26.3.05

A Spoof on Drug Advertising

This one is just a quickie.
I sure hope you go check out this site; it's great for a laugh. They sing a parody poking fun at the advertising of drugs on TV and pushing drugs for profits in general. I've thought for a long time it was ludicrous to advertise drugs then tell our people not to do drugs. Hello! Who's running the country now? I thought we had a drug war; oops the drugs won from the looks of things. But that's another topic.

These people know their business; comedy. Check out JibJab.com you'll be glad you did.

posted by Jan myrz @ 8:05 PM 0 comments

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Doable Lifestyle Changes

According to National Heart Lung and Blood Institute these are some doable lifestyle changes that can help our hearts:
Do yard work.
I live in an apartment, but get out and dig in the dirt, trim grass around my area and just generally putter whenever the weather permits. I live in a rainforest.
Eat from smaller plates.
This sounds good, but if I want a lot of food I know how to pile a plate full to overflowing. This simply doesn't work for me. I even tried using measuring cups; forget the size plate. I say, eat smaller amounts. Just keep reducing the volume until the portions fit the amount of activity your getting. This seems to be working for me, and I don't feel deprived of anything.
Get off a stop early and walk.
I can't, I'm driving the bus... but I am exercising more at home, and keeping this advice in the back of my mind.
Try to: Sit instead of laying down. Stand instead of sitting. Walk instead of standing. Run instead of walking.
Don't eat late at night.
I try to make sure I don't eat past 7:00 in the evening. I'm drinking more liquids: teas, sugarless drinks, and lots of water and avoiding sodas as much as I can; but when I want one, I make sure I really want one first.
Skip seconds.
I eat seconds on soups and even thirds sometimes, but not on other starch or sugar things. So far it's working.
Work around the house.
I have to fit that in between working away from the house; however, I do paint. Recently I started a new project that gets me out in the fresh air doing a lot of walking and stooping, bending and lifting, and even carrying weight other than my own. Then I come home and paint what I've gone to get. Fun work is the only way to work anywhere.
Skip buffets.
Nah! Just make sure those buffets are Oriental. Loaded with lots of meat, seafood and veggies. Train the mind to only want what's good for you. It takes a while, but we can brainwash ourselves too. It worked with stopping biting my nails, and quitting smoking and now it's working on getting a resculpted body by thinking, eating and living healthier.
Grill, steam, or bake instead of frying.
Ya! And take the skins off the stuff your grilling, steaming and baking; if it's poultry. Get a hypodermic needle and inject into the meat some great marinate or rub the meat with a flavor rub. It cuts down on the volume your eating and it tastes just as good if not better; and the extra benefit is less carbs and calories too.
Bicycle to the store instead of driving.
Well I can't do that because I don't have a bike and I usually stop by the store on my way home from work so I can save gas; since you can practically hear the gas prices clicking higher and higher by the hour.
Take dog to the park.
Sure! Go rip off the neighbors pooch and take it on a forced walk. Make sure you have: plenty of poop bags,
a pair of rubber gloves, a small garden shovel, a leash, muzzle and lead; treats to tempt the dog to go with you (they love kibble, bacon and pork rinds) then you better have a good alibi for why you stole the neighbors dog.
On second thought, leave the back pack of crap tools and dog paraphernalia home and just go for a walk. Best be safe and take an oozy; just in case.
Ask your doctor about taking a multivitamin.
Why? Don't you know how? I take vitamins every day and have all my life. There isn't a thing you want in the drug world that you can't get from a vitamin and not near the side effects. Vitamin A helps keep you calm and sleep good. B revs up the system and wards off bug bites. C builds the immune system and fights sickness. D builds strong bones, teeth and nails. E greases the joints and helps keep me from getting leg cramps and Charlie horses. Then there are minerals that we never get enough of in the over processed foods we buy.
Hay it's better to flush down the toilet too much of a certain thing than to not be giving your body what it needs. I don't get as sick as often when I take vitamins. I don't need a doctor's permission to care for my own body.
Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV.
And take along your biggest umbrella and rubber boots. It's finally acting like normal here in Washington. We've been doing a fair impersonation of Southern California weather for the past three years. Drought!
Use vegetable oils over solid fats.
Boy have I got a good helpful hint for you here. I discovered Hidden Valley Ranch. Yes! But not the runny kind; they make a powder mix for making the dressing. It comes in a large bottle and will make salad dressing several times when you mix it according to the instructions on the bottle....BUT! Don't mix it! Just use it as a seasoning like salt and pepper. Only use it along with some olive oil then toss your veggies or salad.
You get the Hidden Valley Ranch flavor with NO! Yes I said NO calories. No sugars. No carbohydrates and people you can eat it till it falls out your ears and not get one ounce from it on the scales.
Since I discovered that I've been experimenting with it on everything. MMMMMM Good! Sin free and tasty.
More carrots, less cake.
Ya! That's an idea; carrot cake. No, I'm just kidding; kinda....well just a little. I love carrot cake. But here's another little tasty treat. make carrot curls (don't forget the Hidden Valley powder) then dehydrate them at a low temperature in the oven..knock your socks off carrot chips.
Fetch the newspaper yourself.
I quit reading the newspaper. They only repeat what the politicians tell them to say or whoever is paying them at the time. The aren't like they used to be; they've lost their backbone. No one investigates and tells the truth any more. So, why waist the money. Watch the six o'clock news and you've gotten what you would have read. If your into reading; walk to the library.
Sit up straight at work.
No kidding, I just spent the last month and a half getting my back straightened out from sitting crooked on a bus seat while driving. Not a good thing to do. Keep the spine straight and stay healthy; when it gets tweaked, look for sniffles to follow.
Wash the car by hand.
Dry-clean the car...we are in a drout. If you must wash the car, use recycled water for the wash and save the rinse for clean water you caught in a 30 gallon trash can that ran off your roof. When the water can is empty...do a rain dance and forget washing the car.
Don't skip meals.
Yep, but I've discovered that nibbling is more my style. I have a bite or two for breakfast with my handful of vitamins and medication (I'm type 2 diabetic and keep it in check with pills and watching my diet.)
Then about every couple hours I have something to drink (water mostly) but something that's healthy liquid and maybe a couple slices of tomato or a few nuts or a couple stocks of celery. Then again at lunch time another nibble of something similar. I like spinach dip or artichoke dip or nufitchel cheese with celery. Then around 2 another nibble of a piece of jerky or some Jell-O made with extra plain gelatin mixed into the package of Jell-O, so the Jell-O comes out almost like gummy Jell-O Knox blocks. I eat that like a piece of cake or candy treat. You can actually bite into them. Good stuff Maynard!
Then around 5 I'm getting hungry for real food and that is when I try to fix a nice salad and eat that while I'm deciding what I want for dinner. I eat lots of soups: vegetable, broccoli, chowder, chiapino, egg drop, fr. onion, lentil, barley, green beans and pork; whatever I have on hand or get the notion I'd like.
Eat more celery sticks.
AMEN! I clean them when I get them home and cut them into BIG chunks, lay them in the Glad container and salt and pepper them. Then when I want some I just sprinkle some HVR powder on them and gnosh away till I'm satisfied. I also will put some carrot sticks (cut into tiny strips, so they can fill the trough of the celery) and I like to have an opened can of black olives in another container for a nibble too.
Run when running errands.
I wish I could. I used to love to run, but my gimpy foot won't let me anymore. I'm shooting for that as a goal though. Hopefully when enough excess luggage on my body melts away, I might be able to try running again without killing the ability to walk.
Pace the sidelines at kids' athletic games.
Nah! My grandson gets embarrassed enough at my yelling from the grandstands. Make one for me 55! GO! Ritchey! Whoh! Whoh! Whoh! EEEE-Ha! Yip-Yip-whoopeee! and all those kindsa noises. Then he has to put up with all the razzing from his team mates.
I just wanted to share some of what's been working for me. Drumroll please. I have gone from 279 to 221pounds just by living like I just told you. I'm not on a diet; I'm on a campaign to have a more sculpted body by 2006 and try to live healthier and eat healthier. That's it! No tricks or gimmicks. When I discovered I couldn't control my eating, I started taking Dexitrim Green tea formula to help me control the urges to eat. I began drinking more tea and less coffee. I got every flavor tea I loved and make sure it's there when I want it; mostly when I'm wanting something. Then I asked the doctor to prescribe something to help me that I could take with my diabetic medicine. It is finally working and I'm seeing some results. It was a nice surprise when I went to the doctor's office and asked if I could use their scale to weigh myself.
Then I came out and asked what I weighed the last time I was weighed when I saw the doctor. I can't remember if it was in January of this year or of about September or October of last year. It doesn't really matter; because it's a good loss and is showing me I'm doing it the right way.
I don't feel deprived or even like I'm dieting. I'm just living healthier and loving me more and I'm making me happier as a result. My life is fuller and more rewarding; how much more could anyone want?
Help! I'm eating healthy and loosing all my fat rolls.....
Send donuts quick!
Jan

posted by Jan myrz @ 7:49 PM 0 comments

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25.3.05

The Rock

This is Amazing Artwork!

Tilt your head to the left and focus on the picture.
You will see the reflection join to form a woman and child praying.

Happy Easter Everyone!


posted by Jan myrz @ 11:26 AM 0 comments

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24.3.05




All dressed up for Easter; hat and all. Living the life of granny.
Is it my emagination or does she have George Burns glasses too?




Posted by Hello

posted by Jan myrz @ 10:21 AM 0 comments

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23.3.05

What the heck is gout?

This morning at work several of us were discussing family when one person said their mother has gout. We narrowed it down pretty closely but I wanted to check it out. Since I was interested in knowing just what the heck gout is, I decided to copy some of the information I found. I've provided a link to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/gout/gout.htm
Anyone wanting to read more or find out about some other disease can get ready information at this site.
Oh, just so you know; clipping your toenails too closely can give you the same symptoms with lots of pain, so easy does it people. LOL Phew! My boss said he found out the hard way. I think I'll learn from his mistake. LOL How about you?

Quick Definitions for 'gout'

noun: a painful inflammation of the big toe and foot caused by defects in uric acid metabolism resulting in deposits of the acid and its salts in the blood and joints.

Uric acid is a substance that results from the breakdown of purines, which are part of all human tissue and are found in many foods. Normally, uric acid is dissolved in the blood and passed through the kidneys into the urine, where it is eliminated. If the body increases its production of uric acid or if the kidneys do not eliminate enough uric acid from the body, levels of it build up in the blood (a condition called hyperuricemia). Hyperuricemia also may result when a person eats too many high-purine foods, such as liver, dried beans and peas, anchovies, and gravies. Hyperuricemia is not a disease and by itself is not dangerous. However, if excess uric acid crystals form as a result of hyperuricemia, gout can develop. The excess crystals build up in the joint spaces, causing inflammation. Deposits of uric acid, called tophi (singular: tophus), can appear as lumps under the skin around the joints and at the rim of the ear. In addition, uric acid crystals can collect in the kidneys and cause kidney stones.

For many people, gout initially affects the joints in the big toe. Sometime during the course of the disease, gout will affect the big toe in about 75 percent of patients. It also can affect the instep, ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows. The disease can progress through four stages:

  • Asymptomatic (without symptoms) hyperuricemia--In this stage, a person has elevated levels of uric acid in the blood but no other symptoms. A person in this stage does not usually require treatment.
  • Acute gout, or acute gouty arthritis--In this stage, hyperuricemia has caused the deposit of uric acid crystals in joint spaces. This leads to a sudden onset of intense pain and swelling in the joints, which also may be warm and very tender. An acute attack commonly occurs at night and can be triggered by stressful events, alcohol or drugs, or the presence of another illness. Early attacks usually subside within 3 to 10 days, even without treatment, and the next attack may not occur for months or even years. Over time, however, attacks can last longer and occur more frequently.
  • Interval or intercritical gout--This is the period between acute attacks. In this stage, a person does not have any symptoms and has normal joint function.
  • Chronic tophaceous gout--This is the most disabling stage of gout and usually develops over a long period, such as 10 years. In this stage, the disease has caused permanent damage to the affected joints and sometimes to the kidneys. With proper treatment, most people with gout do not progress to this advanced stage.

What Causes Gout?

A number of risk factors are related to the development of hyperuricemia and gout:

  • Genetics may play a role in determining a person's risk, since up to 18 percent of people with gout have a family history of the disease.
  • Gender and age are related to the risk of developing gout; it is more common in men than in women and more common in adults than in children.
  • Being overweight increases the risk of developing hyperuricemia and gout because there is more tissue available for turnover or breakdown, which leads to excess uric acid production.
  • Drinking too much alcohol can lead to hyperuricemia because it interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body.
  • Eating too many foods rich in purines can cause or aggravate gout in some people.
  • An enzyme defect that interferes with the way the body breaks down purines causes gout in a small number of people, many of whom have a family history of gout.
  • Exposure to lead in the environment can cause gout.

Some people who take certain medicines or have certain conditions are at risk for having high levels of uric acid in their body fluids. For example, the following types of medicines can lead to hyperuricemia because they reduce the body's ability to remove uric acid:

  • Diuretics, which are taken to eliminate excess fluid from the body in conditions like hypertension, edema, and heart disease, and which decrease the amount of uric acid passed in the urine;
  • Salicylates, or anti-inflammatory medicines made from salicylic acid, such as aspirin;
  • The vitamin niacin, also called nicotinic acid;
  • Cyclosporine, a medicine used to suppress the body's immune system (the system that protects the body from infection and disease) and control the body's rejection of transplanted organs; and
  • Levodopa, a medicine used to support communication along nerve pathways in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Who Is Likely To Develop Gout?

Gout occurs in approximately 840 out of every 100,000 people. It is rare in children and young adults. Adult men, particularly those between the ages of 40 and 50, are more likely to develop gout than women, who rarely develop the disorder before menopause. People who have had an organ transplant are more susceptible to gout.

Where Can People Find More Information About Gout?

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
National Institutes of Health
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
Phone: 301-495-4484 or 877-22-NIAMS (226-4267) (free of charge)
TTY: 301-565-2966
Fax: 301-718-6366
E-mail: NIAMSInfo@mail.nih.gov
www.niams.nih.gov

NIAMS provides information about various forms of arthritis and rheumatic diseases and bone, muscle, joint, and skin diseases. It distributes patient and professional education materials and also refers people to other sources of information. Additional information and updates can be found on the NIAMS Web site.

The mission of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is to support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse is a public service sponsored by the NIAMS that provides health information and information sources. Additional information can be found on the NIAMS Web site at www.niams.nih.gov.

This booklet is not copyrighted. Readers are encouraged to duplicate and distribute as many copies as needed.

Additional copies of this booklet are available from

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases
NIAMS/National Institutes of Health (NIH)
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675

NIH Publication No. 02-5027

http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/gout/gout.htm

posted by Jan myrz @ 9:05 PM 0 comments

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22.3.05

Memory Flogger

When I was a kid in Canton:
I played kick the can in the street until the street lights came on, then it was time to go in. Dinner would be ready and a bath followed; then I could play around the front porch until bedtime.
Usually that meant everyone would gather on the front porch. Some would sit on the swing; usually Grandpap and me. Grandma and Mom each had their own rocking chairs. Aunts, Uncles and cousins would be on banisters, railings and steps, when they came over. Mom would play the ukulele and we'd all sing and rock. Dad was in the Army and I didn't get to see him until he got hurt and came home from over seas, so Granpap, Tom Sr. was a fill in and so were my 4 Uncles: Tom, Jim, George and Robert. Each of these men were characters in their own right.
Uncle Tom, a featherweight pro-boxer, was tall, dark, handsome, and just a little silly at times. Once I offered him some Bazooka bubblegum. It came in a red, white and blue waxed paper package that was long, like a cigar: and had markings where you could bite off a hunk. When you were all finished with the gum there was a comic on the inside wrapper. I especially loved these; because, "I wasn't permitted to rot my brain out reading comic books"; somehow they overlooked Bazooka Joe comics in the gum.
Anyway, Uncle Tom asked for a piece to try when he saw me blow a great big bubble. Once he caught on, we were going to see who could blow the biggest bubble. We chewed and chewed until all the sugar was out of the double-the-normal wad sized gum we each took. Finally, we started blowing. I got mine the size of my head and it was getting reeeeeeaaaaally thin. But, I kept blowing ever so carefully. I could see Uncle Tom through the gum. His bubble was a match to mine. Now the contest turned into who's is going to pop first?
It was difficult to keep from giggling after so long holding our heads back. Our mouths were coaxing every last piece of available gum to join the beach ball sized bubbles. Neither of us was going to give in; our honor was at stake. "A Pox on Quitters!"
"Puff!" A hole appeared in mine and the giant sticky ball deflated covering my entire face and hairline. When I blinked the gum stretched and relaxed; stretched and relaxed.
On one of my blinks I was able to see Uncle Tom's bubble had burst as well and engulfed his face: bushy eyebrows, handlebar mustache and in raven black hair as well. Ha! Ha! Ha!
We laughed and plucked at that mess for hours. We used ice cubes, baby oil and even soap and water; nothing worked completely. Even the old stand-by, of using the gum to clean off the gum, didn't work.
Finally! Uncle Tom came out of the bathroom surprising us all. He had shaved off his eyebrows and half his mustache. My sides hurt so badly from laughing I could hardly stop. We enjoyed the sight every time we saw Uncle Tom every day until the hair grew back.
He never challenged me again. To my knowledge, he never chewed gum again; so I guess you could say, "I won!"

posted by Jan myrz @ 9:40 PM 0 comments

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16.3.05

Defenders of Basic Rights Denied

What does St Patrick's Day, The American Revolution and July 12th have in common?

St Patrick's Day is the Green Irishmen's holiday; celebrated all over the world.
How many of us associate freedom and basic rights with Irish?

If you would like a real eye opener, check out this link. It will shed a completely different light on not only our own freedom, but what is still happening in the world today to the Orange Irish on July 12th, when they try to celebrate their greatest victory. July 12th marks what is Europe's biggest festival, their Glorious Revolution of 1688-91.

Orangeman, "We ask the nation to pray for us this morning, to thank God for the liberties won in the past, the liberties defended against terrorism and its sympathizers during the last 30 years here in the UK and that the world will see and understand that civil liberties are essential for all people."

A little known fact of the American Revolution of 1776 listed on the Basic Rights Denied
site: During that war one third of the American armies consisted of men originally from Ulster. (Orangeman)
George Washington, said of these patriots:" If defeated everywhere else, I will make my stand for liberty with the Scots Irish of my native Virginia"

So when you celebrate this St Patrick's Day, take a moment to remember the brave Irish that fought for our freedom from the King of England. These brave souls were willing to die fighting unfair taxation and oppression of a heartless ruler who gave no thought of care about the suffering people of this country.


posted by Jan myrz @ 10:30 PM 0 comments

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11.3.05

Speaking of my Irish heritage.

There are some things about the Irish I bet you didn't know. I am part Irish and spoke some Gallic when I was a child. My Irish side of the family is on my mother's side. I learned Gallic like I learned the Dutch/German side like most kids learn to spell. T I M E F O R B E D.
I learned we were a hearty bunch; fun loving, hard working, loved our families dearly, were definite scrappers, and boy could my family hold a grudge! They had known much hardship, but wound up on top. Some of the family were and still are very wealthy, and never the twain shall meet on equal ground. The class system was rampant among the Irish in my family as it was in many other families of that time I'm sure. I was forever being reminded that we came from white lace Irish, not shanty.
I was taught how to make Irish lace when I was just small. I learned to crochet, tat, and do all sorts of needlework, from sewing clothing, to making rugs and tapestries. I was even taught how to make fish net. Because my mother learned these things from her mother, sitting at her knees, I was taught the same way. Mind you, I didn't want to learn these things; I was reminded it was what girls learned and that I was the oldest and should set a good example for my sisters.

I didn't care about that stuff, I was a tomboy and just wanted to go play with the rest of the kids in the neighborhood (who just happened to be all boys) chasing after the ice wagon. All the kids would run along behind grabbing pieces of ice that were left from when the ice man chipped blocks for the ladies of the neighborhood, for their individual ice boxes.
It was a time when refrigerators hadn't quite replaced the old oak, metal lined ice boxes. We were rich I guess; because we had one of each. Gramma had a brand new refrigerator that stood proudly in the upstairs kitchen, but it never had the same comfy charm as the old ice box in the summer kitchen. We had an ice box in the basement; better known in our family as the summer kitchen. It was a place the Wise clan gathered in the summer to make ice cream and party, which most family gatherings turned into a party of some sort. Even to do the canning, and clean the fish and turtles my Uncle Tom would bring in from his trips to Canada wound up a party at the Wise's.
I didn't know or even care if we were poor, it was never talked about. But I know my Granpap bought a whole city block and built homes for each of his boys so the whole Wise clan could be on the same block. My grandmother's son from her first marriage was included in that deal. There were four brothers and two sisters in the Wise/Bihanna marriage, and three of the brothers got homes on the same block. Uncle George didn't want to have his home there so Granpap paid for the house to be build in another part of Canton, OH; everyone else (the Wise girls) was to fend for themselves. But, of coarse I never heard about this until my Mom and Dad moved us to Carrollton; another town 50 miles away.
One of the brothers, Uncle Thomas, was Ohio state feather-weight champion prize fighter for a while. Uncle Jimmy, worked for the Parks and Recreation Department. And Uncle Robert, was a heavy equipment operator for Timken Steel. Their father, Thomas, Grandad, Wise was the head stillman for the Timken Steel company. He used a shovel to make the mixture in the furnaces that would become molten steel. Those were the family members that lived on the same block I called my part time home until I was old enough to go to first grade. My other part time home was on the farm of my Uncle Sparky and Aunt Ann (Wise) Little; Helen (Wise), my Mother's, half-sister.
I won't go into the stories of how we go back to Sir Francis Drake and our family Coat of Arms; or how we come from royalty and all; that's for another day. Besides Sir Francis Drake was nothing but a pirate for the Queen of England and the Irish and English have been at it for years. I guess I'll have to tell the other side on some fall day like on German Octoberfest or on some day when Holland or the Pennsylvania Dutch celebrate some Holiday. Then again I'll have to pick another day to tell of the Trail of Tears for my Native American side and another for the swash and buckle of Black Beard and cut throats and rogues side of the family. Until those days I'll just leave you with a few Irish proverbs I got from a great site on the web. Enjoy the link and the web site; you'll get an eye opener for sure if you take the time to read through it. I did.

proverbs

posted by Jan myrz @ 7:05 PM 1 comments

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6.3.05

Beware of wearing too much green!

Folklore has it that we need to be cautious of wearing too much green at any time; not just St Patrick's Day. According to legend, wearing too much green will draw the wee folk who are known for their mischievous ways. It's just their mischievous nature to cause trouble. So, especially on Saint Patrick's Day, don't go overboard wearing all green; we don't want to tempt the wee folk.

I would offer a suggestion wearing the three colors of Ireland's National flag; green, white and orange. Green in honor of the Catholic Priest St. Patrick; who was said to have driven all the snakes out of Ireland. Orange, for all the Protestants who number half of the nations population, and represents the Republic of Ireland. And white, for the hope of a lasting peace between the two.

May God bless all the Irish blood that flows in all our veins on St. Patrick's Day; even the wee folk: elf's, gnomes, leprechauns, fairies, sprites, brownies, and such. But just in case you'd like to learn some good old Irish curses just for fun....LOL....Never know, you might just need one. LOL
curses

May The Almighty kiss both sets of cheeks, two hours before the devil knows your gone. "Erin Go Brach"

posted by Jan myrz @ 5:05 PM 0 comments

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5.3.05


 Importance of Walking
Walking can add minutes to your life. This enables you at 85+ years old, to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home eating strained baby food; living on a respirator or oxygen tank, in a wheel chair parked in a halway somewhere, or in a bed for hours on end and pay $5000 per month.

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. Now she's 97 years old and we don't know where the hell she is.

I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. I haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there.

The only reason I would take up exercising is so I could hear heavy breathing again.

I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing.

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.

I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.

The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.

If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.

I decided to take an arobics class. I bent, twisted, gyrated and jumped up and down for an hour. But, by the time I got my leotard on, the class was over.

And I don't exercise, because it makes the ice jump right out of my glass.

posted by Jan myrz @ 9:01 PM 0 comments

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4.3.05

The Big Switch; Weaknesses and Strengths.

I was thinking about weaknesses and strengths. Each of us are given natural weaknesses and strengths and over time we mold our lives accordingly. We are taught some of these by our parents fears and hopes, and society as a whole inflicts others upon us, while others we learn in the school of hard knocks. By the time we become individuals, attempting to steer our vessel-selves through the vast sea of life, we have all these influences that have made us who we are. My thinking was what if my weaknesses became my strengths, and my strengths my weaknesses? I've always been a proud (weak) individual (need people). Independent (can't stand alone, always needing help). Loving toward all people (don't trust anyone, shy, reclusive and mean). I've always put family first (to hell with family) put others needs above my own (If there is anything left after I get what I want I'll think about helping someone else). Prided myself on trying to be a practicing Christian, a Bible thumping child of God (be made to believe I should feel shame for continuing to believe in what the world says is bullshit). These are just a few places I can see where this what if would really cause some problems. But what if it really happened?


I would probably try to counter the effects to bring everything into being that I wanted to be fact. Learn to use the opposite to my best advantage. So if I've always been healthy and now feel sick all the time I need to counter that with what? Being weak, needing people and always needing help from people I don't trust? Should I be shy and reclusive and mean; angry with the family and think only of myself and sit alone wondering if all these years of believing God and trusting in Christ as my savior is nothing more than bullshit? Nope, I can't do it. As my Mom and Dad used to say, "Can't means won't!" So I guess I won't do it. I know my Lord Jesus lives not only in me but in others on this earth. I know God is worthy of my trust and belief; it doesn't matter what the world believes or wants me to believe.


If I hadn't seen Christ and been touched by His healing hand twice, then I might have been able to be pulled away from believing. But I'm not like the Israelites who were brought out of Egypt by God's mighty hand to the desert where He fed them and provided them with water and the ten commandments by which to rule their lives. He was with them every step of the way, just as He is with us today. They experienced His mighty works first hand, yet they turned on Him like ungrateful children; I refuse to do the same.


My miracles were just as mighty to me and I haven't forgotten them. I was paralyzed for a year from slipping on a wet tile floor and mashing the third lumbar vertebrae. Everyone said I wouldn't walk again, and I lay flat on my back for months. Finally the doctor let me go home where I lay by the pool on the hot cement and burned in the sun. I prayed and never gave in to the words and beliefs of those around me that I wouldn't walk. I didn't give it space in my life. I just wouldn't listen to it.....ever! I believed I would be healed in God's own good time, and I'd trust Him because he didn't lie in the past and He sure wouldn't lie to me. He would have no reason to lie to me. God isn't the liar and deceiver. Then one day when the doctor was examining me I felt pain. Horrible pain, but I was happy. He was sticking me with a pin into my toes. I could only yell out, "do it again!" "I can feel that!" I cried lots of tears, "It hurts!" "Praise God it hurts!" And I'd grit my teeth together from the pain.
It felt like ginger ale in my legs. Like when your body part has been asleep for a while and is coming too again. Only big time pain.


I walked again and went on to work in logging. I was drawn to working with wood as Jesus did in His youth. I loved the woods and walking the hills. I lived in the desert and worked in the mountains. I was a happy woman. God rewarded my faithfulness to Him. I say him because I only know a man to be a father. God is my creator father, my spiritual father, and my savior father; but most of all, He's my friend.


My second miracle happened in my living room in front of sixteen people.
I had opened my home to taking in unwanted kids; runaways, juvenile delinquents due to someone molesting them or neglecting them or using and abusing them. Kids from ages 9 through 16 (and even the police brought them to my home).
At the time of the miracle I had just turned over a boy to his aunt and was only protecting and caring for a 16 year old girl.


The mother of the boy that had just left my home came to the house when I was having a few friends over for a friendly BYOB gathering that was totally mild and innocent until the girl came to me and asked me a question. I noticed a bloody scratch on her cheek and inquired how it got there. My daughter who was 14 at the time spoke up and told me that the boy's mother had done it. Apparently she didn't like this girl and back handed her across the face. She had a rather large ring on that left a bloody gash on the girl's cheek. I've never been able to be mellow when it comes to a child in my care getting hurt by anyone. So, I went to this woman and proceeded to beat the living crap out of her. I got her down on the ground, straddled her and used my right fist as a club; wielding it back and forth across this woman's face. All the while yelling at her, " How do YOU like getting hit like this?" And I'd blast her with my fist from right to left. "Don't you EVER hit one of my kids." Thump, left to right. "I'll show you just what it's like!" Smash! right to left. "How's it feel?" I had to make myself stop or I would have killed her.


The police showed up and I told them what happened. They chewed us both out and warned us to settle down or they would have to arrest us. I went back into the living room and got on my knees in the middle of the room and started praying. Lord forgive me. I should never have done that. But she should never have hit my kids. But I'm sorry for what I did.
I prayed for a long time. My hand was a mess. My fingers were all laying sideways; broken. My whole hand was swelling and turning plumy purple/green/red. At one point one of the people there came to me and tried to get me to quit praying and go to a doctor. I only replied, "Get behind me Satan!" and continued praying for forgiveness.


I was forgiven. My hand was healed right there in front of 16 people. The woman was too. She came to me afterwards and we cried together "I'm sorry, forgive me, I'm sorry,"
She only had a few red spots. No broken skin. I had the tip of my index finger turned slightly and still is today; I look at it and it is a constant reminder of God's forgiveness when I was stupid.


I don't know what happened to the woman or the girl, but I do know the Lord used that incident to turn all those people's lives around and every one of them lived a better life afterwards, because they witnessed my hand being healed before their eyes. During that healing, I was reaching and looking up; then I saw Jesus. I can't describe him to you; but I know it was Him. It was like being in a milky misty fog; me reaching for Him and Him reaching for me. Then when His one finger touched me, my hand was healed. He smiled and disappeared. I felt washed clean and I've never been the same since.


From that day forward I've lived in wonder; because those are only two of the many miracles I've experienced in my lifetime. I can't; No I won't deny nor be ashamed to say I believe in my Lord Jesus Christ. I believe in God; my Creator. Yes, I said my Creator; because I didn't evolve from any form of monkey or ape. I was created by my Father in heaven. I believe in God's Holy Spirit that helps me every day of my life, and will continue to help me because that's how much He loves me. And, He loves you too.


So, if your feeling weak where you know your strong; turn to the only one that is of any importance to your well being and your life. This is another opportunity to change your life before Christ returns. Don't dance to the drums of the idols, but listen to the whisperings the Holy Spirit is saying to you. You can trust Him.



posted by Jan myrz @ 8:05 PM 0 comments

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