Fire   cider

“Here, Rusty, I have something for you—horseradish root, ginger root, and some garlic cloves. I told you yesterday at Tai Chi I would bring some to church this morning in case you wanted to make some fire cider this week. I forgot the cayenne pepper though.”

Well, I had never heard of fire cider before, but Jim, my husband, found this recipe for fire cider on the Herbal Remedies site after seeing it mentioned in the Old Farmers Almanac.

One person from Herbal Remedies said no kitchen should be without fire cider. Some use it as an all-natural, organic herbal remedy for cold and flu and as an over-all tonic, taking about a half tablespoon a day.

It is supposed to loosen congestion, increase circulation, and aid digestion. It can be rubbed into sore muscles and aching joints as well.

I read that it can also be used in place of vinegar in most recipes and is especially good as a salad dressing when mixed with olive oil or mayonnaise  with a little salt and pepper.

The recipe Jim used had apple cider vinegar, horseradish root, ginger root, onion, garlic, and cayenne pepper. It needs to steep for two to eight weeks and then be strained into a clean jar.

The recipe said drink it straight or diluted in a bit of water or tomato juice. I thought it was interesting that it suggested starting out with a teaspoon or so to test your tolerance level.

Looking at this from a spiritual aspect which I am in the habit of doing with about everything, I’m glad I don’t have to test my tolerance level for Jesus by starting out small with my devotion to Him.

I know that He certainly doesn’t with me. He has given me His full love from the very beginning, even before I was born as He does with everyone. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16 NIV)

Love in Jesus,

God’s “on fire” servant,
Liz Ray

Written January 25, 2012

Lost   verse

It’s probably a small thing, but was I ever glad to see it. At my Beth Moore study last Tuesday I had put my Proverb To Live By Today (MPTLBT) in my Beth Moore book before I left home.

I wanted to share the verse for the day with the others. When I went to get it out of the book, I couldn’t find it.

 I looked through all the other stuff I had brought—my prayer notebook, my Bible, my black bag, my purse.

Finally Sue asked me, “What are you looking for?” I told her, “My verse.”

After the study was over, and I got back home, I looked again one more time through everything. I still couldn’t find it so I decided I was not going to worry. I would just get out another strip of paper and write my verses over again.

For a little background on this, I like to read the book of Proverbs over each month. Since there are 31 chapters I read a chapter each day to correspond to the day of the month. Then I pick out one verse to try to live by for that particular day and write it down on a strip of paper that I cut to hold 16 verses, 8 on each side. I either put the verses in my pocket or up on the   kitchen window sill.

Now back to the story. As I was sitting quietly the next morning reading my Bible, all of a sudden I thought I will look in the car and see if I dropped it there. I looked in the back. Nothing. And then I looked in the front and there it was—on the floor.

I was jubilant, not only at finding it but in solving the mystery. I know God gave me the idea to look in the car. He cares about even the little things.

I find that God can give answers not only to the little things but most importantly to the big things like the meaning of life. I have come to the conclusion that without God life has no meaning.

“...I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance—to the full, till it overflows.” (John 10:10 AMP)

Love in Jesus,

God’s jubilant servant,
Liz Ray

Written January 18, 2012

Cat   starer

He stands and stares at me. It’s only 5 o’clock in the morning.

I was going to vacuum the floor before I had my quiet time with God because I wanted to be sure and get the vacuuming done before something unexpected came up and prevented it.

I even turned the family room light on in preparation for vacuuming, but there stood Peanut (our bobcat-look alike cat) in the middle of the floor as if to say, “Aren’t you going in the other room and read and pray?”

Of course, his part is to crawl up beside me and go to sleep in the chair while I do my devotions.

He’s like clockwork. He knows the routine and he doesn’t want to vary it.

Sometimes in life it helps to have someone to be accountable to. I never thought for me it would be a cat.

At times God can be very creative in helping me do the right thing. He uses whatever He knows will be the most effective.

I think He had a plan in mind when He dropped Peanut into my life twelve years ago as a little kitten that wandered into my mom’s garage in Eldon.

And He knows that my first priority should be to give the first part of the day to Him so He can steer me in the right direction for the rest of the day.

So when I see Peanut sitting and staring at me first thing in the morning, I know what that means and I say, “Thank you God for keeping me on track. Thank you that You love me enough to care.”

Each morning I pick out a proverb to try to live by for the day ( I call it MPTLBT). The one I picked out this morning is Proverbs 10:17 from the Amplified Bible. “He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life, but is a way of life for others…”

By the way, I did get my floor vacuumed later.

Love in Jesus,

God’s “cat-directed” servant,
Liz Ray

Written January 11, 2012

59    degrees

Yes, 59 degrees around 5 p.m. on the last day of the year, December 31.

What a heyday I had outside! I started out early in the morning raking and shredding leaves. After working for just a little while though I soon shed my coat.

This last day of the year fell on a Saturday and since I didn’t even have to go in town for anything, I worked all day long outside and loved every minute of it.

One completely unbroken day of complete bliss. It’s not often I get to stay home all day—and especially on a perfect day weatherwise.

In between raking and shredding leaves and reforming my flower beds and paths I also started making war on henbit and chickweed that had already popped through where the mulch had grown thin.

This time last year I was still fighting these two persistent weeds in April but because of this gift of early good weather in December I’m way ahead of the game this year.

Miss Henbit and Miss Chickweed will be smothered with mulch and won’t have a chance to get started and outwit me this time.

Spiritually speaking though to me this nice day the last day of the year summarizes the whole year.

I’m not saying everything that happened during the year was good but what I am saying is that God is good and He helps me and every other person who calls on Him to get through whatever hard thing we are going through at the time.

Not only do I look at that nice day the last day of the year as a summary of the whole past year, but also as an indicator of this new year of 2012.

Here’s what I hear the Lord saying, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 TNIV)

Love in Jesus,

God’s hopeful servant,
Liz Ray

Written January 6, 2012

Midnight   cleaning

I got up at 12:01 a.m. worked til 3 a.m. cleaning out the hall closet. I worked yesterday and today organizing my magazines and papers for several years. Jim built the second bookcase in the basement. I’m in the mood to clean up and keep “paper” under control. I’m going to open my mail each day.

1/1/91 2:59 p.m. 40 degrees 104½#

Wow! What a goal. I’m going to open my mail each day. A great New Year’s resolution!

I had to laugh when I happened to read this note I had written in my Daily Walk Bible on New Year’s day back in 1991.

In the 20 years since then I have progressed though because I am opening my mail each day—that is, when I pick it up.

For a few years now we have had a post office box instead of a rural mailbox so that means we pick it up when we are in town and it isn’t every day that we go in.

Oh, well, the sticks on the path in trying to lead an organized life. I find it a fight trying to keep cabinets and closets cleaned out and the “paper trail” under control and not to junk up the basement when I need a place to put something.

And then there’s the outside keeping the garage clean and the barn clean and the flower beds mulched and stray weeds out.

But one thing I have found through the years in trying to get organized, the most important thing is to get my self organized spiritually.

I do know where my Bible is and it is a very important part of my day. If I spend time in it each day the other parts of my life seem more organized.

In fact, there is a Proverb from the Living Bible translation that gives me hope: “Reverence for the Lord adds hours to each day...” (Proverbs 10:27)

As I take time to still my mind and sit at the Lord’s feet, I know He will help me figure out my priorities—how to organize my day even!

Love in Jesus,

God’s “organized” servant,
Liz Ray

Written December 29, 2011

Merry    heart

“Don’t ever put a frown on your face.” These were words from my 98-year old cousin Sylvia.

On my way home from my sisters visit earlier this month I stopped by to see cousin Sylvia at Lee House in Eldon.

We chatted for a few minutes and in the course of the conversation Sylvia shared these words of wisdom with me.

I thought it was pretty significant that in her many years of living this is one thing she had really found important and wanted me to remember too.

And in thinking it over, I realize what good advice it actually is because it is talking about our inner attitude. How we feel inside is reflected on our face whether we like it or not.

As Proverbs 15:13 TGB says, “A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance…”

As I enter the new year of 2012, I’m going to try to remember Sylvia’s words and put them into action using the advice of James 1:22 KJV, “... be ye doers of the word and not hearers only…”

And besides I have read that 35 to 50 per cent of all ill are sick because they are basically unhappy. So I guess the question is “Are you happy enough to live long?”

Medical research confirms that positive chemicals take place in our brain when we laugh or smile producing endorphins which are the body’s pain killers and help the entire muscular system to relax.

I like what my friend Jerry Long gave me several months ago. It is a bookmark that says, “How can we possibly forget to laugh, when it feels so good and cures so much?”

That philosophy along with “Don’t ever put a frown on your face” ought to be a sure-fire way to start the new year off.

And as I understand it, God wants us to enjoy life. He created laughter.

“Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is a slow death to be gloomy all the time.” (Proverbs 17:22 GNT)

Love in Jesus,

God’s laughing servant,
Liz Ray

Written December 22, 2011