Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 6

Fat – the last major change to healthier eating.
First off, your body NEEDS fat to function properly.

But just like a lot of the other foods, we have to focus on the ‘better for you’ fats.

The basic consumption rule is:

More foods that are high in MONO and POLY UNSATURATED FATS aka “essential” fatty acids (like fish, nuts and healthy oils). These are essential for healthy hair, skin and joints, for lowery the risk of heart disease and other critical processes of the body.

Reduce the amount of SATURATED FATS (found in pork, red meat and dairy products).

Avoid foods that contain TRANS FATS including fried and breaded foods.

The Breakdown:

SATURATED FATS – found in animal fats are found to be linked to hypertension, heart disease, strokes, various forms of cancer and obesity.

The goal is to find protein sources that have far less of this than beef, pork, lamb or duck. The healthier alternatives, although ALL animal sources of protein contain saturated fat, would be turkey or chicken breast meat, and even buffalo meat. So, try some substitutes and modifications like using turkey sausage or taking the skin off the chicken to help trim the fat. Try to limit the grams to 10 or less.

TRANS FATS – maybe the worst thing that ever happened to our food supply. Why would they take healthy fats, alter their chemical structure through “hydrogenation”, and use it in our foods? Just to extend the shelf life! Well, they can run, but they can’t hide! Trans Fats by any other name (Hydrogenated oils, Partially hydrogenated oils, Fractionated oils, Vegetable shortening & Lard) are still Trans Fats! Once again, READ THE LABEL! It may say 0 Trans Fat, but if one of the ingredients above is listed above, try to avoid it.

Another rule of thumb: If it’s fried or breaded, it’s likely high in calories and contains Trans Fatty Acids. I know we said that we weren’t going to worry too much about calories, but eating TOO MUCH FAT, even from the good sources can sabotage your weight loss goals. 1 gram ea. Of protein or carbs = 4 calories, while 1 gram of fat = 9 calories. Try to limit the intake of added fat per meal to: 1 TBSP – mayonnaise, oil and high-fat dressing and sauces or 1 oz. cheese.

The healthier alternatives for cooking would be grape seed oil, safflower oil, avocado oil and macadamia oil.

For the table, try: Earth Balance or Smart Balance brands of butter.


And that’s the ‘skinny’ on fat!

Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 5

This may be the simplest day yet, and you may already be doing this, but - DRINK MORE WATER!

It could mean up to 5 lbs. of fat loss in 1 month!

Water helps to naturally suppress hunger, prevent water retention and bloating (oh, how we all love that feeling!), help muscle tissue work more efficiently to burn calories, rid your body of toxins, prevent and relieve constipation (another favorite, eh?), and increase the efficiency of your metabolism.

I know I already mentioned how amazing our bodies are, but when you consider how all the organs function and work together to keep us going, you couldn't possibly believe in anything other than God as our Creator!

Let's start with the kidneys, which need adequate water to function well. If they don't get sufficient amounts, then some of the workload gets dumped on the liver. The liver is one of the key organs for metabolizing fat. If the liver has to start doing the work of the kidneys, it's not going to be able to work as hard at burning the fat. So stop making your organs have to multitask - they weren't built for that!

If you are not already doing this, then try to work toward a goal of 12 8oz. glasses a day. (Yes, other beverages like coffee, iced tea, diet soda and other calorie-free beverages count, but none of them is as good as plain old water!). I personally am a big coffee drinker, so I have to make myself drink water in between. (I know, I know, but it's my only vice and I'm still working on it, O.K.?!)  Besides, coffee acts more as a diuretic, and can actually dehydrate you.

I know we've already talked about the affects of sugar, so PLEASE try to stay away from regular soda!  If you need a little incentive, how about 1 12oz. can = 10 tsp. of granulated sugar!  AND, 1 single can of regular soda per day can make you gain 15 pounds of body weight per year!

Soda, "energy" drinks and sports drinks are basically sugar and water. And fruit juices (unless 100% juice and used as your carb) should be avoided too.

So..............be kind to your liver - drink water. Journal your water consumption along with your meals and snacks (you are still doing that - right?). If you choose an occasional substitute that must be sweet, select beverages sweetened with Splenda rather than Aspartame.

Oh, and one last thing (no, two): If you exercise during the day, then add one 8oz. glass of water for every 20 minutes of exercise.

And finally, don't get on the scale. (That's right - resist the urge!) You are more than likely burning fat and losing inches, but your body weight can fluctuate 1 to 4 lbs. daily.  Be patient - you know you feel better! And besides, this is a "lifestyle", not a diet. You will be pleasantly surprised in a few weeks if you are making these changes and sticking with them! God bless!

Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 4

O.K., I warned you we were going to make some adjustments! But be honest, up until now there have not been any really hard changes - have there?  All right, then! We're just going to take another step toward a healthier lifestyle.

It's time to start eating more healthy breads and sweets.  We don't want to cut them out completely, just make some changes that make it possible to continue eating them in a way that will cause your body to lose rather than gain weight. Are you with me?  Good!

Since we want to focus on the foods that accelerate fat burning and avoid those that slow things down, it will be necessary to start reading labels. In order to really get the metabolism going, we will do our best to avoid foods and beverages that have refined sugars (aka The Dirty Dozen), as well as white, enriched and bleached flours listed among the first four ingredients  on the nutrition label (not counting those in parentheses). Nutrition labels list ingredients in order by amount. So if a product lists sugar or "high fructose corn syrup " as the first ingredient, then it has more sugar in it than anything else! We want to start looking for foods made with 100% whole grains and sweetened with no-calorie or less refined sweeteners.

Enemy #1 of fat loss is processed and refined carbohydrates - sugar and white flour are at the top of the list. Sugar, whether it is straight from the sugar bowl, or in the form of candy, soda, or baked goods may have started out in a 'whole' or 'natural' form, but has been refined to the point that all of its fiber and nutrition was stripped away and what is left goes straight to the bloodsteam and spikes your insulin level putting your body into fat storing mode. Unbelievable, I know!  So here is a list of things we want to watch out for:

THE DIRTY DOZEN
1. Sugar (sucrose)
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup
3. Brown Sugar
4. Dextrose
5. Maltose
6. Corn Syrup
7. Malt Syrup
8. Maple Syrup
9. Maltitol (Sugar Alcohol)
10. Matitol Syrup (Sugar Alcohol)
11. Modified Corn Starch
12. Corn Starch

Yea, I know! What's left? There are so many more choices out there now with low or no calorie alternatives like Splenda, Stevia or Neotame. And for baking, there are a lot more healthy substitutes like evaporated cane juice, whole fruit and fruit juices, raw or organic agave nectar, xylitol, brown rice syrup and Sucanat.

Now for the BREAD! The ingredients to watch out for are 'bleached, enriched or white flour'.  Foods and bread made with 100% whole wheat flour and cereals made with whole grains are healthy, high in fiber, and aid in weight loss as well as the prevention of many diseases.
DON'T  LET THE LABEL FOOL YOU! Just because it says 100% Whole Wheat on the front, doesn't mean it is healthy! Remember to check the first four ingredients. If it lists 'enriched flour' and/or 'corn syrup' there, than it probably has no whole grains and is LOADED with sugar!

Label reading may take a little getting used to, but you will soon become an expert "Label Detective", and will benefit in the long run. (Did I say "long run"? - Oh, we'll talk about that later! LOL!)

Before we wrap this up, I want to put out a little Disclaimer/Promo here:  The basic information I am sharing with you here comes from Nutrition expert Robert Ferguson's "Food Lovers Fat Loss System", and I would highly recommend his weight loss regimin to anyone.  What I have been sharing here is just a small part of what his program offers.  All I am really looking to do is pass along some of the valuable health tips I have learned with a few friends.

Health, Nutrition & Weighloss - Week 1, Day 3

Time to talk about the importance of breakfast and portion sizes.  Unless you want to be a Sumo Wrestler, who purposely skips breakfast to prevent their metabolism from getting into gear, than you will need to get in the habit of eating as soon as you get up.

Breakfast really is the MOST important meal! It's called Break - "fast" for a reason. If you just woke up from 8 hrs. of sleep, then your body has been in a fasting mode.  Your metabolism has slowed down, and it needs a 'jump start'. It's O.K. if you are not a 'breakfast person'. A simple snack will do. Just EAT something!

I also want to reiterate that you MUST eat every 2 1/2 - 3 hours to prevent the 'hunger monster' from sabotaging your health and weightloss. If you let yourself get too hungry, you're almost guaranteed to overeat. Once you have stoked the furnace with breakfast, you need to keep it going.

Here are a few suggestions: A bowl of cereal like Kashi Heart to Heart or Trader Joe's Raisin Bran Clusters with low fat milk and berries on top; French toast made with wheat bread and sugar free syrup and a cup of berries on the side; a low fat blueberry muffin; or an egg sandwich with canadian bacon and low fat american cheese on a whole wheat english muffin.

PORTION SIZE.  It may be hard to keep this brief, but here are the basics:
Meats, poultry and fish - the general rule is 3-5 oz. for women and 4-6 oz. for men. That's about the size of the palm of your hand (less if it is a 'fatty' meat like ground beef, ham, hot dogs, ribs, salmon,etc.).  Eggs: 1 whole w/ 2 egg whites for women and 2 whole w/ 2 egg whites for men. (Eggbeaters/whites: 3-4 oz. women & 5-6 oz. men). Protein powder: 1 scoop.
"Limited carbs" - Bread = 2 slices, 1 english muffin, 1 bagel, 1 flour tortilla, 2 corn tortillas, 2 halves pita;  Pasta = 1 c. for women, 1 1/4 c. for men (or the size of your fist); Potatoes = 1 c. for women, 1 1/4 c. for men; Rice & other grains = 1/2 c. for women and 2/3 c. for men (1/2 fist); Cakes, sweets & chocolate = 1/2 palm (look at the palm of your hand and cut it in half diagonally)

     Just in case you are asking: "Can I REALLY have chocolate cake with my grilled chicken breast and asparagus?" The answer is 'YES'!  Just remember portion size and decide if that will be enough to keep you satisfied until your snack 3 hrs. later.

Additional "Limited carbs": Melons (2 fists); high sugar fruits (cherries, grapes, passion fruit, pineapple, plantains & quince) 1 fist; Med. round fruits (apple, banana, mango, orange, peach, pear) = 1 med. women & 1 lg. men; Sm. round fruits (nectarines, plums, tangerines, kiwi) 2 med. for women & 3 med. for men; Dried fruits = 1/2 fist; Winter squash & onions 1 c. for women & 1 1/4 c. men (1 fist); Corn 1/2 c. women & 2/3 c. men (1/2 fist); Hot cereal 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men; Carb rich dairy (lowfat ice cream, lowfat or skim milk, lowfat yogurt) = 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men.

"Go for it Carbs" - Veggies (cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, cukes, mushrooms [button, crimini, white], radishes & sprouts) and Leafy greens (Bok Choi, cabbage, endive, lettuce radicchio, spinach & watercress) EAT ALL YOU WANT;

Tomatoes, squash & other veggies (artichokes, asparagus, bell peppers, brocolli, brussel sprouts, carrots, eggplant, green beans, leeks, mushrooms [portobello, shitake], okra rutabaga turnips) 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men (1 fist)

Berries & low sugar fruits (apricots, all berries, grapefruit, lemons, limes) 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men (1 fist);

Beans, peas & lentils 1/2 c. women & 2/3 c. men

Cooked greens (beet tops, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, swiss chard, turnip greens) 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men.

There!  I think that is enough for you to 'absorb' for today! :)

Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 2

Write it down!  Yes, get a notebook or a journal or anything 'stationary' that you can write on. (Ha, I just realized where that word came from!)
It has been documented that if you keep a record of everything you eat and drink, you could lose 64% more weight than those who don't.  Note the start time of your meal or snack and use as much detail about what and how much.

Now, let's talk about how these fantastic bodies process food (aka 'our Metabolism'):Our bodies will do one of two things with whatever we eat or drink. It will either burn it for energy or store it for later as body fat. That's it! In order to lose weight, we obviously want to do more burning than storing.

The best way to do that is to understand how to combine foods so they send less sugar into you bloodstream. This leads us to talking about carbohydrates. NO WAIT! I am NOT going to tell you that ALL carbs are bad! None of your favorite foods have to be off limits if you understand how to use them.

O.K., here's a little science lesson: ''Carbs" (whether they are from a baked potato, bread, pasta, a piece of chocolate cake - "yummy"! :P, or a piece of fruit) get converted to Glucose (sugar) which sends the message to your body to release insulin - a fat storing hormone. This really is amazing, because if our bodies didn't do that, it could damage our arteries - "Thank you, God for insulin!"

The good news: There is a way to eat these carbs where you can not only keep your body happy, but your taste buds too!  We can 'optimize' our glycemic levels by keeping our insulin levels low throughout the day, thus preventing our bodies from going into the 'fat storing mode'.

Now, let's define the two kinds of carbs. We'll simply call them 'limited carbs' and 'go for it carbs'! How's that?!  I already gave you a sample of the 'limited carbs' above, so here are some of the 'go for it carbs':
Leafy greens, high fiber veggies, berries & grapefruit, beans, peas & legumes. I will give you more on this later, but for now, let's talk about portion sizes and combination of these foods.
Of course, we need protein too, so we have to add a few of those here: Lean meats, poultry, fish/seafood, eggs, cottage cheese, protein powder and soy (yuck! Did I say soy? - O.K., to each his own!)

So, what's the formula? Common sense for starters! If you are looking at your plate, which is mounded with spagetti, meat sauce AND 8 meatballs, doused in parmesan with a big hunk of garlic bread on the side - well, we have to talk!  Just to keep this short, look at your plate and imagine it divided into 3 sections.  You have a protein, a 'limited carb' and a 'go for it carb'.  There you go!  Yes, it will mean deciding between the noodle and the bread, but personally, I don't usually put my spagetti sauce on bread!  You REALLY want a piece of garlic toast? SAVE IT FOR YOUR SNACK (you might want to go light on the butter while you're at it!)

REMEMBER - snacking is IMPORTANT (I knew you would like that!), because it keeps your metabolism (your fat burning machine) going!

O.K., we'll talk more tomorrow - it's time for me to get away from this computer!

One last thing that might help you get started.

Here are some SNACK IDEAS (We are not going worry too much about calories for now, but here is a good guideline - Women 100-200 cal., Men 100-300 cal.):
1 small bag of chips
1 slice of bread/toast with peanut butter
1/2 turkey sandwich (o.k., the garlic toast if you really  must have it!)
cheese and crackers
fruit
a chicken leg
leftovers from a meal (snack size portion please!)
Protein bar

Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 1

One of life's mysteries is how a two-pound box of candy can make a woman gain five pounds!

A lot of people have been noticing that I have lost a few pounds and look a little thinner, and have asked me what I've been doing. I can start by saying, "I AM NOT DIETING - I"M EATING!"  That' right! No more dieting for me!

I have FINALLY found "balance"! And have decided to share what I have learned here with those who are interested.

Our bodies are amazing! They are MACHINES! No, they are more marvelous than that! We are 'fearfully and WONDERFULLY made"! And, we have to take care of these machines if we want to keep them running efficiently for the rest of our lives no matter how long that is.

I'm going to "promise" you, that if you make even SOME of these life changes that I am going to share here, you will notice the difference; but more than that, you will be amazed at how you can just 'tweek' and 'adjust' a few habits, and your body will thank you!

Here goes: Step 1 (Week 1, day 1) - EAT!
(I'm going to give you a minute to 'digest' that statement! LOL!)
That's right - I said EAT!  EAT when you get up; EAT throughout the day; and EAT in the evening! You may have already heard this ("eat smaller meals, but eat more often"), but it works!

Here's the 'skinny'. (Oh, I crack myself up!).  Our bodies NEED fuel just like your car needs gas.  Plain and simple, when you don't eat, or when you skip meals, your body goes into starvation mode and begins to hoard everything you digest if you let it go too long without food. You need to "train" your body to trust that it's not going to starve.

So, here is your assignment. Starting tomorrow, eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. Try to eat within the first 1/2 hr. after getting up (yes, you can!), and continue until bedtime. That's right - the "No eating after 7:00pm" is a myth. If you are still going until midnight, your body still needs fuel! (Yes, common sense has to come into play here, but we'll talk more about that later!)

Here is a sample: 6am breakfast, 9am snack, 12pm lunch, 3pm snack, 6pm dinner, 9pm snack.

Not rocket science (well, maybe it is!), just the basics. Yes, there is more to it than that, but we're talking about changing some 'life-long' habits for some people. You don't do this overnight. You do it ONE STEP AT A TIME! We all know we didn't get this way overnight, and if we want LASTING results, we have to make it a lifestyle.

That's it for now! God bless!

Our Sin Affects Others (It started in the Garden, and the cycle continues)

The negative affects from individual sins can resonate in ways that we cannot predict.

From the beginning of time (according to Genesis), sin has caused consequence, pain and even death. Adam and Eve had everything they could have ever needed including fellowship in the garden with God himself. Then sin entered, and brought heartache and consequences that continue to this day.


Yesterday, I was faced with the reality of how much my sins affected a friend 40 years ago.


We're always aware of when we are doing wrong, but rarely consider how it affects those around us. That's the sinful, selfish nature of man.


 The truly awesome part of this story though is the restoration that came to both lives through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Healer & Redeemer!


He has promised to restore ALL that the cankerworm and locust have eaten; and to take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose!

Obama's Nobel: The Last Thing He Needs

A surprisingly unbiased News article by TIME/CNN

Obama's Nobel: The Last Thing He Needs

"Yes, Mr. President, we ARE a Christian Nation!"

The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony.

"Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean."  William Bradford

“Almighty God, by your great mercy we have reached this land, which we now claim and establish for Thy eternal purposes. We ask thee to open hearts and enlighten the understanding of the peoples of these shores to comprehend the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The Mayflower Compact - 1620

     In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc.      Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620.

John Carver
William Bradford
Edward Winslow
William Brewster
Isaac Allerton
Miles Standish
John Alden
Samuel Fuller
Christopher Martin
William Mullins

William White
James Chilton
John Craxton
John Billington
Richard Warren
John Howland
Steven Hopkins
Edward Tilly
John Tilly
Francis Cook

Thomas Rogers
Thomas Tinker
John Rigdale
Edward Fuller
John Turner
Francis Eaton
Moses Fletcher
Digery Priest
Thomas Williams
Gilbert Winslow

Edmond Margeson
Peter Brown
Richard Bitteridge
Richard Clark
Richard Gardiner
John Allerton
Thomas English
Edward Doten
Edward Liester
John Goodman
George Soule

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhIfzURC9HU

A picture tells 1000 unreported News Stories!

 This is the "Angry Mob" that marched on Washington on 9-12-09 against Government controlled Health Care, excessive government spending, and Cap and Trade that Nancy Pelosi is afraid will turn violent.

(Also known as: Right-wing Extremists; Astroturf; Nazi's)

Out of an estimated crowd of 1.5 Million, 1 one was arrested.

Below is a crowd estimated to be between 300 and 1000 who were protesting against Capitalism in Pennsylvania at the G20 Summit. (Are these people American?)

There were 83 arrested.

Where is all this leading us as a nation?

At this rate, we will be an increasingly divided nation with an escalating risk of erupting violence as frustration grows; ethnic and cultural groups see themselves disempowered; and people seek outlets for the fear and anger they feel due to not being heard by their government and/or other ethnic and cultural groups.

There seems to be a fine line between exposing the truth, and sharing the facts and causing division.  If I have in any way contributed to causing division, I ask forgiveness.

We have been called as reconcilers who have been given a ministry of reconciliation, not division (see 2 Cor. 5:18).

Summer at the end of Summer!

Yes, a little play on words! Mom and I went down to Tennessee this past weekend to see Michael, Samie and Summer.  We enjoyed a Sunday afternoon in Gatlinburg at the Ripley's Aquarium,....

....and then we stopped for dinner on the way back in Pigeon Forge at Bennetts - GOOD BBQ RIBS!

Summer is getting SO big - 9 months old already - So hard to believe!

I'm SO Blessed!

I'm absolutely positive that I have the BEST daughter in the world!!!!  Got a cold, sore throat, runny eyes, yech!    But.............then I got some Chicken Soup and some love, love, love!

Tea Party Express in Troy, MI

 On Tuesday, September 8, 2009 a crowd estimated to be 3-4 thousand people lined the street in front of City Hall in Troy and cheered as the Tea Party Express rolled in around 7pm.

The event was covered by Fox News (commentated by Griff Jenkins), CNN and WDIV Channel 4 locally.

  

The event was started with the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a variety of music and several guest speakers (Attorney General Michael Cox, Deborah Johns and others)

 

The crowd was upbeat and civil (no Mobsters here!), and many signed the giant letter to the Government expressing their opposition to the wasteful spending. Overall it was a good sampling of 'regular folk' who want their message heard about Health Care, Cap & Trade, and taxes.

A History Lesson on Social Security

Our Social Security

Franklin Delano Roosevelt - 32nd President (D) -Term of Office March 4, 1933, to April 12, 1945, introduced Social Security (FICA) Program. He Promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary,

2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual Incomes into the Program,

3.) That the money the participants elected to put Into the Program would be deductible from Their income for tax purposes each year,

4.) That the money the participants put into the Independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the General operating fund, and therefore, would Only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and

5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.

(Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month -- and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the Federalgovernment to 'Put Away' -- you may be interested in the following):

 

During Dwight D. Eisenhower's term (34th President - Republican - January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961), in 1958, the first year that a democratically-controlled Congress (not President Eisenhower) voted to remove funds from Social Security and put it into the General Fund for Congress to spend.

Congress' logic at that time was that there was so much money in Social Security Fund that it would never run out / be used up for the purpose it was intended / set aside for.
 
 
 

It was during Lyndon B. Johnson's term (36th President - Democrat,Term of Office: November 22,1963 to January 20, 1969) that the funds were taken from Independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the General Fund so that Congress could spend it.
 
The Democratic party also eliminated the income tax Deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

During the Clinton reign, (42nd. President -

Democrat - Term of Office: January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001), the Democratic Party, with Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. (Al Gore) [Vice President Term of Office: January 10, 1993 to January 20, 2001] casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US, started taxing Social Security Annuities.
 
Here's the kicker!
 
 
 

James Earl Carter, JR. (Jimmy Carter) (39th President - Democrat, Term of Office: January 20, 1977 To January 20, 1981) and the Democratic Party started giving Annuity payments to immigrants.

Imigrants moved into this Country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments even though they never paid a dime into it!

Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), they turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

To sum it up, here's a quote from our 3rd President, Thomas Jefferson (Democrat - Term of Office: January 20, 1777 to January 20, 1781):

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have".

Church Bulletins!

They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.

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The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'

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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.

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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.

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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow..

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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.

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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered..

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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.

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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.

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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.

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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.

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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.

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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

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Don't be Cast Down

In my devotions this morning, I read something (by Marvin Williams) about sheep that I didn't know.

Sheep are built in such a way that if they fall over on their side and then onto their back, it is very difficult for them to get up again. They flail their legs in the air, bleat, and cry. After a few hours on their backs, gas begins to collect in their stomachs, the stomach hardens, the air passage is cut off, and the sheep will eventually suffocate. This is referred to as a “cast down” position. (The cast down sheep can also fall victim to predators if the shepherd does not take action, or more commonly known to us in Mattew 18:12-14 as, "He will leave the 99 and go after the one...")

When a shepherd restores a cast down sheep, he reassures it, massages its legs to restore circulation, gently turns the sheep over, lifts it up, and holds it so it can regain its equilibrium.

What a picture of what God wants to do for us! When we are on our backs, flailing because of guilt, grief, or grudges, our loving Shepherd reassures us with His grace, lifts us up, and holds us until we’ve gained our spiritual equilibrium.

If you’ve been cast down for any reason, God is the only one who can help you get on your feet again. He will restore your confidence, joy, and strength.

"He restores my soul." (Ps. 23:3)

"Yes Drew, Gramma did try to keep this from happening."

The caption under the picture read, "Health Care = Hot Topic. Warren resident Elizabeth Campbell speaks with U.S. Rep. Sander Levin at an event at the Roseville Senior Center Aug. 13.

What it left out was that she was OPPOSED to the Health Care Bill!

God's Message: "Don't let the wise brag of their wisdom. Don't let heroes brag of their exploits. Don't let the rich brag of their riches.
If you brag, brag of this and this only: That you understand and know me. I'm God, and I act in loyal love. I do what's right and set things right and fair, and delight in those who do the same things. These are my trademarks." God's Decree. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)MSG



"Mr. President; Congressman; Senators, what will you tell your Grandchildren?"

The Brazen Truth

Top 10 things I am grateful for today...

1. Salvation and Grace
2. Trader Joe's
3. The Internet
4. Friends & family
5. Homemade Fruit/Protein Smoothies
6. Coffee
7. Life
8. Sunshine and 75 degrees
9. Freedom of Speech
10. Today

"Have no fear, Health Care is here!"

So.....how did my meeting go you ask?

Well, as it turns out, ALL of my fears were unfounded! Yes, that's what I said. It appears that everything I spent hours researching, checking, and writing that I was able to ask about or mention in our meeting was "UNTRUE!"

Below is a copy of the notes I made for the meeting, (to which I knew would not all be addressed due to the fact that there were two of us in the meeting with him and we were allowed 15 minutes to express and have our concerns addressed.) So, along with my notes are the Congressman's replies in RED, as brief as they may be! My comments in blue.

Notes for mtg. with Sander Levin – Re: HR 3200 aka “The Health Care Bill

“Public Option” or “Co-op” – a Trojan Horse?

• Insurance Companies can’t compete with government health care – they will eventually be put out of business. - "NOT TRUE!"
  
• Competition will be driven out.
• No incentive for employers to pay for private insurance.- "NOT TRUE!"
• Instead of a 1018 pg. Bill that has half the country up in arms, maybe government should narrow the focus to:
• Tort Reform – put limits on the liability claims and a cap on the rewards for damages."We had Tort Reform" - no further explanation given.
• Portability – protect coverage when workers change or lose theirs jobs (this will take care of the problem with ‘Pre-existing conditions’). - no answer - this came last and time ran out on the meeting!
  
• Allow it to cross State lines to force competition among private insurance companies. (Give us more control & more choices – forcing private plans to create better products, improve service and lower prices).

The problem goes much deeper than health care. It goes to the roots of our fundamental rights as Americans. It destroys our human rights (life & liberty). This health care plan is so far from reason – it’s not even manageable – it could even collapse our health care system altogether. When the government runs something, the price doesn't just increase – it multiplies!

Contrary to the position of many in government – There is no “right to health care”. We have a right to appeal to others when we are in need, but we have no right to demand that they help us. Charity is voluntary, and is not to be compelled by the State. Forced charity takes from one & gives to another. The giving of charitable help is to be done by individuals (and the organizations they may form).

The health care system isn't broken – the government is! It is already bankrupt - "NOT TRUE! ". Everyone agrees that health care needs reform, but it is still run a whole lot more efficiently than the government.- "NOT TRUE!" (i.e. “Cash for Clunkers” – it’s absurd that they are destroying capital -Governments consume wealth, they don’t produce it.)

A government run health care system would give the State greater authority as it would necessarily assume the power of life & death. Though it is true the Bill does not mention euthanasia - health care would be rationed- "NOT TRUE!! There is nothing about euthanasia in the Bill." (I did not mention euthanasia - see my notes above) There is no way around rationing. (see Dr. Ezekiel Emmanual's article (90)60137 that explores the ethical challenges of valuing an individual’s life in the context of allocating medical resources that are very scarce.)

Where are the Public Servants? Government is supposed to represent us, not rule over us! Their primary responsibility lies in protecting life, liberty, and property.

We want no further encroachments on our individual liberties and freedoms!

We do not want Socialism or Socialized medicine!

We want the continuation of our free enterprise system - "WE HAD FREE ENTERPRISE" - no further explanation given!

Well, that is where it ended.......................for now. I will follow up with these and the unaddressed items in a written letter to Mr. Levin, and carbon copies will go to Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin. Where it goes from there.......................God knows.

(I must say, my Boss, Chuck, had some very good questions, and some very REAL concerns related to being a Business Owner and the burdens being created by the government, but you will have to ask him if he was satisfied with any of the answers he received.)

Meeting with Congressman Levin

When pondering what I would say when given my audience with the Congressman, I realized that my appt. comes after a long string of appts. over several days where a large percentage of the people will likely be expressing the same concerns about the Healthcare Bill as I might like to, which will give the Congressman opportunity to hone his answers & shoot down what he might consider to be lies and 'misinformation'.


Interestingly, in my research, I came upon a 1981 transcript from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in relation to Income under the Federal Tax Law (Lavin v. Marsh - 644 f.2d 1378) which states: "Persons dealing with the government are charged with knowing government statutes & regulations, and they assume the risk that government agents may exceed their authority and provide misinformation." See Federal Crop Insurance Corp. v. Merrill, 332 U.S. 380, 384-85, 68 S. Ct. 1, 3-4, 92 L. Ed. 10 (1947). Yes, this is all legal jargon that most of us do not even dare to try and understand, and as I stated above was in reference to tax law, nonetheless, interesting that the new buzz word - "misinformation" being used by those in the Obama Administration is the same word used in relation to government overstepping their bounds!

Something else I came across while preparing for this was a newspaper article from a local Pastor, David J. Bostrom who had the most sensible arguement against the Healthcare Bill that I have heard to date. The major points of his article are as follows:

• "Health is an individual and family responsibility. No one should be under the illusion that if we get government healthcare that we'll be a healthier population. The biggest overall factor for good health comes down to individual & family decisions."


• "There is no "right to healthcare". We have a right to appeal to others when we are in need, but we have no right to demand they help us."


• "Charity is voluntary. The giving of charitable help is to be done by individuals (and organizations they may form). Charity is not to be compelled by the State. Forced charity takes from one & gives to another."


• "The States primary responsibility lies in protecting life, liberty, and property."


• "A government-run health care system would give the State greater authority as it would necessarily assume the power of life & death." (i.e. the provision of universal tax-funded abortions & involvement in the inevitable rationing of care.)

The bottom line is most people are satisfied & like their health insurance. And as for the bigger picture, regarding Healthcare, Cap and Trade, whatever, is that there is already TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT! Our government should not be dictating to us how our healthcare should be handled, or what kind of car we should drive, where we send our kids to school, or anything else.

We are still "One Nation under God (not Government) and it's time for them to take their HANDS OFF!

(My appointment has been moved to 4:45pm on Wednesday. If you are inclined to pray, I will need the wisdom of God!)

Impromptu face-to-face meeting with the Congressman

Today, much to my surprise, I found myself literally face-to-face with Congressman Sander Levin.

I was made aware through a newly formed local group of concerned citizens that a Community Resource Fair, hosted by the City of Eastpointe, was going to be held this afternoon with the Congressman in attendance. I was informed in advance that this was NOT a Town Meeting, he would NOT be speaking to an audience, and he would NOT be taking any questions.
My purpose for going, and my intent, honestly, was not to show up and make a scene, but to be a silent "presence" in hopes of sending the single message that Americans are concerned with all that is going on in Government, and especially with the issues related to the Health Care Bill that is currently on the table.
When I arrived, I witnessed a small group of people outside the building, some with signs, some at a table handing out information about the new area Grass Roots Organization, a few Police Officers (just in case), and even some people with Duct Tape over their mouths with messages written on them like "Prez says 'shut up'" and "No Freedom of Speech".
Inside, there were a lot of people milling around in the Lobby, and then a sign-in table at the doorway of the fair. I promptly signed in, and walked around to see what was being offered at all the tables, stopped to chat with someone I recognized from the Grass Roots Mtg. I attended 2 weeks prior, and then it happened.............
.........The Congressman had been in a side room meeting with people, one at a time, who had signed up to talk with him, when he decided to take a break and get some Media coverage while 'greeting the people'. Before I could even gather my thoughts, Mr. Levin purposely turned to me, and asked me directly if I had any questions or concerns! (Have you ever had someone get so close to you that you felt they were invading your space?) Well, I found myself looking him square in the eyes, and the words, "Yes, I have questions and concerns" falling smoothly from my lips as if I had rehearsed it. I calmly expressed that I didn't want to see my tax dollars going to fund abortions, to which he replied, "anything else?", so I continued by sharing my concerns about health care to the elderly being limited due to the lack of money to implement this program. His reply to me was that it was not true, and that I shouldn't listen to "those people"; then told me that there was nothing about euthanasia in the Bill. Well, you could probably imagine the thoughts that starting racing through my head! I began to sense he was becoming irritated, and no-doubt sorry that he stopped to talk to me. I never mentioned euthanasia, but since he did, I said that this Bill would then likely set the stage for it, and may be a "slippery slope" to it. This is where he ended the 'interview' (as the whole time we were speaking, there was a C&G Reporter snapping pictures and afterward asking for my name and City of Residence).

I now have an appointment next week to sit down with Mr. Levin in his Office to talk more in depth. Please pray for me! Thank you!

Naptime at Gramma's House

Kaylie's getting tired, but she doesn't want to lay down and sleep in here....

...or even on Gramma's bed with the big soft bear...




....but she eventually found a placed that suited her!





Night, night Kaylie!

The season to speak and pray...

"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-10)

I found myself feeling guilty for using my blog, emails and Facebook to voice my concerns about what is going on with some major issues and the leadership in this country; and I have even had a couple people tell me that they don't want me to send them this 'cr*p'. I would gladly stand corrected if that turned out to be the case, but my gut tells me that this country, and most of it's people will find out after the damage has been done that our freedoms and everything else we hold dear has been stripped away.

Yes, I like to have fun, share witty comments, post pictures of my Grandchildren and all sorts of other things just like everyone else, but this is a season to stand up and fight, so for now, and as long as God lays these things on my heart, I will not apologize.

I've quoted him before, and I will here:

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)