Yesterday I was talking about how I feel a lack of motivation for writing the posts sometimes because I’m not getting comments or interaction with my readers. There are so many days I feel like I’m hanging out in the room all by myself. Yesterday a follower on Facebook commented on the post and told me that my page is one of her favorites. I felt a little teary eyed because it was exactly what I needed. Thank you K.C. I wanted you to know what an important part of my day you were.
So, question, how many of you drink Kombucha? And of the people who drink it, how many actually LIKE it? I was given a bottle of turmeric kombucha, and I can honestly say it is pretty terrible. I’ve been researching the health benefits and think it may do the pain in my hands some good, but seriously, is this something that you actually used to, or even begin to like? I’ve been reading up on making my own, but the whole process looks rather disturbingly disgusting, so I’m not sure about it. The product in the stores is really quite expensive, so I know that making my own would probably be the best route, but seriously . . . gross. Let me know how you feel about it, and if you happen to make your own, I’d love to hear what you have to say about it and how you have benefited from drinking it.
Verse of the Day
October 16, 2018
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
God does so much for us. He is the Strength and Promise that undergirds our lives. He is the One who has saved us from sin and death. Our worship comes from our gratitude for what he has done, recognition of who he is, and anticipation of what he is going to do. But worship can never be compartmentalized to just fit into church places or quiet times. Worship involves every aspect of life. That is why it is so important for us to tune the words of our mouths and the motives of our hearts to God’s will and work. Then private worship, whether alone in quiet or in a group with Christians, becomes the tuning time for our hearts and lives so that our public worship, our lives lived out in the world, will play the song of God to a world who has not yet heard his tune.
www.verseoftheday.com
Food for Thought
Yesterday the news was filled with Elizabeth Warren’s big DNA reveal, which resulted in hysterical laughter from anyone with a brain, a major slap down by the Cherokee Nation, and some red-faced (no racial pun intended) screeching Twitter tantrums by hers truly. Seriously, folks, there aren’t all that many among us who can’t claim at least one indigenous relative back there somewhere – and we aren’t all claiming that as our heritage. Time for her to just admit that she is NOT, in fact, Native American and go about trying to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes another way, since the truth isn’t something she is all that familiar with telling. Let’s all have one last giggle at her expense, since she did bring it on herself anyway.
Boss’s Day – If you have a boss that means you are employed. If you are employed, then you are blessed. In this economy I’d hope that none of you take that for granted, and that you appreciate not only your job – which allows you to provide for yourself and your family – but the boss that you work with every day. Today let your boss know that you are grateful for them, and for your job. Even if you don’t get along with them, or if you have issues that you don’t see eye to eye about, let that go. You are employed, you are able to provide for your family, and your boss is a big part of that blessing in your life. Bosses are people too and they deserve to be shown that they are special. If WE as employees wish to be shown appreciation by our bosses – and let’s face it, a lot of bosses don’t bother – then we need to show them appreciation too. Anything else would just be hypocritical.
Department Store Day – We live in a world where retail competition is very fierce, especially around the holidays. By the time we reach this time of the year the plans and preparations have been in the works for months. National Department Store Day marks the calm before the storm of the holiday season. Large retailers like Macy’s are making tradition-breaking decisions in the face of growing pressure from rival stores that promote holiday shopping earlier and earlier. The question always comes up – how early is TOO early? According to the National Retail Federation, department stores saw nearly 24% of their total revenue during the months of November and December in 2012, making the holiday season the top spending event of their year. Because of the economy shoppers like to start shopping early so they can spread out spending. We started in on ours a couple of weeks ago! Each year, about 40% of shoppers begin their holiday shopping before Halloween, and another 40% begin in November. I used to like seeing one holiday at a time in the stores, but I’m over it. I am already enjoying seeing the Christmas stuff, and (don’t judge) we have already started a bit of Christmas decorating. Stop it! I told you not to judge! When I was working in Seattle years ago, it was magical. I’d go home from work the last work day before Thanksgiving to normal store windows, and I’d come back to work AFTER Thanksgiving to the most amazing, incredible and breathtaking store window displays. It was literally the start of the Christmas season. Twinkle lights lined the streets and parks, Westlake Center had the traditional Christmas carousel, complete with Christmas music, and the Christmas winter wonderland just took my breath away and filled me with childlike excitement every day when I headed home from work. The sun went down before I left work, and my walk to the ferry was a lovely stroll through the brightly lit trees. The other commuters were happier and lighthearted too. The entire experience was amazing. In the smaller town where I live, now that I no longer commute to the city, we don’t see that. Everything is just muddled up together and we don’t get the separation of the special holidays. It used to bug me, but hey! Holidays should ALL make us happy, right? How do YOU like it to be? Do you like it very early, or would you prefer the holiday decorations be separated by actual holiday?
Dictionary Day – Today we honor Noah Webster, who is considered to be the Father of the American Dictionary. Noah Webster was born on October 16, 1758, so it stands to reason we would celebrate him today! The idea of this day is to emphasize the importance of being able to use a dictionary, and to improve your vocabulary. It actually stuns me a little – I learned not long ago that kids don’t know how to use a dictionary any more – at least not many of them! That shocks me! When I was in school I kept a little dictionary with me all the time! I realize that many people use the online dictionary now, but still, the skill of using an actual dictionary in BOOK form is so important! It is such an important resource! Sorry, I got off on a tangent. I can’t help myself sometimes. Webster began writing his dictionary at the age of 43, and it took him 27 years to finish it. It not only had the traditional English vocabulary, it had uniquely American words included in it as well. Today, celebrate this day by dusting off your dictionary and actually USE it! If you have a child in school who doesn’t know how to use one, spend a few minutes explaining it to them. It is a skill they will be able to use to enhance their lives forever.
National Feral Cat Day – In 2001 “Alley Cat Allies” started this annual event to raise awareness of the plight of feral cats and build support for humane solutions to dealing with them. Veterinarians agree that the best place for a cat is indoors with a loving family. That is not always possible for a cat that isn’t used to living with people. There are groups that are doing something wonderful! Volunteers and community organizations are coming together to trap, spay or neuter, and place feral cats where they can live out their lives as working cats. There is a program called “Barn Cats R Us” where these cats are re-homed to barns and garages, and local businesses, where they work as rodent hunters. In those positions, outdoor cats provide totally natural, organic mouse and rat control. Barn cats tend to hide from humans, and except for the occasional dead rodent they leave behind, you’ll rarely see any evidence of them. Barn Cats R Us isn’t just re-homing these cats to barns and garages, they have also found them “work” at golf courses, a winery, plant nurseries and a water treatment plant. The cats are placed in small colonies, usually groups of three or four, all of them spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped for identification and tested for feline diseases. What a wonderful program! If you have feral cats you aren’t sure what to do with in your neighborhood, call your local humane society to see if there is a program like this one in your area. The lives you save could benefit not just the cats, but the businesses and farms where they get to live and work.
Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity – I feel that this one is so important! Annually students across the country participate in the “Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity”, giving an outlet for students to promote their pro-life views without using words or participating in arguments. Pro-Life students forego speaking to honor, with their silence, the members of their generation – including anyone born after the legalization of abortion on-demand in American in 1973 – who were never allowed to be born. Students do NOT let anyone tell you that you do not have the right to do this, because you do. As a citizen of this country you have the RIGHT to free speech, or free silence, as the case may be. Here is the link for their website – and blessings to any and all students who participate. The most important thing you can do on this day is to pray. Use the silence of the day to pray on behalf of the pre-born, and their mothers, as well as anyone else involved in the decision and procedure that ends a precious life. God is the God of miracles and He will hear our prayers and bless anyone and everyone they touch.
This Day in History Day –
1793 – Marie Antoinette was guillotined for treason.
1962 – Cuban Missile crisis begins.
Food Celebration of the Day –
Liqueur Day – What is your favorite liqueur – assuming you drink of course? I really enjoy Irish Cream. Probably too much. I rarely have it since it’s something that tastes like candy and I could easily go overboard with it without even trying. It is delicious in coffee though! Mmmm. . . a hot mug of steaming coffee with Irish Cream on a cold, snowy night . . . Yum. Here are some interesting facts that I found on www.foodimentary.com.
- In parts of the United States, liqueurs may also be called cordials or schnapps.
- Grand Marnier Created in 1880, it is one of the most popular liqueurs of all time. Escoffier used it as an ingredient for his culinary masterpiece Crepe Suzette. Cesar Ritz was so impressed with this liqueur that he was among the first to introduce it at his hotels.
- All liqueurs are blends, even those with a primary flavor.
- Liqueurs are not usually aged for any great length of time (although their base spirit may be), but may undergo resting stages during their production in order to allow the various flavors to “marry” into a harmonious blend.
- The most common liqueurs that you should consider absolutely essential when stocking your bar: Amaretto, Coffee Liqueur (e.g. Kahlua), Dry and Sweet Vermouth, Irish Cream Liqueur, Maraschino Liqueur and Orange Liqueur (e.g. triple sec, Cointreau, Curaçao).
World Food Day – 165 million children in the world under the age of five are so malnourished they will never reach their full physical and cognitive potential. These numbers come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. About 2 billion people in the world lack vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health, and around the world 1.4 billion people are overweight, about 1/3 of them obese. Children born to parents who suffer from these forms of malnutrition start out with a higher risk of impairment at birth and illness later on in life. Making a difference in your community, and around the world, isn’t that difficult. If you have a few spare dollars, when you are shopping pick up a couple extra items to donate to your local food bank. In today’s economy more and more people are depending on the food banks to put meals on the table for their families. Perhaps begin donating through an organization such as World Vision. By sponsoring a child, you can make a HUGE difference in their lives, and the lives of their family. The funds donated to these children translates into helping provide them with food and water in their villages. One thing I learned when researching this one, that I didn’t know, was that about 2.6-4.4 TRILLION pounds of all food produced on the planet is lost before reaching the human stomach. There are many of reasons for this, including large portions of edible crops that are rejected because they are not physically attractive enough, problems in the supply chain and inefficient harvesting. If you have the ability to grow a garden and donate the extras, even the extras that aren’t PERFECT in appearance, please do. It is still nutritious food and can be cut up and utilized in many different ways. Waste on those levels is absolutely intolerable!
Hm, after putting this together I’m thinking I may have to have an Irish Cream Coffee tonight! Doesn’t that sound delicious? I’ll have to give it some serious thought . . . in the meantime I need to head out to work and contemplate what in the world I’m going to make for dinner while I am on my way. God bless you and I’ll see you tomorrow.
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Some of my posts will contain links to products that I am an affiliate for. When you make a purchase through that link, I will receive a commission for the sale. I make this known to you so that you are aware of these links.
Celebration list sources:
www.verseoftheday.com www.brownielocks.com www.holidayinsights.com www.thenibble.com www.foodimentary.com