One of the beauties of the gospel is found in its simplicity. I tend to be a very complicated and convoluted person. But I am easily frustrated when things are not simple. If I cannot understand it; if there are too many definitions; if it must be twisted and turned in order to fit, I deem it to complicated and either challenge it or leave it alone. But the gospel - God's good news, His true message - is true round about. Among the various writers of the Bible; among the different readers of the Bible; all those who are searching for truth and sharing the truth will have the same truth. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation . For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy ...

My new favorite statement. It is so powerful, and fills me with awe and wonder that God would be so serious about His people. What does it mean to be so close to God? It means that we will be the first ones who He examines before taking us to glory. And should we not be ready? Should we not afflict our souls that we may be found worthy of the bounties of heaven? This little graphic depiction of Scriptures helped outline for me all of the parables that were going through my head. "And begin at my sanctuary..." My mind was flooded with different portions of Scripture; and here they all are for YOU . I believe that no Scripture is of any private interpretation. Is my parallel accurate? Are there any discrepancies? Does it match all the way across the Bible? I pray that this work will be a result of God's Holy Spirit; and I also pray that this work will reach and touch your heart, and guide you into all truth. "And Begin at My Sanctuary..." by Gab...

Usually I share smoothies because they are simple, creative, and they can standalone as a meal. Today, however, I would like to share another power punch habit: nut and seed milk. We have a three-course breakfast every morning at our house. First we have fruit; next, hot or cold cereal, or chia pudding; and lastly we have some variation of a "bread" and "stew". Typically, we will have a "milk" on our cereal. My mom and I get pretty fancy when it comes to these milks. We just throw together some combination of nuts, seeds, and sometimes grains; blend them together; and serve. We sometimes add cardamon, ginger, anise, or vanilla, lemon zest / extract, and almond essence. Nut milks provide protein, iron, and calcium (though in minimal amounts). And it is much easier for your to digest and assimilate these goods because the nuts and seeds are ground and, in essence, taken with water. The following recipe is made completely from seeds, which means tha...

Every now and again, it is good to post some vivid colors and remind the world that veggies smoothies really are great. There is a critic for every cure, as I like to say. (Disclaimer: Absolutely no guarantee is provided, by this blog or anywhere else, that supports veggie smoothies as a cure or remedy for any disease.) In any case, I just thought that I would share some of the delightful smoothies that we have made over the past few months...    

Long time no see. =) Because I have neglected this blog for so long, I decided I should treat you with something special. Green smoothie, anyone? I would argue that this smoothie is more of an introductory one: -- the flavor is pleasant and sweet, which is perfect for a child being introduced to this for the first time. The baby spinach does not assert its own flavor, so the banana is dominant. Diabetics will probably want to cut back on the amount of fruit that is in here.  The Verdict: Delightfully mild and gently sweet. Easily assimilated and digested. (To assimilate  is "to take in; to absorb and integrate".) Spinach Banana Cradle  (Makes 5 twelve-ounce glasses) 1 cup of baby spinach 1 large carrot ( at least half of a cup when chopped) 1.5 bananas (they were frozen -- they could be fresh or both) 1 small apple (about half of a cup when chopped) 1 six-ounce container of soy yogurt (we used WholeSoy's Mixed Berry Yogurt) 1/4 pumpkin ...

This is a smoothie from a few days ago, featuring prized ingredients: I do not know very much about the health benefits of figs; but I love them! I enjoy black mission figs fresh, while I prefer Turkish figs dried. Either way, they are spectacular. I am aware that they contain substantial amounts of calcium (considering that they are fruits). Three dried mission figs provides approximately eighty milligrams (80 mg) of calcium. That's pretty good! Recipe 6 - makes 5.5 cups 2 cups of beet greens, stems, and beets 2 cups of carrots 1/2 of a lemon with some skin and all seeds 1 cup of figs Personal Take:  Pretty good smoothie. It definitely tasted like vegetables, though the figs gave a slight sweetness. The carrots impacted the color again, but it did not bother anyone. I left more of the zest this time, and you could taste it. Again, not bothersome to me or anyone else (I think). My mom did mention the thickness; I am going to have to use more water. =)

Each day brings more and more benefits. Do it for yourself, and you will see. ;) Here is the smoothie we had today: Recipe 5 - makes 7.5 cups  (why I made so much, I am not certain...) 2.5 cups of spinach with stems 1/2 lemon with some skin 2 large  carrots (about two cups worth) 1 apple 1 cup of mango Lots of water Personal Take:  This smoothie tasted more like fruits -- it would be a great introduction to the realm of vegetable smoothies. However, I've already been introduced. Also, we have been on a nearly-no-sugar diet, so this tasted rather sweet to us (it is amazing how one's taste buds adjust). Other than that, it was a great smoothie. The color was different because there were more carrots in this batch (it is usually only one cup). I still thought that it looked pretty though. This required more blending (hence the suggestion for "lots of water"). I was able to manage though, because  I used part frozen mango; and that kept the smoo...

Sunday: Daniel 2 Monday: Daniel 3 Tuesday: Daniel 4 Wednesday: Daniel 5 Thursday: Daniel 6 Friday: Esther 1 Sabbath: Esther 2

Sunday: Genesis 45 Monday: 2Kings 5:1-19 Tuesday: Ruth 1 Wednesday: Ruth 2 Thursday: Ruth 3 Friday: Ruth 4 Sabbath: Daniel 1