What Do You Share? Lessons From the Parables. Update.

 

For Scripture Sunday:

What Do You Share?

“A recent study reveals some interesting truths about the way we share news across social media. Do you just share whatever without even realizing what’s behind it?”

Video:  https://youtu.be/uuxlRqGLTpo

Transcript

[Steve Myers] “We know that Christians are supposed to be sharing kind of people, but what do you share, especially when it comes to the things you may see on the internet?

It was an interesting study that was done by Columbia University and the French National Institute. What percentage of links that are shared on social media do you think have never actually been read? People are sharing links, but do you think they’ve read the article behind the headline? Do you know what percentage of people do that with never reading?

They found in this study fifty-nine percent of the people who shared a link never really read the information behind it. In other words, people retweet the news without ever really reading it themselves. And on top of this, what they found that was also interesting – this determines what news or so-called news gets circulated. And they’ve also found that it’s impacted political things; it’s impacted cultural things; it’s impacted people’s perspective and reshaped those things. And yet, the information behind the headlines was never really understood. And so that’s a scary thing. One of the study’s co-authors said this: “People are more willing to share an article than to read it.”

That can be a pretty scary thing when you think about it. Do we do that? We’ve got to be really careful, especially as Christians, not to be doing that. We don’t want to fall into this majority of people who just share whatever without even realizing what’s behind it.

I think there’s a proverb that connects with this. It’s in Proverbs 14:15. Here’s what it says: “The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps.” Now, we may not even believe the headline, and if we read the article, we certainly not believe it, or maybe we would. But the point gets to the heart of the matter. We want to think more deeply. God wants us to think deeply, not just on the surface, not just with a sound byte, not just with a headline. Let’s be sure we don’t fall into that problem and be prudent people that really consider our steps, consider our shares, and we’ll be better people for it.”

From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/what-do-you-share

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Lessons From the Parables

Are You a Wise and Watching Christian?

“Matthew 25 records Jesus Christ’s parable of the wise and foolish virgins. What lessons did He intend us to learn from it?

Kevin Finneran/Unsplash

“Are you a wise and watching Christian?

Have you ever run out of gas and found yourself stranded on the side of the road? Once I was rushing to a meeting when we ran out of gas. The irony was that we had just pulled out of a gas station where we had stopped to make a phone call. We drove a mile down the road when the car sputtered to a halt. It was frustrating, but I learned a valuable lesson.

This reminds me of a song from the 1970s titled “Running on Empty.” The song’s theme was that we get very busy and don’t know we may be close to empty in a lot of ways. Could you or I be “running on empty”?

On several occasions Jesus Christ told His disciples to “watch” for His coming because we wouldn’t know the day or the hour. Learning the fine art of “watching” that we might follow His instruction requires that we not run out of gas. We have to learn to watch the gauge.

How do we learn to wait and watch?

One of Christ’s parables gives us the key to learn how to “watch” and to be ready when He returns in glory. Known as the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, it’s found in Matthew 25.

The previous chapter, Matthew 24, is a very detailed prophecy Jesus gave about the world events leading to His second coming. This parable is a continuation of the prophecy, telling us what we must do in light of what He says about His return. So let’s look at this parable to understand how we can watch and wait with godly patience for the coming of the Lord……”

Rest of article: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/lessons-from-the-parables-are-you-a-wise-and-watching-christian

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You might also be interested in...

Lessons From the Parables: The Smallest of Beginnings

“It is mid-December, and the woods next to my home are settling into a winter sleep. The last leaves are clinging to bare tree limbs. Bushes and shrubs are trimmed back and prepared for the next season of growth. What looks like a dormant landscape around my home conceals a deeper cycle of life that is preparing in a few months to spring once again from the earth and dazzle me with beauty, wonder and joy. Nature never rests. Life continues moving forward.”

A set of Jesus’ parables about small beginnings gives us an important insight into the Kingdom of God.   More at: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/lessons-from-the-parables-the-smallest-of-beginnings

 

Lessons from the Parables: Hope and Restoration - the Story of the Prodigal Son

“As he did every day, the father walked from his home to the small hill where he could look down the road and see for several miles. He always thought, and hoped, that he would see a familiar figure heading his way.

His thoughts were always the same—a mixture of longing, of hope and of regret. When he failed to see what he'd hoped, he would turn and go about the business of the day. There was always work to be done. But there was also the empty place created by the one who a long while back had chosen to leave and go far away from his home.

What can we learn from Jesus Christ's parable of the prodigal son? In a world of broken relationships, it teaches us a lesson of deep love and hope.”  More at: https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/lessons-from-the-parables-hope-and-restoration-the-story-of-the-prodigal-son

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Update:

My helper was out of town for several days which slowed down the rebuilding of the guest house, but now we have gone back to work on the kitchen cabinets.  The kitchen is now in a different location, but we are still able to re-use most of the cabinets.  Some of the lower cabinets were ruined when the renter let the sink leak and it rotted out the bottom of the cabinet, then the floor, then the joists below, then the termites came up and destoyed that whole wall.  After replacing seven floor joists, putting in a new floor and rebuilding the wall we were able to continue. 

The old front wall upper cabinets will fit very well in the new kitchen, but the big quandry was the left-hand side cabinets where the stove will be.  The 39” lower cabinet that will hold the stove-top needed to be exactly centered under the 30” upper bridge cabinet holding up the ventahood, so that will mean the filling in of two 4+” spaces on either side of the upper bridge cabinet.  We are toying with the idea of making them into slide-out spice cabinets.  Some of the 39” lower cabinet is having to be rebuilt, so we took the chop saw and table saw over to the guest house and set up a good workshop over there.

We thought we had all the new water lines glued up correctly, but when we turned it on again, we had a couple of leaks.  But one was the Pressure Relief valve on the water heater.  It was old and needs to be replaced.  As I have to go into Conroe to pick up the new exhaust fan for the bathroom when it comes in, I can get one then.  I didn’t want to use the old bathroom fan as it is so noisy, so I found one that is 1/2 a sone.

Another project that had to be done while the weather is nice, is to put back the plywood floor in the attic of the guest house.  Several parts had been taken up to put in new wiring.  Unfortunately, whoever did it, didn’t mark where each peice went, so it took a couple of mornings of piecing it together like a jigsaw.  Once we get that finished, just a little bit to go,  we can sweep the floor and put the carpet back down. 

Still had computer problems and had to go back to my old one.  The “New” refurbished one wouldn’t load Open Live Writer, my pictures were in such a mess that I couldn’t put them in my ads, and it wouldn’t be friends with my printer.  Hence the delay in writing this.

I came across a recipe for cooking rice in a bowl in my pressure cooker, and it turned out well, so I made rice, grass fed beef and veggies in a beef broth for the church potluck.  Also I made a green soup with some left-over gluten-free noodles, peas and broccoli in a clear vegetable broth.  It was just made as an afterthought, but it was very popular.  We also had a big crockpot full of deer meat donated by Gary, and I was even able to bring some home to share with my neighbor.

The Bible readings were Psalms 116 and 117, Gen. 47:28-50:26. 1 Kings 2:1-12, and Phil. 2:12-17.  The Teaching was about “Murmerings”  see Num. 14:27, about complaining.  Complaining is not done by belieivers.  A murmuring person is not pleasant to be around.  Be content.  We were also reminded of a brother who is undergoing some very painful treatments because his body was terribly burned in an accident at his work.  Now he really has something to complain about, but he doesn’t.  We have a lot to be grateful for, and we need to say thanks every day.

How to Be a Good Husband. Godly Sorrow Produces Repentance. Update & Baptism

For “Scripture Sunday”:

How to Be a Good Husband

Husbands and future husbands have a wonderful blessing—and a great responsibility. How can we do a better job in this essential biblical role?

“Disclaimer time: By writing this article, I’m not claiming to be a great husband. As my wife and I near our 30th anniversary, I marvel at her patience and support and endurance through my mistakes and quirks and sins. I also know that I need to continue to improve. Hence this Bible study.
As far as the hokey acrostic spelling out HUSBAND, well, the Bible used acrostics as memory aids, and maybe this one will help me remember these seven points.
So, what does the Bible say about husbands and becoming a good one?

Honor her

“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7, emphasis added throughout).
Showing honor is important in all relationships (1 Peter 2:17) and should be learned in the home as we honor our father and mother (Exodus 20:12). Honor is especially important—and difficult—in the marriage relationship. It’s easier to show honor to someone you rarely see. But when we see our mates at their worst state and when our little quirks and differences begin to grate on each other over time, it is more difficult to always show honor and respect.
God made us men crave and need honor. So by the principle of the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12), we should also give honor.
The same goes for help. God made women to help men (Genesis 2:18), and He would expect us to help our wives as well. Helping our wives is another way of showing them honor.

Understand her

Men often joke that this can seem like an impossible task. Physics genius Stephen Hawking has pondered the secrets of the universe, but says that women “are a complete mystery.”
But the apostle Peter instructs husbands to “dwell with them with understanding” (1 Peter 3:7).
The NKJV Study Bible explains it this way: “A Christian husband should be intimately aware of his wife’s needs, her strengths and weaknesses, and her goals and desires. He should know as much about her as possible in order to respond in the best way to her.”

Sex

God created sex to strengthen the marriage bond. It is part of making two people into “one flesh,” and it is intended to be a pure, honorable relationship with no shame (Genesis 2:24-25; Hebrews 13:4). But Satan and his society have done their worst to pervert and tarnish sex and marriage.
We must build a strong, unbreakable bond with our wives. This doesn’t mean we should be inflexible. In fact, this strong bond requires the utmost flexibility and gentleness.Our wives must know that we will do nothing to hurt them or cause them shame. Sex is not about self-fulfillment, but about tenderly and patiently caring for your mate.

Bond

I’m not talking about 007, but about a gluelike bond. When the Pharisees asked Jesus about divorce, He asked if they hadn’t read, “‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:5-6).
“Leave means ‘to abandon’; joined to means ‘to be glued to’” (NKJV Study Bible). We must build a strong, unbreakable bond with our wives. This doesn’t mean we should be inflexible. In fact, this strong bond requires the utmost flexibility and gentleness.

Always be faithful

Marriage is a commitment and a covenant with our wife and with God. We must always be faithful in every way, even in our minds (Matthew 5:28).

Never fail to love

We must not give in to the marriage killers that suck love out of marriage: envy, pride, rudeness, self-seeking, being easily angered, thinking evil or being entertained by sin (including pornography).
It’s interesting that in his description of what love is, Paul listed all these things it is not (1 Corinthians 13:4-6). This passage is worthy of deep study and meditation by every Christian husband.

Delight in her always

Express your devotion, admiration and desire; rekindle the romance (Song of Solomon 7:6; Proverbs 5:19). Life isn’t all about fun and entertainment, of course, but God encourages rejoicing and giving joy to others. A husband should bring happiness to his wife (Deuteronomy 24:5).
We must endure the trials of life, but we should also enjoy! Celebrate the blessing of marriage often!”
From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/how-to-be-a-good-husband/
For more about marriage and being a husband, see:

How Great Marriages Work

What Is Marriage?

Marriage Problems

How to Save Your Marriage

Three Beliefs That Will Kill Your Marriage

Role of Men

Marriage

What Is Marriage?

Living Together Before Marriage

Four Lethal Marriage Problems

How to Save Your Marriage

The Gift of Sex

Is Birth Control Wrong?

Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible

The Curse of Divorce: Counting the Devastating _______

Godly Sorrow Produces Repentance

2 Corinthians 7:10
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

In this passage the apostle Paul explains the difference between the normal human sorrow that people feel when they get caught doing something wrong, and the godly sorrow that truly makes a change in our lives that pleases God. Worldly sorrow might be fleeting regret or a desperate wish that we hadn’t been caught. But it doesn’t lead to real repentance or change, so the person continues on without being forgiven and still being guilty of sin and worthy of the death penalty.

Godly sorrow is real and commits to change. Paul illustrates this powerful, godly sorrow in the example of the Corinthian brethren in verse 11: “For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”
This is no fleeting regret, but a full-fledged, all-out commitment to change—to stop doing those things that God hates—and to seek God’s forgiveness. We must replace the thinking that leads to sin with the thinking that leads to righteousness.
Read more about repentance in “What Is Repentance?” and “Godly Sorrow.””

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Update:

I am still busy trying to sell the stuff out of here, so that I can put this house up for sale. I spend as much time as I can taking pictures to list items on eBay, Craigslist and Bookoo.
A folding Nylabone carrier sold on Bookoo.com   I took it to UPS where they packed it and guaranteed it’s safe delivery to a rescue in Memphis who wanted that particular type of carrier for transporting cats from TN to Maine.  Maine has a shortage of cats because of their very strict neutering laws, so that gives homeless TN cats a chance at ‘furever’ homes.  It is a wonderful thing that these transporters do.  When I called the rescue lady when I left UPS to tell her the carrier was on it’s way, she was taking some cats to Virginia.  This is just a tip of it at: http://thelexusproject.org/content/pilots-and-paws  These pilots take critters to a new area where they will be loved and not destroyed.

Maybe I will sell the guest house next door, or maybe I will move into it when it gets closer to being livable.  But the more I think about it, at over 80 years old I don’t need all this stuff, and it all needs to be gone so that I can to live in a really small dwelling that doesn’t have a lot of yard maintenance and upkeep.

A little bit more work has been done to the guest house.  Jay did work a bit and we screwed down some of the floor in there, but not totally.  There still needs to be inspection places.  We have used a lot of cement mix making a block wall, but when we had a deluge, some rain still ran under the house.  Then Jay was busy or sick, but another helper showed up unexpectedly one morning.  We took out another of the single pane 3’x5’ windows, and filled the hole with plywood.  We aren’t going to put the vinyl siding back until all the windows are out and the new ones installed.  That leaves two more 3’x5’ windows to remove which needs to be done this week as a man is supposed to buy them on Friday.  I have two smaller double paned ones to go in there.  That wall was all windows when it was a plant room, and not very energy efficient.

Jay didn’t go with me to church, and the Bible readings were Exo. 30:11-34:35, 1 Kings 18:1-39 and 1 Cor. 10:1-13.  The Teaching was more about Prophecy.  There are so many places in the Old Testament that foretold His coming that one has to realize that the Bible is one book and it all ties together.  There is no leaving out the Old Testament.

The pastor’s wife was back, and we were all happy to see her.  The service was shortened as we all traveled south to the YMCA as there was going to be a baptism in their heated pool.   Laura and I were baptized. That's our sweet Pastor Bobbie in the cap.





As I nearly drowned when I was 12, I am terrified, absolutely petrified, of water going over my head, so that took away some of the good feelings I should have had about the baptism.

The big surprise was that my wonderful daughter Wendy showed up for the baptism.  Here we are together singing hymns before the immersing, I am already in a swimsuit, robe and swim cap.  Then the church members all came back for our potluck lunch.  I had taken a squash and zucchini cheese casserole.

It was a memorable day.

China Processing Our Chickens? The Fun Theory. Drug Ads Aimed At Children. George Washington. Quantum Theory.

 

For "Summary Saturday", or News, Some New, Some Old:

Chicken Processed in China Triggers U.S. Food Safety Protests

A woman picks out chicken wings and legs at a market in Shanghai.

"Food-safety advocates are raising alarms over a decision by the Obama administration to permit chicken processed in China to be sold in the U.S. even after several high-profile incidents of food contamination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in addressing a decade-long trade dispute over farm imports, said it will allow poultry slaughtered in the U.S. and Canada to be processed in China and returned to the U.S. for consumption. Critics are vowing to fight the decision, which they say puts consumers at risk due to lax Chinese factory oversight.

“The Chinese food-safety system has had significant failures in the enforcement of its food-safety laws and regulations,” Senator Charles Schumer wrote in a Sept. 16 letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The issue is the latest flashpoint for U.S. concerns over the safety of goods from China, which since 2007 have included tainted baby formula and evidence of the chemical melamine in pet food and eggs. China in recent months has had an outbreak of avian influenza in its chicken flocks and in March, Shanghai authorities retrieved more than 11,000 dead pigs floating in a river."  More at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-27/chicken-processed-in-china-triggers-u-s-food-safety-protests.htm

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Dr. Oz sounds alarm on dangers of processed chicken from China

"Dr. Oz said there are serious public-health risks associated with processed chicken from China and said we need to act now to stop these products from coming to the United States.

"This has me outraged," Dr. Oz said on the Dec. 10 episode of his show. "I'm calling on the USDA to shut down this proposal. You have America's health in your hands."

As early as next summer, chicken nuggets and other chicken products (such as canned soup, frozen chicken wings and breaded chicken patties) made from chicken processed in China could be sold in grocery stores around the country."  More at: http://www.examiner.com/article/dr-oz-warns-against-health-dangers-of-processed-chicken-from-china

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The Fun Theory.

"We believe that the easiest way to change people's behaviour for the better is by making it fun to do. We call it The fun theory.

”Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator and feel better” is something we often hear or read in the Sunday papers. Few people actually follow that advice. Can we get more people to take the stairs over the escalator by making it fun to do? See the results here:

http://www.thefuntheory.com 

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Pharmaceutical Drug Marketing to Our Children:  Bordering on Criminal

"I can't be the only one noticing. In fact I'm pretty sure I'm not. Drugs are being marketed directly to our children. If you don't believe me, just take a closer look at the commercials plastered about our TV shows at an estimated and alarming 80 an hour (1), many targeting our little ones with images of animals and cartoons. Everywhere in the world, except the United States and New Zealand, direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical drug advertising is prohibited (2). Perhaps it's time to think about why it should be banned here, too.

TV ads are designed to make an impact. They are meant to foster brand familiarity and loyalty. They appeal to our emotions. They often emphasize our shortcomings as fathers, mothers, friends, and spouses. Commercials influence us into thinking that using a particular product is a normal, ordinary, good idea: an everyday thing to do that everybody is doing.

I remember being shocked the first time I saw a pharmaceutical drug ad on TV. I couldn't believe that anyone would take a medication with a list of side effects that seemed so much worse than the disease it supposedly helped treat. Now, it is easy to become numb to them. The sheer volume of drug advertisements we are inundated with on a regular basis practically ensures we accept them as a natural part of life. Now that their presence isn't as shocking, it is easy to pay more attention to the beautiful imagery on the screen rather than the described dangers of the drug. I can rattle off brand name after brand name, and I'm not even paying attention, nor do I have any interest in them.

Until recently. When my baby girl starting pointing at cartoons and animals in pharmaceutical ads, I had had enough.

Profits and Preschoolers

There is no money in selling something nobody believes in. Drug companies want their commercials to be appealing. When I was little, I once asked my dad why they called a certain candy a "Thin Mint." He said because no one would buy them if they called them "Fat Mints."

Drug ads are alluring, especially to young eyes. The commercial for the drug Abilify, a buddy for your antidepressant, has a friendly little cartoon "A" coming to the rescue of a happy little Rx pill and a lovely cartoon woman. Variants of their commercial showcase a childish depression cloud and a rainy cartoon umbrella. A quick glance would have you believing you are watching children's programming meant to teach about the alphabet or the weather.

The antidepressant Zoloft bouncing cartoon ball can't be described as anything but cute (who doesn't love  a cowlick?) and even more "adult" commercials like those for the inhaler Spiriva have real live elephants capturing the attention of my toddler.

How about those positively mesmerizing Lunesta commercials with the peaceful glowing butterflies? (She loves those.) An entire nation appears to be on drugs as the butterflies, indicated with thousands of illuminated specks, glow across a map of the United States. They capture your attention as a voice softly coos, "Join us." This particular ad doesn't even tell you the name of the drug, and therefore doesn't have to tell you what is wrong with the drug, either. The commercial advises you to seek out their website, ProjectLuna.com, which dons a name rather similar to their "unnamed" product. Of course, they've already made you familiar with their drug in numerous other broadcasts, so they don't even need to tell you what it's for. It's kind of like the Nike Swoosh. We all know what it means.

Do adults really need cartoons to understand what a drug can do? Or is there a more sinister plot afoot?"  More at: http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v09n11.shtml

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On This Day:

George Washington dies, Dec 14, 1799:

"George Washington, the American revolutionary leader and first president of the United States, dies of acute laryngitis at his estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia. He was 67 years old.

The drafters created the office of president with him in mind, and in February 1789 Washington was unanimously elected the first president of the United States.

As president, Washington sought to unite the nation and protect the interests of the new republic at home and abroad. Of his presidency, he said, "I walk on untrodden ground. There is scarcely any part of my conduct which may not hereafter be drawn in precedent." He successfully implemented executive authority, making good use of brilliant politicians such as Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson in his cabinet, and quieted fears of presidential tyranny. In 1792, he was unanimously reelected but four years later refused a third term.

In 1797, he finally began a long-awaited retirement at his estate in Virginia. He died two years later. His friend Henry Lee provided a famous eulogy for the father of the United States: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.""

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The birth of quantum theory, Dec 14, 1900:

"German physicist Max Planck publishes his groundbreaking study of the effect of radiation on a "blackbody" substance, and the quantum theory of modern physics is born.

Through physical experiments, Planck demonstrated that energy, in certain situations, can exhibit characteristics of physical matter. According to theories of classical physics, energy is solely a continuous wave-like phenomenon, independent of the characteristics of physical matter. Planck's theory held that radiant energy is made up of particle-like components, known as "quantum." The theory helped to resolve previously unexplained natural phenomena such as the behavior of heat in solids and the nature of light absorption on an atomic level. In 1918, Planck was rewarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on blackbody radiation.

Other scientists, such as Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Louis de Broglie, Erwin Schrodinger, and Paul M. Dirac, advanced Planck's theory and made possible the development of quantum mechanics--a mathematical application of the quantum theory that maintains that energy is both matter and a wave, depending on certain variables. Quantum mechanics thus takes a probabilistic view of nature, sharply contrasting with classical mechanics, in which all precise properties of objects are, in principle, calculable. Today, the combination of quantum mechanics with Einstein's theory of relativity is the basis of modern physics."

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Yesterday:

Ray came over and told me about the truck wreck the night before.  He hadn't been out of the hospital long and still had blood plastered in his hair, had 27 stitches in his scalp, and a big headache.  The driver of the truck had some broken ribs and shoulder.  It could have been a lot worse.

Misty just wanted to go back to sleep, so I didn't take her when I went to pick up Jay.  She had already spent some time wandering around my back yard. The weather has been so cold, that I have to put a coat on her every time she goes out.

After a big struggle, Jay and I took the heavy Heat/Air conditioner out of my window, and packed it back in it's box which I had kept in case of warranty issues.  Then we loaded it in my van.

First, we went to Lowe's so that Jay could have some pigment put in some paint.  One of his neighbors had bought the paint, and thought it was going to be like the picture on the can, but he didn't realize that you have to have pigment added for the desired color.   Then we went to Home Depot and returned the Heat/Air that is absolutely no use to me as it blows cold air in the Heat mode.  They would only give me store credit, which I will use on another type of Heat and Air.

We stopped at the big thrift shop, Angelic, so that Jay could buy his mother one of those shower chairs.  The one that he bought, will have to be adapted in some way, as it was too wide to fit in her tub.

It was 3.00pm when it started to get overcast and rainy, so we got back just in time yesterday.

Make Groceries Last. Extraordinary Science of Junk Food. “We Are Being Manipulated”. Baby Carrots. Myth: Healthy Food Is Too Expensive. Pocahontas. Howard Hughes.

 

For “Foodie Friday”:

27 Ways to Make Your Groceries Last as Long as Possible

“The average American wastes more than 20 pounds of food every month.

Purchasing fresh food is a must if you wish to eat healthily, and there are many tricks you can use to extend the “shelf-life” of your fresh foods.  27 tips are included for how to properly store fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, dairy products and more to significantly extend their lifespan. Such as:

‘Store onions in old pantyhose to keep them fresh for up to eight months (tie a knot in between each one to keep them separate).’

‘Chop dry green onions and store them in an empty plastic water bottle. Put the bottle in the freezer and sprinkle out what you need when you're cooking.’

‘When storing potatoes, keep them away from onions (this will make them spoil faster). Storing them with apples will help keep the potatoes from sprouting.’ 

‘Keep milk and other easily perishable items on the middle shelf in your fridge, NOT in the door where temperatures fluctuate.’

‘Get an ethylene gas absorber for your fridge; they're available online and can keep your produce fresh up to three times longer than normal.’  

Finally, for the packaged foods you do buy, they are often good beyond their expiration date. Unbeknownst to many, “best by” dates on many food packages are typically a measure of peak quality, not an indication of food safety. Typically, it is still safe to eat a food after the “best by” or “best before” date (the exception is infant formula, which has safety-based “use by” dates).”     Complete article at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/25/food-storage-tips.aspx

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Four articles on “We are being manipulated”:

The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

“Poor willpower is NOT necessarily what drives you to overeat on junk food. An in-depth investigation into the processed-food industry reveals there’s a conscious effort on behalf of food manufacturers to get you hooked on foods that are convenient and inexpensive to make

Sugar, salt and fat are the top three substances making processed foods so addictive. Sugar alone has been shown to be more addictive than cocaine, and food manufacturers use sophisticated taste science to determine the “bliss point” that makes you crave more

Recent research confirms that processed meat consumption is strongly associated with premature death. According to the researchers, reducing daily processed meat consumption to less than 20 grams a day could reduce mortality rates across Europe by three percent annually

According to a new report from the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 22.3 million people were living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in 2012, up from 17.5 million in 2007

To protect your health, I advise spending 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent on processed foods.”

More at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/21/addictive-junk-food.aspx

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The Science of Addictive Food

“Our health reporter Kelly Crowe looks at the science behind making the food that's so bad for us taste so good.”

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The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

“Any junk food company trying to focus on healthy food (instead of focusing on making the junk food ever more addictive) risks being quickly eliminated. Any executive trying to do what’s right (and make less money) will likely be fired.

So what happens if the industry is left unregulated? It turns into a rapid evolution towards ever more addictive and ever less healthy junk food. It’s what’s been happening for a long time.

Here’s how a former Coca Cola executive was secretly thinking about expanding his market and making more money:

Dunn said. “How many drinkers do I have? And how many drinks do they drink? If you lost one of those heavy users, if somebody just decided to stop drinking Coke, how many drinkers would you have to get, at low velocity, to make up for that heavy user? The answer is a lot. It’s more efficient to get my existing users to drink more.”

I imagine that’s not too different from how any drug dealer thinks.”     More at: http://www.dietdoctor.com/the-extraordinary-science-of-addictive-junk-food

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The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

“When I met with Dunn, he told me not just about his years at Coke but also about his new marketing venture. The investors recently hired Dunn to run one of their newest acquisitions — a food producer in the San Joaquin Valley. The men listened to Dunn’s marketing pitch. He talked about giving the product a personality that was bold and irreverent, conveying the idea that this was the ultimate snack food. He went into detail on how he would target a special segment of the 146 million Americans who are regular snackers — mothers, children, young professionals — people, he said, who “keep their snacking ritual fresh by trying a new food product when it catches their attention.”

He explained how he would deploy strategic storytelling in the ad campaign for this snack, using a key phrase that had been developed with much calculation: “Eat ’Em Like Junk Food.”

After 45 minutes, Dunn clicked off the last slide and thanked the men for coming. Madison’s portfolio contained the largest Burger King franchise in the world, the Ruth’s Chris Steak House chain and a processed-food maker called AdvancePierre whose lineup includes the Jamwich, a peanut-butter-and-jelly contrivance that comes frozen, crustless and embedded with four kinds of sugars.

The snack that Dunn was proposing to sell: carrots. Plain, fresh carrots. No added sugar. No creamy sauce or dips. No salt. Just baby carrots, washed, bagged, then sold into the deadly dull produce aisle.

“We act like a snack, not a vegetable,” he told the investors. “We exploit the rules of junk food to fuel the baby-carrot conversation. We are pro-junk-food behavior but anti-junk-food establishment.”

The investors were thinking only about sales. They had already bought one of the two biggest farm producers of baby carrots in the country, and they’d hired Dunn to run the whole operation. Now, after his pitch, they were relieved. Dunn had figured out that using the industry’s own marketing ploys would work better than anything else. He drew from the bag of tricks that he mastered in his 20 years at Coca-Cola, where he learned one of the most critical rules in processed food: The selling of food matters as much as the food itself.

Later, describing his new line of work, Dunn told me he was doing penance for his Coca-Cola years. “I’m paying my karmic debt,” he said.”    More at:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?pagewanted=all

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How Baby Carrots Are Made

“Let’s face it – baby carrots do not look like regular carrots. First off, the size and rounded edges sort of resemble little “stubs,” and when you cut them down the middle you don’t quite see the same core that you would find in a regular carrot. What’s up with that?”  More at: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/12/11/the-truth-about-baby-carrots/

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Myth: Healthy Food Is Too Expensive

“According to the USDA:

"Among the 69 forms of fruits and 85 forms of vegetables included in the analysis, more than half were estimated to cost 25 cents or less per serving, and 86 percent of all vegetables and 78 percent of all fruit cost less than 50 cents a serving. That's 127 different ways to eat a serving of fruits and vegetables for less than the price of a 3-ounce candy bar. In fact, consumers can meet the [Food Guide Pyramid] recommendations of three servings of fruits and four servings of vegetables daily for as little as 64 cents. Consumers trying to meet the 5-a-day challenge could do so for even less."

In 2005, Washington Post food columnist Sally Squires asked: "What about eating according to the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines? Can you do it without taking a big bite out of your wallet?" Her answer:

"A little more than $5 for a full day's worth of modestly priced nutritious food (including oatmeal, milk, fresh fruit; beans and rice; whole grain and white bread, a hearty salad and a cup of peas). That's about the cost of one average fast-food meal."

When asked whether eating a sound diet costs less, Center for Science in the Public Interest Executive Director Michael Jacobson acknowledged:

"Unprocessed, basic foods are frequently dirt cheap. Potatoes sometimes go for as little as a nickel or dime a pound in many places, and they're one of the very most nutritious foods. Beans and rice are very inexpensive."

From: http://www.obesitymyths.com/myth5.7.htm

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On This Day:

Pocahontas marries John Rolfe, Apr 5, 1614:

“Pocahontas, daughter of the chief of the Powhatan Indian confederacy, marries English tobacco planter John Rolfe in Jamestown, Virginia.

Their marriage brought a peace between the English colonists and the Powhatans, and in 1615 Pocahontas gave birth to their first child, Thomas. In 1616, the couple sailed to England. The so-called Indian Princess proved popular with the English gentry, and she was presented at the court of King James I. In March 1617, Pocahontas and Rolfe prepared to sail back to Virginia. However, the day before they were to leave, Pocahontas died, probably of smallpox, and was buried at the parish church of St. George in Gravesend, England.

John Rolfe returned to Virginia and was killed in an Indian massacre in 1622. After an education in England, their son Thomas Rolfe returned to Virginia and became a prominent citizen. John Smith returned to the New World in 1614 to explore the New England coast. On another voyage of exploration in 1614, he was captured by pirates but escaped after three months of captivity. He then returned to England, where he died in 1631.”

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Howard Hughes dies, Apr 5, 1976:

“Howard Robard Hughes, one of the richest men to emerge from the American West during the 20th century, dies while flying from Acapulco to Houston.

In 1967, he became involved in the Nevada gambling industry when he purchased the famous Desert Inn Hotel on the Las Vegas strip. Nevada gaming authorities welcomed Hughes' involvement because it counteracted the popular image that the Mafia dominated the gambling industry. By the early 1970s, Hughes had become the largest single landholder in Nevada, and with around 8,000 Nevada residents on his payroll, Hughes was also the state's largest employer.

Although the rumors of Hughes' bizarre behavior have been exaggerated--in part due to a fraudulent memoir published in 1971--in his final years the billionaire became even more obsessed with privacy. He continually moved between his residences in Las Vegas, the Bahamas, Nicaragua, Canada, England, and Mexico. Other than a few male aides, almost nobody saw Hughes, and he sometimes worked for days at a stretch in a black-curtained room without sleeping.

Emaciated and deranged from too little food and too many drugs, Hughes finally became so ill that his aides decided that he needed medical treatment. He died in his airplane at the age of 70.”

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Yesterday:

Misty and I had our walk around here because Jay and his Yorkie, Maddie, came up here on his 4-wheel ATV.  He also brought his blower, as I haven’t bought one yet. At my age, I am hoping to find a used one at one of the thrift shops, instead of investing in a new one.

The rains had scattered thousands of those little ‘pine tree worms’ all over the place.  While I groomed Maddie, Jay blew the areas in front of Ray’s house, my house, and the parking spaces.  Then he raked the side lot.  A lot of twigs and pine cones had littered the whole area, so we had to get them removed before we can mow the grass (weeds). Everything was taken to the burn pile, but it was too windy to burn.

Terrycat’s sinuses are still stopped up, poor thing, and his appetite is still about non-existent.  If he can’t breathe right, he can’t smell the food very well.  I have tried to tempt him with so many really good cat and people foods.  He is on Baytril now.  Baytril is a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone designed for the management of bacterial pathogens, with activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.  It is in pill form, so I am glad that I have a gentle rubber-tipped pill-popper.  Better than this:

HOW TO GIVE YOUR CAT A PILL IN TWENTY EASY STEPS:  http://www.nanceestar.com/CatPill.html  (Humorous)

But when I was getting some cheaper canned food ready for the two stray cats outside, he started brushing up against my legs asking for some, and ate a little bit of that.  I don’t care what he eats, just as long as I can get him to eat a little bit each day.

It’s All About Corn. Genetically Modified Corn Kills. Top 7 GM Crops. "Don't Buy Any Food You've Ever Seen Advertised". What's Wrong With Our Food System? Landslides in So CA.

 

For “Foodie Friday”: 

“It is truly amazing how much food is derived from corn. Have you noticed how many corn fields there are in the US.”

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“Corn has not conquered the world, it has conquered the US.  Here in Germany corn is pretty rare in foods.  Sugar is from sugar beet, there is no corn syrup.  Bakery products are based mostly on wheat, some and rye etc.  You find corn only for special purposes like tortilla chips or gluten-free food.

When Americans sent war-stricken Germans care packages of corn, the Germans felt offended.  They knew it as animal feed only. They couldn't imagine eating it.”

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Top 7 Genetically Modified Crops

   “Check your pantry. Do you have any cereals, crackers, cookies, snack bars, soy milk or baby formula in there? How about anything with corn syrup or processed food made from corn on your shelves? If so, you are probably eating food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

GMOs are plant or meat products that have had their DNA altered in a laboratory by genes from other plants, animals, viruses or bacteria.  For example, genetically modified corn contain a pesticide that cannot be washed off.

Most GE food grown in the U.S. is "Roundup Ready," meaning it can withstand spraying of Monsanto's Roundup pesticide and live, while weeds around it die. (Well, that's how it works initially; now resistant "superweeds" have increased the amount of pesticides farmers must spray on their GE crops.)”     More at: http://article.wn.com/view/2012/10/30/Top_7_Genetically_Modified_Crops/

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Genetically modified corn kills rats 2-3 times more often and more quickly

“Researchers in France have found that feeding rats corn which has been genetically modified to be Roundup-resistant increases the number of rats who die and the rate at which they die in comparison to a control group fed non-GMO corn. This study is the first long-term GMO study of its kind having taken two years to complete, giving the rats a lifespan equivalent to 60 human years. The research will be published in the upcoming November issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology.

In the two-year study, researchers fed rats a diet that consisted of either 11 per cent, 22 per cent or 33 per cent corn which had been genetically modified to be resistant to the Monsanto herbicide Roundup. They found that the rats who were fed the GMO diet died earlier and in greater numbers than the rats who were fed a normal, non-GMO diet.” From:  http://www.examiner.com/article/genetically-modified-corn-kills-rats-2-3-times-more-often-and-more-quickly

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"Don't Buy Any Food You've Ever Seen Advertised".

“Michael Pollan is one of the nations leading writers and thinkers in this country on the issue of food. He is author of several books about food, including The Botany of Desire, The Omnivores Dilemma and his latest, In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto. In light of what he calls the processed food industry’s co-option of sustainability and its vast spending on marketing, Pollan advises to be wary of any food that’s advertised.”

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Birke Baehr -"What's Wrong With Our Food System? And How Can We Make A Difference?" 

“Birke Baehr wants us to know how our food is made, where it comes from, and what's in it.”

“11-year-old Birke Baehr presents his take on a major source of our food -- far-away and less-than-picturesque industrial farms. Keeping farms out of sight promotes a rosy, unreal picture of big-box agriculture, he argues, as he outlines the case to green and localize food production.”

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On This Day:

Heavy rain leads to landslides in Southern California, Jan 18, 1969:

“On this day in 1969, a spate of heavy rain begins in Southern California that results in a tragic series of landslides and floods that kills nearly 100 people. This was the worst weather-related disaster in California in the 20th century.

Although January typically features relatively high precipitation in Southern California, the first month of 1969 saw an extraordinary amount of rain throughout the region. Mt. Baldy, east of Los Angeles, received more than 50 inches in the nine-day period beginning January 18. By January 26, the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) had declared it a federal disaster area.

The worst part of the remarkable rainfall was that it caused a series of landslides in the hills of Southern California. In Glendora, 1 million cubic meters of rock and mud slid down a hillside, destroying 200 homes and killing dozens of people. Although there was only one fatality, the plight of Mandeville Canyon, north of Sunset Boulevard in L.A.'s Brentwood section, during the disaster was heavily publicized due to the wealth and fame of its residents.

Mandeville Canyon Road became a flowing river and was impassable for a week. Waves of water three feet high ran through homes, sweeping residents' possessions, including furniture and pianos, away. Film director Robert Altman was trapped in his home for more than a day. Many others had to be evacuated. Michael Riordan, the brother of future Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, was the only person to die in the area. He was killed in his bedroom, as firefighters tried to rescue him. Eventually, the National Guard was brought in assist in the relief efforts.

Overall, 91 people died in the flooding and mudslides. It was the worst storm to hit Southern California since 1938. In February, yet another big storm hit killed 18 people over several days. From 1980 to 2005, approximately 100 people died from floods and landslides in Southern California.”

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Yesterday:

Misty and I drove down to the mailbox in the van, as I wanted to make sure it was running right before I drove into the next town.  So we had our walk-about down there near the pool and the children’s playground.

The van still didn’t feel right, so Jim, the mechanic took it out for a spin.  He said that it wouldn’t hurt it to drive it, but as soon as I got back from Conroe, he would give it a tune up.

This is the first time since I was 17 that I haven’t had two street legal vehicles on the road, and it was a scary thought.

I bought what I needed, returned some items to Walmart, and also stopped at the DMV to buy a $5 One-Way trip ticket for the Puddle Jumper.  It is only valid to drive it from here to the DMV to buy tags for it sometime before the 2nd. February.  That made me feel easier.  I only had my insurance card for the Puddle Jumper with me, so I couldn’t buy the permanent tags.

Now, I need to check all the lights, etc on the Puddle Jumper, so that I can get it inspected, in case I do have to put it back on the road.

Jim picked up my van, and I hope that it will be ready before I go to church on Saturday.

Winnebago Buys SunnyBrook. Atwood Buys Fantastic Fans. Towing Laws. RV Ins. Cargo Trailer. Mattresses.

Winnebago Buys SunnyBrook
"Winnebago Industries, In. bought SunnyBrook RV Inc. The news release says that Winnebago will continue to manufacture towable RVs under the SunnyBrook brand. Important news to current SunnyBrook owners, it says Winnebago will honor current SunnyBrook warranties. "
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Atwood Acquires Fan-Tastic Vent
"Atwood Mobile Products LLC bought Fan-Tastic Vent Co. You probably know Atwood as the supplier of RV ranges, water heaters, furnaces, LP and CO detectors, and other RV components and accessories. Fan-Tastic Vents have been around for 25 years and are a leader in 12-volt RV ceiling vent fans."   
Fantastic Fans was known for their superb customer service. We all hope that Atwood will keep it up.
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Towing Laws for All States.

"Some states regulate towing according to the overall length of your rig.   Some prohibit triple towing completely.
Here's a link to a website that has a table showing towing laws in the various states.
There's discussion (controversy) over whether the correct term is "triple towing" or "double towing." I bring this up because it is something to keep in mind as you review the towing regulations.
Also, please keep in mind that just because it may be legal to tow two trailers doesn't mean it is safe to do so."
More at: http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm
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RV Insurance.

"Ads for auto insurance quotes, you know the ones that say you could save if you switched companies, abound. Can you really save any money, or are all the RV and car insurance rates about the same?
The Geico ad says you could save hundreds if you'd change to them from other companies. Then, the next ad is for Allstate or some company that was supposed to be higher, and they are saying that you can save hundreds by changing to their company.
What's the deal? It seems odd how each company could claim to be the least expensive, but I suspect it has to do with categories. One company is likely cheaper for some types of coverage, or in some areas. Another company is probably less for a different category of drivers, or for different vehicles.
The thing to note, though, is that, yes, you really can save money by getting auto insurance quotes from several companies. And, that includes insurance for your motorhome or other recreational vehicles.

Traditional wisdom was that you got the best deal if you stayed with one company a long time. But that's not necessarily true anymore. Some companies do give a discount for staying with them for a long time. They also tend to give discounts if you have multiple vehicles insured with them, if you've taken a defensive driving course, and if you have anti-lock brakes. However, those discounts don't necessarily mean the coverage costs less than with a competing company.
Around the time our premium was to come due, we received ads offering auto insurance quotes from several different companies. I made a few phone calls, and yes, it saved us a chunk of money.

I called one and didn't get very far. The customer service they gave during the phone call was terrible. I simply didn't want to give them our business. Another had higher rates.
Then, I called another. The customer service on the phone was excellent. The rates they quoted me were considerably less than what we had been paying. We switched to them. and, yes, it was a big savings. When it came time to renew, I paid the premium online, with no problem.

Interestingly, our previous coverage was with a company endorsed by at least one of the big RVing clubs. We'd been with them for over 10 years and never had a claim -- not even a broken windshield. So, even though you are insuring an RV, going through an RVing organization isn't necessarily the best deal.
Take a few minutes to get some of those free quotes for your insurance. It could be well worth your time. "
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Other considerations:

If your RV is overloaded for it's gross weight, the insurance company may not pay in case of an accident.
If you don't have RV insurance, just car insurance on your RV, the contents, awnings, generator etc. may not be covered.
RV insurance is usually cheaper that car insurance, as they think that you won't drive it as many miles.
Please note that if you are a fulltimer, then your rig should be insured that way,  NOT ALL COMPANIES INSURE FULLTIMERS.  Everything you own is usually in the rig, and it needs to be covered accordingly.
Howard of http://www.rv-dreams.com/ recommends Miller Ins. for fulltimers.
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Today.

Jay and I finished our part of the problem "dreaded" window. 
Ray can poly or stain the new frame if he has time.

We were going to start on the kitchen countertop, but it really needs to have the Formica on it first.  I will go to Houston to get that, and I don't do Houston on Fridays, so it will have to wait until another day.

So we made the other dinette bench.  It will be hinged in the middle, sideways, so we added a support at the join of the plywood. The sides will be covered with paneling. Ray will probably paint the plywood.

When I took Jay home I snapped a picture through the car window of the porch where a man re-does mattresses.  Their dog pees and poops in that fenced area, too.  The man re-uses the springs, and sometimes the foam and batting, too. I expect that the sewing for the cover is done inside the house, or it is farmed out elsewhere.
When I worked for a newspaper selling advertising, the editor would not allow any mattress ads in the paper, as she knew that sometimes this is the sort of environment where they are made.   One reason I made my own dense foam and memory foam mattress.

The weather is cool at night, but lovely during the day.

Presidents Day, a Federal Holiday Turned Media Trend. Earned Income Tax Credit. Cargo Trailer Window.

2011 February, 21st

"What is today trending as Presidents Day begun as Washington’s Birthday – a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States. But Richard Nixon decided to change Washington’s Birthday to a more generic Presidents Day, to celebrate all American presidents who helped shape the nation.

Like any other celebration with potential of becoming a viral trend, Presidents Day becomes a powerful online marketing opportunity, with many companies promoting special “President’s Day” offers, President’s Day discounts, promotions, and coupons, all sales strategies often encouraged by marketers and PRs.
A whole retail industry revolves around a celebration that should have more significance than scoring some deals at the local mall.


But online trends are usually influenced by brands, social media influencers, and mainstream media – and sadly, not all articles are eye-openers like Nick Ragone’s FOX News editorial, who writes: Presidents Day should be a chance for Americans to reconnect with the past — both distant and near — and the giants of the office who transformed the country.

As Mr. Ragone notes, it’s doubtful that shoppers are giving too much thought to the greatest American presidents as they troll the discount bins. In fact, as the online search trends show, users are more interested in knowing whether banks are open on presidents day 2011. Other hot searches include: is the post office open on presidents day 2011, USPS holidays, post office savings and so on. Some searchers look for the answer to the question: is Presidents Day a federal holiday? The answer is yes, it is, and yes, some banks choose to close their doors this day, but there are enough that keep a normal program. This, however, is not the issue.

The question is, should Presidents Day be used as a marketing/sales opportunity, or should our focus be more on raising awareness on other issues, of deeper meaning? I choose meaning, and if you do too, you will enjoy Nick Ragone’s Presidents Day: A Time to Remember the Greats, as much as I did."
From: http://www.pamil-visions.net/presidents-day/222925/
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I am all for giving 'Caesar's things unto Caesar', but let's not give him jam on his 'daily bread'!

Matthew 22:20-22 (King James Version)

²¹They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

"EITC is for people who earn less than $48,362. If you qualify, it could be worth as much as $5,666 this year depending on your filing status and the number of qualifying children. So you could pay less federal tax or even get a refund. Just imagine what you could do with that."
More at: https://secure.entergy.com/bill_inserts/multi/12_10/Earned_Income_Tax_Credit_Pub_926.pdf
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Today,


Jay and I framed up, cut out, squashed the ridges on the siding, and temporarily installed the last window in the cargo trailer. 

The squashing went better than expected.







We measured very carefully where we were going to install it, so that the cut out siding could be used to fix the boo-boos on the 'dreaded' window on the other side.








Even though the weather was wonderful, we rolled up the tools, as it did smell like it was going to rain, and we had had enough.

So we didn't work on the 'dreaded' window today.