in relation to the wetter food scraps. We've resolved that problem somewhat, in adding all our brown paper towels to the compost bucket as well. It seems to be a good formula for our compost pile; we add some of the extra yard waste too, to make the perfect "recipe", and the plants reap the rewards of our efforts.

Ah, the compost bucket. Early on, we had a yard full of ducks and chickens; they just loved those New Deli scraps. So we called the compost bucket our "Duck Bucket". The name was easier to say, as we could always refer to it quickly with any new employees: "Yes, that goes in the Duck Bucket". Saying, "Put it in the Compost Bucket," just didn't have the same ring.

Eventually, the ducks became unwelcome in our yard. They really have a thing for creating mud, which isn't what your average garden plant wants. Messy ducks! We thought we'd solve our gardening challenges by sending the ducks to a local park with a nice big pond. But we only discovered that the chickens were causing problems as well: Fresh compost might tide them over, but they rather prefer young, growing plants, when given a chance. We loved the chicken manure, but eventually, the chickens had to go as well.

Twenty-five years later, it's hardly surprising that we have a composting bucket. So many businesses have gone green; besides being a good idea, it's also become quite trendy. But it's nothing new for us... we've been around a long time, recycling before you had to recycle, etc., etc. If you stop by The New Deli, just look over the counter. You'll see our "Duck Bucket". But remember: "We were green before green was a color"!

"He Makes Me Lie Down In Green Pastures"

2010-02-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

St. Patrick's Day is coming up. What a good time to create some free desktop wallpaper, using the verse from Psalm 23: "He makes me lie down in green pastures..."

My friend Mike Trimble is an incredible photographer; he told me I could go ahead and use this photo in creating some desktop wallpaper. Perfect. I was hoping to find a good photo to use with a few verses from Psalm 23. This is it! You can check out the Psalm 23 Desktop Wallpaper at my website. Oh, and it's free. But of course :)

Don't Awaken Love Too Soon!

2010-02-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

Song of Solomon 8:4 says, "Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me that you will not awaken love or arouse love before its proper time!". I was reminded of this verse as I pruned a few rose bushes today. In mid February, it's still damp here on the California coast. But as the days get longer, the roses are clamoring to burst into leaf. That might be an encouraging sign. One might get excited at the first signs of spring, much like the proud parent who shows off their youngster's beau, convinced that the adoration their offspring receives can only be a good sign.

But think again. Just as the young daughters of Jerusalem are warned not to awaken love too soon, so we must be on guard against that in our children. But what might be the damage in awaking that love earlier? Take a lesson from the roses: I just carefully removed all the premature leaves off of them. Those leaves were full of rust, a disease prevalent during the damp weather. I then pruned the rose bushes down to bare skeleton shapes. But I know, this way, the bushes won't have all that premature growth, so susceptible to disease. As the weather warms and the air dries, the new growth will be strong and healthy.

So, young ladies, if you get some premature leaves plucked off, maybe it's just that your parents don't want any potential blessings to be hindered. If they take the shears and clip you down, remember the roses. When the right time comes, everything will burst forth with new life. The conditions will be just right for a perfect spring, full of blooms, full of blessings.

More on Song of Solomon: I made a little desktop wallpaper, using Song of Solomon 2:16. Check it out here! Oh, and I ran across a wonderful commentary from a fellow blogger, here. Wise words :)

Atheist Billboards: Reaching Out?

2010-02-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

Atheist billboards have gone up in the Sacramento area, paid for by the folks at the United Coalition of Reason. I can appreciate that the various agnostic and atheist groups are simply trying to reach out to others like themselves, in an effort to make a group of people feel less alienated. An article in the paper mentioned this purpose; the director of the CoR said, ""Many folks who think like us think they are the only ones".

I pondered this. I thought of the many atheists and agnostics, who perhaps felt so all alone in the universe, as if they were the only ones "not drinking the kool-aid". Perhaps they could gain some comfort from seeing the billboards: "Are you good without God? Millions are." But then I thought of how little comfort there can sometimes be, in knowing there are millions like you. Would it be comforting to think I was simply living this short time on earth, with millions of other people, and then, meeting up with nothing?

I suspect the life of an atheist or agnostic is not "comfortable". Yet the purpose of the billboards seems to be to offer some comfort to a group of people who this coalition believes need encouragement. Yet, there will still be those alienating times in our lives: Times when no one else seems to understand, no one else seems equipped to offer a solution, times when we may feel completely alone. For me, to know and feel the presence of my God brings an indescribable peace that does not depend on earthly or human efforts. In knowing God, I do not need to find solace from a bill board. (And that's a good thing, considering how many goofy billboards there are out there!)

The article about the billboards got me to thinking of how different the Christian faith is from that of the agnostic/atheist. I was reminded of how I am waiting now, in the cool dark days of February, with last year's poppy seeds laying dormant in the soil. As bleak as it is in the garden right now, I know that by springtime, a new crop of poppies will be flourishing once again. I do not see those poppies in the winter. Indeed, there is no sign of them! But that's the beauty of the Christian life, found in Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." I don't really need to see it on a billboard to know it exists.

Finding Peace, Joy, and True Love

2010-01-01T06:55:00.000-08:00

I was a loner. A social recluse. I had a few friends in high school, but kept to myself a lot. Isn't that a typical story? Teens are a unique breed; they wrestle with "coming of age", with puberty, hormones, experimenting, exploring... Don't they?

I figured I would navigate the waters as best I could. I'd try to fit in with the popular kids. I'd try to invent myself. And reinvent myself. Other girls seemed so cool, calm, and carefree. I never suspected that might just be a superficial layer hiding the messy ball of nerves, obsessions, and compulsions common to man, at least man (woman) aged fourteen through eighteen.

When I blossomed past the completely awkward, nail-biting, over-sized nose stage of junior high, a few boys actually started paying attention to me. This was heaven for me. I had found an interested audience amongst some of the naughtiest boys in my freshman year. But they liked me. What more could I ask? I wasn't looking too closely at character defects. They liked me! How bad could that be?

Of course this brought great concern to my family. I had above-average intellect and artistic gifts that should equip me to be a successful person. I should be considering my future career path at this point; what school I'd be applying to, what major I might have. I should pass the time going to high school football games and voting on Homecoming Queens, shopping at the mall with mom and sis, finding the latest fashions and conveniences...

Much to my parents' chagrin, I'd become an outrageous teen who rebelled against society, ranting about free love and bucking the system. By age 17, I was living with my boyfriend and partying and denouncing the material world. By age 18 I had married my hippie boyfriend; a meager consolation to my concerned parents.

For the next twenty years of my life, I worked. The food industry seemed to welcome the wayward; I could always get a job as a waitress, bus girl, or the like. And I was a "seeker", looking for a hip religion. It could come in the form of Eastern mysticism, marbled with special dietary approaches to inner peace. It could come in the form of some occasional pot-smoking, or alcoholic escapades to the tune of the latest cool music. Just so it confined itself to the basic belief that Man Was King, controlling his own universe...

I kept working, became a mother of two, did what I wanted, and came close to leaving my husband. I hooked up with some other dreamer-musicians and sang some crazy songs (like, "Black Leather Monster"). I was hip, right?

Perhaps in all my rationalizations, in all my quests, in all my worldly desires, I was getting frustrated. I had tried just about every approach to bettering myself that I could find. I had even become a successful businesswoman. But really, I was no better off.

Finally, in September of 1996, at age 38, I rethought my whole approach. I needed to pray. I needed for God to hear me. I had an issue with my brother-in-law; his resurgence back into our life was bringing with it a haunting reminder of my strange and sordid youth. Our relationship needed mending. Badly.

I needed God. Despite my many years of self-sufficiency, I realized I really couldn't "do it all". I couldn't manufacture my own god to help me in challenging times. I needed the Holy Spirit. I needed to ask God for His Holy Spirit.

My Jesus Freak friend at our deli had been trying to explain this to me for years, but it had never clicked before. Well, it clicked the night I went home, started making supper, and stood by the stove saying, "God, PLeaSe give me Your Holy Spirit, so that I can pray to You and know You can answer!" From that moment on, I knew He was there. He put me through the "Quick Change" process, and I changed so radically that it was like night and day.

All the preaching about Jesus hadn't gotten through before; I'd heard the stories, I knew Jesus died for us... but it was all in my head, not in my heart. The Holy Spirit went beyond head stuff. I got saved, by His grace. God is So Good.

Listen to that body...

2009-12-24T13:53:00.001-08:00

Ah, to be so led, like sheep... To eat what will truly feed us...

The way I've seen it at times, using self-control in our eating is a valuable discipline. God's Holy Spirit speaks to us, and our bodies speak to us too! But so often, we don't listen to what our actual physical needs are. And they are different from what the flesh says it needs.

The flesh says, "You want that pastry!" But the body says, "If you have that pastry, it really won't satisfy your body's nutritional needs. So you'll still need to eat more. Plus, after a pastry, healthy food won't taste as good. Plus, that pastry won't be easy to digest!"

I'm all for eating somewhat decadent foods on special occasions. But for daily eating, we need daily good habits. If we can take a nudge from the quiet, subtle speakings of our bodies, we might be that much more sensitive to even hear those nudges from the Holy Spirit. But if we grow calloused to what our bodies tell us, how will we hear an even more intangible voice, like that of God's?!

"Fast Food Linked to Weight Gain"?!

2009-12-24T13:25:00.000-08:00

Jay Leno made fun of a headline about how fast food seems to lead to weight gain, as if it's a no-brainer. But I'd seen a similar headline, and what was intriguing about it was that people in the study consumed the same amount of calories, but it wasn't the calorie count that made such a difference. What made the difference was the kind of calories. A high-fat, high-sugar diet (as consumed from cheeseburgers, fries, and sugary snacks) seemed to change the balance of bacteria in the gut, favoring a type of bacteria called Firmicutes. This bacteria is very efficient at converting food into calories that the body absorbs.

In other words: Given the right fuel (high fats and sugars), the body can become a weight-gaining machine, readily absorbing the calories, instead of actually burning them for energy. You've heard the joke, "I might as well apply this straight to my hips"? Ha, it's fairly accurate!

In this study by Washington University scientists, it was found that folks with a preponderance of the less-efficient Bacteroidetes (another bacteria potentially found in the gut) could maintain a leaner physique. The healthy foods that promote the healthier bacteria in the gut also promote a better burning of calorie energy.

Yes, we are what we eat. If we make wise food choices, our bodies will thank us for it. We all know about those folks who claim they "hardly eat anything and still can't lose weight". Well, it's probably not just about quantity, but about what, in fact, we eat. Eat healthy!

Great Source for Christmas Presents!

2009-12-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

I've been pretty impressed with Amazon this year. I shopped frugally, looking for the best prices. And where did I find them? Amazon! I found this trampoline for the kids, priced right, and oh-so-much-fun. I have one for myself now, and use it daily. What with the winter weather, I might not get out for the daily walk. But I can always jump for 5 or 10 minutes (or more?). It's great aerobic exercise. I love it.

I searched through the toy catalogs as well. Found a few good toys at specialty toy stores online. When I checked those same toys out on Amazon, I was able to read the reviews too, which gave me a more informed shopping perspective. I ended up saving dollars, but still getting great toys: Marble Run was a hit. (Our grandson's already opened and played with that, as his birthday was weeks ago.)

I found a 3-D Feel and Find for our almost 3-year-old granddaughter, for way cheaper than anywhere else, plus and Etch-a-Sketch for our grandson, and a Create-your-Own Pop-Up Books.

I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to buy wisely this Christmas season; the economy has probably impacted most of us. I was amazed at what I could find online. My husband informed me that we don't just have "Black Friday" anymore; the Monday after Thanksgiving is now known as "Cyber Monday". And I think it'll catch on. The trend has been that people might still go shopping on that traditional Friday, but by Monday, they go online to actually order. I know that's what I did. Now, all I have to do is wrap all this stuff. Now that's another story!

"Blood is Thicker than Water"??

2009-12-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

You could say a "special person" in my life has been trying to give me grief. But I'm weathering it fairly well; God has given me a good perspective on things. His word says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)

I recently listened to this friend as they berated a relative for his past behavior, calling it unforgivable. (This relative consorted with the ex of his sister.) I reminded my friend (who is supposedly "Christian") that Jesus told us to forgive 70 times 7. To which my friend said, "Oh, born again Christians are so obnoxious."

Wow! I hadn't expected that! I really did, up to that point, believe that this friend was a fellow believer. Not any more...

This friend was proclaiming that "blood is thicker than water". I wondered about that reference. If this friend doesn't believe the truth of any of the scriptures I share, why should I believe any particular idiom she shares with me?! I couldn't find any scriptural reference to the "blood thicker than water" phrase. But there is a story from Matthew 12:46-50: "While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.' He replied to him, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?' Pointing to his disciples, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.' "

Sounds to me like blood relatives aren't so "thick" in that instance!

As I pondered the idea of bringing my sister's ex a New Deli Caesar Salad Package this Christmas (just because he's talked about our New Deli Caesar dressing for years), I realized family might find fault with this action. According to at least a few of them, "Blood is thicker than water", and to give my sister's ex even the time of day would be showing belligerent betrayal of the worst kind. Sigh. Guess for now, we'll just try to keep the peace with the "blood relatives". No Caesar this year, buddy!

Christmas Gift Giving that Smells Right!

2009-11-29T17:46:00.000-08:00

I'm getting excited about pulling some Christmas gift ideas together. And "budget" is key. I've reordered some of my favorite aromatherapy oils from Nature's Gift- they are excellent quality (just read about their story to get an idea) AND their products are priced at a value. A perfect formula.

But I shop for value. I didn't want to pay top dollar for diffusers to use with the oils. I thought I'd better price things out at Amazon, since I've found more deals on Amazon over this season already. I have found some of the best priced toys there (for the grandkids), priced lower than in my favorite toy catalogs: "Back to Basics" and "Young Explorers". I was also able to read customer reviews, which helped me steer clear of a few duds.

While I was shopping around, I found these: Aura Cacia Ceramic Aromatherapy Lamp Ring 1ea. At under $4 a piece, they're a great deal. I figure I can give a few people these, along with samples of some of the aromatherapy oils I'm getting. Amazon's got plenty of other products along this line, like these diffusers (for essential oils): Spa Mist Color Changing Fountain Mister. Another great value! (Best price I found online.)

Meanwhile, I know at least a few people in the family that are prone to buying those artificially-scented car air fresheners. I need to get those folks some fresh and natural Christmas gifts this year! After enjoying the wonderful aromas of the essential oils I've bought in this past year, it hit me that I should share the wealth. So I found some tips on making car air fresheners; you can use your favorite essential oils that way. (Skip that artificial junk!)

Following are a few recipes to play around with (next on my project list). Here are some ideas for room fresheners/car fresheners:

Simplest Homemade Car Freshener

Craft felt
Essential Oil

Cut the craft felt into shapes; punch a hole in to hang the shape. Add a few drops of essential oil, and decorations (buttons, sequins, etc.) and it's done!
Pressed cardboard might also be used, but does not hold the scent as long.

Scented Gel Air Fresheners

2 c. distilled water
2 TBS. salt
Essential oil/fragrance
4 pkg unflavored gelatin
Empty jars
Food coloring, if desired

Heat to boiling: > 1 c. distilled water > 2 TBS. salt
Stir in until dissolved: > 4 packages unflavored gelatin
Remove mixture from heat, stir in: > 1 more c. water
Add: > 10-20 drops of essential oil > food coloring (if wanted)
Pour the gel into small, decorative jars; let set up. Hand out decorated jars for gifts.

Another idea: Try using more gelatin, pouring mixture onto a cookie sheet, cutting into shapes when firm. This idea is in the experiment stage!

Car Potpourri

4 oz. Cellulose fiber (from craft store)
Essential Oil
3x5 cloth bag, or even socks (from the Dollar Store?)

Mix the cellulose fiber and essential oil; pour into bag (or sock).

Don't Do What You Don't Want to Do?!

2009-11-25T07:24:00.000-08:00

A friend caught wind of how I'll be leading a session on "Healthy Eating/ Eating Unto the Lord". She was hoping I'd be able to tell her what NOT to eat. Which made me immediately think of Paul's quote from Romans 7:15, "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate."

It really doesn't work to think of what we should not eat. Anyone who's wrestled with the "law", who's wrestled with their sin nature, knows full well that the law came to call attention to the fact that we are pretty pathetically hopeless on our own.

So what's the solution for achieving some semblance of health? Of course we need to go to God, to help us with our self control. But also, true health needs to be rooted in right desires. Not a desire to achieve a body type that goes against what God designed us to be. Do we covet an anorexic-thin body, or an unnaturally sculpted shape? Do we want to have so-and-so's skinny legs, or so-and-so's shapely bosom, or someone's else's anything?!

God designed each of us uniquely. For years I admired other women's skinny arms. I never imagined that they'd be admiring mine- I figured mine had way too much muscle to be attractive. When I realized that a lot of people actually try to achieve this, I started appreciating what I've got.

But we are not given free license to "let ourselves go". Again, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12, " 'Everything is permissible for me'--but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible for me'--but I will not be mastered by anything."

We should ask ourselves if we're feeding our bodies appropriately. Does what we eat give us the energy to complete the tasks God places before us? Or is what we're eating instigating unnatural food cravings that make us more focused on food than we should be?

There will be more on this subject in the months to follow. Meanwhile, think upon good things (Philippians 4:8). Think about all the healthy food you can eat. Yes, even with all the opportunities for holiday eating on the horizon!

Shape it Up

2009-11-18T09:18:00.000-08:00

Just so you know where I'm coming from... for a long time, before I knew Christ, I figured I could "do all things through me who strengthens me." (That's how that saying goes, right?)

I suppose it was part of God's plan to frustrate my efforts, until I finally got to the point of realizing that some things were beyond my control. But meanwhile, I fought to control my life. One catch: For most of my life, I never realized that I had a severe thyroid problem. I couldn't metabolize my food, I couldn't enjoy any kind of good health, because I was in constant shortage of thyroid hormone.

But God uses all things. On my journey towards realizing that I could do all things only "through Christ who strengthens me", I went through a lot, and experienced much frustration despite my extreme diligence. So I don't have an incredible compassion for anyone else who might complain about the effort it takes to keep in shape. I just heard one of the biggest losers telling about how much he worked out to lose all the weight he'd piled on. Hours and hours a day! It's not easy!

But if you can imagine going through life having to eat like a bird in order to not get fat... That was me. I went on every diet imaginable, trying to shake the fat. I poured over health books. Because, even if I couldn't lose as much weight as I wanted, I also couldn't seem to get healthy. So I kept trying. I discovered a lot of healthy ideas, which probably kept me from completely falling apart.

Turns out I had inherited low thyroid from my dad, and his mother, etc. After 48 years, I finally discovered this genetic problem, and that I was never going to fix it myself. My cousin had it as well, but had been fortunate to discover it in her early twenties. But the good news was, like I said, at least I'd learned a whole lot about healthy eating through my years of suffering.

Now that I've got my thyroid under control, I can eat more like everyone else. But I've been so well-trained by now, that I really only crave mostly healthy foods. I eat healthy daily, splurging just on special occasions. I've got a routine that many would consider "hard-core health fanatic". But I think that just indicates how far our society has steered away from natural eating. In the old days, my way of eating would've seemed completely normal. But now, anyone who doesn't snack on chips and sodas and even boxed cereals and other processed foods, and plenty of meaty protein, is viewed as some kind of freak!

More on this later. I'm hoping to go into detail on what I do to maintain my good health. I hope to encourage any one else who is looking to improve their condition. I like to remember: "The body is a temple for the holy spirit." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) If we're truly seeking God, then taking good care of our body is a natural part of that.

Resources for Christmas Gift-Giving

2009-11-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

Check this out! Save 25-50% off on custom printed products at VistaPrint. Order today!
I had fun designing my own card, using my niece's art work, adding my own message... Went to VistaPrint and got a great deal on some to send to family and friends this Christmas. Oh, and I designed a wall calendar (more gifts), and got some of those handy magnetic calendars as well (even more gifts!). Even got a free T-shirt and a few other goodies. I'm excited. Now I'm telling friends: Check out VistaPrint!

Ecclesiastes 3:1

2009-11-04T11:00:00.001-08:00

I'm excited about my latest creation: A new desktop wallpaper for fall. I just had to take a picture of the simple flower arrangement I threw together with the few bits of color left in the yard. (Yes, in November in California, you may still get a few die-hard Dahlias...)

In any case, I added one of my favorite verses ("To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven"), and posted it here. I recommend stopping by that link to view it larger; plus, the photo there is full-size, so you can just click on it to enjoy a quality desktop wallpaper (complete with inspirational Christian verse) to get you in that Autumn kind of mood :)

Goals

2009-11-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy Valorie Burton's pointers, sent to my email box on occasion. The latest message was on goals, and one of my goals is to stay organized. Another goal is: Just do it. Don't put it on a list that will never be addressed. Either decide when you can do it, or be honest with yourself that you'll never do it, and don't even bother adding it to a list!

It's kind of a serenity prayer philosophy (God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference). Only it's more like: God grant me the energy to tackle the things I must, inspiration to tackle the things I should, and wisdom to know what not to tackle!

Valorie mentioned some good stuff about goals in her post, like: Actually getting specific about naming a goal. Figuring out why this is a good goal ignites the passion, which helps keep you going. Another thing she mentioned was to define the specific steps to be taken to work towards a goal.

But here's where I go back to my "Nike-Just-Do-It" approach. If I start thinking about it too much, I might just get overwhelmed. I'm thinking of my garden, for example. It was starting to fall apart. (See photo above...) I had a simple goal: Keep the garden from falling apart. I had to consider what it might take to repair the eroded posts on the terraces. I thought of how much it would cost to replace cheap wooden posts with tons of bricks. I was getting bogged down just by the thought of it!

But then I stopped thinking, and just started to do the first thing that would need to be done, regardless of the final approach: I started digging away the dirt around the post and terrace. It was a first step. But it helped my husband to get a vision of how this could be accomplished, and he came to the rescue. He actually finished the whole project, digging giant holes, setting new posts in cement, the whole shot. I moved on to the outer regions of the garden, and found some new areas to attend to. Goal accomplished- Garden has not fallen apart! (Yet.)

Valorie Burton also mentioned having that it's good to share about goals. It does seem that one can almost "speak" it into existence. I almost hear myself saying, "I'm going to do this", which does encourage me to actually do it. Ooo- and I like her advice that we ought to celebrate an accomplishment. Humm, I'm thinking small: Just being able to sit in our back yard with some friends and family, enjoying the fruits (and flowers) of our labors seems like reward enough. But perhaps I should reach for the stars- I'm thinking Yogurt Park. It is a treat. And my husband loves it too- he loves a cheap date. I'm sure he'll help me with some more gardening if the reward doesn't have to be an expensive dinner out on the town :)

In God We Trust!

2009-09-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

I'm always "snopesing" around to see if the emails I get are accurate. So of course I had to check into the validity of the one going around again about the coin on the left.

Apparently, it still technically has the "In God We Trust" inscription; it's just been stamped around the rim. My concern is this: Isn't it just a short step from there, to getting rid of it altogether? And it wouldn't be all that easy to read if it's stamped on the rim, would it? Is that the point?

So... are there any in circulation? Someone on the Snopes forum said they had personally distributed hundreds of them, and another person there said they received them as change from their work's vending machines. (Kind of hard to say, "NO!" to a vending machine...)

In any case, I think the email I received is legit. It suggests that we: REFUSE TO ACCEPT NEW COINS!

I guess Teddy Roosevelt had decided that our coins should not have the "In God We Trust" on them, back during his presidency. But that policy didn't last; thankfully, the motto was reinstated. We can do it again. We CAN force these coins out of circulation!

Making Money Being A Stay at Home Mom

2009-09-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

My friends at "Christian Work At Home Moms" have produced the following book... pretty cool. And what a great way to be a stay-at-home mom! Check it out:

Home-based businesses are estimated to be a $427 billion-a-year industry. In recent studies it was found that as many as 105 million people in North America alone were working at home. Considering this information, it is obvious that home-based businesses can be successful and authors Jill Hart and Diana Ennen will help you succeed with your own.

So You Want to Be a Work-at-Home Mom details all the basics of starting a business in a spiritual, motivational, and comprehensive manner. From deciding what type of business to start to keeping your family and faith first, this helpful tool details every aspect of establishing a business. With proven success tips utilized by the authors and others who own work-at-home businesses, this inspiration approach will provide you with the resources you need to start your own home-based business.

So You Want to Be a Work-at-Home Mom includes:
* Detailed information on types of businesses to start
* Ideas and assistance for setting up, operating, and marketing your business
* Definitions and descriptions of work-at-home terminology and processes
* Help for developing your Website
* Explanations of the business nuts and bolts, including bookkeeping, taxes, and more

About the Authors
JILL HART is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is a co-author of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom. Jill has published many articles and is a contributing author in Laundry Tales, The Business Mom Guide Book, I'll Be Home for Christmas, and Faith Deployed. She holds a bachelor's degree in human development and family studies. Learn more about working from home at http://www.cwahm.com/work-at-home/ .

DIANA ENNEN has been a leader and mentor in the work-at-home industry since starting her business, Virtual Word Publishing, in 1985. She is the author of many books, including Virtual Assistant the Series; Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA and Words from Home: Start, Run, and Profit from a Home-Based Word Processing Business. She resides in Margate, Florida, with her husband and their three children.

Below is an interview with the authors of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom – Jill & Diana.

If
have questions they are happy to answer your questions anytime. Leave a comment below or email Jill@cwahm.com or Diana@virtualwordpublishing.com

How long have you been working at home?

Jill Hart - I've been working at home since 2000. I had to go back to work full-time for a brief period in 2003 when my husband got out of the Air Force. At that point I got even more serious about making my business work and I've been home full-time since then.

Diana Ennen – I’ve been working at home since 1985, when my son was born. He’s now graduated college and already working towards his own career. I absolutely love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

What types of businesses do you operate?

Jill Hart – I run Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com, a website full of free resources, job listings and information about home businesses. I also write articles and books (yes, more books to come!) and am a blogger for sites like Time/Warner's Christian Momlogic.com and a member of the Guideposts blogger team

Diana Ennen– I’m the President of Virtual Word Publishing. I’m a virtual assistant and specialize in marketing & publicity. I’ve also written numerous books on how to start a VA business and offer PR and VA Coaching.

Tell us about your book? How do you think it can benefit those who want to start a business?

Jill Hart - The book has been such a "God thing." He orchestrated the entire sequence of events - from putting Diana and I together as co-authors to bringing us to the right publisher. The book is a hands-on practical guide for anyone who wants to build a business from home. We cover topics ranging from how to select the right type of business for you, to how to get started, to how to market and grow your business.

Diana Ennen - I think one of the best features of our book is that it’s not only informative, but motivational as well. You’ll feel like friends are helping you on your journey to success. Also, we discuss numerous types of businesses to start and provide proven methods to achieve success. We also often hear how starting a business can be so overwhelming. That’s why we pay special attention to all the how tos. We feel very confident our book will help, not only those starting a business, but those already in business wanting to expand it.

What types of businesses are featured in your book?

Jill Hart - We have such a great range of contributors - everything from direct sales companies like Southern Living at Home and Avon to unique product-driven businesses like BSM Media and GrillCharms. These woman are amazing and give readers a great insight into how they've grown their businesses in very different ways.

Diana Ennen - We cover everything from direct sales companies to specialized areas such as medical transcription and virtual assisting. Also, Jill shares detailed information on starting a community based membership site. We think you’ll get a lot of helpful tips too from such work-at-home powerhouses as Maria Bailey and Lesley Spencer Pyle.

Do you have any tips for success for Christian entrepreneurs that you’d like to share?

Jill Hart - I think my favorite tip - shared with me by one of our contributors, Tammy Degenhart, almost ten years ago is that working together benefits everyone. She told me, "Jill, what you give to others God brings back tenfold" and I've seen that hold true time and time again. It may not be in financial gains and it may not look like what we expected but God is so faithful in that when we work together there is no competition - it's a win-win situation.

Diana Ennen - Do what you believe in and use your own skills and prior experience to find the business that’s just right for you. Research/Research/Research. The more you research, the better your business. Continue to market and be out there. So many once they find a few clients stop marketing. You need to get out there continually. You then become the go to person when someone needs services or products that you offer.

What are some of the challenges that you see with those starting or operating a business?

Jill Hart – In my experience, I've talked with many women who get frustrated because success doesn't come easily or quickly. Working from home may sound easy, but in reality it can actually be just as hard as working outside the home. There are many unique challenges, especially when working at home while raising children. If women don't prepare themselves, they can become discouraged and disheartened.

Diana Ennen– One of the major challenges I see is losing belief in yourself that you can do it. That’s why I think a faith-based book will be so beneficial. Even when times get tough, you can rely on your faith to forge ahead.

With the economy, do you believe it’s still a good time to start a business? Why?

Jill Hart – I think it's a better time than ever. The internet is so much more widely used than it was even nine years ago when I began my website. If people do their research and find a company that fits them as well as their budget this can be a great time to break into the work-at-home field.

Diana Ennen – Absolutely. In fact, I think there’s never been a better time. You might have to work a little harder, but it absolutely can be done. Plus, there are so many businesses who need us more than ever because of the economy. For example, with virtual assistants because businesses are downsizing they are seeking the help of a VA to help on an as needed basis.

Your book is written from a Christian perspective? Tell us a little about that and how you feel that makes it so unique?

Jill Hart – My faith is central to who I am and therefore central to my business. I began Christian Work at Home Moms because I wanted women to have a safe place where they could discuss not only business things, but also talk about an area that doesn't get talked about a lot in business circles - how our faith affects our businesses. The book is written in a way that doesn't hit anyone over the head with our faith, but it's true to who we are and talks about things from the vantage point that we see life - through the lens of our faith.

Diana Ennen – There are so many books out there today on starting a business. However, few have the Christian mom in mind. We provide a lot of scriptures and examples of how you can use your faith to help you. Our hope is that not only will your business thrive, but it might just give a little boost to your faith as well.

Learn more about the book at Beacon Hill Press or SoYouWantToBeAWAHM.com.

Why Do Christians Go To Church?

2009-08-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

One night, a little while back, I dreamed that I had a reputation of being a fifty-one-year-old "church lady". Oh wait, that wasn't a dream... It's true!

Well, in the dream, I was telling some of my friends about my past, how I used to be a rebel. I used to believe in all kinds of debauchery: Premarital sex, drugs, rock n' roll, drinking, etc. And that's another true part of the dream. I was a wild child of the 70's!

In my dream, people were surprised to hear that I'd ever been anything but a sweet lady with rather wholesome, conservative leanings.

When I woke up, I felt the urgency of admitting my "guilt". Yes, I was "guilty" of promoting values that I've since reevaluated. And it took awhile to reevaluate. Even after escaping some radical teen-age years, I maintained a different kind of rebellion as I became a mother in the 80's. Still avoiding God and His "Do it My way" approach, I figured I would do well enough (or maybe even better) if I just did things my way. I sought answers to my problems in the New Age Movement, in Eastern Philosophies, in Nutritional Approaches (to name a few).

When all my efforts at bettering myself proved futile, I finally turned to God. That was some 13 years ago. With a husband, an 8 year-old, and a 12-year-old in tow, we began our life of church-going. And what keeps us going? Well, from my perspective, I've seen how my way didn't work. And as I look at my sons, who never rebelled quite like I did, I see God's hand of blessing upon them. They've grown into the young men God had designed them to be, and we have enjoyed the process.

We go to church because we meet "family" at church. We stay connected; we're a community. We grow as we learn more about Christ, about loving our neighbors, about loving God. If you don't currently go to church, do consider it. It's not a members-only club; our doors are open!

One Week...

2009-08-08T09:09:00.001-07:00

This is a fun thought: "Seven days without God makes one weak". That's about it, hey?

Lukewarm

2009-07-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Wow- Just noticed one of the random Adsense ads on my site. It's for people seeking a local church in our Bay Area: "Visit Liberal Religious Communities and explore your values, morals"...

I checked out the website, and they say, "If you believe religion should be more than a narrow statement of faith, that it should have more than one answer, and that the mystery of creation can be acknowledged without having to be named, maybe Unitarian Universalism is right for you."

Could it possibly get any wishy-washier than that?! If you happen to go to such a church, perhaps you might want to ask yourself if you really have a problem believing the bible to be true. After all, what good is an instruction book if you only read bits and pieces of it and disregard the rest? Either you believe God created the universe, and Jesus died to bring salvation to God's people, and that the bible is the infallible word of God, or...

You don't!

I suspect that one would be better off not proclaiming themselves to be "Christian" if they can't accept that the bible is truly God's word. Why not be just one more heathen in this twisted world- you'll be better off! The book of Revelation says, in Revelation 3:15-16 (NLT): "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!"

The verse about our "deeds being as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) comes to mind. The Lord said, "This people draw near with their words and honour me with their lip's service, but they remove their heart far from me." (Isaiah 29:13).

Lord help us all!

New: Devotional Excerpts

2009-07-13T09:38:00.001-07:00

I've just started posted some of my devotional excerpts, on my pccuisine.com website. Spread the Word, right? James 3:16 is a good one...

Sandra Tsing Loh: Sadly Misguided

2009-06-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

Surely selfishness is key to failed marriage. The irony is summed up in the verse, "He who seeks to save his life will lose it, and he who loses his life will save it." (Luke 17:33)

Our society preaches that you must seek to satisfy yourself, but look at how little satisfaction there is! I'm sure that Sandra Tsing Loh was out for self-satisfaction when she sought the career that now brings her $120,000 salary. Funny, isn't it, that that still wasn't enough?

Yet now she will continue to use the same formula to pursue that "satisfying life". Sad.

If the career didn't bring her satisfaction, I wonder why she thinks that seeking anything else for herself is going to bring satisfaction?

Heartbeat Magazine Interview

2009-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Connie Moss, at Heartbeat Magazine, was inspired to interview we folks who write for Heartbeat, so I thought I'd post it here:

Where were you born? Detroit, Michigan, car capital

Tell me a little bit about growing up? Life in the suburbs: Dad was (and 50 years later, still is!) an engineer, and mom was an aspiring home chef. She taught me and my little sister the basics, and we fed our younger brother all our experiments. I wished upon a star, at age 10, that I might be famous one day. Needed specifics, so I pondered becoming a famous singer. That seemed like a long shot, so I settled on becoming famous as a cookbook author. Yes, at age 10 I had such aspirations.

Married? Married husband Tom in 1976, when I was 17 going on 30.

Children? Miles is 26, with two sweet kids and one sweet wife; Ty's 21 and an aspiring helicopter pilot.

Animals? Just the fish in the big pond out back now... the cats have passed on. There are several that think they're adopted, but we haven't told them otherwise yet.

Describe your salvation experience? At age 38, I really needed to pray about a "blast from my past", an old flame who was coming awkwardly back into our life. I didn't want to leave it to chance, praying to a pie-in-the-sky God whom I didn't really know, so I asked for God's Holy Spirit to come into my life. He revealed Himself to me through the gift of tongues; my intellectual mind could no longer dispute this external power that came from somewhere other than myself. I gave up on the old philosophies of "Me as god, creating My universe", and bowed down to the all-powerful, all-sustaining, omnipotent God of the universe.

Hobbies, sports, entertainment? I love music. Wrote songs and recorded with husband Tom and our sons several years back (yes, Partridge Family style)... Now I'm happy just to be on worship team, learning new songs, finding new ways to praise the Lord. I also love gardening and have created a little Garden of Eatin' in our back 40. Organic gardening, medicinal herbs, flower arranging are a few other hobbies. Sports: Love walking/hiking... Entertainment: Life is pretty entertaining!

Favorite scripture of the Bible? "Perfect love casts out all fear." How many people live in fear of what might happen, as if God is out to punish us? What a revelation to realize that God loves us so much that He isn't out to punish, but to offer us grace and mercy. I thank Him for that daily!

Future plans or desires of your heart? To be more involved in community events, sharing the joy God's put in our hearts, sharing any talent I have. When I realized there were people out there who would jump in and do it, even if they didn't know how, I realized: The least I could do is offer my services when I actually did know how. I've gained some confidence in the catering realm, and hope to share in that area. Creating a platform for the cookbook in the process would be a nice afterthought : )

Anything else you want to add about yourself? It's wonderful to see the body of Christ working together. I'm excited about the future, and know God has great plans for us all!

Scripture and Photo for your Computer

2009-06-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

"Peace of God" is my favorite latest creation in desktop wallpaper at this point. Check it out at: PCCuisine.

Free Christian Desktop Wallpaper!

2009-06-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

I'm excited about adding desktop wallpapers onto my website. Check it out! Hope you enjoy it : )

Promoting a Book...

2008-01-15T19:13:00.000-08:00

I've discovered a few things as I moved from the creative process of publishing my dream cookbook, to actually marketing it. I've apparently promoted myself somewhat inadequately, having had but nominal impact thus far. Right now I'm just trying to be not too intimidated, as I discover: The competition is fierce. In 2004, it was recorded (see BookStatistics.com), that there were 17 new books published each and every hour of each and every day. Whoa. I'd better get cracking...

Wondering if I might drop a few of my books off at a gift store in Napa Valley, I discovered that Giada De Laurentiis will be dropping in there, literally, as she hot-air-balloon-rides over to taste the specialty olive oils and wines that the Valley has to offer. Humm, I think my appearance on the scene would be anti-climatic...

Inquiring of the manager at the local Sur La Table, I asked whether they might consider carrying a local author's cookbook. If I happened to be insanely popular, then yes, that might work. But I discovered that "Corporate" would ultimately decide whether any given book had enough potential selling power to be carried by such a popular shop. I suppose my book might not really qualify.

Doing a word search for "Cooking Stores" in various trendy, touristy areas here in California, I thought perhaps a smaller, independently-owned shop might appreciate my "home-grown" little cookbook. But there are very few such stores. I suppose the money isn't in selling kitchenwares, but in offering cooking classes. With Emeril Lagasse and other acclaimed chefs showing how to make Foie Gras Toast with Sauterne Gelee and the like, how will I stand a chance?! I checked out a local station's interview of another local chef, who presses her own olive oil. Oh boy, I feel so small.

I just read of how a fellow chef's favorite food is whatever new thing she's just now made that she hasn't made before. Not me. I like having a bunch of tried and true recipes to depend on. Most of my days are fairly routine; I do my routine things, work up an appetite, and start craving some of those recipes I've shared in my cookbook. Will it prove popular to start checking out my recipes? To start buying my cookbook? To realize the beauty of having a solid repertoire of best recipes that fit a range of moods and situations, from formal to simple?

Well, time will tell if anything will come of this chef/author, and her cookbook. Did I mention, the book is also a devotional, with scripture in it? Oh-oh. That could be a problem in our liberal, left-wing world. Humm. We'll see.

Faith-based Cooking Show?!

2007-10-30T08:35:00.001-07:00

You may say, "What?! A faith-based cooking show?!" And rightfully so, because it is rather unique at this point. But that's exactly what we've got going on: "Chef/author Jennifer Cote" (that's me), plus supportive husband Tom, and a friend in the film industry (Chris Evans), have put together a new show, From the Land to the Table. It's an inspired cooking show, encouraging Christian family values and featuring healthy, made-from-scratch recipes, and great cooking tips. To be aired locally in the Bay Area, California, we also have a sneak preview of the first show airing here.

Meanwhile, if you go to the website, you can sign up for my monthly recipe newsletter and get even more news and recipes. You can get the recipe for the first show, Black Bean Enchiladas with homemade Red Sauce, either at the website, or in the November newsletter.

And what's the big noise anyway? Is this just another ploy to get fame and fortune as Jennifer's promotional efforts go full-steam ahead? No! It's actually just a small voice in a very large world, hoping to encourage fellow Christians to be blessed with a bit of cooking expertise from a pro, to be encouraged to spread the word to any non-believing friends who like to cook, and to perhaps recognize the value of putting a woman of God out there in that giant stew of celebrity cooking divas, to stand (even alone) in support of what we, as Christians, hold dear. So, if you want to sign up for that newsletter and spread that news, you have my grateful appreciation, and: God bless!

My Latest Thing

2007-10-14T19:29:00.001-07:00

I started up a Monthly Recipe Newsletter; leave me a comment if you'd like to receive it. I email it out to various friends/acquaintances here on the web, and it can be forwarded to any friends you know who also like to cook. Thanks to all the friends and family who've given me their support; meanwhile, hope to hear from you too, if I haven't already. P.S. There's also an easy email sign-up at my website: From the Land to the Table. (At the bottom of the page.)

2007-09-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder: My friend at "Overwhelmed with Joy" is hosting a recipe blog-fest next week! Check back for details!

Another Cooking Show?!

2007-08-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

I'm excited--a cooking show is in the works. So funny how things work out. When my good friends Ron and Judy found out I wanted to do a cooking show, they advised me to get in touch with Chris Evans, an old friend of the family. (Well, he's young, but... you know). I'd seen Chris a few times at our friends' big get-togethers; I said, "What?! He's into filming?!" Cool.
Being brothers in Christ, Chris and his friend Isaac could appreciate that I was aspiring to bring a Christian element into an otherwise spiritually-neutral field. You know, food for the stomach and the soul. What a concept! Also, being brothers in Christ, these guys were willing to work with me to produce this, even given my limited resources. It typically costs $300 to $1000 dollars a minute to produce a quality show. And I work at my deli, so, I'm not rolling in dough, ya know? Yeah, yeah, except cookie dough. They do say it's the best cookie dough, but man does not live by cookie dough alone...
Isaac mentioned that we might be able to appeal to fellow believers for donations; we're setting up the website to do that. (At http://www.fromthelandtothetable.com) We're not proud; we will gratefully accept any offerings, as that will help offset the cost of this. You can wait until we get the show on YouTube and on the public-access stations here in the Bay Area, but judging by the pace these guys keep, that could be any time in the next few months.
So, talk about "Godspeed"! Eight days ago, I was talking to our friends Ron and Judy about the cooking idea over dinner. By Friday, Chris, Isaac, husband Tom and I met to discuss it, and by Sunday, we were knee-deep in enchiladas, caramel sauce, and chicken stock, filming the body of three cooking shows at friend Judy's house. These guys mean business! And I'm excited. Stay posted. This should be fun.

WEIGHTED DOWN?

2007-03-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

A friend has wondered if I had any dieting tips. So I will tackle the subject, but not head-on. Have you noticed that our rebel bodies don't like to be told what they can and can't eat?!?!? So you have to bypass that. Seriously. Don't tell your body what it can and can't eat. It doesn't like that.
Start with some scripture: "Your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit." 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19
When we meditate on that scripture, we realize our bodies can reflect God. It's an opportunity. We can witness to others in many ways, and one of those ways may well be to let that fruit of self-control manifest in our bodies. A desire to "run the race to get the prize", as Paul describes, ought to inspire us to eat those foods that will make us most healthy and full of life for His purposes. But again, let's not tackle "WEIGHT" head on, because weight is not at all as important as the things that stand between us and God. (Which may not be weight at all.)
C.S. Lewis wrote on gluttony, saying that even a skinny person might have the sin of gluttony if all he does is think about food all day. The time spent thinking of food (whether it's eaten or not) is time not spent thinking about God and His goodness. We must break free from bondage to food thoughts, and get out of the "DIET" rut!
God in His goodness provides for our every need, and we hardly have to think about it. When I have faith in God's provision, I discover He always has the perfect food for me, even if it's just a perfectly ripe piece of fruit. AND, when I ask God to bless my food, my food tastes so good! I don't have to be held hostage to some diet plan that dictates every move, overwhelms my thoughts, and leads to obsessing.
I have experienced just about every diet plan there's been. Beverly Hills, The Zone, The Macrobiotic, Dr. Atkins, Low-Fat, Hi-Fat, Low-Carb, Hi-Protein, Body-Type, Allergy Diets, Fasting... need I say more?! With that experience, and knowing a bit about nutrition, I've drawn some conclusions, which seem to keep me fit and slim withOUT obsessing about it. So let's move on to the nuts and bolts. Are we ready for that? Because, remember: We can't tackle this head-on. If our only goal is to get as skinny as so-and-so or whatever, we may be doomed. How would God be in that?! God doesn't want us to try to be anyone else. He created us uniquely, to be who He made us to be. And that may not be twiggy-girl. But where's our head- in the pantry? THAT's the problem. If our mind is focused on all that is awesome and wonderful (as Philippians 4:8 tells us to do), we will be right where we're supposed to be.
O.K., so back to nuts and bolts. If we're clear on our goal, to be a temple for God's Holy Spirit, to be worthy of all He has planned for us, to be able to run the race, then we're ready for the hot tips. After all this build-up, you may not like the hot tips! Oh well... works for me...
I start my day with flax seed. I use a little electric coffee-grinder to whir a tablespoon of flax seeds into powder; I add half-cup or so of water, and down the mix. (Already-ground flax seed is probably rancid- don't bother with it.)
There are many reasons for this ritual. The flax-mix is certainly not the most appetizing thing (as the texture becomes a bit strange as it sits). But what a great way to start out! If I can start out with the flax, suddenly something like plain oatmeal with dried fruit and toasted pumpkin seeds seems like quite the treat! Actually, ANY thing seems especially tasty after my flax-ritual. But what a great way to break the corruption of our taste-buds. Man-made foods, with all that extra salt, grease, sugar, and synthetic flavorings, only serve to pervert our senses to the point where we can't appreciate the REAL food that God created for us.
More hot tips: I eat a lot of homemade soups, without salt. Bean soups, vegetable soups, with brown rice, etc. I'm convinced that the salt corrupts my taste-buds and often makes me eat more than I meant to. I generally eat more simple foods earlier in the day (like the soups, fruit, cereals, etc.), so that if I splurge on some salty, cheesy, meaty thing for dinner, it doesn't set me off course for the rest of the day. I even have dessert on occasion, but usually ONLY if it's super-deluxe, home-made, fresh, and excellent. Why waste calories on something less than the best?!
I bet America would trim down if it started making food from scratch. I suspect that the closer our food is to its natural state, the better it is for us. I generally don't use convenience foods or store-bought dressings, and I find that I have a better appetite for the healthy stuff that way. Even oil and vinegar on a salad can be a treat, letting the flavors in the salad come through. Something as simple as olive oil is full of wonderful flavor, but the modern-day palate has indeed been overwhelmed by all the man-made foods. Beware!
Whoa- enough about food.
P.S. Walking and gardening are wonderful exercises- don't forget that.

FINDING REDEEMING QUALITIES

2007-03-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

When we see something wrong, we need to remember Philippians 4:8. "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things."
And the paragraph continues: "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from Me, or seen in Me- put into practice. AND THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU"!!!
OK, so I saw something wrong. I detailed what I saw wrong with "The Secret" in the last post. But NOW, I must focus on what is excellent. So I've considered: What redeeming qualities might be found in this latest fad? Fact is, "The Secret" may be a good primer to get people to yearn for more truth and peace, which just may lead them to seek God. We may read a self-help book and imagine that some worldly things, or some conditions, might bring us peace, but when it's discovered that it's not an eternal peace, perhaps more searching will ensue.
If one applies some of "The Secret" concepts in a quest for God, one can indeed find "a peace that surpasses all understanding." Because in focusing on God, the Creator of all things, we are tapping in to the most powerful force in existence. I'd rather leave my life in the hands of the Maker, who knows what's best for me.
"The Secret" just needs to go a few steps further...

THE SECRET?!?!?!

2007-03-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

I was so "priviledged" as to see some of the video clip from "The Secret". It's the latest, hot, new self-help kind of book/video that's capturing the attention of all who can be had. It makes me think of how God does not promise to force His will upon us; we have choices in this world of free will. He will allow even the lies of the enemy to exist, and we can choose to believe them or not.
I see a lot of hungry people responding to this latest phenomenon in their quest for the things of this world. Satan himself promises every worldly thing to Jesus after Jesus' forty days in the desert. (If only Jesus will bow down to him. If only Jesus will prove himself by turning stone to bread. If only Jesus will... ETC.) And Satan could no doubt promise us anything as well, if only... IF ONLY.
If only we take our eyes off God? If only we get selfish and think of how many things we need? If only we skip feeling grateful for the many blessings God supplies and start thinking of the other "blessings" we would rather have?
I tried the whole thing before: "Imagine everything you want coming to you, and truly believe it is coming, and it will happen." "The power of attraction", they call it. Ah yes, and then the world will know me, and will be attracted to me, because I will have attracted all those worldly things that the world holds dear. Well- it didn't work for me, and I thank God it didn't. HIS plan for me was far greater than anything I could've imagined at the time. But at the time, my plan for me was to become a rock star. I sat on a chair every morning, doing the "see it and believe it" exercise. I did a lot of sitting. Nothing happened. But the years went by, and God's plan for me unfolded, and it was indeed far more than I could've ever hoped or imagined.
But hey, if Satan said to you, "You can have all this, if you just bow down to me", would you do it? Because by lusting for those things that God apparently has been slack in providing, we basically are saying, "I will bow down to this other thing; it IS greater than God." Yipes. I'll pass on that one.
But are the masses almost brainwashed? An article appeared in today's paper, and I'm sure it had been run through by several people (editors, what have you), before it appeared in print, and yet: No one saw the faulty logic?! A woman with a bad back from an injury in her youth wanted one of those special mattresses that costs $7,000. She couldn't afford that, so she applied "The Secret" principle, and lo-and-behold, she went to the store and one of those mattresses was on sale for half price.
First problem I have with that: If the principle works so well, why didn't she see her back healing instead? Then she wouldn't even need the mattress!
Second problem: Has anyone noticed that material goods very often have a hyped-up list price, but then go on sale regularly, so that we can feel good about "only" paying $3,500?!?
I will close for now. There's only one thing I really need to hope for, and I totally believe it is coming: That God sent His only begotten Son, to die for us, so that whosoever would believe in His name would have eternal life. If I have a God who loves me that much, and if I have eternal life in heaven, what more do I really need?

BEING READY

2007-03-01T21:51:00.000-08:00

I'm speaking at a women's event at our church, so I've been processing my thoughts about work at the deli. I want to share some time-saving kitchen tips. But Why? Why save time? If we have time on our hands, what's the rush? New employees at our shop soon discover that the boss-lady (me) is big on efficiency. Matthew 25:13 says, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour (when the bridegroom will arrive)." Five of the ten virgins were prepared, with oil in their lamps, when the bridegroom came. I see our time in the kitchen as practice. We're in training. The day comes when The New Deli is deluged with customers, and we have some relief if we've practiced doing things efficiently. If we've slacked and done things the slow way, what do we do when it's a crazy-busy day?! Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, "...Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training...we do it to get a crown that will last forever." In valuing the time we have here on earth, we can appropriate the lessons available that will help us accomplish our goals. One of my goals is to be available on those occasions when the Holy Spirit calls me. I certainly don't want to be caught up in a to-do list, because I've neglected being prepared for what's really important!
Again, the point of efficiency? If we practice efficiency, even in our home kitchen, the time comes when we're called to a higher task, like having to cook for a wedding or special occasion, pressed for time in a demanding situation. But we're ready. Another story about stewardship mentions the ten talents. The wise steward invested his ten talents, and multiplied them. The owner was quite pleased with that steward, and rewarded that steward with more. Our time is like the talents. It is something we have been given; we can invest that time, using it wisely and not wasting it. We end up with more time, and more opportunities to invest it for Kingdom purposes. It may seem at times like serving people daily at our deli is so "Not Ministry". We can supposedly "just" go through motions, getting the prep done, giving people their food. We probably don't bring them their soup and say, "Jesus loves you and died for your sins". AND YET. What did Jesus do? He served. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 says, "Be joyful always: pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I want to go through my deli day following God's instructions, despite challenges, despite mistakes, despite ornery people. I need to express my joy, I need to pray, and I need to give thanks. Perhaps that IS a ministry!

A NEW BLOG PLACE

2007-02-19T14:57:00.000-08:00

Check it out: Ezraweb.com is a Christian site, giving news without a hard, secular, liberal slant. It's also like a Christian "myspace", full of encouraging people cheering each other on. The layout makes for easy-to-understand, creative blog design, which adds to the fun.
I had a blog at my official website for my cookbook (fromthelandofmilkandhoney.com), but I ended up with a few questionable contacts I'd never sought out. When "Keiko", the Bravenet.com DOG (who has contacts that swear up a storm) became one of my contacts, I knew I had to move to another space...
Another fun thing happened because I'd joined some "mybloglog" community. Someone emailed me to say they'd like me to co-author on their site, and when I clicked on the site, it informed me, "Congratulations! You are now a co-auther on F---Master.com. What?!?! Aw, come on! So I deleted my membership at "mybloglog"...
This site hasn't been too weird, except for the one person with a two-foot-long post about aliens, lesbians, gods, and how there WAS no Christian god. Humm. Lord, help that person!

"REJOICE IN ALL THIINGS"

2007-01-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

God is still good, and has His plans. We can "be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for (us) in Christ Jesus", right? (That's from 1 Thessalonians 5:16)

But to practice what we preach?! I was challenged to do that when I discovered a glitch last week. My "marketing plan" for my book wasn't going to go as anticipated, due to the glitch. I started thinking of how I may, instead, need to talk up my book at some women's events...

The next morning, I went to church, where I met up with a friend who said, "So when are you going to, like, market your book at some women's events?" An interesting confirmation. THEN, I sat listening to the day's message, and the pastor said, "You know, I think we give the devil too much credit sometimes. We say, 'Aw, the devil's messing with my plans', when actually, maybe it's God trying to work in our life." That gave me the insight I needed to realize: This glitch was no accident!

My first impression was that the glitch was something that would have to be fixed, so that things could happen according to my plan. But the glitch actually helped me get a different perspective on marketing, and now I'm actually excited to be taking a new approach.

SO- maybe I'll end up speaking at some event! Even when I think I know the plan, it's God's plans that prevail.

A QUESTION FROM THE "FAITH LIFTS" BLOG- HOW DO WE DO "PEACE AND JOY"?!

2006-12-03T22:49:00.000-08:00

This is the season of "peace and joy". But the dull roar of a sighing, overworked, overambitious people can stifle that peace and joy. I'm not talking about the angst of a post-modern society driven by materialism. I'm talking about me! Putting up that Christmas Tree from that box in the garage, and redecorating it once more with the weariness one might have in going through their "Things To Do" List is not the pathway to peace and joy.
A feeling of obligation sucks the joy right out of Christmas. In years past, I must confess: I had streamlined my holiday preparations into a manageable routine . But that wasn't the solution! It's not about bringing my house "up to code" for the holidays. It's about FILLING the season with the joy we have in Christ, letting that overflow into every effort we make. That's what makes spirits bright indeed. I'm ushering in the season of celebrating Christ's birth!
We all have our different ways of expressing the joy we have in Christ. But that should be our ultimate goal, no matter how we show it: To express that joy. If what we're doing isn't pouring out of our heart, then we should just cross it off our list. What good will it do anyone in the end?!
This year, I set aside some extra time for decorating, not because I "had" to, but because I was excited about Christmas. Our shop is festive and fun for the holidays, and everyone coming into the deli seems to enjoy it. The decor can remind us of an awesomely wonderful thing: JESUS is coming to town. He came once. He's coming again. Let's get ready for THAT!

PUBLISHING A COOKBOOK

2006-11-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

For anyone who loves details, here we go: Let's talk about the process! And what fun it's been (sarcasm meter rises...). No, really, it's all been good. I'm going to be so relieved/excited when this book's actually IN MY HANDS! A friend mentioned that her friend's cookbook took seven years to publish. I thought, "Whoa- crazy." But now I know. Yeah. It takes awhile. At 2 a.m., when the text boxes for each recipe are doing their own thing, popping up glitches despite the careful editing... and months later, when the computer crashes (you saved your work, right?)... and... well, let's not get depressing. It's all been a wonderful challenge that has developed my patience and long-suffering (a few fruits of the spirit not always growing on my tree).
So. Now, the printer's press is actually rolling- yay. But I wondered why shipping to me and to the publisher's warehouse was going to take so long, until: Ah, I found out, they are arriving by boat from Korea! Our dear friend Gary's getting stationed there; humm... maybe he can bring them back at Christmas? Ha ha.
Stay tuned, in the continuing saga!

LIFE EXPERIENCES, PERSONAL STYLE

2006-10-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

The next "Shape of Faith" topic: LIFE EXPERIENCES, and how those experiences might benefit others. I wondered if I had much to share, as I lacked the profound traumatic life experiences that would help others through similar situations. But I had to admit, trauma or not, we are all still bound to each other by our common plight: Wrestling with everyday life.

I started realizing God has indeed been building up the experiences in my life. My thirty-plus marriage to Tom is a miracle of sorts, not to be taken for granted! I shared with a friend some of the struggles we'd had in the past, and this friend was so relieved to hear me tell my story; even as a Christian, she'd been on the verge of leaving her husband for the past month, but found hope in a few simple comments I made about my own life.

Another life experience was my six months of being married to an unbeliever. After twenty years with Tom, I got saved in the fall of 1995, and my husband felt deserted. As he put it, "everything we didn't believe in, we chose to not believe in together." That was overturned by my hooking up with the whole Jesus thing. Tom was so upset; he was pretty sure I'd have to divorce him now. I'd be way too holy for him. What a joke. My response was that I definitely would not be divorcing him, as that was not a Christian option, but I managed to throw in several four-letter words to drive home the point- I was quite the poster child for born-again Christians. I vacuumed the house daily for months, crying and pleading, "Lord, save my husband!!!" What a sight! But, praise the Lord- by His Spirit, Tom became a believer in spring of '96. Thank You Lord.

Seems I've had some experience with the weight thing too. Before overcoming the "problem", I was obsessed. At age ten I was pouring through diet and exercise books. Not a horrible activity in moderation. But I realize now that at my healthiest, I just played like a regular kid, thrilled to be a part of the neighborhood softball game or whatever, coming home to whatever dinner was served, but not thinking about what I would or wouldn't eat all day long. And that's how I overcame any weight "problem". It never really was about the exact numbers read on the scale- it was about my being more obsessed with my body than with God. Sometimes it takes a conscious effort, but my goal now is: Put God above all else! "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

I've also had some experience in homemaking, cooking, writing, and computers that may lend hope to others.

And now, on to the next topic: PERSONAL STYLE.

My style is go-getter, with ambition to improve situations that others might put off. I will finish what I start (though I love when someone else can finish up for me!). I will create some general "plans", but enjoy winging it as well. I suppose I stand out, enjoying being "an open book", operating more with action than intellect, dreaming something as long as it's do-able. I've been somewhat rebellious, struggling with pride, enjoying change but loving routine too...

All the above IS the profile of someone who ends up where I am: working on this "cookbook/devotional". I love how God has taken my personal tendencies and poured them into this creation. Without being who I am, I wouldn't have bothered with this endeavor. Praise God!

I think of all the tendencies I have, and see the danger zone: Should I become too obsessed with "Me", I fail God. I yearn to speak "Christ" through my life. My prayer (like many believers) is for God to mold me into that person who will point to Christ. I cringe that my personality could side-track people into becoming fascinated with me! Better for my life to point to Jesus! I've had people get too curious about me, perhaps sometimes at the expense of finding out more about God. So I crave balance. If I can act more like Jesus, it's only by the grace of God. If God can remake a stubborn, impulsive person like me into a gentle, loving, sensitive being, that is indeed a miracle.

A Christian friend of mine once rationalized her abruptness by saying, "Lord knows, I don't have a gentle bone in my body!" But it seemed like a cop-out. I felt that if she would allow God to soften her, she'd been a better witness of His awesome power over all things.

So I see a fine line: With our personal style "harnessed" by God, we end up in a place of great potential, where God uses that style to His glory. But if we cross that line, we end up in a world of our own creation, where we may receive much of what the world can offer, but not the best blessings of God. How I hope that all I do may indeed be for His glory! We each have our own unique way of being used, in humility or in the foreground. But we have a common bond, and how awesome it is, when the body of believers is working together, ALL for His glory!

ABILITIES, TALENTS, ETC.

2006-10-27T20:04:00.000-07:00

The current "Shape of Faith" discussion topic is: What are our abilities, talents, and/or lessons that can be put to use? What may or may not be God's plan for us, to bring glory to His name?
The first thing that comes to mind is that I do have ability in the kitchen. I get novel ideas on cooking techniques or for new recipes; I often work through them with happy results. But I've wondered in the past: How does this bring glory to God?! I look back, recalling the "Before" and "After" (before I knew Jesus, and after). Before I knew the Lord, I used this ability at the sandwich shop my husband and I have run for over twenty years, and became quite popular with the local gourmands. But it was a trap. The nature of the beast (in the world of physical appetite) is that it's fairly insatiable. One can never completely please everybody. But I tried, as my self-esteem relied on the accolades of my peers. God also saw fit to add another amusing quotient: A co-worker that spurred me on constantly, forever suggesting more and more newer recipes and foods to share with our deli patrons. I was on a never-ending merry-go-round, getting dizzy and frustrated and overwhelmed!
But I got saved (from many things), thank-you Jesus! After looking to the Lord for my guidance, my ambitions changed, from wanting to satisfy everyone's appetite, to wanting to please God. Years later, I can now see how this does indeed bring glory to God. I do still have a talent, but God has brought it under His control, saving me from the strife and anxiety that used to accompany my ambition. Now, I can cook away in my deli kitchen, but with total peace and joy. More people seem to appreciate our eatery now, even in its less-ambitious, more humble form. Praise God. (What good would it do for me to prepare exquisite culinary delights, only to be stressed out, serving them up in a frazzle?!)
And then there's my weakness. Or at least, one of them. It's singing. I sing OK. I sing on-key. I love to sing, praises to God. And I'm on the worship team at church. It's awesome- very amusing. Because God's using me in a place that's not my forte. But it keeps me humble. No way can I get a big head, since I know that there are many who sing much, much better than I. But that's OK! One way God has "grown" me through this is to help me see myself more accurately. When I was a teen, I got the idea that I could become a rock star. I actually thought I sang great. My husband had to inform me that I was changing keys, sliding into notes, etc.... Funny that when I couldn't sing, I thought I could! And now that I know how to sing better, I'm more aware of my shortcomings than ever.
I'm curious to see how God uses me in the future, though I'm absolutely convinced "that God, who began the good work within (me) will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. " Phiilippians 1:6 YEAH!

PASSION

2006-10-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

This week's study is on "What's Our Passion?" I imagine it helps crystalize our purposes. Guess my passion is to "love others into the Kingdom", mainly others like me that may have been stubbornly intellectual about something that can only be understood by the heart.
I remember trying to gain "head knowledge" even as a kid: "Come on Grandma, WHO's the Holy Spirit?!?!" No one ever seemed to adequately explain things to me. Now I think I can understand where my grandma was coming from when she'd do her best to explain. I'm sure she knew she wasn't getting through to me, so then she'd start talking about the end of the world, when all the sinners would burn in an eternal fire...She'd seem flustered, which I'm sure she was, just thinking of how her sweet little granddaughter might end up there!
She just didn't know how else to respond to the little girl who just didn't seem to get it. How can you explain faith?!
With a background like mine, I've come to realize that there's probably a good many people who could be "won to Christ" just by the love. Think that's why I'm so excited about my "cookbook/devotional". It's been my "passion" for the last few years, as the publishing process moves slowly forward. I'm realizing how excited I am to share a gift God's given me in the world of food. Yes, it is my passion.

PERSONALITY

2006-10-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

I took the personality test for the "What's The Shape Of Your Faith?", and I'm supposedly a "Guardian" type, with many of the unique quirks of that profile. You mean I'm acting on pre-destined auto-pilot?! Not exactly though. Because despite the expected reactions of my personality-type, many of the wonderful truths of God's word have permeated my soul, causing a reinterpretation of my world.
The test profile indicated I may be somewhat pessimistic about the past and future, and stoic about the present. I said to myself, "What?!" And then I thought about, O.K., well, yeah, on occasion I do obsess about what disease I might have when I'm feeling a bit crummy physically. I suppose you could classify that as pessimistic! Even though I tell myself, "no, wait, I'm a really happy camper", there is at times that underlying thread of concern. I don't show it to the world, but it's there. But something big HAS changed in that fatalistic perception of "whoa, I might die..." One of my favorite Bible verses is Luke 10:20- "But don't rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven." THAT'S HUGE! Whenever any other thing gets blown out of proportion, Jesus commands us to remember where we are going. That changes my perspective about so many things. If ever I'm tending to think negatively about some worldly person, I find myself so much more compassionate when I remind myself that I know where I'm going when I die, and they don't. When I think, oh man, my body's a wreck, I remember, yeah, but I'm going to heaven. I'm just passing though on this earth. When I get caught up in a worldly thing that seems overwhelmingly exciting, I remind myself: It's still not as exciting as knowing I'm going to heaven. And that's good to remember at that point when it APPEARS that everything's going great, because if we put too much stock in that reality, it's guaranteed to change! Our identity can't be in our temporary "successes", because then what happens when the wind shifts?!
One of the questions posed in "Shape of Your Faith" is: "How has God smoothed your edges?" I think of how meditating on His word can change our natural tendencies, as with me in the above verse. It's good to think about these things, because we can easily forget how much work He indeed has done on us, and take it for granted. Until this morning, I'd almost forgotten how I really was pretty fatalistic about the future. I couldn't smoke pot with my other pot-head friends when I was a teen, because I'd start obsessing about how my cells were all dying as we speak. Man, I've come a long way! Thank you Lord!

TESTIMONY

2006-10-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

One might assume that I fit the "Christian Profile". I may seem like a fairly cool, morally upright person, who was possibly born having these characteristics from the beginning. I came from a very "normal" family, with no major traumas, but decent intellect and artistic giftings that should equip me to be a successful person by this world's standards.

So how did I become the outrageous teen who rebelled against society, disappointing my parents at age 15 with my rantings on free love and bucking the system?! Oh, yeah, I forgot- that can be normal in one's teen years. So let's move on. Even at 17, living with my boyfriend and partying and denouncing the material world, I was still young. But I was on my way toward "maturity"; by age 18 I had married and settled down some; a meager consolation to my concerned parents.

For the next twenty years of my life, I worked primarily in the food industry, and partied less. Dabbled in a new religion: "The Church Of Divine Man". Man Was King! YOU controlled your universe, and with enough time spent imagining the realization of your desires, you too could have everything you wanted. OK, so how come I did all the mental exercises, and STILL wasn't a rock star?! I gave up on that religion.

So I kept working, became a mother of two, and partied even less. Moved into a New Age Era of east-meets-west philosophy. Did what I wanted, and came close to leaving my husband. Gave up on that idea for practical reasons, and sat tight. Hooked up with some other dreamer-musicians and sang really retarded songs like, oh my gosh, can you believe it: "Black Leather Monster". But I was hip, yeah. At one point, one of the kids who worked at our deli was bringing pot-filled brownies to the show we were all going to, and I thought that was cool. Uh, as long as he didn't get stoned at work. Yeah, I was righteous. Yeah.

It so amazes me, how incredibly real and powerful God is. Because up until September, 1995, I had tried just about every approach to change possible. And I never quite "changed" until then. I might occasionally lose one bad character trait due to the latest discipline, but some other strange defect would pop up.

Finally, that September, I had a powerful reason to consider God. A blast from my past, a haunting reminder of my strange and sordid youth, was coming back to bite me. I was going to have to mend relations with an old boyfriend who was coming to town, and I really felt I needed to pray for God to help me. But, it's kind of like when your server's not up and running: You know your stuff's not going to go through. So, despite my many years of self-sufficiency, I realized I really couldn't "do it all". I couldn't manufacture my own god to help me in challenging times. I needed the Holy Spirit. I needed to ask God for His Holy Spirit.

My Jesus Freak friend at our deli had been trying to explain this to me for years, but it had never clicked before. Well, it clicked the night I went home, started making supper, and stood by the stove saying, "God, PLeaSe give me Your Holy Spirit, so that I can pray to You and know You can answer!" From that moment on, I knew He was there. He put me through the "Quick Change" process, and I changed so radically that it was like night and day.

All the preaching about Jesus hadn't gotten through before; I'd heard the stories, I knew Jesus died for us... but it was all in my head, not in my heart. The Holy Spirit went beyond head stuff. I got saved, by His grace. God is So Good.

CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

2006-09-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

This recipe gets me in the holiday mood- it smells like Thanksgiving morning! But I like making it a day or two early, since it keeps real well, and that way there's less commotion on serving day. It's great if you're planning a bit fancier Thanksgiving with a smaller group- it may be hard to juggle for a big crowd. OR, make it on another occasion over the holidays. Last time I served this, my husband said he was saving it for desert. It's that good.

CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

INGREDIENTS> 2 or so butternut squashes> 1/3 c. olive oil> 1/2 c. cream (optional)> 1/4 c. frozen apple juice concentrate> 1 to 2 Tbs. Spice Blend

Bake squashes for two hours or so (split in half for quicker cooking), until soft and done, at 375 degrees. Let cool until workable, then remove seeds and skin. Process, then add the olive oil, cream, apple juice concentrate, and the 1 or 2 Tbs. Spice Blend. Reheat the soup to serve, thinning to soup consistancy with hot water.

SPICE BLEND INGREDIENTS>1/2 Tbs. Curry> 1 Tbs. cinnamon> 1/2 tsp. cayenne> 1 tsp. cloves> 1/2 Tbs. nutmeg> 1 1/2 Tbs. salt

I should mention that this is one of eighty recipes I've got going in a soon-to-be-released cookbook/devotional: "From The Land Of Milk And Honey". Enjoy!

BUTTON, BUTTON, WHO'S GOT THE BUTTON?!

2006-09-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

If I have a button to push, it will get pushed. I shouldn't have one- it gets in the way of the "love". But I just realized, I can count on a certain person to always make a certain comment. They don't yet probably know of God's love for us all, and they're sure not going to find out about it from me if I continue to react to their comment, instead of just "loving" them! I get caught up in thinking about what they've said (aGAin), and I almost could resent them for it. I need a little more compassion. If a person's not "filled with the Spirit" (and sometimes, even if they are), anything might "pop" into their mind to say, and it really might not be all that appropriate. But I can't blame them for that. After all, none of us has quite yet been made "perfect" in love.
For that person with a most obnoxious personality defect, the sorry effect of my reacting to that defect is: They never get to feel the love of God they probably so desparately need. And Satan's just thrilled about that. The more he can get people to resent each other, the more certain he can be that God's love is just that much farther away. But I like the solution presented in 2 PETER 1:5-7: "A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better... (leading) to self-control... (leading) to patient endurance... (leading) to godliness... (leading) to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone."
It's a goal I will aspire to achieve!

TESTIFY!

2006-09-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

I'm excited about the opportunity to post my testimony. Some lovely ladies at the Christian blog site proclaimed this Friday as "Testimony Day", so here goes.
First, you have to use your imagination. I may seem like a fairly cool, morally upright person now, who was possibly born having these characteristics from the beginning. After all, I came from a very "normal" family, with no major traumas, but decent intellect and artistic giftings that should equip me to be a successful person by this world's standards.
So how did I become the outrageous teen who rebelled against society, disappointing my parents at age 15 with my rantings on free love and bucking the system?! Oh, yeah, I forgot- that can be normal in one's teen years. So let's move on. Even at 17, living with my boyfriend and partying and denouncing the material world, I was still young. After all, by almost 18 years old, I got married and finally appeared to be "maturing".
For the next twenty years of my life, I worked primarily in the food industry, and partied less. Dabbled in a new religion: "The Church Of Divine Man". Man Was King! YOU controlled your universe, and with enough time spent imagining the realization of your desires, you too could have everything you wanted. OK, so how come I did all the mental excercises, and STILL wasn't a rock star?! I gave up on that religion.
So I kept working, became a mother of two, and partied even less. Moved into a New Age Era of east-meets-west philosophy. Did what I wanted, and came close to leaving my husband. Gave up on that idea for practical reasons, and sat tight. Hooked up with some other dreamer-musicians and sang really retarded songs like, oh my gosh, can you believe it: "Black Leather Monster". But I was hip, yeah. At one point, one of the kids who worked at our deli was bringing pot-filled brownies to the show we were all going to, and I thought that was cool. Uh, as long as he didn't get stoned at work. Yeah, I was righteous. Yeah.
It so amazes me, how incredibly real and powerful God is. Because up until September, 1995, I had tried just about every approach to change possible. And I never quite "changed" until then. I might occasionally lose one bad character trait due to the latest discipline, but some other strange defect would pop up.
Finally, that September, I had a powerful reason to consider God. A blast from my past, a haunting reminder of my strange and sordid youth, was coming back to bite me. I was going to have to mend relations with an old boyfriend who was coming to town, and I really felt I needed to pray for God to help me. But, it's kind of like when your server's not up and running: You know your stuff's not going to go through. So, despite my many years of self-sufficiency, I realized I really couldn't "do it all". I couldn't manufacture my own god to help me in challenging times. I needed the Holy Spirit. I needed to ask God for His Holy Spirit.
My "looney" Jesus Freak friend at our deli had been trying to explain this to me for years, but it had never clicked before. Well, it clicked the night I went home, started making supper, and stood by the stove saying, "God, PLeaSe give me Your Holy Spirit, so that I can pray to You and know You can answer!" From that moment on, I knew He was there. He put me through the "Quick Change" process, and I changed so radically that it was like night and day. All the preaching about Jesus hadn't gotten through before; I'd heard the stories, I knew Jesus died for us... but it was all in my head, not in my heart. The Holy Spirit went beyone head stuff. I got saved, by His grace.
I love thinking about this. God is So Good.
I could go on- tales about how my husband (my wonderful husband, as I came to realize) came to know Jesus in the next six months as well. It still amazes me. And it's such fun, to hear all our stories. God's gifts are good!

WHAT'S GOOD

2006-09-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

Philippians 4:8 reminds us to focus on what is good. And THAT is for our own good!
My friend sent me something from the American Family Association; I'm already on AFA's list, and had sent an email to the T.V. network, about Madonna's pretty sad video. But when you're "of the world", anything can happen.
I was pretty bummed to find out how low the video actually goes. Thought about it. Thought of Beau's sermon Sunday. On one occasion, a majority of people, when asked to describe Christians, said, "Gay haters". I hate being defined by hate!
I finally decided, after submitting my email, that keeping Madonna's show off the T.V. may not exactly "save" anyone.... I'm hoping now to do the Philippeans 4:8 thing: Focus on what is good. Because the bad is too sad. And if I'm sad, I'm not being as good a witness! People might think, "Boy, for a Christian, she sure is sad". What good is that?!
So, about the good stuff. I woke up this morning thinking, "Wow, committing verses to memory, like, enables them to become truth in our life!" The thing is, ALL God's word, His promises, they're all true. But sometimes, until we "claim" them in our life, we might be believing a lie. Philippians 4:4-7 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always...by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Amen!

GOD'S CHURCH

2006-09-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

"It's not my church. It's God's church." A friend spoke up at a congregational meeting to remind everyone of this- it's very easy to forget. People start thinking, "But wait, we actually OWN this church, because it's our tithes that are keeping it operational." But we don't own anything, except by the grace of God. He lets us "borrow" things for a time here on earth, until we move on to... greener pastures!
I wonder how many souls could be saved if all of us Christians had the right perspective. Another friend mentioned that, "we might occasionally seem like some club members that are content to have our 'fellowship' events within our family circle, while there's still a world of hurting people out there".
If we can be more like Jesus, and lose our selfishness, we'll be much more available for God's purposes. Perhaps we might better reflect the fruits of the Spirit that draw people to Jesus. ("Love, joy, peace, even temper, kindness, goodness, perseverance, gentleness, and self-control" GALATIONS 5:22)
Our church has gone through major challenges in this past year. The biggest challenge in the midst of all that is to stay focused on God, on His blessings, His love. We can't afford to forget it.

FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE

2006-09-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

Psalm 23:3b says, "He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." That means: We can "rejoice in all things" because we then know that the path He's leading us on is going to turn out for His glory. Even if we veer off-course, He still has the end-goal in mind. Our path may be painful at times, or we may suffer through a detour, but ultimately, it "grows" us into the person He wants us to be. All for His glory. And that's awesome.

ENDURANCE, CHARACTER, CONFIDENCE

2006-09-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wonder if God makes things happen a certain way just to mold us into who He wants us to be? I don't wonder. I KNOW! I am by nature somewhat lacking in patience, but God is seeing to it that that trait is formed in me. And it happens through suffering, as stated in Romans 5:3-5:"...Suffering creates endurance, endurance creates character, and character creates confidence. We're not ashamed to have this confidence, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit."
I will admit, my "suffering" may seem petty, held up to other forms of true suffering. But if you've ever been incredibly computer-challenged, then you know what I'm talking about. (I did something on my new Book Website recently, and it turned into "My Really Stupid Website" until I was able to figure out what I'd done to it.)
Everything's finally turning out all right now though. I've endured the suffering, I'm quite a character, and I now have confidence. My teenage son asked me, "What were you doing, mom?!?!" I told him I was pretending to be a stupid person trying to write html. But he knew better- I don't have to pretend!

A NATURAL FACE LIFT

2006-09-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

We're all getting older, and the mirror proves it, even when there's still a young person inside. How many teenagers look at the older generation and casually compartmentalize them as "a different breed"? I think I did that when I was younger. I couldn't quite relate to "old" people as being just as human as me. My life seemed important, and I was planning BIG things for the future, and... they weren't.
I realize there are many young people, wise beyond their years, who appreciate the wisdom wrought into the older generations through life's experiences. But I was never one of them! I'm learning though, at age 48, to seek advice and counsel where it may be found. Even in "old" people. I think there's even an unspoken comradery amoungst us old guys. We all know we were young once, even if some young folk don't realize it. It's our little secret.
However. That doesn't mean I care to look one day older than I already am. I was doing my "daily deli deeds" today, thinking rather blissfully of how many blessings God has given our family. I was just portioning up some brie, but in the midst of it, I could rejoice. I realized my face felt lighter, cheerier at that point. No plastic surgery can turn a dismal, frowning face around. I was reminded of a friend's comment once, that loving God is the best face-lift you can have.

PUBLISHING MY DREAM COOKBOOK

2006-09-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

Back in 2003, my husband and I went forward with this novel idea (wait, it's not a novel, oops)...We decided to print up a cookbook for local sale to our eager New Deli patrons here in Pinole, California. When I took it to the local printer to get a couple hundred copies printed, I found it totally cost-prohibitive due to the photos I'd included. (They don't reprint well unless you use an expensive machine). So I looked into self-publishing, but found I'd still need a print run of 3,500 copies (thanks to those photos, which again dictated use of a fancier machine). One thing led to another... I eventually discovered I couldn't get permission to use the photos I'd included. I had used some "ProPublisher" Software, naively thinking that the images would be useable in professional publishing. Nope- not if it's for resale. Back to the drawing board. Got a digital camera and started taking my own pictures. No wonder this book's taken awhile! And now, due to the circumstances, I've got a whole lot more cookbooks coming in soon than we had originally planned for. What can I say? "Buy my cookbook!"