Woodside SDA Church

           “When we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery.  Love is more a decision than an emotion.  You don’t feel goose bumps and think sweet sentiments when you see your employee?  Neither did Christ!  In fact, there were times he felt everything but goose bumps.  There was at least one time when he asked, “How long must I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19 NCV).

                To love as Christ loved is not a matter of emotion but a matter of resolution to do whatever is in the best interest of the person.

            This may mean applauding good behavior.  Jesus applauded the faith of the centurion and the sacrifice of the woman with the alabaster bottle (Matt. 8:5-10; 26:6-13).  Christlike love applauds good behavior.

            At the same time, Christlike love refuses to endorse misbehavior.  Jesus loved the woman who was caught in adultery, but he didn’t dismiss her sin (John 8:2-11).  Jesus loved his apostles, but he wasn’t’ silent when they were faithless (Matt. 8:23-26.  Jesus loved the people in the temple, but he didn’t sit still when they were hypocritical (John 2:14-16).  Love does whatever is in the best interest of a person.

            The teenager says to his parents, “If you loved me, you’d let me come in as late as I want.”  That’s a lie.  Love does whatever is in the best interest of a person.  Love sets curfews.

            The cheating husband says to his wife, “If you loved me, you’d forget what has happened and let me come home.”  That may not be true.  Love does what is in the best interest of a person.  Love sets boundaries and seeks counsel.

            The needy person says, “If the church loved me, it would pay all my bills.”  That may not be true.  It might be more loving to provide a job for that person rather than give money to him.

            The love of Christ is no sweet sentiment but rather a heartfelt resolve to do what is in the best interest of another person.  Sometimes that means cleansing a temple.  Other times that means dying on a cross.”  Max on Life p. 52 by Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson

Peppers: Regardless of their exterior, all bell peppers share a healthy dose of fiber, a hallmark of their characteristic crunch, which helps lower cholesterol and ward off colon cancer.  They also offer a wealth of vitamin B6 and folic acid, thought to protect blood vessels from damage by reducing levels of homocysteine in the body.  Plentiful A and C vitamins boost immunity and guard against a range of ailments, including heart disease diabetes, arthritis and risks associated

with smoking such as emphysema.

Be healthy and be happy

           “Listen to . . . Ken Davis’s book, Lighten up!

            “I’ve learned you can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk” (age 7).

            “I’ve learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they’re doing and wave back” (age 9).

            “I’ve learned that if I want to cheer myself up, I should try cheering someone else up” (age 13).

            “I’ve learned that although it’s hard to admit it, I’m secretly glad my parents are strict with me” (age 15).

            “I’ve learned that wherever I go, the world’s worst drivers have followed me there” (age 29).

            “I’ve learned that the greater a person’s sense of guilt, the greater his need to cast blame on others” (age 46).

            “I’ve learned that children and grandparents are natural allies” (age 46).

            “I’ve learned that singing ‘Amazing Grace’ can lift my spirits for hours (age 49).

            “I’ve learned that motel mattresses are better on the side away from the phone” (age 50).

            “I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights” (age 52).

            “I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die” (age 53).

            “I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life” (age 58).

            “I’ve learned you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands.  You need to be able to throw something back” (age 64).

            “I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you.  But if you focus on your family, the needs of others, your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you can—happiness will find you” (age 65).

            “I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one” (age 82).

            “I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone (age 85).

            “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn” (age 90).

            Some choice wisdom there, don’t you think?  Wisdom informs us of the best way to do life.

            The best for last: “I’ve learned that everyone can use a prayer” (age 72).”

            “My best teachers have been folk who don’t necessarily park lots of initials after their names.  They’re ordinary wayfarers with extraordinary wisdom.”  Out of the Hot Tub, Into the World pp 90-92 by Karl Haffner, Pacific Press Publishing Association

Flaxseeds: “Reduces attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by protecting neurons; rich source of omega-protection from cognitive decline and depression; decreases severity of autoimmune diseases; and promotes bone health.”   Full Plate Diet

Be healthy and be happy,

           “Too many Christians know a lot about God but rarely or never experience his presence in their lives.  I was raised in a denomination that stresses God’s transcendence.  We thought of God in lofty and exalted terms, as well we should, but we overemphasized that side of him.  He seemed lifted up far above his creatures and worshipers, and the distance between us often seemed unbridgeable.

            I knew what it meant to fear God, and I understood the importance of serving him.  I expected one day to stand under his judgment, and I believed it was my duty to obey his commandments.  But one thing was sorely lacking in my Christian experience: any real understanding of the close relationship God wishes to have with his children.

            In college I met a professor who amazed me.  He would sometimes talk about his relationship with Jesus Christ as though he had just had lunch with him.  He seemed to be able to relate to Jesus as to a friend or brother, having relaxed conversations with him.

            I couldn’t understand that type of relationship with the “immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes”—but I wanted it.  And so I started hanging around the professor after class until one day I got up the courage to ask, “How do you seem to know Christ in a way that I don’t?”

            His answer clicked in my mind: “Maybe you understand Jesus only as the forgiver of your sins.”

            The professor was right.  A few years earlier I had admitted my sinfulness and recognized my need for a Savior.  I had bowed the knee to Christ, and he had cleansed me.  Grateful for his grace in my life, I had been praying, “O Lord, thank you for dying on the cross to forgive my sins.”

            Besides relating to Jesus as forgiver, I also related to him as Lord of my life.  But I didn’t yet understand the whole dimension of relating to him as he asked us to in John 15:15: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

            “If Jesus were to explain this verse to you personally,” the professor told me, “this is what he might say: ‘I want to relate to you as your forgiver and Lord, but I also want to be your friend.  I want our conversations to bring you comfort. . . .  I want you to know you’re never alone. . . .  I want you to discover my presence in your daily life.’”            Too Busy Not to Pray pp 170-172 by Bill Hybels, Inter Varsity Press

Broccoli: Prevents anemia by enhancing the absorption of iron from other foods.  California and Arizona grow 99% of the US broccoli crop.  One cup cooked supplies 5 grams of dietary fiber, 55 calories, 1 gram fat.

Be healthy and be happy,

“Mighty prevailing prayer will accompany a mighty spiritual revolution in our soul.  God’s overwhelming presence in our worship services and His almightiness making our evangelism and missionary endeavor effective are waiting for us to have a new dimension of prayer life by the dynamic of the Spirit.

About A.D. 400, Bishop Ambrose taught, “This helping of the Spirit is very emphatic in the original; as a man taking up a heavy piece of timber by the one end cannot get it up till some other man takes it up at the other end. . . .  The Spirit of God comes at the other end, and takes the heaviest end of the burden, and so helps the soul to lift it up.”

The apostles were not outstandingly men of prayer until Pentecost.  J. Stuart Holden [says] that being filled with the Spirit is “the only secret of a real prayer life.”

Sometimes [God] draws you to prayer by showing you how great is some need and how helpless you are to meet that need.  Sometimes He draws you by giving you a vision of all God longs to do.  Only the Spirit can convey to you the heartbeat of God, the priority of God, or the spiritual battle in which He calls you to fight.

            You do not know when some friend or loved one is in need of your prayer, is facing danger, is ill, is facing temptation, or is seeking an urgent answer from God in which he or she needs your prayer partnership.  But the all-knowing Spirit can call you to fix that person upon your mind so that through the Spirit you know you are to pray.

            Thank God, you can depend on the Spirit to give you desires, drawing, and hunger to pray at the very time your prayer is strategic to the advance of Christ’s kingdom.

            Says James McConkey, “Never disobey this drawing of the Spirit to prayer.  It is a special call of God to the individual who is conscious of it. . . .  Tremendous issues may hang upon obedience to that call to prayer.”  It is always tragic to neglect prayer, but it is doubly so when the Spirit thus calls you.  Some person in a crisis may need your prayer just then, or some danger may be averted if you pray just then.  Often only eternity will cast full light on the importance of obeying such a call to prayer.”  Mighty Prevailing Prayer pp 111-114 by Wesley L. Duewell, Francis Asbury Press

“Nearly all pizzas at restaurants or in frozen food sections are made with processed grains, contain no fiber, and are usually high in fat and sodium.  Good Foods from Your Store: Whole Foods 365 Organic Whole Wheat Pizza Crust; Boboli 100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crust; Trader Joe’s Tabula Grain Crust.  Pizza sauces, Eden Organic Pizza Pasta Sauce; Green Mill Classic Pizza Sauce; Ragu Pizza Sauce—Homemade Style.”  The Full Plate Diet 

Fun Facts: Americans eat 350 slices of pizza every second; that’s 100 acres of pizza a day.

Be healthy and be happy,

“What about the fact that not everyone who receives prayer is healed?  I call this a fact because simple observation shows us that Jesus is the only one of whom it can be said, “He cured all of them” (Matt. 12:15).  Certainly not everyone I pray for is healed.  I imagine your experience is the same.  And sometimes that lack of healing can take on tragic dimensions that precipitate a genuine crisis of faith.  Why, then, are some not healed?

            The most straightforward answer to this perplexing question is “I don’t know.”  I wish—desperately so—that every single person who sought Healing Prayer were instantaneously and totally healed.  But it simply does not happen that way.  Some are, and we thank God.  Many others evidence substantial improvement, though not total healing.

            As Kenneth Swanson reminds us, “We all live in a fallen world, where illness, suffering, and pain are part of the fabric of existence.”

            Sometimes we make a faulty diagnosis of the problem and pray, for example, for physical healing when the real need is for emotional healing.  Sometimes we neglect the natural means of health such as diet and exercise and sleep.  Sometimes we refuse to see medicine as one way God heals.  Sometimes we do not pray specifically enough or do not get down to the root problem. . . .  The sad fact is that sometimes we stand face to face with one for whom we have prayed and he or she is not well.

            What are we to do?  Well, first of all, let me tell you what we are not to do.  Under no circumstance are we to tell those receiving prayer that it’s their fault: that they lack faith, or that there must be some sin in them that is hindering the prayer, or any such thing.  This will only redouble the burden they must carry. 

            The one thing we are to do is show compassion.  Always!  The Gospel writers frequently mention that Jesus was “filled with compassion.” . . .  In one story a leper came to Jesus, begging to be healed.  When Jesus looked at the leper, he was moved with compassion. . . .  Jesus could have kept his distance and commanded the man to be well, but instead he touched him.  Jesus’ touch of compassion was comparable to our taking hold of a person with AIDS, stopping the bleeding with our bare hands, and putting our own life in jeopardy.  This is the compassion of Jesus.”  Prayer Finding the Heart’s True Home pp 206-208 by Richard J. Foster, Harper San Francisco

Sunflower Seeds: alleviate severity and frequency of hot flashes in menopausal women; reduces risk of colon cancer.

Fun Facts:  “Native Americans used the seeds as a snack, pounded them into meal, cooked them as a mash, and used them to make bread.  The Russians remain the world’s top producer of the seeds to this day.”  The Full Plate Diet

Be healthy and be happy

            “Jesus . . . knew He would always be our source of joy.

            One of the most intimate teachings He gave to the disciples was about the abiding relationship of the vine and the branches.  Listen carefully to our source of joy:

            I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. . . .  As the Father loves Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  (John 15:5, 9-11)

            This is the abiding relationship with Christ that brings His joy into our lives.  Joy flows through Him into us.

            There’s not a way in the world you can know the joy of the Lord without abiding in Him.  That requires time with Him; it necessitates a diligent prayer life.  You cannot abide in Him without talking with Him and listening to Him.

            He doesn’t just give you joy; He is your joy.  If you ever become “detached” from the vine, you’ll automatically wither and lose your joy.  You cannot produce such joy on your own any more than a branch that has been cut off can produce fruit on its own.  Instead, quite the opposite happens.  You become brittle, dry, and hard.  You lose the life that produces fruit.

            Joy is fruit of the abiding relationship with Christ.

            Paul said, “We know that all things work together for good to t hose who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  This verse doesn’t say, “All things work out just like we want them to.”  But it reminds us that God is in control.  God is fulfilling His purposes in our lives.  We can have joy because we trust that God’s will for our lives is best.”  Experiencing the Resurrection pp143, 145 by Henry & Melvin Blackaby, Multnomah Books

Good Foods from your Store: Arrowhead Mills Organic Buckwheat Pancake & Waffle Mix, 1/3 cup, 7 grams of fiber.  Arrowhead Mills Organic Oat Bran Pancake & Waffle Mix.

Fun Facts: In 1561, competition between waffle sellers became so heated that King Charles IX of France made a law requiring them to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from one another.  Thomas Jefferson brought a waffle iron home from France in 1789.  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that pancakes and waffles are good.”  Full Plate Diet

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

“When we see frightening events occurring around us, plus the many corrupt and dangerous things we observe some people engaged in, those things cause us to think to ourselves, are these people crazy?  Don’t they see what they are doing and what the consequences will be?

            The answers to these questions are yes, people act crazy when they have no godly wisdom; and no, the godless are unable to weigh the consequences of what they are doing.  They do foolish things because they have no sense of what is right.  The description of a fool is a person who cannot see the consequences of his behavior. . . .  Wisdom and understanding of the consequences of our actions come from having a fear of God.

Having the fear of God means you have such a love and reverence for God that you are afraid of what life would be like without Him.

Some people believe there is no God.  Others think there might be a God, but they refuse to acknowledge Him in their lives because they certainly don’t want Him telling them how to live.  They want to do what they want to do.  This is what the Bible says about such people, “There is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. . . .  Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known.  There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:11-12, 16-18).

In contrast to that, having the fear of the Lord causes a person to do the opposite.  It causes them to seek God and His truth, to do what’s right, to promote life, to build up and not tear down, to bring peace, and to run from evil.

We live in a culture that can be poisonous.  God’s ways are mocked and sin is glorified.  All we have to do in order to slide backward is do nothing.  We don’t have to seek out evil; it seeks us out.  Evil presents itself, and we have to choose to turn away from it.   We have to turn away from ungodliness and turn toward God.  We must ask the Lord to put godly fear in our hearts to keep us on the right path.  “I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My heart in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me” (Jeremiah 32:40).

We have to say, “Lord, put Your fear in my heart so that I will not depart from You in any way.”  The Power of a Praying Life pp 95, 96 by Stormie Omartian, Harvest House Publishers

Make an effort to eat foods that don’t come prepackaged or prepared.  Read the nutrition labels on the packaged foods you do eat so you can learn more about the food’s sodium and fat content, as well as the many ingredients that are contained in the packaged foods. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients on the label, chances are the food is not your best choice nutritionally.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “The most important prayer we can share with a child is the prayer of salvation.  We need to be able to communicate God’s message of love in a manner that children will understand.  This message is simple enough for kids to comprehend, yet profound enough for scholars to ponder for a lifetime.  God has taken the initiative in reconciling us to Him.  Through the life, death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, He has shown us what infinite love is.

            His word tells us that everyone inherently has knowledge of two things: that He exists and that there are moral principles.  Furthermore, the Bible goes on to tell us that we have all fallen short of God’s perfect standards.  This sin, to use God’s terminology, has short-circuited our relationship with our Creator.  A holy and just God cannot allow sin in His presence.  However, rather than leave us in this predicament of separation from Him, the Father designed a plan of reconciliation—He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our transgressions.

            This plan is the plan that we need to share with our children, and prayer is its foundation.  Through it we embrace God’s provision of salvation through Jesus Christ.  The significance of Jesus cannot be underestimated.  As He said Himself, “I am the way the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).  In addition, the apostle Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).  Children must be given this understanding from an early age.

            Realize that God is more concerned about your child’s eternal destiny and happiness than you are.  “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise . . . He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

            Beforehand, pray specifically that God will give you insights and wisdom in dealing with each child on his maturity level.

            Deal with each child alone and don’t be in a hurry.  Make sure he understands.  Discuss.  Take your time.

            When drawing children to Himself, Jesus said allow them to come to Him.  Only with adults did He use the term compel.  Do not compel children.  See Mark 10:14 and Luke 14:23.

            Remember that unless God Himself is speaking through the Holy Spirit to the child, there will be no genuine heart experience of regeneration. . . .  Look at God’s character—He is love! . . .  Wait on God’s timing.  Pray, with faith, believing.”  The Power of Family Prayer pp 19, 20, National Day of Prayer Task Force

Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production. Watermelon is a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin B1, magnesium, and potassium. Part of this high ranking was due to the higher nutrient richness of watermelon. A whole cup of watermelon contains only 48 calories; it delivers more nutrients per calorie—an outstanding health benefit.

“The Desire of Ages says, “It is when Christ is received as a personal Saviour that salvation comes to the soul.”

            This is soul boggling!  Can it be?  Is it really true?  Is receiving salvation this simple?  Is there an illustration to help us grasp this?

            There is.

           Luke 23:42, 43 records an incredible, twenty-two word exchange (depending on which Bible version you use) between a dying thief and a dying Saviour.”  ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ . . .  ‘Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’”  Does this mean that the thief found salvation that quickly?  Went from lost to saved that fast?  Do you mean that salvation took only about ten seconds?  Are we looking at a sinner becoming a saint with only a two-sentence Bible study and not the entire forty lessons?

            The story of the thief finding salvation is that simple and that fast.  He saw himself.  He saw Jesus.  He asked Him if he could be in heaven with Him.  And Jesus said Yes. 

            The Story of Redemption says, “In Jesus, bruised, mocked, and hanging upon the cross, he saw his Redeemer, His only hope. . . .”  The thief went from lost to saved, from raunchy to redeemed, from a perfect mess to a perfect man . . .  from 100 percent wickedness to 100 percent righteousness, from sinner to saint, from hell and eternal damnation to heaven and eternal salvation.

            Someone will ask, “What about character perfection?”  Was the thief anything but a perfect thief?  How do you go from perfect flop to just plain perfect in such a short time?  Jesus said, “ ‘Be perfect’” (Matthew 5:48).  Did the thief reach that in a blink of an eye?

            There are many things I don’t know but I do know what Steps to Christ says.  ‘If you give yourself to Him, and then accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous.  Christ’s character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned.” Longtime Christians who have a problem with assurance need to remember that we are looking at salvation at its irreducible minimum.  We are looking at bottom-line salvation.  Beginners’ salvation.

            This is so important.”  Sure Salvation pp 24, 26 by Philipp W. Dunham, Pacific Press Publishing Association

Cabbage, being rich in iodine, helps in proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, apart from keeping the endocrinal glands in proper condition. Thus, it is good for brain and treatment of neurotic disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. The various other nutrients present in cabbage such as vitamin-E which keeps the skin, eye and hair healthy, calcium, magnesium, potassium etc., are very useful for overall health.

Be healthy and be happy,

“Whatever the season of the church’s calendar, I have tried to introduce the subject of prayer at some point in my teaching.  Frequently, it has been possible to preach about prayer as the major theme of the sermon.  But, in any event, if we engage in regular worship and personal Bible study, we would do well to ask ourselves how our prayer life is being affected by what we hear and read week by week.  Behind all our present experience of prayer lies the uncomfortable truth that our prayer lives show more clearly than anything else what we actually believe about God.

            Here is a simple and totally confidential way in which you can assess your progress.  Just ask yourself this question: ‘What priority do I give to prayer in my life?’  Be honest about the answer.  Push through the various excuses that are bound to come to mind.  You will find that the time factor will always be high on the list, given the demands of family, work or social commitments.  And there is always the universal experience that although prayer sounds hugely important in theory, the moment you try to carve out a quiet space, all kinds of inner turbulence rise to the surface.

            Ask God the Holy Spirit to help you to be honest and realistic.  I am not asking how successful you think your prayer life is; I just want you to see very clearly what priority you give to it in your daily timetable.  Only you will know what you’ve discovered.

            Hold on to the important truth that, however poorly you may think you are praying, every time you come to God in prayer you are opening yourself to the almighty Creator of the universe who has unlimited power at his disposal. 

            And so no activity in life can be more important.  Samuel Chadwick wrote: ‘It would seem as if the biggest thing in God’s universe is a man who prays.  There is only one thing more amazing, and that is that man, knowing this, should not pray.’  I hope I have sufficiently emphasized the point about priority.”   He’s Listening So Talk to Him! Pp 11-14 by Paul Bundy, Autumn House

Arthritis:   “Adults of either sex who carry extra weight—even if they are not so heavy as to be classified medically as “obese”—were 30 percent more likely than normal-weight adults to have arthritis. . . .   Men increased their risk of arthritis by 70 percent while obese women had a 50 percent higher risk.”  Proof Positive p. 509 by Neil Nedley, M.D.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

“Rest for your soul.”  That sounds inviting, doesn’t it?  It’s possible.  How?  You must live intimately connected with Christ.

[The] metaphor of the yoke is foreign to us today because John Deere came along and made yokes obsolete.  But in Jesus’ culture this word picture would have immediately connected with His audience.  A yoke, of course, is a type of harness that connects a pair of oxen.  In those days, a pair of oxen was actually called a “yoke” of oxen. . . .  Rabbis used the phrase “to take the yoke of . . .” to speak of becoming a committed pupil of a particular teacher.

            It’s no secret that over the years I have been heavily influenced in my spiritual journey by Pastor John Ortberg.  He doesn’t know, but in many respects I have yoked up with him in ministry.  What does this mean?  It means that I have been his devoted student.  I have hundreds of his sermons on tapes.  I have dozens of his sermons manuscripts.  I have read all of his books several times.  I have heard him preach at conferences and at his church on numerous occasions.  I have learned a great deal from him about how to do life with God.  Much of what I teach and write is heavily influenced by my favorite teacher, John Ortberg.

            That’s the kind of invitation that Jesus offers to you: “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me.”  J. H. Jowett, the nineteenth-century English Congregationalist, put it like this: “A yoke is a neck harness for two, and the Lord Himself pleads to be One of the two.  He wants to share the labor of any galling task.  The secret of peace and victory in the Christian life is found in putting off the taxing collar of ‘self’ and accepting the Master’s relaxing ‘yoke.’”  Soul Matters pp 29, 30 by Karl Haffner, Pacific Press Publishing Association

“Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Healthy eating tips for kids: Many people don’t eat enough carbohydrate foods, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes and bread.  At least half the calories in your diet should come from these foods, so it is a good idea to include at least one of these at every meal. Try whole-grain bread, pasta and other cereals to give you extra fiber. Have you tried baking your own bread?  It’s good fun and smells wonderful.  And we are all kids.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “Because we all know the guilt of forgetting to pray for those to whom we made that simple promise, “I’ll be praying for you.”  The guilt only intensifies when these folks see us a few days later and say, “Thanks so much for praying for me—God has really turned things around.”  We smile and say, “Oh, it was nothing.”  And it was nothing.  Truth be known, we had neglected to pray for them as we had promised we would.

            Friends of mine who are into antiquing (shopping for furniture that’s old, used, and beat up) tell me, “The time to buy an antique is when you see it.”  What’s that supposed to mean?  Well, if you see something that will fit perfectly in the corner of your dining room but you decided to look around a bit longer—it probably won’t be there when you return.  You missed your opportunity.  You should have bought it on the spot.

            I don’t know if that’s really true for buying antiques.  But I know it applies to praying for other’s concerns.  When we don’t intercede as soon as we encounter these needs there’s a good chance that we’ll never get around to doing so.

            When a friend confides in you that he and his wife had been doing quite a bit of arguing lately, don’t just offer him the latest Christian book on marriage.  Volunteer to pray for him.  When your neighbor whispers to you that she’s headed to the doctor tomorrow because of a suspicious lump in her breast, don’t just say, “I hope it turns out okay.”  Offer to pray for her.  When a work associate complains about being stressed out by everything that’s got to get done, don’t just commiserate by reciting your own “to do” list.  Pose the question: “Would you mind if I pray for you?  I’ve found that asking God for help does wonders for me.  Let me pray for you.”

            More and more I’m discovering that there’s hardly a phone conversation that wouldn’t benefit from interjecting prayer into it.

            Our Key verse for such a practice is Ephesians 6:18: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”   Paul is encouraging us to pray for others at the drop of a hat.  Or as we’re prompted, at the drop of a concern.”

            I don’t do this because I’m a pastor.  I do it because I’m a pray-er.”  Prayer Coach pp 74, 75, 77 by James L. Nicoderm, Crossway Books

“Sweet, empty calorie foods give the blood sugar a quick boost, but this rise is not sustained. . . .  We have learned that the boost may be followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar. . . .  Our energy should come from quality carbohydrates (called “complex” carbohydrates) like natural fruits, grains, and vegetables.”  Proof Positive p. 186 by Neil Nedley, M. D.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “Barbers and hairdressers are hair-conscious.  As they look at people, the first thing they notice is the hair.  Dentists are tooth-conscious.  The moment they see a person, they focus on the teeth.  Christians should be people-conscious, need-conscious harvest-conscious.  Jesus was.  When a young man approached Him, He loved him and considered the vast potential of his life if he would only follow Jesus.  Observing a fisherman, He recognized that he could become a fisher of souls.  A sinful woman was viewed through His eyes as the pure child of God she could become when her sins were forgiven.

            Jesus’ disciples saw harvest in the future, but they did not see people as harvest.   Harvest is always here with us if we have eyes to see.  Jesus pointed to the Samaritan people walking toward them and said, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields!  They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35).  The Samaritans were just one of earth’s harvest fields.  Jesus was pleading, “See People as harvest!  Become harvest potential of all earth’s peoples.”  Become harvest-conscious.  Focus your interest on the spiritual harvest potential of all earth’s peoples.”

            As you go through life each day, go with your eyes open.  See people; see their needs.  See them as harvest.

            The Samaritan people whom Jesus pointed out to the disciples were unknown to them.  The disciples did not know their names or anything much about them.  But Jesus said, “Look!  Those people are part of the harvest.”

            As you see people who need Jesus, see them as they can be in Christ; see what they could mean to the cause of Christ.  See them as people Christ loved so much He was willing to die for them (John 4:35).

            Pray for the harvest.  Pray for everyone you see, meet, or have any contact with. . . . Pray for children at play, for the drivers of cars that pause beside you at the traffic light, for those waiting with you in checkout lines.

            Be harvest conscious.”  Touch the World through Prayer pp 181, 182 by Wesley L. Duewel, Zondervan Publishing House

Colon Cancer: “Countries where more meat, more animal protein, more sugar and fewer cereal grains were consumed had far higher rates of colon cancer. . . .  Dietary fiber [is] essential for digestive health in general.”  The China Study p. 170 by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II, BenBella Books

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “There has been so much speculation about the second coming of Christ, so much date setting, so much hyperbole, that for most people, the second coming is almost a nonissue now.  But yet there are many devout Christians who firmly believe the Lord is coming soon.  How do they know?

            They know it, not from biblical predictions, not from elaborate charts and timetables, not from calamitous world events.  They know it from the still, small voice inside them.

            What does soon mean?  When my daughter asks for “supper” and it’s not quite time, I tell her, “Soon.”  Soon is flexible, indefinite, vague.  I wouldn’t presume to put a timetable, even in years, on the Lord’s soon coming.  But before the Lord makes His actual appearance, two major things will happen: (1) a time of great spiritual fervor and preaching of the gospel and (2) a time of great persecution and trial.

            I believe the Lord is preparing His people to stand during these end-time events.  I believe that the time to prepare is now.  Don’t be fooled by world peace; don’t be fooled by separation of church and state; don’t be fooled by how your friends are practicing their religion.  After all, the Bible does say that the Lord’s coming will be like a “thief in the night.”  And remember the story of the ten virgins?  They went out to meet the bridegroom, but there was a delay—a long delay.  When the bridegroom finally came, he startled them all; they’d all fallen asleep.  But notice something here.  Matthew 25:6 tells of the bridegroom’s coming.  What woke the virgins was not the bridegroom’s arrival but rather a shout saying that the bridegroom was definitely coming.  When the five foolish virgins discovered they were out of oil, they rushed off to buy some more.  Evidently they thought they still had enough time to buy oil and hurry back in time to meet the bridegroom.  But they were wrong—and they were left out in the cold.

            Life is good right now.  Life is easy; life is smooth.  But at some point, something will break into this ordered existence that will signal without a doubt that Jesus is on His way.

            I believe the Lord is preparing His people now.”  Delighting In God pp 99, 100 by Kris Coffin Stevenson, Pacific Press Publishing Association

Buckwheat Health Benefits: Buckwheat contains the perfect combination of nutrients required for a healthy cardiovascular system.  It helps control blood sugar levels and thus lowers the risk of diabetes.  It helps lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.  Buckwheat helps prevent gallstones.  The plant-lignans present in buckwheat protect us against heart diseases.  Postmenopausal women may reap significant cardiovascular benefits from buckwheat.  Dietary fiber in buckwheat protects women from breast cancer.  The fiber helps improve your digestive health and it helps prevent blood sugar fluctuations.  It protects against childhood asthma.  Buckwheat lowers your risk of heart failure, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “When we ask for something in prayer, we demonstrate our trust in God.  When Jesus told His disciples that He would do whatever they asked in His name, He was introducing them to one of the most elementary forms of dependence upon God.  When we have to ask something of God, it means that we are dependent upon Him for the answers we need.  It’s another way of saying that we trust Him.

            A second reason that we should ask is because God likes to be asked.  If you are a mother or a father, don’t you enjoy it when your children ask you for things?  Sure, you probably already know what your kids need, but it is still a good feeling to know they depend on you to provide for them. . . .  Asking for something is the most elementary form of dependence, and love grows in an atmosphere of asking and receiving.

            Asking God for things in prayer also puts us into a partnership with our heavenly Father.  If we share an office with someone, we have to work with one another, share tasks, and rely on each other for support. . . .  We are coworkers with God in bringing His kingdom to the earth. . . .   We partner with God in His great tasks.  This partnership is based on a spirit of . . . trust.

            Of course, this also means that asking for things enriches our fellowship with God.  When we tell God what’s on our heart and ask for His help, our relationship with our heavenly Father is deepened.  We learn to rely on God for strength, and when He answers our prayers, it bolters our faith in Him.  God is pleased when we share things of great importance.

            What if we just kept our prayers on the lofty heights of praise, adoration and worship all the time?  What if we never shared our problems with God?  What if we felt as if we could never ask anything from Him?  Would we be acting honestly toward Him?  And if we’re not being honest with Him regarding our needs, could we honestly be worshiping Him?  When we pray and ask God for His help, isn’t that evidence of a healthy relationship?

            When we pray in His name, we approach the right hand of the Father and abide with Christ.  In other words, we get close to God.  And that’s the place where our prayers are heard and answered.”  How to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Say pp 38, 39, 41 by Elmer L. Towns, Regal

Sleep: “Sleep in a cool, dark, comfortable, tidy, and quiet room; Set anxieties and worries aside as you get into bed; Daily exercise and a clear conscious will help; Eliminate the “sleep robbers three”: alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine; Check medications that could interfere with sleep; Maintain a regular bedtime and do not eat at least four hours before; Provide fresh air in your sleeping room.”  Proof Positive p. 503 by Neil Nedley, M.D.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

“Patricia’s faith was unbelievably sincere.  Not yet halfway through her teens, she cherished, studied, and obeyed the Bible.  She was the only one in her home so inclined.  Her conversation was replete with references to God . . . especially His goodness and everlasting love.

            Prayer was her life.  She was a rare seeker for God’s will. . . .  She pleaded for heavenly light from a wholehearted desire to obey.  As the Holy Spirit led her into a fuller knowledge of God and His law, she obeyed and was baptized.

Given half a chance she served everyone:  cleaning house for an infirm widow, doing shopping for an invalid, encouraging the distressed . . . praying with people.  She lived her witness in her home; but her father, mother and brother could not surrender. . . .  They made life hard for her.

‘I’d give my life for their conversion!’  she said.  ‘Jesus gave His life for me.’

Two months before Patricia’s 19^th birthday her mother stopped the car to let her out for another day’s work.

‘Mum,’ Patricia sighed, ‘couldn’t we just have a word of prayer?’

‘Stop your nonsense,’ her mother responded.  I’ll pick you up at five. 

Thank you dear Mum.  May the Lord go with you and bless you.’

Patricia was slightly early to meet her Mum . . . so she crossed the busy road to speak a word of cheer to an estate agent and his wife.

After a while she said, ‘I have to go now.  I have to meet my Mum.’

She was halfway across when a speeding car struck her and flung her a distance down the road.  She died of multiple injuries.

At her funeral her free-thinking father asked me for a chance to say something.  ‘Always, every day, all the time, she was an angel!’ he wept.  And we persecuted her.  Yet she loved us. ‘‘I am praying for you, dear Dad’’, she would tell me.  She looked once at some lilies I was growing, and said, ‘‘ Dad, how will it be in heaven when there is already so much beauty in this broken world?’’ . . .  “God” and “Jesus” and “heaven” were constantly on her lips.

He and his wife and their son gave their hearts to God and were baptized.

This praying girl had given everything, and her fondest prayer had been answered.”  Prayer Made Practical pp 113, 114 by Fredrick Pelser, Autumn House

Top 5 Nuts and Seeds: Flaxseeds 1 oz. 8 g. fiber; Almonds 4 g. fiber 1 oz; Sunflower Seeds 2 g. fiber 1 oz.; Peanuts 2 g. fiber 1 oz; Walnuts 2 g. fiber 1 oz.; Omega 3 fat reduces the risk of dry eye syndrome.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “Wondering about the condition of your heart?  Listen to yourself speak.

            The tongue has inconceivable power—the power to direct, the power to destroy, and the power to disclose the condition of the heart.  So how do we harness this power and lick the temptation of the tongue?

            When it comes to licking the tongue, sheer will power is not enough.

            David discovered the futility of trying to lick the tongue by sheer willpower.  We could wear muzzles and still falter when it comes to controlling our words.  That’s because words flow out of what is in the heart.  To control our words we must have converted hearts.

            Thus my daily prayer is this poem:

Let the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Thy sight, O God.

If it were only a matter of words,

I’d have no problem.

But it’s not

And I do.  So God, please . . .

mold the meditation of my heart.

            It’s not just the words that trip us up, it’s the meditation of the heart.  Unless the meditation of the heart is continually focused on Jesus, the tongue will not be tamed. . . .  As you remain in Jesus, His words will remain in you.  That’s a promise from Jesus Himself.  If you want to lick the tongue, you must live in Christ.

            Charles Trumbull wrote, “‘Jesus Christ does not want to be our helper; He wants to be our life.  He does not want us to work for Him.  He wants us to let Him do His work through us.  When our life is not only Christ’s but Christ, our life will be a winning life; for He cannot fail’”  Out of the Hot Tub, into the World pp 86, 87 by Karl Haffner, Pacific Press Publishing Association

Asthma: Wine and beer are complex mixtures of natural chemicals, some of which resemble histamines, the chemicals our bodies make during allergic reactions.  These histamine-like chemicals are thought to cause the alcohol-induced nasal stuffiness that bothers so many people.  People with asthma may react to these chemicals with increased asthma symptoms.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “A.W. Tozer is credited with saying that if legalism has slain its thousands, antinomianism has slain its ten thousands. . . .  We mustn’t forget that a coalition of what we might call liberals and conservatives killed Jesus.  The Sadducees hated Him because He was so principled, and the Pharisees hated Him because He was so nice.  I want to be like that.  People who want to do the will of God aren’t legalists.  People who are sensitive about obeying the law of God aren’t necessarily legalists either.  “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness: (Psalm 143:10).

           The Lord’s Prayer contains a petition that the Father’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven (see Luke 11:2).  How can God’s will be done on earth unless we are willing to have it be done in our personal lives?  And how can His will be done unless we have the desire to obey?

            Let’s imagine a couple who is newly married.  They want very much to have a happy home, so they prepare a document that they call “Rules for a Happy Marriage.”  They put the document in a frame and hang it on the kitchen wall so they can see it at breakfast each morning.

            One morning during breakfast, something happens.  They exchange angry words, and the new bride leaves the room in tears.  The husband, with set jaw, seems to have made up his mind—that is, until he happens to see the “Rules for a Happy Marriage framed on the wall.  His eyes wander down the list of “do’s” and “don’ts,” and he notices rule # 2, which is “Always be kind to each other.”  Just then, his wife returns to the kitchen.  “Look,” the husband says to his wife, “I feel terrible, I feel awful because I’ve broken rule number two.”

            What’s the problem with this husband?  Where is the relationship going?  His concern shouldn’t be that he broke one of the rules; it should be that he hurt the one who loves him and whom he loves.

            In the same way, we don’t obey Jesus for obedience’s sake but for love’s sake.  Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).”  Lord, Save My Church pp 72, 73 by Richard W. O’Ffill, Pacific Press Publishing Association

Asthma and alcohol: The wise recommendation of most asthma experts is that if you have a history of asthma and or allergies, you should be aware that alcoholic beverages have the potential to trigger an asthma/ allergy attack.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “Dr. Dean Ornish, in his pioneering book Love and Survival, claims that our literal survival—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—depends on the healing power of love, intimacy, and relationships.

            But people who don’t—or can’t—forgive, are unable to experience genuine intimacy.  They can’t have healthy relationships.  My mother and dad, both now deceased, had forgiveness issues, and their marriage was fifty-five years of war. . . .  They both died younger than they should have.

            The Bible talks repeatedly about the importance of forgiveness.  “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:13).

            Jesus said if we want God’s forgiveness, we must forgive others.

            Ouch!  What if I can’t forgive?

            First, remember that forgiveness is a choice.  You can implement this choice with words such as these: “Lord, I choose to become a forgiving person with Your help.”  (Mark 11:25).

            Will saying these words make a difference?  It will.   Because our minds respond to your words.  If you keep telling yourself that you hate someone, you will.  If you tell yourself that you love someone, in time you will.

            Let’s say you’ve tended to hold grudges, but now have made the decision to become a forgiving person.  However, the next day, as you’re writing a check, you’re challenged by an opportunity to exercise forgiveness as the following incident unfolds.

            Your spouse says, “How much money do we have in the checking account?  When you say you’re not sure, he or she says, “You don’t manage money very well do you?  You do a terrible job with the checkbook.

            I learn from Exodus 34:6 that forgiveness and compassion and love are a natural part of the mind of God.  Then I read where the apostle Paul says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5, NKJV).

            I say to God every morning, “I am choosing to be a forgiving person. . . .  I need a new heart.  Please give me the mind of Christ and a new heart today.

            And God says, “Gladly.”  Sometimes I Don’t Feel Like Praying!  pp 105, 106 by Mike Jones, Pacific Press Publishing Association

Walking: in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2004 found that adding just 30 minutes of walking per day was enough to prevent weight gain and encourage moderate weight loss.  And if that is too much to start, try 3 ten minute walks a day.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine

            “Too often stories circulate in Christian circles, which imply that faith is the ticket to a pain-free existence.  Well-meaning Christians suggest that if you just have enough faith (say, a mustard seed or so) then, you wouldn’t be in the cave. . . .  Nowhere in Scripture can you find the notion that Christians who possess enough faith can manipulate circumstances in life to circumvent the caves.  Hardships bruise the faithful as much as the faithless.  Stories that suggest otherwise don’t square with the reality of life.

            Faith is not a ticket to a pain-free life.  Nor is it about doubt-free certainty.  Sometimes faith means just hanging on.  Faith is sitting in the cave surrounded by darkness but trusting God anyway.

            My brother’s spiritual journey landed on this understanding.  Recently, he shared excerpts from his journal written during that dark chapter in the cave.  “God” he wrote, “would it kill You to answer this prayer?  Would heaven fall?  Don’t you think you could answer this one thing?  Why are You so silent?  Why are You so distant?  I feel like chucking it in.  I’m not even going to keep trying.  I don’t even know if You’re there.  You are so silent.”

            Sometimes faith means that you wait in the cave, helpless to escape in your own power.  You can only hang on.

            My brother matured to this understanding.  He grew to see that faith is not about getting what you want.  Faith means tenaciously holding on to the hand of God.  It’s about refusing to take a shortcut and resting in the refuge of God.

            Sometimes faith is just hanging on to the hand of God as you sit in darkness.

            God wants to mature each of His children to the point of true trust—hanging on to Him, irrespective of the outcome.
          Someday you  . . . will explode out of the darkness.  You will feel God’s embrace, and you will be warmed by His close presence.

            Remember that God does some of His best work in caves.”  The Cure for Soul Fatigue pp 52-55 by Karl Haffner, Pacific Press Publishing Association

Dates: are a wonderful source of natural fibers, which the body requires to ensure good intestinal and bowel movement.  Low fiber diets lead to conditions such as constipation, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal and intestinal cancers.  Dates are a natural laxative source that is just as effective, if not more so, than commercially produced ones.  Just soak some dried dates in water over night and eat them the next morning.   Dates health benefits are very far reaching.

Be healthy and be happy,

Lorraine