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160110 NO Condemnation

Romans 8:1-4 (1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spir...

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

123014 New Year

There really is nothing magic about changing the calendar. Tradition makes a fuss over it with celebrations that emphasize their pagan origins, such as trees and presents to Woden, elves in chimneys, socks on mantles, holly boughs, special lights, special colors, etc. Yeah, I’m no fun at this time of year, because I know too much about how all our happy little traditions have their origins in paganism. (Christ was born on Tishri 1, or Rosh Hashana, and not on the Winter Solstice like so many pagan gods were.)

The drunken revelry known as New Year’s Eve is simply part of that pagan festival over the return of the Sun God. These stories can be traced all the way back to the times before Babylon when Noah’s great-grandson rejected the True God. Enough of that. This bit of archaeological knowledge simply fuels the depression I feel year after year for the battle-cry of the “reason for the season”, which has absolutely nothing to do with the Son of God and everything to do with frenzy.

So, despite my feelings for the change in calendar, I plan to re-start some resolutions on January 4th. I pick this day, because it allows me to consume the rest of the non-compliant foods in my refrigerator, such as those sweet potatoes a friend gave me or the sugar-free cranberry sauce I made. This is not a “New Year’s” resolution. This is this week’s resolution. I also have to make daily resolutions. I live too much in the present to control my eating habits for a whole year. It has to be a day by day decision. Days become weeks and so on.

I also plan to exercise. Ugh.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

141223 I Don't Feel Like Doing Anything

Somewhere today, someone is having a birthday  I know, because I had a friend in high school whose birthday was today. Such people often feel somewhat cheated. That's not what brings me down. My daughter and I simply can't stand the lack of sunshine, and overly happy people drive me insane. My other daughter asks me why I hate the holidays, but love all the songs? Well, the important songs are "O Holy Night", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", and "Angels We Have Heard On High". I can also sing parts of "The Messiah".

Do all holidays involve food? At least the turkey conforms. My turkey soup has a blend of spices, turkey and broccoli. I boil the bones in a gallon of water and 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar. This leaches the calcium out of the bones and deposits it into the soup. It also dissolves the tiny little bones that try to choke people. Then, I remove the softened bones and give them to the dog, because it is safe for her to eat their crumbly remains. I can eat this stuff every day. Sweet potatoes and mincemeat mock me. I may have the need for cranberry sauce licked. I accidentally made some sauce without sugar. Everyone gagged, but I found it quite invigorating.

Why do I do the vinegar thing with the bones? I am lactose intolerant. Broccoli, greens, and that trick with bones are a lot less expensive than taking calcium supplements. I'm also gluten intolerant and diabetic. Shouldn't that be motivation enough to stay on this diet?

Thursday, December 18, 2014

141218 Atkins Crosspost

141218 Morning BG Is One Ten.
...and I feel nauseous. I ate nuts yesterday. My intestines feel wobbly today. I'm guessing that nuts don't work for me. This is the first time in two days that my blood glucose levels got out of the normal range. 

Unlike some people, constipation is not my problem. I went to the doctor for gas and diarrhea in the early 1990s. He said it was I BS and put me on a high fiber diet, which included lots of wheat bran. The condition became much, much worse, but I had neither money, nor insurance to go back to the doctor.
 
Five or six years later, I read ER4YT, The runs quit, because I eliminated all wheat, rye, barley, oats. etc. from my diet. Bye, bye cow's milk products, which ended the stinky gas. My intestines loved me until panceatitis and gall bladder surgery in 2010. Then once again, I had the runs for two years. This time, it was certain fats that caused it. Through process of elimination, I found that I have to be careful with olive oil. I can't even touch corn, canola, or peanut oils. Chicken fat can send me running, as does pork. 

"How could I do the Atkins?" one may ask. Well, beef and tallow give me no problem whatsoever. I've learned to love steak. That certainly goes against common thought. Coconut oil is a Godsend. I use it for everything, because again, it causes no intestinal backlash. Eggs are cheap, versatile, and cause no backlash. One strip of bacon keeps things moving for me.

For meals, I follow a list I made for myself, but I hate recording what I ate afterwards. Perhaps I shall attempt it and post it here. I designed my personal diet so that I would not have to think too much about what to eat. When I am hungry and have to think, I get frustrated and pop things into my mouth. I am attempting to break 20 year of training and 36 years of habit here!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

141216 Holiday Food Crosspost

TexMex tradition = tamales at Christmas. I have already ordered mine, but won't get to eat any. Masa (corn flour used in tamales) has too many carbs. The rest of the family will enjoy them while I munch on tortilla-less barbacoa. Why is food so infused into all our traditions?

This year, I bought a turkey, too. Turkey is carb-free. I won't make any dressing for it, and the soup I make from the leftovers has no flour, no potatoes, and no corn. I usually add broccoli and spices to the broth and enjoy.

I discovered that pumpkin thickens like flour, so maybe I'll add that to the broth.

Pumpkin brings me to pie. My favorite is not pumpkin. Mincemeat is, (sigh). Pumpkin is sweet on its own. Because of gluten problems, I gave up pie crust a long time ago. Two decades ago, I started making custards instead of pie. My children LOVED pumpkin custard. Use the pie recipe and put in custard dishes instead of a pie pan. Cut the bake time in half, or monitor until done. The can of pumpkin has the recipe on the inside of the label, and one just needs to make the appropriate substitutions.

I quit making the custard, and just eat the pumpkin. Every year, a local church sells pumpkins for less than what the grocery store charges. The smallest ones make good pies, and the big ones are good with butter. Not everyone is good with cooking and storing fresh pumpkin, so look for the cans with no added sugar nor spice. My grocery store sells cans of pumpkin in the baking isle. 

When I keep my carbs evenly spread among the meals, I can have 1/2 cup of pumpkin mush a couple of times a week. I usually put it into my chicken soup, which will be turkey soup in January... 

Saturday, December 6, 2014

141206 Race Rants

Why does this yelling about race so infuriate me? I know why. I can't talk about it. It sticks in my throat as the bile in my stomach threatens to erupt in a violent spew of disgusting matter. No one knows. Well, my little sister knows some of it, but she wants to talk about it as much as I do. We keep our mouths closed. Karnes City was a far, far better place than that from whence we came.

Sometimes, I want to record how daily I was threatened with bodily harm for being blond. I want to explain why I had to walk six blocks out of my way to get home from school. I want to reveal why I feared other children. Occasionally, someone left both physical and emotional scars with words, a ball, a fist, a wooden bat. I once feared for my life. Then, it doesn't matter. My narrative doesn't fit the race-baiters narrative. Speaking does no good. It doesn't change minds. No one cares.

Those people are somewhere else, and no longer scare me. Certain leaders call for a 'dialogue on race', but they don't want an honest discussion. They want to lay blame. They don't want to hear about the two-way street. They don't want to hear that success takes work. They don't want to hear about the Renewed Mind. (Romans 12:1-3)

Romans 12:1-3
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service. 
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

In other parts of the Word, the 'measure of faith' is all there is, so how can one think higher than everything? It is a figure of speech to emphasize that we don't think highly enough of what God gives. God is no respecter of persons, so race does not matter. God does not care what is on the outside. Is a person born again, or is that person an empty vessel?

The Word of God healed me. Even though I post stuff about race, I fight the bitterness of it. I want people to see that race doesn't matter. Investing in 'fairness' causes strife and envying. Life is not fair; it never has been, and it never will be. God is not fair. He withholds merited judgement from the guilty, and gives unmerited favor to anyone who is willing to receive it.

If God were fair, we'd all be dead -- for all have sinned an come short of the glory of God.

Aren't you glad that God wasn't fair?

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

141203 Not Writing Much

Must be all the writing I did last month. ;)

Not much going on other than the diet. I went off after Thanksgiving, and it has been difficult to return to the restrictions. I have tried, however, to keep to the glycemic stuff to avoid another blood glucose horror. It worked. Mango is all sugar, but when I mixed it with chicken, I did not have another episode.

Today, I really must find me a doctor who will fill out the forms for free testing supplies. They cost way too much for me to keep up with them. It's $50 a bottle, or a dollar a strip. At this point, I need to test six times per day, so fifty strips last about eight days. I ran out just before the holiday, and have been flying by the seat of my pants. This gives me all the more reason to get back on the diet!

Get back on the diet!

Saturday, November 29, 2014

141129 More Cross Posting From Atkins

Thursday's overage must not have been so bad. I had no carvings yesterday, which is what makes diets so difficult.

Today, I have had a strong desire for water. It's just before noon, and I've had three quarts. Before Atkins, I would usually drink up to four quarts per day, so this is not that out of line. I decided not to limit my water. I take in enough sea salt to compensate.

Currently, I eat five small meals per day. I load the calories early, because it gives this morning person energy for the day.
  1. Usually some kind of beef starts my day. I love the Atkins frozen dinner of Beef and Broccoli. First thing this morning, I had an on-the-go breakfast of beef jerky, which had four grams of sugars in it, and not enough fat calories. :( 
  2. Mid-morning, I had 1.5 slices of bacon, 2 eggs, 1 oz Swiss, and two tablespoons of San Antonio salsa.
  3. For lunch, I am having chicken with coconut oil and broccoli.
  4. Mid-afternoon will be a salmon filet with pumpkin cooked in butter. 
  5. Supper will be consumme, salad, and maybe some leftover chicken, if I'm still hungry.
Most days are similar. It keeps things simple and prevents impulse eating. So far, my daughter's blueberry bagels have not tempted me.
Someone brought sugar-free cranberry sauce, sugar-free pie, and sugar-free cookies. I had no idea what the carb count was, but I ate them anyway.

Also, I ran out of bg testing strips, so I have no idea what happened to my blood glucose. No headaches, and no dizziness seem to say that the diabetes part was OK, but I think I overdid the carbohydrates. I'm back on Induction today. Should I restart the two weeks? Today would have been Day 9, if I hadn't gone over.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

141127 More Thanksgiving Posts

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and it's more than just food; I am truly thankful for many, many things! I have your average dysfunctional family where hurt feelings arise and people say stupid things. That's why we confine our festivities to my dad and my sisters. Extended family has their own thing where they devour each other. They might even unite on occasion and say nasty things about us, but we don't care anymore. I get that from my dad. He never said this, but his body language indicates, "You harpies are not going to give me indigestion. Goodbye."

Several years ago, I reconnected with my cousins. We were all hugs and laughs until someone mentioned the dreaded twins: politics and religion. I refuse to lie about my beliefs, so by answering a direct question, I discovered why my father stays as far away from my mother's family as is humanly possible. To my dismay, they found me on Facebook and continued the argument. Oh, how I enjoy those new privacy settings!

Yesterday, I forgot to take a reading after Chinese food (no rice). Then, I blew off readings for the rest of the day. I think my bg was up, because I fell asleep early, and first thing this morning, it was 105. While the menu I made for myself counts carbs and calories, eating out is iffy. I had beef and broccoli, but what other ingredients did they use? What's in the hot and sour soup? I gave the rice and the egg roll to my daughter. 

I count calories, because I have been on the Atkins before, and got hungry. My diet at that time had too few calories, so it became necessary to find carb-free calories and to introduce fats into my diet. My brother-in-law has been an insulin dependent diabetic since childhood, and we go round and round on this. He has a medical degree, and follows the ADA diet religiously. He doesn't like the Atkins and regales me with the benefits of high-carb vegetables and low-fat dairy.

He'll be at dinner today. At least we can agree on the turkey. 

141127 Happy Thanksgiving!

Sorry, I haven't been blogging so much around here. How about I cross post? I have been blogging at:
http://blogs.atkins.com/Blogs/Moons%20Mom/Default.aspx

My blogs work as a journal, but then I found the journal function. Hmm. I'll just keep blogging. You don't have to read it, but someone might enjoy my ramblings. I haven't posted in a couple of days. My girls came back from a cross country trip, and I was occupied. Guess what? I stayed on the program! 

I have a new friend whose screen name references the Bible. What's not to like? I reference the Bible frequently. My favorite passage for weight loss is: 
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 
27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

The Epistles contain many examples of athletic terminology. That shows that God is interested in our health and well being. Some may say it isn't so, but that does more to show the limitations of their thinking than any supposed limitations of God. Anyway, we could reduce this concept to a sterilized discussion of an amorphous 'higher power', but I might as well make my stand known. (Joshua 24:15)

Yesterday, my blood sugar dropped to 65, but after dinner, it spiked to 145. I'm not sure what I had eaten, but it had a dramatic effect. The first few days after starting the diet, my readings seemed to stabilize, until day 5. My children came back, and my blood sugar spiked. All that 'sugar', I guess. ;)

Time for a reading.
I already forgot what day I'm on, but I think it is day 4. I haven't been counting carbs so much as following a menu. I devised the menu last week by assessing all the nutrition, including the carbohydrates. Since I have Celiac disease, that eliminates a lot of heavy carb foods already. I just have to quit the rice and watch the starchy vegetables, as well as tweak a few other foods to limit my carbs to vegetables and high protein foods.

Dr. Oz said to automate some meals, so I have the same breakfast and same lunch every day. Both have six carbohydrates and 240 calories in them, although one has beef that the other has chicken. Snacks vary, but have no more than two carbs each. Supper is usually some kind of fish or eggs with vegetables that have no more than four carbs. I keep the total calories between 1200 and 1400 per day. So far, I do little exercise. After Induction, I'll work a plan for that.

This morning, before breakfast, my blood glucose reading was 97. Finally, a morning where it was below 100! An hour and a half after breakfast, it was still 97. Does this mean that I have reached ketosis? What would those readings look like?
I tore out of here at 6:30 am. Took Beef Jerky as a snack, even though that stuff is made with sugar. Got home by 11, but I have to go out again at 2:30. After that, I'll probably get home after 9.
OK, it is Day Three. Things are going well today. I finished my NaNoWriMo challenge nine days early! W007! What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? National Novel Writing Month started some years ago with the challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 days. In 2008, I wrote my first ever novel, which is how a person wins. Then, I edited it and sent it for publication. Sadly, the general public will not be reading my tome. I wrote another one in 2011, but it was disjointed and vague, so I never let anyone see it. (I'm sensing a pattern here... :p) Every three years I write.

What does this have to do with food? Well, I tend to eat better food when I'm happy. When I am happier, it's easier to eat good food. 

Today, I checked my blood sugar twice. At waking, it was 102. I ate breakfast of beef, with a little bit of tomato. After typing for four hours, it had dropped to 84, so I ate two Italian sausages. Now, after eating two eggs, an ounce of cheddar, and some coconut oil, it reads 82. Maybe I should wait two hours after eating.

I'm still jazzed about finishing my novel. :D
Today, I have vague hunger. This morning during cravings, my blood sugar was 107. A half an hour ago, I had some beef to try to counteract this afternoon's cravings. My blood sugar was 105. I'm checking to see if the cravings coincide with a spike or drop in blood sugar. The cravings are subsiding, so I probably didn't wait long enough after the meal to check it.

Today, when I logged on, there were friend requests and comments to read. This pleases me! I really smiled to see them, and it encourages me to keep this up. 

One problem common to many dieters comes in the form of familial needs. I have to feed my two daughters. Neither one will eat the foods I need to eat. (One, however, will eat bacon -- all of it!) It would be easier with them out of the house, but then the real world seldom bends to our wishes. The only real change we can effect is to our own minds.

It always comes down to motivation and the willingness to bend one's will to what is best. There. I feel better and the craving is dissipating. Maybe I'll check the blood sugar again. I am having so much fun with this kit, I may use all my supplies in the first two weeks. If the Atkins works to keep my blood sugar stable, I'll never have to go on drugs.

There was a diabetic cyclist who was on the Atkins. It would be nice to find that website again.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

141112 Again With the Ringing

Once again, my ears are ringing. I have been eating a lot of fruit lately, and I just finished eating some fried rice. My guess is that my blood glucose levels are up. I almost collapsed in the kitchen last night. Emily thought I'd been drinking, but I hadn't. While it seems like such a little thing to control one's diet, the truth is that cheap food has a lot of carbohydrates in it, and carbohydrates turn to sugar in the body.

The constant ringing in my ears had started to go away, but I was going crazy on the restrictive diet. Food prices also took another jump, so I went back to the food bank. What they give falls mostly into the "breads and grains" category, so I dropped off the expense of the Atkins and added rice to my diet. Emily took the other grains. The ringing is back full force, and although I've had only water so far this morning, I feel like I am drunk. My brain is fuzzy and that low level buzz makes me think of alien bombardments.

Temperatures here took a drastic nose dive yesterday. Monday's high was near 80F (26C). Tuesday's high came at about eight o'clock in the morning. It got close to freezing last night, and we should have a hard freeze tonight. Yes, northerners laugh, but adapting to survive the summers here does come at a price. Cold bites.

If this doesn't sound incredibly depressing, it is because I am fighting SAD with all I have. The novel has become dark, but I'm on track with my goals concerning word counts. I have discovered that I cannot write an outline, then write the book. I have to just write. I thought this was a failing, but then I listened to a favorite author, John Erickson, discuss writing. He doesn't plan, either, and sixty-four published books says outlines don't have to be.

OK, how can you be depressed listening to "It's me again..."


What? Children's books can be fun and funny. He didn't write the first two for children, but when children loved them, he decided to make a whole series of them. He's a good speaker, too.

I'm just a lump on a log. I miss ice cream. Ice cream tastes wonderful and is fun to eat, but would just make my body feel worse. *cries*

Monday, October 27, 2014

141027 Bumps and Bruises

Saturday was Estella's wedding shower. I baked a cake and made name tags. In my excitement, I attempted the stairs without my walker, and fell. My ankle swelled to half again its size, and my knees became loose and painful again.

Determined not to miss the shower, I rubbed Pan Away on everything. I took oils with me and applied them occasionally. I stayed off my feet as often as possible.

Sunday, I could get by with the cane. Today, the swelling in gone, and the pain is only in the plantar fasiitis. Even the latter is greatly diminished from what it was three weeks ago. This is why I love the oils. They remove both the symptoms as well as the causes of my pains.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

141023 Registering for NaNoWriMo

There is a story bubbling in my soul, and this is the right time to write. Now, the rules are that I have to wait until the 1st to start. I shall be hampered by the trip we have planned, so I'll need to fit that into the schedule. Some people write the novel in two weeks. I'll shoot for that.

I won't post anything here until it's done.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

141021 The Fastest Way of Being Hit

I like Robert Downey, Jr. He plays arrogance well, and it seems that his characters have used their arrogance to hide painful weakness. They may have depth, but use shallowness to cover it.

The Judge made me laugh and brought a tear. It also had Robert Duvall in it, as well as a few other familiar faces. Robert Duvall does the "I'm too tough to have weakness."

Downey played a NYC attorney who liked to win at all costs. The rest of the family stayed in Indiana, where the dad, played by Duvall, was a judge. Downey played the middle kid. Mom died, and the two men had to face each other. Fireworks ensued.

Why did I like this movie? I'm the middle kid. Middle kids suffer from not being good enough, and not being cute enough, to have "love". This was one of those movies that spoke to me on many levels. Yes, I realize that I can be a self-centered *** at times, but only when I'm feeling slighted. I promise.

The Judge may find its way into my video collection. No where can I fault the acting, and the story appeals to me. It is neither action/adventure nor SF, but it made my day.

BTW, there is a proverb that applies to birth order as well as the highway of opinion: "Standing in the middle of the road is the fastest way of being hit."

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

141014 First Check

Finally, after three or four years of being a distributor of essential oils, I received my first check! OK, it's only sixty bucks, but it's a check! Cool!

141014 SoA

I know and have known dozens of people who own motorcycles. Maybe a double handful of those Ride. Four Bikers have been close personal contacts. At least two of those associates are born again.

A month or so ago, two unrelated Facebook friends referenced a TV show known as The Sons of Anarchy. Good Internet had just been piped into my home, so I watched the first couple of seasons online.

Like a fifteen car pileup, it drew my attention. It took until the start of the third season for me to pull my eyes from it. Yes, there was a code of honor; there was the love of family; there was a kind of justice, but there was nothing inherently good about it. Hollywood keeps its characters in constant strife, and tweaks all story lines to conform to their own worldview. Truth doesn't matter.

Truth is, while isolated incidents and even some story lines were believable, the combination was not. There should have been more jail time, injury, and/or death for all. I know of only one old biker who still rides, and he does that only for show. Also, he has lost his hearing. Cops are not stupid, and in any department, more than one of them is going to be a 'straight arrow'. Based on these deviations from reality and the excessive emotional pain the characters constantly generate, I developed a great dislike for the show.

I realize that TV is not real, but Hollywood acts like they are showing the 'real deal' in their fiction. Actually, many writers such as myself do attempt to illustrate reality with our fiction. Aesop used stories to convey wisdom. Shakespeare and Steinbeck illustrated the human condition. Maybe that's why most of Hollywood disgusts me. It seems that they have completely abandoned this facet of fiction that reveals truth and replaced it with this facet of coercion. They seem obligated to drive home certain narratives without ever allowing certain alternate opinions or even facts that contradict.

My daughter told me that new experiences, even second-hand or fictional, cause the brain to produce dopamine. Even unpleasant experiences can cause the production of dopamine. That must be why SoA captured my attention. I am not, however, an addict (dependent personality disorder). Nope. Not me, but I was married to one.

In sixteen days, I may return to an old experience that causes a rush: NaNoWriMo. November is usually a tough month with many obligations, so maybe not. It is, however, my kind of fun! Certainly, I can do better than watching SoA!

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

140916 Why Do I Need the Air Conditioner?

I know why. I live in South Texas, that's why. Some people from Minnisota came down for a visit a couple of years ago and used our weather as proof of Global Warming.

*snorts*

It was actually a cool summer that year. For here it was cool -- only few triple digits, (above 38C). Even when I was a child in the 1960s, we regularly had summers that tested the limits of human endurance! We had no A/C then, and I remember looking at a thermometer that said 114F (46C). It was in the car port, in the breezeway, in the shade, and it was better than in the house!

People don't think. They simply believe what they are told without considering the motives of those who try to influence another's behavior. It seems that some people even have trouble trusting their own memories when it comes to the political clout of certain so-called authorities.

A couple of weeks ago, my A/C went out. We were still getting triple digits. I tried the homemade A/C that the Crazy Russian posted on You Tube. It was pretty good, but the ice didn't last nearly long enough.

My landlord got me a new window unit, but I don't have the ability to get it into the window. Temps have gone down into the 90s and high 80s, so I am have decided to wait for our two weeks of winter to get the unit into the window. I'm still laughing at those who are heralding the crisp mornings or a bite in the air. Our 'bite' was a dip into the 70s a couple of days ago. Yep, it got all the way down to 24C the other night.

Yep. Don't you just love South Texas?

140916 My Voice Came Back

On Monday, September 8, a friend left a message on my phone to call her. We connected on Tuesday. She asked me to sing at her wedding. Cool! Once before, I sang at a wedding, and I have sung with various amateur choirs before dozens, even hundreds of people. It was an honor to be asked.

Usually, I get significant notice before public singing. This wedding was on Saturday, September 13.

She needed my help and loved my voice, so we agreed on a song I already knew, and I practiced it. Friday night was rehearsal, but the song didn't fit. About 10pm, the minister called with a replacement song. He also informed me that I had to be my own accompaniment. Never before had I successfully sung and played the piano at the same time, and I had sixteen short hours to learn! To add to the stress, both of my girls had respiratory ailments. A scratch had invaded my throat.

This was truly an exercise in believing! Nothing can be accomplished without at least a kernel of belief. God strengthened me and helped me to rise above my fear.

Getting to the hall early, I familiarized myself with the electric piano. I worked out the cords for the left hand, since the music available to me was written for singing and had only the melody. I rested my voice by practicing sotto voice instead of from the diaphragm. When I felt confident enough, I found someone to minister healing to me for that irritated throat.

My throat ceased its clamoring. I was determined to bless my friends!

The time appointed arrived. With a mixture of friends and strangers before me, my heart played. 

"There's a peace in heart that the World never gave! A peace it cannot take away..."

Several people told me it was beautiful. God made it beautiful. He blessed me mightily.

Monday, September 1, 2014

140901 Kidney Pain

A lot of these testimonials were written by other people, but this one is about me:

First, be advised that one should consult a physician with symptoms like this:

For a day or so, I had been having discomfort in my lower back, but no history of lower back pain. Also, for the last week, it had been difficult to urinate. This happens far too frequently with me. I knew I needed to drink more water, but at the same time had trouble doing so. 

Suddenly, sharp pains attacked my kidney area. It was as if someone had plunged a knife there! Immediately, I grabbed the closest oil, put it on the back of my hand and slapped my hand onto the area of pain. It was DiGize. I had meant to use Thieves, but utilized the DiGize by mistake. DiGize, however, ended the pain. Just to be sure, I put a drop of Thieves on a clay pendent to wear it close to my face all day. Then, I put a few drops of Grapefruit in every glass of water. Over the course of the next six hours, I drank almost four liters of water in between eating fresh vegetables with sea salt. (Water flushes out salt. Salt is necessary for life. Sea salt provides the proper electrolytes, without the chemicals that are added to ‘table’ salt.)

The pain is gone. After reviewing the EODR, it seems that DiGize was the correct choice. I plan to follow the advice there, which includes other oils and nutritional supplements. Having these oils blesses me.

Friday, August 29, 2014

140829 Avoiding Work

Yep. That's what I do. Yesterday, we all felt pretty bad. We didn't 'feel well'. Physically, we seemed to be fine, but mentally nothing was right. Moon decided to sleep it off and then go to band practice. (She's performing tonight.) Agent and I just sat around and growled.

Meanwhile, my sister and her husband, in KS and NE respectively were having bad days, too. Spiritual matters tend to ignore physical distance.

We're better, now. I have to work on this praying thing. Prayer yields results. Specific prayer yields specific results. Also, I have a list of household chores and jobs to attack.

  1. Winter Planting
  2. Hammock Hanging
  3. Vegetation Pruning
  4. Wedding Catering
  5. Item Crafting (for upcoming sales)
  6. Junk Culling
  7. Business Planning

So, what am I doing online? Hmm?

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

140827 EEEEK!

Snakes don't bother me. Many of them consume those disgusting creatures known as mice. Spiders don't bother me. They suck the life out of hated flies.



This morning, there was a cockroach in my bathroom. I thought it was dead, so I took a small piece of discarded cardboard to scoop it into the trash can.

OMG! It moved!!!!

I squeaked, and preceded to use a large blunt object to pummel the already dying creature. Then, I swept the tiny pieces of its scattered remains onto the cardboard, and flushed it down the toilet.

Since spraying Thieves (R) and Peppermint around the house a couple of weeks ago, I have found many roach corpses. Since that one wasn't QUITE dead, I sprayed again. maybe I'll spray weekly, just to be sure.

Thieves (R) Spray

1/2 cap of Thieves (R) Household Cleaner
1 Quart or liter of water
1 liter spray bottle

To kill most insects and repel mice, also add 10 drops of Peppermint.


Sunday, August 3, 2014

140803 Crash!

For unknown reasons, my website crashed. I have to wait until tomorrow to call and ask about it. :(

Meanwhile, I'm working on a recipe for kidney health.

Friday, August 1, 2014

140801 August Newsletter

Welcome to my first official newsletter on essential oils!

At this point, it is bare bones, but should get better! Some of you know of the health improvements I have made in my own life. Most are listed in other posts in this blog. Basically, if we all ate 'real' food in proper proportions, drank water instead of chemicals, and exercised our bodies, then our need for chemical medication would greatly diminish. If you want me to handle a particular topic, please leave a comment.

I'm going to start with a testimonial that was sent to me:

Essential Oils: Traumatic Brain Injury After Sleeping At The Wheel

Here are some major events planned for San Antonio:

San Antonio area folks - registration is now live for both Friday nights Skin Care Experience and Saturdays business and wellness seminar.

Oct 17, 2014  Friday evening  6:45 - 9pm
Orchid Skin Brilliance Class Taught by Sharon Raybern, Young Living Gold, Skin Care enthusiast.
Embassy Suites Hotel, 7750 Briaridge, San Antonio, Texas, 78230 
Experience the wonderful world of YL essential oil infused skin care. For all the details and the products you will get to experience, your goodie bag and more - go to the registration link:

Oct 18 2014 Saturday  YL Super Saturday with Debra Raybern, YL Royal Crown Diamond, ND, MH, CNC, ICA, Author Gentle Babies
Embassy Suites Hotel, 7750 Briaridge, San Antonio, Texas, 78230 
9am-11:30pm Sharing the Young Living lifestyle. 
Lunch is on your own.
1:00-4PM What’s at the root of your health concerns? Emotions, hormonal balance, genetics, cleansing and detoxing, heavy metals? Three steps to gaining the victory over health issues and enjoying optimum wellness.
On Saturday, attend one or both sessions for the low price of $15.00 (includes both sessions, no discount for attending just one)

Be Blessed!

Friday, July 25, 2014

140725 What Makes You Scream?

Diary: 140725

It just comes out: that ear-splitting, horror movie scream races through my throat to mobilize everyone in the house, sleeping or not. Three seconds of high pitched volume does more than any call to reveille. It gets the blood pumping.

It was a cockroach.

In South Texas, (thanks to Lackland AFB), our little house bugs are two to three inches long, as much as eight or nine centimeters! These Southeast Asian imports are quite at home here in our subtropical climate. Usually, bugs and mice enter a house looking for water, because food is plentiful outside, while water is scarce. No other bug affects me this way. I actually like spiders for their fly-killing ways.

Did you know that we have a snake? I love snakes. Three of North America’s poisonous snakes live in this area, and I know how to deal with them all. Most snakes avoid people, and disappear when they can. I simply allow them to do so. Many snakes are quite useful, because they eat things we don't want! Our ball python eats mice, which is the only other creature that causes me to scream. I need a pet that eats giant, fear-inducing cockroaches. What do iguanas eat?



**I sprayed the house with oils that are supposed to repel the giant beetles. When day comes, I plan to find what KILLS them.

1/2 Cup water
1/2 Teaspoon salt
5 Drops Cypress
10 Drops Peppermint

 

Saturday, July 19, 2014

140719 Weight Loss

Yesterday, I told someone that I had not lost any weight. Today, I decided to weight myself, and !? I had lost ten pounds!?

I have been drinking half my body weight in water each day, which is close to a gallon, or 3 1/2 liters. Also, I am avoiding grains and eating fresh meat with lots of vegetables. The food restrictions have been roughly those in the Body Type Diet, which I mentioned earlier. On the down side, I cheat and consume more meat than the diet says. I eat between meals, but usually keep the cheating to low- or no- carbs.

Additionally, I rub the fat on my tummy with citrus essential oils once per day. I am always thirsty, so wanting all that water has been no problem.

The American people have been fed a perfect storm of misinformation about what constitutes a good diet. I could write and cite books on it. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published a report about heart disease and salt consumption. It finally validated what certain health enthusiasts have been trying to tell the American Medical Association (AMA): salt is not evil; it is vital.

The AMA forced the CDC to remove the report because it contradicted their mantra, and now you can't find it on the web. I have a printed copy. I keep it with my copy of the water cure (www.watercure2.org) and the writings of Dr. Atkins.

So, I lost weight and I feel great. Let's see if this trend continues.

Friday, July 18, 2014

140718 Toothpaste

Ten years ago, The Farmer's Almanac published a toothpaste recipe I liked, so I started using the baking soda compound with essential oils. When I became involved with Young Living, I used their oils.

Across the web, there are a few pages that tout the benefits of homemade toothpaste for healing teeth.

My teeth hurt, and the dentist hasn't seen my smile for a decade. I certainly don't have the funds to have him repair what I suspect is wrong.

Not long ago, I ran across this article: How to Naturally Reverse Cavities and Heal Tooth Decay. I don't know if I mentioned it in an earlier post, but it became necessary to review the materials again. I slipped off the diet, and my mouth hurts terribly. Pulling oil with two drops of Clove essential oil in it relieved the pain until mealtime. Then the pain returned. Until it quits entirely, I shall be pulling oil every morning, avoiding all grains and processed foods, drinking only water, and using homemade toothpaste three times per day.

I altered the healing recipe to suit myself:

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 Tablespoons Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon Stevia
10 drops of Young Living Thieves Essential oil
1 crushed calcium tablet (chosen for its ability to dissolve in vinegar)

This is about a week's supply, so make it and store in an opaque container, or in brown glass to protect from sunlight.

Toothache = Lack of Prosperity

Saturday, July 5, 2014

140705 Recruitment

For the first time ever, I have managed to recruit partners in weight loss. It happened by accident. Agent has become disgusted with her weight gain. She started adding ten unnecessary pounds in that brief experience with public school. Since then, she has packed on another 25 pounds, so wants to drop 35.

In January and February, I put on 20 pounds without changing my eating habits. Maybe it's the Menopause Mound? Whatever. I didn't need it, and weight has finally affected my blood pressure. It has ceased being low average!

I suggested to Agent that we should try a diet together. The Eat Right 4 Your Type did not thing for her, so I suggested the Body Type Diet. It's a fun little diet from the '90s that gives a couple of tests and a detailed account of what each body type should eat. While her blood type is the same as mine, she has a completely different body type, so I printed out what she should eat. She is really trying to eat the things the diet tells her to eat. I went on it with her for support, because I had followed it before she was born.

This diet lead to pregnancy. My husband (now ex-) and I had been trying to have children for seven years, and when I went on this diet, I ate meat for the first time since childhood. Next thing I knew, I was pregnant! Other factors were involved, of course, but this book had said that my particular body type needed red meat. I decided that the author's claims were not bogus.

When I told a friend that Emily and I were dieting together, he decided that he wanted to be involved. That brought us to three of the four types listed. I am P-Type for round all over fat. Agent is G-Type for all the fat going to ONE PLACE. Yeah, she sits on it. My friend is T-type because it is all sits like tubes around his middle. Then, when Moon found out we were dieting, she decided to join us. She claims that she needs to lose 15 pounds. Really? She is the final type: A-Type. A-Types are the husky, large muscled, beer-bellied apple types with florid square faces and hearty appetites. She MIGHT have fifteen pounds to lose, but from what I can see, it's mostly muscle. She USED to have a tummy, but now is just looks like five pounds of soft, but flat, flesh. Muscle on women tends to look like fat, until they flex it.

That's our four types. So far, I have felt a boost in energy, and I've lost three pounds. Our week starts on Monday, because last Sunday, I went to a bridal shower and ate some cake.

I may post details of the diet, but here is the book:

Essential Oils: Experimental Surgery Did Not Relieve My Headaches

Headaches are as individual as the people who get them. Many have commonalities, so try the one this woman found!



Essential Oils: Experimental Surgery Did Not Relieve My Headaches




Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Sunday, June 15, 2014

140615 Not Feeling So Good

Perception means a lot to some people. For instance, I took a short trip. For some, that could mean travel time of under a day. This trip took twelve hours one way. I stayed for two nights and drove six hundred miles home. It was fun, and had a purpose or three.

One result I neither planned nor anticipated was that I stopped taking my daily oils! I just forgot to take them with me, and then didn't restart when I came home. All week I have been down in the dumps and tired! Obviously, these oils have been healing me for the last three or four years, because I can document my lack of certain illnesses, the lack of pain in my joints, the lack of pain in my extremities, and the greater range of movement.

So, I stopped taking the daily oils, and I feel tired. My brain feels sluggish. Some people poke at me and suggest a change in attitude. "Use the Renewed Mind of Romans 12," they say. Yes, I will. I will use my renewed mind power to go back to the healing program for my body! Mind, body, and spirit are intricately mixed. I'm using all three to heal my body.

Oils I use:
DiGize
Fennel
Christmas Spirit

I also take a dose or two of NingXia Red every day.

If no one ever buys from me, I still get personal benefits and a better price by being an authorized distributor. If someone does want to buy from me, or to get the benefits of being an authorized distributor, (s)he should contact me by the e-mail listed above.

Monday, May 26, 2014

140526 It Will Hit Me on Friday

Awhile back, when I was a teen or young adult, lawmakers decided that it was easier to celebrate all holidays on Monday, rather than on random days of the week. The exceptions were Independence day, a.k.a. "The Fourth of July", Christmas, New Year's Day, and other holidays that were absolutely tied to a specific day of the week, such as those held on Sunday or that one designated as the fourth Thursday in November. (Thanksgiving is one of my personal favorites.)

Memorial Day has been the last Monday in May for decades. Today, people all over the country see today as the beginning of summer, as the day to have roasted hot dogs, picnics, and parties. This weekend, many family trips have started in a race to visit national monuments or to experience the great outdoors. For more than half my life, it has been celebrated on some day other than May 30th, but it is still May 30th when it hits me.

On March 13, 1976, my brother died while serving in the USAF. May 30th is when I mourn his passing.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

140524 Blood-Sucking Vampires!

The worst thing about living here are the mosquitoes, (or the thorns, or the heat, or the scorpions...). In the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, mosquitoes are tiny little insects that secretly bite. In South Texas, they are the size of horse flies. They painfully attack right through one's t-shirt, shorts, and socks to leave swelled redness that painfully itches.

I took five steps out my back door to water my poor, lonely tomato plant and five or six of the monsters immediately attached themselves to my legs and started pumping blood like angry motorists demanding gasoline. I could not swat them quickly enough. Although I smeared several of the little devils across my body, I came away with seven welts in hard to reach places.

Soaking in Epson Salts helped a bit. Citronella oil is keeping them out of the house, but they hide in the AC units, and get into the cars at night.

Little vampires!