Uncategorized Archives • Page 12 of 55 • New Nostalgia

How To Find Contentment Psalm 23

{My Sunday Sermon Notes. Sermon by Pastor Bryan Clark of Lincoln Berean Church. July 20,2014}

Contentment is one of the best ways to live in the moment. Being content does not mean to stop dreaming or changing. That would be to stop living. Contentment is about wanting what I already have. What we already have is today. Don’t be focused on “what- if’s.

The Lord Is My Shepherd Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;  your rod and your staff,  they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me  in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil;  my cup overflows.

6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me  all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord  forever.

Written by David under duress. Life was hard. This was probably when David was fleeing from Absalom with Israeli army after him.

David was a Shepherd. Shepherding was at the low-end of the totem pole back in his day, usually the youngest boy would get the job. The Bible also speaks of the lowly shepherds who beheld the angels announcing the birth of Christ.

But..God also refers to Himself as Shepherd, and the Bible uses Shepherd imagery for the most powerful rulers of the day. They would Shepherd and would provide and protect.

The LORD Is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

I shall not want for anything. I do not lack for anything. Because the LORD is my Shepard.

When the LORD is spelled in all caps, it meaning is Yahweh–it is a personal God.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

Rest..green pastures. Sheep can be a bit dumb and don’t lie down easily. They are nervous creatures. It took a skilled Shepherd to find green and find pastures back in those times. It was a rocky, brown terrain.

For sheep to rest, sheep had to be free from fear. From enemies, from each other. From irritations..bugs flies. Well fed.

When all these things were met, then they could lie down.

Our rest is dependent on the doctrine of grace. “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. ” (Matthew 11:28 )

If our significance, belonging, & identity rooted in God…then we are able to rest in midst if storm. Notice it is not the absence of storms, but the ability to rest in it.

He leads me beside still waters.

Quiet water. Refreshment. Resting in the finished work on the cross. Here we find refreshment for our dry and weary soul. When you mess up, run to the ‘light room of grace’ for refreshment.

He restores my soul

Translated –he revives my life. Sheep are always at risk to themself. Sheep ‘cast down’ –lie on side in crevasses, hooves out to the side, they don’t touch ground– they then panic then roll with hooves facing up. They stay there and die within a day. This is why Shepherd counts sheep. When sheep is found, blood has run out if extremities. The Shepherd must slowly move them and allow blood to flow back. It took a skilled, patient and gentle Shepherd, to slowly massage life back into the sheep.

We get ourselves in trouble. We mess up. We go missing. He finds us to restore and turn us in the right direction. To revive us and get up back in the game of life. God is in the business is restoration. No fail is final. No failure is ever final!

Like sheep we have all gone astray. He leads us back to the right path. He gives us guidance and direction.

I will fear no evil. For you are with me….even though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death.

There is risk of dying. I have to I go through the valley and the good Shepherd goes with me.

In winter sheep stay down in the lowlands. When the promise of spring and summer come, they moved sheep from the valley through dry stream beds and took the flock up the mountain. The stream bed was filled with dangers and predators. It was a dark, hidden place. The valley of the shadow of death. The Shepherd is with them. He walks with them. He stays and will get them through. He is their protection.

Whatever in your life feels scary or uncertain, know the good Shepherd goes with you.

Your rod and staff comfort me.

The Shepherd has the necessary tools to get the job done. Rod symbolizes power. It was for striking and for throwing. It would protect against predators and even used to throw towards sheep to discipline them to stay on the path away from danger. The staff was used to grab and rescue.

…prepare a table and anoint my head with oil.

There are 2 different camps to what this means. It could continue the imagery of sheep. Oil used for wounds and the cup would be used for water to give to sheep.

It could be as a host for David. The imagery could show him finding someone to host him, bring him in, let him sit at their table. They would anoint him with oil…not a ceremonial act but the word in this passage is a luxury word. The oil would be used to comfort and soothe.

We are provided with what we need, in abundance, in the hour of need.

Tragedies & storms difficulties–this is why we need Shepherd.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house if the Lord forever.

The Shepherd is always good, loving and kind. This is the character if the Shepherd. Some days this feels abundantly clear and other days it is all by faith.

A great analogy: the premature, sick baby hooked to all those tubes and wires does not understand the pain, discomfort or why. The parent knows why –because it will give the baby life. The baby cannot understand. Same with us and God. When pain occurs, was cry out and ask why? He says to trust him and his good character and His unconditional love for us. Because his is God and I am not, I cannot see.

What does all this have to do with contentment?
We are always so focused in all the ‘what about’s’. ‘What- about’ this and ‘what- about’ that? Don’t be so occupied in the ‘what-about’s’. You could be so caught up in ‘someday’ that you miss the moments today.

We don’t know if we have tomorrow. But we do know we have today.

The Lord is my Shepard I shall not want.

This allows me to think about today. I must not miss these moments today, for I will never get them back.

Rest in the Good Shepherd.

———————-

I Shall Not Want — Audrey Assad

From the love of my own comfort
From the fear of having nothing
From a life of worldly passions
Deliver me O God

From the need to be understood
From the need to be accepted
From the fear of being lonely
Deliver me O God
Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, I shall not want
when I taste Your goodness I shall not want
when I taste Your goodness I shall not want

From the fear of serving others
From the fear of death or trial
From the fear of humility
Deliver me O God
Deliver me O God

Drinks/ Healthy Eating/ RECIPES

Creamy Caramel MilkShake

{by Teniel Moore-Raw Foods Contributor}

Growing up I was always a sucker for a delicious creamy caramel milkshake.

So when I came up with this combination I was pretty happy with what I had created, and knowing it was raw, dairy free and no added sugar had me doing a happy dance in the middle of my kitchen.

This recipe uses some interesting raw powders that maybe you have used before, or maybe its something totally new to you.

Raw Organic Mesquite Powder {from package}

“This high protein powder has a great mineral profile with significant quantities of calcium and magnesium. It also contains the amino acid, lysine. Mesquite has a sweet, distinctive flavor with a hint of caramel. Its low GI if 25 helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. Mesquite has been used as a staple food by native American desert dwellers for thousands of years.”

Raw Organic Lucuma Powder {from package}

“An excellent source of carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals, Lucuma Powder smells divine and has a creamy citrus flavor. This exotic Peruvian fruit is known as the “Gold of the Incas”, and is considered one of the lost crops of the Incas.

Lucuma Powder is a very versatile and tasty gourmet ingredients in ice cream, yogurt, milkshakes, cocktails, cakes and desserts.”

I encourage you to try these and see for your self how sweet and delicious they can make your raw treats.

So get your blender out and lets begin:

Creamy Caramel Milkshake

Serves One

1 cup of almond milk

1 heaped tsp of tahini

1 heaped tsp of raw carob powder

1 tsp of raw lucuma powder

1 tsp of raw mesquite powder

Blend in your until combined and creamy.

Serve in your favourite mason jar and enjoy.

———-

Raw Foods Contributor

{Website}{Facebook}{Instagram}{Twitter}{Pinterest}

More posts by Teniel:

High Raw No Bake Oatmeal
Real Banana Balls

Raw Chocolate Slice

Do You Sprout?

Chocolate Vegan Creamy Ice Cream

Raw Chocolate Hedgehog Balls

6 Reasons Why You Should Drink Green Juice

Sugar Free High Raw Chocolate Mint Bars

Raw Gingerbread Cookies

Golden Milk

My Kitchen Staple-Sprouted Buckwheat

DIY Probiotic Coconut Yogurt
Carob Almond Joys

Asian Raw Noodles

Brunch/ Healthy Eating/ HOME/ RECIPES

Baked Banana Chocolate Oatmeal with Triple Berry Puree

Oh how I love my oats. I never tire of them, especially when they have chocolate in them and are drizzled with a triple berry puree!

This felt very decadent, like eating dessert for breakfast. It reminded me of eating chocolate chip oatmeal cookie dough, but doing it in a way that is grown up and sophisticated. The berry puree is the perfect accompaniment, and I just might have guzzled the left-overs!

Using berry puree as a topping in place of syrup, is a great way to get those antioxidants in to my kids, and saves money as they are less expensive than 100% maple syrup. Making berry puree have saved me many times when making pancakes, waffles and oats that I would usually top with syrup. Perfect for when you have run out of syrup and have a freezer full of berries.

Baked Banana Chocolate Oatmeal

(inspired by this recipe at The Oatmeal Artist)

2 bananas
3/4 cup of milk of choice
1/2 cup water, or more milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Berry Puree

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 8×8 pan or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mash bananas, and then mix in milk, water, and vanilla extract. Add oats, baking powder, and salt. Stir.
Add chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Top with Berry Puree (recipe below)

Triple Berry Puree

1 12 oz bag frozen mixed berries (I used Trader Joes Frozen Mixed Berry Blend of Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, & Blueberries), thawed
2 medjool dates (or more depending on sweetness desired), pitted

Pour thawed berried into blender.
Add pitted dates.
Puree until smooth.

A Little Bit About Blenders

My Very Favorite by far–Professional Grade High Speed Blender

Some of the best money I have ever spent!

Vitamix Professional Blender and accessories

Vitamix Professional Series 750

This is the model I have. I drooled over it for a couple of years!

It was a splurge, but worth EVERY penny. I use it 2-3 times a day.

It makes crushed ice in seconds. It takes almonds to almond butter in seconds. It makes the best raspberry fruit puree for pancakes and ice cream–obliterates all those little seeds into smooth puree heaven! We are eating 3 times the amount of fruits and veggies since purchasing this amazing blender, which I know is keeping us out of the doctors’ office and away from those expensive co-pays, so in my mind it has paid itself off.

Ninja Mega Kitchen Blender and accessories.

Runner Up

Ninja Mega Kitchen System

I’ve never used one, but have heard good things about them. They are not professional grade like the Vitamix, but the price is much easier to swallow and they are powerful.

Oster and New Vitamix blenders in kitchen.

{my old Oster on the left, my New Vitamix on the right}

Economy

Oster

I had one of these for years and it does the job. You can’t beat the price, and for smoothies, it works, although you have to blend much longer. You will still have chia and raspberry seeds in your smoothies, but if you don’t mind the extra texture, this one will do. If you have had a high-speed blender, you will not be happy with this one. If you are looking for something to get by until you can get a high-speed blender, and to just get those smoothies in you, this will do just fine.

—

What about you? Do you have a high-speed blender? Do you desire to have one?

HEALTH/ Healthy Eating/ How-Tos/ Nutrition/ RECIPES/ Uncategorized

11 After-Holiday Health Motivations To Get Back On Track

I don’t know about you, but it seems like after every holiday I am so very eager to get back to clean eating and taking care of my body.

Holidays are great for living in the moment and enjoying food, fellowship, friends and family. We eat differently during the holidays than we do everyday, and in our family that is ok as they are the perfect place for enjoying treats we don’t indulge in very often.

Today is the 5th of July and we had a great 4th of July celebration, but boy did I come home last night not feeling very well! I woke up with a sugar hangover and a bit of gall bladder pain which happens every time I have too many fatty foods.

Time to get my eating habits back to normal and get my body moving & feeling better!

To motivate myself, I go straight to my Health Tips Board on Pinterest.

Here are a few, some from New Nostalgia and some from other sites, that are getting me back on my familiar healthy living wagon. Enjoy & be inspired!

1. Use thirst to boost nutrition

How To Make Blueberry Iced Tea In 5 Minutes | New Nostalgia

Keep it in the refrigerator & drink copious amounts for health!

Iced Tangerine Mint Green Tea | New Nostalgia

Dr. Oz recipe to speed up metabolism.

5 Reasons To Drink Lemon Water In The Morning | New Nostalgia

The most simple and delicious way to be healthy.

Best Lemon Water Bottles | New Nostalgia

I use mine daily & could not live without it!

10 Reasons To Drink More Water | The Berry

Nothing like an infographic to motivate me!

2. Incorporate Superfoods in the diet.

Top Superfoods | Health Nutrition

So many amazing benefits to these foods!

Favorite Superfood Breakfast | New Nostalgia

A favorite breakfast of mine. Great way to get plant protein, fiber and ALA Omega’s.

13 Ways To Eat Chia | New Nostalgia

Chia is awesome. Just sayin’.

3. Get greens daily!

Favorite Cheezy Kale Chips | New Nostalgia

I eat these several times a week. They. Are. So Addicting.

The Awesomeness Of Kale | NEM Blog

It is fun to see WHY it is so good to get kale into the diet.

Ziplock Freezer Smoothie Packs | New Nostalgia

An amazing way to speed up the daily green smoothie process.

4. Choose Plant Protein Over Animal Protein

12 Favorite Food Sources Of Protein + 39 Plant Based Recipes | New Nostalgia

5. Eat the rainbow

Easy Way To Eat Your Vegetables All Week | New Nostalgia

If they are washed, cut, cold & stored in a way that is easy to grab, you and your family will eat them!

Vitamins Through Food | Tan & Toned

I find it super motivating to read what vitamins are in certain foods.

Nutritarian Way Of Eating | New Nostalgia

An ideal way to eat.

6. Natural sweeteners only.

Date Paste – A Raw Food Sweetener | New Nostalgia

This date paste is so delicious. It has a caramel flavor & is great on oatmeal or evening swirled into tea.

Other natural sweetener ideas? Stevia, honey, pure maple syrup, coconut sugar.

7. Healthy fats only.

The Amazing Benefits Of Coconut Oil -Topical and in Recipes | New Nostalgia

No more crap fats that hurt my gall bladder. Coconut oil is where it is at!

Treating A Gall Bladder Attack Naturally | New Nostalgia

I will be visiting this post as I still feel tender there today.

8. Move my body.

Yoga Sequence | Source Unknown

Yoga stretching makes the body feel wonderful in the morning. I am on cancer meds that make my joint hurt. Yoga is key to get me feeling young again!

Walk Your Way To Better Health | Real Simple

It is so reassuring that walking is amazing for you. I am not a runner due to the joint pain I mentioned above. I love to take my earbuds, stick my favorite podcast into my ears, and walk the neighborhood. Look at all the goodness a simple walk brings!

The Anatomy Of A Walk | The Gym

Daily Workout | Roses Inspire

Click through to see a great way to do a quick at-home workout each day. Print and hang in where you will see it often.

9. Remember supplements daily.

My Favorite Vitamin Strip | New Nostalgia

I can’t tell you how much I love my Shaklee! I took these supplements all through cancer treatment and surgeries. I know they are key to helping me heal and feel my best. Added perk? My nails grow so long and strong when I am taking them faithfully.

Best Vitamins For Kids | New Nostalgia

There is nothing better than knowing my kids are getting quality supplements. These are our favorite brand. No nasty fillers, artificial colors or sweeteners.

10. Practice detox tips.

5 Reasons To Dry Brush Your Skin | New Nostalgia

Takes minutes, feels great, exfoliates & gets the lymph system moving at the same time. Do before every shower.

Benefits Of Rebounding | Extreme Health Radio

Who knew a simple rebounder could be so powerful? I guess Richard Simmons knows best after all.

Detox Green Smoothie | New Nostalgia

So fresh tasting. My digestion is never better than when I am drinking green smoothies on a regular basis.

11. Review Food Rules.

19 Favorite Food Rules | New Nostalgia

These are a great go-to as a quick reminder of ideal eating.

———-

What about you? How do you do during the holidays? Have any tips for getting motivated to get back on the healthy wagon?

FAMILY/ Love/ Sponsored

On Father’s Day My Heart Broke For The Children

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of IKEA Foundation for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Today is Father’s Day, and although I sit here feeling so very blessed with the amazing men in my life whom I get to call Dad, Dad-in-Law, & Husband, my mind is also somewhere else.

I’m thinking of a story of a boy named Tejas that I recently read about. Tejas is a 10 year old boy who was forced to leave school and work in the cotton fields in India alongside his parents to supplement the family’s US $1.67 a day earnings.

With today being Father’s Day, wonder what it is like to be Tejas Dad. I wonder how it would feel to watch your own child labor all day, to sacrifice your son’s childhood to put food on the table, food that is barely sustaining the family, and to feel like you have no choice. I wonder what kind of relationship this precious 10 year old boy could possibly have had with his Father, when his days were spent laboring in the sweltering heat, enduring the unending chore in the cotton fields.

Tejas is not alone. India has largest number of child laborers in the world, with 13 million boys and girls, ages 5 – 14, relegated to fields, farms and factories.

This morning I just put my 11 year old daughter on a big bus headed to camp I saw her in the bus window, wiping her face, knowing her tears were streaming as she was about to head hours away from home to an amazing week of camp fun! She is super excited, but the tears were nervous tears, as she is attending camp this year without the company of her older sister. My husband and I stood waving until the bus drove away, both of us feeling like a little piece of our heart drove away with it. No parent wants to see their kid sad. We naturally all want to do whatever we can to make them feel safe, protected and find their smiles again.

My girl was wiping tears that I know will very soon disappear as she has lots of fun, smiles and laughter. I think of Tajas, and can imagine the little one wiping his face, too, wiping sweat from his brow as he worked along side his Father, and I wonder if tears mix with that sweat, or if he just accepted the work as a way of life. Either way, my heart breaks for him, and not just for him, but for over 13 million boys and girls, ages 5-14, relegated to fields, farms and factories.

My 3 girls are in that age range, and I can’t even bring myself to imagine them in the place of those sweet kids. Right this minute, while I sit here drinking my coffee in my air conditioned home, in this very day and age, so many, many children are laboring.

Something must be done.

June 12 was World Day Against Child Labor, and I am honored to use this space to get the word out about the IKEA Foundation and its partner Save the Children. They unveiled a $7 million program to protect 790,000 children living in cotton communities in India.

The effort is the second phase of a long-term program which aims to keep children out of cotton fields, and in classrooms where they can learn, play, grow and develop and be children. Phase I of the program reached more than 600,000 children in India! That is amazing.

The above picture of Tajas family is exactly why I wanted to help spread the word. Today, thanks to a Child Protection Committee established in his village through Save the Children and the IKEA Foundation Child Labor initiative, Tejas goes to school regularly and he aspires to become a police officer. Even Tejas’s mother joined a program-instituted self-help group in the village, where she learned why it’s important for children to go to school and how to save money for Tejas’s schoolbooks.

Why specifically the IKEA Foundation?

~ their approach is holistic. They aim to improve opportunities for children and youth in the world’s poorest communities but funding long-term programs that can creates long-lasting change.

~they work strategically with strong IKEA Foundation Partners, and use an innovative approach for huge results in 4 key areas of a child’s life:

*a place to call home

*a healthy start in life

*a quality education

*a sustainable family income

~currently funded programs are benefiting an estimated 100 million children.

~more than 10,000 migrant children moved back into their home communities thanks to the IKEA Foundation

~nearly 2,000 teachers trained & improved school enrollment rates in participating villages

~1,866 Anganwadi (health, education) workers trained in teaching practices, giving each village in the program a skilled community worker

IKEA Foundation video

Will you help me spread the word? You can like the IKEA Foundation Facebook to keep in touch with all that they are doing and easily spread awareness to your friends and family. Social channels is a GREAT way to quickly spread the word, but we need your help to do that. Join me!

Gardening/ Uncategorized

Square Foot Garden 2014

I have been in gardening heaven lately. My Mother-in-Law came and weeded all my landscape beds which left me time to do the fun stuff–like get my square foot garden going! Our little yard is slowly becoming a fun haven for our family, and this year we have spent more time than ever out there. I’ve even been napping in our new hammock.

I’d like to encourage you to do what you can with what you have. You don’t need a huge yard or perfect grass to create an outdoor space to spend time in. Just mow and clean it up. Add touches of comfort slowly, and let go of perfection.

My yard is so small that I didn’t think I’d have room for a garden, but thanks to square foot gardening, I am able to grow lots of herbs and vegetables for my family. We have 2 4×2 beds–yep, super small–but you won’t believe what I can fit in there!

Our SFG’s are in a landscape bed along the east side of our house. It has been a great spot, and uses space that would otherwise go un-used.

Square foot gardening is amazing and so very easy. Weeding is almost nonexistent in a SFG, I’ve had mine for 5 years now and I’ve pulled maybe a handful of weeds in that amount of time…no joke! Watering is also very minimal. The key is the soil mixture, I followed the Square Foot Gardening book to a T and it has been amazing.

Here is what happened in the garden in the month of May, 2014:

Planted Mid-May

Kale – 8

Swiss Chard -8

Basil -1

Dill-1

Planted-Late May

Tomatoes -3

Cucumber -1

Summer Squash -1

Mini Pumpkin -6, going to thin once they sprout

I also have an herb pot on my front porch:

Planted Mid-May

Basil

Dill

Parsley

A Patunia for pretty

—————-

I used mint as the focal point of 2 of my flower pots, I kept the mint in its pot but took off the bottom, hoping the sides of the pot will help contain it as mint can be a bully & space hog!

Planted Mid-May

Mint

I used what I have for plants that are going to vine (squash, pumpkin, cucumber & tomatoes–not yet planted in above pic. I have a pallet for them to grow up on, a nearby fence, tomato cages, and a part of our old swing set turned on it’s side. I will tie up the plants as needed, using strips cut from an old pair of tights I have or just use some jute.

I am eager to share with you how much the garden has already grown…the leaves of the plants in pics above are about 3 times the size already! I will do a June garden update soon!

——–

What are you growing? Is there anything keeping you from quality time in the yard?

GF, Vegan & Raw/ Healthy Eating/ Meals/ RECIPES

Asian Raw Noodles

{by Teniel Moore-Raw Foods Contributor}

I adore asian flavors, so I was so happy to come up my raw version of asian style noodle salad. This is a delicious and refreshing salad using kelp noodles as the base.

Salad Ingredients:

1 pack kelp noodles (see below)

1 zucchini spiralled

1 carrot spiralled (optional)

1/2 corn cob raw

1/4 red capsicum sliced finely

lots of fresh coriander/ cilantro stem and all chopped finely

red chilli for garnish

1 large spring onion sliced on an angle

crushed cashews for garnish

black sesame seeds for garnish

Sauce Ingredients: