Saved by Grace

April 6th, 2008

Yesterday I listened to an inspiring message from Dave Kennedy at the NewDay SDA church in Parker Colorado. During this message Dave talked about Faith and Grace. He also contrasted grace with mercy. By doing this he was able to demonstrate the awesomeness of grace.

I’ve spent most of my life thinking that I received grace when I accepted Jesus and I will receive it again on judgment day. In between these two events it was my job to ask God to make me perfect and to work as hard as I could to accomplish this goal. It’s exhausting because I’m continually failing.

I’ve also worried about forgetting a sin and not asking forgiveness. I was haunted by the thought that if I didn’t ask for forgiveness of a particular sin that it could keep me out of heaven on judgment day. Read the rest of this entry »

Frustrated with Christmas

November 7th, 2007

I recently received an e-mail from my sister-in-law asking what I wanted from Christmas. Several years ago our family decided to exchange names as it was too difficult to buy gifts for everyone. This year my younger brother Bob got my name.

Each year it is also a struggle for us to decide what to get each other. Price isn’t a problem as we agreed to spend up to $75. The problem is that we both have everything we want. During the year if there is anything we need or want, we simply go buy it. As a result, the gifts we exchange are typically things we really don’t want or need. It’s pretty much wasted money. My younger brother has had my name for the last several years and now I own every Star Wars movie on DVD. My brother is a huge Star Wars fan and he just assumed that everyone should own this series.

So this year I decided to suggest that rather than buy gifts for each other, we research needs around the world and then give our gifts toward that need. Here’s the e-mail string and the discouraging response. I’m not sharing this to be mean-spirited as my brother doesn’t even know that my blog exists. I’m sharing this just to vent my frustration at Christmas, overindulgence, selfishness, and laziness. Read the rest of this entry »

Natural Remedy for Toenail Fungus

July 5th, 2007

Apply Vicks VapoRub to the affected nails daily for 6 months. With the application, the nail turns from yellow to brown, then sandpaper off the discolored portions. All the nail thickness diasppears and the new nail tissue will look normal. This treatment is benign, safe and cheap. Remember, natural remedies can take longer than drugs-be patient and consistent.

Natural Remedy for Eliminating Skin Tags

July 5th, 2007

Tie thread around the skin tag to cut off the circulation. They turn black and fall off within a week.

Natural Remedy for Nightly Leg Cramps

July 5th, 2007

Put a bar of soap (not Dial or Dove) under the sheet at the foot of the bed. This simple remedy generally eliminates nightly leg cramps.

Waterton Canyon

June 10th, 2007

My family and I took another bike ride up Waterton Canyon. Read the rest of this entry »

Protein

May 28th, 2007

For many years, there has been an emphasis in nutrtional science on getting enough protein. However, research shows that this emphasis has been misplaced. Rather than most people getting too little protein, Westerners eat two to three times more than they need. Read the rest of this entry »

A Diet of Excess

May 24th, 2007

Most of the diseases that plague our society today, including heart disease, hypertension, cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes, are closely connected to our dietary habits. The typical American meal is high in fat, protein, and refined carbohydrates, such as sugar and white flour, and low in unrefined carbohydrates, such as natural fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. Read the rest of this entry »

Benefits of Water

May 23rd, 2007

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. Read the rest of this entry »

Benefit of Fresh Air

May 17th, 2007

Many people have a great horror of going out of doors for fear of taking cold.  If it is a little damp or a little windy, or a little cold, they wait and wait; meanwhile, weeks and even months may pass away and they never during that whole time breathe a single breath of pure air. Read the rest of this entry »