Hope for the New Year!

Someone once said we all create masterpieces, if our thoughts are our paints, our words, our brushes and our attitude is our canvas, we can create our own masterpieces.  Wow, I never thought of it that way, how about you? So, what are you creating? Is it a beautiful painting full of colors with so much beauty for the eyes to see, or is it a dark painting, gloomy and not very attractive to feast your eyes on. It's never too late to change our attitude and our way of thinking, or how we paint our painting. 

We all have a chance in life to influence others.  To encourage and make a positive difference in the world if we choose to.  Or, we can also do the opposite and bring bitterness and hate, especially to those around us who love us the most. It's all up to us!

Having said that, as we reflect on how individuals handled the Presidential election, I believe this will go down in history as one of the most negative, hateful campaigns on both sides of the isle.  People from all walks of life painted a very grim picture of how they perceived things would be if Mr. Trump won the election, then again the other side did that as well.  I believe Mr. Trump ultimately had the victory because he listened to the American people who were so fed up with business as usual in government. The people have spoken and his ideals and campaign promises will be put to the test after January 20^th.  America prayed, America voted and the results are Trump is our new President Elect.  I truly hope those who voted against him will give him a chance before they criticize or demean him.  I believe in my spirit God’s hand is in this.  God, heard us loud and clear.  America has been going in a direction which would have been irreversible had Clinton won the Presidency.  I believe a Trump Presidency is going to expose all the corrupt business in our government once and for all, and he will do something about it.  Remember, God is a God of second chances and if we humble ourselves and pray for our Country and our leaders, He is faithful and will Bless America once again as he intended all along. But we have to be obedient to His word and bring Him back into our daily lives again. 

I am very excited for our country right now.  I pray for those who are angry and so disappointed in the outcome, but I have to say I can relate.  The last two elections, I felt the same way.  I eventually got over it because I knew God was ultimately in control and in His timing the right person to lead our country would eventually emerge.  After reading His word I am convinced if God’s hand is in something no devil in hell can stop it.  Praise God!  I hope you enjoyed a blessed Christmas everyone and now enjoy a Happy and Healthy New Year - let's all make it a great year shall we! Blessings!

Turmeric the natural arthrities pain reliever!

Turmeric is the best arthritis medicine ever!  I am 61 years old and truly love life.  I love my family and love doing things around the house.  But, about a year ago I noticed it was hard to just lift myself out of my chair.  My knees and sometimes my hips would give me some issues.  Not to mention my back, but that’s a whole other story, because that is muscular. I have arthritis in my left knee from an injury I had years ago.   Anyway, It got to the point where I knew I had to do something about it.  At night I would rub cream on my knee in the middle of the night for relief.  Enough was enough

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I began researching some things online about arthritis and natural remedies and came across Turmeric on a number of websites.   It kept popping up all the time,  so I read all of the benefits of taking this “spice” if you will, because that is what it is, not a supplement or a medicine but a spice.  I was so impressed with what I read that I knew I had to give it a try.  Oh my gosh, after only a few weeks I didn’t have as much knee pain as I had before, only occasionally.  My hips also stopped hurting, I was so happy I could dance.  I have been telling all my friends and family about it and some of them have also tried it and experienced relief as well.  There are a couple drawbacks though, one, as in the case of my husband.  He takes warfarin and Turmeric counteracts with warfarin, so he can’t take it which is a shame because I know he would get relief for his aches and pains too.  The other drawback is that those individuals with gallstones or bile obstruction should not take turmeric.  It is always very important to consult your doctor before taking any additional supplements. 

So now that I’ve told you my short story, now I’d like to explain those benefits and how to take Turmeric. At first I tried the “Nature’s Made” brand of turmeric that you find at your local Walmart.  This is very inexpensive and only has 50mg of curcuminoids, which is the substance that helps with the pain and inflammation.  Later I researched it more extensively and found that  you also need black pepper to take with the turmeric for it to work more effectively.  So I finally found the right combination of turmeric and black pepper at Costo.  Costco sells “You Theory” Turmeric which has 95% curcuminoids and enhanced with black pepper that increases the bio availability of the ingredients.  Curcuminoids are a special group of antioxidants known for their strong anti-inflammatory effects.   So I take 1 tablet twice a day with meals.

Benefits stated on bottle:

• ·         Anti-inflammatory
• ·         Efficient antioxidant
• ·         Helps the immune system
• ·                    Curcuminoids are protected with enteric coating

·         Curcuminoids are protected with enteric coating

There are many other benefits I found in my research from taking turmeric/curcumin, may help to reduce or stop:

• ·         Brain tumors
• ·         Prostate cancer
• ·         Skin cancer
• ·         Leukemia
• ·         Multiple melanoma
• ·         Chemo enhancer
• ·         Alzheimers prevention
• ·         Eye health
• ·         Weight loss
• ·         Natural pain killer
• ·         Anti-inflammatory
• ·         Liver health
• ·         Parkinsons disease
• ·         Multiple sclerosis
• ·         Psoriasis
• ·         Helps depression
• ·         Stomach issues
• ·         Better sleep

There certainly has been a lot of research on this magic spice.  In India it’s been used for over 2500 years.  They use it in their recipes for curry and many other Indian dishes.  I’ve personally tried the tea and love it too.  But, taking the pill form works better for my situation.

Since I’ve been taking the “You Theory” Turmeric my knee pain is gone and so is my hip pain.  I occasionally get some muscle pain in my back when I over extend myself, but that is different and I can deal with it with a massage or creams.  This really works for me and if you are also in pain, I hope you will give it a try.  Be sure to check with your doctor first.  Start living life again to the fullest – best of luck and God Bless.  

You can get it at Amazon or Costo!

Wisdom for todays teenagers!

If you are a teenager living in these times I can only imagine what the stories you will tell your kids.  I didn’t get a phone until I was in the 4^th grade, or sometimes we couldn’t get Internet upstairs.  Are those hard times?  They are for our kids and teenagers today.  But on the other hand, these kids face fears like never before.  Such as terrorist activities which seem to be occurring now each and every day. From people being blown up in shopping malls, to be-headings in the Middle East just for professing to being a Christian.

I have a message for all of you today, it’s a compilation of some things I’ve heard and read in scripture as well as from ministers who teach God’s prophetic word. 

If you are a young person today, be alert and learn as much as you can regarding what is going on around you.  The people perish for lack of knowledge the Bible says.  So seek out what’s going on in your communities, in your town and state.  The more you know the easier decisions will be when something arises that needs wisdom.  Remember, the Bible is filled with so much wisdom, especially the book of Proverbs.  That is highly suggested reading for any teenager or young adult.

Some other important suggestions I’d like to share are character builders.  For instance,  if you have free time, by that I mean you don’t have a job or are at school, find some places to volunteer.  Or better yet, ask your mom or dad if they have certain things you can help them with.  They will surely appreciate that.  If they don’t have anything call your grandparents and see if they need help with anything.  Remember, they are older and can’t do some of the yard work like they used to.  So find ways to help someone and believe me when I say you will be blessed for doing so.  Always, always show respect and listen carefully to your parents and grandparents.  They love you very much and want you to grow up making good choices in life.  They have your best interest at heart when they give you advice.  It’s so important to store their knowledge and wisdom for times when you will need it.  I realize some of those stories can be boring, but ask God to give you a spirit to be a good listener and take good mental notes.  One day you will be so glad you did that.  See, they have lived so much longer than you have, and they have experienced tough times and good times, and how they handled the tough times really tells you about their character.  Learn how they handled certain situations and use that later on in life.  There is no better teacher than the Bible, and your elders, especially if they are Christian believers. What a double blessing that is if they are.

Another great suggestion that I'd like to share is to always be yourself, because everyone else is already taken – right?  It’s so hard to try and be the person who is perfect, that is very stressful and besides no one is perfect, except Jesus.  If you are yourself by being honest and trustworthy, your friends and family will always be able to count on you for support and love.  But, if you are always trying to be someone you are not, well you will always be disappointed and they will be too.  Remember, you are a special child of God, when he made you he threw away the mold.  You are made in His image and carry his amazing genes on the inside of you.  Act like it.  You also have all the power needed in the form of the Holy Spirit to do anything that comes your way, that is if you believe and trust in Jesus.  If you have been saved by asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins and he has begun to create in you a clean heart, then you are on your way to a life filled with much peace and joy.  But when trouble comes and it will, Jesus will be there to give you a helping hand and give you his strength to get through it. The choice is yours.  For me it was a no brainer.  I was tired of living angry, afraid and stressed out over things I had no control over all the time.  My choice was clear, Jesus was the answer for me, I hope it will be for you too.

Here is a letter I read on facebook written by a gentleman named John Tapene:

My advice to teenagers:

Go home mow the lawn, wash the windows, learn to cook, build a raft, get a job, visit the sick, study your lessons and after you are finished,  read a book.  Your town does not owe you recreational facilities and your parents do not owe you fun.  The world does not owe you a living, you owe the world something.  You owe your time and energy and talent so that no one will be at war, in sickness and lonely ever again.  In other words grow up! Stop being a cry baby, get out of your dream world and develop a backbone not a wishbone.  Start behaving like a responsible person.  You are important and you are needed.  It’s too late to sit around and wait for something to do something someday.  Someday is NOW and that somebody is YOU!

Have a blessed day everyone, if you have a teenager or know one who may be blessed by this pass it along will ya! Thank you and God Bless. 

Life behind the bars of "Perfectionism"

I am sure you are asking why I would say this.  Well, here goes.  The meaning of "perfectionism" is judging yourself by your achievements.  Even though it sounds good and all, when we measure our worth in terms of productivity and our accomplishments and always strive for impossible goals, and they are never fulfilled, well we will constantly be disappointed.  This is because we are driven and not lead.  We will constantly be in a prison of perfectionism.

This is life behind the bars of "perfectionism":

• You are never satisfied
• It's a thief - promising rewards but steals your joy and satisfaction
• You set impossible goals which sets you up for frustration

In the material world people who are perfectionists earn on average about $15K less than other individuals.  Reason is they waste time, trying to always be perfect at every task given to do.  Productivity not perfection.  Also they tend to be more critical of others.  Intolerable of all people.  I pity the woman who is married to a perfectionist or children whose parents are perfectionists.  A wife and mother rarely had fun time with her children because she wanted to have an immaculate house, believe me I know I have been there and done that.

People who are perfectionists may be judgemental and hard to live with at times.  They set impossible goals and are idealist - not realists.  Perfectionist in a dreamworld that never comes to pass.  They also tend to always want to be #1, the BEST, they get upset when others do better than they do.  They cannot accept the Best, they have to be the Best.

Another feeling perfectionists will have to deal with is never being able to relax, because if they try to they will always feel guilty.  Going on a trip with a perfectionist is not very much fun. There will be fewer potty stops, since the goal of course is the destination not the adventure along the way.  The other thing perfectionists tend to do which is very dangerous, is punish themselves when they did not live up to their expectations.  They failed and they won't forgive themselves for it.

So after learning about what a perfectionist may go through - let's look at ways to get out of this prison of perfectionism shall we.

The first and most important thing to do is to learn to accept our imperfections.  Remember God accepts us not on the basis of performance and achievements.  If we feel he only accepts us based on performance and or achievements, then how would we ever know when we've done enough.  You need to see God as a good God not one who is demanding and you are always trying to earn his acceptance.  God has accepted you by Grace as so stated in Ephesians 1-6.  He isn't up in heaven keeping track of what we are doing, or as to how many times we read the Bible, or how many hours or minutes we spend in prayer.

Accept yourself, reprogram your mind to listen to what God says about you not the enemy.  Women, don't listen to those ads on television about having a perfect body or you can't just be a housewife in life, but you have to have a career in order to be accepted or successful.  Young men, it's not about sexual conquest or being a tough football player, or even a businessman.  Having a bigger house and nicer car etc.  You are all special in God's eyes. Learn to accept those around you who make mistakes and are not perfect and stop being so demanding.  Do us a favor and please resign as the CEO of the Universe.

As soon as you accept yourself and others as imperfect people, and that you are are loved by a perfect Father in Heaven, you will be set free to live the life that God has for you.  I did this many years ago and by God's grace I am happier now, I am not as disappointed in myself when I do something wrong and I don't punish myself or others either.  I know I still mess up at times, but I have a Father in Heaven who still loves me and forgives me when I do.  I hope this helps you if you are a perfectionist.  I believe God wants us to do our best at all times, but well "perfect" that's his title.  Blessings to you all. 

New year starting out with lots of surprises in our election process!

Hello everyone, I simply cannot believe that I haven't posted anything on here since the new year! So Happy New Year to you.  It's been a busy one at that.  With the election process beginning to take place and with trying to get organized with all my craft patterns - my days are numbered let me tell you.  But I want to give Praise and Glory to my Savior because Larry and I are doing great health wise, so am very thankful for that.

I do want to just touch a bit on the election this coming year. In all my 61 years of life on this earth I have never experienced what our country is going through right now.  People are very angry about the government and the process.  They believe our government officials are corrupt and therefore they are not supporting any of the "establish" candidates, i.e., Hillary or another Bush.  We have had a caucus in Iowa and recently the New Hampshire primary where it was very evident that this is the norm on both the Democratic and the Republican sides.  Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders coming in first.  It's going to be a roller coaster ride from here on in, so my advice is to study the candidates and what they believe and stand for.  Their records, their morals and values and don't just vote with your feelings - because they are fickle as the famous Joyce Meyer so elegantly says in her sermons.  That is what I plan to do, because this election is so very important and we want the right person who will best lead our country out from under some of the bad things that have happened in the past few years.  Enough said.

Now, onto crafts!!! I want to share a few things that I have been up to.  I finally am a member of the Craftsy website.  I love that place.  I have added some of my beautiful patterns and people really are enjoying them.  A few new ones are my really easy and adorable "Mary's Crochet Fingerless Gloves".  My "Cozy Knitted Fingerless Gloves" are a big hit on there and I know those who love to crochet will really love these as well.  The other new pattern is "Mary's knitted cozy slippers". These slippers are so wonderful and keep your feel very warm and snug.  Do check them out, because along with my knitted and crochet patterns are of course my cross stitch patterns.  One of these which I have to share with you is the "Praying Grandma" bookmark.  It says it all folks: "No devil in hell will ever snatch a child from a grandma who prays for them" Amen!!!

I do hope this new year will bring even more of God's blessings your way.  Until next time - God bless!