1/19/06 END OF SPEAR, EATING HABITS, TIPS & TRICKS, HUMOR, HOPE
Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman
The story begins in 1956, when five Christian missionaries (Jim Elliot was among them) gave their lives in an Ecuadorian jungle, attempting to bring the gospel to the Waodani stone-age people. At that time they were the most violent tribe on Earth -- and yet they became the most loving and peaceful!
The missionaries made friendly contact, but something went terribly wrong. The Waodani speared them to death. A tragedy? Yes, but God turns everything to good, for the blessing of many and for His glory, and this was no exception.
God used this tragedy to motivate more people to become missionaries than any other event in modern history -- perhaps ever. He also used two women to complete the work of the five martyred missionaries, bringing the Waodani to himself. So the deaths of those five men did more to advance the kingdom of God than their lives ever could.
God's ways are so great! But the story doesn't end there. It seems God is about to use the tragedy that happened 50 years ago to help hundreds of thousands -- maybe millions -- to come to know Christ in our day, using The End Of The Spear. It is a major motion picture (production cost $12 million) that tells the story of God's grace from the perspective of the Waodoni.
Beginning January 20, End Of The Spear will be shown in theaters across the United States. If it does well it will be accepted by many other theaters, but it must do well right from the start.
This is where you and I come in. We can make the film do well. Our prayers can make it prosper, and also we can do something to answer our own prayers. We can work together to get at least 100,000 people to see the film on January 20th.
How? Very simple. This e-mail is going to hundreds of addresses, many in America. Just about everyone else has American Christian friends. Our connections are endless! So, if each of us were to pass this e-mail on to just 10 others (some can share it with hundreds!), and each of them did the same, our goal of getting 100,000 people to see the film on January 20 would be reached easily -- and likely greatly surpassed! Just forward this e-mail to 10 caring Christian friends.
Making it even easier, great resources are provided. A Google search for "End Of The Spear" will yield several excellent web sites, including http://www.end/ofthespear.com. Then there is a special web site for Christians at http://www.daretomakecontact.com/. It offers lots of helps to help us promote the film and make it a huge success. You'll really get the flavor of the film by watching the trailer.
What a great opportunity to advance the kingdom of God in such an easy, non-offensive and effective way! By the way, the producers of End Of The Spear is Bearing Fruit Communications http://www.bearingfruit.org/About/. They have more plans in the works to advance the gospel through similar means. Find them on their web site.
First, let's make End Of The Spear a great success! Thank you for your prayers and participation.
Author unknown ~ Contributed by Maggie Chandler in Virginia
According to the Quartermaster General in the Army, it is reported that Moses would have to have had 1500 tons of food each day. Do you know that to bring that much food each day, two freight trains, each at least a mile long, would be required!
Besides you must remember, they were out in the desert, so they would have to have firewood to use in cooking the food. This would take 4000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long, just for one day. And just think, they were forty years in transit.
And Oh yes! They would have to have water. If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day and a freight train with tank cars, 1800 miles long, just to bring water!
And then another thing! They had to get across the Red Sea at night. Now, if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and would require 35 days and nights to get through. So there had to be a space in the Red Sea, 3 miles wide so that they could walk 5000 abreast to get over in one night.
But then, there is another problem - each time they camped at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of the state of Rhode Island was required, or a total of 750 square miles long - think of it! This much space for camping!
Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left Egypt? I think not! You see, Moses believed in God. God took care of these things for him.
Heres your water bottle, James! The eight-year-old snatched the bottle hard out of his mothers hand, and said, Give me that! A chorus of nervous laughter followed from the parents nearby, including the boys mother. James sauntered off, without acknowledging his mothers offering, or the presence of the other parents in the group.
We were attending a youth basketball game, and the hallway outside the gym was filled with parents and revved up kids. This kind of interaction between children and their parents is not unusual today. We all see examples of kids acting more aggressively around their parents. And unfortunately, we all see examples of their parents doing little to change it.
In a society with kids who are plugged in to TV, computers, and video games for record numbers of hours each day, its easy to blame our kids behavior on the media garbage that enters their lives. And as stressed out as parents are today, its also easy to turn the other way when our kids act in rude and disrespectful ways.
But if you do turn the other way from a teaching moment like the one James mother had, youll create a whole lot more trouble for yourself down the road.
We are our childs main teacher in life. We are surrounded by sarcasm, rudeness, and aggressive behavior. And we have the choice about whether our children become part of this kind of culture, or they adhere to a kinder, gentler, more respectful one. All we need to do is to commit to what we believe in as mentors for our children, and to follow through with right action.
In the case of James mother, she could track down James, and as soon as they were alone, she could tell him that its appropriate to say thank you when she gives him something. She could tell him its also appropriate to greet other adults that are in her group, and to make eye contact with them.
This can all be done in a calm and kind manner. It can be done many times each day, depending on the behavior of your child. And while it may be difficult and aggravating at times to follow up consistently, the results will never fail to show up in your child.
We must remember that the development of a child is always connected to the development of a parent. When we show discipline and patience with our children, theyll show it to us. When we let go of our responsibilities, our laziness shows itself in our children just as clearly.
Parents live in challenging times, but world peace still begins at home. Your teaching moments are waiting, along with your children.
Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC, coaches fathers by phone to balance their life and improve their family relationships. He is an Instructor for the Academy for Coaching Parents (http://www.acpi.biz), and the author of the Secrets of Emotionally Intelligent Fathers Ecourse. (http://www.markbrandenburg.com/father.htm) Visit his resources at http://www.markbrandenburg.com.
Have you ever noticed packaged products such as cheese that is labeled as a "food product"? I don't know about you, but that scares me. And as addictive as sugar can be, we're doing our kids no favors by teaching them to fill up on it at an early age, starting with sweet cereals in the morning.
In my prior life working in hotel management, I was one of those who grabbed whatever was convenient, regardless of how it contributed to the balance of nutrition that I needed for serious fuel. Reading a nutrition label was out of the question. Who has time for that? A food label is something the government required of food producers, and little more than that. After five pregnancies,
weight gain, losing my marbles while trying to lose the weight again, and aging ten years during the course of having babies, I have learned a lot about what we're eating and how it affects energy levels, clarity of mind, and sleeping habits.This spring, our youngest daughter was six months old, and I got tired of looking in the mirror and seeing the stubborn baby weight that wasn't moving on so easily this time around. Being close to 40, I know my metabolism isn't what it once was, so I also know I have to work harder at losing weight now. Armed with having accepted that, I was ready to jump in and do something about it. My doctor recommended the South Beach Diet,
but I'm not disciplined enough to follow a plan, so I adopted my own modified version. I have cut out refined sugar, refined flour, potatoes, rice, and other forms of starch. I have increased my protein intake, and I eat more veggies and fruits. Since that time, I have lost 23 pounds, am four pounds from my goal weight, and have never felt better. I sleep better, I have more energy, I can think more clearly, and my muscles have more tone and definition than when I was in college.As soon as I started paying more attention to food labels and magazine articles about
healthy eating for myself, I knew I had to do a better job of monitoring my children's eating habits, too. After all, if we say we want what's best for our children, why would we give them garbage to eat? So how do we get our kids to eat better? Here are ten things to try:1. Walk the talk. Eat healthier, and talk about it to them. Explain how food is like gasoline for a car; we need fuel to make our bodies run. If we put garbage in our tanks, the car won't start! If your kids see you snacking on chips and cookies, they'll be mighty confused when you say no to them to the same things. Set the example.
2. When the kids ask for a drink, give them water. Aside from the fact that it's much cheaper, it's much healthier than pop and even juice. (I have trouble typing the words "healthy" and "pop" in the same sentence.) Have you ever looked at the sugar content on the food label of a bottle of juice? Think of a pond that is nearly dried up from a lack of rain. The yuck you see at the bottom comprises a much higher percentage of the whole pond than if the pond was full of water. The same goes for our bodies. Staying adequately hydrated keeps our systems clean and fresh. If you anticipate a lot of resistance on this from your children, give them time and don't lose sight of the goal. The kids will get used to drinking more water and, most likely, eventually crave it! Another idea is keeping a pitcher of
green tea on hand. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants! Bear in mind, it does contain caffeine.3. Don't buy the junk. You can't eat what isn't there, and the same goes for the children. Instead, have things like bananas, apples, carrot sticks, yogurt, cheese, and nuts in the kitchen. Encourage a small salad for a snack, or even a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread and cut with a cookie cutter for some added fun! Don't even purchase things that are "ready to eat," like granola bars, fruit snacks, or packaged lunch meats. If lunch meats are a staple in your home, go straight to the deli and get it fresh. Kids love to be able to make choices; it helps them establish their independence. Be sure to provide several healthy alternatives so they can choose between them and not feel backed into a corner. Also, consider the fact that using food as a reward or a punishment can easily cause eating disorders, as adults will go back to the comforts they knew as children.
4. Have a healthy snack prepared and waiting for them. My kids get off the bus tripping all over themselves to get a snack. They are hungry after a day at school! And of course, if allowed, they would grab the quickest and most convenient item, which would no doubt be something prepackaged, loaded with sugar and sodium, and who knows what else. So think ahead, and be ready with something yummy and nutritious, to make sure they're refueling in the right way!
5. Take them to the grocery store and have them read food labels to you. You will be amazed at how much they pick up and will discuss with you later. Now is the time to get them in the habit. Recently, I offered my three-year-old son a banana, and he declined, claiming it has "too many carbs." It did not in fact have too many carbs for a growing three-year-old, but he knows the verbiage from hearing it around the house and at the grocery store!
6. Lunch at school counts, too. I am consistently shocked at how much food gets tossed and goes to waste at my daughters' schools, because teachers and aides can't possibly monitor every child eating every morsel. Take back control, and pack your child's lunch. This way, you can pack things you know your child will eat and also include healthy foods that you prepared yourself. If your child really likes chips, go for the baked chips. Instead of store-bought cookies, try trail mixes or even home baked oatmeal cookies, which have far fewer preservatives and chemicals. Crunchy veggies with dip and air-popped popcorn make great munchies, too. Instead of pre-packaged fruit in a sugary syrup, put a piece of fresh fruit or a box of raisins in the lunchbox. If your child has a well-insulated lunchbox, you can even include dinner leftovers that are nutritious.
7. Avoid vending machines. This is key as kids get older and are exposed to more of this method of finding a quick snack. Talk to your kids about what is actually in a vending machine. For example, we really don't know how long that pack of crackers with the spreadable cheese has been in there. How many preservatives does it take to keep it appearing fresh in the machine? Have you ever bought a ham sandwich from a machine? It may have been great the day someone slid it in there, but how about the day it drops into the "out" box. And how about the cost of it? Encourage them to think ahead and add a little something extra in their lunch for the purpose of snacking.
8. Take a stand against snack time at extra-curricular activities. It seems that every event, sport, or organization in which our kids participate, it's some parent's job to "bring a snack." This grates on my nerves, as anyone who knows me can validate. What is the purpose here? I've heard that it provides something for the kids whose activities fall around dinner time but don't have time to eat. Well, is it not the parents' job to feed the child, presumably something nutritious, either before or after the event? In my estimation, the snack thing takes up time, it creates an unnecessary nuisance and mess, it can get costly, it adds to a busy parent's burden, but most importantly, it's unhealthy! Most snacks brought to these functions are loaded with all the wrong things. Judging by the child obesity problem that we have in this country, I would say that this practice of bringing a snack to every function does not help the situation and should be reassessed.
9. Turn off the TV. Watching TV can lead to mindless snacking on whatever can be grabbed and shoved without looking. This lack of physical activity alone depletes the amount of aerobic activity a child gets and contributes to the obesity epidemic referenced above. Push the kids outside each day for some fresh air and exercise. They'll be ready for a healthy meal when you call them in for dinner!
10. Be careful of "energy" drinks and foods. Again, read those labels. Most likely, you'll find sugar carbohydrates make up the energy. First comes the sugar high, then the sugar crash. And the carbs that come from starch quickly convert to sugar, causing the same reaction. Encourage the protein intake, a more sustained source of energy.
11. Get sneaky. Most families have at least one child who is stubborn, or at least picky, about eating. I have five of them. This doesn't actually teach your child how to eat right, but as a last resort sneaking in nutrition where you can helps their growing bodies in the long run. Dawn, of
BabyUniversity.com, says she puts Carnation Instant Breakfast into her son's morning milk because she can't get him to eat breakfast. She also puts flax seed oil in for his eczema. Another mom I know puts grated carrots in her meatloaf. She's a close enough friend that I can tell her how atrocious that sounds to me, but she says it works for her. On that note, merely encouraging family dinner time has health benefits, as parents can have family time and monitor what kids are eating at the same time.Cheri, of
FabulousFoods.com says, "Get them involved in cooking, not only do they learn a valuable skill, they are more apt to eat it if they helped make it themselves. From early on, introduce as many different foods as possible. I think it's in the attitude. I have friends and acquaintances who are serious foodies and gourmets and their kids eat nearly everything, because that's what the parents do, and that's what they have always been taught."The bottom line is, grab a hold of the steering wheel on this one, and your kids will learn and benefit from it. Our culture pushes junk food and touts it as convenient, but it also causes cancer, heart problems, digestion issues, skin problems, weight problems, diabetes, and a myriad of other unhealthy situations. For more information on this topic, visit these helpful links:
Feeding Baby: This is a book review, but it's not just for babies, it's really for all kids and also has meals the whole family can eat! 5 A Day - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention - Empowered KidzMia Cronan is an at-home mother of five children, ages 10, 8, 6, 4, and 1, living in northeast Ohio. She owns and edits MainStreetMom.com, the magazine for modern mothers with traditional values. Mia can be reached at [email protected]. MainStreetMom.com is the flagship site of http://EMCWebs.com.
Want to know more about "Option Ultrasound" or how to donate so other babies are saved?
Analysts say communication breakdown is the No. 1 reason.
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0039089.cfm
Note from Lois: You may want to make a copy of these substitutions, then laminate and stick them inside your kitchen cabinet for a quick reference (with this note deleted).
Flours: To substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour, use 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose for 1 cup cake flour. To convert plain flour to self-rising, add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder to each cup of plain flour. As a thickening for gravy or stew, 1 Tbsp. flour equals 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch or 1 Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca.
Baking powder: If you're out, use 1/4 tsp. soda plus 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar for each tsp. of baking powder. Or use 1/4 tsp. soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk. This would replace 1/2 cup liquid required in the recipe.
Chocolate: To substitute for unsweetened chocolate, use 3 Tbsp. cocoa plus 1 Tbsp. shortening, butter, margarine or oil to equal 1 square or 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate.
Dairy items: If your recipe calls for sour milk and you have only sweet milk, measure 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar in a cup and fill with fresh whole milk. Stir and allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes before using.
MEASUREMENTS
The following measurements equal approximately 1 pound:
2 cups butter or shortening
4 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar (superfine)
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (4x to 10x)
2 1/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2 1/8 cups rice
3 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups corn meal
5 cups coffee (about)
2 cups finely chopped meat
9 large eggs (one egg is also about 1/4 cup)
1 square cooking chocolate---1 ounce
1 cup molasses---11 ounces (Most liquids are 8 ounces per cup)
Basic Measurements:
3 teaspoons=1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons=1 ounce
4 tablespoons=1 ounce
4 tablespoons=1/4 cup
16 tablespoons=1 cup
4 cups= 1 quart
4 quarts=1 gallon
JANUARY ~ After-Christmas sales of Christmas merchandise, winter clothes, clothing, shoes, fur, handbags, toiletries, tablecloths, costume jewelry, furniture, toys, dishes, sports equipment, appliances. This is also the month that most stores feature a "White Sale", which includes
most bedding such as sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and quilts.
FEBRUARY ~ Furniture, rugs, mattresses, curtains, bedding, china, glassware, silverware, housewares, radios and C.D. players, stereo equipment, and used cars.
MARCH ~ Garden supplies, luggage, spring clothing, infant's wear, shoes, laundry appliances, luggage, skates, ski equipment, storm windows.
APRIL ~ After-Easter sales for mostly clothes items including, men's and boy's suits, women's and children's coats, housecoats, and women's hats.
MAY ~ White sales, clean-up/fix-up supplies, blankets, women's undergarments, TV sets, handbags, sportswear, tires.
JUNE ~ Women's ready-to-wear, TV sets, refrigerators, fabrics, summer clothes, dresses, building materials, lumber.
JULY ~ Shoes, summer clothes, bathing suits, lingerie, sportswear, home appliances, air conditioners, fuel oil, radios and stereo equipment, rugs and carpet, summer sports equipment, used cars.
AUGUST ~ Furniture, white sales, camping equipment, housewares, lamps, coats, tires, lawn mowers, sprinklers, yard tools, barbecue sets and tools, air conditioners, new cars, paints, school supplies, school clothes, bathing suits, fans.
SEPTEMBER ~ Back-to-school supplies, housewares, bicycles, car batteries and mufflers, children's clothing, dishes, gardening equipment, glassware, hardware, lamps, paints, rugs and carpet, tools.
OCTOBER ~ Fishing equipment, glassware, hosiery, housecoats, school clothes, school supplies, silverware, cars.
DECEMBER ~ Toys, gift items, coats, shoes, party items, quilts, used cars. The day after Christmas is Bargain Day all over.
"Here's a copy of the service," he said impatiently. "But, you'll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances."
During the service, the minister paused and said, "Brothers and Sisters, we are in great difficulty; the roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected and we need $4,000 more. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please stand up." At that moment, the substitute organist played "The Star Spangled Banner." And that is how the substitute became the regular organist!
morning's Sunday school lesson was about. He said "Be not afraid, thy comforter is coming."
"You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven... "
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