YOUR HEALTH, WHAT IS IT WORTH ~ TEMPERENCE

 

Part one on the 8 laws of health, you may want to define temperance and resolution,  the main objective for this page is on how to establish temperance in your life…….

I am posting this as a way to encourage those that feel they are a solitaire in this world, it is by a man who struggles with division whether in marriage, beliefs, loneliness, age,  children,  and  just plain relationships with the person sitting next to you.  These are his convictions and hopefully they will help to make you a stronger person also.  from my son Curt he writes……

in the most northern part of Canada, in  Nunavut is a town named Resolute Bay.   It is one of  the coldest inhabited spots in the world at an average temperature of below minus 15 and in the minus 40s in the winter.  It is always either dark for half the year or just sun the other half.  After World War 2 families were forced to live there to be able to claim  sovereignty of the land.  This place is probably one of the the most inhospitable places to live, there is even archeological evidence that people have lived there 600 years ago, I suspect that you would need the character and strength and temperance in order to live, let alone decide to move there.   It’s interesting to know that 86 percent of people living there are Christians,  Maybe the Bible had something to do with teaching  and building character, and maybe infirmities, reproaches and necessities could have  brought the people to Christ.

 
 I am going to attempt to trick you with a couple of  questions… Do you need to be strong to have faith and to obey God, yes or no?  The answer should be yes. You all have overcome sin, and obstacles, and have changed in some way, right?!   So you have all demonstrated strength. The question now is how many of you are strong?? tricky?? The world answers this in the affirmative, because they want to own their best moments. Why is this important to understand?  Well,  the Bible states its directives in its absolute state as a list of do”s and don’ts, but if we keep looking there are places it gives directions on how we accomplish these tasks.
Ellen White talks about being temperate in all things, this addresses our habitual tendencies - appetites, passions and  having abstinence. It infers that we need to make a stand on how we dictate our actions in every facet of our lives.
There is an ancient war cry in Hebrew the Israelites used in a time of war,  it is  'rak kazak'.   Spiritually it means possessing a resolute fervor, a resolve for the glory of God, tensing of the muscles, and also they used the word 'amats',  which is the confidence in victory before the field is taken. This means that we stand in power, in order to stand against the wiles of the devil. But we ask  then,  why in the Bible does God choose the weak?

Paul states… If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 2nd Corinthians 11:30
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people Psalms 22:6
"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”  Romans 7:24

I have deviated the context of this  slightly in order to show that there is a contrast in how we define strength from the rest of the world and that our actions can be defined by our pride. Our strength is hidden in our meekness and is not owned by us.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.   2 Corinthians 12:9

 Temperance is wisdom, and understanding, it is the fruit of the Spirit.  And like the lessons of Joseph when he was tested with honour and power and lust in the higher echelons of Egypt,  and Daniel  with his 3 friends when they resolved to obey God with diet and commitment to God’s worship, despite their peril, and then there is  Abraham who did not hold back anything in his life from God. The list goes on with bible characters that held their  devotion and confidence in each of their testing, we need to be resolved to be subject to God’s will in every aspect  and in every thought and know that the motivation for strength is in our weaknesses and that the Holy Spirit is our rak kazak, and we will know the fight is already won even when we are weak. 

 

WHOLESOME HEALTH DISCOVERY -  LINK

HERBS ~ THE SPICE OF LIFE

       

 Foraging and Gathering 

 

      

 

THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS:   

These bible verses are an exciting portrayal of heaven's pantry where all the freshness of foods will come from,  the water that flows from the sanctuary where God himself dwells, those that were hungry will always be supplied from the fruits, trees and those from the ground that grow there.   

Going into the forest is rather daunting to some of us for fear of getting lost or seeing wild animals, but somethings do grow right here in our back yards.  You might find things like cranberries, onions, spruce tips, huckleberries, blueberries, mushroom, yarrow, hazelnuts, morals,  goldenrod,  cat tails and the list could be quite lengthy once you think about it.  

An interesting blog to look thru.... 40 Wild Plants You Can Turn to Flours

Genesis 1:29  

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.

Even the birch tree is a whole food  as its bark can be used in the same form as can nuts and grains, acorns, millet, buckwheat groats,  to grind down to flours and used in combinations to make palatable dough!!!  Well I have been doing lots of surfing on the internet and you may know lots more than what is written here!!!  but hopefully it sparks your interest to try it all out or start again in your quest for better health or a different source of sustenance when times get hard.      

An amazing blog to spend a lazy afternoon gazing over the pictures and recipes is WonderSmith,  another blog is  Our Food Stories.  Full of commentary, pictures and wholesome recipes.

Below is a copied list of spices, herbs and recipes to collect and have ready for spring and summer gathering.  The season is going to come upon us before we know it!!!    

 

LISTS:

pumpkin, sesame,  sunflower & poppyseed,  hazelnuts, walnuts,  chia seed,  amaranth, flax, sesame

make syrups or vinegars or oils, with elderberry, lilac, roses, 

have tahini on hand

gather rose petals and dehydrate, also parsley, chives - although these can be put in an ice cube tray and frozen

gather beets, raspberries, cranberries, kale, blueberries, to make powders

This next list are the ingredients for some of the spices listed below and as i didn't know what they were,  links are included in the name to give you an idea what they are and used for.....

Spicebush Berry 

Juniper Berry

Sumac Berry

Pine Nuts

Pickled Walnuts with recipe,   but Amazon is faster 

Beet Hummus

Mustard - fresh from seeds

Vegan Cheese - when set,  roll and press in beet powder for the red outer layer, or tomato powder from dyhyrated tomatos that are ground in a coffee grinder

Pinenut Seeded Bread  this link will take you there or here it is also, it uses lots of eggs and cannot leave any out or it will crumble, (like mine did!!!)

Homemade Vital Gluten-free Bread

Ingredients

•  
• 100g buckwheat flakes
• 110g sunflower seeds
• 110g pumpkin seeds
• 110g flaxseeds
• 60g pine nuts
• 60g sesame seeds
  
• 5 eggs (size m/l)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 100ml olive oil (or rape seed oil, sunflower seed

• 1 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F)  top/bottom heat. Butter a loaf pan, then line with baking parchment. Mix all ingredients except the eggs, the olive oil and the honey. stir the eggs thoroughly together with the olive oil and the honey, then stir into the dry ingredients. Fill dough into the loaf pan and bake bread for 60min. Let cool down for 15minutes, before you remove the bread carefully from the loaf pan. Let cool down completely.

 

SEASONINGS TO MAKE FOR THE PANTRY:

 

Hedgerow Spice: 

This blend is intended to substitute for the well-known sweet/warm spices of the season. Whether you’re making pumpkin pie or gingerbread, spiced chutney or cinnamon rolls, this blend can step in with the magic of the forest. Try mixing some of it with sugar to sprinkle on pastries. My local spice blend includes a little juniper, wild fennel, dried young fir needles, spicebush berries, wild carrot seeds, and just a bit of wild ginger. I added some rose petals for a subtle floral hint. Dried candy cap mushrooms add a mouthwatering maple flavor. A pinch of fennel pollen finishes it with a delightful sweetness. This blend is great for adding to recipes but can also be used as a seasoning after baking as well, in the same way one might use cinnamon sugar. (If you plan to use it raw, omit the candycap mushrooms as all mushrooms should be cooked before consuming.) 

 

Riverbank Blend: 

This blend is based on Za’atar, which is a Middle-Eastern spice blend typically made from thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds (plus salt.) It’s traditionally sprinkled onto flatbreads, stirred into dips, and used to season meat or roast vegetable dishes. I love the balance of earthy/nutty sesame, tart sumac, and spicy thyme. Coming up with my own stand-in blend was pretty easy; staghorn sumac grows wild where I live, and I have a good bag of wild bee balm (which tastes just like oregano) saved up from last summer. I’ve substituted pine nuts for the sesame seeds - a different flavor, but one that adds a bit more buttery sweetness to the base of the blend. The Arabic word Za’atar originally described a specific herb that’s apparently a bit like mint, a bit like thyme, and a bit like oregano. This immediately made me think of my mother’s garden, where the mints have cross-pollinated the oreganos to create a hybrid “mintregano” that we never know quite what to do with. It’s perfect in this blend! A little wild mint and thyme round out the flavors.

Za’atar is one of my go-to kitchen spice blends when I am looking to brighten up vegetables, add flavor to breads, or fortify heavier dishes with flavor. Mixed with olive oil, it is a fantastic bread-dipping sauce. This blend, too, can be used in dishes or sprinkled on as a condiment after cooking. 

 

Woodland Seasoning: 

This spice blend is another more savory concotion for adding depth and richness to stews, soups, breads, and more. It gets its base from mushrooms - porcini, chanterelles, shittake, or whatever else I have a surplus of in a glass jar in my cupboard. Added to that are the aromatics: juniper berries, spruce tips, wild bergamot.  Stinging nettle adds earthy greenness, while dried ramps or wild onions give it a savory boost. A little dried lomatium adds a celery-like kick, and yarrow’s aromatic earthiness rounds it all out. This blend is best-suited for recipes that call for spice blends. Cooking allows the mushrooms to release all of their umami goodness! Sometimes I add a bit of miso along with this mixture in recipes for extra umami flavor. 

Coastal Sprinkle: 

This delightful mixture is based on the Japanese ‘Furikake,’ a flavorful seasoning that’s sprinkled on top of rice, cooked vegetables, and more. It typically contains toasted sesame seeds and seaweed, plus dried fish flakes, sugar, and sea salt. Many blends also include monosodium glutamate. I used this as a starting point to develop my own blend. The base of mine are the coastal seaweeds I love so much: dulse, for its almost-meaty depth of flavor. Wakame, for its briny deliciousness (and hit of B12). Nori, for the crisp crunch it adds. Sea lettuce, since it’s such a cheerful bright green. Cracked wild mustard seeds add a bit of heat, reminiscent of wasabi. Poppyseeds add crunch. Pepitas, or raw green pumpkin seeds, are toasted for a rich nutty flavor. The main flavor punch comes from shittake mushrooms that have been dried, re-hydrated and cooked in soy sauce, then dried and powdered again. In Hawaii, Furikake blends are used even more inventively and are often paired with Western foods. I’ve heard rumors of potato chips dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with a pinch of this delicious blend… Keep in mind that this blend is actually treated like a condiment. You probably wouldn’t add it directly to a recipe, but rather sprinkle it over the top of prepared dishes.

 RECIPIES:

Vegan Butter  amazing   as it spreads and tastes like the real thing!!!

Fir Needle Forest Chai Tea ~~  i loved this tea, dehyrating my own orange peel and even without the pine needles was very mild, aromatic and tasted good, if you dont have pine needles you can add a splash of lemon

 

SONG:

TRUST HIS HEART --  click here

 CRAFTS:

Mason Jars are a never ending craft resource and here are some easy ones for the busy lady and below is one that you could do also but with a bit of work and tools and a neighbour who is willing to help!!!

 

 

 In closing there are many links within this page for your references, just a little of my thoughts in a new adventure for me personally and I hope you enjoy your search and hobbies this summer in gathering things together.  i would love to have a note or two on what you do in regard to this subject!!!

PRAYER FOR THE GARDENER:  link

I ask You for Your Blessing, Lord, upon my little plot of land,

may it grow and flourish guided by Your hand.

Thank you for the pleasure, Lord,

 I find here on bended knee,

and in each flower that blossoms as a blessing sent from Thee.

 

 

Happy Summer Ladies!

 

 

COMFORT, COMFORT MY PEOPLE

 Comfort, comfort my people!!  These words cause a person to pause, to reach out and hang on to the very insinuation of the words!!!   Isaiah has been commissioned by God to give these words to the people of Israel, and by the fact that they are in the Bible is a promise to us in our time as people of the twentieth century long for relief from the devastation we feel at every turn in the road of life.   Hearing these words from the Bible brought such longing for everyone, but a song came to my mind by one of the 'ancient' composers  from Handels Messiah.  There are several versions of this song but this was one of my favorite.

  An amazing voice is heard as many musicians combine their works together to perform this version,  Comfort Ye, Every Valley

 

 

 

 The agencies that supply part of the comfort we need are from angels.  Another one is thru the Spirit of Prophecy as EG White is pictured below.  Her words reiterate biblical promises as she writes:

 

Angels of God came down in mighty power, not to consume, not to despise, not to rule or exact homage, but to minister to those who should be heirs of salvation. They came in mighty power to encamp round about the Lord’s weak and helpless ones.  the fifth paragraph

 

 Many were the messages of comfort given the church by the prophets of old. "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people" (Isaiah 40:1), was Isaiah's commission from God; and with the commission were given wonderful visions that have been the believers' hope and joy through all the centuries that have followed. Despised of men, persecuted, forsaken, God's children in every age have nevertheless [723] been sustained by His sure promises. By faith they have looked forward to the time when He will fulfill to His church the assurance, "I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations." Isaiah 60:15. Prophets and Kings

 

 

I love all the verses of Isaiah that say,  "I WILL" from God.  

I comfort you

i will strengthen

i will make the crooked straight