Thanks giving...only one day a year?

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! In fact, it was so full I ran out of time to put up my Thankgiving blog post(sorry) I was also full of food for about two days but, that is a different subject.
This is one of my favorite holidays. I always stuff myself with pumpkin pie. Although this may be a bad habit, I only do it once a year so...I know, I can't justify it but I enjoy the pie anyway!
Really, I am very thankful for all the blessings I have including pie and Thanksgiving day is a wonderful opportunity for me to brag about all those blessings and my Jesus that gave them to me. However, I was surprised how un-thankful so many other people seemed to be. Even in the stores! They only had fall decorations up for a week then up went Santa and the Christmas trees. What a greedy generation! "Hurry up and eat the turkey!" they say, "So we can open presents!" Who cares about the One who really cares about us as long as "santa" give us what we want. Oh please.
I get so aggravated this time of year and I will say why in my Santa post that will be coming up but...back to Thanksgiving.
I had a good time and I am still thankful today for all the things I was thankful for then. Maybe even slightly more thankful. For, each day that passes reminds me of how precious the next day will be. I will be 18 next year and I get a little emotional when I think about everything that means. Growing up...(sigh) Someone told me that growing old was inevitable but growing up was a choice. I guess that's true. I am just very thankful that I can just trust my God with these issues and enjoy life!

The Abundance of a Mundane Life

John 10:10 "... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Those who only glance at my life, or the life of other Christians, might only see another somebody and quickly forget who we are as they rush about their hectic day. That is their loss. Our life is in the hands of Christ Jesus and He fills each day with such abundance that I often wonder what would happen if all God's people suddenly became the mundane robots people seem to think we are. Would the media recognize it? I think so. Can you imagine the headlines?  Christians world wide are no longer attempting anything! Oh my, that would be awful!
I am so thankful that God has given us life more abundantly! Not only more good things or higher mountains but, more sad things and lower valleys. Our Abundance could be compared to a go-cart track and a roller coaster. Before we were born again our life was a go-cart track; going around in circles as fast as you can but really going nowhere. Then, Jesus redeemed our lives and now we are on a roller coaster. Lifting our hands to God as we go and eventually ending back were we started; in the hands of God. Thank God for the abundance of a mundane life.

A Carolina Specialty

I discovered Cheerwine shortly after we moved to North Carolina and I fell in love at the first sip. I had no idea what I was getting into. I'm not the kind of person that drinks alot of soda. I know that's abnormal for a teenager but, I can't bring myself to drink something that I know is not good for me. I challenge you to research the ingredients in soda and see if you would still drink it! The chemicals and excessive amounts of sugar have diabetes written all over them! However, I will compromise for Cheerwine. It's carbonated, cherry red sweetness is too good to resist and when the ice cream is on sale, oh my! I would gladly accept a Cheerwine float, even in November! Needless to say, it is now my all time favorite soda. (Sorry A&W) And I have no idea why I am blogging about this except we just returned from a hunting trip and I am craving a Cheerwine float. Oh well, I don't need all that sugar anyway. (sigh)

The Farmer and The Lord

I just love this song! It always reminds me of the simplicity of Christianity that is so often over looked. The recording is kind of old but the message still applies!

Why Chocolate?

What makes a girl like chocolate so much? There's sooo many things to choose from; bubble gum, jolly ranchers, dum dums, candy corn, mints, and much, much more! What about chocolate is so tempting and alluring? What makes this treat so memorable that a mouth will water at the very mention of the word? Could it be the bliss of sweet creaminess melting in your mouth, or the delight of a moderate sugar rush? Who knows! All I know is.....I'd rather have chocolate!!!

Purple Honey

We have purple honey for sale on a beekeeping forum that I am a member of. For the whole story you can read This Post on my mom's blog. (She is playing with some of blogger's new design gadgets so, bear with her.) Her post is about the best description we have of this stuff. It is so rare and we were really blessed to be able to harvest enough to sell this year. Also, if your just curious about purple honey, you can read this thread at the beekeeping forum where I will be selling the honey and ask questions there, if you have any.

Vitamin Facts part 6

Vitamin K

As far as I know, there isn't a vitamin F or G. So K is obviously our next victim. I do believe that vitamin K is also the last one on the list. Which means that vitamin K is the last one I have learned about, therefore, the last one I'll be blogging about.(sigh)  Which, I'm sure, will be a relief to my dear readers!
Anyway, vitamin K is very important because without it you could bleed to death! Vitamin K helps your blood to coagulate. So, without it blood does not clot properly which could lead to internal bleeding, and bleeding to death from something as simple as a paper cut. You can get vitamin K in your diet from yogurt, alfalfa (an excellent source by the way), dark green leafy vegetables, cabbage, cauliflower, egg yolk, liver, and soy bean oil. To suggest a "proper" daily amount is difficult because, like vitamin D, the needed amount varies from person to person.

I hope that some of this information has been helpful and easy to understand. Just remember that diet and exercise are the keys to preventing those unwanted doctor bills and keeping your body healthy!

Vitamin Facts part 5

Vitamin E

If you know your "ABC's" then you already knew what was next.(I hope) :]
Vitamin E is just as important, or maybe even more important than any of the other 7 basic vitamins. Without vitamin E your body wouldn't be able to absorb nutrients and process other vitamins properly. Which could lead to having the deficiency symptoms of other vitamins and minerals when all you lack is E.
Specifically, vitamin E helps to keep nutrients from being destroyed in your body by oxygen. It also helps your body use vitamin A and increase the amount of vitamin A that can be stored in your liver. E helps convert your food into energy, keep your heart and skeletal muscles healthy, and will help burns heal faster.
Some edible sources of vitamin E are:
-vegetable oils
-wheat germ
-whole grain breads and cereals
-egg yolk
-liver
-bean sprouts
-cabbage
-lettuce &
-yeast
Vitamin E deficiency symptoms are...fatigue, weakness, & deficiency symptoms of other vitamins.
It's hard to determine the amount of vitamin E that you need, because it depends on the amount of fats and oils you eat. Generally, the more fats and oils that you eat the more vitamin E you need.
Just do your best to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle with the 7 basic food groups all incorporated proportionately, with plenty of heart pumping exercise, and you will have nothing to worry about!

Vitamin Facts part 4

Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, exists in several forms. Of course there are the edible forms, but there is also a form inside the fatty substances in your body. This form reacts to ultraviolet sunlight in such a way that when it is exposed to ultraviolet rays it converts into a usable substance that your body can then absorb.
Vitamin D functions to help your body use minerals from other foods to build strong teeth and bones, and helps prevent tooth decay.
Vitamin D can be obtained by spending an hour or two outside on a sunny day, or eating some liver(yuck), fish liver oils, sardines, salmon, tuna, or egg yolks. You can also obtain vitamin D from milk that has been exposed to ultraviolet rays (sunlight), since the fatty substance in your skin that is converted to vitamin D also exists in milk.
A lack of an appropriate amount of vitamin D can cause soft or poorly formed bones and teeth as well as rickets. The appropriate amount of vitamin D varies from person to person, so just do your best to eat healthy and spend time outdoors and your body will do the rest!

Vitamin Facts part 3

Vitamin C

Everyone knows vitamin C is important and can be obtained from citrus fruits. However, most folks don't know that vitamin C aids in the prevention of allergies and fatigue! It also helps your body heal cuts, scrapes, burns, and broken bones, it will keep your gums healthy, and helps your body form collagen.
The wonderful C is easily obtained from citrus fruits(duh), as well as berries, papayas, cantaloupes, tomatoes, broccoli, raw cabbage, brussel sprouts, and green peppers. In order to prevent a vitamin C deficiency you need to have some in your diet every day. Be careful not get too much at once, or you might get diarrhea! That would be bad. However, your body loves Vitamin C and unless you take A LOT at once then you will be fine.
Without enough C in your diet you are more susceptible to infections, and(of course) a deficiency. Deficiency symptoms are: Bruises( that you don't know where they came from), bleeding gums, infections, and scurvy. Like vitamin B, a vitamin C deficiency is fairly rare in the USA, but the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! So grab an orange and have a good day!

Vitamins Facts part 2

B complex vitamins

Vitamin B is often hidden in the shadow of vitamin A and the importance of it is sometimes overlooked. The B complex vitamins are fairly easy to obtain in a diet and very profitable for your body. There are four that I've learned about so far and probably several more, but you need to have some of them every day.
Vitamin B functions in your body to...
-use protein to build new tissue
-change food into energy
-help digest your food
-help your body grow at a normal rate
-keep your blood healthy
-keep your gums healthy and prevent tooth decay
-keep the skin around your eyes and mouth smooth and healthy
-help your heart and nervous system work properly
You can get the B complex vitamins from liver, yeast, wheat germ, brown rice, milk, meat, whole-grain breads and cereals, nuts, and most vegetables.
A vitamin B deficiency is pretty rare, but it can lead to anemia and beriberi, which are both life threatening diseases.
As i said, a vitamin B deficiency is pretty rare here in America, so I wouldn't stress over it. Just be careful to make sure that you eat a healthy diet and stay fit and you should "B" fine. :)

Like a Spider

Proverbs 30:28
       "The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces." kjv

When I read this the other day during my devotions God spoke to my heart. He whispered to my soul, "Now imagine what my children could do if they would take hold of the power available to them, to the promises, and heavenly resources I have waiting for all those who are willing to take up their cross and follow me."

What are we doing sitting idle at home with God's word? How presumptuous of us to accept His salvation then bury it and deny it's power and the good it could do. I encourage you, christian, to take up your cross and follow your Saviour. God wants to use you and your talents. Don't believe the lie that you don't have any either. Even if you don't think you have been given a  gift that you can use then realize that you have a mouth, God's word, and the freedom to share those words that save souls. Souls are the only thing worth winning in this life anyway; the only thing that you will be able to enjoy for eternity. 

Friend, I guess that what I'm trying to say is...what will you do with God??
Why don't you be wise like that spider? Take hold of your salvation and go some where with it.