I have never had trouble with allergies, but my husband sure has. For his whole life (at least the adult part of it) he has suffered with allergies. Just like clockwork, every December he would have an allergy attack, which led to a sinus infection, which led to strep throat or bronchitis. After a dose of antibiotic, he would feel better, but continued with a lot of sneezing and drainage through the winter. As the years went by, the symptoms got worse, until he would need several dozes of antibiotics during the winter.
Three years ago, he was sick all winter with allergies and bronchitis, went through multiple antibiotics, and developed asthma. So, on top of the coughing, gagging, spitting, and sneezing, he was now wheezing! The following year was even worse. Last year was not as bad, but this October, the cycle started again, with allergies and a sinus infection, which required two rounds of antibiotics to clear up. After a week of feeling better, he began to develop another infection.
This time, he searched the Internet for allergies which cause of chronic bronchitis. He was surprised to find that many of the allergens which cause his symptoms are not airborne, but are foods. The most common food allergies that cause respiratory reactions are sugar, dairy products, wheat, and yeast.
So, beginning on November 1, he stopped consuming those products. Within three days he was clear of allergy symptoms. It has been amazing; no coughing, gagging, spitting, sneezing, or wheezing.
Today is Nov 29, and he has had a month of health, during the season that he normally suffers the most. He has not eaten any of the foods, except an occasional cheat. We have discovered that the main culprit is sugar. At one meal, he ate a salad X and was surprised by an immediate episode. I realized that he had used a Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing which had a lot of sugar. But, today, he had a catfish sandwich, the first yeast bread he has had all month, and he had no problems. So, it seems that sugar is more of a problem than yeast.
We are so excited to find out this "secret" and wanted to share. Maybe someone else with allergies could get some help.
A little side effect is that his eczema has improved, and he has lost 12 pounds.
Our purpose is to encourage women to pursue a growing, passionate relationship with Jesus Christ through support, fellowship and discipleship. We strive to provide many opportunities to help women grow in relationship with Christ; to live the abundant life that Jesus promised, a life of joy and freedom, and to have relationships that are healthy and fulfilling.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Be Grateful; Be Healthier and Happier
During the month, as I considered that whole idea of giving thanks, I had the thought that I am sure that giving thanks is beneficial to us. I have learned that when God gives us commands, He does so, not just because that is what He wants, but, also because it is best for us.
So, I "googled" it! Boy, was I right. There have been a number of studies done, and many articles and blogs written about the benefits of just being grateful. I read a few totally secular articles, and compiled a few of the facts about those benefits. Remember, these facts are taken from scientific research studies by secular researchers.
The research is summarized in Robert Emmons' new book Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier (Houghton Mifflin, 2007)
Emmons' book reports on several studies. In the first, he and his colleagues divided participants into three groups, each of which made weekly entries in a journal. One group wrote five things they were grateful for. Another group described five daily hassles and a control group listed five events that had affected them in some way.
Results from a second study suggested that daily writing led to a greater increase in gratitude than weekly practice. The results of that study produced some surprising discoveries.
1. Gratitude makes us happier.
A five-minute a day gratitude journal can increase your long-term well-being by more than 10 percent.a1,a2,a3 That’s 2.5x the impact of winning more than $1,000,000 in the lottery!a4
Lottery winners show a huge spike in happiness, followed by a quick drop. Those who kept a gratitude journal slowly raised their level of happiness until it passed the lottery winners, and the levels just kept increasing.
2. Gratitude makes people like us.
Gratitude generates social capital – in two studies with 243 total participants, those who were 10% more grateful than average had 17.5% more social capital.b1
Gratitude makes us nicer, more trusting, more social, and more appreciative. As a result, it helps us make more friends, deepen our existing relationships, and improve our marriage.b2
3. Gratitude makes us healthier.
A study reported by Emmon's group showed results among a group of people suffering from various neuromuscular diseases. People using daily gratitude journals reported more satisfaction with their lives and were more optimistic about the future than the control group. Interestingly, the gratitude group also reported getting more sleep, spending less time awake before falling asleep and feeling more refreshed in the morning. Those who engage in gratitude practices have been shown to feel less pain, go to the doctor less often, have lower blood pressure, and be less likely to develop a mental disorder.
Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that gratitude can have a protective effect against heart attacks. Studying people who had experienced one heart attack, the researchers found that those patients who saw benefits and gains from their heart attack, such as becoming more appreciative of life, experienced a lower risk of having another heart attack.
4. Gratitude makes us more optimistic.
Gratitude is strongly correlated with optimism. Optimism in turn makes us happier, improves our health, and has been shown to increase lifespan by as much as a few years. I’d say a 5 minute a day gratitude journal would be worth it just for this benefit.
5. Gratitude reduces materialism.
Materialism is strongly correlated with reduced well-being and increased rates of mental disorder. Materialism is that it makes people feel less competent, reduces feelings of relatedness and gratitude, reduces their ability to appreciate and enjoy the good in life, generates negative emotions, and makes them more self-centered.
1) Keep a Daily Gratitude Journal
This is probably the most effective strategy for increasing your level of gratitude. Set aside time daily to record several things that you are grateful for. (Typically, people list three to five.) You can write when you get up or at the end of the day. Pick a time that you will consistently have available.
2) Use Visual Reminders
Two obstacles to being grateful are forgetfulness and lack of awareness. You can counter them by giving yourself visual cues that trigger thoughts of gratitude. Emmons says he puts Post-It notes listing his blessings in many places, including on his refrigerator, mirrors and the steering wheel of his car. Another strategy is to set a timer on your phone to go off as a reminder.
3) Have a Gratitude Partner
Social support encourages healthy behaviors, because we often lack the discipline to do things on our own. Just as you may be more likely to exercise if you have an exercise partner or participate in a class, you may be able to maintain the discipline of gratitude more easily if you have a partner with whom to share gratitude lists and to discuss the effects of gratitude in your life.
4) Make a Public Commitment
We feel accountable when we make commitments to others. Tell your friends, a class, Bible study group, or write it on facebook!
So, I "googled" it! Boy, was I right. There have been a number of studies done, and many articles and blogs written about the benefits of just being grateful. I read a few totally secular articles, and compiled a few of the facts about those benefits. Remember, these facts are taken from scientific research studies by secular researchers.
The research is summarized in Robert Emmons' new book Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier (Houghton Mifflin, 2007)
Emmons' book reports on several studies. In the first, he and his colleagues divided participants into three groups, each of which made weekly entries in a journal. One group wrote five things they were grateful for. Another group described five daily hassles and a control group listed five events that had affected them in some way.
Results from a second study suggested that daily writing led to a greater increase in gratitude than weekly practice. The results of that study produced some surprising discoveries.
1. Gratitude makes us happier.
A five-minute a day gratitude journal can increase your long-term well-being by more than 10 percent.a1,a2,a3 That’s 2.5x the impact of winning more than $1,000,000 in the lottery!a4
Lottery winners show a huge spike in happiness, followed by a quick drop. Those who kept a gratitude journal slowly raised their level of happiness until it passed the lottery winners, and the levels just kept increasing.
2. Gratitude makes people like us.
Gratitude generates social capital – in two studies with 243 total participants, those who were 10% more grateful than average had 17.5% more social capital.b1
Gratitude makes us nicer, more trusting, more social, and more appreciative. As a result, it helps us make more friends, deepen our existing relationships, and improve our marriage.b2
3. Gratitude makes us healthier.
A study reported by Emmon's group showed results among a group of people suffering from various neuromuscular diseases. People using daily gratitude journals reported more satisfaction with their lives and were more optimistic about the future than the control group. Interestingly, the gratitude group also reported getting more sleep, spending less time awake before falling asleep and feeling more refreshed in the morning. Those who engage in gratitude practices have been shown to feel less pain, go to the doctor less often, have lower blood pressure, and be less likely to develop a mental disorder.
Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that gratitude can have a protective effect against heart attacks. Studying people who had experienced one heart attack, the researchers found that those patients who saw benefits and gains from their heart attack, such as becoming more appreciative of life, experienced a lower risk of having another heart attack.
4. Gratitude makes us more optimistic.
Gratitude is strongly correlated with optimism. Optimism in turn makes us happier, improves our health, and has been shown to increase lifespan by as much as a few years. I’d say a 5 minute a day gratitude journal would be worth it just for this benefit.
5. Gratitude reduces materialism.
Materialism is strongly correlated with reduced well-being and increased rates of mental disorder. Materialism is that it makes people feel less competent, reduces feelings of relatedness and gratitude, reduces their ability to appreciate and enjoy the good in life, generates negative emotions, and makes them more self-centered.
6. Gratitude increases spiritualism.
(Remember these are reports from a nonchristian viewpoint.)
Gratitude spontaneously gives rise to spiritual attribution, helping one feel closer to God or other religious entities.
(The reality is that the God who created us made us so that we draw closer to Him when we are grateful)
7. Gratitude makes us less self-centered.
This is because the very nature of gratitude is to focus on others (on their acts of benevolence). In this regard, gratitude practice can be better than self-esteem therapy.
8. Gratitude helps us bounce back.
Those that have more gratitude have a more pro-active coping style, are more likely to have and seek out social support in times of need, are less likely to develop PTSD, and are more likely to grow in times of stress. In others words, they are more resilient.
(Remember these are reports from a nonchristian viewpoint.)
Gratitude spontaneously gives rise to spiritual attribution, helping one feel closer to God or other religious entities.
(The reality is that the God who created us made us so that we draw closer to Him when we are grateful)
7. Gratitude makes us less self-centered.
This is because the very nature of gratitude is to focus on others (on their acts of benevolence). In this regard, gratitude practice can be better than self-esteem therapy.
8. Gratitude helps us bounce back.
Those that have more gratitude have a more pro-active coping style, are more likely to have and seek out social support in times of need, are less likely to develop PTSD, and are more likely to grow in times of stress. In others words, they are more resilient.
9. Gratitude helps us relax. Gratitude and positive emotion in general are among the strongest relaxants known to man.
10. Gratitude makes you friendlier.
Multiple studies have shown that gratitude induces pro-social behavior. Keeping a gratitude journal is enough to make you more likely to help others with their problems and makes you more likely to offer them emotional support.
11. Gratitude helps your marriage.
Researchers have a complicated system to build a ratio between positive expressions and negative ones, and the impact on the marriage...end result was they found that being grateful boosts the happiness of marriage.
12. Gratitude makes you look good. Ingratitude is universally regarded with contempt. It’s opposite, gratitude, is considered a virtue in all major religions and most modern cultures.
13. Gratitude helps you make friends and makes friendships deeper.
The research on gratitude challenges the idea of a "set point" for happiness, a belief that, just as our body has a set point for weight, each person may have a genetically-determined level of happiness. The set point concept is supported by research that shows that people return to a characteristic level of happiness a short time after both unusually good and unusually bad events. But the research on gratitude suggests that people can move their set point upward to some degree, enough to have a measurable effect on both their outlook and their health.
Summarizing the findings from studies to date, Emmons says that those who practice grateful thinking "reap emotional, physical and interpersonal benefits." People who regularly keep a gratitude journal report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future. Emmons conclusion is that gratitude is a choice, one possible response to our life experiences.
Hopefully, you are convinced that having an attitude of gratitude is a good thing, but you may need a few tips on getting there. If you would like to increase the level of gratitude in your life, here are five suggestions for getting started.
10. Gratitude makes you friendlier.
Multiple studies have shown that gratitude induces pro-social behavior. Keeping a gratitude journal is enough to make you more likely to help others with their problems and makes you more likely to offer them emotional support.
11. Gratitude helps your marriage.
Researchers have a complicated system to build a ratio between positive expressions and negative ones, and the impact on the marriage...end result was they found that being grateful boosts the happiness of marriage.
12. Gratitude makes you look good. Ingratitude is universally regarded with contempt. It’s opposite, gratitude, is considered a virtue in all major religions and most modern cultures.
13. Gratitude helps you make friends and makes friendships deeper.
The research on gratitude challenges the idea of a "set point" for happiness, a belief that, just as our body has a set point for weight, each person may have a genetically-determined level of happiness. The set point concept is supported by research that shows that people return to a characteristic level of happiness a short time after both unusually good and unusually bad events. But the research on gratitude suggests that people can move their set point upward to some degree, enough to have a measurable effect on both their outlook and their health.
Summarizing the findings from studies to date, Emmons says that those who practice grateful thinking "reap emotional, physical and interpersonal benefits." People who regularly keep a gratitude journal report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future. Emmons conclusion is that gratitude is a choice, one possible response to our life experiences.
Hopefully, you are convinced that having an attitude of gratitude is a good thing, but you may need a few tips on getting there. If you would like to increase the level of gratitude in your life, here are five suggestions for getting started.
1) Keep a Daily Gratitude Journal
This is probably the most effective strategy for increasing your level of gratitude. Set aside time daily to record several things that you are grateful for. (Typically, people list three to five.) You can write when you get up or at the end of the day. Pick a time that you will consistently have available.
2) Use Visual Reminders
Two obstacles to being grateful are forgetfulness and lack of awareness. You can counter them by giving yourself visual cues that trigger thoughts of gratitude. Emmons says he puts Post-It notes listing his blessings in many places, including on his refrigerator, mirrors and the steering wheel of his car. Another strategy is to set a timer on your phone to go off as a reminder.
3) Have a Gratitude Partner
Social support encourages healthy behaviors, because we often lack the discipline to do things on our own. Just as you may be more likely to exercise if you have an exercise partner or participate in a class, you may be able to maintain the discipline of gratitude more easily if you have a partner with whom to share gratitude lists and to discuss the effects of gratitude in your life.
4) Make a Public Commitment
We feel accountable when we make commitments to others. Tell your friends, a class, Bible study group, or write it on facebook!
Friday, November 23, 2012
A Life of Thanksgiving
This month, as I have considered what it really means to be grateful, I understand that gratitude should be my lifestyle, a constant attitude. We have so much that we are
grateful for, so many reasons to give thanks. God tells us that we are to give
thanks to Him, but I wondered what specifically are some things we are to thank
Him for, and why is that important. I began to check some verses to find out
what the Bible says, some of the reasons we are to thank God, and how God wants
us to give thanks to Him.
-Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
-Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
-I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will
sing praise to your name, O Most High. Ps 9:1-2
-Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody
to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully
on the strings, with loud shouts.
-It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing
praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your
faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody
of the lyre.
-Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts
with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! ----For the Lord is good; his
steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
-Offer to God
a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
-I will praise the name of God with a song; I
will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an
ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
- I give thanks to my God always for you because of
the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus
-Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor
crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
-rooted and built up in him and established in the
faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
-foods that God created to be received with
thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created
by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with
thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
-giving
thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ
Eph 5:20
Sounds like God wants us to sing and shout in
our praise and thanksgiving to Him. He wants us to use our voice and any
instruments we may play, and put our whole hearts into thanking Him. Thanksgiving should overflow, be abounding in
our lives.
God wants us to thank Him for who He is and what He has
done, for His love, and faithfulness, for His great works. In our gratitude, He wants us to tell other
people of the things that God has done for us.
Based on these verses, we are to give thanks for other
Christians, for the food that God gives, actually, for everything that God has
made, and, finally, just for everything. God has given us so many good gifts,
such grace and mercy. He wants us to have hearts that are full of thanksgiving,
overflowing with gratitude to Him, as a sacrifice to Him, no matter what our
circumstances are.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Divine Accidents
It has seemed strange to me that for years, sometimes, not always, just sometimes, when someone calls the church office and no one is there to answer it, the call is forwarded to my cell phone. With no warning, I get a call that looks like is from the church office, I answer, and it is a stranger who was calling the church office and has no idea that he is reaching a personal cell phone of someone. Since it only happened occasionally, I assumed that everyone on staff was on some kind of rotation so that we all received some of the calls. Last week, I asked and found out that no one else gets those calls, only me. NO one confessed to having any knowledge of how this has happened.
So, anyway, I get calls sometimes, I say, "Hello", and after a moment of silence, someone will say, "Uh, is this the church?" and I change into my professional voice and say, "Oh, yes, this is Cottonwood, I'm Jeannette, How can I help you." Then, I answer whatever question the person has.
Last week, I received on of those calls. It was the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday, so I was really surprised to get the call (it turns out MariLea had gone to the bank and set the phone to the recorder). The call turned out to be from a woman who recently began to visit Cottonwood. I met her the first day she came and she said that she felt accepted, she loved being there, and that she usually did not feel wanted in churches. That makes me very sad, but very happy that Cottonwood is the kind of place where everyone is welcome and wanted. The woman was very timid about calling the church, but had a specific need that we could easily help her with. I was so glad that somehow that call came to my cell phone. If she had reached a recorder, I don't think that she would have left a message and this simple need she had would have not been met. Because I was able to answer her call, and make her feel comfortable, her feeling of worth was increased.
This morning, I had another one of those calls. I was in the car and the phone rang. From the caller ID, I assumed it was MariLea calling from the church, but it wasn't. It was a long time member of Cottonwood, calling because she desperately needed to talk to someone. I listened to her, talked with her, and prayed with her. I could tell she felt better after we talked. She told me that she had been very nervous about making the call, and she told herself that if I didn't answer, that would mean she wasn't supposed to call me! O MY! To think that if the church phone had not mysteriously decided to forward the call to me, my friend would have spent the day struggling and hurting.
Thank God that he sometimes chooses to intervene in unusual ways in our lives, and, in my life, He sometimes uses a strange phone system!
So, anyway, I get calls sometimes, I say, "Hello", and after a moment of silence, someone will say, "Uh, is this the church?" and I change into my professional voice and say, "Oh, yes, this is Cottonwood, I'm Jeannette, How can I help you." Then, I answer whatever question the person has.
Last week, I received on of those calls. It was the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday, so I was really surprised to get the call (it turns out MariLea had gone to the bank and set the phone to the recorder). The call turned out to be from a woman who recently began to visit Cottonwood. I met her the first day she came and she said that she felt accepted, she loved being there, and that she usually did not feel wanted in churches. That makes me very sad, but very happy that Cottonwood is the kind of place where everyone is welcome and wanted. The woman was very timid about calling the church, but had a specific need that we could easily help her with. I was so glad that somehow that call came to my cell phone. If she had reached a recorder, I don't think that she would have left a message and this simple need she had would have not been met. Because I was able to answer her call, and make her feel comfortable, her feeling of worth was increased.
This morning, I had another one of those calls. I was in the car and the phone rang. From the caller ID, I assumed it was MariLea calling from the church, but it wasn't. It was a long time member of Cottonwood, calling because she desperately needed to talk to someone. I listened to her, talked with her, and prayed with her. I could tell she felt better after we talked. She told me that she had been very nervous about making the call, and she told herself that if I didn't answer, that would mean she wasn't supposed to call me! O MY! To think that if the church phone had not mysteriously decided to forward the call to me, my friend would have spent the day struggling and hurting.
Thank God that he sometimes chooses to intervene in unusual ways in our lives, and, in my life, He sometimes uses a strange phone system!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Thanksgiving Meal Thoughts and Tips
Can you believe that this week is Thanksgiving? Not me, it really snuck up on me this year.
We are planning a much smaller celebration that usual. We normally have at least 30 people here, with my entire extended family and several "semi-family" type folks. This year the family is just not up to that, with my Mom now in a nursing home and not able to make the trip from Ft.Worth to Stephenville. So, our celebration will be just the girls and their families, and a few others, probably 22 in all. It will be sad to not have all my family here, but, we are also looking forward to a more relaxed day, to visit and play with the kids.
I love that we have a day set aside to remember to give thanks. That is awesome. (I know, it has become about football and shopping a lot, but don't remind me of that. Let me enjoy this thought.)
My mind is filled with thoughts of what I am thankful for, from the great mercy and grace of God down to the soft comfy tennis shoes on my feet, and a thousand things in between. I am truly grateful.
I also love all the traditions of Thanksgiving; turkey and dressing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes...
Now for tips. I am no Martha Stewart, not even a Paula Deen. But, I have hosted a bunch of Thanksgiving meals, and I will share a few things I have learned.
Turkey... there are a million ways to cook it, and I have tried a bunch...bake, brine, smoke, slow cook...but, the last few years I made it REALLY easy. I cook the turkey in the oven a couple of days early, just bake it according to any easy method, basically at 350 degrees for 3 to 4 hours.Let it cool a little bit, then take all the meat off the bone, put the meat in a large plastic bowl with a lid that seals. Mix some spices with chicken broth, whatever your taste is; cajun spices, mexican spices, traditional poultry seasoning, then cover the meat with chicken broth and refrigerate. Thanksgiving morning, put the turkey meat in a large pan (I use my roaster oven so that the oven is open to cook other food) and heat it slowly and thoroughly. This makes the most delicious and moist turkey.
Another benefit to this method is that I don't have a turkey carcass to deal with. All the mess was taken care of before Thanksgiving day. Of course, this means that I don't have that beautiful brown turkey sitting on the table with the head of the house carving it like on TV shows. Actually, this system ended a point of conflict at my house. My usual helpful husband refused to carve the turkey. I had to beg someone to do that and it caused stress right at the time I was trying to get the food ready to serve.
Sides...don't make food that noone likes because you think you should. One year, I made cooked fresh sweet potatoes, FOR 30 PEOPLE. I bought a huge bag of potatoes, peeled them, cut them, and steamed them because I thought they would be so much healthier and tastier. Most of the family prefered the mushy canned yams with brown sugar and marshmallows. OK, lesson learned, cook what the family likes. So what if it isn't as healthy, it's only one day.
Don't stress. For several years, my extended family has come to my house for Thanksgiving. My parents and sisters and their families live in the Fort Worth area and they only come to my house two times a year, for Thanksgiving and for Easter. Because of that, I really wanted the house to be perfect when they came. I would clean everything, floors, windows, even curtains, and expect that my husband and daughters help me do it. I was stressed and irritable by Thanksgiving morning. That's not the way to start a special family holiday.
So, let's relax, enjoy the day, don't try to make it the picture perfect.
We are planning a much smaller celebration that usual. We normally have at least 30 people here, with my entire extended family and several "semi-family" type folks. This year the family is just not up to that, with my Mom now in a nursing home and not able to make the trip from Ft.Worth to Stephenville. So, our celebration will be just the girls and their families, and a few others, probably 22 in all. It will be sad to not have all my family here, but, we are also looking forward to a more relaxed day, to visit and play with the kids.
I love that we have a day set aside to remember to give thanks. That is awesome. (I know, it has become about football and shopping a lot, but don't remind me of that. Let me enjoy this thought.)
My mind is filled with thoughts of what I am thankful for, from the great mercy and grace of God down to the soft comfy tennis shoes on my feet, and a thousand things in between. I am truly grateful.
I also love all the traditions of Thanksgiving; turkey and dressing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes...
Now for tips. I am no Martha Stewart, not even a Paula Deen. But, I have hosted a bunch of Thanksgiving meals, and I will share a few things I have learned.
Turkey... there are a million ways to cook it, and I have tried a bunch...bake, brine, smoke, slow cook...but, the last few years I made it REALLY easy. I cook the turkey in the oven a couple of days early, just bake it according to any easy method, basically at 350 degrees for 3 to 4 hours.Let it cool a little bit, then take all the meat off the bone, put the meat in a large plastic bowl with a lid that seals. Mix some spices with chicken broth, whatever your taste is; cajun spices, mexican spices, traditional poultry seasoning, then cover the meat with chicken broth and refrigerate. Thanksgiving morning, put the turkey meat in a large pan (I use my roaster oven so that the oven is open to cook other food) and heat it slowly and thoroughly. This makes the most delicious and moist turkey.
Another benefit to this method is that I don't have a turkey carcass to deal with. All the mess was taken care of before Thanksgiving day. Of course, this means that I don't have that beautiful brown turkey sitting on the table with the head of the house carving it like on TV shows. Actually, this system ended a point of conflict at my house. My usual helpful husband refused to carve the turkey. I had to beg someone to do that and it caused stress right at the time I was trying to get the food ready to serve.
Sides...don't make food that noone likes because you think you should. One year, I made cooked fresh sweet potatoes, FOR 30 PEOPLE. I bought a huge bag of potatoes, peeled them, cut them, and steamed them because I thought they would be so much healthier and tastier. Most of the family prefered the mushy canned yams with brown sugar and marshmallows. OK, lesson learned, cook what the family likes. So what if it isn't as healthy, it's only one day.
Don't stress. For several years, my extended family has come to my house for Thanksgiving. My parents and sisters and their families live in the Fort Worth area and they only come to my house two times a year, for Thanksgiving and for Easter. Because of that, I really wanted the house to be perfect when they came. I would clean everything, floors, windows, even curtains, and expect that my husband and daughters help me do it. I was stressed and irritable by Thanksgiving morning. That's not the way to start a special family holiday.
So, let's relax, enjoy the day, don't try to make it the picture perfect.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Respect our Leaders?
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men...Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. 1 Peter 2:13-15,17
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1
Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:2
I believe that these verses are very clear. God says that our government leaders have their authority by God's own divine appointment, and we are to respect them and pray for them. Why does that seem to be so hard to do? I hear Christians complain, criticize, and insult our leaders. I am embarrassed by the language that I often hear, the crude jokes, the outlandish stories repeated, the false accusations.
Let me be clear. I voted this election, and the person I voted for was not elected.
So what is my response to be? I am to be respectful. I am to pray. I am to have faith. I can do this because of a few things that I know are true.
1. America is a democracy. The majority of our people have elected officials that they believe to be the best ones. I must accept that.
2. God is in control. God rules and reigns. He is the Lord of the Nations. He is the King of Kings. I can rest and be at peace because I know that He is still in control,
3. This world is not my home. This is a temporary dwelling place, I was made for eternity. Everything about this world system will end.
4. My hope is in Christ, not a political party or a politician. No matter what happens in the government or the economy, I have Jesus. I have the Holy Spirit of God living in me, giving me joy, peace, confidence, and hope.
So, we are to respect our leaders and pray for them. If you think that this is too hard to do now, it would have been MUCH harder when these verses were written.
Nero was emperor of Rome, and Rome ruled the entire middle east and Europe. In AD 54, when Nero was 17 years old, his mother had his father poisoned, and Nero was proclaimed emperor. Nero was selfish and calculating and incapable. He became paranoid of the rumors about plots to kill him. In AD 55, he had his brother killed, and in 59, he had his mother executed, and three years later, he had his wife killed.
In July 69, a fire blazed uncontrolled for days and destroyed much of Rome. Rumors spread that Nero started the fire because he wanted to rebuild a grander and better city. In order to turn attention away from himself, Nero charged that Christians had started the fire, and he began a time of terrible persecution, killing and torturing Christians by dreadfully creative means. Both Peter and Paul wrote letters during this time, both while expecting to be executed by this government. They wrote to respect and pray for their leader, who was an insanely wicked man with absolute power.
Does God expect any less of us? Our lives are not threatened. We are not hunted down and thrown to wild animals for entertainment. We are not covered with wax and set afire to light an emperor's garden. Being a Christian may have been more acceptable a few years ago, but it's not that hard now. No one is keeping me from praying in my home. I can spend as much time as I want to reading and studying the Bible. I can love my neighbor as commanded, and I have freedom to share the gospel any time I want to. I attend church without harassment several times a week.
I think God's command to respect and pray for my leaders is not too much to ask.
I think God's command to respect and pray for my leaders is not too much to ask.
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