National Mocha Day

Did you know that September 29 is National Mocha Day? Neither did I until today when I was doing some perusing for interesting info to share at lunch if the conversation ground to a stop. I had heard that my presence at lunch had been missed (sometimes that's how my schedule is) , mostly because it tends to otherwise be a boring time OR some of the staff there can get a bit crabby and gripey and whiny. (As it was, we ended up with other things to laugh and laugh about.)

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What is mocha? Mocha is a variant of a cafe latte. Like a latte, it is typically one third espresso and two thirds steamed milk, but a portion of chocolate is added. The simplest variation to this recipe is to mix a packet of hot chocolate mix into a mug of coffee. While it is not as rich and fancy as the expresso + milk, it still is a decent occasional beverage.

Do I like mocha? Yes, but it is not something I really, really need to have. I will admit, though, that I like to get a cold mocha -- the jamocha shake -- at Arby's, and I did find a recipe to try at home, should I decide to try to make me one here.

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Arby's Jamocha Shake

1 c. cold coffee

1 c. low-fat milk

3 T. granulated sugar

1 dash salt

3 c. vanilla ice cream

3 T. chocolate syrup

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Combine the coffee, milk, sugar and salt in a blender and mix on medium speed for 15 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Add ice cream and chocolate syrup; then blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Stop blender and stir mixture with a spoon, if necessary, to help blend ingredients. Pour drink into two 16-ounce glasses.

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CELEBRATE NATIONAL MOCHA DAY!

Family Love

[Family love - Talking About the Personal Family as Well as the Family of God]
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Living in a small town for over 25 years, one gets to know his circles of friends and acquaintances quite well. Sometimes that's good; sometimes that's not good.

In a short time, I will be seeing most of my siblings. For me, that is a rare treat because of where they all live. When we get together, we enjoy being together. When we are not together, we stay in touch by phone, email, and/or Facebook. We don't fight; nor do we have major disagreements. I am sure that if the time came when one was no longer with us, that sibling would be mourned and missed.

What baffles me, though, is the number of adult siblings -- ones who call themselves Christians -- who seem to dislike each other and have nothing to do with each other. In my own circle of acquaintances, I have no idea what event/events in the past precipitated this dislike; however, I am convinced that the responsibility of a Christian is to restore. That hasn't happened in the 25+ years I have observed this.

Case 1

There is a large family of adult siblings that fight over money and property when one dies and has no children or wife to leave the inheritance to. In that family are the more "pious" Christians as well as the nominal ones -- or just may not be ones. A few years ago, a brother died. He had no wife or descendants to leave his money and property to. This created a fight within the ranks for that land and money. The negative feelings were so intense over that issue (and its resolution) that when another brother died not too many months later, some of the brothers and sisters of the deceased were told not to come to the funeral or the dinner afterwards.

There is a lot to the background of this family -- this type of behavior would explain why so many of the next generation have fallen away from Christianity over the years. However, that "pious" attitude remains in at least one of the siblings.

Case 2

Two older ladies in our church are sisters. I would have never thought that. I have never seen them engage in conversation. I never see them sitting together (both are widowed). The child and grandchildren who come to our church don't acknowledge their aunt. The one sister seems to crave attention. She was married to a man who had nothing to do with Christianity. Of her children, only one has chosen to follow the Lord. The other's husband was faithful to church. Their children weren't, which makes me wonder if they were converted as adults. Both of these ladies have had their health issues; but neither can ever give an update on how the other is faring, if asked. They have a third sister also widowed, in the area -- and technically a sister-in-law to the one who craves attention. She is not a Christian; she isn't at church. However, she and one of these at the church do not ignore each other. They spend time together (usually golfing, if they are up to it). They have an idea of what's going on with each other. They are not sisters-in-law. This one who comes to church serves the Lord in a more quiet capacity, not seeking attention from others -- not worrying if she is going to be noticed.

Do I know the birth order of the three? No -- but I would guess it to be this: the third sister (oldest), the quieter sister (middle), the craver-of-attention (youngest)

I have wondered, what example are the two churched sisters to the non-church sister by the way in which they ignore the existence of one another? Is there something from their childhood days? Something from their teen years? Something from their early family lives? To me, it doesn't matter. Their Christian responsibility is to restore their relationship.
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Why do Christians seem to battle the principle of restoration? They fight it within the church family too often; but to me it's got to be even worse when they are that way with their family.

I Wonder . . .

I wonder . . . one in a possible series of musings over the next few days, weeks, etc.

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I wonder if one reason why so many Bible-teaching churches today are shrinking is because they do not necessarily practice what they preach any more, especially if they think it will hurt someone's feelings and cause them to not return OR they think that making some "hip" changes will draw more people in . . .

Anyone Experiencing "Voter's Remorse"?

Is anyone experiencing "Voter's Remorse"? Not me. The main things that turned me off about Mr. Obama before last November included these:

• He did not disavow his association with Williams Ayers.
• He did not disassociate himself with Jeremiah Wright until pressured to do so.
• His oratory seemed like a lot of empty words.
• I believed people were being swayed by personality, not substance.

Do I know anyone personally who has admitted to voting for Obama in November but is now realizing that was a bad mistake? No. But I have heard that there are many who fit that category.

I received an interesting email that listed what has happened to the USA since January 20, 2009.
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1. What if I had told you in October 2008, before the last presidential election, that before Barack Obama's first 100 days in office, the federal government would be in control of both the mortgage and the banking industries? That 19 of America 's largest banks would be forced to undergo stress tests by the federal government which would determine if they were insufficiently capitalized, so they must be supervised by the government? Would you have said, "C'mon, that will never happen in America"?

2. What if I had told you that within Barack Obama's first 100 days in office the federal government would be the largest shareholder in the US Big-Three automakers: GM, and Chrysler? That the government would kick out the CEO's of these companies and appoint hand-picked executives with zero experience in the auto industry and that executive compensation would be determined, not by a Board of Directors, but by the government? Would you have said, "C'mon, that will never happen in America!"?

3. What if I had told you that Barack Obama would appoint 32 Czars, without congressional approval, accountable only to him, not to the voters, who would have control over a wide range of US policy decisions. That there would be a Stimulus Accountability Czar, an Urban Czar, a Compensation Czar, an Iran Czar, an Auto Industry Czar, a Cyber Security Czar, an Energy Czar, a Bank Bailout Czar, and more than a dozen other government bureaucrats with unchecked regulatory powers over US domestic and foreign policy. Would you have said, "C'mon, that will never happen in America!"?

4. What if I had told you that the federal deficit would be $915 billion in the first six months of the Obama presidency - with a projected annual deficit of $1.75 trillion - triple the $454.8 billion in 2008, for which the previous administration was highly criticized by Obama and his fellow Democrats. That congress would pass Obama's $3.53 trillion federal budget for fiscal 2010... That the projected deficit over the next ten years would be greater than $10 trillion. Would you have said, "C'mon, that will never happen in America!"?

5. What if I had told you that the Obama Justice Department would order FBI agents to read Miranda rights to high-value detainees captured on the battlefield and held at US military detention facilities in Afghanistan . That Obama would order the closing of the Guantanamo detention facility with no plan for the disposition of the 200-plus individuals held there. That several of the suspected terrorists at Guantanamo would be sent to live in freedom in Bermuda at the expense of the US government. That our returning US veterans would be labeled terrorists and put on a watch list. Would you have said, "C'mon, that will never happen in America!"?

6. What if I had told you that the federal government would seek powers to seize key companies whose failures could jeopardize the financial system. That a new regulatory agency would be proposed by Obama to control loans, credit cards, mortgage-backed securities, and other financial products offered to the public. Would you have said, "C'mon, that will never happen in America !!"?

7. What if I had told you that Obama would travel to the Middle East, bow before the Saudi king, and repeatedly apologize for America 's past actions. That he would travel to Latin America where he would warmly greet Venezuela's strongman Hugo Chavez and sit passively in the audience while Nicaraguan Marxist thug Daniel Ortega charged America with terrorist aggression in Central America. Would you have said, "C'mon, that will never happen in America !!"?

8. Okay, now what if I were to tell you that Obama wants to dismantle conservative talk radio through the imposition of a new "Fairness Doctrine." That he wants to curtail the First Amendment rights of those who may disagree with his policies via internet blogs, cable news networks, or advocacy ads. That most major network television and most newspapers will only sing his phrases like state-run media in communist countries? Would you say, "C'mon, that will never happen in America !!!"?

9. What if I were to tell you that the Obama Justice Department is doing everything it can to limit your Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. That the federal government wants to reinstate the so-called assault weapons ban which would prohibit the sale of any type of firearm that doesn't require the shooter to pull the trigger every time a round misfired. That Obama's Attorney General wants to eliminate the sale of virtually all handguns and ammunition, which most citizens choose for self-defense. Would you say, "C'mon, that will never happen in America!!!"?

10. What if I were to tell you that the Obama plan is to eliminate states rights guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment and give the federal government sweeping new powers over policies currently under the province of local and state governments and voted on by the people. That Obama plans to control the schools, energy production, the environment, health care, and the wealth of every US citizen. Would you say, "C'mon, that will never happen in America!"?

11. What if I were to tell you that the president, the courts, and the federal government have ignored the US Constitution and have seized powers which the founders of our country fought to restrict. That our last presidential election may have been our last truly free election for sometime to come. I know, I know what you will say. "That will never happen in America !"

If we don't do everything in our power to stop this madness in 2010... May God have mercy on our worthless souls.
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[My note: Actually, God has been more than merciful to America. We now may be getting what we, as a nation, deserve.]

A Thought

A thought: Can you imagine how great the USA would be if the entertainment industry (including professional sports) did not have such a stranglehold on American thought?

Sundays

Sunday morning. Unlike some we know, we do not dread the thought of going to church. The true stories we have heard over the past week about some area churches says a lot about the spiritual state of America.

This is the state of one church in our town. The ministers change every three years, based on what their association determines. The current minister is a lesbian. The current minister does not hesitate to let others know who in the church she does not like at all. Over the years, even before she came, problems existed. She is not the first woman minister. The church offers nothing for young people between the ages of twelve and adulthood, except choir and morning church. The church's numbers are down to the twenties. Yes, good people still attend; yes, good people complain; yes, good people know things are not right. The problem? Once a Presbyterian, always a Presbyterian.

This is the state of another church not too far away. It is a Baptist church that is in the local Empire State Fellowship. The pastor has lost his enthusiasm for preaching. His wife has no involvement in the ministries at all. Communion has been served by men dressed in shorts. Offerings have been taken up by the women in the church. The pastor had a consultant come in, although he claims, "It's not about numbers!" What's the suggestion? Get more modern. Have a praise band. Dress like Rick Warren, sit on a stool, and just talk with the people. Loosen up. Oddly, it's not just older people who have been in the church for years and years who are leaving; it's also stable couples (mid-late 30s) and families who are leaving. One such couple commented to us that although worship choruses on a screen are fine, they want their children to also learn the "old" hymns, to know their religious heritage.

Change is not necessarily a bad thing -- it's not necessarily a good thing. In the first church, the problem is how can they justify having a minister who obviously lives a lifestyle contrary to what the Bible teaches. In the second one, it seems that the problem is that pastor has lost his compass. Although he has been asked by his deacons if his heart is still in his ministry, he didn't seem to realize that he needs to wake up. He is killing his church, slowly.

While our pastor may sometimes preach over our heads. While we do have a few malcontents who do not like minor things like different tunes for hymns, we have a church that tries to adhere to what the Bible teaches. For that we should be thankful. People who leave our church, not because of moving away, aren't leaving because of what our church teaches; it is matters of the heart (sin) which they choose not to resolve.

Heart Attacks in Females -- Are You Prepared?

[From an item that was shared with me by several different people over the past several months]

Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's experience with a heart attack.

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I had a heart attack at about 10 :30 PM with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting all snugly and warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, 'Ah-h-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up.

A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial sensation---the only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m.

After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR). This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening -- we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we?

I said aloud to myself and the cat, 'Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!' I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else; but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in a moment.

I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the paramedics. I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the paramedics over immediately asked if the front door was near to me; if so, unbolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in.

I unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way; but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed two side-by-side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.

I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my cardiologist was all ready to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stints.

Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you to know what I learned first hand.'

1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body, not the usual men's symptoms but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation, and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning.... which doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to have a 'false alarm' visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!

2. Note that I said 'Call the Paramedics.' If you can, take an aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road. Do NOT have your panicked husband, who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road. Do NOT call your doctor -- he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night, you won't reach him anyway; if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.

3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high and/or accompanied by high blood pressure). MIs are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.