Sometimes the world’s needs seem overwhelming when swallowed whole. Where does a Christian start to change the world’s wayward charge? I decided to take a bite out of my locale by joining the prayer line to see what God would supply in answer to prayer.
A simple strategy for your region is to pray for those families, churches, city governments, schools, businesses, police stations, fire departments, and courts in your zip code. Having a definite target for prayer encourages those praying because they often see the answers to their prayers in the headlines of local newspapers. One time we were praying for our city council to line up with God’s directives. We laughed and rejoiced at the local newspaper’s headline later which read, “No SOB’s Allowed.” An SOB in this case was a Sexually Oriented Business. The town lawyers had written, and the town council passed, an ordinance banning sexually oriented businesses in the city.
As Christians we can appeal to heaven in Jesus name to change the spiritual climate of our zip codes and nation. One plan is to prayer walk (or drive) every street and every zip code. It will take an army of believers who will strap on their walking shoes and cry out to heaven as they journey past the streets, houses, businesses, schools, and police and fire stations of the nation.
Every journey begins with a first step. Begin to pray on your morning walk or commute. Enlist prayer buddies to walk with you in agreement. The best prayer guides I have found are in the word of God. I often pray in agreement with His word, so I have no doubt that I am praying His will. I’ve listed a few scriptures as examples to get started.
For families: Pray that they prosper and be in health as their souls prosper. 3 John 1:2·
For salvation as The Lord is ….not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2Peter 3:9·
For work pray that they will eat the labor of their hands, that they shall be happy, and it shall be well with them. Psalms 128:2·
For their emotional well being pray that the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness will be formed in them, Galatians 5:22·
Pray that they would love their neighbor as themselves. Mark 12:31· That their hearts would be open to receive from God. Forbygrace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
For government:· By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth Proverbs 8:16· Pray for righteous office holders to be elected. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29:2
Pray for the churches:· And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matt 16:18 · God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Eph 3:10
Pray for businesses: [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Pray for schools: And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. Is 54:13
Pray for yourself and others praying:· That we be equipped … till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; Ephesians 4:13
A volunteer hollyhock in regal maroon adorned my side yard garden. When my granddaughter Rikki came to visit, I showed her the delicate make-believe dolly a hollyhock can be. The doll takes one blossom, one seed pod, and a toothpick. Scissor the excess stem from the pod and blossom, insert a toothpick under the skirt and through the blossom cap into the seed pod head. Use a felt tip marker to draw a happy face.
When her maroon-skirted hollyhock doll was finished, Rikki asked, “Where’s the boy hollyhock doll?” Frankly, grandma had never thought about boy hollyhock dolls, and it took me a moment to resolve the quandary.
Looking at the flower, I noticed that yesterday’s blossoms were furled into a sheath before withering, so I picked the furled blossom which I labeled as “pants” and proceeded to make my first boy hollyhock doll. Rikki was satisfied.
Hollyhocks can be planted in the late fall or in early spring. Hollyhock seeds only need to be planted right below the soil, no more than 1/4-inch deep. Hollyhocks need full sun and moist, rich, well drained soil. The one benefit that comes from growing hollyhock flowers is that they easily reseed themselves. While they may be short lived, in their proper growing conditions they will continually grow more.
After your hollyhocks get going, they’ll happily reseed themselves, attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to your garden for years to come.
My husband of 50 years has given me an ultimatum. “Until you find a solution to your snoring, I’m not travelling anywhere with you overnight.”
My snoring, which is a by-product of sleep apnea, has kept my husband from sleep countless nights The addition of an oxygen concentrator for night time oxygen, has helped with the snoring. However, the machine does not travel with us, so my night time cacophony of noise prompted my husband’s ultimatum on our last trip to see our grandchildren.
A solution to our problem was imperative. I love visiting our grandchildren. Vacations to visit family, friends and scenic destinations were in peril. Our overnight getaways for relaxation and fun were on the line. The search for a cure to snoring was my number one priority. The following solutions are my hope and cure.
Simple practices to alleviate snoring Some of the solutions to snoring I had already incorporated into my sleeping habits. These practices help solve some of the problem.1. Sleep with your mouth closed. When you breathe through your mouth, snoring increases.2. Sleep on your side as this helps keep the tongue from obstructing the airways.3. Sleep with a humidifier in the room to alleviate a dry throat which can compound snoring.
The tongue is the culprit. The tongue is my primary target. When we sleep, the tongue relaxes and falls back in the throat partially blocking the airway. Because the tongue is a muscle, it can be strengthened to keep its place rather than relaxing and obstructing airflow. I found the following simple exercises to strengthen my tongue muscle.
Tongue Exercises 1. Recite your vowels (a-e-i-o-u) out loud for 3 minutes several times a day to help tone your throat muscles. For those musically inclined, vocalize the vowels in a warm up scale to tone the muscles in the throat.
2. Purse your lips for 30 seconds twice a day. Better yet, say, “Pucker up, honey,” and improve your kissing technique at the same time.
3. Open your mouth and move your jaw to the left. Hold this posture 30 seconds. Then, move it to the right side and again hold it 30 seconds. Repeat this activity daily.
4. Place the tip of your tongue behind the top of your teeth. Gradually drag the tongue backwards. Do this for 3 minutes daily.
5. Press the entire tongue against the roof of the mouth. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Relax and repeat the activity for 3 minutes.
6. Protrude the lower jaw over the upper jaw with your teeth showing while you count slowly to ten. Repeat 5-10 times a day.
7. Say this tongue workout 10-20 times before going to sleep. “The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue.”
8. Put your tongue out perfectly straight as far as you can. Move it left, then move it right, touching the corner of your lips but making sure it stays straight. Do this in front of the mirror twice a day.
Travel Remedy Found
Another natural remedy I found will be ideal for our overnight travels as well as at home. This recipe is easily made of common kitchen ingredients and stored in the refrigerator. Just add the jar to your cosmetic bag when taking a trip.
Add 1 Tablespoon salt and stir until completely dissolved.
Add 2 packets of unflavored gelatin and stir till dissolved.
Remove from heat and add remaining ¼ cup water.
Pour mixture into two jars.
Add 5 drops each of the essential oils marjoram, peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender to each jar.Add a drop or two of food coloring, if desired, for visual appeal.Place jars in refrigerator to solidify.Cover with lid when cooled.
To Use:
Open jar of gel at bedtime and inhale several times before placing open jar on bedside nightstand while you sleep. Return jar to refrigerator in the morning to re-gel. The oils’ scents will open airways and relieve congestion during the night thus alleviating snoring. Some long-term solutions to alleviating snoring include:
1. Excess weight around the neck can narrow the throat and increase snoring. I’ve written a cookbook Kick Carbs to the Curb full of low-carb recipes to help with weight loss.
2. Skip alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol is a muscle relaxant. (Remember the tongue is a muscle.)
3. Eat 2-3 hours before bedtime. Late-night eating produces a full stomach which impedes the diaphragm from its full function in rhythmic breathing. Also avoid dairy right before bed as it can produce a layer of mucus in your mouth and tongue which can block airways.
4. A custom mouthpiece which brings the jaw forward to reduce snoring can help with chronic snoring. Consult a dentist or doctor for a custom mouthpiece.
Arm yourself with these defenses against the persistent snore. Happy trails and happy travelling to you.
About every three years my Anoka apple tree escapes the late Rocky Mountain spring freezes and puts on an abundant apple crop. I’m always looking for creative ways to use the apples that the birds leave me. September’s apple harvest finds me surrounded by the heavenly aroma of apples baking.
This year I found a method for preserving the apples to use as a sweetener in apple recipes. The process is simple and only requires three components: apples, a blender or food processor, and a dehydrator.
Basically, you only need to grind the apples in a blender or processor until they are very finely ground. Then spread the apple slurry thinly on a dehydrator sheet. Dehydrate until completely dry.
When sufficiently dry the apple sugar should have no moisture remaining in the apple slurry. . I set my dehydrator for 135 degrees for 6-8 hours. The processing time may be affected by humidity and outside temperature.
Finally, put the dried apple slurry into a blender or food processor and whiz until powdered The apple sugar is now ready to add supplemental apple sweetness to apple cakes, apple pancakes, apple muffins and waffles. I replaced about one-third of the sugar in each recipe with apple sugar to give a deeper apple bouquet to my apple creations.
Apple Muffins, Gluten FreeWhisk dry ingredients together:·
1 ¾ cup gluten free baking mix*
½ cup sugar or zero calorie sweetener
¼ cup apple sugar plus 1 tablespoon for dusting muffin tops**
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt· ½ teaspoon baking soda
In separate bowl combine:
1 cup grated apple
1 cup diced apple
1/3 cup olive oil
½ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Spoon batter into 12 greased muffin tins or use muffin liners. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes until firm to touch.
*To make a gluten free baking mix combine 1 cup almond meal, 1 cup golden flaxseed meal, and 1 cup coconut flour. I put ingredients in a quart jar and shake to mix them together. Use as a 1:1 substitute for flour.
**I made apple sugar from a portion of my apple harvest this year. If you don’t have an apple tree, you could just add ¼ cup of dry sweetener to this recipe to replace the apple sugar in the recipe. Follow the link if you would like to make apple sugar.
There are several beekeepers in my locale who sell unprocessed honey at the local Farmer’s Market. I always stock up when I go. When I came across a recipe for making mead (one of my favorite drinks), I catapulted myself into the world of wine and mead brewing in my kitchen. The process is simple and takes few supplies to instigate.
What is Mead?
Mead is an ancient drink. Wikipedia notes this Roman recipe from 60 AD which apparently relied on the wild yeast in the atmosphere for fermentation just as sourdough bread uses wild yeast to activate flour and water to make the bread rise. Take rainwater kept for several years, and mix a sextarius of this water with a [Roman] pound of honey. For a weaker mead, mix a sextarius of water with nine ounces of honey. The whole is exposed to the sun for 40 days, and then left on a shelf near the fire. If you have no rain water, then boil spring water
Necessary Equipment
The modern recipe I used is an improvement over this centuries’ old recipe. Brewing requires two gallon jugs, wine bottles, champagne yeast, a racking cane with four feet of plastic tubing, a funnel, and a heavy-duty balloon as well as honey, raisins, champagne yeast, and distilled or filtered water. I gathered supplies from flea markets and Amazon.
I found the gallon containers for $4.49 at a flea market. You need at least two containers for transferring your mixture when you rack (siphon off the brew from the fruit and dregs) the mead.
The hardest item to find was the balloon. I finally found heavy duty balloons at my local grocery store in the floral department for 20 cents apiece and bought two.
The champagne yeast and racking cane with tubing came from Amazon, I recycled my empty wine bottles for bottling the mead. One note of importance in making mead or wine is that all the utensils and containers are clean and sterilized before use to ensure success.
The recipe I used required the following
Ingredients:
1 gallon filtered water (Chlorine will kill the yeast needed for fermentation.)
1 quart (4 cups) honey
1 cup any fruit juice or 1-2 Tablespoons any jelly dissolved in 1 cup of non-chlorinated water. (I used my homemade apple jelly.)
1 package champagne yeast or white wine yeast½ cup raisins (not golden)
Directions:·
Bring gallon of water to boil.
Warm honey in bowl or pan of warm water (Do not microwave,)
Pour the honey into a sterilized gallon jug.
Fill the gallon jar half way with boiled water and swirl to dissolve the honey.· Add the raisins.
Fill the gallon jar to the shoulders with the remaining boiled water leaving enough space to add the yeast mixture.
Wait till the mead mixture has cooled to 100-105 degrees F to proof the yeast. (If the sweetened liquid is too hot, the yeast will die.)
Heat the fruit juice or jelly and water to lukewarm (100-105 degrees F).
Sprinkle champagne yeast into mixture to proof –which means that it will foam and bubble showing that the yeast is active. Let it foam for five minutes or so to activate.
When the liquid in the gallon jar has cooled to lukewarm (100-105 degrees F), add the yeast mixture.
Stopper the jug and watch for bubbling that signals the beginning of fermentation. If the mixture does not bubble within a day, proof another packet of yeast and add to mead. Also check the expiration date on the champagne yeast to make sure it has not expired.
Many recipes call for a stoppered airlock to seal the gallon jar. Not satisfied with the seal of the stoppered airlock, I came across an article about someone making wine in Cuba who did not have access to a stoppered airlock. Necessity is the mother of invention and our Cuban friend used condoms to seal the fermenting bottles. I reasoned that a rubber balloon would work in the same manner and so experimented with a heavy duty 11-inch balloon. It was fun to watch the balloon expand with the ensuing fermentation process.
Store your fermenting mead in a warm, dark environment of about 70 degrees. I wrap my gallon jar with a tea towel to keep out the light and set it on my kitchen counter. When the yeast has settled in a layer on the bottom of the gallon container, rack the wine for the first time.
Ten days after making the mead, I awoke to a burst balloon. The yeast had formed a sediment on the bottom of the gallon jug. It was my cue to rack the mead for the first time and replace the balloon airlock.
Racking the mead requires that you siphon the mead into a clean, sterilized glass container leaving the residue fruit and sediment in the original jar. I do this by placing the receiving jug in my kitchen sink with a two-fold purpose. Anything that spills is contained, and the receiving gallon jar is lower than the raised mead jar in order to let gravity do its work. Then I set my full gallon of mead on an upended soup kettle to elevate it above the counter thus creating a gravity powered siphon. The racking cane I purchased from Amazon with its attendant plastic tubing works excellently for this process and would be hard to improve upon.
The replacement balloon shows that the mead is continuing to ferment and produce carbon dioxide. This is the resultant mead-in-process.
Fermentation can take from two weeks to several months. The mead may darken over the course of time. Racking allows the mead to clear by removing spent yeast each time it’s racked. While there are no hard and fast rules about how often or when to rack the mead, over-racking (more than four times) may cause the mead to break down. However, allowing the yeast to remain in the mead may cause it to have a strong yeasty taste. The racking process may take several weeks to several months before the mead is ready to be bottled.
When you’re ready to bottle the mead, sterilize the wine bottles that you have collected. I use my dishwasher with the heat cycle to accomplish this feat. The racking cane works well to fill each of the mead bottles. Cork the bottle and store at 65-70 degrees in a dark cupboard or corner for six months to a year to finish the aging process of your mead.
I found a compact wine rack that keeps my mead in a cool corner in my basement. Be sure to label and date your mead to remember when it’s time to uncork and celebrate the honey harvest.
My husband suffered from gout. Its pain led us on a search for relief from
the debilitating pain which accompanies
gout’s arthritic joint pain. Imagine
sharp needles piercing your joints even when lying in bed. Now imagine trying to walk with those needles
jabbing into your joints. After months of seeking relief, my husband found a
magic bullet that relieved the agony that accompanies this condition.
Gout occurs when urate crystals accumulate in your joint,
causing the inflammation and intense pain of a gout attack. Urate crystals can
form when you have high levels of uric acid in your blood. Often, gout first
attacks your big toe. It can also attack ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers,
and elbows.
Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines —
substances that are found naturally in your body. Purines are also found in
certain foods, such as steak, organ meats and seafood. Other foods also promote
higher levels of uric acid, such as alcoholic beverages, especially beer, and
drinks sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose).
Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes
through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes either your body produces
too much uric acid or your kidneys excrete too little uric acid. When this
happens, uric acid can build up, forming sharp, needlelike urate crystals in a
joint or surrounding tissue that cause pain, inflammation and swelling.
Diuretic medications or “water pills” taken for high blood
pressure can also raise uric acid levels.
Is Water the Cure?
About the time of our search for relief, a lady at our church began to provide ionized alkaline water to anyone in our church. Alkaline water is water that has been ionized, which means the pH level of water has been increased. Normal drinking water generally has a neutral pH of 7. Alkaline water typically has a pH of 8 or 9.
The pH level is a number that measures how acidic or
alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14. For instance, if the level is 1,
it means the substance is very acidic and if it is 13, it is very alkaline.
Alkaline water has pH level of about 8 or 9 and pH level of normal tap water is
7, which is neutral.
It is believed that alkaline water helps people with excess
acidity as it helps neutralize the acid in the body; thanks to its alkaline
nature. In a study, participants who
drank hydrogen-rich {alkaline} water showed a substantial increase in their
antioxidant enzymes and a massive decrease in acid in the urine. Further,
participants showed a significant increase in HDL the “good cholesterol,”
and a significant decrease in the “bad cholesterol.”
My husband and I reasoned that if gout was caused by excess
uric acid then alkalizing his body fluids might help his gout. So he started drinking the alkaline water,
and within three days his symptoms left.
It was an answer to prayer!
An Economical Relief
Water ionizers can be rather expensive, but we found an alternative solution. The Alkaline Water Pitcher of Life is available on Amazon, and water run through its filter becomes alkaline. My husband shared our findings with his sister when she developed a similar case of gout when she ate shrimp. We suggested that she order a Pitcher of Life. She reported back that after drinking the alkalized water for a week, she had no more gout pain.
If
you or a loved one is experiencing the ravages of gout, there are other
lifestyle changes that will help restrict gout flare-ups. Developing a lifelong
eating strategy that focuses on following a heart-healthy diet should be the
goal for people with gout. This diet includes all the food groups, especially
vegetables, whole grains, plant proteins such as nuts and legumes, and low-fat
dairy.
Avoid foods and drinks that promote higher levels of uric acid, such as
red meat, organ meats, seafood (shrimp and lobster), alcoholic beverages (especially
beer), and drinks sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose). Refined carbohydrates
and processed foods should be kept to a minimum.
Engaging in regular physical activity and losing weight, if needed, can
lower your risk of repeated gout attacks, as well as the chances of developing
heart disease, which is common in people with gout. Left untreated, gout can lead to permanent
joint damage and other health issues such as kidney stones.
The first and best practice, and in our experience the most effective
treatment for gout, is to drink ionized alkaline water. May you benefit from our experience and leave
the pain of gout in the past.
Question: Where does unforgiveness lead? The kingdom of heaven’s requirement of walking in forgiveness toward all who offend us is linked to two keys to living a transformed life, prayer and our own freedom.
The King of kings assures us that whenever we pray, He is there to hear and to grant our petitions. As disciples our agreement in prayer invites His presence into the circumstance and releases the power to forbid, prohibit and declare illegal the works of the enemy on the earth.
The prayer of agreement binds death, disease, lack, and destruction. That same prayer of agreement looses, melts and dissolves the assignments of the enemy for death and destruction and sets the captives free.
God’s requirements to answer prayer
However, for our prayers to be heard we must live in forgiveness. The same measure of forgiveness that has been meted out to us, we must in turn give to others. To whom much is given much is required, and to whom much is forgiven much compassion is expected. … if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Our sin, which was forgiven at the expense of Christ’s death in our place, was the greatest debt ever paid. We were granted access to the kingdom of God and life eternal, a treasure we could never have paid for due to our indebtedness to sin. God chose to forgive us of that debt of sin, and He provided the currency for that transaction in the blood of His only Son.
What limits forgiveness?
Likewise, Jesus instructs his disciples that forgiveness is limitless. There are no limits on the forgiveness for our sins. Though our sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow. And likewise there is no limit on the number of times we forgive others’ offenses against ourselves.
Satan’s hook
If we harbor unforgiveness, satan has a hook into our souls that he can use to torment our lives. Unforgiveness builds a bridge to hell and grants evil access to your life. Tormentors of fear, anger, bitterness, hatred, anguish and more are loosed into our lives when we bind unforgiveness to our hearts. We have granted legal access to the enemy of our soul to torment us when we don’t forgive.
Let us burn any bridges of unforgiveness and forgive every brother that our hearts be the throne for the presence of the King.
I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Prayer: Lord reveal any unforgiveness in my heart that I might freely forgive as I have been forgiven. Be enthroned in my heart and in my life today that I might see your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. In the Name above every name, Jesus, Amen.
Matt.15 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
The servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Welcome to Country Parson's Wife, I'm Dr. Mary Ellen, author, teacher and wife of a country pastor for 50 years. My blog is dedicated to a lifestyle built on faith, family, simplicity and self-sufficiency that enhances the health, peace, beauty and industry of our homes and gardens.
My prayer is that you be encouraged and propelled into the abundant life God has prepared for you.
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