Do you feel lucky? Well, do you, Punk?

Woohoo...we're in verse 10.  Let's do this.  Verse 10 says, "And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them."  (Cross ref:  Luke 24:4 and John 20:12).  How incredibly awesome the sight of Jesus being lifted up (vs9) would have been.  I'm sure they were very intently staring at Him as He ascended.  I wonder how long it took them to even realize the two men who were now standing beside them.  I'm sure it would have taken me a minute or two to even feel their presence.  I wouldn't be able to process seeing Jesus ascending into "thin air" let alone two men appearing out of "thin air."
Isn't that like us though?  Clueless as to what's really out there.  We go about our lives, going through the motions and not being able to see what's really in front of us.  How many times has God worked in and through our lives and we hardly even notice...if we notice at all? 
Our lives can be equated to a train wreck thanks to the fall of man and sin entering into the

equation.  So seriously think about it...a train wreck.  What are some expectations of a passenger train crashing?  Cars going this way and that.  People flying around inside the cars.  Cars piling on top of cars.  People dying.  People seriously hurt.  People stunned, dazed, and lost, not understanding what's going on.  Then there are the absolutely lucky ones who come out with barley a scratch.
Life is just like that...a train wreck.  There is death, confusion, chaos, disaster, and those seemingly unaffected.  We should expect the death, chaos, and natural disasters in this life.  So, since we are still on this side of the dirt pile, we should also be extremely thankful that, at least today, we  are one of the lucky ones.  To whom should we be thankful?  The one true God, of course.  :)
Yet, as it usually is, we forget that "being lucky" part, and we are caught staring at the sky not noticing what's right beside us.  We go through tough stuff, sometimes very tough stuff, and forget Who has been caring for us all along.  We think we're the ones driving the train and that we won't ever crash.  We got this.  We're good.  I hear it all the time.  It's only when we get caught up in yet another train wreck that we start looking around at what's really going on.  Then we notice things aren't going well for us and we lash out, "why me?" 
What's really going on, however, is Jesus had been protecting us all along and one rock headed our way got through that hedge of protection.  We chose sin over God.  God's initial intent was for things to be perfect.  We blew that horribly!!  Now, we pay for that choice every day.  God does an awesome job of protecting us, but He can't do everything.  He has to abide by our free will choice of sin over Him.  Sometimes a rock is going to bop us in the head, and sometimes that rock is going to snuff out our life, or that of a loved one.  We really should expect this and thank God each and every day we are counted as one of the lucky ones.  One day we won't be that lucky one...don't wait to get right with God.  Do it today. 

Where will you be left standing?

Vs 9 (And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight).  (Cross ref:  Luke 24:50-51)
Jesus gave His final words to His disciples:  don't leave Jerusalem, wait for the promise of the Father, they were to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, the time of His kingdom was none of their business, they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem and even to the remotest parts of the earth.  Once He have His final instructions, He ascended into a cloud as they looked on.
What a day that must have been.  They were told the Father was going to give them a significant gift of the Holy Spirit, they were going to have power from this gift, and they now were going to be Jesus' witnesses to every single person on the earth.  Then, Jesus leaves them standing there...alone. 


I didn't get to finish my commentary on this verse.  The next post will cover some of this in more detail, so I'm not going to finish it ... for now.  Have a fabulous day.

First Hand Witnesses

Acts 1:8 (but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth).  Cross referenced verses are:  Act 2:1-4, Luke 24:48; John 15:27; Acts 8:1,5,14; Matt 28:19; Mark 16:15; Rom 10:18; and Col 1:23)
Jesus' ancestry is from the Jewish nation. God separated His people from everyone else for the sole purpose of brining the Messiah into the world.  He went through a lot of stuff with these chosen people, even calling them obstinate.  They were His people; they saw many signs and wonders, yet they still rebelled against Him.  He continued to bring them back to Him; He continued to save them from themselves.  He did all this to bring the Messiah into the world.  Jesus must be a pretty important Guy, huh. 
I happen to agree with that statement.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life for everyone.  His ancestry is from the Jewish nation; however, He didn't come for just them.  The latter part of verse 8 reminds us for whom He came...all of us!!!  How awesome!
What does it mean when Jesus says they will be witnesses?  Remember, His disciples had been with Jesus during His entire teaching time (the previous 3 or so years).  They witnessed

all He had done.  They saw His signs and wonders.  They saw Him arrested, beaten, crucified, buried, risen, and now reappear after death.  They were first hand witnesses.  These weren't events handed down to them through the generations.  They were there!!  There's nothing better than first hand witnesses!!
Once they received the powers through the Holy Spirit, it would be their jobs to use those first hand witness accounts to further Jesus' message.  Until then they were to remain in Jerusalem.  Things would happen, as we will see, that facilitated the process of proclaiming Jesus to those outside Jerusalem.  While these things are horrible, we will watch God use the bad for good (Rom 8:28), and we can be so thankful for these bad events because without the spread of Christianity outside Jerusalem, we wouldn't know salvation.  It's not always easy to see through the bad, but those times could lead to even greater things for us.  It's a reminder to always be thankful in the midst of every storm...something I struggle with on a constant basis. 

Are you Ready?

Continuing in Acts chapter 1, let's discuss verse 6 (So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?).  The cross referenced verse are Matt 17:11, Mark 9:12, Luke 17:20 and 19:11.
Jesus was with all His disciples, after telling them to stay in Jerusalem to await the baptism of God, and they asked about His kingdom.  Israel believed that Jesus came to be an earthly ruler coming to take them out from under Roman rule.  They were not grasping at all the fact that God's kingdom was going to be a spiritual one, that Jesus was going to be the Cornerstone of a new church.  They hadn't yet realized what it meant for Jesus to have been killed on the cross then buried and resurrected.  They hasn't yet realized that everything...everything...had now changed.  It hadn't changed just for Israel and the Jews, but for every single person living and all who will live on the earth.  Jesus' death on that cross still didn't quite make sense, so they still thought He had come to save them from the Romans.
In verse 7 (He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority) (cross references: Matt 24:36 and Mark 13:32), we see Jesus telling them it's none of your business right now.  In the cross referenced verses, while Jesus was still alive, He tells them then that only the Father knows some timetables, that even the angels nor the Son know.
It's sometimes scary to realize that things are out of our control.  It's hard to grasp the concept of God being our Creator and is working on our behalf, if we are right with Him through Jesus.  It's equally scary, if not more so, to fathom an entity who is constantly working against us.  Yet, we know satan is real and his sole desire is to kill and destroy (John 10:10a).  God, Jesus, and the Bible have been proven.  I know they are real.  I know

what the Bible says is true.  That makes satan real.  God's simple rule for our lives...BE READY!! (Matt 24:44)  That's it.  Be ready for Christ's return.  What does that mean?  Simple really.  It means we need to get right with God and live right for Him (believe, repent, confess, baptism).  Don't fret over when.  Don't watch the news and see "end times" stuff going on and worry if the end is near.  Just be ready.  Then enjoy the life God gave us.  I know our finite minds cannot seem to grasp the eternal spiritual kingdom of God.  Don't think we were meant to honestly.  It's none of our business right now.  Just get right and live right for God.  He will take care of us, and all this not so good stuff going on right now...He will turn it into good, for God causes all things to work for good for those who love and obey Him (Rom 8:28). God's got this!!
Hugs

Paving the Way...many days from now

Good Morning.  It's going to be a fantastic day.  Why?  Because I'm going to make it fantastic, with my attitude.  Sometimes that's all it takes, the right attitude.  So, let's dive into the next verse of Acts chapter 1.  "for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (v 5)
Luke starts this verse by telling Theophilus about John.  He's referring to John the Baptist.  John lived in the wilderness of Judea.  He was called by God to prepare the way for Jesus.  He was a very simple person, even eating locusts and honey.  He began baptizing the Jewish people in the Jordan River for the forgiveness of sin.  He chastised the Pharisees and Sadducees when they came to be baptized.  He criticized them for being legalistic and hypocritical.  They had an Oral Law, created by man, handed down through the generations that wasn't from God, but held people to it.  He even went as far as to tell them that being descendants of Abraham was not going to be good enough. 
John also ended up baptizing the one Person for whom he was paving the way, Jesus.  As Jesus walked towards him to be baptized, John immediately said he wasn't worthy, that he should be baptized by Jesus.  Jesus told John to do it anyway, to fulfill God's plan.  Once Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended onto Him.  God spoke saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt 3:17).  In both the Gospel of Mark and Luke, it is recorded slightly differently, "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22)

A side note about John from many years prior to this encounter is located in Luke.  John's parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth, were advanced in age and Elizabeth was barren...they had no children.  Zacharias was a priest and was chosen by lot (chance) to enter into the temple to burn incense.  While in the temple the angel, Gabriel, appeared to him and made a proclamation, "...your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John...and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb" (Luke 1:5-15).  During Elizabeth's 6th month of pregnancy, Gabriel is also sent from God to tell Mary about her Son, while still a virgin (Luke 1:26-38).  Mary then visits Elizabeth.  When she greets Elizabeth, John leaped in her womb and Elizabeth becomes filled with the Holy Spirit as well, and begins prophesying.  Elizabeth gave birth to John, and then his father, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and began prophesying (Luke 1:39-79).  God truly paved the way for His Son through this family.  John, from conception to death, was God's pathway to Jesus.  He was eventually beheaded (Mark 6:14-29).
"but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit"  God would send His Holy Spirit directly to the disciples.  He didn't use the baptism we know and use today.  This was the beginning of the Christian Church, a time God would need to prove His word through signs and wonders.  The disciples were going to need all the Help they could get.  When the Spirit came upon them, He also gave them the gift of tongues.  All this means is that they could speak all the different languages needed to reach each person there for Pentecost, and beyond.  There is so much more to this, but let's wait til we get to these passages, Acts 2:1-4, and really dig into them. 
"not many days from now"   Jesus was crucified during Passover.  He was with them after His resurrection for 40 days.  "Not many days from now" is referring to Pentecost, which was 50 days after Passover.  Pentecost was also referred to as the Feast of Weeks (Deut 16).  During this time many Jewish people would be in Jerusalem, for this was one of three times God called His people together. 
Now this is a great reminder that we, too, are paving the way for something:  the Second coming of Christ.  We need to be paving the way for that as well.  I don't feel I do that well enough myself.  I must work on this.  There really is a narrow road that leads to a narrow gate through which only a few will get to go.  Are we working to pave the way for this second coming?  Are we leading others down that narrow path?  Are WE walking that narrow path, or have we strayed onto the wide path?  It is a question we must as ourselves constantly.  I know I need to work on this diligently.  Let's do that.  Hugs!!  Have a great day!

We all need Help

Hello fellow partaker in life!  I hope you're having a wonderful day full of joy and hope.  I am continuing in Acts chapter 1.  We move on to verse 4 (Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me). 
So far we learned that Luke is reminding Theophilus that he wrote the Gospel of Luke.  We learned that Jesus presented Himself to the disciples and to over 500 others AFTER His resurrection.  He presented Himself for a total of 40 days and spoke of the Kingdom of God during this time. 
Now we are learning that Jesus told His disciples to remain in Jerusalem to await a promise from the Father, a promise Jesus has already told them about.  Sounds intriguing, right?  Let's get in to it.

In Luke 24:49, Luke talked about this very topic as well.  In John 14:16-17, however, it gives us a hint as to what this promise is.  "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of Truth."  In John 14:26 is actually tells us Who that Helper is, the Holy Spirit.  So the disciples needed a "Helper" for what they were about to do.  What's exciting is the Helper is from the Father.  This must be immensely important!
Back to John 14.  This gospel is, obviously, written by John, one of the disciples.  In it, he tells us what Jesus told them BEFORE He was killed.  Jesus described to them in detail Who the Holy Spirit is.  Let's discuss.

• Someone who will be with us forever (vs 16).  Isn't that encouraging?  Seriously, think about this.  Who, on this earth, will ever be with us forever?  Not one single person.  No one will live forever on this earth to be there for us, help us, encourage us, teach us, or even love us.  We will all die eventually.  We can count on no one for this.  It's amazing to me that God thought of this way before we were born. 
• The world cannot receive Him because they don't know or see Him (vs 17).  This one is immensely important to all of us.  To get this Helper...forever...we need to get right with God, and live right for Him.  More on this topic as we delve deeper into Acts.
• If we love Him and keep His word, He abides with us (vs 23).  We cannot just believe that Jesus is there.  We have to love and obey what the Bible says.  No getting around this one, folks.  The Bible is very clear.  
• He will teach us all things (vs 26).  
• Jesus had to die for the Helper to be able to come to us (John 16:7).  Jesus' death fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies.  During His final moment of life, Jesus said, "It is finished!"  Jesus was the final...and most perfect...sacrifice for our sins.  He freely, and in love, took all the sins of the earth upon Himself, and made atonement for them.  This should make us truly appreciate this gift.
• The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).  The Spirit will convict us, and we need to pay very close attention to this so we don't grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30, 1 Thess 5:19).
• Will guide us into all the Truth (John 16:13).  I love truth.  Knowing the truth truly has made life so much easier.  
• Will glorify God (John 16:14).

I gather you all here today, as well, in hopes that one person reading this will opt to listen to their conscience and come to the knowledge of Christ ultimately getting right with God.  It is an amazing life.  It truly is.  I want that for you.  If you are already right with God, YAY!!  You know what I'm talking about then.  Let's, together, strive through that narrow gate, walk on that narrow path, and see our Heavenly Father one day.  Until next time...toodles!!  <3

The Proof is in the Pudding

(As a reminder...The Book of Acts gives us an accurate account of the birth and growth of the Christian Church.  It was written by Luke, who was the physician, between 63 and 70 AD.  It begins where the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) left off.  It begins in Jerusalem, where the church is established, talks of how the church faced severe persecution, spreading it out to the surrounding areas.  But, because of this persecution in Jerusalem, we, the Gentiles, were able to hear of the Good News.)
Verse 3 (To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.) says quite a bit to us.  Luke continues his account with Jesus' reappearing, after His resurrection, to His disciples, and the proof of that appearing.  Jesus was with them for a span of 40 day and spoke of the Kingdom of God. 
Could you imagine watching a Man die in front of you, actually publically in front of many people, and being in mourning for this Man, then seeing Him appear in front of you?  Would you freak out?  I know I would.  Holy buckets!!  Can you imagine what the disciples were going through trying to wrap their heads around this event?  There were some who didn't believe what they were seeing (Matt 28:17, Mark 16:12), and I honestly can't say that I blame them one bit.  They say only one Man raised people from the dead...and now He was dead.  They saw Him die!   I'm sure it didn't make much sense.  Poor fellas. 
Despite that, Jesus continued to appear to them many times throughout the 40 days (verses above, Luke 24:34, John 20:19 & 26, John 21:1 & 14).  He even appeared to a group of more than 500 people (1 Cor 15:5-7).  First Corinthians was written by Paul, accounting for his testimony to those outside Israel.  These verses are significant to Paul's ministry because is says that most of the 500 were still alive at the time.  This means that there were many first hand witnesses of Christ's reappearing.  What more proof do we need?  Well, people still didn't believe, unfortunately.  For those who did believe, men and women were baptized (Acts 8:12).
You know, you would think that first hand proof by those who witnessed seeing Jesus would be enough for people to believe.  It wasn't.  Jesus performing many miracles while He was still alive wasn't proof enough for the people in Israel to believe He was God's Son.  I mean, He raised people from the dead!  He healed people who were blind or lame from birth!  He spoke to them from the position of authority, despite lack of schooling!  Hearts were just hardened.  That's the beauty (or lack thereof) of our fallen world.  Even today, there is overwhelming evidence of the fallacy of macro evolution (that which they say is our evolvement from apes), yet there are many people who still cling to this theory.  It is still taught in our schools.  There is also much evidence of the truth of Creation, yet we are the whackos.  The more science discoveries we have, the more they point to God, yet countless folks believe we are a chance happening from billions of years ago. 
We cannot wrap our heads around an all-knowing, all-seeing, all-present Being who loves us despite of ourselves.  Even for those of us who do believe, it's hard to handle God sending His Son to be the ultimate and final atonement for our sins.  He created earth just for us...a single planet with the perfect positioning within the solar system to be able to inhabit life.  He created our bodies to function amazingly, yet we don't take care of it.  We kill our babies, kill each other, and shake our fists at God for the things that are wrong with this world.  They did this from the fall of man (thanks Eve), and we continue to stay on that path and not learn from our past.  Why does God put up with us?  Love.  Indescribable love. 
Let's enjoy our day knowing that we were created for a purpose by a God who loves us and wants only the best for us, if we'll just believe and obey Him.  Mmm, yummy pudding.

Let's Face It

Your face is one of the most important parts of what you present to the world.  It makes sense to take care of it, right?  Yet, there are so many things that counter that attempt to put our best foot forward.  You have the UV rays from the sun causing all kinds of havoc. Environmental stresses play a role in curbing our attempts to look good.  Don't even get me started on horrible make-up and a complete lack of face care at all.  Caffeine, sodium, alcohol and sugar don't help matters much either.  Sleep is supposed to be restorative to our whole bodies, but how many of us get enough of that these days?  Dehydration, especially in desert climates like mine, doesn't play well with trying to have a decent complexion either. So...what do we do??
Good question.  I don't have the be all-end all answer either.  I know, you figured if I took the time to write this, I should have an answer.  I'm sorry. I'm right alongside you in this crazy world we live in.  So, what's a girl to do?  Eat a healthy diet for starters.  Stop eating junk food, and zero nutrition foods.  Stop eating out all the time, too.  Look into a good nutrition supplement, too.  Let's face it; we can't eat everything we need to get our daily allowances of all vitamins and minerals.  Soil depletion and science have made sure of that.  Search out a good line, one that proves its absorption rates.  Don't settle for the next cheapest thing. You truly get what you pay for in this life.  Isn't your body worth a few extra pennies??  I certainly think so.  I've lowered my cholesterol from 201 to 180 in just 5 short months; even my bad cholesterol dropped 10% to boot!!  That's a nutrition line I can count on, and it's patented...twice!
If you enjoy the finer things in life...for your face...allow me to introduce you to Sei Bella.  Sei Bella has a Luxury Crème with some pretty awesome ingredients. 

Tego Pep 4-17, a tetra peptide that stimulate the renewal mechanisms of the skin, increasing elasticity

Argireline NP, a non-toxic, non-irritating compound that smooths your skin

Antioxidants (Vitamins C, E, and CoQ10), which fight free radicals, firming the skin

Deep Sea Nutrients (Saltwater microalgae), which encourages exfoliation for improved clarity and texture

Resveratrol, an age-defying molecule harnessing the antioxidant power for a brighter, more even-toned face

Caviar Extract, which creates a protective barrier on the surface of the skin while penetrating to deeply moisturize your face.

A comparable Luxury Crème is La Praire Skin Caviar Luxe Cream.  A 1.7 oz jar retails at $430, but I found it at Nordstrom for $315.  Sei Bella can be purchased for $130 for that same 1.7 oz.

Now I know most people don't purchase this type of item. I've never done it either.  My point to this whole post is to introduce you to a makeup, hair, and facial care line that is backed by science, but won't break your budget.  Their makeup doesn't contain any carcinogenic ingredients like some others.  Their hair care has no sulfates and has a patent-pending Protection Complex Technology™ to protect hair in four critical ways: Color Protection, Anti-Breakage Protection, Thermal Protection, and UV Protection.  Their makeup is awesome.  Even their blush contains vitamins, botanicals, and green tea extract to condition and protect the skin.

So there you have it…facial nutrition done right.  Oh…did I mention…well, I USED to. :)

The start of the Christian Church

No, not that beginning.  The Book of Acts gives us an accurate account of the birth and growth of the Christian Church.  It was written by Luke, who was the physician, between 63 and 70 AD.  It begins where the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) left off.  It begins in Jerusalem, where the church is established, talks of how the church faced severe persecution, spreading it out to the surrounding areas.  But, because of this persecution in Jerusalem, we, the Gentiles, were able to hear of the Good News.

Acts chapter 1.  Verse 1 (The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach) reminds us of Luke's first account, the Gospel of Luke.  It references Luke 1:3 and 3:23.  Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke to account for the beginning of Jesus in a concise, consecutive order.  Remember, Luke was the medical doctor.  His writing is very historical.  (I also remember hearing/reading that the Gospel of Luke had been the most contested book of the Bible; however, the more archaeology uncovers things, the more factual Luke's writing has been proven to be.)  He wrote both books to Theophilus.

Jesus began His teaching when he was roughly 30 years old.  In Luke 3:23, Luke reminds us also of Jesus' family tree.  The purpose of the Jewish nation was to be separated from everyone so as to bring about the Messiah.  Luke 3:23-38 takes us all the way back to Adam, who He describes as the son of God.  Jesus' pedigree was important to God, therefore, Luke made it a point to show His ancestry within the gospel.

As a side note, not much is known about Theophilus.  The name is purported to mean "lover of God," "loved by God," or "friend of God."  There are many theories on whom Theophilus was, and you can do a search on his name to see them all.  During my search, I did come across a cartoon line with the name Theophilus.  I am not sure the context of the cartoon, but did find it interesting that someone created a cartoon character who carried around a Bible and subsequently named it Theophilus.  :)

Verse 2 (until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen) goes on to account for the continued purpose of the Gospel of Luke, which was to account for Jesus' life through His resurrection as well as the orders He'd given to His chosen apostles via the Holy Spirit.  Cross referenced verses are:  Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9,11,22; Matt 28:19; Mark 16:15; John 20:21f; Mark 6:30; John 13:18; and Act 10:41.

One of the orders He'd given is found in Matt 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."  Another is found is Mark 16:15, "Go in to all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."  Luke also ensures we know that they were witnesses to the resurrection.  Because we can prove God, Jesus, and the Bible, we can trust Luke's account of facts.  Remember, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work"  (2 Tim 3:16-17).  God gave us the means necessary to live this life.  We just have to be willing to take the time to study it.

My thoughts.  I go to a church that speaks truth each and every weekend.  She has a seminar on why bad things happen to good people.  She also has a seminar called Facts Behind the Faith, which intellectually proves God, Jesus, and the Bible.  We don't have, nor do we need, blind faith.  I love that!!  I don't have to base my faith on feelings...I KNOW He's real.  She also has a science-based seminar on Creation vs evolution.  Evolution is not even worth your time.

This blog is about Total Wellness.  Your spiritual health is of the utmost importance; therefore, it needs to be discussed.  This is also my way of personal accountability to studying God's Word.  I hope you enjoyed this.  ;)

Don't Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

If you know anything about me, you've probably come to realize that I have a new found passion:  wellness.  Wellness encompasses many things, not just your health...the food you eat or the exercise you should be doing.  It also applies to the air you breath in and outside, the stuff you place into the environment, your financials, and your personal life, i.e., living life on your terms...time freedom. It truly is an all-encompassing concept.  You can be fit as a fiddle and eat properly, but still be breathing horribly toxic air while you sleep.  Wellness is your life.

When we're young(er) we tend not to think about being vulnerable.  We took people's words as truth and went about our lives.  Today, if it's on the internet, it just has to be true.  Let's not forget that it's not official until it's Facebook Official.  Am I right?  We live on the internet.  What does this mean for us?  TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!  It also comes down to the fact that we are a much more informed consumer...or we CAN be if we pay attention. 

There is also the fact that we are now bombarded with news; it's on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It's relentless.  With the always-on news and the internet, we are now faced with tragedies.  Child tragedies.  They break our hearts.  We're more aware of dangers around every corner and tend to play "what if" scenarios in our heads.  I did the same thing.  Being a victim of molestation by a family member as a child, I was keenly aware of who was around my children at all times.  I empathize with the plight.  My daughters (yes, Michelle, you're my daughter now...haha) will get a speech from me about keeping their own children safe from predators.  It's a sad fact of life in which I live.  I digress.

Another facet of wellness that we are bombarded with nowadays is toxins within the home.  More and more children are being poisoned by the chemicals found in "normal" "every day" cleaners we tend to write off as innocuous.  We leave them under sinks and on counters.  Sure, we put those child locks things on the doors, but whose toddler hasn't figured out how to manipulate those?  Storage placed under washers and dryers put laundry pods right at eye level for little exploratory eyes.  Oh, and aren't they colorful!!  Look tasty, huh.  They are ordinary things we don't think about all the time. 

It is said that our indoor air is 2-5 times more toxic than our outside air.  That's quite a difference.  When it's 100+ degrees here during the desert summers, I don't get much outdoor air flowing through to help rid those fumes.  Those who deal with the extreme cold will have the same issue during the winter seasons.  It's a fact of life. 

Cleaning our bathroom can be a nightmare with all the fumes. We have tub cleaner, then we get out our toilet bowl cleaner, and our mirror cleaner.  All of those fumes are now obnoxiously combining and flailing around our bathroom and throughout our homes.  We're breathing in bleach fumes, ammonia fumes, and goodness knows what else they have in those bottles.  My dad once told me a story that he was cleaning his stand alone shower.  By the time he was done, he was dizzy and had an awful headache.  Can you say poison overload in his body?  Yet we continue to use the products and don't demand better, safer ones. 

Our laundry pods are putting our children's lives at risk every day.  I don't understand why we're not knocking on the manufacturers' doors and demanding better safer products.  I started making my own stuff for a while I was so fed up.  I kept getting sick.  It was ridiculous!  Then i had to surf through hundreds of recipes and Pinterest ideas to find one that works...and i was disappointed. 

Don't get me started on Lysol Disinfectant, either!  OMGosh...in fine print it tells you that if you're going to touch the surface you sprayed, allow children to touch the surface, or prepare food on that surface to wash it down with soap and water first!  Who knew this?  Who does this?  I see people spray this stuff around children and on their toys all the time!!!  Where do those toys end up?  Into the mouth of babes.  Ugh!!

Pay attention to your everyday beauty supplies, like makeup and shampoos and conditioners.  They can have toxicity issues as well.  Seriously, start paying attention.  Don't allow these companies to poison you anymore.  Take a stand. There is a better way.  I promise.  Search out the companies who care about people and the environment.  I know I am.  I don't get sick anymore from fumes/smells.  I don't have to worry about my grandchildren accidentally being poisoned.  I have peace of mind.  Let's do this...together.
#livetotalwellness

Soil depletion and the unfortunate result

I'm sure y'all have heard that we should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables to ensure we get our daily recommended allowances of vital nutrients. Get your nutrients from whole foods.  Eat better!   But, is this enough?   Is eating a diet rich in whole foods, fruits and vegetables keeping us healthy?  I can say that if you are eating out of boxes or in restaurants, you're not getting your required daily allowances of vitamins and minerals.  Let's stop doing that...for starters.  If you're not eating your fruits and vegetables...please start.  If you eat boxed or processed food all the time...STOP!  Someone loves you and would like you to be the best and most healthiest you can be. 

I will remind you that our bodies do not produce minerals on their own.  We must get them from the foods we eat.  Now, back to wondering about the fact that is eating a proper diet enough.  I did a little research and found some interesting information.  Guess what?   Today, it is not enough to just eat plenty of all the right foods, and "current peer review scientific literature does not support" (Ref2) that claim.  The nutrients in our fruits and vegetables has declined over the last 30 years due to breeding "new varieties of crops that provide greater yield, pest resistance and climate adaptability." (Ref1)  "[T]he mineral content of soil used to grow today's group is one sixth of what it was fifty years ago...." (Ref2)  Let's not forget that shipping and storage increases that depletion as well. To top it off, over cooking food takes even more of the nutrients away. The National Institute of Health showed that 75% of the recommended daily allowances of nutrients are not being met.  SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT!!!  This is being overlooked by the general public, but also, sadly, our healthcare providers.  (Ref2)

Here are 18 causes of mineral depletion in our bodies (Ref3). I encourage you to read the whole article for more information on each of these. 

1.  Soil depletion is the number 1 cause, for reason stated above.  

2.  2. Antacids & Acid blockers.

3.  Low stomach acid/Hypochlorhydria 

4. Cortisone

5. Pharmaceutical drugs

6. Birth control pills

7. Coffee

8. Alcohol

9. Soda consumption

10. Sugar 

11. Excess insulin

12.  Excess estrogen

13.  Hyperthyroidism 

14.  Standard American diet (SAD)

15. Excess grains 

16. Dietary insufficiency 

17. Heavy metal toxicity (Mercury, aluminum, lead)

18. Radiation

Buying from local farmers markets may increase your mineral consumption if they replenish their soil. Growing your own food will at least remove pesticides and if you feed your soil, you will get more minerals.  Let's face it though, with the wide variety of foods you need to eat, it's hard to get them all at a farmers market or through your own garden.  I'm thankful I found a supplement that gives me 85% absorbability of the vitamins and minerals.  It eases my mind and I'll be honest, I haven't felt this good in a very long time.  For me, it's worth it. I can't eat the amount of food it would take to meet my recommended daily allowances of vitamins and minerals.  I just don't eat that much.  I also believe this is something that needs to be talked about a lot more.  We are starving our bodies of essential nutrients and wonder why we can't fight off this disease or are tired and achy and sick.  Let's work together to do this better.  Let's talk about it.  

There are many more articles you can find on this subject. This won't be the last we chat about this, either, I'm sure.  For now, G'night. 

References 

1. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/

2. http://www.colloidalworld.com/soil-mineral-depletion.html

3. http://preventdisease.com/news/12/090712_18-Causes-of-Mineral-Depletion.shtml

In the beginning...

A few weeks ago, I decided to put my husband and me on a diet. It couldn't be a difficult to follow diet, as those haven't worked for us in the past.  It had to be sustainable and fairly easy to "swallow."  What is said diet?   Nothing more than a no more eating out diet.  Yes, that's it. Unless it's Sweet Tomatoes for a nice salad or Subway for a small sub (and that's quite rare), I make each meal.  We pre-make breakfast foods, at least for hubby.  I make enough for dinner to allow him to take leftovers for lunch (and drive his coworkers crazy with the awesome smell).  We have healthy snack choices, as well, whether it's fruit or a fresh snack bar, or a small slice of cheese. It's been truly easy. 

Now, about 2-3 months prior to that, I had placed us both on a vitamin regimen where we get nearly an 85% absorption rate of the contents.  I'll save those vitamins for another post later.  Let's suffice it to say, his joints are less achy and I have SO MUCH MORE ENERGY!!  Again...I need to write a whole separate post about the vitamins.  

So, why is this diet so amazing?  We've both lost weight just by not eating out!  He has lost nearly 25 pounds and I've lost seven.  He's been in much better moods lately, too. I enjoy doing so much new cooking, which is new.  Some of the recipes I've tried have turned out ... what's the word ... AMAZING!   Yes, that's it.  I'll give you a recipe each blog so you can enjoy them, as well.  What's actually funny is hubby's favorite seems to be simple hamburgers.  Nothing exciting, just freshly made, bacon included, burgers...no cheese and no bun.  Now, I do add a fair amount of spices and an egg. I've also been known to add almond flour to it as well.  He just thinks they are the bees knees.  So if you need a go-to, I say give hamburgers a try.  

Fry up about 2-3 strips of bacon per pound of meat.  Dry off excess grease, tear into small pieces, and place into the hamburger.  Start with a pound (or two) of lean hamburger.  I use nothing less than 93%.  I've also been known to have them grind up a steak into hamburger to help make sure there isn't anything added to the meat.  Put the meat in a bowl and add seasonings, eggs (1 egg per pound of meat), and your choice of a solid (oats, breadcrumbs, almond flour).  Mix with your hands, measure out into 1/4 pounders, and fry on a Foreman or on your outdoor grill.  Top with something healthy like stone-ground mustard or my go-to...homemade guacamole!   Mmmmmmm! 

Caveats...I would not, now, use breadcrumbs unless they were gluten-free.  Ones that I have found that are pretty tasty are Panko. I found these at my local grocery store's health food area.  My eggs are cage-free, grain-fed with no hormones.  Some of the seasonings I've put in my burgers:  salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper, and a steak seasoning. I have put Italian seasonings in them before with good results, as well as Greek seasonings.  Salsa is a good alternative to eggs.  Make it yourself or get some that's healthy.  That's basically it.  For some reason, my husband just absolutely loves them.  I think it's the bacon, which is ok, because you can hide good for you things in the meat and they won't really know it.  Hint hint.  My next attempt to get some healthy stuff in the burgers...quinoa or maybe kale.  Stay tuned!!!  

You want to get behind something? Get behind this

I hope I'm not the first to say this.   I hope to never be the last.   Where to begin....  Would you all agree that right now there is something fundamentally wrong with The United States of America, our country, our way of life?  If you don't, please jump out from that rock you've been living under because you're part of the problem.  

I'm wholly tired of all the agendas being flung around like candy.  I don't care if you think you're a woman.  I don't care if you want to have sex with someone of the same sex.  I don't care if you're pushing feminism as if you really are concerned about me as a woman.  I don't care if you feel there's prevailing racism.  I don't care if you hate me because of my faith.  I don't even really care that you're spouting Allah Akbar while murdering.  Why???  Because your agenda is irrelevant.  What you're saying doesn't matter.  What truly matters right now is the war on human beings...PERIOD.  

You want to get behind something?   Get behind this:  HUMAN LIFE MATTERS. 

You!  Stop falling for these idiotic race baiting people who get on a soapbox about the fact that someone just killed another black person and it was racially motivated.  Stop falling for it!   JUST STOP!!!!  It doesn't matter what their skin color is.  A fellow human being is dead for potentially no reason!  The rest becomes irrelevant. 

You!  Stop being concerned about whether or not people support your desire to have sex with a person of the same gender!  Why should this be an agenda?   Why do you feel the need to push your life choice onto others?  Why should we care about that so much more than actual important issues like the prevailing lack of dignity for basic human life?  It's irrelevant. 

You!  Stop feeling the need to publicly announce you feel like you want to be a woman!  Stop calling transgenders courageous.  Their plight is irrelevant.  You want to see courage?  Stand for human dignity.  Stop the rest.  

You!  Stop flaunting your so called feminist agenda.  It's beyond irrelevant, and you're actually hurting women now.  Stop!

You!  Stop coming after Christians because they take a stand for what they believe is right.  Just because you don't agree with them doesn't mean you target their businesses!   Why should your belief be able to bully someone else's belief??   Saying they won't bake cupcakes or do a floral arrangement or print a piece of paper doesn't equal bullying and it's certainly not hate!  You are not being targeted.  Get over yourselves!  

You!  Stop hiding behind your religion to kill other human beings simply because they do not follow your ways.   At least man up and admit you just simply hate other human beings that much and get on with life.  Admit you have zero acceptance for decency and kindness.  Hate and murder seems to be your agenda...and this we must stop.   

And you!  You ignorant individuals in the media spurring these agendas....oh how you irritate me.  I truly wish people would just stop paying you ANY attention.  You are so guilty of perpetrating hate. You have made your positions as journalists completely irrelevant.  If you have a microphone, your job should be to simply tell the facts/truth.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  Don't you dare incite people to more hatred.  You're despicable...the whole lot of you.  Placing your career and desire to be wealthy over basic humanity is extremely selfish and as inhumane as it comes.  I loathe what you stand for.  That goes for you, Al Sharptons of this world, too. Get away from the mic!  You are also irrelevant.  

Human life matters!   Get behind that and stop categorizing people into this or that. Hold them accountable for the hate or crime, no matter what it is, but stop pigeonholing people!  I go back to paragraph 2 where I said I didn't care about your agenda.  Again, I don't care if you think you're a woman, or have sex with someone of the same gender, or feel feminism is helping me, or are a different color or religion...to me YOU'RE A HUMAN BEING WHOSE LIFE MATTERS!  Everything else is irrelevant to the discussion that needs to happen.  Just simply be a human being for once.  Have human decency for crying out loud.  And for Pete's sake just stop with everything else.  Right now it's irrelevant.  Human life is what needs to be discussed.  Basic human life.   A lot of agendas would become irrelevant when we all practice basic human kindness.