Thursday, January 31, 2008

Republican Debates Provide Information to Voters

Lady of Light

Well, last night I watched the Republican debate - I learned something about each candidate. Isn't it amazing the way God gifts different individuals with special gifts? John McCain has full confidence with his military background, states that he put his politics on the line to keep us in Iraq and to support the surge. He also states that he has knowledge on how to build fences to tighten our borders which is an important issue in this campaign. I like his confidence and his forthright manner, but was disappointed at the way he handled himself with Governor Romney, bringing up something that was misunderstood and also spoken 10 months ago. Governor Romney mentioned the fact that this was a negative political maneuver on McCain's part to dredge this up 3 days before the Florida Primary when Romney would have no opportunity to clear up the misunderstanding.

Governor Romney is gifted in the area of business and economics. He pointed out that McCain misquoted statistics and misunderstood the meaning of a recent economic study. While he has no military experience, he seemed to me to have an accurate picture of the world situation and was able to explain it in such a way that I could understand it. He is a good communicator.

Governor Huckabee surprised me at his humble response when asked if he thought that President Reagan would endorse him. I felt that he answered the questions with wisdom and he certainly made the most of the fact that he has been a Governor longer than any of them and that running a state government is like a microcosm of the federal government, mnemonically speaking..

Ron Paul also made some interesting comments, but I realize that it doesn't appear that he will actually be in the running.

If McCain is elected President, he will have economic advisers. If Romney is elected President, he will have military advisers and if Huckabee is elected, he, too will have whatever advisers he needs. Each candidate has his strengths and weaknesses. It will be interesting to see what happens on super Tuesday. Which one would be the best candidate? It is really a matter of personal preference.

My feeling is that McCain is the strongest. We are most concerned about military affairs and this does have a long range effect on the economy. However, he admits that it was the Republicans who did the overspending and we need a solid economic plan. He mentioned that some of the men on Wall Street need to be punished. He didn't elaborate on this, I don't know if her was talking about insider trading or what.

I just hope that whoever is elected will use their gifts to the good of the citizens of this country and in the best interest of the United States. Time will tell!

Lady of Light

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Government Legislates Religious Matters in the Book of Daniel

Lady of Light

I am going to be writing from time to time about the concept of Separation of Church and State in sofar as what the bible has to say on this subject. I would like to begin this topic by a discussion of events in the Old Testament Book of Daniel. Various decrees were made during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, his son, Belshazzar, and Darius concerning religious issues.

The first decree came about when none of the wise men were successful in being able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream. He then ordered that all the wise men of Babylon were to be slain, including Daniel. (Ch. 2:v.13)

However, secrets were revealed to Daniel in a night vision, and Daniel became blessed of God in heaven. (Ch. 2:19) He was able to satisfy the king in terms of giving him the interpretation he desired. Consequently, King Belshazzar made Daniel a great man - ruler over the whole Providence of Babylon and chief of the Governors over all the wise men of Babylon.(Ch. 2:4*)

The king then set up a golden image for them to worship. He then made a decree that every man shall worship the Golden image (Ch. 3:10). He threatened to cast Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego into the midst of a burning fiery furnace and asks who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? (Ch. 3:15)

They answered him that "Our God will deliver us." (Ch3:17)

When the king observed the men in the furnace, they saw for men - one like the Son of God -all unharmed. (3:25) Nebucanazzar spoke "Blessed be the God of Misach, Shadrach, and Abednego - deliver them - charged the King.

Then a religious decree was put forth "Anyone who would speak against the God of Mishach, Shadrach, and Abednego would be cut in pieces." (3:28) This was, in essence, a law dictating what people were allowed to say and think regarding God.

Shadrach, Mishach and Abednego were then promoted in the Province. (Ch. 3:30)

Under Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was promoted to the third ruler in the Kingdom.

King Darius set Daniel as first President over 120 princes. (Ch. 6:12) All of those under Daniel tried to find fault with him and could find no fault or error in him.

In order to trap Daniel, they made a decree that whoever asked a petition of an God or man except the king would be put in the lion's den. They got Darius to sign the decree. Once again, a religious law was being made.

In spite of the decree, Daniel went to his house and prayed to his God on his knees, three times a day as was his habit. As a result, the king was forced to put Daniel in the lion's den. When King Darius discovered the following day that Daniel had not been harmed and that an angel of God had protected him, King Darius made another religious decree that everyone must serve the God of Daniel. (Ch6:26).

So you can see, that in those days, there was no separation between what the government could say about religion. They were forced by decree to do certain things regarding their belief in God.
It is interesting that God, himself, superseded anything that man tried to do to prevent those who believed in him from worship ping him.

We can observe the confusion and disruptions that occurred in those days because the government got mixed up in the personal affairs of men concerning religion. In our country today, we have a policy of separation of church and state and the government cannot legislate or dictate certain things. Man is afforded a protection that they did not have in the days of Daniel.
It is this freedom that the citizens of our country cherish. The complications that arise when the waters become murky in legislation when religious views get mixed up with government can be seen in our world today.

Future forward, we will take a look at some of these things. Questions like"Should government insist that a woman give birth to a child or should this be between a woman and God?" Opinions and platforms differ on this issue as well as others.

We need to examine what has happened through time in the role of state, church and religion as put forth in the bible and will continue in a series of articles to do so.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

My Poem for Today - Thank You For Your Angels

Lady of Light

I have selected this poem that I wrote after a mysterious ocurance where I believe an angel was sent by God to save my life. I was riding on Rte. 22 (New Jersey). If anyone knows this highway, they know it is busy and sometimes dangerous. I was in the left hand lane niext to the divider going 50 MPH. The hood of my car flew opened in the wind and my vision in front of me was obscured. I tried to steer and slow down, but I really was thinking I would crash. I called out to Jesus, and all of the sudden, in all of that traffic a very tall blond man had jumped through the traffic and pushed down the head of my car. When I looked to the side of the road to see him, he had disappeared! I believe he was one of God's angels. (When I had my oil checked at the gas station before I got on the highway, the gas station attendant didn't close the hood of my car properly and it opened as soon as I sped up on the highway.) What a miracle! Thank God!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANGELS

Lord, your statutes are great,
Your promises so good and wonderful.
I shall claim them, just like you knew I would.

Thank you that you send your angels to camp around me,
God of all mercy, God of all comfort, God of all love.
You reign from above - help me to experience that.

How, with your mighty hand, you calm life's storms,
With the balm of heavenly healing and that you take
Control of my every feeling.

Thank you for giving me a heart to praise your Holy name,
And for always being the same God.

(Partially based on Psalm 91:11-12 "For He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways.")

Have a blessed Sunday!

Lady of Light

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Easy One Dish Weekend Recipe: Baked Ziti and Ambrosia: Easy One Dish Dessert

Lady of Light

Another weekend has rolled around. I am fortunate that I don't have to cook Sunday because I am getting together with children and grandchildren for a long awaited belated Christmas celebration at a restaurant. However, for those of you who will be at home with family and/or friends, I am going to share two recipes - one for dinner and one for dessert.

The first is a delicious baked ziti - for this, I use a disposable rectangular foil pan but you can use any pan that can go in the oven.

BAKED ZITI

1 large rectangular pan - oven safe
11/2 jars of Francesco Rinaldi Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
(or a sauce of your choice)
Parmesan cheese
1 pound of ziti (uncooked)
1 16oz. package of mozzarella cheese (Part Skim)
1 8 oz. container of ricotta cheese
1 pound (8 pieces) of sweet Italian sausage

1. Brown sausage in fry pan - add a small amount of water - cover and simmer for about 20 minutes
2. Drain sausage and slice it.
3. Boil water with 1tsp. salt in large pot for ziti
4. Bring water to boil and add ziti, stirring occasionally cook until done
(10 - 12 minutes)
5. Drain ziti and run cold water on it to remove starch
6. Slice mozzarella cheese in thin slices
7. Put a layer of sauce on the bottom of the rectangular pan and then add a layer of ziti; put a layer of sauce on top of the ziti and sprinkle Parmesan cheese all over it lightly coating it.
8. Dot with a teaspoon spaced around the pan some ricotta
9. Place pieces of mozzarella cheese on top of that
10. Put slices of sausage spaced around on top of cheese
11. put a layer of ziti, then sauce and repeat process
12. Repeat until ingredients are used up - cheese and sausage should be on the top
13. Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes.


AMBROSIA

1 can of crushed pineapple
1 bag miniature marshmallows
3 cans of mandarin oranges
1 cup shredded coconut
1 8 oz. container of sour creme

1. open cans of mandarin oranges, drain juice
2. Dump in large bowl with marshmallows and pineapple
3. Stir in coconut
4. Fold in sour creme
5. Mix well, cover and chill at least one hour and serve

I hope that you enjoy these two recipes. The advantage, besides being one dish items, is that they can be prepared in advance of company or sports games on TV.
The ziti can also be done in the microwave for 5-10 minutes if layered in a covered casserole that is suitable for the microwave. Ambrosia can be spooned into individual dessert dishes or served from a large bowl.

God bless you - have a nice weekend.

Lady of Light








Friday, January 25, 2008

Letter from a Reader: Don't Vote for Obama

Recently I received a letter from a friend of mine who is the wife of the Pastor of the Baptist church I belonged to before I moved several years ago. The letter states the following:

"I went to your blog and found it interesting and informative. I have one thing to say about a candidate who is running for president - Barack Obama. I understand that he is a Muslim. I don't really care about his color, but his religious beliefs concern me. I am black so I am not against him for racist reasons. But I cannot, for the life of me, understand how a Muslim could be a good president of the USA. If he is a good Muslim, he rejects the entire Christian population as infidels and is sworn to their destruction (according to the Holy Quran). As a matter of fact, anyone who is not Muslim is an infidel. If he is a bad Muslim, then I would question his sincerity. I often wonder about political speeches of those running for governmental offices.So often we have heard one thing while a candidate is campaigning, only to see quite different outcomes once he/she was in office. I think we can only know how a candidate is to perform by looking at their lives, not their campaign speeches. All too often, that is not something we are able to do. GOD gave us logic and emotions and I believe they both have a place in selecting candidatesfor office> But the best gift for selection(I believe) is the prompting of the HOLY SPIRIT! I just thought I'd share again. Gerry"

As you know, although I am a Democrat, my main political research for this blog is to profile the Republicans for Tommy Christopher. I was surprised when I received this letter. I do thank you for your comments, Gerry. I went to The Political Machine and found an article called "Fearing Obama". This might be helpful to you and also to my readers.

In the article, there is also a link to another article called "Sliming Obama" which was written on 1-10-08 on FACT CHECK.ORG. The introduction to the article states: "Dueling chain e-mails claim he's a radical Muslim or a racist Christian. Both can't be true. We find both are false. " They detail things that are said about the church he belongs to as well as answering to these other claims. Both of these articles may contain some helpful information for you and for my other readers.

I agree with you Gerry - not only is it our responsibility to pray for those in authority, but to use the spiritual gifts that God has given us to discern who the proper candidate will be in conjunction with what we know about their beliefs, their personal lives, and their political platform. Personally, I do not know what the total truth is concerning Barack Obama. At the very least, he has been exposed to Muslim teaching and influence earlier in his life. I do not want to judge anyone, but I prefer to cast my vote for a candidate who doesn't have these various issues in their life to begin with. Not only that, but I think there are other candidates who are more experienced and well qualified to be President of the United States.

I would urge you however, to be open minded and read the referenced articles I have presented, because anyone can have allegations made against them or have things in their life that possibly may be misunderstood.

I thank you for taking the time to read my blog - hope you and others will continue to do so, and there is a small word "comments" in the lower right hand corner of the blog that you can click on to make your comments or you can e-mail me at sueladyoflight@gmail.com.

Lady of Light

Thursday, January 24, 2008

God's Word is the Best Guidance for Life


Lady of Light

I read a recent article, "Mega church Leader Surrenders on Charge" The article states:
"Archbishop Earl Paulk, 80 years old, Leader of Atlanta Megachurch surrenders on perjury charge.
The longtime Pastor of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church made a deal with the Cobb Couonty Sheriff's Office to surrender within 48 hours."

"... The felony perjury charge against Paulk stems from a lawsuit against him, his brother and the church by Mona Brewer, a former church employee. The lawsuit alleges that Earl Paulk manipulated Brewer into an affair from 1989 - 2003 by telling her that it was her only path to salvation."

It is indeed a tragic situation when such allegations are brought against a church leader. It affects many people. At one time, this church had a membership of 10,000 which has dwindled to about 1500 because of allegations regarding this leader's sexual misconduct with women. The article says that eight women have come forward over a period of time with sexual allegations against him.
Whether or not these statements are accurate, let us say that if they are, what can people do to prevent falling prey to false teaching about salvation and other doctrines, and an unhealthy dependency on church leaders ?

The bible is God's inspired word and the information and answers to our salvation and all matters of faith are contained within its pages. While Pastors, leaders, commentators, radio and TV can inspire us to learn and assist us in our understanding and application of God's word, the first question we should ask ourselves is, "Does this individual sincerely attempt to live by the Word of God, and does what this person believes and says line up with the Word of God?"
Although God will hold leaders and teachers accountable for what they say, he will also hold us accountable for the light we have been given.

What does the bible say about salvation? We cannot depend on the fact that we are born into a Christian family - salvation is a personal decision that each person must make in relationship to Jesus Christ.
"That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe it in your hear that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9.

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

The Bible trac "Steps to Peace with God" put out by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association suggests a simple prayer to pray to invite Jesus into your heart and receive salvation:

"Dear Lord Jesus:

I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You dide for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus name, Amen."

Then, from that point on, if you have received salvation and you know what the bible says about salvation, it will be easier for you not to have an unhealthy dependency on Leaders or to fall prey to false teaching and ideas.

I watch Charles Stanley of In Touch ministries and also Joel Osteen on Sunday mornings. I feel that both of these Christian leaders have been especially gifted from God to teach and encourage fellow Christians and to share the gospel with those who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ but I don't take their word at total face value - I ask myself if what they say lines up with sound teaching and with the Holy scriptures. Fortunately, both of these men usually reference their thoughts with scriptures so that you can read them for yourself. So I am not saying that church leaders are not important and worthwhile for spiritual life and growth. I am saying that your personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the bible should be the basis for all else.

This unfortunate state of affairs has helped me to be grateful that I live in a country where we have bibles and can read them and learn about God. I am thankful for those gifted in teaching who are able to highlight things from God's word to help me apply the scriptures to my life. I am most grateful for my salvation and for the gift of Eternal life given to me from God through Christ Jesus.

We must remember that the bible tells us that "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 Let's not put our faith in men, but in God and only look to men to confirm and reaffirm what God teaches in His word.

The way we live and the way we think and believe not only affects us but it affects others around us. Perhaps we can become more responsible when we think of this.

The irresponsible behavior of this church leader in the article, if, in fact, it did take place, affects so many people. It is a sad situation for everyone involved, I am certain.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

Also, remember that being a church member or having a special relationship with a church leader or working in the church does not make you a Christian - trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation does.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--and not by works so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:4-9

Lady of Light

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Chris Mathews: Host of "Hardball" Displays a Sexist Attitude Towards Hillary Clinton and Other Women Political Figures

Lady of Light

In a recent article"Does Chris Mathews Have a Problem With Women?", it does appear that the talk show host of "Hardball" has demonstrated a sexist attitude towards Hillary Clinton and others, based on a series of remarks cited in the article.


For example, about Hillary he stated:
"The reason why she (Hillary) may be a front runner is that her husband messed around" and that "she didn't win New York on her own merits."
Additional comments were made about other female political figures as well. (Read the article for more detail on that.)

As I look to the Word of God on the subject of women in leadership positions, I observe that in the Old Testament in the book of Judges, there is a specific instance where God puts a woman in authority as a judge: She was chosen among a series of male judges - Ehud, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson.

""And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment And she sent and called Barak,...and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded saying "Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Napitalli and of the children of Zebulim? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin"s army, with his chariots and his multitude, and I will deliver him into thine hand.." Judges 4: 4-6

Deborah was respected and recognized as one who was "raised up" by God for the purpose of leading Barak into battle and into victory over the Sisera. Not only did God specifically "raise up'" a woman for this task, but Barak recognized her power, position and authority to the point where he would not even go into battle without her going with him.

"And Barak said unto her, If thou will go with me, then I will go, but if thou wilt not go with me then I will not go." Judges 4"8

Ultimately, Barak was given victory over the tribe. If he had had a sexist attitude, he would not have had this victory, and God's purposes would not have been successfully accomplished.

In Judges, Chapter 5, verse 1, it tells us that Deborah and Barak sang together after the victory saying,
"Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves..._

Based on this recording of bible history, I can see that it becomes necessary at times for us to take stock and examine our attitudes towards women such as Hillary Clinton, for example, and examine those influentially commenting, such as Chris Mathews. I believe this account from the bible has shown me that we must be flexible when it comes to our looking at the possibility of women in leadership - open minded.

It is interesting to note that the name of the male leader was Barak, the first name of Democratic candidate Obama!




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Sunday, January 20, 2008

Our Guest Poet - Thanksgiving WIll Soon Be Here

Although this poem is titled for Thanksgiving, it can be read anytime of the year as we are ever grateful for God's many blessings. Recently, I read an article on "Beliefnet" about celebrating friendships and relationships with family - we won't always have our parents with us forever and who knows how long our friends will be with us? My guest who wrote this poem shared with me that she wrote this and shared it with her parents while they were still alive. She suggests that you try to write or express your feelings to your parents and loved ones while they are still here, if possible. If they have already passed, memoriam writings can also be a blessing to those who are still here.

THANKSGIVING EQUALS MOM AND DAD

Thanksgiving day will soon be here,
My blessing I shall go back in time to peer...
The folks dressed me like a beautiful doll as a child,
And the toys were up to the ceiling piled.
I always had everything I could think of,
But most of all, I had love.

WHAT A LIFE I HAD, BECAUSE OF MOM AND DAD!

We as a family dear went on vacations each year,
To the mountains, the amusement parks, and the shore.
How could I ever ask for more?
As I grew and reached my teens,
They gave me the best of things,
Meaning the jeans.
Albums galore...The Beatles and The Stones:
They even took me to see Humperdinck and Jones.

WHAT A LIFE I HAD, BECAUSE OF MOM AND DAD!

They hated mini-skirts--our ideas didn't always jive;
But can you imagine? when I received my license to drive,
The Rambler was mine and to the bus Dad walked;
Hours on the phone, and they never minded the time I talked.
I won't ever forget their sending me to business school,
Instead of buying the new car and the back yard pool.

WHAT A LIFE I HAD, BECAUSE OF MOM AND DAD!

Much time has flown, but the seeds they've sown,
Make Thanksgiving a special day
To tell them in this special way...
What they've done for me, a million billion dollars
couldn't pay.

AMEN.

My friend was truly blessed to have loving, caring parents and a good life. Whatever your life has been like, I know that if you search, you will discover the special ways God has blessed you - make every day "Thanksgiving".

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, I thank you that you are a kind and loving God and that you have given us salvation, and blessed us also with many things here during our time on earth. Even in those situations where there have been trials or difficulties, I thank you that you have used them for my best I thank you for my family...my parents, my sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, my husband, children and grandchildren. I thank you that you continue to help me to think on the blessings of life and all of the good memories of those family and friends who are no longer here. Help me to make each day a Thanksgiving - keep me in your love, guard my heart and mind, and continue to put gratitude in my heart!"
AMEN

Lady of Light



Quck One-Dish meal for Sunday Football Game


For sports fans, it will be a Giants game between the Giants and the Green Bay Packers this evening. For others, a relaxing family time. Either way, I thought you mght enjoy a simple stew recipe that is a little different - instead of stew beef, I use small meatballs, which are easier to chew for young folks and older folks as well.

Enjoy the following recipe which I am going to prepare for my husband as we watch the Giant game later. Of course, you all know I am a Patriots fan but it will be interesting to me to see who they will be playing against in the Superbowl in a few weeks.

SUE'S SIMPLE MEATBALL STEW

10-12 red potatoes, peeled and cut in wedges
1 pound of fresh carrots, peeled and sliced
1 can of french style green beans
2 cans Heinz fat-free gravy - 1 chicken, 1 beef
1 pound of lean chopped meat
bread crumbs
onion powder
salt
pepper
galic salt
basil
french dressing
1/4 cup oil
1 egg

1. Mix egg, bread crumbs and spices to taste
2 Shape small meatballs and place in fry pan with heated oil
3. sprinkle two tblspns. of french dressing on meatballs
4. Brown meatballs, turning for five to ten minutes
5. Add two jars of gravy and simmer with lid on pan for 20 minutes
6. In large separate pot, cook carrots and potatoes together in lightly salted water for about 25 minutes
7. Drain vegetables and add meatballs and gravy to po
8. Drain a can of green beans and add
9. Add spices to taste and stir all ingredients
10. Bring to a biol and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes minimum
11. Serve with bread and butter or dinner rolls

I hope that you enjoy this stew and also that God will bless you on this Sunday.

Lday of Light


Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Somone Cares


Lady of Light

My husband and I had an interesting experience last week. To extend the Christmas holiday, we were invited to a Three Kings Celebration - a tradition practiced by the Hispanic people in our neighborhood bible study. God forgive me but I made baked ziti for the occasion - what can I say but my "specialty" is Italian food? We read with the Pastor from the book of Luke, and I was reminded of two facts which I had forgotten.
1) We don't really know if it was actually three kings that went to bring gifts to Baby Jesus because we only think that because it mentions three gifts. It could have been more or less, although we assume that it was one gift apiece.
2) Baby Jesus was not a baby but was two years old because that is the length of time it took the wise men to make the journey.

After this study, we exchanged gifts and I was given an interesting book put out by the Bible League by the Pastor. It is called "Someone Cares " In small writing it says God cares for you when you are ill. As I opened this book I saw a basic quote which I would like to share with you:

"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble..He cares for those who trust in Him...."

Nahum 1:7

Now I had really liked this clear simple reminder about God being good and caring for me. I was surprised it came from the book of Nahum so I went back and looked to see what this book was about. The prophet Nahum had a prophecy that was, like that of Jonah, against Ninevah. God's judgment against the Assyrians was postponed because they repented at Jonah's preaching, but now the destruction of Ninevaah was imminent. It ws in fact destroyed by the Babylonians in 612BC

Though Nahum contains this golden message of the goodness of God for those who trust in him, we learn that although God may postpone the destruction of the wicked, their doom is nonetheless inevitable.

So I think this means "Watch your own "P"'s and "Q"'s and don't worry about evildoers because God, who knows all things will be good to those who trust in Him and take care of everything else in his own time and in his own way.

This was a very good book and you can get copies of this and other materials from The Bible League located nearest to where you are.

God bless you. Have a good day.

Lady of Light

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

A Respite From The Hullabaloo of tthe Upcoming Elections

Today is an exciting day because we face the Michigan Primary in which we will find out, I am told, at 9:00 tonight on TV if Mitt Romney made it in his own state as he hopes or if we will be surprised by another victory. The news is filled with all kinds of exciting stories about the candidates, and we are ruffled by the ongoing feud between Hillary and Obama, as well as by the different opinions about the issues flying in the air.

Time to take a breather and open the faithful Word of God for a quiet renewing meditation. Today I went to Psalm 63 which was written by King David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

First, David states his relationship to God and his need to cry out to him :

"Oh God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is:"

It is so very important that we seek God in all things, including who to vote for and how to discern the abilities and platforms of those who wish to lead our country. And, as I have said before, to pray for those who are in authority on a daily basis.

And, in verses 2-4 David tells what his responses is to a loving God. These verses are special to me because years ago, when I was a member of Terrill Road Bible Chapel, we always learned to sing the Psalms in folk music and it was a terrific way to retain and to express praises from the bible. I know other churches do this also and these verses are actually sung as lyrics:

"Thy lovingkindness is better than life; my lips shall praise thee, thus will I bless thee while I live, I will lift up my lands in thy name."

To meditate on these verses and sing or simply lift up your hands brings such a sense of renewal, love, joy and peace. In a world where so many negative things happen, where the news is filled with contentions and vain babblings of men, it is so great to simply see that when David was in the wilderness, he simply recognized his relatiohship to God, his need and desire to seek God and to recognized the lovingkindness of his creator.

I am glad I took the time to read and think on this particular Psalm today because in the end he even tells what will happen ultimately to the leader or the King that was tantamount to a President back then:

"But the king shall rejoice in God: every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped."

Eventually, the elections will take place and one will gain victory as the new leader of our country. Hopefully then, the lies, the backbiting and all the negative things that go along with campaigning will come to an end.

Meanwhile, I will continue to take my meditation breaks and write about them from time to time. God's word is the only true source of comfort in all situations.

Lady of Light

Monday, January 14, 2008

John McCain - Currently The Top Republican Candidate


Lady of Light

I was speaking with my friend and neighbor, Dennis, who is a World War II buff and historian and is quite familiar with the intricacies of McCain's military history and the details of his days in Viet Nam. This discussion was quite interesting, however, the thing that stood out most in my mind after speaking to him was the fact that McCain made a public statement forgiving his enemies from the past that harmed him.

As I watched Andy Stanley, Dr. Charles Stanley's son yesterday preaching from the church in Atlanta, he spoke of how the only way to have true victory in life is to have true forgiveness towards those who have wronged or hurt us. Those of us who are Christians have received the forgiveness of God through salvation in His son Jesus, and understand our responsibility to forgive others - to quote scripture - "as we have been forgiven in Christ Jesus".

When you find out that McCain was a prisoner of war and went through all kinds of suffering, you see how this man has risen above this by the nature of forgiveness and is now running the race to lead America in the future as President of the United States. For me, this new knowledge gives credibility to the man, John McCain and his character.

I then went to John McCain's website to take a look at how he stands on the various issues. The writers have done a terrific job and have gone into great detail about his stand on many issues. I have selected two issues to review. After the forgiveness information, I was interested in the Issues of Humanity. What does John McCain think about in his concerns for mankind? We will examine this and I will also go into his plan for Iraq, since his military history is impressive, and since he is a third generation military man, it will be interesting to see what he has to say about this also.

HUMAN DIGNITY AND THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

Overturn Roe Vs. Wade

J
ohn McCain believes "Roe Vs. Wade should be overturned, and as President he will nominate judges who understand that the courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench. Constitutional balance would be restored by the reversal of Roe V. Wade, returning the abortion decision to the individual states. The difficult issue of abortion should not be decided by judicial fiat. He also wants to end abortion at the state level.

John McCain has publicly noted : "At its core, abortion is a human tragedy."

Promoting Adoption

He will seek to promote adoption as first option for women in crisis pregnancy. (He and his wife have an adopted child from Mother Teresa's Orphanage in Bangladesh.)

I am , myself, an adopted child so I can certainly identify with McCain's belief for the government to make this a viable option by supporting pregnant women so that they can give birth through government, charity and faith-based agencies and passing legislation to have government aid available to help with some of the expenses involved in adoption.

Although I am a "Right to Choose" person, I am also a "Right to Life" person (that is what I choose). I believe that the government should not dictate to women that they must have their children under any and all circumstances. This has to do with my belief about the role of government and the powers it should have. God gave man a free will, and I question giving the government the right to impose its will in issues of a personal nature that should be between a woman and God, not a woman and her government.

However, I like the fact that John McCain doesn't simply advocate abortion as some do, but looks to viable solutions and support for women in crisis pregnancies and that he, in his own private life has made a personal decision to adopt a child --thereby being "part of the solution" rather than "part of the problem" concerning this issue.

PROTECTING MARRIAGE

A
s President, John McCain would nominate judges who understand the role of the courts not to subvert the rights of the people by legislating from the bench.

"Critical to constitutional balance is insuring that where state and local governments do act to preserve the traditional family, the courts must not overstep their authority and thwart the constitutional right of the people to decide this question."

ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

John McCain opposes the intentional creation of human embryos for research purposes.

I agree that there needs to be reasonable government controls in Scientific Research, especially concerning stem cell production and usage.


PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM INTERNET PORNOGRAPHY

J
ohn McCain has been a leader in pushing legislation through Congress that requires all schools and libraries receiving federal subsidies to utilize internet connectivity to restrict access to sexually explicit material by children using such computers.

I agree that parents need all the help they can get to insure that their children are exposed to wholesome learning materials at schools and libraries.

PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM ONLINE PREDATORS

John McCain has taken a hard line against pedophiles that use the internet to prey upon children by proposing the first of its kind National Online Registry for persons who have been convicted of sex crimes against children.

This sounds like a good theory, but I'm not sure how it will work in practice. I do think that parents need all the information and guidance they can get to protect their children and this would require parental supervision as well. I am all for activities that help with parental guidance, whether on the internet or in the entertainment industry.

I must commend John McCain for his moral concerns about women and children and being aware of the moral implications that need to be curbed regarding stem cell research. I respect his viewpoints on these issues.

Now, we will take a look at his views concerning Iraq, which is of major concern to all of us at this time.

IRAQ

Bolster Troops on the Ground

"A greater military commitment now is necessary if we are to achieve long-term success in Iraq."

Implement New Counterinsurgency Strategy

Strengthen the Iraq Armed Forces and Police

Create Security Necessary for Political Progress and Stability

Accelerate Political and Economic Reconstruction in a Secure Invironment

"
Iraqis need to see tangible improvements in their daily lives or support for the new government will falter."

Keep Senior Officers in Place

Call for International Pressure on Syria and Iran

With his military experience, John McCain seems to have insight into some of the strategies that are needed for longterm victory in Iraq. To further evaluate this and other issues of the McCain campaign, I refer you to his website.

McCain Tax Cut Plan (select quotes)

Reforming Entitlement Programs For The 21st Century

  • Reform Social Security: John McCain will fight to save the future of Social Security and believes that we may meet our obligations to the retirees of today and the future without raising taxes. John McCain supports supplementing the current Social Security system with personal accounts -- but not as a substitute for addressing benefit promises that cannot be kept. John McCain will reach across the aisle, but if the Democrats do not act, he will. No problem is in more need of honesty than the looming financial challenges of entitlement programs. Americans have the right to know the truth and John McCain will not leave office without fixing the problems that threatens our future prosperity and power.
  • Control Medicare Growth: The growth of spending on Medicare threatens our fiscal future. John McCain has proposed comprehensive health care reforms that will reduce the growth in Medicare spending, protect seniors against rising Medicare premium payments, and preserve the advancements in medical science central to providing quality care

Health Care Reform

  • Comprehensive Health Care Reform: John McCain believes health care reform should address the rising costs that threaten families' budgets, business competitiveness, and government programs by making the entire system responsive to the needs of American families. Families should receive quality, accountable care at lower costs by harnessing market competition. (John McCain's detailed plan to reform our health care system may be found here.)
Border Security & Immigration Reform

On the Issues / On The Issues / Issues / Home

Border Security & Immigration Reform
Immigration is one of those challenging issues that touch on many aspects of American life.

I have always believed that our border must be secure and that the federal government has utterly failed in its responsibility to ensure that it is secure. If we have learned anything from the recent immigration debate, it is that Americans have little trust that their government will honor a pledge to do the things necessary to make the border secure.

As president, I will secure the border. I will restore the trust Americans should have in the basic competency of their government. A secure border is an essential element of our national security. Tight border security includes not just the entry and exit of people, but also the effective screening of cargo at our ports and other points of entry.

But a secure border will contribute to addressing our immigration problem most effectively if we also:

  • Recognize the importance of building strong allies in Mexico and Latin America who reject the siren call of authoritarians like Hugo Chavez, support freedom and democracy, and seek strong domestic economies with abundant economic opportunities for their citizens.

  • Recognize the importance of pro-growth policies -- keeping government spending in check, holding down taxes, and cutting unnecessary regulatory burdens -- so American businesses can hire and pay the best.

  • Recognize the importance of a flexible labor market to keep employers in business and our economy on top. ation of our immigrant population, which includes learning English, American history and civics, and respecting the values of a democratic society.



I hope that this information and my comments have been helpful to you. It is certainly interesting that on the day I am writing about McCain, news tells us that he has risen to the top as Republican Presidential Candidate! God bless you. Have a great day!

:Lady of Light


How Do Americans Vote?


Lady of Light

In an article by Joyce Brothers last week, I found out some interesting information I would like to share with you. She wrote a quiz about politics and voting from which I take the following excerpt:

"Since Americans vote with their brains, they'll be looking for the most intelligent candidate regardless of gender."

The answer to this question, Dr. Brothers tells us is false. Studies have shown that more Americans vote for emotional reasons than for intellectual reasons.

This is why I am in agreement as I previously stated in another blog about Barbara Simpson's article is that our candidate selection has triggered many emotional reactions because of the race and religious actions.

I am taking that cue, as I began with Huckabee, to introduce some of the Republican candidates and share something about their stand on various issues, to try to combat this tendency that Americans have to "vote with their emotions." Perhaps as we take some time to ponder the issues and what each candidate stands for, it will be easier to allow our intelligence to enter the picture even if it isn't the natural tendency.

I know that I have felt more confident about evaluating the candidates after doing some objective research.

In between various articles and stories this week, you will see some profiles of the Republican issues. I hope that this will be helpful and enjoyable for you.

The next article will be about John McCain. This is timely because he has just risen and become the top presidential candidate for the Republicans.

So, relax and read on to the next blog! God bless you! Have a wonderful day as you increase your knowledge and stretch the intellectual awareness of the Republican candidates.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The Dawn Of A New Day

by Lady of Light

Today's poem is an early morning meditation that I had several years ago that just turned into a poem when I went to write it down. I guess I think more of new days right now because it is a new year!

THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY


The rows of houses, lining the still streets

are quiet from within,

It's the dawn of a new day about to begin.

Tje light peeks out from the darkness of night,

The birds begin singing - a true delight.

The beginnings of traffic can be heard in the street,

People raising early, the patter of feet.

The miracle of the sun and the sense of new light,

The dawn of a new day, wrought by God's might.

The dawn of a new day, so special and true,

Help me to be thankful and live it anew!


In the bible, these sentiments are expressed in the verse "This is a day that the Lord hath made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Philipians). I hope this litlle poem brightens your day.
God Bless You.

Lady of Ligh (Remember, I invite comments and guest poetry.)

Easy Recipes for Football Season

It's nice to just be able to prepare a few simple dishes that can be used for meals, snacks, or people who drop by during football season - especially on the weekends. Here are two favorites of mine.

The first one, cold tuna macaroni salad was a recipe of my husband's mother. It is a favorite of his, quick easy, economical and delicious:

TUNA MACARONI SALAD

1 pound of elbow macaroni, cooked, according to directions, rinsed
in cold water, drained
1 Cup mayonnaise
1 Large jar of salad olives (green, pitted)
3 cans of tuna

l. Cook macaroni as directed, rinse in cold water, drain
2. Add 3 cans of drained tuna in flakes
3. Drain jar of olives (can dice, if preferred) and add to salad
4. Add and mix thoroughly, 1 cup of mayonaise

Optional: 1 cup diced green pepper
3/4 Cup of diced onion
3/4 cup of diced celery
Or add: garlic salt
basil
onion salt
celery salt

It is delicious plain - that's the way we like it - Chill and serve.

The second recipe is Mom's Chile con Carne> This was always a family favorite in our house.

CHILE CON CARNE

1 Pound Chopped beef meat
1 Large can Campbell's tomato soup
3 cans of Goya dark red kidney beans (this is what I use)
1 diced lg. green pepper
1 diced white or yellow onion
salt, pepper to taste
3 Tbs. chile powder (what I use , to your taste)

1. In large frying pan, brown chopped meat, add salt and pepper
2. Add diced green pepper and onion, cook into meat
3. Add and mix Campbell's tomato soup
4. Drain and add the kidney beans, stir
5. Add chile powder
6. Cover and simmer at least 14-30 minutes

Serve hot .

I hope you enjoy these recipes and have them on hand for a busy football weekend or a quick meal anytime. God Bless You.

Lady of Light









Thursday, January 10, 2008

The Substance of Mike Huckabee


After doing my article yesterday about being more informed, I have decided to write about Mike Huckabee as quoted from his website on a series of political issues in the hopes that you will be more informed about some of his positions after reading this blog.

SECURE AMERICA PLAN

Huckabee has a nine point strategy to enforce immigration law to lower the illegal immigration population:

1. Build the fence by 7/2010.
2. Increase border control.
3. Prevent Amnesty
4 Enforce law on employers
5. Establish an economic border
6. Empower local authorities
7. Ensure Document Security
8. Discourage Dual Citizenship
9. Modernize Process of Legal Immigration

SANCTITY OF LIFE

In simple terms, Huckabee is basically a "right to lifer".

FAITH AND POLITICS

"My faith is my life. It defines me . My faith doesn't influence my decisions. It drives them."

This is a definite indicator that Huckabees Christianity will strongly influence the presidency and this should be kept in mind. In an article on THE POLITICAL MACHINE today, it was stated that Huckabee, who professed to have a Theology Degree, never completed that degree and he used this statement about himself to strengthen his position in various situations. Did his faith help him make the decision to misrepresent himself to the American people? I would rather have Joel Osteen who, lacking in formal bible education, freely and openly admits this and simply continues to do what he does as "who he really is". An HONEST man who is doing the work of God as he believes he is called. (See previous stories on Joel Osteen). We must be cautious about someone who tries to elevate himself by misrepresenting his qualifications. If he would misrepresent himself on this, what else is going on with him? Will we find out later that he doesn't really represent these positions on the issues as he claims? It has made me a bit cautious.

VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS

Hukabee believes in having a bill that will address issues that are not currently being handled properly.

EDUCATION AND THE ARTS

Test scores rose dramatically in Arkansas when Huckabee was Governor because of education reforms

Huckabee believes that children should have what he refers to as "Weapons of Mass Instruction" in both Art and Music.

As Governor of Arkansas, Huckabee passed landmark legislation to provide music and art instruction by certified teachers in grades 1 - 6 for 40 minutes per week.

As Chairman of Education and Arts Commission of the States, he promoted benefits of art in 50 states - "The Arts: A Lifetime of Learning"


HEALTHCARE

Huckabee believes that we don't need universal healthcare.

He will reduce healthcare from 17% to 11% , saving 700 billion dollars--twice the National deficit.

Huckabee believes in a consumer based system, not socialized medicine.


MARRIAGE

Huckabee states, "I support and have consistently supported passage of the federal constitutional amendment that defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman."

Since we know that other types of marriages exist in this country, this could pose a problem for gays and those in the transgender community. Though some may aggree with Huckabee that this is the definition of marriage, can we ignore the rights and freedoms of those who think or live otherwise?


NATIONAL SECURITY/FOREIGN POLICY:IRAQ

Huckabee states, "Iraq is a battle in our generational, ideological war on terror."

"I am focused on winning. Withdrawal (from Iraq) would have serious consequences and horrific humanitarian consequences for the Iraquis."

Huckabee accuses the Democrats as being "in delusional denial that Iraq is a war of terror."

I would be interested to hear the comments of some Democrats on this.

ENERGY

Huckabee states "The first thing I will do as President is to send Congress my comprehensive plan for energy independence."

"We have to explore, we have to conserve, and we have to pursue all avenues of alternative energy - nuclear, wind , solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel, and biomass."

This sums up some of the issues as stated by Huckabee in his own words. His tax plan sounded so radical to me that I would recommend you read it for yourself on his website. I am not well versed on all of the tax plans and I am wise enough NOT to say I completed my CPA when I did not!











Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Let's Vote For A Qualified Candidate in Election 2008


Today I would like to respond to an article on world net daily.com called Religion Vs. Race written by California talk radio host Barbara Simpson. I am in total agreement with her sentiments that we don"t want to vote based on religious or racial attitudes and beliefs.

This is a most unique presidential race because so many of the candidates have things that stand out about them that are not simply qualifications to run the country. Do we want a WOMAN president? A MORMON? A BAPTIST PREACHER? or a BLACK MAN? I want the person who is best qualified to run this country and I think Tommy Christopher, on THE POLITICAL MACHINE has handled the topic of candidates very well by simply clarifying the political platform of each candidate in the hopes that people can vote more intelligently.

Edwards is the only one who doesn't seem to have something about him that stands out like a sore thumb and also, as Tommy Christopher said, a most reasonable platform.

Are people really selecting a candidate because they are more interested in their self- image (not a racis, a God-fearing Evangelical)? That is no reason to vote for anyone. I would suggest that the media cooperate in giving the American people the perspective that they need in order to back the person who would best do the job.

I don"t think that anyone who didn't vote for Obama is a racist. He is not the only candidate. I think this whole political scene is getting out of hand and Tommy Christopher is one of the few reporters who has tried to keep a right perspective on the election. The media influences people and has a duty to do better than to try to ascribe motives to the people who have done the voting so far in the primaries.

I liken the media to the Lions roaring when King Nebuchadnezzar sent Daniel to the Lion's den. If you remember the account in the book of Daniel, God closed the mouths of the Lions and sent an angel to protect Daniel. So there is hope that the media can do a turnaround and encourage the American people to vote for a candidate based on their honesty, integrity and perceived ability to run the country. ''

I hope this clarifies my position. I welcome your comments and encourage you to read The Political Machine - Posts by Tommy Christopher and Elections: 2008 by Barbara Simpson on Worldnet daily.com.

Have a great day and stay informed of the exciting goings on in the race. McCain and Hillary have won in New Hampshire - Hillary is no surprise because the newspapers there all endorsed her.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

God Will Establish Us

Now we are actually into the second week of the New Year and have begun to attempt to live out our resolutions. Somehow we plan to improve ourselves, our lives, our relationship with God, our relationship with others, our involvement in the church and community, and our careers and jobs as well.

If you have been reading my posts, you can see I have made a commitment to quite a few changes and quite a few things. It's not easy to "teach an old dog new tricks" but the bible says, thank God, "All things are possible with God." In this same vein, I want to introduce a verse from Psalm 90:17.

"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."

This is perhaps a prayer of David because he knows that if the beauty of God be upon us - that is we do things to bring honor and glory to God, our works will be established. We must commit each and every plan to Him in order to know that we will have the supernatural power that is necessary to make consistent changes, improvements and accomplishments in our life.

One of the sure ways to accomplish new things is to pray and set goals on faith. We can do this as we know that God will establish us if we are behaving according to His will. Certainly God loves us and wants us to be healthy, have healthy relationships and to prosper in all that we do. We are so very fortunate to have a loving heavenly Father who hears and answers our prayers.

Let's be like David, and ask for the beauty of God to be upon us and for God to establish the work of our hands.

I wish God's blessing upon you as you will to carry out new plans and make new changes in
2008;

I will speak more about my progress and experiences in future posts.

Lady of Light

Monday, January 7, 2008

The Powers That Be

Time is moving along fast. We have entered into 2008, and in just 11 months we will be electing a new president. Tommychristoopher and my favorite candidate, Senator Christoopher Dodd, has withdrawn from the race after making less than 1% in Iowa. Well, I am glad that he is a Senator, in a position to do things to "make a difference" anyway. He is young enough that he could run for president in the future.

Nevertheless, we do need to be concerned about what happens in our country and maybe we don't have full control over who is elected, but we have a responsibility to pray for our leaders each and every day. This may sound like a little thing with all that is going on in the world, but asking God to give wisdom to those in control is very important.

In the book of Romans, Chapter 12, verse one, it tells us the following:

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For these is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." We see many examples of this in the Old Testament - how God elected and guided the Kings and rulers.

Not only do we have a responsibility to inform ourselves about the candidates, but to faithfully pray for those already in authority and the "powers that be." This is because we know that ultimately, God is in control.

If you continue to read Tommychristopher on The Political Machine (he is doing an excellent job of writing about each candidate's platform and informing us of what is going on) and continue to pray for those already in authority, you are doing your part in participating in the running of this country and preparing for the election.

I am going to be more diligent in prayer and continue to become more informed about all the happenings with the candidates and I am going to ask God for wisdom about who to vote for in November.

I wish you good luck with your prayers and political research and I will continue to have some articles on newsworthy political events several times a week.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Welcome To My Guest Poet

Lady of Light

Today I have invited a guest to join me on Lady of Light. Sundays, as I mentioned will be poetry day. Here is a poem by DianeLynneBroda which I hope you will enjoy:

BIG BEAUTIFUL LORD GOD

A step outside my door ... How could I ever ask for more?

A carpet of emerald green grass ... What class!
Elegantly clad trees galore ... You I just adore!
A tiny octagonal leaf ... Its exquisiteness is beyond belief!
One little azalea flower ... Yours is such a sweet loving Power!
A soft blue white puffy cloud ... I, a part of Your Magical Realm, am so proud!
The majesty of the oceans ... the mountains ...
the valleys ... the plains ... the sky ...
OH MY!
Wind or sun, rain or snow ...
What a Fairyland for Yours here below!
A purring kitten, a singing sparrow,
A darling puppy, beauty of a bunny,
Our little playtoys! What wondrous Joys!

All the children of the Earth ...
The yellow, the red, the brown, the black, the white ...
What a Hand of Might!
Of the billions, not one the same ... Praise Your Blessed Name!

Your creatures and Your landscape features ...
ALL GLORY DUE TO YOU!
May every heart thankfully kiss Your Holy Hands,
For all You have put together in our lands.

BIG LORD GOD! BEAUTIFUL LORD GOD!
ALWAYS AND FOREVERMORE!!!

AMEN.

Have a great day! Read this a second time and meditate on it for a special blessing! That is what I did.
I will continue to showcase my own original poetry and the original poetry of others every Sunday.
May God bless you and keep you!




New Roads to Good Health for t2008

The first week of 2008 is nearing to an close and so it is time to talk about the last resolutions to be incorporated into my 2008 routine.

In trying to figure out a way to meet the FDA challenge of five servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables, I have invented a recipe with a new twist:

California Blend Recipe Mix for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner
( Makes six to eight servings)

1 head of fresh cauliflower
1 bunch of fresh brocolli
1 pound of fresh carrots
2 tablespoons of garlic butter (butter sprinkled with garlic powder)
(can substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil with garlic, if preferred)
1 package of sliced cooked breakfast sausage links
Optional: 1 cup lightly browned fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Preparation: 1/2 hour
1. Break cauliflower and brocolli into separate crowns and pieces
2. Peel and slice carrots
3. Put together in large pot of water with a teaspoon of salt
4. Cover and boil until done (about 20-25 minutes)
5. Brown and cook sausage in fry pan until done - drain and slice
6. Drain vegetables, add garlic butter or oil and mix in sausage and browned
mushrooms - sprinkle with salt, pepper, parm cheeze and cheddar as desired
7. Put all of this into microwavable casserole dish for easy futu preparation
of leftovers (reheat in microwave)

The benefits of this dish are that it is tasty, helps keep you 'regular", fights cancer and is also known to be brain food (incidentally, you can add fresh cabbage to this also). From a dietary standpoint, it is a healthy substitute for bacon and eggs, a bread sandwich at lunch, and a healthy supper or snack. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have!

To make sure fruit is included in the diet, even when you run out of fresh fruit or it is not available at reasonable prices, keep orange juice, and applesauce available to serve at meals. I understand V8 also has a new 5 fruit, 5 vegetable juice out called Fusion which my husband and I are going to try. j

In addition , I have become a distributor for a supplement company that has a miracle product which boosts the immune system 417% = so far my husband and I have had no colds, bronchitis, or pneumonia which can happen especially in winter. The company also has an all natural weight loss program which I am about to begin. My business partner lost over 40 pounds in 5 months. I an really excited about this. Anyone interested in this, please leave contact information on my comment space and I will tell you more about the products and the business opportunity.

I wish you luck with these innovations, and you can look forward to seeing either an original or a family recipe once a week on Saturdays in my blog.

I will report on the progress of the diet in the future. I am glad that it is a natural and healthy way to eat regular with portion control, avoiding soda and sweets, and using natural products. We'll see how it works out.

You have heard my resolutions toward a better life in 2008 - I wish the same for you! God bless you.

I also recommend joining AARP (American Association for Retired Persons) if you are 55 or over. They have an informative magazine and many benefits for seniors. For 2008, I have purchased very reasonable group term life insurance through them for my husband and I .

The last resolution is being more organized. I read an article that said to go around the house once a week with a bag and throw away 29 things - even if it is just a piece of paper or a rubber band! The other thing is to go around with a give away bag. If your giveaways are large such as furniture, bric a brac or clothing, you nearest Good Will Missions will pick up things if you call them. Being clutter free allows for increased creativity and productivity which is what I want to have in my life for 2008. I am sure you would like to have that too.

Also read more, love more, laugh more, take more photos, contact more people, share your love of God with others more - we all have room for improvement. I just started being more disciplined about lableing the back of photos in more detail so that some day whoever gets my ppictures will truly appreciate them.

Enough suggestions for today - I hope you will enjoy my poetry guest on Sunday. (Tomorrow)

Lady of Light
























Thursday, January 3, 2008

At Home Fitness for Seniors and Those Unaccustomed to Regular Excercise

Lady of Light

I do my fair share of walking, but it just doesn't seem to be enough to call REAL exercise. A few years ago, a friend gave me an exercise video. I started using it, and then it just sat and collected dust - I forgot all about it.

Now, I know that praying, making another New Year's resolution with a plan, and finding an exercise buddy is what is going to do it for me. God answered my prayer because I met a neighbor right in my building who needs and wants to exercise and doesn't have time to go to a gym. She is also a Christian and so we recently became exercise partners. (My husband even joins in with us.)

The video is good because it has a section for upper body exercises that are designed to do sitting down. This is great for starting out or when you are tired. In case if anyone is interested, the name of the video is "PrimeTime Fitness" featuring Beverly Harris. This lady is full of energy and the rhythm and music perk you right up. I know that sometimes, if you hear of something that someone has tried - especially a tired, out of shape senior who is just starting out, you might want to give it a try! The aerobic part is great too, just like dancing! Fun!

Remember: 1. Make a resolution (or set a goal)
2. Pray
3. Find a partner, if possible
4. Do it regularly in the comfort of your own home
5. Select the video or DVD that is right for you
6, Have fun

Good luck! And you can pray for me - I need all the help I can get!!
video Distributed by:
Delo Enterprises, Inc.
3000NW 126 Avenue
P.O. Box 8447
Coral Springs, Fl. 30075-4447
(Make sure you check with your physician to be sure the program is right for you.)

Living Out Another Resolution - Community Service

Lady of Light

In 2008, I am awaiting a new assignment for my volunteer service in the "Foster Grandparent" program. A community-based program which is part of Senior Corps. began during the Presidency of John F. Kennedy. We all remember his famous quote:
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

Well, I began participation in this program last year which is a few years new in my community and had the opportunity to work in the school with 26 kindergarten children with special needs. I gave 20 hours a week to one-on-one semi-tutoring and mentoring sessions with these wonderful children. I found them to be no different than other human beings, who need to be respected and listened to, and positively reinforced.

It was a very rewarding experience and while I was there I was invited to a reading celebration in one of the classes where the parents came to hear their children read their first books out loud (even with a microphone!) It was heartwarming to see the enthusiastic response of the parents- there were also grandmothers, aunts and uncles etc. in attendance. It is sure a miracle to see a child go from non-reading to reading a whole book! Experiencing our education system first hand and having a part in it was great.

Maybe you are 60 or over and would like to participate in a program like this. There are also several other programs for seniors to use their skills.

If you are not a senior, maybe you might be interested in Americorp. This program was founded by Bill Clinton and I participated in that program for a year before I was a senior also working in the elementary school - another rewarding experience, earning an education award as well.

I am a grandmother in "real life" also - I have four grandchildren whom I don't get to see as often as I would like. Being a "foster grandparent" helps me to feel involved with children when I am not able to visit my own grandchildren. (They don't live real close by.)T

If you want to follow my New Year's resolution to be involved in your community, look for the many opportunities for volunteering. The rewards are great and the experience is memorable.

In November 2007, thee Foster Grandparent Program showed its appreciation to us by having an awards luncheon with prominent political guest speakers, a harpist who provided music throught, a TV celebrity, and a talented local singer. There was plenty of food and fun for all. It is also great to make new friends as well.

I thank God for this opportunity - I read about it in the community newspaper and am so glad that I responded to the article. New doors are forever opening in my life ! This can happen in your life too if you look out for new opportunities. Good luck!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Tried and True Devotional Methods for the New Year

Here is another resolution I have incorporated into 2008 - to improve my devotion and bible reading times. I'd like to share this tried and true method that I learned many years ago and somehow drifted away from in my daily reading and devotions..

There are 31 Chapters in the book of Proverbs - one for each day of the month. If you read one chapter a day, you will have read the whole book each month. What great way to get wisdom! Then, if you read 5 Psalms a day for prayer and praise, you will have read the whole book of Psalms by the end of the month.

I began this once again on January 1st. As I read Psalm One, I realized what God has to say about prosperity or success. On Sunday morning, Dr. Charles Stanley pointed out that the bible is the real success book. It was a much needed reminder with all of the "success" books on the market. (Some are good because they use bible principles and references, but not all.)

The beginning of Ps. I says:
"Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly..." This means to me that to have Godly counsel is to go to God's word or to those who teach it and preach it.
"...his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law doth he meditate day and night."
We need to think about God and His ways and include God in all our plans and what will happen next?
"He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth fruit in its season.
His leaf will not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." So the blessed and prosperous man is one who understands the importance of thinking God's way and doing things according to the word of God. This is the key tl real success.

In Ps. 2, I was particularly struck by the verse "I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me upon His holy hill..." It made me think of how God heard and answered my prayers recently. To know that we can go to the Lord and he will hear us from on high is a great comfort to me.

I am sharing these things so that you can see what the benefits of this type of study and devotions are. I hope you will give it a try for a month and be blessed. Let me know how you make out with it.

Have a great day! Lady of Light

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Chris Dodd: Cares about the rights of Americans

In an article on Dodd's website, 12/3/07 "Dodd: President Bush is Shamefully Using Scare Tactics to Mislead the American People", he shows his respect for the rule of law and implores his colleagues in the Senate to do the same.
Congress is working to reform the Foreign intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
President Bush is not working with Congress, but threatening to veto any bill that doesn't give retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that may have violated the law by participating in the administrations warrantless wiretapping program.

Dodd states: "The American people have a right to know whether or not laws were broken and for those who suffered any damages in the process to be appropriately compensated. That is why I will continue to oppose any effort to close court house doors to the American people who believe their rights have been violated..."

I believe we definitely need leadership that is going to stand up for the American people. In looking at the history of other things he has done - for children, for seniors, affordable housing,
sound law enforcement policies, I like his priorities and what he believes in.

Interesting facts: He was the first Senator to follow his father, Thomas Dodd, into the Senate.
He came from a family of six children, and was in the Peace Corps. in Santo Domingo - he is also bilingual Spanish/English. In another article, he speaks about the lesson that he learned when in the Peace Corps. that "Diversity is power". He might have my vote, we'll see.

Happy New Year, by the way - one of my additional resolutions is to read tommychristopher and raise my own ( and hopefully other people's) awareness. You will see a news article or political article on my blog every few days.

Senator Chris Dodd is definately worth writing about.