12.4 Earth - This is my Father's world

I thought I’d do something a little different in this “earth” post. I decided to share some songs that give glory to God and His creation.




I think you’ll like them.

12.3 Soul - Have a cereal smoothie - Its on the house

Hi everybody! You might not know about this, but some people have a hard time eating unblended food. People like me, with various special needs, it’s a necessity.

Here’s a recipe I came up with, using a blender.

Okay, so you take 1 banana, 3 ounces of Kashi Warm Cinnamon Ohs, 2 ounces of Uncle Sam’s Wheat and Flaxseed Cereal, and 2 ounces of one more cereal, depending on what you’re in the mood for. You can add your choice of liquid, a little at a time, until you reach preferable consistency. Warning, though, it can be tricky finding optimal consistency so it might be a good idea to find your desired amount and write it down for future mixes. Oh, and sometimes I snap off 2 squares from a chocolate bar and add them into the mix. It usually makes enough to fill two cup containers ¾ of the way. I consider each of these cups to be one serving for me. It may be different for you.

Hopefully this can help somebody out there. Have a great day!

12.2 Mind - Proverbs 12

Proverbs 12

1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid.
2 Good people obtain favor from the LORD,
but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.
3 No one can be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

5 The plans of the righteous are just,
but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

8 A person is praised according to their prudence,
and one with a warped mind is despised.

10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies have no sense.

14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
and the work of their hands brings them reward.

16 Fools show their annoyance at once,
but the prudent overlook an insult.

18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but those who promote peace have joy.
21 No harm overtakes the righteous,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
22 The LORD detests lying lips,
but he delights in people who are trustworthy.
23 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,
but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.
24 Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in forced labor.
25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,
but a kind word cheers it up.
26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

28 In the way of righteousness there is life;
along that path is immortality.

12.1 Heart - Love People People Love

Have you ever taken the time to think about what love really is? A lot of times, the media, TV and movies, paint the wrong picture about what true love is. Love should be about giving and not taking. And it's also about people. I've heard different times people say, "I'm sick of people. I'm not a people person." But we're surrounded by people every day! If we didn't have those other people, we wouldn't have people to build buildings, hospitals, provide transportation, etc. And teach us how to read and write and know right from wrong. It's God's love that creates such things. But I have to be honest I haven't done such a great job of loving people this week. It doesn't matter if it was early morning. I said some unnecessary words to my Dad. And it bothered me the whole day. It was such relief when he got home and I was able to ask for his forgiveness. I don't want to be that way, so don't follow my example. Don't take the people who love you for granted. Don't forget to take time out in your day to show them you love them. If you said something mean or harsh, take the time to apologize and ask for their forgiveness, if you mean it.

So let's take a look at this scripture. It's a great reference for showing us how to love genuinely. When Jesus spoke about his burden and yoke being light, I think he was talking about the burden of love, as it describes in the scripture as well.

1 Corinthians 13
Click here to read/Click here to listen

11.4 Earth - Renwable is doable

Have you ever heard of renewable resources? They are usually things that can be grown quickly without damaging the environment. For example wood for buildings and or flooring and things of such nature. Bamboo is one example of a renewable resource. To tell the truth I don’t know a whole lot about renewable resources so let’s see what You Tube has to say.

This video will remind you of school but I think it’s worth the watch.

11.3 Soul - Endangered Chocolates

Hey, are you a fan of chocolate? Yeah, me too! I just wanted to share with you this chocolate I found. It’s tasty. It’s called Endangered Species Chocolate. It’s all natural. And it doesn’t have junk in it like high fructose corn syrup. It’s got good stuff like Regular, some with Fruits or Nuts. Each one has a different animal on the wrapper because the proceeds go to God’s endangered species. If you would like to visit their site, follow this link.

Well, I hope you enjoy it someday. And I hope you come back again.

11.2 Mind - Proverbs 11

Proverbs 11

1 The LORD detests dishonest scales,
but accurate weights find favor with him.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.

7 Hopes placed in mortals die with them;
all the promise of their power comes to nothing.

10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
13 A gossip betrays a confidence,
but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,
but victory is won through many advisers.

17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 Truly the righteous attain life,
but whoever pursues evil finds death.
20 The LORD detests those whose hearts are perverse,
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
27 Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the one who is wise saves lives.
31 If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

11.1 Heart - You can't stand on quicksand

Here’s one of Jesus’ most famous parables, followed by some of my personal comments and applications on the same subject and how it relates to today’s world.

Build Your House on the Rock

24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

This parable is applicable to our personal lives, but I think the Holy Spirit dropped into my heart that it can be applicable to countries and their leadership as well. Take the United States for instance. It was founded on the rock of Judeo-Christian values. That means prayer in schools, Bible reading, etc. But recently, for the last 50 years of our history, certain people want to do away with our heritage and build our country upon weak sand, by relying on such falsehoods as atheism, socialism, and evolution. And look at all the crazy stuff like school shootings. These are some of the consequences of having sand underneath our feet instead solid rock. We as citizens need to do our part before it's too late.

I'd like to share something someone said about the recent earthquake on the east coast. According to this person(s), after the earthquake, the Washington Monument had no foundational damage, but there were cracks on the top in three out of four spires. I would like to think this is a possible sign or sign of the times. Maybe we need to make some changes in leadership in this country before the Godless decisions cause the cracks to travel all the way down to the foundation. The only reliable rock is God, His word, and salvation through His one and only Son. It doesn't matter where you live or where you're from, that's the truth.

Proverbs 1:7

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 9:10

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

But even countries that serve God, bad things happen to them sometimes. Just like in our personals lives, God will get you through it and help us learn from our hard times. But if you don’t rely on the Lord, there’s a chance your country won’t recover from hard times. Why wouldn’t you want to bless your own people, by trusting the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?

Proverbs 10:25

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but the righteous stand firm forever.

10.4 Earth - The Compost Post

Composting is a good way to get rid of food waste and help your garden at the same time. I don’t know a lot about composting so let’s see what You Tube has to say.

This You Tube video is short and quite useful for getting started.

http://youtu.be/0GgW74MGH8o

10.3 Soul - Coconut calories

I’ve discovered something called coconut oil! It would be a good butter alternative. I only weigh like 55 lbs (not by choice). I’ve been eating it to get more calories.

So, if you or you know someone who needs extra calories, coconut oil would be a good way to go. It kind of has the consistency of lard.

Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil

Here are some nutritional facts:

14 grams of fat

12 grams of saturated fat

120 calories

(serving size: 1 tablespoon)

Here's a link to the one I use. It is the unrefined organic one at the bottom of the page

10.2 Mind - Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10

Proverbs of Solomon

2 Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
but righteousness delivers from death.

9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
but love covers over all wrongs.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.

16 The wages of the righteous is life,
but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

27 The fear of the LORD adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.

10.1 Heart - I hope so

Some people may say, "How can making Jesus my Lord and Savior give me hope?" Have you ever been in a dark depression or a hopeless situation? Have you ever felt lonely? And thought nobody cared? Or do you have some behavior that you hate that you do? You go out and try to ignore your problem and use alcohol to drink it away, but then you feel worse the next day?

There's no way to get past these things with our own strength. But Jesus is the Son of God whose Father made the heavens and the earth.

1 Corinthians 8:6

6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

Do you think such a powerful Lord would leave us in a spot with no hope at all? When we accept Him, we acknowledge the truth and His existence and our need for him. He renews our dead spirit that was alienated from God. He gives us the strength of His Holy Spirit. He can light up the darkness. With the strength of His Holy Spirit, He can bring light to your darkness. He will be your King and your friend forever. He will help you to behave differently. That's what I call hope. Because the world will mask your problems but it doesn't really give you any lasting hope. Being stuck on medication or abusing your body with continual drug use or alcohol consumption and things of that nature. Watching movies or playing video games isn’t gonna bring you hope. They’ll just kill time. Going on a shopping spree isn’t going to bring hope when your family member is sick.

Let me show you what the Lord says about hope.

Jeremiah 29:11-12

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

Isaiah 59:1-3

Sin, Confession and Redemption

1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.

2 But your iniquities have separated
you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are stained with blood,
your fingers with guilt.
Your lips have spoken falsely,
and your tongue mutters wicked things.

The Lord can save anybody, but we have to make the choice to reach out to him.

John 1:8-10 8. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

I’m gonna leave you with this. A portion of Psalm 18.

Psalm 18:1-36

1 I love you, LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.

15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.

22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.

23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.

24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.

27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

28 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

29 With your help I can advance against a troop[e];
with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.

31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?

32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.

36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.

9.4 Earth - Energy Stars is Who We Are

Have you ever heard of Energy Star appliances? They use less electricity and help save money on your utility bills. Look for the Energy Star logo next time you shop for an appliance and you’ll save money and help the environment.

Wow that sounds cheesy but who doesn’t want to save money?

Here’s what the logo looks like in case you haven’t seen it.


or

9.3 Soul - Amy's Bakery

Have you ever heard of Amy’s Bakery? They make vegetarian frozen meals and cakes and cookies as well. I bet your first thoughts were, “Oh, gross, no way am I gonna eat vegetarian meals!” But you’d be blown away how good they taste. Not all of them but a lot. The Asian stir-fry is amazing. And they’ve got kids meals as well. They’re pretty good. I’ve tried a couple. Their pasta is really good.

So, I recommend trying some of their products.

Here’s a link to their website.

YOU GO, AMY’S! MORE POWER TO YA!

9.2 Mind - Proverbs

Proverbs 9

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For through wisdom[b] your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
13 Folly is an unruly woman;
she is simple and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15 calling out to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way,
16 “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

9.1 Heart - Seventy Times Seven

Have you ever had a confrontation with another person or met a rude individual and the first thing you wanted to do was give them a good lickin'? Well, that's the last thing we should ever do. The first thing we should do is calm down and ask the Lord for a peaceable solution. Because if you cuss someone out or beat them up you're just gonna feel worse and possibly end up in jail. Remember when Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers?

Matthew 5:8-10

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

But that doesn't mean let someone constantly abuse you and take advantage of you. Unfortunately you sometimes have to use violence to defend yourself or your family. But that should be our last resort.

That brings me to my next thoughts on forgiveness. Take a look at this scripture.

Matthew 18:21-35



The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

The point of this scripture is not to forgive someone a certain amount of times but at much as it takes. Because when we hold onto anger, grudges and unforgiveness, it can lead to health problems and sleepless nights. The Lord can help you to let it go. Why let someone else's stupidity ruin your life. Get that gorilla off your back. I reiterate, that doesn’t mean you keep yourself in an abusive situation.



I’ll leave you with that. But like anything, forgiveness isn’t always easy. I recommend, if you ever get a chance, read CS Lewis’ “Thoughts on Unforgiveness” in his book, Mere Christianity. They really opened my eyes.



May the Lord bless you and let’s forgive like He forgave us.

8.4 Earth - Follow the LED lights

Have you ever thought about using LED lights? They’re much brighter and last longer and best of all use less energy. They’re starting to use them in computers and TVs. Check out this video on how they work.

The Chocolate Bunny Test

8.3 Soul - Kashi

Have you ever heard of the food brand Kashi? It tastes really good. And it's actually good for you. They make cereals, granola bars, and a few microwave entrees. I really recommend the chicken pomidoro. Oh, look! Here's a convenient link to their website! http://kashi.com

The Chicken Pomodoro

Well, I hope to catch you later. Happy, healthy snacking.

8.2 Mind - Proverbs 8

Proverbs 8

Wisdom’s Call

1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:
7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have power.
15 By me kings reign
and rulers issue decrees that are just;
16 by me princes govern,
and nobles—all who rule on earth.
22 “The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26 before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was constantly at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.
32 “Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me find life
and receive favor from the LORD.
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
all who hate me love death.”

8.1 Heart - Amazing Grace

On this post, I’d like to talk a little bit about grace and what it actually is. Grace is something that only comes from God. He gave us the gift of salvation, which was something we didn’t deserve. We can’t work for it, because it is a gift. Jesus died on a cross and bore the penalty of sin for all of us, but didn’t stop there. He rose from the dead and showed God is above even death. He’s the promised Messiah of the Jewish nation and entire globe. When Adam and Eve were duped by Satan, man was cursed because they defied God and listened to God’s enemy and ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil. God eventually gave the Torah which contained God’s laws for living to man. But in and of ourselves, there is no way to carry out God’s laws flawlessly. But Jesus did. He was a pure and spotless lamb. He never sinned once. He fulfilled and completed the law for us. He lets us take His righteousness. So we could be forgiven, my Jewish brothers and sisters. If you accept Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah, you will still be Jewish. You will start to see Jesus as a fulfillment of Passover and a lot of God’s appointed feasts, because it’s not by the law, but by the grace, which comes from the Messiah.

Jews and Gentiles are coming to the Lord everyday, more and more, everyday. That’s awesome because that fulfills this scripture I’m about to give you right here.

Zechariah 12:

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

You may ask, “How does this fulfill?” Because people are discovering the grace that is in a relationship with the promised Messiah of God. So, right now, take the time to accept that Jesus is the son of God and that He died for you and loves you. Tell Him you want to be forgiven of your sins and give your entire life over to Him. Tell Him you want Him to lead you by His Holy Spirit, to help you get through life, the good and the bad.

And I’ll leave you with this last scripture.

Ephesians 2

Made Alive in Christ

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

7.4 Earth - Get a green thumb

Have you ever thought about growing your own garden? It might save money on your fruit and vegetable bill.

Short and sweet, catch you later!

7.3 Soul - Cuckoo for coconut cookies

Hey, remember when I told you about the coconut flour? Well, here’s a recipe for coconut (flour) cookies. They’re a little dry, as is, so feel free to manipulate the recipe accordingly. Or you can leave it the way it is and use it the way I do, which is to blend with bananas, cereal, and whatever base liquid you like like unsweetened coconut milk to make a mean coconut smoothie.

Coconut Cookies

Makes 18-24 large cookies

Preheat oven to 350° F
2 cups Coconut Flour
2 cups flour of your choice
1 tsp Sea Salt
4 tsp Baking Powder
Mix together dry ingredients and set aside.
Wet Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 organic Egg lightly beaten

Mix together wet ingredients and blend into dry ingredients. Batter should be stiff, yet moist. Using a spoon, form cookies and place on a cookie sheet. Flatten cookies slightly. Bake 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.

7.2 Mind - Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7:1-27

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

1 My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6 At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:
14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose
23 till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.

7.1 Heart - Small is big and big is small

Matthew 14:13-21

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

In the portion of scripture above, we read where Jesus did a miracle using a little bit of bread and fish. In the natural, there was no way that was gonna feed all the people. But when God get's involved, a little goes an extremely long way. I don't know why the Lord uses little things to do great big things. And the Lord does it with our bodies and our emotions as well. The Lord gave me an example of this in my life last night and today. See, I'm in a wheelchair and my body is really sensitive. If I don't sleep well, it really messes me up. And even more so when the next day is the day I take a shower, it really wears me out. And last night, I only got about 2 hours sleep. It was really uncomfortable. I usually sleep 12 hours. In my mind, I really wanted to freak out. But then I said, "No. Lord, I'll trust you." And now here I am blogging and I feel like I got my usual amount of sleep. See, the Lord will take a little and make it go a long way. He will do the same for you today and forevermore. If you don't know the Lord, turn to the Lord, and let Him turn your little into a lot. And if you do know Him and you're in a tough situation, call out to Him. The Lord will always give you just what you need. It may not be easy, but He is right there, and He will come to you if you ask Him to. If anxiety and fear try to creep up, ask The Lord, Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew), to give you His peace that is beyond all understanding. He is the Prince of Peace. He is peace itself. He Himself is peace. We as humans hate to admit that we are weak, but we are. When we try to live our lives without God, We become blind, pitiful and naked. So when we trust the Lord, the little we have, will go a long way. I'm going to give you some more examples from scripture, of God taking little weak things and use them to do mighty works.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

So you never know what the Lord’s gonna do. But it’s always for the good, for those who love him. So, I’ll leave you with this scripture. God bless.

1 Corinthians 2:9

However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

6.4 Earth - Hybrid cars

Have you ever thought about buying a hybrid vehicle? Some use solar power. Some are rechargeable and all you have to do is plug it in. I guess my point is, they’re good for the environment, using less gas, and less renewable resources, and cost you less money in the long run. The fact that they cause less harm on the environment should probably be reason enough. I don’t own one, but maybe someday I can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7p53u-DbnI