My 3 year olds Vocabulary

My 3 year old has to be one of the funniest guys out there. Although a little tyke, he is all about cars, buses, & taxi's. Except when it comes to food.

Anytime you ask him what he'd like to eat he only and always answers with 4 different responses. 1) Fruit Salad, 2)Celery, 3)Tuna Pasta Salad, and 4)raisin Bran. What's so funny about it is he knows exactly what he wants, and knows exactly what he is asking for.

Don't get me wrong, like any other kid, seeing chocolate makes his eyes go ga-ga and he for sure asks for it, but I love that when given the choice, he asks for the healthy stuff first. Now, is it really so hard to have our children ask for this stuff?

I don't think so. If it is hard to avoid, then it is only because of our own teaching practices, and how we have taught them to eat and nothing else. Prime example: My oldest got upset with me one day after school because I did not include tuna in his lunch that day! How funny is that!

Now, with the cost of food steadily increasing due to oil prices EVERYWHERE we need to find other alternatives on where to buy food. Sure the grocery store is a great place to start, but in my city we have a place that sells their food to the grocery stores. Which means that it is cheaper for us to go there to get our food because we will likely not buy as much as a major food chain here in town.

I am not sure where you can actually find it in your city, but I was lucky enough to hear it through word of mouth. And I am so happy. Last time I went, I got 6 oranges, 8 apples, 4 lemons, 1 entire stalk of celery, and 2 bunches of bananas for $11!! Great deal, eh?

And so.. As with any child in the grocery store, my children like to tell ME what to put on the list. And they prefer to "order as they please" from the fruit and vegetable isle, and skip the junk food!

Spiritual Gift of Healing: Who does God heal?

I believe what the healing scriptures in the Bible say, no matter what I see with my eyes in this world. I believe God heals EVERYONE, not just some and that the work is already done (Hebrews 3 and 4). I think the problem lies with the receivers (you and me) not the transmitter (God).

As soon as Jesus hit the pavement in ministry, He made it quite clear that He did not pick and choose who would be healed and who would not based on religion, ethnic background, sinfulness or otherwise. If you think you are too sinful or have too painful a past to come to God asking for His healing, meditate on the following scripture.

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. (NIV from Biblegateway)

What this tells me is that no disease is too serious and no one is excluded. We know that Jesus was able to do this, because God lived within Him. When you accepted Jesus as your savior, didn't you invite God to live within you? I did. That spirit is growing within true believers and, if allowed to fully develop, will do the same through us as He did through Jesus.

Follow this series of posts on spiritual healing to learn more.

How Television changes both our Eating Habits & our Mental Health.

You know.. The funniest thing happened to me the other day. Now, I haven't had television in over 2 years. And yes it was a tough thing at first, but you get used to it after awhile =). However, now that I have the four basic channels (yes only 4!) it is amazing to see how things have changed.

I cannot recall the last time I saw something positive on Television. Granted it is there, but you have to pay extra for those. NCIS, CSI, Numb3rs, Survivor. All geared at the good out weighs the bad, and showing you the path that was taken to get to the end result. Don't get me wrong, I like a good show like anyone else, but some of this stuff is driving me up the wall!

More recently I watched a girl on Survivor pretend to floss her teeth with someone's jugular because she thought she had the cat in the bag voting him out. I am watching Numb3rs now as I write this and its story line is about a arsenic poisoning. Did I change the channel either time? No.

But how interesting how this is what is on tv and how we all ingest this. We spend literally 45 minutes of build up with stress and pressure, 10 minutes in commercials, and 5 minutes where the good guys rush in and save the day. No wonder people are a little less happy these days.

And what does it do to our eating habits? Well, if we are watching high stress, emotional scenes playing out before our eyes we are only going to react with the one way we know how. Some of us smoke, others eat. Even others don't eat at all. But for those people who eat rarely will it be an apple or veggie.

No, it is all the sugars and the salts. This does nothing for us nutritionally never mind how it saturates our bodies giving us a restless sleep and causing even more problems for the morning rush. So, how many of us are going to turn off the t.v.?

My bet? None. I think since the chances of anyone actually turning off the television to reduce their fat intake and increase their health is so slim to none that I am even willing to admit, that I myself won't do it. I think the best opportunity would be for us to change the way people see after dinner tv time.

Instead of seeing a chance to snack (which I myself am guilty of planning for in the olden days of course ;-) and instead of using this time to promote beer, and nacho commercials, how nice would it be to see an add for a local market instead. Granted the likely hood of that happening is almost as likely as the cost of gas being $.94 cents a Litre, but we can hope can't we?

=)

Are Food and Mentality Linked?

It is easy for us healthy food people to say that we can tell the difference when we suddenly eat junk food or a dinner out. It is like a small but nasty little monster takes over our body and changes everything. All of a sudden you go from a happy go lucky person who wants to take care of themselves and eats well to a well.. Lazy, unmotivated bump on the log.

Granted this does not happen to everyone. But ask a few of your friends what happens when they stop going to the gym for a few days or weeks. They'll all tell you they can feel the difference.

How does food fit in with all this? Well, eat better feel better be better. Water is often just the starting point. If you do not get enough in, then you can tell the difference as you will get sore more often, stop thinking clearly and probably not have as much patience as you would normally have.

So is food & mentality linked? I would say so. But what do I know, except that any time people I know over eat on the junk food, they feel like they have a hangover. Myself, I get migraines if I don't drink enough water, and I can totally tell the difference between eating right and getting enough exercise in.

Spiritual Healing Series: Walking In Christ

Walking In Christ is the fifth post in the Spiritual Healing Series. In the first post I pointed out that Jesus was authoritative and strong, and that we have the same spiritual gifts that he had. The second post points out that Jesus did not earn his gifts through legalism or religion, but through a relationship with God. The third post depicts Jesus and God as one. Jesus had spent ample time in direct training through his relationship with God. The word of God grew within Him until it manifested in His physical life. The fourth post explains one of the reasons why the spiritual gifts of Christ are not manifesting in our lives.

Since Spiritual Gifts are what we're after in this series, I will conclude with this post and this bold statement from Ephesians, Chapter 4: This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart... And, this from chapter 5: Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. The word imitators can also be translated as followers.

Notice that we are no longer to walk in the futility of our own minds. How can we do that?

It's clear that following comes before walking. Aren't we getting it backwards? Aren't we trying to walk without following? Thus, we fail. Our gifts remain hidden deep within us and churches are closing their doors. Non believers are choosing to stay that way, because we aren't offering them anything better than what the world has to offer; the futility of our own minds.

The spiritual healing we seek will come from seeking God and following God, allowing the knowledge that ONLY He has to offer replace the futility of our minds and soften our hearts. Then, we can walk as Christ walked; with all the spiritual gifts in Christ.

I am going to conclude this spiritual healing series with this huge statement: Be a God chaser. You can learn more about following in our Easter Story bible study, starting with Healing Words..

Spiritual Healing Series: Where are my spiritual gifts?

This is my fourth post in the Spiritual Healing Series. In my first post I pointed out that Jesus was authoritative and strong, and that we have the same spiritual gifts that he had. The second post very briefly points out that Jesus did not earn his gift of healing through legalism or religion, but through a relationship with God. The third post depicts Jesus and God as one. Jesus had spent ample time in direct training through his relationship with God. The word of God grew within Him until it manifested in His physical life.

Again, the Bible clearly points out that we have all the spiritual gifts in Christ, so why aren't they manifesting in our lives? Even those of us who study God's word, are struggling with this question. Jesus said that his followers would do greater things than He, yet it's not happening. Jesus also said "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish , and it shall be done for you." What? Is that happening in your life?

Even though Jesus was authoritative and strong, He was also humble. He humbled Himself and gave up His own desires allowing God to work through Him. When He preached the gospel, thousands were healed physically and spiritually.

There are many who believe they have already done this. They live in the mission field, giving up most of their physical desires, working daily to spread the Gospel. Yet, something is missing and I believe the answer is found in Hebrews chapter 3 and 4. It's a place called God's rest.

Jesus considered Himself "In God." He also considered God to be "In Him." In order for us to be "In God," we have to take our seat "In Christ." This is the only way we will be allowed to enter God's rest.

The act of including each and every believer "In Christ" is already done. All who believe are already there. Yet, they spend their Sundays trying to earn their way in. It can't be earned. It is only a matter of opening your hands, opening your hearts and receiving the gift of grace.

For most, this isn't as easy as it sounds as there is one more requirement. Forget everything you know (or think you know) about God. Forget the legalism, religion and theology. Start all over with a direct relationship with God and take no man's word over His.

Forget what you see with your eyes, forget what you've felt with your hands. Forget what is right and what is wrong. Forget what you have been taught about yourself! Forget the past and forget the future; no more crystal ball. Live in a second by second "nucleus" so to speak in direct communication with your Father God.

It will definitely require that humble spirit that Christ so obviously had.

Spiritual Healing Series: How did Jesus get it?

This is my third post in Spiritual Healing Series. In my first post I pointed out that Jesus was authoritative and strong, and that we have the same spiritual gifts that he had. The second post very briefly points out that Jesus did not earn this gift through legalism or religion, but through a relationship with God. Since this is the most important factor in this mini series on spiritual healing and/or spiritual gifts of healing, I want to visit that point again.

Luke 5:15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. NIV

Jesus was a God chaser. I believe that when the time was right, after Jesus had spent many years seeking, praying and studying God's word, he became full and complete: perfect - lacking nothing. God was actually living through Him because of this perfection. He had given over his life, so that God could live way before His actual crucifixion. The impact was this: An explosion of love, mercy, grace and healing literally coming through his pores.

You can read more on this topic here.

Spiritual Healing Series: Was Jesus Really Perfect?

This is my second post in this spiritual healing series, or mini series as you could call it, addressing what made Jesus so perfect. He was perfect because of one simple fact: John 17:20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you..." It was simply this: "...you are in me and I am in you."

We know from scripture that Jesus did not uphold all of the legalistic rules of the law. He even made the statement that he "ate and drank" meaning he did things the Jews were not allowed to do. Yet, he was made perfect. It doesn't make sense, unless you really look at the definition of the word perfect.

It is whole and complete. There was absolutely nothing missing. Now, Jesus had to develop and grow, just as we all do. When all was said and done, He was so full of God's word that it manifested in His flesh. The results were peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, spiritual gifts of healing...

It is time we stop holding ourselves accountable to the law and become whole and complete. Religion and legalism are out and relationship is in.

Verse 23: I in them and you in me. It is then and only then, that we will obtain the gifts we so desperately need in order to free the oppressed! Therefore, rather than seeking a spiritual gift of healing, life IN Christ is what we must seek!

Spiritual Healing Series

Spiritual Healing Series from the Bible:

In the four Gospels, the authors point out that the people were amazed at Jesus' authority. This tells us that he wasn't the quite, subdued, rather wimpy guy that many artists have portrayed him to be. He was strong, authoritative and probably very quick on his feet. He was a real man with human flesh and all that that implies. Yet, He was our example; the author of our faith. Why not take a closer look at His gifts and how He obtained them.

Spiritual Health Source is doing that for two reasons. One: Ephesians 1: 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. We know we already have the same gifts, and we aren't using them.

Two: One of the owners is sick. It's time to exercise our authority.

My next post in this spiritual healing series of articles will be about His humanity and His perfection. How exactly did this man become perfect?

Go Nuts for Potassium

If you don't want to go bananas, go nuts.

Most nuts are loaded with potassium and minerals (including calcium). Eaten alone or with legumes, they provide a good source of protein.

Nuts and seeds are also a good source of folate, or folic acid (helps prevent neurological birth defects) and iron.

These little gems provide Vitamin E, and many B vitamins.

Instead of chips and a soda, try going nuts. Kids love them with a simple glass of lemonade! (Oh, and peanuts are actually legumes, but you don't have to tell your kids.)