What My Grandfather Taught Me About Being a Father. What Do You Cherish? Can Reflux in Babies Be Treated with Diet?

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What My Grandfather Taught Me About Being a Father

“My grandfather was a major influence in my life and impacted what kind of father I became years later. Here’s what I learned from him.

More than 30 years ago, our oldest child was born. When this precious little miracle came into our lives, frankly, I was scared to death. I had not been around many babies in my life, so I knew basically nothing about them, and the idea of being responsible for a new little life was overwhelming!

Not only was I quite nervous about holding our baby and way out of my depth when it came to changing a diaper, I was even more unprepared for the lifelong task of being a father! But life doesn’t wait until we feel ready for challenges. Eventually, more children came, and with time and experience, the job became much less daunting.

As a boy growing up, the most stable and beloved man in my life was my maternal grandfather. I spent a lot of time on his farm and even lived there for part of my childhood.

Even though he died several years before I met my wife, the strength and example of this wonderful man taught me a lot about being a dad—not just from things he said, but from how he lived his life.

I’d like to share some of those lessons in this blog post.

Lesson 1: Strength

Grandpa was physically strong. As a teen working with him shoveling corn in a granary, I was certain I could outwork my grandpa, who seemed like an old man.

The strength and example of this wonderful man taught me a lot about being a dad—not just from things he said, but from how he lived his life. So, I started shoveling faster and harder to prove my point. But it wasn’t long until I was sweating, dirty, worn-out and falling further behind! It was amazing how strong that “old” man really was!

But even more impressive than his physical strength was his strength of character. As a preteen, he had broken his back severely in an accident, but he never let it slow him down. He was mentally and emotionally tough—enduring several hard times throughout his life, including the death of a baby.

And, most importantly, he was spiritually tough—remaining faithful to God to the day he died.

Lesson 2: Patience

My grandpa consistently demonstrated untiring patience, no matter the circumstances. That trait was something he taught me when working with livestock.

There are times to yell and holler to stop the animals or herd them in a certain direction, but he also knew when patience, using slower movements and a calm voice, would work much better. 

While working on farm equipment (and on a farm something always needs to be repaired or maintained), I’d sometimes get frustrated and growl at a “stupid wrench” or “stupid bolt.” Grandpa would remind me that the wrench and bolt were neither stupid nor smart, but that I was the one who had the option to be one or the other. Then he’d calmly examine my predicament and teach me a better way to get the job done.

His approach to people was similar. He was patient and able to put people at ease. He always took the time to listen and help people if he could. 

Lesson 3: Reliability

There was never a question in my mind whether Grandpa would be there when I needed him. An example I’ll never forget was with my first car, a rather homely 11-year-old 1967 Plymouth.

One day, on my way home from work, a back tire blew on my car. Grandpa had taught me how to change a tire, so I jacked up the car and went to work. But the lug nut didn’t want to come off. I figured I would put all my strength into it, but the entire lug bolt twisted off, nut and all! Then I tried another, and got the same result. With only three left, I was in trouble! I walked to the nearest farmhouse to use the phone and called Grandpa.

To my great relief, he pulled up a short time later. He stood and looked at the car for what seemed like a solid minute, then discovered an easy solution for properly removing the remaining bolts.

He was always there for me, and I knew it!

And he wasn’t there just for me. I saw Grandpa stop whatever he was doing when a neighbor came by to ask for help. If a church member needed help, Grandpa would drive two or three hours round-trip to help them. It’s just who he was.

Lesson 4: Integrity

My grandpa was a man of his word. He was always careful about making promises, but once he promised, it was as good as done. Whether it was a promise to help a neighbor, rototill Grandma’s garden or take me fishing—if he said it, he would do it.

I remember a day Grandpa promised to take me fishing as soon as he was done working on the truck. I remember standing near him with my pole, itching to go. Finally, with a sigh, he got up, wiped the grease from his hands, and we went fishing!

As much as he needed to finish the truck, he made good on his promise.

He had integrity, and he expected it from others, too, including me. That was a powerful lesson and example that has continued to impact my life.

The characteristics I learned from my grandfather—strength, patience, reliability and integrity—are all vital for a father to be a good example to his children and grandchildren. As we come to Father’s Day this year, I hope fathers and future fathers can learn from his example—just as I did.” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/what-my-grandfather-taught-me-about-being-a-father/?

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What Do You Cherish?

Cherish is a word we don’t hear very much anymore, except perhaps in wedding ceremonies. 

Dictionaries tell us it means to hold dear, treat with tenderness, to nurture or cultivate with care and affection. 

To gain a picture of what it really means, consider two scenarios:  

A man with a very large yard begins to have problems with his old and well-used riding lawn mower. 

The mechanic determines the engine needs to be replaced, but a new engine would cost more than the mower is worth, especially considering that the transmission and all the pulleys, bearings and other moving parts are already well worn from years of use.  So the man decides not to repair the old machine, but to sell it for parts and purchase a new or newer used lawn mower. His decision makes sense.

Another man’s son has a terrible accident on his bicycle, shattering his right arm and elbow. 

The doctor determines surgery is needed to take out bone chips, install a metal rod to strengthen the shattered bone, and this will be followed by months of therapy to ensure the child will eventually regain the full use and range of motion of his arm.  Without giving more than a passing thought to the thousands of dollars this is going to cost, and the time and effort the entire family will put into helping the boy recover, the father immediately agrees to the surgery. Once again, his decision makes sense.

These two scenarios illustrate what we cherish. 

To the man with the riding lawn mower, it was just a tool that he needed to care for his large yard, and it had served well for a number of years.

However, it had reached the end of its useful life, and the man did not cherish it enough to spend all that would have been necessary to bring it to a reasonable working condition.  It was easier, faster and, in the long run, perhaps even less expensive to discard the old one and purchase a new one. 

The son, of course, was cherished deeply.  The father would work as long as needed—years perhaps—to make sure his son had the medical care he needed.  His family would tenderly nurture and encourage the boy through the surgeries and rehabilitation until he regained strength and use of his arm.  They would willingly invest whatever is necessary for the long-term welfare of the boy. 

The world around us far too often treats relationships like the lawn mower rather than the boy. 

If a relationship (marriage, family or friendship) is damaged or at a difficult place, it may seem easier to discard the old one and move on.  We know relationships can’t be fixed by simply buying and installing a new part—much as we might wish it would be that easy!  Relationships have to be healed, nurtured and cared for. And that takes a lot of time and effort. It often involves us admitting some fault as well, which is painful.  So instead, far too many people divorce, quit speaking to each other, ignore each other and seek to find someone else.

The sad reality is that some relationships can’t be repaired, and in some cases, perhaps, should not be.  And relationships are also different in that the lawn mower doesn’t put any effort into getting itself fixed.  Relationships, on the other hand, can rarely if ever be healed without everyone involved putting forth the effort.

It comes down to a matter of what we cherish.

Let me combine this thought with something I read a while back: 

In many homes (including my own), the refrigerator has magnets holding up crayon drawings, a report card or a photograph.  We put them where we can see them every day because they remind us of the child/grandchild/friend who drew that picture, earned that grade or posed for that photo.  It is special because in that sense it reminds us of the one who created it. How we respond to a picture reflects how we feel about the one who drew it or posed for it. 

Bringing this back to relationships, how we treat another human being created in God’s image in many ways reflects how we feel about the Creator.  If we cherish the truth we have, the calling we’ve been given, and the God who loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die in our stead, then let’s be sure we consider how we cherish the relationships we have in our lives.  And let’s be willing to spend the time and effort required to keep them strong, or to heal them.

Here are some additional resources that can help you build stronger relationships:

• Seven Keys to Better Relationships
• The 5 Rs of Healing Relationships (Recognize, Repent, Replace, Reconcile & Retry)

Kind regards, and have a great rest of your week, Tom Clark, for Life, Hope and Truth”

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Can Reflux in Babies Be Treated with Diet? 

Can we treat the cause of infant reflux with maternal milk elimination?

There has been a longstanding problem among zookeepers: The gorillas were throwing up all of the time. “The practice of regurgitation has never been reported in wild Gorillas but it has unfortunately been accepted as normal by many keepers of captive animals.” What were they feeding them? Gorillas are big, strong animals, so they made sure to feed them a lot of protein—cottage cheese, meat, eggs, and milk—until a zoo in Germany got the radical idea of feeding them their natural diet of “leaves and vegetables.” And, the “change…following the alterations to the diet was astonishing.” Before the change, a silverback had been regurgitating and vomiting during most of the day. But, by the third day of eating what they were supposed to eat, he and the rest of the troop were miraculously cured.

Even just removing milk from the diets of the captive gorillas led to significant improvements. Cow’s milk was “historically considered an essential item in the captive gorilla diet,” but researchers showed that eliminating it may reduce such “undesirable behaviors…and may be a step toward better approximating the natural diet for captive gorillas.” The zookeepers were giving them animal milk after weaning—that is, giving animal milk to adults. Milk is for babies. What’s more, they were giving milk from a bovine to a primate. What were these zookeepers thinking?

I’m reminded of a landmark study I discuss in my video Treating Reflux in Babies with Diet. Eighty-one children presenting with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were given drugs, and two-thirds got better, but 27 kids did not. So, the researchers eliminated cow’s milk from their diets. Within one month, all 27 were cured.

“Symptoms of acid regurgitation, heartburn or both occur at least once a week in 10–20% of adults belonging to the western world” and up to about 25 percent of all infants. It’s normal for babies to spit up occasionally—that’s not what we’re talking about. It can actually get quite serious. Up to a quarter of “infants present with regurgitation severe enough for parents to seek medical help,” and it may just be that they’re sensitive to cow’s milk. The symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy “overlap with many symptoms of GERD, or may coexist or complicate GERD,” or reflux. Even if there’s no formal dairy allergy per se, there appears to be some kind of cow’s milk “hypersensitivity” among many infants and children with severe reflux.

There are all sorts of invasive tests, such as sticking pH probes down the baby’s throat, but probably the most practical test in routine pediatric practice is just a trial of a cow’s milk protein elimination diet for two to four weeks in infants with reflux.

The gold standard is what’s called an elimination and rechallenge protocol, where there is a “full resolution of symptoms via strict elimination followed by recurrence [of symptoms] on reintroduction of cow’s milk protein.” Two hundred or so infants diagnosed with reflux were put on a cow’s milk–free diet, then were given the challenge tests. Eighty-five of the 204 infants with reflux were actually suffering from a cow’s milk allergy or hypersensitivity.

So what’s happening? We think our immune system understandably considers the bovine proteins as foreign and attacks, triggering an inflammatory response, which irritates the nerves lining the digestive tract. That then results in abnormalities in the rhythmic contractions of the stomach, triggering the regurgitation. We’re not just talking about formula-fed infants either. Cow’s milk protein allergy “can occur in exclusively breastfed infants,” too, “as intact cow’s milk proteins can be secreted in breast milk.” If the mom drinks milk or eats eggs, the proteins can get into her baby. Cow’s milk protein and other foreign proteins can pass into human breastmilk. So, “breast-fed infants with regurgitation and vomiting may therefore benefit from a trial of withdrawal of cow’s milk and eggs from the maternal diet.”

Indeed, that is now the consensus recommendation of both the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. Anytime you see reflux, the first thing to try is a therapeutic trial of either a cow’s milk protein–free formula or, for infants who are breastfed, a strict maternal cow’s milk protein elimination diet. Then we can potentially treat the cause without using unnecessary medications and certainly before considering anti-reflux surgery.”  From: https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/can-reflux-in-babies-be-treated-with-diet/?

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European Army? Avoid Pork. Alcohol Epidemic. Spiders. Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Is a European Army on the Horizon?

"The European Commission president recently suggested that the EU should have its own army. How might this affect Europe’s influence on the world?

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker

In a recent interview with Die Welt am Sonntag, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that Europe is neither respected nor taken seriously on the world stage. He believes that a European army would help show the world, especially Russia, that the European Union is a force to be reckoned with and would have the capability to defend European values militarily.

Mr. Juncker believes that a European army would not necessarily replace NATO forces (which already represent 22 countries of the European Union), but would rather strengthen Europe. He said, “A European army would show the world that there will never again be war between its member states.”  

National or collective army?

Who would control a collective army?

More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/is-a-european-army-on-the-horizon/

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Why You Should Avoid Pork

"If you’re at all familiar with the Bible you’ll probably remember that in it God specifically instructed His people not to eat pork and shellfish. Many people are surprised to find this out, but in the Old Testament God warned us that the pig was an unclean animal–a scavenger and not to be eaten (Check out Leviticus 11).

No matter how you think about it, pigs are a rather dirty animal. They are considered the scavengers of the farm (created to eliminate any waste on the farm), often eating anything they can find. This includes not only bugs, insects, and whatever leftover scraps they find laying around, but also their own feces, as well as the dead carcasses of sick animals, including their own young.

This in itself can explain why the meat of the pig can be so dirty or at the very least not so appetizing to consume. And while being ‘grossed out’ may or may not be a valid reason not to eat something it’s vital to understand a bit more about pork before reaching your own conclusion.

Pork 101: Know the Facts:

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that more than 100 viruses come to the United States each year from China through pigs. There are some obvious concerns about this. Aside from not needing more viruses to fight off, some of these viruses can prove to be downright dangerous to humans.

The CDC recommends thorough cooking of pork as well as freezing the pork meat prior to cooking to kill off any worms. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel good about eating anything that I first have to kill off its worms to eat.

Of course, you’re probably familiar with H1N1, better known as ‘the swine flu.” This too is a virus that has made the leap from pig to human.

But H1N1 is not the only disease to fear from the pig. There are other sicknesses you can get from eating the meat of the pig.

Pork meat is loaded with toxins, more so than most other meats like beef and chicken."  Complete article at: http://draxe.com/why-you-should-avoid-pork/

This is how they live before they are eaten:  http://www.themeatrix.com/

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Alcohol Epidemic

An Amazing Fact: "An alcohol-related problem affects one in every four U.S. homes.

The uncontrollable desire for alcohol consumes about 14 million Americans. About 47 percent of industrial injuries and 40 percent of industrial fatalities are linked to alcohol consumption. Drinking also can increase violent behavior and accounts for 49 percent of murders, 52 percent of rapes, 21 percent of suicides, and 60 percent of child abuse cases. Of course, of all fatal accidents on the roads, over 50 percent involve alcohol.
Staggeringly, more than 50 percent of the people who are in prisons, hospitals, and mental institutions are there because of crime, illness, and birth defects related to alcohol. A wise Christian should have nothing to do with this drug.

There are basically four elements that indicate a person is struggling with alcohol. First, there is a strong craving to drink. Next, there is a loss of control to stop drinking once a person has begun. Then there is a physical dependence on alcohol, causing withdrawal symptoms that can be relieved by another drink. Finally, there is the issue of tolerance—the need to drink increasing amounts of alcohol to get a “high.”

Proverbs accurately describes the harmful effects of drinking alcohol. It warns that alcohol “bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Proverbs 23:31, 32). Like all the destructive temptations of Satan, drinking liquor is portrayed as cool and smart and something that the beautiful do. But it is foolish and ugly. It not only destroys our capacity to think and act wisely, it harms those around us.

It’s not just the book of Proverbs that warns us regarding the evil consequences of alcohol: “Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). And, “Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; who continue until night, till wine inflames them!” (Isaiah 5:11). Biblical wisdom teaches us to firmly avoid alcohol. If you or a loved one has been in the grips of drinking, admit the problem and get help. God wants you to be free from the serpent’s bite.
Additional reading: Proverbs 23:17–35
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. - Proverbs 23:29-30

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There’s Nothing to be Afraid of When It Comes to Spiders. Here Are 8 Reasons Why

3. They Steer Us Clear of Famine

" No, seriously. You wouldn’t believe how crucial spiders are to organic farms. Okay, maybe you would, because here’s the truth: THEY EAT BUGS. LOTS OF BUGS. They eat insects and other pests who have been proven to be quite detrimental to crops. In this article by the Washington Post, it’s put quite simply: “If they don’t eat, we don’t eat.” Believe it!"  More at: http://blog.therainforestsite.com/reasons-to-love-spiders/

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Update:

Jay and I spent two mornings removing two toilets and repairing rotten floors in a neighbor's trailer.  Usual thing, they had a water leak and didn't do anything about it so it rotted out both bathroom floors.  I hate procrastination, especially where water is concerned.  It can do so much damage.

We took the third row bucket seats out of the Dodge van, and put them in the guest house attic.  Then we all gave the van a good vacuum and ran the carpet and upholstery shampooer over everything.  Especially the carpet on the passenger side where it had been leaking. We didn't wash it on the outside because it was too cold out, and and the leak needed to be fixed.

Not much else going on except rain and more rain, no one wanted to get out in that muddy mess.  But I did get the Dodge serviced in between the heavy rain drops, but had to shop-vac up the water that came in on the passenger side, when I got home.

On Monday, I took the van to Able Glass in Conroe.  They were very honest, they could have charged me to R & R the windshield, but that was not the problem.  He removed the wipers and that vent in front of the windshield.  Under there are two tubes for rainwater to drain to the ground, and they were stopped up with old leaves, pine needles and just nasty old sludge.  The van hadn't been kept under cover since Sam bought it, but it is now!  An old sage I knew said "Don't get a car unless you have a garage to keep it".  My garage is a workshop and full of tools, but I have 3 carports.

While the four new tires were being installed, I went to the thrift shop near by.  I bought a nice black and white jacket, and a turquoise blouse. 

At the Dodge dealer, I had the remote made so that I can remotely lock and unlock the van. This remote makes either of the two side doors slide open, and the back hatch open and close, too.  Gee, I wanted a vehicle with buttons, and I got 'em all! 

I didn't have time to get the front end alignment checked, so I'll do that another day.  When I do have to go anywhere, I am still driving my old faithful, the blue Aerostar with the white roof, and no buttons at all.

On Friday, a visit to a doctor, a dermatologist.  He wasn't much help, he took one look at me and said "You've got hives', as if I didn't already know that!!  But he did prescribe some Famotidine, which is like Pepcid, but is good for hives, too.  Who knew??  I just hope that I am not allergic to that also.

After that, a quick stop at the same thrift shop.  I get bargains every time I go in there, this time a study Bible, a blue shirt and a two-tone blue rain jacket. The consignment shop where I get rid of extra clothes and things, was closed, so those items are still in my blue van.  When I got home I made big crockpot of organic potato, carrot, celery and onion soup for the potluck.

At church, the readings were Exo. 35:1-38:20, 1 Kings 7:30-50, and 2 Cor.9:1-15. The teaching was about "Scriptural Persuasion."  We need to know that the Bible is true and to have faith in the Lord.  Just like Abraham's faith when he was asked by God to offer his beloved son, Isaac up on the altar.  (Heb.11 tells of all the ancients who had faith.)

I was going to make a dessert for the potluck, but we had so many pies, fresh fruit and desserts the week before, that I didn't.  This week no one brought any dessert so we had different kinds cookies and donuts that are kept there in the freezer for emergencies.  Didn't bother me, I don't eat white flour and sugar anyway, especially not donuts.

As the weather has finally dried up we have been working in the yard today.

Purim, Jews and Netanyahu's Warning. New Car Smell. Sticks and Stones. Military Superpower. Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Purim, Jews and Netanyahu's Warning

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech this week comes at the same time as the Jewish festival of Purim. Interesting." http://youtu.be/P1VGqQr1Yoo

"The news that I’ve been watching is abuzz with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled speech before the United States Congress this week. You know, it’s interesting – I didn’t realize it until putting together some of the dates that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech just two days before the Jewish celebration of Purim, an ancient celebration that dates all the way back to an event in the book of Esther in the Bible during the ancient Persian Empire. The Jews were in captivity and Persia was the big kid on the block.

Back at that time, there was an effort made that is told in the book of Esther to exterminate the Jews. It’s history’s first holocaust. Anti-Semitism is a very, very old evil. In Esther:3:13, it makes this one statement, and I think it captures the danger that was there for the Jews in the Persian Empire at the time, that “letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is in the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.”  Again, history’s first effort to exterminate the Jews. The story in Esther shows that it didn’t happen due to the courage of the young Jewess named Esther, who along with her uncle Mordecai thwarted the effort that was being hatched at that time."

Rest of transcript: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/conflicts-and-war/purim-jews-and-netanyahus-warning

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Thoughts on Netanyahu's Speech.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

"A few thoughts about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech before a joint session of Congress.

The Prime Minister gave what may go down to be considered a "Churchillian" speech that warned the world, not just America, of the danger posed by a nuclear-armed Iranian regime. It comes at a time when America and other nations seem willing to lift sanctions against Iran and give them time to continue developing a nuclear weapons capability. We are living in dangerous times, and this speech took the full measure of the moment.

Netanyahu clearly said that a nuclear Iran is unacceptable to Israel. He also was clear that sanctions against the nation should not be lifted. Israel, he said, will not be passive. They will defend themselves. The Jewish people are capable of defending themselves, even if they must stand alone.

Iran and ISIS are competing for the crown of militant Islam. Both want to impose a militant regime, first on the region and then on the rest of the world. Their only contest is who will rule this regime. America should not think that Iran is an ally in opposing ISIS. The enemy of your enemy is your enemy!

He went on to say the greatest danger facing our world is the marriage of militant Islam with nuclear weapons. To win the battle against ISIS and allow Iran nuclear weapons will be to lose the war. That cannot be allowed to happen.

While Israel is a firm ally of America and the relationship is long and strong, at the end it is not a direct party to the negotiations with Iran. Other larger nations are making decisions that will impact the future of Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East. It is almost like they are pawns in a larger struggle. The outcome of the moves being made are unclear.

Netanyahu made references in his speech that mark the common heritage America and Israel have. Both countries, he said, are founded on the hope of a promised land offering the hope of freedom for its people. He mentioned a Robert Frost poem and standing at the fork of two rods as he described the momentous time before us. At the end of the speech he motioned to the depiction of Moses on the wall of the House chamber and quoted the prophet, saying, "Be strong and resolute, neither fear nor dread them".

This common heritage is far deeper than the Prime Minister and his audience understands. The destiny of the two nations is linked by roots that go deep into the story of mankind. The God of Abraham is guiding both nations.

It was a speech that laid out a clear warning of what Iran is capable of doing if it gets a nuclear weapon. Currently Iran is achieving its aims on at least five fronts in the Middle East. If it is unshackled and freed to pursue a nuclear weapon it will create an imbalance of power in the region that will rework the boundaries for everyone.

My reference to Winston Churchill at the top compares today's speech to those warnings given by Churchill during the late 1930s when Nazi Germany was rearming and threatening the peace of Europe. There is a difference. Churchill gave those speeches in Parliament, and the Prime Minister of England was present and listened. Today, President Obama was not in the House chamber. Reports said he was busy doing other work and did not hear the speech. Too bad. He missed a significant warning. Let's hope others were listening."  From: http://www.ucg.org/blog/thoughts-netanyahus-speech-today/  by Darris McNeely. 

As one commenter remarked "Mr. Churchill was ignored and considered a nuisance in the 1930s for his persistent warnings regarding the re-armament and ambitions of Nazi Germany. War came and he was still sidelined.  It wasn't until one of our allies was attacked that we found ourselves immersed in a war that was to become worldwide that Mr. Churchill was listened to. I fear the same thing is happening today."

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Wanting That New Car Smell

by Clyde Kilough, Editor, Discern Magazine.

"Is anyone out there who can drive the car?

President Barack Obama surprised a lot of people recently when, interviewed on ABC television, he candidly acknowledged Americans are ready for a new leader. They want “that new car smell,” he said, continuing the metaphor with, “They want to drive something off the lot that doesn’t have as much mileage as me.”

It’s really about the driver, though, not the car, so Americans will soon start searching for the next savior who they hope can take the wheel and successfully negotiate the dangerous challenges they face. Every candidate will promise they have the skills, but history says they’ll end up where Mr. Obama is now, having basked in the glory of the great office, only to later wither under the heated scrutiny of one’s ineffectiveness.

Buckle your seat belts when you’re going off the cliff?

The president is hardly alone. Leaders around the world today share that fate, as they grapple with problems that are simply bigger than their abilities to solve them. Our lead article, “The State of the World 2015,” highlights four serious global threats. We could have written about eight or 12—so many are looming that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon alerted the world that its “fasten seat belt” warning light is on! Transportation analogies must be the flavor-of-the-month imagery of world leaders.

Well, I don’t know about you, but fastening my seat belt as the world teeters on the edge doesn’t boost my sense of security one bit! I’m more concerned with who’s driving—who knows how to back us away from the precipice? Who can show a little problem solving? Who can chart a new course for a better future? Who can rally us around that common cause? I don’t see anyone. Do you?

Of all the perils the world faces, perhaps the greatest is the dearth of leaders who have the ability, knowledge and power to do anything about them!

The time for change is not just for Americans— the whole world needs a new leader, someone else to drive the car.

When problems outstrip solutions

Do you want that “new car smell”? After thousands of years now, is human government smelling pretty old? Then it’s time to look elsewhere—for a new driver, Jesus Christ, and the coming Kingdom of God!" More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/discern/jan-feb-2015/wanting-that-new-car-smell/

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Sticks and Stones: 6 Ways to Improve Your Words

"The old saying that “words can never hurt me” is far from reality. How can we make sure our words aren’t destructive but are a force for good?

It happened in the cereal aisle. I was so stunned that I stood there, frozen in place, shocked by the cruelty of a mother’s words.

The store was crowded, and we were taking turns working our way down the aisle. A mother and a couple of children took their turn. The mom told a girl about 12 years old to reach an item on a lower shelf. The girl reached down to get the item.

As her hand touched the item she thought her mother wanted, the mother screamed at her using a string of profanity and asked if she was stupid. She then proclaimed she had to do everything herself, pushed past the girl and got the item she wanted.

The girl did not react except to back out of the way. She wrapped her arms around her body and, with an emotionless mask on her face, walked down the aisle behind her grumbling mother. She was apparently used to the cruelty of the woman’s words.

We’re probably very familiar with the adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” In reality, words can hurt worse and leave more debilitating wounds than a stick or stone.

God’s view on words

How important is it to God that we use our words positively? Matthew 12:36 and 37 tell us that we will be justified or condemned by every idle word we speak."  More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/communication/sticks-and-stones/

Author Gary Smalley said, “Affirming [encouraging] words from moms and dads are like light switches. Speak a word of affirmation at the right moment in a child’s life and it’s like lighting up a whole roomful of possibilities.”

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Military Superpower

An Amazing Fact: "For about 500 years the Roman Empire was the undisputed military powerhouse that conquered most of the Western world. This was in part due to their heavy investment in their military and war machines. Today, there are about 195 countries in the world, and most spend something for their military budget. Of all these countries, however, the United States of America spends the most, taking up 42 percent of the world’s military expenditures. In other words, almost half of the world’s military investment is made by one country!

If you added up the military budgets of Europe, China, Russia, Japan, the Middle East, Australia, East Asia, and Latin America, you’d still have a sum less than what the United States spends on its armed forces. For example, just in 2010 the United States spent $680 billion on the military, whereas the country in second place, China, spent only $85 billion. Interestingly, while the U.S. military budget accounts for 40 percent of global arms spending, it is made up of 4.06 percent of its GDP, which is more than France’s 2.6 percent and less than Saudi Arabia’s 10 percent. It’s actually low for the United States, which used 37.8 percent of the GDP in 1944. Its lowest point was 3 percent in 1999- 2001. But, of course, the word “low” is a relative term when you look at the huge amount spent. No wonder the United States remains, by far, the most powerfully armed nation on Earth— and the “world’s only military superpower.”

The book of Revelation identifies two beasts in the last days that will try to compel a uniform international worship. It will certainly require a large military to enforce this. The Bible says, “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’” (Revelation 13:4). In describing the beast of the earth, John wrote, “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Revelation 13:15). What nation on Earth has the power to enforce such legislation?
KEY BIBLE TEXTS:  For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. - Psalms 44:6

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Update:

 

Borrowed from Facebook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also:

Why is Texas weather so unpredictable and what kind of insane weather can we expect next?

"Texas weather is so unpredictable because of all the fronts coming through. I mean we have cold fronts and hot fronts coming from both side of the continent all the time. That's why its hot one minute then thunder storming the next.  So we're not really expecting anything majorly crazy but when you live in Texas you never know."

and:

 

Borrowed from Jake.

 

 

 

 

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Another week of yo-yo weather.  Partly nice, partly rainy, partly just bloody cold!!

On Monday, Ray and I went to the western edge of Houston to pick up a navy blue Dodge Caravan that was advertised.  Very disappointing.  It was a ratty piece of garbage especially for only 9 years old. Engine light on, oily tailpipe, and the filthy headliner was ripped all the way from front to back twice and hanging down.  The seats had holes, and were dirty.  It was advertised as 'near new' tires, but some were weather cracked.  Why would anyone let a car get in that shape, and especially try to sell it like that.   Seeing that awful van made me appreciate Sam's red one that I have been looking at, as it is clean and neat.  My 200,000+ mile Puddle Jumper (88 Mercury Tracer Wagon) is 28 years old but the engine, transmission, cloth door upholstery, cloth seats, floor carpet and exterior are still good.  No tears, rips or worn spots.

It wasn't a wasted trip, on the way back through Houston we stopped at the laminate place at Garden Oaks and picked up a 12' long piece of Formica for Ray's kitchen.  Maybe when the weather straightens up we will be able to remodel his kitchen.

Honesty pays!!  Two weeks ago, I had taken Sam, the neighbor down the street who had the red Dodge Caravan to the Dodge dealer to get a key made, as he had lost his.  He also paid for a remote to be made.  The van has to be taken to the Dodge dealer for them to make the remote, but it couldn't be driven there because of it's present condition. 

Well, once we had a key I was able to drive it to my place to check it out.  As I said on Feb 23rd, I had decided that there was too much wrong with it, at that price, even though I liked it.  Well, I went back to the Dodge house to get the refund for the remote for Sam, as he has had a stroke and can't do a lot of things.  He is very difficult to understand unless you know him.  When I took him the $100.08 for the remote, he said that because I was so honest that he wanted me to have the van at a very discounted price.  I jumped on it, paid him, and he signed the title and 'Application for a TX Title'. On Friday, my insurance company gave me a temporary binder, so I got new tags and had it transferred into my name.   It is now all mine. 

Some of the problems that we thought it had have turned out to be not so bad.  The engine light went off, must be the 2¼ qts. of oil that I had put in it that fixed that.  Found out that the airbag light is not required to be off to pass inspection.  Being vertically challenged, I sit so close to the steering wheel that I don't know if I want it working or not.  The blower motor is going to be replaced by the mechanic down the street, that should make that quiet.  Not quite sure if it is the heater core that is leaking, as I also found out that the gasket on that side of the windshield has come out of position. Our local glass shop can fix that.  I moved it into the carport out of the rain, so we should be able to find out. It will still need a new set of tires, servicing, then the tranny, engine, front end, belts, hoses etc. checked out.  But those are things that anyone would do for a vehicle that is 'new' to them.

Ray and I slipped between the rain drops and put a new lock on the shed to match all the other new aluminum colored door locks and deadbolts around here.  The brass ones had tarnished and looked terrible.

I went to church by myself with a crockpot full of turkey chili and beans.   It went down well in such chilly weather.  The Bible readings were Psa.145,147, Exo.30:11-34:35, 1 Kings 18:1-59 and 2 Cor. 3:1-18.  The teaching was about The Passover Sacrifice.  1 Cor. 5:7 says that the Messiah is our Passover sacrifice, and Passover is about 4 weeks away. Before Passover, the last person to offer a sacrifice to the God of his father Isaac, was Jacob. The first Passover service offered lamb as a memorial and the Passover was kept by Jesus and his disciples (Matt.26:17-29, Luke 22) before and after His death, and is still kept today.   Jesus said "Do this in remembrance of me". Luke 22:19

As always, we all had a good feed and conversation in the dining hall.

Now, it is raining, again, and will be tomorrow, all day.

Top 12 Nat. Pk CG. Used RVs. Redneck Airlines. Hand Crank RV Slide. Totaled RV. Propane. Invertors and Generators. 55 mph.

 

For "tRaVersing Thursday" or RV Day:

Top 12 National Park campgrounds

"This list might surprise you, especially when Channel Islands NP, with no road access, is on the list. But it will give you something to ponder — and motorhome and trailer access is possible at most of the parks. See the list here."

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RV tech shows "watch outs" for used RV buyers (video)

"If you're shopping for a "good deal" on a used RV, don't let your heart get ahead of your head. Here's an interesting video from an RV technician who walks you through someone's "great deal" that really turned out to be a lemon.

This is a guy you might like to take with you when you're considering buying a used RV — even one that's touted as that "great deal that you just can't pass up." Watch the video, and you might save yourself a major headache."

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Redneck Airlines offers RV discount

"Some airlines are desperately trying to lure back RVers who've discovered that RVing beats the pants off airline travel. If you are unsure whether you are on Redneck Air, peek into the flight deck and observe the pilot's flight check."

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How to hand crank an RV slide out

"What to do when the slideout jams while you are on location. Here's how to hand crank it back into place."

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How a paper cup can save the day at an RV sewer hookup

"Every once in awhile, typically in older RV parks, you can run into a problem with a sewer hookup. Here's an easy way to handle this uncommon situation. This is so simple you'll say "Why didn't I think of that?""

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An RV horror story. Don't let this happen to you!

"What happened to one RVer couple should never happen to anyone. Nobody was hurt — it was not that kind of an incident. But the RV was totaled. And imagine the horror the couple felt when they returned to their fifth wheel trailer to find it ruined by . . . well, watch the video."

From me: Remember to turn off the water at the spigot anytime you go anywhere.  You never know what leaks can spring up.

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Fifth wheel travel trailers — invertors and generators

"Dear Gary, 
Do fifth-wheel travel trailers have inverters? If they do not, then I need one with a generator, right?" Robert P. (Avon, IN)

"Robert, many 5th wheel travel trailers are indeed equipped with an inverter. In some cases, however, they may not power all 120-volt AC loads in the same manner as an on-board generator. Some trailers are equipped with both an inverter AND a generator. It just depends on that manufacturer. No hard and fast rule here..."  More at: http://www.rvdoctor.com/2011/05/5th-wheel-travel-trailers-inverters-and.html

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A hot idea for gauging LP in your cylinders

"Take your kettle, fill with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour the hot water in one place over the tank — where the tank collar meets the tank. After the kettle is empty, place your hand at the bottom of the tank where the hot water ran down the tank. If there’s any propane in the tank it will absorb the heat from the water and the tank will be cold. From that start point, run your hand upwards along the hot water path. When you reach the point where the steel of the tank gets hot, you’ve reached the level of the propane in the tank. You now know if you’re good to go or if you need to top-off or completely refill your propane tank."   by George Bliss

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Propane Co's Under-Fill Tanks

"Propane companies are saving money by under-filling the tanks they sell."

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Leveling an RV

"How level must an RV be for everything to work properly?

Many RVers wonder what the magic solution may be for a perfectly level RV. The technical experts from betterRVing.com weigh in and help make the magic a reality.  The answer to the importance of leveling an RV may surprise you."

CLICK THE VIDEO TO SEE THE TIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fG2Jrb7av5I

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RV Tips:

Leveling an RV

"How level must an RV be for everything to work properly?

Many RVers wonder what the magic solution may be for a perfectly level RV. The technical experts from betterRVing.com weigh in and help make the magic a reality.  The answer to the importance of leveling an RV may surprise you."

CLICK THE VIDEO TO SEE THE TIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fG2Jrb7av5I

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Coach-Net adds RV tire protection program
"This new option for RVers, in addition to the usual towing, battery jumping, fuel delivery services, etc., will include a tire protection plan that offers tire and wheel hazard protection from nails, potholes, debris and more."   More at: http://www.coach-net.com/News/071513_HazardProtect.aspx

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Show your support for nationwide farmers markets

"The best organic food is what's grown closest to you. Use our website to find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.

Support the concept of farmer direct to the consumer markets across the country. What could be better for an RVer to find these markets wherever we travel."  http://www.localharvest.org/

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RV refrigerators are different

"RV refrigerators are much different than the one in your house. They don’t have compressors and they work off the principle of absorption. You should turn the RV refrigerator on several hours before putting food in it. It is best to leave it on overnight and put your food in it just prior to leaving. Always keep a small thermometer in your RV refrigerator so you can monitor the temperature. Food can begin to go bad at about 40 degrees." Tech Tips from Mark Polk

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Lock your freezer and fridge doors
“There are usually mechanical locks for the freezer and main refrigerator doors.  Use them always, and make sure they are on your check-off list before leaving camp.  Without the locks both doors will fly open on bumpy roads and in hard turns.” Bill's Hints

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Off-roading in an RV? Really?
"There are some amazing, beautiful places that an RV can get to ... some are slightly off the road. Off-roading in an RV? What if you get stuck? Find out all about it this week from Rich Miller, "The Wanderman.""

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On This Day:

Nixon signs national speed limit into law, Jan 2, 1974:

"On this day in 1974, President Richard M. Nixon signs the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, setting a new national maximum speed limit.

Prior to 1974, individual states set speed limits within their boundaries and highway speed limits across the country ranged from 40 mph to 80 mph. The U.S. and other industrialized nations enjoyed easy access to cheap Middle Eastern oil from 1950 to 1972, but the Arab-Israeli conflict changed that dramatically in 1973. Arab members of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) protested the West's support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War by stopping oil shipments to the United States, Japan and Western Europe. OPEC also flexed its new-found economic muscle by quadrupling oil prices, placing a choke-hold on America's oil-hungry consumers and industries.

The embargo had a global impact, sending the U.S. and European economies into recession. As part of his response to the embargo, President Nixon signed a federal law lowering all national highway speed limits to 55 mph. The act was intended to force Americans to drive at speeds deemed more fuel-efficient, thereby curbing the U.S. appetite for foreign oil. With it, Nixon ushered in a policy of fuel conservation and rationing not seen since World War II.

The act also prohibited the Department of Transportation from approving or funding any projects within states that did not comply with the new speed limit. Most states quietly adjusted their speed limits, though Western states, home to the country's longest, straightest and most monotonous rural highways, only grudgingly complied. Even after OPEC lifted the embargo in March 1974, drivers continued to face high gas prices and attempted to conserve fuel by buying revolutionary Japanese economy cars. For many, a desire for fuel-efficient automobiles became the standard until the trend toward gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) emerged in the 1990s. In 1987, Congress authorized states to reset speed limits within their borders, but proponents of the national maximum speed limit law claimed it lowered automobile-related fatalities, prompting Congress to keep it on the books until finally repealing it on November 28, 1995.

Today speed limits across the country vary between 35 and 40 mph in congested urban areas and 75 mph on long stretches of rural highway. U.S. drivers now drive almost as fast as their European counterparts, who average between 75 and 80 mph on the highway. On some roads in Italy, it is legal to drive as fast as 95 mph."

From me:  I suppose some folks here think they are in Italy!

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Yesterday:

I didn't take Misty when I went to get Jay, as he wanted to get a plank out of the lake.  Jim, the mechanic still hasn't been well enough to finish working on my little Puddle Jumper.  If I leave blind Misty alone in the van, she might fall off the seat, which is a lot higher up. If I take her out of the subdivision in the van, she has her seat belt harness on, or in a carrier.  We looked at the plank, and realized that we would have to have a longer rope than the one I carry in the van.

When we got back here, we knew that for the cross fence to be in line with the existing fence that we would have to move three posts, or it would look awful.  We ran a string line from end to end, and we got two posts out and reset one.  So that Misty couldn't get out of the back yard, we put temporary barriers up until we could finish it. 

We drove down to the lake before I took Jay home.  Armed with a longer rope with a rock tied to the end, Jay threw it over the 2x12x16, and steered to to the shore.  I put the ball mount in my receiver hitch, tied the rope to the ball mount, and pulled it out of the lake.  They have just finished rebuilding the fishing dock, and this board must have got away from them.

As it was wet and too long to put in the van, I carefully towed it to Jay's house.  I had that hitch put on 4 years ago, but it's the first time it's been used until yesterday.

Teach Cats To Play Gently. Baby Pudu. Hairballs. 'Feline Idiopathic Chronic Cystitis'. Battle of the Bulge. Attack on Iraq.

 

For "Mammal Monday":

How To Teach a Kitten to Play Gently

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Cutest Baby Deer Ever

"A baby pudu was born at the Woodland Park Zoo   in Seattle.  Pudus are the smallest deer species in existence and are native to tropical forests of South America.  Our friends at the zoo were kind of enough to post a video of the little guy to YouTube, which is sure to elicit a great big “AWWWWWWWWW!” from anyone who watches it."

More at: http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/2011/02/cutest-baby-deer-ever/ and other cute babies.

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Reasons Cats Throw Up, Which is NOT Normal, and Ways to Treat a Vomiting Cat, and How to Feed Cats.

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Are Hairballs an Unpleasant Fact of Life for Your Feline?

"There are a number of ways to temporarily remedy a hairball problem -- some more advisable than others -- but if a cat is suffering with frequent hairballs it's important to rule out serious underlying conditions as a possible cause for the digestive disturbance.

This is especially true if the hairballs are a new problem in a mature cat. Sudden GI issues in a middle-aged or senior kitty should always be thoroughly investigated.

Hairballs, known in the scientific community as bezoars or trichobezoars (which certainly doesn't make them sound a bit more appealing), are a common complaint among people owned by cats.

Not only can the problem cause a nasty mess on floors and furniture, it often seems the effort required to regurgitate those gooey masses is very uncomfortable for the poor kitty.

How Do Hairballs Develop?

Hairballs have an obvious cause: kitties swallow a considerable amount of their own hair when they groom themselves. Some cats groom themselves and all the other cats in their household, making the amount of hair they consume enormous.

The rough surface of your cat's tongue is a perfect tool for pulling dead and excess fur from her coat during grooming. Some of that hair gets ingested. Hairballs aren't round; they are typically cylindrical masses of hair, debris from the cat's coat, and undigested bits of food.

Cat owners unfamiliar with hairballs might think their kitty has missed the litter box and pooped elsewhere in the house. As a general rule, a mess resembling poop found in a location away from the litter box is more than likely a hairball. The odor is also a tipoff, as hairballs don't smell like the other stuff.

A cat's digestive system is designed to handle a certain amount of fur, her own and from prey in the wild. But lots of kitties wind up with hairballs due to hair length, shedding patterns, dietary deficiencies, digestive challenges -- or a combination of issues.

Assuming your cat's hairball situation didn't come on suddenly and there are no other signs of illness, I would recommend the following approach to start:

• Make necessary adjustments to his diet to ensure adequate moisture content
• Add an omega-3 supplement
• Brush your cat daily or at least several times a week

What's for Dinner?

If you're feeding your cat dry pet food, she's not getting anywhere near the moisture content her organs need to function well for a lifetime. Dry kibble is not biologically appropriate nutrition for felines, as it lacks two ingredients essential to your kitty's health: moisture and high quality protein.

Your kitty's digestive system is working harder than nature intended to process all that dry stuff, and don't expect her to drink extra water to compensate. Cats get most of the water their bodies need from food. A healthy dog drinks loads of water throughout the day. A healthy cat does not.

If your kitty's diet is low in moisture content, she's living in a state of chronic dehydration. Her GI tract, already moisture-depleted, is less able to transport a mass of swallowed fur and debris than the GI tract of a well-hydrated cat eating a species-appropriate diet.

If your cat has a hairball problem and is eating primarily kibble, the first thing I recommend you do is start transitioning to a biologically appropriate diet.

Healthy Fats = Healthy Cats

The most common nutritional deficiency I see in my practice is lack of essential fatty acids, and omega-3's in particular.

Cats (and dogs) have a nutritional requirement for healthy fats that must be supplied by the food they eat, because their bodies don't produce it – thus the essential nature of these healthy fats.

If your kitty has been eating a diet of commercial pet food, chances are he's been getting more omega-6 fats than he needs, and not enough omega-3's.

A good balance of fatty acids in your cat's diet can make a tremendous positive difference in his health, including:

• Improving immune system response and blood clotting activity
• Reducing inflammatory responses associated with arthritis and bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Decreasing triglyceride and blood cholesterol levels

Research is underway to determine how omega-3 fatty acids impact the development of certain types of pet cancer, as well as their potential to prevent or alleviate autoimmune disorders.

Omega-3 deficiencies in pets have been associated with stunted growth, eye problems, insufficient muscle development and immune system dysfunction.

Sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in your cat's diet can help to improve not only the condition of his skin and fur, but also the ability of his digestive system to manage the hair and debris he swallows while grooming himself.

For a cat up to 14 pounds and in overall good health, I recommend supplementing with 125 mg daily of krill oil. Krill oil is the optimum source of omega-3's for people and pets.

Kitty Hair Care

Just a few minutes a day spent brushing or combing your cat to remove dead, loose hair from her coat will mean fewer hairs swallowed, and fewer hairballs for both of you to deal with. This is especially true if your kitty has long hair, and during shedding season when the weather begins to warm up.

As for what tool you should use to groom your cat -- there are as many opinions as there are varieties of pet brushes and combs on the market.

More Hairball Help

If your cat's hairball problem doesn't resolve or at least dramatically improve with the changes outlined above, you can try one or more of the following remedies:

• Psyllium seed husk powder. Also known simply as psyllium, this powder is made from portions of the seed of the plant Plantago ovate, a native Indian plant. This fiber source is water soluble and becomes mucilaginous when wet, helping to push built up hair along the GI tract. Add the contents of a capsule to a tablespoon of water, then mix in with your cat's food daily.
• Pumpkin. Add a teaspoon of canned or freshly cooked mashed pumpkin to your kitty's food each day. Canned pumpkin (make sure it is 100 percent pumpkin) is a non-grain fiber source that can aid digestion.
• Add a good quality animal-sourced digestive enzyme to your kitty's diet.
• Put a dab of non-petroleum jelly on your fingertip or the tip of your cat's nose. Look for a brand with all natural ingredients, typically slippery elm, marshmallow or papaya. Kitty will lick the jelly, swallow it, and with any luck it will coat the hairball, allowing it to be expelled more easily.

I recommend you avoid grain-based fiber sources, as cats have no biological requirement for grain and the ideal situation for most cats is to eat only what is appropriate for the species.

Never use petroleum jelly or mineral oil for hairballs. It is in many hairball remedies.

I also don't recommend petroleum-based jellies marketed as hairball treatments. These products are widely used and can help with hairballs, but petroleum is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbons, not a nutrient. Too much of it can interfere with the absorption of vitamin A.

Mineral oil is another bad idea -- it can cause pneumonia if inhaled."   Complete article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/08/03/are-hairballs-an-unpleasant-fact-of-life-for-your-feline.aspx

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'Feline Idiopathic Chronic Cystitis' is a big, long name for a very common condition in cats.

Typical Symptoms

"No matter what name it goes by, there are common symptoms seen in all cats with feline idiopathic chronic cystitis, including:

There is straining while urinating. Most cats will be in and out of the litter box frequently in an effort to relieve themselves. They may void some urine with each visit to the box, but they don't feel they can completely empty their bladder in one trip.

The urinary tract is inflamed and irritated, so you might see blood in the urine. It can be either microscopic (meaning you won't see it but it's there, present on a urinalysis), or it can be macroscopic and you'll actually see blood in the litter box.

Cats with the condition are usually in pain, so your cat may cry while trying to urinate. This can be a really aggravating and intensely painful situation for your kitty.

Keep in mind all these symptoms are also typical of a urinary tract infection as well as crystals or bladder stones. It's important to realize if your cat is exhibiting symptoms of feline idiopathic chronic cystitis that you need to determine (with the help of your veterinarian) whether he has an infection or inflammation.

If he has an infection, the treatment will be entirely different from the treatment for bladder inflammation.

Traditional Condition Management

Traditional veterinary medicine does a good job in many regards in managing feline idiopathic chronic cystitis.

The first goal is to increase the cat's water intake. Many kitties don't like to drink still water from a bowl, so some people leave a sink faucet dripping water to entice their cat to drink.

A better idea, in my opinion is a kitty water fountain or bubbler. Cats are attracted to moving or flowing water, so the re-circulating water in a fountain should encourage more drinking. You can spend as little as $12 for one of these fountains all the way up to $100 for a deluxe version.

Another important goal of traditional veterinary medicine in managing feline bladder inflammation is to switch cats eating dry food to canned food, which has a much higher moisture content. Canned cat food contains between 70 and 80 percent water, while dry foods can have as little as 10 percent moisture content.

Feeding your cat only dry, dehydrated food can make her chronically dehydrated as well. Not only does a state of dehydration stress the kidneys, it produces a concentrated, potentially irritating  mineral concentration in the bladder.

Very often eliminating all grains and seafood from your cat's diet will help."   More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/04/19/idiopathic-chronic-cystitis-in-pet-cats.aspx

More on the same subject: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/12/30/pet-cat-litter-box-and-urinating-problems.aspx

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On This Day:

Battle of the Bulge begins, Dec 16, 1944:

"With the Anglo-Americans closing in on Germany from the west and the Soviets approaching from the east, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler orders a massive attack against the western Allies by three German armies.

The German counterattack out of the densely wooded Ardennes region of Belgium took the Allies entirely by surprise, and the experienced German troops wrought havoc on the American line, creating a triangular "bulge" 60 miles deep and 50 miles wide along the Allied front. Conditions of fog and mist prevented the unleashing of Allied air superiority, and for several days Hitler's desperate gamble seemed to be paying off. However, unlike the French in 1940, the embattled Americans kept up a fierce resistance even after their lines of communication had been broken, buying time for a three-point counteroffensive led by British General Bernard Montgomery and American generals Omar Bradley and George Patton.

Fighting was particularly fierce at the town of Bastogne, where the 101st Airborne Division and part of the 10th Armored Division were encircled by German forces within the bulge. On December 22, the German commander besieging the town demanded that the Americans surrender or face annihilation. U.S. Major General Anthony McAuliffe prepared a typed reply that read simply:

"To the German Commander:

Nuts!

From the American Commander"

The Americans who delivered the message explained to the perplexed Germans that the one-word reply was translatable as "Go to hell!" Heavy fighting continued at Bastogne, but the 101st held on.

On December 23, the skies finally cleared over the battle areas, and the Allied air forces inflicted heavy damage on German tanks and transport, which were jammed solidly along the main roads. On December 26, Bastogne was relieved by elements of General Patton's 3rd Army. A major Allied counteroffensive began at the end of December, and by January 21 the Germans had been pushed back to their original line.

Germany's last major offensive of the war had cost them 120,000 men, 1,600 planes, and 700 tanks. The Allies suffered some 80,000 killed, wounded, or missing in action, with all but 5,000 of these casualties being American. It was the heaviest single battle toll in U.S. history."

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Clinton orders air attack on Iraq, Dec 16, 1998:

"On this day in 1998, President Bill Clinton announces he has ordered air strikes against Iraq because it refused to cooperate with United Nations (U.N.) weapons inspectors. Clinton's decision did not have the support of key members of Congress, who accused Clinton of using the air strikes to direct attention away from ongoing impeachment proceedings against him. Just the day before, the House of Representatives had issued a report accusing Clinton of committing "high crimes and misdemeanors" related to the Monica Lewinsky scandal, in which Clinton had--and then lied about--an illicit sexual liaison with an intern in the Oval Office.

At the time of the air strikes, Iraq was continuing its attempts to build weapons of mass destruction including nuclear, chemical and biological agents. Fearful of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's belligerence, and his penchant for using those weapons against his own people, the U.N. sent in weapons inspectors in 1997. After repeatedly refusing the inspectors access to certain sites, Clinton resorted to air strikes to compel Hussein to cooperate.

Many in Congress agreed with Republican majority leader Trent Lott that the timing of the air strikes was "suspect" and "cursory." In their opinion, the air strikes were simply a ploy to direct the public's attention away from the impeachment proceedings, and would ultimately prove futile in persuading Hussein to comply with the U.N.'s demands. Lott and his cohorts considered sustained bombardment of Iraq and the direct overthrow of Hussein the only way to end Iraq's weapons program. Clinton, in a televised public address that day brushed aside the criticism, saying that the Iraqi president was wrong if he thought "...the serious debate [on impeachment] would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down." He emphasized that his decision to launch air strikes was critical to America's vital interests and to the security of the world.

Ultimately, the American public's attention, and that of the press, stayed fixated on Clinton and his battle to save his presidency. Both the air strikes and the impeachment threat proved anti-climactic. Clinton was acquitted by the Senate in February 1999 and the air strikes on Iraq failed to intimidate Hussein into allowing weapons inspectors full access to Iraq's weapons facilities."

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Yesterday:

Jay called to say that he would drive up here on his ATV.  But when he hadn't shown up by 10.00am, I started doing other things, like trying to find a suitable Heat/Air solution for these two houses.

I was in touch with several contractors about mini-split systems which seem like a very good solution.  http://www.energystar.gov/certified-products/detail/ductless_heating_cooling.  Even better and more economical to operate than regular central heat/air, which I don't want anyway.  All that dirty, energy-wasting, space-consuming ductwork in my attics doesn't appeal to me at all.

Just as I was on a live chat with Home Depot mini-split contractor, Jay shows up on his ATV with a teen neighbor of his.  Jay said that he had brought the teen up here to rake my yard. I didn't ask for that to be done. Jay knows that I don't want other people around here, especially as Jay had opened the big garage door, and I have too many tools in there. 

Jay wanted the teen to use my tools to get to his ATV battery, and put my distilled water in it.  Then he wanted to use my tire inflator. He was ordering the teen around in such a nasty way that I knew that Jay had been into something, and I wanted him out of here.  I had to stop what I was doing and watch them like a hawk.  Then I counted all the sockets in the set before I put it away, and pulled the workshop door down again.  They still didn't leave right away, as Jay plugged his battery charger into my house so that the ATV would start. 

So I had to start the live chat all over again, and then caught up on other jobs, like laundry, made a list of the free stuff that I need from my health insurance catalog, ordered krill oil for the animals, a long Ethernet cable and a padded toilet seat.  Time went all too quickly, so much for yesterday.