Sunday School Lesson..."Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27 Pure religion means: real, genuine, complete, and perfect commitment to a Christ-like way of life. We can apply James’s teachings to help us live a “pure religion” and be “undefiled before God.” James 1:1–4; 5:10–11=endure affliction patiently. James 1:5–7; 4:8=pray to God in faith. James 1:19–20, 26; 3:2–18=control the tongue and be “slow to wrath.” James 1:22–25, 27; 2:14–26; 4:17=be “doers of the word,” showing faith by through works.
Although I am miles away from being perfect in any of these areas, I testify that striving to become pure in religion will change the heart. Living religion more purely by being patient in affliction, praying to God in faith, mastering ourselves, and doing good works, helps one develop charity which is the pure love of Christ.
Praying For...I watched It's a Wonderful Life this week. I love that movie, because it reminds me that each of us is precious to God. We can touch the world for good or bad. True, we are insignificant in the whole scheme of things. However, God knows each and every one of us personally. If we but open the channels of prayer, we will find comfort and love waiting to be feasted upon. So...I started thinking about each of my children, grandchildren, friends, and my dear husband just as the people in the fictitious prayer scene thought of George. It was a special sweet experience. This week I'm praying especially for Cole and Rohn. I'm praying that the leaders of nations will have their hearts touched with compassion and conscience.
Sound of Music...I simply love playing music now that I've changed my attitude behind it. As a prayer, it has meaning far beyond anything I've ever felt before.
Bibliophilia...Re-read Little Men and studied with Dr. John Christopher's School of Natural Healing. Re-read a bit of Napoleon Hill this week. While I like some of his ideas, the humanistic nature of his writings are a turn off. Certainly, money adds to security in life, but money and the pursuit of it won't make anyone happy--more comfortable maybe, but certainly not happy. Also re-read The Traveler's Gift, which sort of takes Hill's ideas and others of his time and puts them in perspective.
Thimble News...Made a simple A-line denim skirt this week. A-lines are fast and easy to make and comfortable to wear. I wore it with a pink T under a black and grey fair isle with a black blazer, black tights, and black mary janes.
The Herbalist...With a flat tire, I spent an hour outdoors in 30F weather. I tried to change it myself, but the car was on an incline in the mud. The jack would not hold, and I was forced to call AAA. It was so silly to go out without being dressed warmly enough, when a storm was blowing in. By the next day my hip and back were screaming. So I got out my heating pad, tucked myself in bed, and liberally used deep tissue balm made with olive oil, wintergreen oil, menthol crystals, habenero, arnica, calendula, St. John's Wart, and bees wax. I'm moving slowly still, but the pain is nearly gone. I can move enough now to scrub the tub and get into a hot bath. My body just doesn't like cold even though snow is a feast for the eyes.
Garden Gate...My first trays of greens, since I returned from Seattle, will be ready to come out of the dark to grow tall and green for smoothies and salads today. I'm so grateful that J bought me the book by Ann Wigmore, The Sprouting Book, a couple years ago. Even if I can't play in the dirt outdoors, I can plant my little trays and jars for delicious greens. Reading more Ruth Stout and her copycats. The copycats seem to be better at specifics, while Ruth is hilarious and inspiring to read.
Cuchina Fresca...Made a couple pots of beans and soup that will feed us for several days: nori burritos, chili potatoes, taco salad, Crema di cannellini, Fagioli all'Uccelletto over Polenta, Pasta Fagoli, Tuscan White Minestrone, Piatto Pavoro and Pumpkin Tomato Basil Bisque. Until my greens are ready, I'm eating miso soup for breakfast. With rice, homemade tofu, nori, and a few chopped veggies, it is a delicious and extremely low calorie start.
Pantry...I've been called as the Preparedness Specialist to teach women in my congregation how to be better prepared to thrive in unusual situations. I look at this differently than most people, and tend to eat food storage such as whole grains, beans, seeds, and nuts on a daily basis. Some I transition into fresh vegetables, too. I'm sure we'll make 72-hour survival kits, which I am determined to figure out healthy and gluten-free options. But what I'd really like to teach the ladies is how to use beans on a daily basis, cooked in a solar oven, to make endless and varied entrees. I'd like to teach indoor gardening and sprouting, too. Gardening and canning and growing fruit would be fun as well. I want them to catch the vision that creating and eating fresh whole foods is the "secret" to getting healthier, losing weight and really enjoying your food. I want to show them how to feed their families without processed foods, since real food is exactly what they should store.
Project Joy...This idea to look on the bright side, to see the glass as half-full, to find the silver lining is changing my life. For instance, a few things this week for which I'm grateful are my flat tire didn't happen out in the middle of nowhere and AAA got to me 5 minutes after they were called. And to top it off, Big-O in Cedar City gave me a slightly used tire to tide me over. They knew I already bought two sets of tires in the last week and showed me kindness and mercy. They have my business from now on.
Little Wrinkle...Lost my camera.....
