Danger, Fake News. Heeding an Alarm: The Texas Tragedy Still Haunts Us. The Same Diet That’s Anti-Cancer Is Also Anti-Heart Disease And Anti-Lung Disease.

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Fake News in the Church? It Started in a Garden...

“Fake news isn’t new.

In fact, the very first fake news story was broadcast in the Garden of Eden when Satan told Eve:
“You will not surely die...” (Genesis 3:4)

That was a lie — and it’s been spreading ever since.

Christ called Satan the father of lies (John 8:44), and to this day, he remains the invisible broadcaster behind every slander, whisper, distortion, and deception — including many that make their way right into the Church of God.

In a world trained to doubt everything and mock everyone, the spirit of fake news has crept in among God’s people — not just through media, but in our conversations, our comments, our posts, and even our fellowship.

Let’s be real:
Gossip, rumors, harsh opinions, character assassinations — these are all modern forms of false witness, and they violate the Ninth Commandment:

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)

Even if something is “technically” true, if it’s told with the intent to damage, divide, or discourage — it becomes spiritual fake news.

God hates it.

“A lying tongue… a false witness who speaks lies… and one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16–19)

It’s easy to fall into it.
We’ve all heard it — maybe we’ve even spread it.

That’s why we must wake up and take spiritual inventory.

Christ didn’t just speak truth — He was the Truth (John 14:6).
As His followers, we must reflect that same Spirit of truth — in our words, our tone, our posts, and even in our private conversations.

So ask yourself:

Do I speak negatively about others?

Do I pass on things I haven’t personally confirmed?

Do I allow cynicism or distrust to shape my attitude in the Church?

Cynicism isn’t harmless. It damages your faith and erodes others’. It causes stumbling — and Christ warned that causing a brother to stumble is no small thing (Matthew 18:6).

This isn’t about being naïve. It’s about being spiritually responsible.
We must not become the carriers of a spiritual virus that Satan uses to weaken the Church from within.

So here’s the challenge:

▸ Don’t engage in or pass along gossip
▸Speak well of others when possible — and stay silent when it’s not
▸Change the subject when others veer negative
▸Choose your words — and your thoughts — carefully

“Let all that you do be done with love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

You were called to truth — not just to know it, but to live it.

Let’s overcome the spirit of fake news — and be vessels of faith, clarity, and peace.

With sincerity and encouragement in Christ,
Bob Schenfield”

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Heeding an Alarm: The Texas Tragedy Still Haunts Us

“Have you ever heard an emergency alarm sound and ignored it?  I have.
I remember the alarm system when I was young in my hometown. A weather alert would come on the television or the radio. Those were the only two systems we had. Because my mother had once experienced a tornado, and we had a next-door neighbor who took the alarms seriously and came knocking on our door, we took it seriously. We would go to our basement until the alarm passed.

Recently, I visited my hometown. One night, storms came through, spawning tornadoes, and the tornado alarms went off. The town now has a system of very loud alarms. When the alarms sounded my wife and I did nothing. We turned over and went back to sleep. Fortunately, nothing occurred. I am alive to write this piece.

I am still digesting the recent flooding tragedy in south Texas along the Guadalupe River. Every time I think of the young girls who were swept away in the dark of night, I grieve for their families. The whole incident haunts us. The region will take a long time to recover. Parents and family of the dead will never fully recover.

Could the devastating loss of life have been prevented? Had it occurred in daylight, rather than the early hours of morning when all were asleep, the number of casualties would certainly have been reduced. It happened when it did, when people were sleeping and evidently the only alarm system was on people’s cell phones. When you are asleep it is difficult to hear and heed an alarm.

I read that Kerr County, Texas, where this occurred is about the size of the state of Rhode Island (1,107 square miles) and only has 54,000 inhabitants. Rhode Island has more than a million people. Emergency services were likely tailored to the size and resources of the population. They proved inadequate.

What do we learn from this tragedy?

I will pay more attention to the sounding of an alarm, whether it is a tornado, fire or other emergency. It is the right thing to do. One day danger will strike. If we prepare even a small amount, it can save a life.

I have thought about the biblical references to the coming of the Lord as a “thief in the night.”  This phrase is used in four locations in the New Testament. Revelation 16:15 says, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Luke 21:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:4; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3).

The metaphor is striking—“a thief in the night.”  While we sleep—when we are least able to hear and respond to danger.
These scriptures refer to spiritual watchfulness.
The events of the Day of the Lord will begin suddenly. Spiritual deception is high. World events suddenly shift. These biblical references speak to preparedness, alertness and righteous works.
My lack of reaction to a local alarm tells me I may need to study these scriptures again.
There is much to learn.” From: https://mailchi.mp/ucg/heeding-an-alarm-texas-tragedy?e=72c729d811

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The same diet that’s anti-cancer is also anti-heart disease and anti-lung disease.

“Following cancer prevention guidelines for lifestyle and diet may increase longevity.

Adherence to cancer prevention recommendations isn’t just associated with higher survival in cancer patients and lower risk of dying from cancer, but lower risk of dying overall. That’s the beauty of eating a more plant-based diet.

Thirty to 50 percent of common cancers are preventable with diet and lifestyle. We have the power to change our health destiny.

A healthy lifestyle that includes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes may help reduce the number of breast cancer incidences, for example.

The American Institute for Cancer Research recommendations include maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and eating a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans, while limiting fast food, processed junk, meats, soda, and alcohol.

Specific to breast cancer, those who met most of those recommendations only had half the risk, compared to individuals who only met a couple. If you could only do one of those recommendations, limiting animal foods seems most protective. Adherence to the recommendations is also associated with higher survival in people who already have cancer.

Higher dietary fiber consumption was associated with a 37 percent lower risk of dying from all causes put together and a 28 percent lower risk of dying specifically from breast cancer among breast cancer survivors––and it didn’t take much. There was about a 10 percent drop in death risk for every increment of 5 daily grams of dietary fiber. That’s like a cup of oatmeal or broccoli, or just a third of a cup of beans.

Watch the video “Diet and Lifestyle for Cancer Prevention and Survival” at see.nf/3O4GyAa

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The 5 Rs of Healing Relationships. Avoiding Vain Repetitions in Prayer. Best Way to Cook Vegetables.

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The 5 Rs of Healing Relationships

“Getting along with people can be hard. A variety of factors can contribute to the breakdown of relationships. What can we do to help restore broken relationships?

Over 25 years ago, in the midst of rioting, Rodney King voiced these memorable words: “Can we all get along?” All these years later, the words still resonate. Rodney King, a man who was severely beaten on camera by Los Angeles police after being apprehended following a car chase, was trying to quell the violence that had started as a result.

Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying, “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”

In fact, if we go back almost 2,000 years to the first century, we read a similar sentiment by the apostle Paul: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).

The point is that relationships are hard. They have always been hard. Humanity has been having a difficult time getting along all the way back to when Cain killed his brother Abel in Genesis 4. Some of the many consequences of broken relationships are violence, estrangement, gossip, feelings of self-superiority, insults or belittling. The list could go on and on.

In our polarized world, people are often at odds with people they haven’t even met, based on their political persuasion, ethnicity, religion, etc. For instance, just quoting the three men above could already bias people for or against us just based on their feelings about Mr. King, Mr. Roosevelt or the Bible.

Can we change this?

Those who believe the Bible have the opportunity to be shining examples of how to heal relationships and love others—because the Bible has so much to say on the topic. Christians can demonstrate that even when mistakes are made—and even though it may be extremely challenging—it is possible to restore and heal a relationship that has been damaged or broken.

It is possible to restore and heal a relationship that has been damaged or broken. But we have to work at it. Strong relationships are perhaps the most difficult things to achieve, but also the most rewarding. None of us do it perfectly, but there are ways we can do it better. This blog post will begin a series of five posts on healing broken relationships.

[NOTE: There is one caveat, however. If physical, mental or emotional abuse is occurring, we should first leave the situation and not focus on reconciliation. If reconciliation is to be achieved in an abusive relationship, it should be done through a professional counselor.]

The five healing Rs

This blog series will cover five keys to healing broken relationships, whether with coworkers and other acquaintances or with our families and close friends.

Here is a preview of what we will be covering. We should:

• Recognize that our own thinking, speech or behavior has damaged our relationship with someone. The first step to healing any relationship is recognizing our part in damaging it.
• Repent to God for every way our thoughts, speech or behavior has done damage to a relationship.  
• Replace hurtful thoughts, speech and behavior with positive and peacemaking ways.
• Reconcile to make things right with the other person, even if that means things don’t go the way we expect or prefer. 
• Retry the relationship by starting fresh, putting the past in the past and getting a new perspective.

No relationship is perfect, and we all have flaws to deal with. But healing broken relationships is worth the effort because strong relationships provide great happiness and help us live better lives.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships/

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Private Prayers

Matthew 6:5-6

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

“In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ laid out the foundations of Christianity; and in this section He addresses the wrong and right ways to pray.

Prayer is not for show or to impress other people. It is designed to help us build a personal relationship with our Creator. The core of our prayer life is one-on-one, alone with God. When we pray in private, we can express our deepest emotions and be open with God in a way we could not be in public.

The example of the New Testament Church shows that this does not mean that there is no place for public prayer, as there are many examples of the Church of God praying together (Acts 1:14; 4:24-31; etc.). But we must always be on guard against the attitude of hypocrisy that Jesus warned about. Read more in our article “Private Worship Toward God.”

For more about what the Bible teaches about prayer, see our article “How to Talk to God.” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/private-prayers/

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Avoiding Vain Repetitions in Prayer

Matthew 6:7

“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”

“God does not give us prayers to memorize and repeat mindlessly as a ritual. He is not interested in babble and hearing certain syllables intoned repetitiously, as it seems the pagans believed their “gods” did. He wants His followers to “avoid meaningless, repetitive prayers offered under the misconception that mere length will make prayers efficacious” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on Matthew 6:7-8).

God is interested in us having an actual conversation with Him, listening to what He says in the Bible and sharing our thoughts, requests, cares and praise with Him in a focused and meaningful way. Repeating someone else’s words over and over again can’t help but become rote and ritual rather than building the relationship God desires.

See more about the communication God desires in our articles “How to Avoid Repetitious Prayer” and “How to Pray.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/avoiding-vain-repetitions-in-prayer/

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Best Way to Cook Vegetables

Transcript of video at: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-way-to-cook-vegetables/

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

“Boiling, steaming, microwaving, air frying, and sous vide cooking are put to the test for nutrient retention.

I’ve made videos on how not to die from heart disease, how not to die from cancer, how not to die from other deadly diseases like diabetes, but some of the most popular videos on the site are like …“the best way to cook sweet potatoes.”

All right, then. What’s the best way to cook bell peppers? Here’s the antioxidant power of raw green peppers and red peppers, and microwaving or stir-frying doesn’t seem to do much, though with boiling, there’s a drop. But then, if you measure the antioxidant activity of the leftover boiling water, the antioxidants weren’t destroyed, but just leached out into the cooking water. So, the researcher’s conclusion is that it’s “vital to consume the water used for boiling, in addition to the peppers, as bioactive compounds will be [left over] in the water.” But that’s not the take-away I get from this study. Drink the water or not, red peppers have nearly twice the antioxidant power of green, no matter what you do. So, while both peppers are, by definition, green-light foods, the red peppers, ironically, are even greener.

What about mushrooms? Probably best not to eat them raw, but what’s the best way to cook them? “Since cooking techniques clearly influence the nutritional attributes of mushrooms, the proper selection of [cooking method may be a] key factor to prevent or reduce nutritional losses. And…”microwaving and grilling were established as the best processes to maintain the nutritional profile of mushrooms.” For example, a significant decrease was detected in the antioxidant activity of mushrooms, especially after boiling and frying, while grilled and microwaved mushrooms reached in some cases higher antioxidant activity.

Boiling had a similar negative impact on the antioxidant power of cauliflower, which serves as just kind of a rough proxy for how many phytonutrients of potential benefit we might be losing. Blanching was better, where the cauliflower here was dunked into boiling water for three minutes and then run under cold water to stop it from cooking. I had never heard of steam blanching, but same idea. Steam for three minutes, then cool off, which appears to be better, since you’re not immersing it in water. Though, note there’s not much difference between steaming for six minutes and steaming for three, and then running under cold water. Too bad they didn’t look at roasting—that’s how you make cauliflower taste good. In fact, I’ve got two recipes on roasted cauliflower in my How Not to Die Cookbook (for which all my proceeds go to charity, of course).

There are certain antioxidants we’re especially interested in, though. Like the eyesight and brain-protecting green vegetable compound lutein. Here’s the back of the eyeball. What lutein does is protect those sensitive light-sensing nerves by blocking the high-energy blue light rays, which helps us see better, and may help us think better too. So, researchers looked at the effects of four different cooking methods on lutein concentrations. The first thing you’ll notice is that broccoli has like 50 times more than cauliflower—not a surprise, since lutein is a plant pigment, and cauliflower is too white. Here is it graphically, so you can appreciate the difference.

Then they compared boiling, steaming, microwaving, and sous vide cooking, which is like a fancy name for boiling in a plastic bag. And, boiling actually made lutein levels go up! How is that possible? Heat can actually disrupt the cell walls, and all the little subcellular compartments that can enhance the release of antioxidant compounds. Sous vide was similar; microwaving detrimental, at least for the broccoli, and… steaming the superstar, nearly doubling lutein levels.

Heat isn’t the only way to liberate lutein from greens. If you finely chop spinach, you can double the amount of lutein released during digestion in this experimental model. And make a green smoothie, or pesto, or some kind of puréed spinach dish, and you may triple the bioavailability. But you have to watch the heat. Steaming or boiling is one thing, but super high heat, like stir-frying, can reduce lutein levels to nearly nothing.

Frying is also bad for the purple pigments in blue potatoes—even air-frying; they just seem sensitive to extremely high heat. These special antioxidant plant pigments appear to be sensitive to really high temperatures; so, we should try to avoid frying, especially deep frying. That was one of the conclusions of an expert panel on cooking methods: avoid deep frying foods. Not only the nutrient losses, but all the added oil—not to mention the production of some toxic compounds at those temperatures. So, that continues to be a challenge to the food industry. What’s their solution? Forget deep-fat frying, let’s try frying in pure molten sugar. It’s like the SnackWell cookie phenomenon taken to its logical conclusion. Oh, you want low-fat? We’ll fry in sugar.”  From: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-way-to-cook-vegetables/

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America's Debt Reaches $21 Trillion. Is the Passover Jewish or Christian? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”, but it is late!

America's Debt Reaches $21 Trillion

“Should you and I be worried about this growing debt? What implications does it have for our lives and for the world's future?

God makes a number of statements regarding debt in the Bible. Perhaps His most consequential reminder is found in Proverbs 22:7.

The United States quietly sneaked past a new milestone. In the first time in the nation’s history, America’s national debt reached over $21 trillion. That’s more than $21,000,000,000,000 in accumulated spending.

The national debt ballooned under the watch of presidents and legislators from many political ideologies, most recently increasing drastically under President Obama, only to further swell under President Trump. In February, Congress approved a motion to suspend America’s debt ceiling, the maximum amount it is allowed to borrow. This law, signed by President Trump, permits unlimited borrowing until March of next year (”U.S. National Debt Exceeds $21 Trillion for First Time,” MarketWatch, Robert Schroeder, March 16, 2018). While a small handful of outspoken representatives have voiced concerns over the engorged debt, it seems politics as usual—the ideology of “spend”—all but continues in Washington D.C.

Should you and I be worried about this growing debt? What implications does it have for our lives and for the world’s future?

Fortunately, God makes a number of statements regarding debt in the Bible. Perhaps His most consequential reminder is found in Proverbs 22:7, which reads, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Many popular translations, including the New International Version, render the word “servant” as “slave,” meaning obedient and entirely submissive to the lender.

This is because borrowing comes with the implicit promise to pay the money back. God reminds us to “render therefore to all their due” in Romans 13:7 (emphasis added throughout). He tells us it is better to not borrow at all than to borrow and fail to repay (Ecclesiastes 5:5). On an individual level, this is the obligation we have when we pay using a credit card or take on a loan for a home, tuition or a vehicle.

On a global scale, the ability to lend to others rather than borrow from them is considered a national blessing from God (Deuteronomy 28:12). As a nation distances itself from God and His way, the lending to foreign nations transitions into borrowing from them. A foreigner “shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:43-44).

The concern with America’s national debt, because it is very large, is that it will never be paid back. God has intense condemnation for this behavior: “The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives” (Psalms 37:21). It is wicked to not fulfill this type of agreement and to keep our word. Again, at a staggering $21 trillion, this is a very real concern.

What consequences would a nation, even one as large and as mighty as the United States, face for such wicked behavior? Leviticus 26 says God “will break the pride of your power,” among a series of other curses (Leviticus 26:19, see also Deuteronomy 28). America cannot stand defiant against this directive from God. It will eventually be grand and imposing no more.

It might come as a surprise to learn God has dealt with nations owing large debts before. Hundreds of years before Christ, the faithful prophet Habakkuk was greatly troubled by the rise of Babylon. God said Babylon, which did not serve Him, would be used to punish Judah for its sins. Habakkuk wondered: Wouldn’t Babylon be judged for their own misdeeds?

God answered they would be: “Woe to him who increases what is not his—how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges? Will not your creditors rise up suddenly?  Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the people shall plunder you, because of men’s blood and the violence of the land and the city, and of all who dwell in it” (Habakkuk 2:6-8). These verses apply not just to ancient Babylon, but to the nations which exist still today (see Habakkuk 2:2-3).

From a prophetic perspective, America’s national debt represents a clear and present danger to its future. For failing to walk with God, the national blessings the United States enjoyed for many years are beginning to transition into curses. Violence, plunder and oppression are foretold as a result of this debt.

While this has been a sobering look into the future, remember you and I can each make a difference right now. We can be true to our word as individuals and maintain the agreements we make. As America is humbled, let’s each also remember to be humble as Christ was humble, knowing that we must be reliant on God. And may we each take to heart the words God told to Habakkuk: “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:3).”

From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/an-empty-mountain-americas-debt-reaches-21-trillion

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Is the Passover Jewish or Christian?

“Jews keep it to remember the Exodus, while most Christians disregard it as a Jewish national holiday. But what should Passover mean to you?

Every year Jews celebrate Passover with a special meal called the seder (meaning order). The service involves reading, drinking wine, telling stories, eating foods, singing songs, and other traditions. The service involves four cups of wine, which represent various aspects of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. A cup is also poured for Elijah, whom Jews are waiting for to announce the coming of Messiah. The meal consists of foods used to remind them of the bitterness of the slavery and the joy of their freedom.

On the other end of the spectrum, most of Christendom believes the Passover ended with Jesus’ death on the cross and was later replaced with Good Friday and Easter.

But does the Passover have any connection with Christianity?

Many are surprised to learn that Passover is just as Christian as it is Jewish.

About 1,500 years after the Passover was instituted through Moses, Jesus came as the ultimate Passover Lamb of God (John 1:29). He was sacrificed for our sins on the Passover (Matthew 26:2). The apostle Paul describes Him as “Christ, our Passover” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Jesus did not abolish the Passover, but actually transformed it by revealing its deep spiritual significance. He introduced new symbols: taking unleavened bread and wine as a remembrance of His sacrifice (Luke 22:15, 19-20). The apostle Paul later reinforced this, explaining that Jesus said we should “do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24) on the “same night in which He was betrayed”—which was the evening of Passover (verse 23). Paul’s letters never mention anything about Good Friday or Easter.”

Continue Reading   From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/blog/is-the-passover-jewish-or-christian/

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Update:

Not much was done this week as Zack was off for a few days visiting his daughter for his birthday, so we didn’t do any more to plumb in the kitchen sink drain in the minihouse.  Zack has never done drain plumbing before and I have a hard time getting down under the house, so a man is supposed to come and put it together this week.  I had bought a bunch of varied 4” and 2” PVC fittings, you never know what you will need.

At Walmart, I picked up the new weedwhacker, a generic brand that they had for $12 online. We will see how good it is.   The county is resurfacing the road at the back of my houses and everything is covered in dust.  Graders have been going back and forth for a week.  Both my front porch and screen porch are filthy.  My van was all dirty and dusty, and not much washed off with a hose on Friday, when I was getting ready for the Sabbath.

For the church potluck I had made a small crockpot full of a chicken liver dish with tomatoes, onions, artichoke hearts and another small crockpot of rice to go under it.  Someone said it tasted like gumbo, so I wished I had put some okra in it.  There was also spagettii and meatballs, lasagne, and lots of veggies.  Two veggies the pastor’s wife always has for us are baked beans and broccoli, two very nutritious foods.  Though, if you research it, you will find that one can live very well on a diet of potatoes only, as long as they have nutritious toppings, no oils or fats, and you will also become a healthy weight.   (OK, that does mean no French Fries). 

The Bible readings were Lev.6:8-8:36, Jer. 7:21-8:3, 9:22-23, Heb. 7:24-8:6 and the Teaching was about Light and Darkness.  Jesus being the Light and satan being the darkness.

My Siamese SPCA foster cat Luna has gone to another foster mom as she loved me too much and would love-bite me, or pull my hands towards her with her claws.  She didn’t mean to pierce my thin, aged skin, so it wasn’t a ‘three-dog-night’, but each day was a ‘three-bandaid-day’.

What Killed The Dinosaurs? Go Around. Wisdom Versus Knowledge. Drop the Load. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

What killed the dinosaurs?

“What killed all the dinosaurs? What are dinosaurs? Why don’t we find any today?

Huge Sauropod dinosaur leg bone. Compare to the author’s 6’4″ handsome husband!

“Over the years there have been several theories for what killed the dinosaurs and why we don’t really find them today.  Was it an asteroid impact? Was it climate change?  “What killed the dinosaurs?” is a history question, so let’s go back to the reliable source of history that we’ve talked about – the Bible. The global flood, i.e., “Noah’s Flood”, in Genesis covered the whole earth and all the land-dwelling creatures not on the ark died. Since dinosaurs lived on land, they must have died in the flood. As mentioned in the previous article about rocks, fossils, and the age of the earth (read here), many of the rock layers were created during the global flood, including fossils of some of the creatures that died during the flood.

So, the global flood is what killed most of the dinosaurs. Noah did take some on the ark (see full article), so a few dinosaurs did survive the flood. However, the climate after the flood was very different and probably made it difficult for these creatures to survive. Additionally, looking at dragon legends, the ones that remained were probably pests that humans fought and killed in the following years.  What killed the dinosaurs? Several factors – the global flood, changing climate, and humans.

Didn’t dinosaurs evolve into birds?

Archaeopteryx fossil. Photo from pixabay

The idea that dinosaurs evolved into birds is very popular right now. First off, there are a bunch of problems with the idea of evolution as a whole. One type of creature turning into a different type of creatures simply has not on record. You can read more in last week’s article about evolution. Next, looking at the anatomy of a theropod dinosaur (those like T. rex and velociraptor that are thought to have evolved into birds) presents a lot of problems for the way birds breathe and walk.

Then, or course, is the issue of feathers. Feathers are very, very, very different from the scales we find on reptiles – they are very complex and function more like a hair than like scales. There is fossil evidence of skin impressions from many dinosaurs showing scales (even recently discovered on T. rex). The famous “missing link” fossil between dinosaurs and birds, archaeopteryx, is an extinct bird – very clearly not dinosaur. The true identity of “fossil proto-feathers” is still hotly debated among paleontologists. Even many scientists who accept evolution don’t agree with dinosaur-to-bird evolution. To top it all off, fossil parrots, loons, and other birds have been found buried in the same rock layers that we find dinosaurs in. Even the lowest (relatively oldest) dinosaur-containing rock layers have bird footprint fossils.

In conclusion, dinosaurs are marvelous creatures created by God just a few thousand years ago. We don’t see dinosaurs around anymore because of the global flood, changing climate after the flood, and humans fighting these dragons. No, those birds you see in your back yard are not descendants of a dinosaur. Be sure to come back next week as we conclude this series of articles on Creation basics!”        Excerpts from: http://creationclues.org/2018/03/03/what-happened-to-the-dinosaurs-creation-basics-5/   By Sara J. Mikkelson (Bruegel) is a young woman dedicated to bringing glory to the one and only God (the LORD, Yahweh, of the Bible) in all that she does.

For Further Study, Creation Clues: Bone Mix  Behemoth Burial Grounds Tackling Pterosaurs  Making Mosasaurs  Dinosaurs that Defy Millions of Years  Living Fossils Series  Tip-Toe Tracks

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Go Around 

   

“There are times in life when stubbornness, ego or vanity will push us into forcing an issue or putting great effort into something that only amounts to little.

Krists Luhaers/Unsplash

Sometimes the best thing to do is to take the other path.

Farmers who had a tough time plowing their fields had an old saying: “Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.” There are stumps and then there are stumps. Some may be worth the effort, some may not. Knowing the difference can save a lot of grief, and having good tools can make a difference.

Jesus gave some good advice when He said that we need to count the cost of projects or things we are facing (Luke 14:28). Sometimes the best thing to do is to take the other path. That is how Abraham solved his trouble with Lot. He told Lot to make a choice and rather than have strife, Abraham would simply go the opposite way (Genesis 13:9). Abraham knew God would bless him wherever he went. When you go around the “stump” for God, hold His hand.”

From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/go-around

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Wisdom Versus Knowledge    

“Wisdom can be found anywhere God chooses, whether we hear it or not.

Rod Long/Unsplash

God’s Word offers direction for the times we lose our way on the road of wisdom. Ask for wisdom and observe the fruit borne from that request.

Is it possible that as worldly knowledge increases, wisdom decreases? Humanity has accomplished much and has many clever sayings, such as “knowledge is power.” But it’s a spiritual paradox of sorts.

Let’s consider Scripture. Standing amidst an assortment of pagan altars, Paul stood up at Mars Hill and said: “Men of Athens, I see how very religious you are in every way” (Acts 17:22). Paul spoke to them at their spiritual level. He didn’t look down his nose and walk away. He didn’t say, “Your idols are outrageous and need to be destroyed.”

He may have screened his thoughts and practiced diplomacy. Paul found a way to tell them some good news about his merciful, all-powerful God, using a sliver of wisdom he found among these knowledgeable Athenians: “I found an altar where you worship with the words written on it, TO THE GOD WHO IS NOT KNOWN. You are worshiping Him without knowing Him. He is the One I will tell you about” (Acts 17:22-23).

Wisdom can be found anywhere God chooses, whether we hear it or not: “Wisdom cries out in the street; she utters her voice in the markets” (Proverbs 1:20). We may cry out in prayer for understanding and seek it as treasure, but Scripture cautions about misplacing our focus on knowledge: “And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2).

God’s Word offers direction for the times we lose our way on the road of wisdom: “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Communication and signs are navigation tools. Ask for wisdom and observe the fruit borne from that request. “Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly” (Proverbs3:18).

Connecting the dots on this spiritual treasure-seeking quest will help us stay on target for the heavenly wisdom of James 3:17 and our true, living God.”

From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/wisdom-versus-knowledge

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Drop the Load

“Many people carry loads that are heavy, but invisible.

If we carry our concerns and worries from the previous day into today, we will have an ever-heavier load to carry.

These invisible heavy loads are thoughts that burden us with anxiety, fear and concern. There could be thoughts of revenge and records of hurts we may have suffered. These inner loads are heavy only to you. “It does not take a very big person to carry a grudge,” someone noted. But the one carrying it may find their life changed and the joy they could have had curtailed. “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; it only causes harm” (Psalms 37:8). Most of that harm impacts the one carrying the load, but all those associated with him are affected.

Jesus advised His followers to stop worrying about tomorrow or things they could not change—there are plenty of things a person needs to be concerned with without adding some extra (Matthew 6:34). If we carry our concerns and worries from the previous day into today, we will have an ever-heavier load to carry. There are some parts of the load that we must bear, but things like grudges, anger or attempts to retaliate are ones that we do not need. Drop them, and your load will be lighter.”      From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/drop-the-load

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Update:

Zack got one coat of paint on one side of the 15-light door in the mini-house, and we did a few other odd jobs. 

Chris and I took the van to Pete’s auto repair shop in Conroe as he has got it inspected for me in other years.  But he said that his scanner would not give him a good code for why the engine light is on.  So we picked it up and I took it to a larger shop. They scanned it, free, and said it is one of the 3 oxygen sensors and that they didn’t have time to fix it until the following Wednesday, (for $220). 

As I was driving it back to Willis, the engine light was off, so I thought that I would get it inspected.  It passed everything, except they said that the computer had been reset and that I had to drive it for 100 miles within 2 weeks, and then they would inspect it again.  I set the trip to zero, and wondered how I was going to rack up 100 miles in two weeks.  I didn’t have to worry about that, the engine light came back on in only 18 miles. 

On Monday, Luna, my Siamese foster was picked up by my SPCA boss, Kenya, and taken to her house overnight so that she could be taken to the vet Tuesday morning.  They had to verify that she is indeed already spayed, and get her next shots. Then Kenya put her in the Habitat at Petco.  The next day, Wednesday, Chris and I were going to get my van from Pete’s when Chris got a call from the Habitat that Luna was having a seizure again.  We rushed there and picked her up.  Chris dropped me off at Pete’s and took Luna to my house while I took the van to the larger shop.  When I got home, Luna was fine and as loving as always.  So it is either the shots or being confined in a small spaces that sets off the seizures.  Kenya is going to pick her up again next week and keep her under observation with a camera. She is going to trade with me,  I will be getting a gray boy cat who was saved from a foster mother’s home that caught on fire on Tuesday.  Three of the critters, 1 dog, 2 cats died in the fire, but this cat, and two others were saved and treated for smoke inhalation. 

Puddin’, my other foster cat, is so happy to be home from the Habitat that she hardly leaves my side, and is tolerating Luna being in the house. At first she swore terribly (a sailer would blush) anytime she saw Luna, but now she has calmed down to a growl.  By the 17th., I have to get her used to being around other cats as she has a potential adopter who already has a cat.  Luna and Puddin’ sleep on my bed with me, but not near each other. Maybe Puddin’ will like the new cat better? 

I have trained Puddin’ some “catiquette”, or cat etiquette. She doesn’t get on counters or the dining table, she comes when called, that gets two treats, and if she comes on her own, that’s one treat.  Of course, she has me trained, too, she lets me know when she wants her canned food, and comes to get me when she thinks it is bedtime. The changing of the clocks will probably confuse her tonight.

When I took Zack to the local food pantry, he was given two batches of beets,  and a package of ground bison, which he promptly gave me.  Some people don’t know what’s good, or what’s good for them.  I put the beets in a big pot, boiled them, skinned them and I will have a great time eating them in different dishes.  I have some brown rice soaking, ready to cook it in a crockpot, and cooking it in the beet water will give the brown rice an interesting hue.  Who says you have to stick to the conventional recipes?  I find cooking in a crockpot gives my kitchen smoke alarm some rest.  If I cook food on the stove, I often forget about it, until it reminds me.

The ground bison was cooked with some chopped onion, and as I had an abundance of potatoes, I cooked and mashed them, too.  What did that make?  A Shepherd’s Pie, of course, though I had to add a pound of grass-fed ground beef to make it enough for the church potluck.  I took some beef gravy for the pie, and a cut up cantelope, too. We also had chicken alfredo, tamale pie, beef pie, etc., lima beans, broccoli and other veggies.

The Bible readings were Exo. 30:11-34:35, about the Altar of Incense, the golden calf, the second pair of tablets of stone inscribed with the 10 Commandments, the seventh day the Sabbath, and the Feast Days being days of rest, 1 Kin. 18:1-39  and 2  Cor. 3:1-18.  The Teaching was more about what Martin Luther’s Reformation has done for us.  The people now had translations of the Bible in their own languages. The pilgrims had came over here with the Geneva Bible, as the King James version was so new.

After I had helped clean up the dining hall kitchen, I went to the nursing home to see Claudia, who is still hanging in there.  The weather this week has been variable with air conditioning needed one day, and heat the next day.

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.

Ten Best and Worst Foods. Weight Watchers. Serving Size And Calories. Pine Nuts. "Sell By". United Nations. RIP Misty. Peekers.

 

For "Foodie Friday":

Ten Best and Ten Worst Foods.

"I am often asked for my list of the best foods to eat — the foods that contain the most micronutrients, phytochemicals and other health-promoting compounds. People want to know which high-nutrient foods provide the keys to optimum health and longevity. They are searching for a simple answer to the question, “What should I eat to reach my ideal weight, achieve immunity to disease and feel my best every day?”

It is difficult to squeeze all the nutrient dense, health promoting foods into a list of the ten best. The foods on my list however, are the foods that I believe everyone should include in their diet on a regular basis. They are strongly cancer-protective and longevity-favorable. They contain the most vitamins and minerals and powerful phytochemicals including allium compounds, glucosinolates, aromatase inhibitors, flavonoids and lignans. Of course not all of my favorites could make my top ten and the runners-up include many other vegetables and fruits.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

Print out Dr. Fuhrman’s Ten Best and Worst Foods as a daily reminder of what to eat and what to stay away from: http://bit.ly/1edfxSy

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Frequent Hunger and Sweet Cravings? You May Be Making This Common Mistake

"David Kirchoff, president of Weight Watchers, the world's largest diet company, recently said on their website: "Calorie counting has become unhelpful.

When we have a 100-calorie apple in one hand and a 100-calorie pack of cookies in the other, and we view them as being 'the same' because the calories are the same, it says everything that needs to be said about the limitations of just using calories in guiding food choices."

Kirchoff and Weight Watchers have eliminated the company's popular "Points" system, which encouraged dieters to lose weight by eating any foods as long as they kept the portions small. The new system tries to encourage dieters to consume more natural, less processed food."  More at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/09/weight-watchers-finally-recognizes-calorie-counting-doesnt-work.aspx

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Serving size and calories

Tip: "Pay particular attention to the serving size and calories per serving listed on the nutrition label. A packaged muffin may contain 300 calories a serving, but if the serving size listed is one-half muffin, there are two servings per package and the actual muffin contains 600 calories." 

More at: http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/diet-nutrition/story/2011/03/Grocery-shopping-mistakes-to-steer-clear-of-/44654276/1

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Pine Nuts

"Just one shot glass full of pine nuts every day can help suppress hunger. Pine nuts contain pinolenic acid, a naturally occurring fat that stimulates cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), both powerful hormones that alert the brain that the stomach is full. In one study, women who consumed pinolenic acid reported a decreased desire to eat and also reduced their food intake by 36%."

LEARN MORE WAYS YOU CAN EAT YOURSELF SKINNY

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Confusing sell-by dates on food may be costing you money

"Terms like "sell by," "use by" and "best before" are usually not good indicators of how safe the food is to eat. Rather than referring to when the food is safe to eat, these terms are simply suggestions from the manufacturer for when the food is at its peak quality. The "sell by" date tells grocery stores how long to offer the product for sale, and food is usually fresh for at least several days after that date.

"Best by" usually speaks to when the food has its best flavor and quality. "Use by" is the last date recommended for use of the product at its peak quality. Confusion over these dates prompts 9 out of 10 Americans to throw away food before they really need to – a waste of taste and money."  More at: http://www.today.com/news/confusing-sell-dates-food-may-be-costing-you-money-8C11339499

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On This Day:

First meeting of the United Nations, Jan 10, 1946:

"The first General Assembly of the United Nations, comprising 51 nations, convenes at Westminster Central Hall in London, England. One week later, the U.N. Security Council met for the first time and established its rules of procedure. Then, on January 24, the General Assembly adopted its first resolution, a measure calling for the peaceful uses of atomic energy and the elimination of atomic and other weapons of mass destruction.

In 1944, at the Dumbarton Oaks conference in Washington, D.C., the groundwork was laid by Allied delegates for an international postwar organization to maintain peace and security in the postwar world. The organization was to possess considerably more authority over its members than the defunct League of Nations, which had failed in its attempts to prevent the outbreak of World War II. In April 1945, with celebrations of victory in Europe about to commence, delegates from 51 nations convened in San Francisco to draft the United Nations Charter. On June 26, the document was signed by the delegates, and on October 24 it was formally ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council and a majority of other signatories."

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Yesterday:

As they were going to the vet, I didn't feed Misty or Ava much breakfast.  Misty's appointment had been changed from 'blood work' to 'euthanasia'.  Ava was going for the vet to feel her thyroid.  I wanted to make sure she wasn't having trouble with that because she is always hungry.

Fortunately, I had loaded Misty first, and had her carrier strapped in, as Ava did not want to get in her carrier, and she turned into an octopus with eight sharp corners.   So I was leaking as I drove through the heavy rain with a tissue catching the blood.   I hadn't expected that from sweet old Ava, or I would have loaded her into the carrier a different way.  

As it was a mild day, I left Ava in the van while Misty and I went into the vet.  Misty sat on my lap in the lobby, listening to everything going on around her.  The vet said that he was glad that I was doing this before she got too bad.  She had lost two pounds since the last time she was there two months ago, but it didn't show.  Peacefully, she was PTS, being stroked and listening to my voice, and went to Rainbow Bridge.  First time I have left a vet without my animal.  She stayed there as she was being picked up by a crematorium.  Other pets were brought home to be buried here.

The vet said that as long as Ava is gaining weight she doesn't have thyroid disease, and to save an office visit. They will do blood tests on her later, if I am still concerned.  I could have taken her in there for a free weighing, but not with her aversion to being put back in a carrier. 

As Ava was quite comfy being in the van, I stopped at the lawyer, signed and picked up my will that they had ready for me. It was a freebie from AOL.  Then I went into Kroger's for a few groceries so that I wouldn't have to go out in the rain again.  Maybe Ava learned that carriers aren't that bad after all, as she seemed to like watching the scenery go by, and wasn't taken into a vet for shots or anything.

Once home, I emailed Kenya, my SPCA boss, and this is what she wrote back to me:

"Hi Penny,

I am so sorry about Misty.  I know you will miss her a lot but also hope you know that Misty knew she was loved and well cared for the last years of her life like no one else would have been able to do for her.  I will never forget the change in Misty after you got her all cleaned up and groomed that first time and how she not only looked like a different dog, but how I could also see in her eyes that she felt like a different dog - one that deserved to be loved again.  You made her feel that way and I know if was not easy for you and that it took many times on the grooming table to get her all done as she was in such bad shape. 

You Did Me a Kindness

When my legs grew too weak to carry me,
And my tired eyes could no longer see,
When it pained me to struggle for each new breath,
When my heart beat weaker, and I drew closer to death,
You did me the kindness of letting me go.
You didn't make me hang on when I was suffering so.
I promise I don't think that you loved me any less,
And I love you all the more for your selflessness.
You freed my spirit from its body so wracked with pain,
And let me run the fields of Heaven, where I'm sure we'll meet again.

Unfortunately for many pets not everyone has the strength you do to give that last act of kindness to their pets.  I am so thankful that you are such a kind and caring person and knew when it was time to let Misty go. 

We had her on our records as a forever foster since we did not feel we could adopt her out with the cancer, so you did not need to pay for it yourself as SPCA should have paid for it.  You had already been paying to feed and take care of her in your home all these years (many more years than I thought she had, due to the great care and love you gave her). 

I called Conroe Vet and asked them to transfer the payment to your account and told them to leave the expense on our bill and SPCA will pay for it.  That is the least SPCA can do for you after all you have done for Misty. 

Thank you for being Misty's Rescue Angel.

Kenya, SPCA PETS SNAP of Montgomery County

Website:  www.spcaofmc.com

**PEOPLE ELIMINATE THE SUFFERING - SPAY NEUTER ADOPT PLEASE**

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SPCAOFMC"

I thought that was so great of Kenya.

Ray called me from our SPCA Habitat to tell me that Peekers, my foster kitten, was back there, so I emailed Kenya again.  This was her reply:

"Hi Penny,

He was returned on Monday.  It was not his fault.  The lady did not do what she was told to do and keep him in a separate room for even the first day, so her cat got all stressed out and the two cats were not getting along which of course they would not get along the way she did it.

I did not offer for her to try another cat because I could tell she was not going to do what we asked her to do and keep any cat she got in a separate room for a week.  So let her go somewhere else and get one and see that it also will not work out, when she does not do what she should be doing.

Thanks,  Kenya."

I wish I had known before I left Conroe, I would have dropped in to visit him yesterday.

Cancer Cells & Broccoli. Mount Rushmore. "Shell Shock". Sputnik.

 

For "Foodie Friday":

"Those who fail to take the time to be healthy
will ultimately have to take the time to be sick."
~ Dr. James Chappell

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Diet

"We know that our diet (what we eat or don’t eat) is linked to some types of cancer, but the exact reasons are not yet clear. The best information we have suggests a lower cancer risk for people who:

Eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits (at least 2½ cups a day)

Choose whole grains rather than refined grains and sugars

Limit red meats (beef, pork, and lamb)

Limit processed meats (such as bacon, deli meats, and hot dogs)

Choose foods in amounts that help them get to and stay at a healthy weight

Limit alcohol intake to 1 alcoholic drink a day or less for women and 2 or less for men."

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How To Get More Cancer Protection From Your Broccoli

"Research has shown repeatedly that cruciferous vegetables fight cancer.  Vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cabbage and cauliflower contain a cancer-protective compound called sulforaphane.  This powerful compound improves the liver's ability to detoxify carcinogens and other toxins.

In fact, broccoli has been shown to kill the stem cells that make cancer immortal.

While broccoli is a rich source of sulphoraphane, sprouting broccoli boosts sulphoraphane content to superfood levels.

Three-day-old broccoli sprouts contain 10-100 times higher levels of sulforaphane than a mature head of broccoli.  Just one ounce of broccoli sprouts contains as much sulforaphane as one-and-a-half pounds of broccoli.  Broccoli sprouts been proven to be very effective in reducing breast cancer risks.

A University of Illinois study published in The British Journal of Nutrition suggests that combining broccoli with broccoli sprouts may make the vegetable's anti-cancer effect almost twice as powerful.

According to Elizabeth Jeffery, a professor of nutrition at the University, it takes only three to five servings of broccoli per week to obtain the cancer prevention benefits.

But it's important that the broccoli you eat still has a live enzyme called myrosinase.  This enzyme is needed to form the sulforaphane, its active cancer fighting substance.

The problem is that many people overcook their broccoli.  Cooking broccoli too long or at too high a heat will destroy the myrosinase.  One study showed that two minutes in a microwave or seven minutes of steaming will destroy myrosinase.

Jeffery recommends steaming broccoli for only two to four minutes to protect both the enzyme and the vegetable's other nutrients.

Another way to make sure you're getting myrosinase is to eat raw broccoli sprouts.  They have an abundant supply." From:  http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/how-get-more-cancer-protection-your-broccoli Written By: Margie King, Health Coach

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broccoli_sprouts

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Broccoli-Based Medicine—A Potent Tool Against Osteoarthritis and Cancer

"Broccoli has been repeatedly shown to be one of nature's most valuable health-promoting foods, capable of preventing a number of health issues, including but not limited to hypertension, allergies, diabetes, osteoarthritis and cancer

Recent tests on cells, tissues and mice show that a broccoli compound, sulforaphane, blocks a key destructive enzyme that damages cartilage

Sulforaphane, a sulfur compound, has also been shown to kill cancer stem cells, thereby slowing tumor growth. It also normalizes DNA methylation, which is important in regulating gene expression

Sulforaphane, which is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits, can also be found in other cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage.

Specifically, it appears that broccoli contains the necessary ingredients to switch ON genes that prevent cancer development, and switch OFF other ones that help it spread

Research has shown that fresh broccoli sprouts are FAR more potent, allowing you to eat far less in terms of quantity. Sprouts consistently contain 20 to 50 times the amount of chemoprotective compounds found in mature broccoli heads."  Complete article at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/09/broccoli-based-medicine.aspx

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5 Foods That Starve Cancer

"New research indicates that preventing cancer cell growth can be as simple as eating the right foods. Improve your nutrition know-how. Fill up on the following foods that starve cancer.

Disturbing new research suggests that microscopic cancer, small cancer cells that can only been seen under a microscope, is widely prevalent. A recent study of women in their 40s indicated that 40% of them had microscopic breast cancer. Even more shocking, almost 100% of people in their 70s will have microscopic cancer in their thyroid glands.

A microscopic tumor can grow up to 16,000 times its original size in as little as 2 weeks. But new groundbreaking research from The Angiogenesis Foundation proposes that you can stop cancer before it begins to grow. This new preventive approach is called anti-angiogenesis. To learn more about anti-angiogenesis and the groundbreaking research at The Angiogenesis Foundation, click here. Anti-angiogenesis encourages that, by changing the way you eat, you can change your “internal environment,” thereby depriving cancer cells the opportunity to grow and multiply.
Certain foods, eaten in the correct portions and frequency, can provide cancer-starving benefits.

Below are 5 foods to eat that can prevent cancer growth:

1. Bok Choy This type of Chinese cabbage contains brassinin; a powerful cancer-fighter, also found in broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Bok Choy should be eaten 3 times a week, in 1/2 cup servings to obtain its full benefits.
2. Cooked Tomatoes have more cancer-fighting properties than raw tomatoes. Both contain the molecule lycopene, but heating the tomato changes its chemical structure and makes the benefits more readily available to your body. You should eat 2-3 (1/2 cup) servings of cooked tomatoes a week.
3. Flounder This fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury. Three 6-ounce servings a week is ideal.
4. Strawberries The antioxidants in this berry help fight cancers. You should eat 1 cup a day, including the juice.
5. Artichokes contain 3 different cancer-fighting molecules. Enjoy ¼ cup of hearts per day."

From: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/5-foods-starve-cancer

Experts on the front-lines of cancer research reveal 3 secret weapons against this deadly disease. Learn how you can reduce your risk in just a few simple steps.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/3-secret-weapons-prevent-cancer: 

Eat hard cheeses, exercise and don't char meat!

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Just showing some of the reasons why some people get cancer, and some don't.

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On This Day:

Work begins on Mount Rushmore, Oct 4, 1927:

"On this day in 1927, sculpting begins on the face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota. It would take another 12 years for the impressive granite images of four of America's most revered and beloved presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt--to be completed.

Washington's face was the first to be completed in 1934. Jefferson's was dedicated in 1936--with then-president Franklin Roosevelt in attendance--and Lincoln's was completed a year later. In 1939, Teddy Roosevelt's face was completed. The project, which cost $1 million, was funded primarily by the federal government.

Borglum continued to touch up his work at Mount Rushmore until he died suddenly in 1941. Borglum had originally hoped to also carve a series of inscriptions into the mountain, outlining the history of the United States."

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Ike warns of the risk of "shell shock", Oct 4, 1944:

On this day in 1944, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower distributes to his combat units a report by the U.S. Surgeon General that reveals the hazards of prolonged exposure to combat. "The danger of being killed or maimed imposes a strain so great that it causes men to break down. One look at the shrunken, apathetic faces of psychiatric patients...sobbing, trembling, referring shudderingly to 'them shells' and to buddies mutilated or dead, is enough to convince most observers of this fact."

On the basis of this evaluation, as well as firsthand experience, American commanders judged that the average soldier could last about 200 days in combat before suffering serious psychiatric damage. British commanders used a rotation method, pulling soldiers out of combat every 12 days for a four-day rest period. This enabled British soldiers to put in 400 days of combat before being deleteriously affected. The Surgeon General's report went on to lament the fact that a "wound or injury is regarded, not as a misfortune, but a blessing." The war was clearly taking a toll on more than just men's bodies."

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Sputnik launched, Oct 4, 1957:

"The Soviet Union inaugurates the "Space Age" with its launch of Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. The spacecraft, named Sputnik after the Russian word for "satellite," was launched at 10:29 p.m. Moscow time from the Tyuratam launch base in the Kazakh Republic. Sputnik had a diameter of 22 inches and weighed 184 pounds and circled Earth once every hour and 36 minutes. Traveling at 18,000 miles an hour, its elliptical orbit had an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 584 miles and a perigee (nearest point) of 143 miles. Visible with binoculars before sunrise or after sunset, Sputnik transmitted radio signals back to Earth strong enough to be picked up by amateur radio operators. Those in the United States with access to such equipment tuned in and listened in awe as the beeping Soviet spacecraft passed over America several times a day. In January 1958, Sputnik's orbit deteriorated, as expected, and the spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere."

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Yesterday:

Ray followed me when I took my van back to Pete's mechanic shop in Conroe, and when we got home he painted the porch floor.

 

 

 

 

Now we can put everything back in there today.