My Matcha Arrived!

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

UPS delivered my Matcha tea today from Art of Tea.  You can find their link on this page.  I am thrilled to start this journey of hopefully better health.  And I will document for you along the way.

For those of you who do not know, I have an auto immune disease called Wegener’s Granulomatosis or GPA.  It creates other inflammatory diseases to kill off the body.  So, I have GPA, Lupus, Chronic Acute Asthma, Chronic Acute Upper Respiratory Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Osteoarthritis in my feet, ankles, wrist and hands.  To look at me you would never know unless it is a wheezy day, or you further inspect my nose which is one of my rib bones.

My nose is like a vacant lot, I have nothing left resembling the anatomy of a normal nose.  As-a-matter-of-fact, they want to put a “button” inside to help me breath better. Which is the closing up of the huge crater left in your nose, when everything is gone. Another surgery, yuk!

When first diagnosed, the only traditional medicine I would endure was large doses of steroids.  Try 60 mg a day for months. I had to stop the steroids because angry crazy is not the way I want to live.  As for the chemo drugs…no way! I do not believe in killing the whole body to heal it.  And guess what? I have been doing immune therapy ten years prior to the medical community grasping this new treatment. Funny, Chinese medicine has been doing it for thousands of years. They believe you heal the body by making it strong to fight for itself!

So my friends, I use Eastern medicine, Western medicine, and Homeopathy to keep the disease in what is considered remission.  When I first was diagnosed with Wegeners, I had a tumor growing behind my left eye.  Chemo? Radiation? NO! Cassie’s tea.  A tea used by a nurse starting in the 1920s for her cancer patients. The recipe was given to her by the Native American Indians in her region. (Google Rene Cassie, and Essaic Tea for more information.)

Within 6 weeks the tumor was gone.  My surgeon even wrote down the tea because he was amazed at the results.  And any time I am out of remission, I go back to the Cassie’s tea.  In the mean time I work on getting my body as healthy as possible.

Do not think this stage of healthy was a snap of the finger’s results.  Years and surgeries passed before I was even diagnosed properly.  Once the Cassie’s tea worked for remission, then it took years to find what would actually help build my immune system.   Finding doctors who would stand by what I was doing was difficult.  And not poisoning myself along the way was a strong consideration in every thing I did.  I am still on the journey, because your body changes with age, and our environment changes over the years.

Mixing Western, Eastern, and Homeopathic methods is not something to do without a physician’s supervision or a pharmacist. Always seek professional input and try any thing slowly, in small quantities.  Because in case you did not know, some vitamins that you take to boost your immune system end up in your urine.  Your body knows what it needs and how much, and will vacate the rest.  This is also a waste of your money, because you are literally peeing it away.

When I read about Matcha, I was impressed with the results.  Also, years ago I read a homeopathic physician’s article concerning keeping a green environment in the body.  Because he believed cancer could not grow in a green environment. And since Wegeners and cancer are all about inflammation; inflammation control is my main focus.  Matcha, also has proven results of inflammation control.

Teas have long been a part of Asian and European cultures.  Some are ceremonial, some are for enjoyment and others are specifically for health benefits.  I mean our American forefathers turned Boston harbor into one of the biggest tea parties known.  Tea is an important part of human life and living. In the south if you don’t serve and/or drink sweet tea well you will get a “bless your heart” statement.  Meaning poor, uneducated you or yep that is a Yankee’s pitiful way.

I am just beginning to realize how vital tea can be concerning health and culture. None the less, tea can be an important part of everyone’s life.  Maybe even life changing for some of us!

Please join me on this journey as I document my own personal results!

God Bless You!

God Bless America!

Charity PanHandlers (A Phone Call Away)

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

My family and myself had a Sunday reminiscent of Sunday’s past.  We went to church, had a lunchtime supper, and came home to rest.  Not to mow the yard or other chores waiting for us, we just wanted to rest.  So, my husband and myself decided we should take a nap.

Around 30 minutes into the nap, our house phone rang.  I jumped up quickly to answer the phone and not disturb my husband. The authoritative male voice (on the other side) told me he represented a law enforcement charity and wanted to know if I would help the officers and their families out.  I politely explained to him that I would have to research his charity to find out how much of the donations actually went to officers and their families, before I could give him my decision.

He readily gave me the information of 10 % of all donations went to officers and their families. I shook my head and asked him didn’t he think that was not much money and was it because they had large salaries being paid to those head of the charity.  Maybe next time I would want to give, was his response.  End of conversation.

So many people are proud to say they run a non-profit or charity, because it is the new career where you can earn big bucks!  Just like the highway panhandlers, who do it because they make $500 to $700 dollars a day by only looking ragged and holding their hand out.  I understand some of these panhandlers do this because they mentally or physically can not hold down a job.  And they have my empathy and money. But the rest of these scam artists and scam charities make my blood boil!

The next thing  I did was to pull my American Heritage Dictionary out and look up the word charity.

3.  An institution, organization, or fund established to help the needy.

I don’t see the words to help yourself to the money listed or pay yourself a salary from the charity either!  Maybe if a looked up selfish or charity selfish, I might find those instructions listed.

Charity from the Christian perspective means love.  Jesus did address the type of charity, where you take care of the needy in Matthew 25:34-36, 40.

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me . . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”

So whatever action a charity takes concerning the division of funds, they also do it against Jesus Christ.  While a charity CEO makes $100,000, $150,000, or even $ 250,000 a year; the trickle down of the donation may result in Jesus Christ receiving a nickel or even a penny.  They are giving Jesus Christ, the one who saved them from death,  a penny.  Jesus Christ, who gives life everlasting, mercy, grace, and love to each person equally.  These upper class panhandlers, pull a paltry penny from their pockets for their Savior.

Do you see it from my perspective?  The next time you are asked to give to a charity, find out how much goes to salaries and how much goes to the people/Jesus.  You may even find out these charities have been reported for not dispersing the funds.

You can go to http://www.charitynavigator.org and find out the best charities and the scammer charities.

God Bless You!

God Bless America!

Westminster Terror Attacks (You Go British Prime Minister Theresa May!)

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

Accolades to British Prime Minister Theresa May after the Westminster attack on March 22.  She is a class act with a firm resolute about how her country will respond to terror.

“We will move forward together. Never giving in to terror. And never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart.”

And isn’t that all terror can do anyway is to divide a country? Because to divide is to conquer, at least that is how they view it. But what could happen if the countries under attack from terror come together? Not only the leaders, but the people. We are the ones who have the eyes, and the ears on the streets of our countries. We are the ones who can prepare and be aware when faced with an attack, to counter and defeat this evil! There are around 184,000 terrorists world-wide, and we have 325,838,705 Americans, 64,938,716 French, and 65,511,098 Great Britain citizens.

(If you want to view population by country…http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/)

As Christians, God has given us some strong promises concerning our enemies.  We need to know them, to pray them, and to follow God’s will. Do you not think that by standing with God, any evil can be defeated? I do.

God tells us, “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 54:17

 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”               2 Timothy 1:7

If we read God words and believe God’s words, change will happen!

Another impressive statement by British Prime Minister Theresa May, which I feel is a truthful representation of the attack.

“The location of this attack was no accident. The terrorists chose to strike at the heart of our Capital City, where people of all nationalities, religions and cultures come together to celebrate the values of liberty, democracy and freedom of speech.   These streets of Westminster – home to the world’s oldest Parliament – are engrained with a spirit of freedom that echoes in some of the furthest corners of the globe. And the values our Parliament represents – democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law – command the admiration and respect of free people everywhere.   That is why it is a target for those who reject those values.   But let me make it clear today, as I have had cause to do before: any attempt to defeat those values through violence and terror is doomed to failure.”

Democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law are the values which America was established.  We have come too far and fight hard every day to maintain theses values, to allow a spirit of terror defeat us!

Remember fighting terrorism is first being alert of your surroundings and reporting anything which looks out-of-place.  Even if it turns out to be a goose chase, because one of those times the person or situation might be the real deal.

God Bless You!

God Bless Great Britain!

God Bless America!

PreBap (What Are You?)

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

My youngest son and I were having fun discussing the way I view myself religiously.  Since I had been a Presbyterian for almost all of my 54 years, and had only been a Baptist these last four years, I proudly proclaimed that I am a PreBap.

The truth is I am a follower of Jesus Christ.

My Presbyterian views on Christianity are still a strong influence in how I live my life.  So why become a Baptist?  When we moved to Fulshear, Texas, my husband had already visited River Bend Baptist and liked the people.  They are warm and welcoming.  Our youngest son, still in his teenage years, loved the youth group and their Youth Pastor.  Decision made.  Because when your kid enjoys a church, you can be sure they will attend.

Some of the Baptist traditions were foreign to me at first, like no Ash Wednesday and Lent season.  I depend on the Lent season to usher in my new year on Easter Sunday.  It is like a spring cleaning for my soul.  I only went one year without Lent, and have now returned to my Lent traditions.  This year, I gave up Facebook and my writing productivity is up 1000%.  When I do take FaceBook back up after Easter, it will be only a once a day glance.  To check birthdays and see if anyone is in the need of prayer. No more phone notifications either.

See what I mean about a spring cleaning for my soul.

I think that we have to be very careful, as Christians, about putting an identity moniker around our necks.  I want to be known as a follower of Jesus Christ, a servant of God, and a listener to the Holy Spirit. Because that is where true freedom is found in the grace of Jesus Christ. And just because God told Adam, he had to name all of the animals, we do not have to continue placing label on top of label.

We silly humans can over complicate the simple in life!

Be sure your children know they are Christians first and not Baptist, Presbyterian, or even Catholic first. If we erase these identity lines which separate us from each other, subsequently separating us from Christ, we might find racism to be erased also.  I also believe it is a church’s responsibility not to promote the line of division between each other.  For isn’t that judging, and a part of racist profiling?  Two of the things that followers of Christ are told not to do.

Listen carefully to the words of Jesus Christ…

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”       John 15:16-17

He chose us! He chose to love and save us! We are to go out each day and show the people we are followers of Christ by our actions.  And we do this by loving one another.  There are so many statements made by Jesus and the only identifying moniker we are to wear is the one which states we are followers of Christ.

So think about it, what moniker do you wear?  Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian or a follower of the one who chose you, Jesus Christ?

God Bless You!

God Bless America!

 

 

 

HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY DISNEY LAND PARIS!

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

I love the travel page on my site One Retail Therapy (oneretailtherapy.com)! We have some of the best travel companies with amazing offers, on the internet! If you are single and don’t want to do bars and dating sites, we have a travel company just for singles. Some of the companies are specific to one area like Disney World, Orlando, or even Israel.

There is one company which has adventures going on around the world almost 24/7. The company is called ISANGO. They keep me updated with what is trending in the world of travel each week.  And that is how I found out Disneyland Paris is having its’ 25th Anniversary.  Wow, if Walt Disney could see his dream now!

You know I read somewhere, Walt bankrupted 7 times and he would not sell his mouse design.  Even when his future outlook was pretty bleak. I guess you know which design I am talking about. Yep, Mickey Mouse himself.

When I think about Walt Disney, I think about a dreamer and his perseverance. To all of us dreamers, he is an inspiration in never giving up on a dream! I wonder if Walt envisioned his company becoming the mega media outlet it is today?  Maybe that is why I love Disney World so much, because it is full of magic and dreams which just keep on blossoming.  Dreams that were and are achieved.

I believe God gives us dreams and buries them within our hearts.  Some people live out their dreams as teachers, doctors, pastors, and artists.  While others forget their dreams and buy into the world’s declared dreams they should do instead.  And don’t fool yourself into thinking that if a dream is from God, it will be achieved over night.  Sometimes God gives us dreams to teach us things like perseverance, patience, kindness, and respect along the way.

What is your dream?  Maybe a trip to Disneyland Paris for their 25th anniversary? Or maybe a life changing adventure to a third world country to assist them with their every day difficulties and share your knowledge with them.

Whatever your dream is, keep pursuing it! Maybe you will be the next Walt Disney, Mother Teresa, or Steve Jobs.

God Bless You!

Baby Jesus and Moving (Just Bobbin and Weaving My Head)

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

Well, I finally found my book on Anne, Jesus’ grandmother.  I was sure I packed it in one of the office boxes, but I could not find the book.  Must have been bobbin and weaving my head in the wrong direction, because my husband looked into the box and pulled the book right out.  Isn’t it always that way.

Last night I began reading the book on Anne again.  In this section she talked about how the people must have felt when they held baby Jesus.  We parents know exactly what new baby love feels like.  It comes with a multitude of emotions triggered by smells, sounds, and snuggles.

The author described a feeling of greatness and love that was overwhelming to the point of  dropping them to their knees. Because I have been blessed to have been in the presence of Jesus, I have my mere human description.  I wrote the next paragraph in an earlier blog post called, “The Sweet Fragrance of Love.”

The shirt smelled fragrant, but not overpowering; warm, gentle, pleasing, and full of love.  The next breath I breathed deeply into my lungs.  My body was filled with the warmth and love of the fragrance. I was so happy, with a happiness that comes from another dimension.  And I knew it was Jesus!

Yes, I know what it feels like to be in Jesus’ presence, but to have held Him as a baby…my mind cannot fathom the immense feelings that would pulsate through my body.  Love, greatness, peace, joy and words our English language does not contain would be some of the descriptions. And the fragrance…a baby is soft, and powdery but this would be a scent designed by the angels, which would fill your body, mind, and soul. A scent never known to man, only made for our Savior.

In 2 Corinthians 2:15, we are told, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are saved and those who are perishing.”

Now I am overwhelmed! Jesus made my own aroma so good that I smell like Christ to God.  And you and everyone else too, even those who are not saved.  Love?  No, we do not have a human word to describe this kind of emotion.

Jesus’ time as a baby is gone and we don’t have the opportunity to hold Him.  But Jesus takes every moment we give Him to hold us!  Don’t have a little time for Jesus today?

God Bless You!

God Bless America!

The Matcha Affect

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

The Art of Tea store at One Retail Therapy has a tea called Matcha.  The stated health benefits are pretty amazing! Since I have an auto immune disease which feeds off of inflammation to create other diseases, Matcha peaked my curiosity.  Which means Matcha requires further investigation by me personally.

My current health regimen includes western, and eastern medicine, homeopathy, and yoga.  I stay away from chemo drugs and anything which would harshly affect my body. I  do not believe you can destroy the whole body to heal the whole body.  So I have decided to order Matcha for myself and document my own results for you.

The number one benefit of Matcha is that when you buy their products they donate 5% to the Gift of Life Marrow Registry.  The Gift of Life Marrow Registry helps to find matches for marrow donors and to help fight blood cancers.  I love to support a company which gives back to this world!

I will provide you a link at the end of this post to an article which breaks down the benefits of Matcha.  For now I will list them briefly.

  1. Glowing Skin
  2. Relaxed Alertness Within the Brain
  3. Improves Memory
  4. Boosts Metabolism & Burns Fat
  5. Inflammation Buster
  6. Helps Keep Immune System Healthy
  7. May Slow Down Aging Process
  8. May Help Alleviate Symptoms of Depression & Anxiety

Just the fact that “inflammation” is listed gets me excited.  The rest of the benefits are like  whip cream on top with a cherry to me.  You know, Hope should have been my middle name. I am always hopeful, because my own personal hope lies within my relationship with God. Anything He has made has to be the very best for His children. We seem to forget that fact.

Of course natural does not make the big pharmaceutical companies astronomical amounts of money, so they brush it under the rug. Hoping we won’t look. Well I looked and found Matcha! And, I am very excited to order and document my results with Matcha…good and bad.

If you decide to order Matcha for yourself, will you please send me emails concerning your own results!  joniberrydotcom@gmail.com and put Matcha in the subject line.

God Bless You!

http://www.byrdie.com/benefits-of-matcha/slide2

The Affordable Care Act and PreNatal Care Costs

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

Elle magazine has an article which states that Representative John Shimkus has suggested the Republicans oppose the ACA because they don’t want to pay for coverage that they will not use.  His example is pre-natal care.  As I slap my forehead and roll my  eyes, it is quite clear why Washington can accomplish nothing.  They are like the frogs from Mark Twain’s, “Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”  Someone has filled them with so much lead, their brain has been poisoned to the level of stupidity!

After reading the article, the other unkind word “idiots” came to my mind too.  It appears America has gone from one set of idiots to another set of idiots.  And I am scared because these people hold the future of our country in their hands.  My future, your future, and our children and grandchildren. If they had to accomplish in one day what either a working parent or a stay-at-home parent has to, these “idiots” would be curled up in a little ball in the corner of the room crying! Accomplish the needs of a desperate nation, I don’t think so!

God Help Us!

It saddens me when I look into the faces of my grandchildren and other children, and see the glowing warmness of God’s goodness.  They will know more than we know and be able to accomplish more than we can imagine.  Only if, we provide them with a rock to stand on and throw Washington into the sinking sand.  We have to save this country for our children and our grandchildren!

They should know peace among their peers, not divisive fighting.  We all should be able to go to a doctor or hospital without going bankrupt paying medical bills and insurance premiums. Employment and education opportunities should be abundant.

Where does the change we so desperately need begin?

With us.

One by one we will have to allow God to change each of us on the inside, and then lead us according to His will for our lives.

So I will start on my knees…

Heavenly Father:   We need You and Your help!  Somehow we became so absorbed with our own selves we forgot You and Your ways.  Now our children will have to pay our debt.  Forgive us Father!  Show us the narrow gate and allow us to enter with You.  Give us Your discernment and solutions for these problems.  There has never been nor will there ever be a President, Politician, King, Ruler, or Dictator who can change Your Holy plans.  We bow down before Your Will and ask You to change us to fulfill Your Will. Forgive us for stubbornness to care more about things of this world than You! Please save us from ourselves and provide the children with the future they deserve, Father.  Show us how to start within ourselves and then be the small pebble thrown into the pond, creating ripples of holy change throughout our families and communities.  As we stand before You and cry out “Start with me, Father!”  We ask all of this in Jesus Holy Name, Amen & Amen.

Will you ask God for change within yourself to start the ripple effect of change this desperate country and world?

I did.

 

 

 

God Bless You!

God Bless America!

 

March 7 Is National Pancake Day at IHOP (Can You Say Free Pancakes?)

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

Tuesday, March 7, 2017 is National Pancake Day at IHOP restaurants and they are giving away free short stacks buttermilk pancakes from 7 am until 7 pm.  Here is the answer for the “What’s for dinner?” question.  And the best part is that IHOP is to helping to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Networks!

This year they are hoping to raise over 3.5 million in donations.  Yes, they would appreciate a donation for your free pancakes, but it is not required.  It would also be a good lesson to show your children about the ways to help others.  Makes for great family discussion while eating those cakes!

I don’t know about you, but I know where my family is eating dinner tomorrow night…

IHOP!

 

God Bless You!

God Bless America!

From the Mouths of Babes ( 3 Year Old Tells Man at McDonalds His Pants Are Falling Down)

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

When I saw this article in the Huffington Post today, I thought “From the mouths of babes.” Children under five usually call it like they see it and a child’s honesty is what we need.  When a child speaks there is no sarcasm or agenda, their truth is pure, derived from a loving heart.

Maybe that is why Jesus tells us we must become like children to understand the kingdom of heaven!

I have to admit, many a day I have wanted to tell a young man to pull up his pants which were hanging below his butt.  And a couple of months ago we were in a Cracker Barrel here in Texas, where almost every one of the young male servers had their pants pulled down with their long shirts covering their back ends.  It was disgusting!

My first thought was, “Is that sanitary and does it comply with the Food Safety laws?”

Unfortunately, I was not feeling well and had just endured some testing at a local hospital.  Or I would have said something to the manager.

Fashion style is not about shocking the world with obscenity.  Fashion style should be dignified; displaying a strong character of goodness, and kindness.  You know, when I see a man or woman who is dressed nicely, I take a second look.  People admire a classy dressed person, and people snicker and make fun of an obscenely dressed one.

I don’t make the rules but I do understand the human perspective.

When I say “classy dressed,” it can be a pair of jeans and a shirt.  The difference is  the classy dressed one has all of their privates covered.  No need to have a butt cheek hanging out for attention or a cleavage open down to their belly button.  They are confident in who they are in life.  And it shows without having to show!

My own family has asked me time and again, not to say anything in public.  Mainly because you never know how a person will react.  Still I look for ways in which I might be able to kindly express my opinion.  What do you think about…

“Excuse me, would you kindly pull your pants up?’

“You never know what might escape from back there!”

Ok, enough of my teasing.

As a parent, we too, should consider how we dress in public.  Because the children are watching. Children mimic what they see in the way they dress and often speak what they hear.  And throwing a little Jesus-tude when relating to our family and others, does not hurt either.

Always remember and never forget…the children are watching!

 

God Bless You!

God Bless America!