Come On....Take A Risk!!!

“And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid: for thou art a near kinsman.” Ruth 3:8-9.

What in the world was she thinking? How in the world could she do this? Why in the world would she choose to follow her aged mother-in-law to a land and place she had only heard of? This place called Bethlehem, this land called Israel, this God that cannot be seen, this people who are called “chosen”. What would she do there, she had no job, no skill, no land; how would they treat her, hard questions that must be answered by Ruth the Moabitess. But she took a risk…

Life is risky business sometimes, and the way can seem unclear and frightening. I remember years ago when the Lord lead me to move to Durham, North Carolina. I was a practicing Social Worker in my home town and the Lord just turned my whole world upside down! The Lord told me to resign my position there at Caswell Center and move to Durham…I heard his calling and obeyed; not knowing what I would find there. That obedience lead me to The Church of God and my husband of nearly 27 years, and a lot of water under the bridge! But it was risky..haha
Risky for me but not for God who knows the end from the beginning, who holds all of us in the palm of his hand, I trusted him and the journey has been bitter sweet. Back to Ruth.

At such a young age she had faced the death of her husband, not easy at any age and she now stands at the brink of an uncertain future. Who would take care of her, who would love her and share her dreams again? Of course she could turn and go back with Oprah her sister-in-law, back to her family, back to her people, back to their gods. But God had another plan for her life, an unseen plan by the unseen God.

Naoami and Ruth, going on a long journey by the hand of the God that they could not see.

Naomi had many sadnesses of her own, loss of husband and loss of both sons had no doubt made her “mara”, not the “pleasant” Naomi of old and better days. But she still knew and believed in the God of Israel, so she takes Ruth and journey on.

What would she find back home, they had abandoned The House of Bread (Bethlehem) many years ago when the famine hit the land. Her home is there no more, she’s too old to work, she has no inheritance there, what is going through her mind, her soul, her spirit? Still she travels on….
The long journey completed, Ruth goes to the fields to work and keep them alive, but unknowingly to find her future, her destiny…her inheritance in Israel. Haha..what a story, what a wonderful, wonderful story.
According to the law of Moses, the farmers had to leave provision for the poor and aliens, the welfare system that God instituted, saved their lives, but she had to work. It was risky. .but God was behind the scene. Many bad things could happen in those fields, with those sometimes uncaring and unscrupulous people around those field edges. Working with people on jobs can be risky, but some risks must be taken to survive, we must have God to go before us in all our endeavors.

With the hand of God and the aged, wise Naomi, Ruth hits pay dirt, and runs smack dab into her goel, near kinsman, and husband Boaz.

Ruth happened to come to the section of the field that belonged to Boaz, not just a close acquaintance of Naomi’s husband Elimelech, but a very “near” kinsman. (Ruth 2:20). But it was no happenstance, the unseen God was moving, directing, his plan for all their lives. So it is with us…come on …take a risk!

Ruth found favor with God and her near kinsman, he had heard of her kindness to Naomi her mother-in-law, you see people are looking at our lives, and listening to what others are saying about us. Read Ruth 2:1-23.

Naomi directs her to take perhaps the biggest risk of her life, she instructs her to a proposal to Boaz. Yes, read Ruth 3:1-18. The request that Boaz “spread his skirt over thine handmaid” is a symbolic pledge of marriage. (cf. Ezek 16:8-14). There are some areas in the Near East that still continue this custom. Risky business, she could be killed if someone saw her there, and if she got out alive, the talk….for he said “Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor”. (v14).

The elderly wealthy Boaz shows her respect and sends her home full of grain and hope for a better future and home..and so it was!

Boaz, willing and able to fully serve as the goel both in the redeeming of the field and in the marriage of Ruth the Moabitess. This reminds me of a rich savior who came and died for a improverished people, thus bringing us to Himself as his beloved Bride.

The risks that Ruth took were really in the very plan of God, and so it may be with us.

Boaz and Ruth married and had a son, “And the women her neighbors (Naomi) gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David”.

The reunion of Boaz and Ruth came the line of descendants that gave birth to King David, through whom Jesus Christ came. Ruth’s name means generous, loving and loyal, she was strong and able to take unusual risks, and was able to deal with the consequences that presented themselves to her. What a woman!
WOW….good job Ruth, your risks really paid off! Come on….Take a risk, it may be the greatest move of your life! Blessings!

Four Yards Short....Not Really!!

I can almost see myself now driving down Wedgewood Avenue in Nashville, heading for my first Weight Watchers’s class…again. I knew I had gained a lotta weight, so I’d half-heartedly decided to do something about it! It was a beautiful fall day and expectancy was in the air…sorta, haha. Embarrassed and scare nearly out of my mind I was next in line to SEE my fate. My fate, the fate of all those cakes, pies, cookies, the doughnuts the pot roasts, the cheesecakes, the fried chicken…the fate of all that stress and rebellion! The stress of seeing my husband come home from work one day, looking like a Mack truck had hit him instead of him driving it, knowing he couldn’t go on like that. The stress of leaving my then 6 and 8 year old sons to find employment…and Punkin, and Loria was home at the time. The stress of flying up and down 1-24, weekend to weekend and those 12 hour shifts at Teledyne, and those vending machines. The fate and stress of being “chief cook and bottle washer” for over 7 years, God was my Jehovah Jireh, but I had to do the work as He gave me strength. I knew work, I had married at 34 years old, so taking care of myself was nothing new…but the weight of a whole family was very daunting for me, and the pounds increased. My gene pool showed me no favors, built beautifully like my mother before me, I had the McAlister beauty and resolve of spirit and the tenacity and hard-headedness of the Stewarts.

So there I stood, the lady weighed me and with a bit of joy I hadn’t thought to see, she went, “you’ve lost 3 pounds”. HA! She gave me the little book that now lies in my garage among my STUFF. I keep it as a constant reminder and motivator. I looked at it for the first time, yes I was 276, 3 pounds from the 279 pounds I had accumulated through the years. I think I cried all the way home….

But here I stand today at 232.4, I had so wanted to be down 40 more but I’m short 4 pounds…not bad for a gal who once stood at 279 pounds…

We had come to Florida after the miraculous sale of the Matchbox house in Nashville, having lost 14 pounds by mostly huffing and puffing around the block, and eating better, I got down to 265...without Weight Watchers.

As I stood in my Master Suite of my Brand new house on the first day in July 2011, I asked myself….wonder could I go a day without adding salt, sugar, and no junk, and YEAH ME!! came out of my spirit and into my mouth. It surprised me, you see I wasn’t a YEAH ME person…but I am now, haha. I would decide what is junk for me, and I would post on fb each night’s success keeping me motivated and focused. It was the plan I didn’t plan and it has worked! I was 268 on that day, now 36 pounds down and the lost inches I’m focused and ready for the New Year!

One of the wonderful things about my journey is having my family behind me, my hubby and dear sons always supportive and “watching” out for me. I had an idea of baking a few potato pies for the family coming for Christmas, my son spoke up and said “we’ll just buy something”. I don’t think he wanted to see mama in that kitchen baking all that stuff again…they bought chocolate chip cookies and a box of Vanilla Wafers, I had 5 wafers for dessert Christmas Day. No one is prouder of me than me..well maybe the Lord, He told me long ago, “I want you, to stop putting junk into your body”. I half-heartedly obeyed now and then…but now this is war.. And I’m sorry for all the disobedient years….look how far I could have been. But no rehashing the past, it is what it is… a whopping 47 pound weightloss, and 36 pounds since No salt, no sugar, no junk, YEAH ME!!…Yea…YEAH ME!! Blessing to all and a Happy New Year!
Oh… my goal for the coming year?…50 more pounds off, I can do it…now I know I can….I believe in myself and the strength of the Lord!. Pray with me and follow my blog Healthmatterstorrence.blogspot.com. Prayers Appreciated!

THANKFUL!!

“By the yard, it’s hard, but inch by inch, anything’s a cinch”. Les Brown.

I stepped on the scale this morning to find I’d lost another pound. I was so happy, but this has not always been the case. You see, in times past I would have not been thankful for the measly little pound, I would have acted the fool…(in my Steve Harvey voice)…I would say, is that all? I’ve worked so hard, just one pound, and on and on.

Now I keep track of even the ounces, logging each step of this journey…and it is a journey, no doubt about it!

There is something to be said for this getting older thing….I think I’m getting smarter, or at least seeing life from a different perspective. I’m finding and appreciating every “little morsel” of success, limiting my failures before I fail, and being happy in my own skin. And even in failure, I’m learning to brush myself off, and move on, learning to live another day without beating myself to pieces. It is working, slowly but surely……

The best part of the process is that I’m making progress, and I’ve learned to be thankful, for every little gift that God enables me to obtain, not foolishly complaining and regaining.
I believe the cycle has been broken, and the key to success is THANKFULNESS. “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.….I’m there! Blessings!

FOR THE NOURISHMENT OF THE BODY....

Growing up on the farms "back in the day" was filled with it's ups and downs. I guess I didn't really see it that way at the time but hind sight is always 2020. As a Sharecropper's daughter life was good and difficult almost at the same second. Lots of work, little pay and the toils of never having your own we worked the farms of the owners and they gave us a shack to live in. This is the long and short of it. When the season was over and we had done all the hard work, we didn't get much and I remember my daddy looking up to the Lord and and saying, "well soon be planting time again". But God was with us and He always caused us to prosper. You see we were Christians and God was "with us".

My daddy was a great provider, we always had food, hogs, cows, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, goats and all the vegetables my daddy, the Farmer Extraordinaire could produce. It was the food and hard work I remembered most, the tobacco, the cotton and soybeans and corn as high as the sky(or so it seemed then). My mother was the anchor of the family, staying home and keeping things together while daddy and the children took care of the crops. She was sickly most of my young life, but God blessed her to care for her 10 children and 2 grandchildren she raised from birth. She would live 89 years, mama fell asleep in 2007.

I never really understood or appreciated all my mother did until I got married some 26 years ago. Preparing a meal for my family one day tears flooded from my eyes, looking back at what mama must have gone through, all those biscuits, all those grits, the fried chicken, the hog killing time...the caring and sewing and teaching and preaching and disciplining...not to mention daddy! haha...oh mama, what you went through! My life has been a Queen's Quarter compared to hers! What a woman, mother, wife and child of God. I admire her more now, life is just like that I guess. "Youth is wasted on the young"

I well remember the dinners, and especially the Sunday Spreads. My mother was a master cook, and we children would help sometimes, I became her "helper", and eventually the main cook of the household after my oldest sister left home.

I always remembered my daddy praying over the feast, daddy could really pray...we didn't need so much praying over the food. HA! Daddy prayed everywhere, at the church, at the hog pen, those hogs heard the best praying this side of heaven, at the tobacco barns, walking the fields...EVERYWHERE!
But at the dinner table he was very meticulous, you see he prayed for the President (in the Chair), the governor, the Mayor, everybody, the neighbors, the children of the community....and all we could do was just sorta try to keep our eyes closed. Oh the food on that table, the fried chicken from the yard, the steaks from the stall, the ham..of course, potato salad, the greens and beans..and the desserts. Yet daddy was still praying for all the chillins near and far, for the Pastor of the church, all the members and of course for the lost and wayward. And we waited, and the smells tempted our very resolve.
But finally he would say, "now Lord", we thank you for the hands that prepared this meal, he always remembered mama; thank you for the ones that helped, by this time we really began to get happy, haha. My daddy sometimes would pause and let mama say this, but usually he would say "LORD MAKE US TRUE AND THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO RECEIVE FOR THE NOURISHMENT OF THE BODY.....IN JESUS NAME. AMEN! For the nourishment of the body, food is for nourishing the body. It's important we learn this.

Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine said " Let your food be your medicine and your medicine your food." I think he had something there, I know he did. As I launch my HEALTH MATTERS PAGE, come along with me as we talk health and wellness which we should all be excited about. Mama used to say "child if you ain't got your health, you ain't got nothing!" Lord make us true and thankful for what we are about to receive...FOR THE NOURISHMENT OF THE BODY. Amen and Blessings!

SMALL STUFF!!

Les Brown was visiting his friend in the hospital, he had suffered a couple heart attacks, and he gives Brown some timeless advice..he tells him “don’t sweat the small stuff, and with a quirky smile he adds, it’s all small stuff”. Mr. Brown’s friend was a real go getter, a worrier of sorts and often too busy with things that didn’t really matter. He was a good man with a plethora of talents and abilities and used them to the fullest…maybe a bit too full. In a sense he was alerting the great Motivator Brown that in relationship to a heart attack much of the things we are whining and complaining about in our lives is just that ‘small stuff’.

When I look at the sufferings of people and countries of the world, like Haiti and others, this statement comes to life in a real way…it’s all small stuff!

Each day I’m praying and asking God to help me see the big picture(there is one) he wants me to see. To put life in it’s proper perspective and see things as he sees them, with his eyes and his compassions and understandings.

To remain focused and not sweat the small stuff, for in comparison to a heavenly home and abode, everything stands small and wanting. To be sure I don’t major in minors and minor in majors so as to make my final destination with peace and joy, and my life on earth a blessing to others and myself.

To keep my eyes on the prize and not on what others think of me or do to me, these things are small and many times insignificant in the larger scheme of life.

Oh God help me each day to do your will and biding, as I resolve to not sweat the small stuff…..much of it is small stuff.

The Good Lipid Lecithin!!

Growing older can be made better and more enjoyable as we use the tools God has given for health and longevity. One such find is lecithin, a fat-like substance called a phospholipid. Lecithin supports the nervous and circulatory systems and is produced daily by the liver if the diet is good.
Every cell in the body needs lecithin and it is the building block of the cell membranes and keeps them flexible, thus good for the arteries. Lecithin protects cells from oxidation and comprises the protective sheaths surrounding the nerves in the brain and the nervous system.

What does lecithin consist of? Mostly B vitamins, phosphoric acid, choline, linoleic acid and inositol. Though a fatty substance, it is partly soluble, so its also an emulsifying agent, the reason many processed foods contain lecithin. Lecithin is also helpful in weight loss efforts. Emulsifiers in the body helps with fat digestion and circulatory health.

We can keep our memory and brain waves strong with choline and inositol. Choline is good for making acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter. Research shows inositol is important for mental clarity as well.This is really good news for our health!!

Lecithin is a good addition to anyone’s diet says Dr. James Balch in his bestseller “Prescription for Nutritional Healing.” He says use two tablespoons of lecithin granules on cereals and soups or add to drinks or breads. He also recommends taking one 1,200-milligram capsule before each meal to aid in the digestion of fats and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

Most lecithin is derived from soybeans, but recently egg lecithin has become popular and is hoped to hold some promise for those suffering from AIDS, herpes, fatigue syndrone, and immune disorders associated with aging. Other sources of lecithin include brewer’s yeast, grains, legumes, fish, and whole wheat.

NSP Lecithin is derived from soybeans and is hermetically sealed in capsules. No carrier has been added, and freshness is guaranteed. Each softgel contains 520 mg lecithin. Brain food for smart living! Get your lecithin today!

PERSEVERE!!!

Persevere..To continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty. Other definitions include:To remain constant to a purpose, an idea, a task in the face of discouragement or obstacles. To persist, to gut it out, to continue, to endure, to hang in there. The Noah Webster Dictionary says persevere means to continue in the same state without perishing, to last, to remain firm, as under trial or suffering. To suffer patiently or without yielding, to bear up under adversity, to hold out.

I immediately think of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and my Lord. Notice His words in Matthew 24:13 “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Jesus our great example persevered, he bore up under the adversity, carrying the cross, falsely accused, spit upon, he gut it out, he held up under the pressure, the difficulty, he suffered patiently without yielding. WHEW….to be like Jesus..to persevere!

The aging process is interesting and wonderful! As the years roll by you get to know who you really are, from the experiences of the past to the current moments of life. The past and present seem to meet together at a crossroad that is bitter-sweet. I’m getting to know myself better, understanding the complexities of who I really am. And who am I? I am one who can persevere….

I never thought much about it for life goes by fast and often there’s no time to blink, no less think of what’s happening as the days go by. "Where does the years go….one thing for sure, they go"… a quote from my sister Ella.

I remember the years long ago when I was determined to get an education, going to college without money or much support. It was tough, but I was determined I would hang in there, gut it out, persist. I would not ask my parents for money (they needed theirs), I would work on campus and off campus, I would endure hardness as a good soldier, I would persevere, and I did with the help of God and others, and my own stubborn determination!

We all should endeavor to begin well and end well, so that our steadfastness can be seen by all, for others are watching; some even walking in our footsteps…or trying.

Some laughing, some skeptical, some criticizing but still watching to see if we persevere. The enemy of our soul also seems to have a stake in it, will they give up, throw in the towel, call it quits. But he will be gravely disappointed, I will and continue to persevere.

One of the scriptures that has held me up these many years is found in Galatians 6:9. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”Paul is saying PERSEVERE…..GUT IT OUT, CONTINUE, DON’T ABANDON WHAT YOU’RE UNDERTAKEN! For God has promised to be with us and help us if we just PERSEVERE!!!
Blessings…