Rock Music and the Blues

Recently, I stumbled onto a list of music that greatly surprised me and actually caused me to despair, mainly because I realized it was some of the same music that I had either listened to before salvation, or while learning how to be a Christian, I made a decision to completely get this out of my life. And, after being saved a while, I had the opportunity to hear a lot of preaching on the subject of Rock Music and Blues and other types that are known to be sensual and totally unscriptural. Rock Music as I know now, has its origin in the hellish Luciferian doctrine. Most of the musicians and singers make no bones about being Luciferian. The lyrics themselves speak mainly of  such as "see you in hell my friend". I have seen some lost and saved folks alike get totally messed up mentally and spiritually from listening and participating in this stuff. The worst part is when we as parents allow our children to get involved with it. Rock Music has a background of causing rebellion in those that listen to it. Many times this leads to drugs and illicit sex. It has been proven that not even potted plants growing inside of someone's home can thrive in this type of environment.

As for Blues...I remember as a teenager actually loving the screaming of Janis Joplin singing "Me and Bobby McGhee"! Among other things that I listened to. Yes, they had a major impact on how I viewed things. I was very liberal in my thinking. I believe from my standpoint that this type of music and singing can literally grab hold of a person's body and soul. It is sensual and devilish! As I said before, I am speaking from past experience. It has been many years since I desired to listen to or participate in this type of music.

I really believe that the devil has done such a good job of cleverly pulling people, especially saved people, into his stronghold without them even suspecting. Most movies over the last years have cleverly intertwined all types of music into their previews, scenes...TV has very cleverly done this and most of the time no one pays attention to it. Just as the Hollywood crowd and movie industry has cleverly incorporated nudity, outlandish women and men, and those portraying the "god of forces", people saved and lost flock to spend money and time to the nearest movie theatre, movie rental store, retail store and online movie rentals. Countless dollars have been spent on this entertainment, while those spending it complain of having no money to pay their debts or even buy food. They have told themselves they are "collecter's items" and an investment in future entertainment.

Just to mention a few titles of especially the Rock Music that is what is known as the head banger music:
Hotel California                           I Love Rock and Roll
Poison Arrow                             Drastic Fantastic
Deep Purple                               Accept-Restless and Wild
Moontan-Radar Love                The Allman Brothers

This is some blatantly wicked stuff! I cannot understand how a blood-washed born again child of God who has been saved for years and known the right ways of God can actually allow this type of stuff to become prominent in their life. I hope I never return to this myself and I work hard on keeping it out. The devil never stops knocking on our door, does he! But, just to think that a child of God actually spends their money on such devilish things is to me a slap in the face of Jesus Christ, just as turning your back on the book he has written (KJB) for us to know to put evil away from us.

Jeremiah 23
10) For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.
11) For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.
12) Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.
14) I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of the evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

Ezekiel 14: 3-4
3) Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
4) Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols...

Pirates of the Caribbean

It amazes me how much influence "Disney" has on Americans, especially on those that claim to be Christians. Even after much has been said and done to expose the unbiblical teachings that are portrayed in Disney movies, Christians simply just don't care anymore. Sorcery, witchcraft, idolatry are all blatant in most of the movies put out by Disney these days. There is no fear of God before their eyes.  Disney has become a rich land all its own! There is a movie that has been out named Pirates of the Caribbean. No, I have not seen this movie, neither do I intend to. But, I want to take this time to at least write what is written on the back cover of the DVD that has become so popular today.

"Finally, A Movie Worth Seeing Over and Over Again!"

Charming rogue pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is back for a grand, swashbuckling, nonstop joyride filled with devilish pirate humor, monstrous sea creatures and breathtaking black magic. Now, Jack's got a blood debt to pay--he owes his soul to the legendary Davy Jones, ghostly ruler of the Ocean Depths...but ever-crafty Jack isn't about to go down without a fight. Along the way, dashing Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and the beautiful Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) get caught up in the thrilling whirlpool of misadventures stirred up in Jack's quest to avoid eternal damnation by seizing the fabled Dead Man's Chest!
**This movie is rated PG-13 and states that Parents should be strongly cautioned--Some Material May Be Inappropriate for Children Under 13--For Intense Sequences Of Adventure Violence, Including Frightening Images

Definition: from Webster's 1828 Dictionary

Pirate
A robber on the high seas; one that by open violence takes the property of another on the high seas. In strictness, the word pirate is one who makes it his business to cruise for robbery or plunder; a freebooter on the seas.
An armed ship or vessel which sails without a legal commission, for the purpose of plundering other vessels indiscriminately on the high seas.
A bookseller that seizes the copies or writings of other men without permission.

It seems to me that promoting this type of madness as entertainment is teaching our children that it is okay to steal, cheat and hurt those in order to obtain something not legally ours. This is all anti-scriptural and it is no wonder things are such as they are in our homes and in our country.

I leave my readers with the following scripture verses taken from the one  and only source of life:
King James Bible
Isaiah 59:1-
1) Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
3) For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
4) None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
7) Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
8) The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
9) Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
10) We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
11) We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
12) For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
13) In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
14) And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

 AMEN

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Recently, while doing some house sitting for my daughter Beth, I discovered the Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary that my husband and I gave our son-in-law Todd a few years ago for his birthday. Funny how different this dictionary is from an updated version that we have at our house. It makes me realize how so many people, especially Christians, can live such licentious lifestyles. Just like the other versions of the Bible have taken out many of the words that are in the King James Bible, the dictionaries, when updated took out and even changed some of the meanings that were intended by God for us to read in order to know the full meaning, especially when it comes to practical living. I feel that the devil through subtlety has come into our homes and stolen the truth from under our noses. 

I have taken the liberty to look up a few words that I feel  are very necessary in the age which we live. All around me I see so many departing from the faith and from the lifestyle that the Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostles penned down in our beloved Bible. I have also added some scriptures that it seems many Christians have taken lightly due to either reading a different version of the Bible or not understanding the impact of what the scriptures teach by their definitions.

Definitions according to Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary

     Doctrine
     1)  In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or                position in any science, whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. “The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truth taught by Christ and his Apostles. The doctrines of Plato are the principles which he taught. Hence, a doctrine may be true or false; it may be mere tenet or opinion.

2) The act of teaching.- “He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine…Mark 4

3) Learning; knowledge -“Whom shall he make to understand doctrine?” Isaiah 27

4) The truths of the gospel in general. “That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” Titus 2

5) Instruction and confirmation in the truths of the gospels.

Ephesians 5:3-4

3) But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

4) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

I Thessalonians 4:1

1)  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

2) For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus

3) For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

4) That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

5) Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

6) That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forwarned you and testified.

7) For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

8) He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given to us his Holy Spirit.

Fornication
1) The incontinence or lewdness of unmarried persons, male or female; also, the criminal conversation of a married man with an unmarried woman.
2) Adultery  Matthew 5
3) Incest  1 Corithians 5
4) Idolatry; a forsaking of the true God, and worshipping of idols  2 Chronicles 21; Revelation 19

Fornicator
1) An unmarried person, male or female, who has criminal conversation with the other sex; also, a married man who has sexual commerce with an unmarried woman. (See adultery)
2) A lewd person
3) An idolater

Lewd

1) Given to the unlawful indulgence of lust; addicted to fornication or adultery; dissolute; lustful

2) Proceeding from unlawful lust; a lewd action

3) Wicked, vile, profligate, licentious

Incontinency

1) Want of restraint of the passions or appetites; free or uncontrolled indulgence of the passions or appetites, as of anger.

2) Want of restraint of the sexual appetite; free or illegal indulgence of lust; lewdness; used of either sex, but appropriately of the male sex. Incontinence in the men is the same as unchastity in women.

Concupiscence

1) To covet or lust after

2)  Lust; unlawful or irregular desire of sexual pleasure. In a more general sense, the coveting of carnal things, or an irregular appetite for worldly good; inclination for unlawful enjoyments.

Malice

1) Extreme enmity of heart, or malevolence; a disposition to injure others without cause, from mere personal gratification or from a spirit of revenge; unprovoked malignity or spite.

2) To regard with extreme ill will.

Perverse

1) Literally, turned aside; hence, distorted from the right.

2) Obstinate in the wrong; disposed to be contrary; stubborn; untractable.

3) Cross; petulant; peevish; disposed to cross and vex.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Grace

1) Favor; good will; kindness; disposition to oblige another; as a grant made as an act of grace.

2) Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all benefits men receive from him.

3) Favorable influence of God; divine influence or the influence of the spirit, in renewing the heart and restraining from sin.

4) The application of Christ’s righteousness to the sinner.

Titus 2:3-5

1) The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things.

2) That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.

3)To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not     blasphemed.

Sober

1) Not mad or insane; not wild, visionary or heated with passion. Having the regular exercise of cool dispassionate reason.

2) Regular, calm, not under the influence of passion.

Discreet

Prudent; wise in avoiding errors of evil, and in selecting the best means to accomplish a purpose; circumspect; cautious; wary; not rash.

Chaste

1) Pure from all unlawful commerce of sexes. True to the marriage bed

2) Free from obscenity

3) In language, pure; genuine, uncorrupt; free from barbarous phrases, and from quaint, affected, extravagant expressions

     I Peter 3:1-4

1) Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

2) While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

3) Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4) But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Meek

1)Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.

2)Appropriately, humble in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud; self sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations.

*This is definitely something that I need to work on!

Life on the Other Side

I am presently being afforded the great adventure of "house sitting". My daughter and husband Todd along with their 3 daughters have suddenly decided to take a trip to the hot wonderland of Texas Hill Country in order to visit Todd's parents, brother and his grandmother amongst the other activities they've got planned to fit in during this visit. They have and will also revisit Pensacola, Florida where a long-time friend lives named Sue and will try to visit the church that Todd and Beth attended when they got married some 14 years or so ago! I forget how long! Anyway, I have been awarded the opportunity to come and stay at their house in order to tend to the chickens that need to be fed and watered in the morning and evening. This has been quite an adventure. The chickens (there are 30) are not old enough yet to lay eggs but are pretty well on their way to doing just that. In the evening I have been going to the building that they roost or sleep in at night and giving them fresh water and feed that is put inside of the building to lure them all inside. Most of them go right in there since by this time they are nearly beside themselves with hunger. Of course, there are a few strays that obstinately decide they would rather stay outside, so in this case they are left to do whatever they wish during the night and are not to be worried about. So far, I have not lost any of them. And, oh yes, of course I have to put on these trudging boots when going inside the gate of the fence that houses the chicken coop (it's pretty big) in order to keep from being bitten by a snake. I usually pray that the Lord will send the snakes away. A few weeks ago my granddaughter Ariel actually got bitten by a copperhead while being inside the fenced chicken yard and had to spend the day in the emergency room taking anti-venom and running up a humongous emergency room bill! That in itself is a whole new story.

Meanwhile, during the day I have also been going back to my own house and trying to tidy up some things and fix a decent meal for my husband who has had a terrible cold all week. Sounds like fun, huh? So goes my life. I have actually enjoyed staying at my daughter's house due to the fact it is a very calm place to live. I have spent my extra time here catching up on some much needed blog writing and copying preaching cd's that I wasn't able to do at my house. Also, I plan to use the time to teach myself the updated version of 2007 Microsoft Office which I don't have on my computer at home. There are many things to do so I don't have time to get bored.

A Visit With Beth

From time to time I "borrow" something from another blog that I feel is really worth reading and put it on my blogspot. So, once again, the following info has been taken from my daughter Beth's blogspot. Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

KJB

Over the years, I have read books and articles on the beauty and inspiration of the King James Version. I checked out a documentary/movie called KJB: The Book That Changed The World, that was a really good explanation about how the King James Version came to be. It is a very good movie for kids because it is acted out.

*This I pulled from Gail Riplinger's Book Hazardous Materials (pages 1181-1184)....

There are many things hidden in the text of the King James that a serious student can find. (Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth...2 Timothy 2:15) This does not occur in any other translation.

"if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God"...John 11:40

Periander A. Esplana, a Christian from the Phillipines found this several years back:

The 1st verse and the last verse in the KJB:
*In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1
*The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Revelation 22:21

~Number of letters in the first verse? 44  In the last verse? 44
~The number of vowels in the first verse? 17 In the last verse? 17
~The number of consonants in the first verse? 27 In the last verse? 27

That's just two verses!

1 John 5:7 is an important verse that distinguishes the Christian religion from false religions. The chapter ends "This is the true God.."
 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost' and these three are one. 1 John 5:7 - this identifies the Trinity and states that Jesus is God.

Jesus is not only "the first and the last," he is "in the midst" of the New Testament in 1 John 5:7 (Matthew 14:24, 25; 18:2; Luke 5:19, 6:8,9; 24:36 "Jesus himself stood in the midst." John 8:9, 8:59; 18:19 "Jesus in the midst," 20:19, 20:26)

The number of letters in first verse             44 
the number of letters in the last verse       +44
the number of letters in 1 John 5:7 (KJB)   88
*when the first and last verses are totalled they equal the same amount of letters in 1 John 5:7

Vowels in first verse?      17
Last verse?                    +17
Vowels in 1 John 5:7?     34

Same thing. Vowels in first and last equal the vowels in 1 John 5:7.

Consonants in first verse?    27
Last verse?                        +27
1 John 5:7 consonants?       54

The consonants in the first verse and last verse equal that in 1 John 5:7

Let's match some more!

First verse letters=44
Last verse letters= 44....total 88

first verse vowels= 17
last verse=17....total 34

first verse consonants= 27
last verse consonants= 27.....total 54

first verse words= 10
last verse words=12....total 22
words in 1 John 5:7....22

The total letters, consonants, vowels, and words in 1 John 5:7 equal the total in the "the first and the last" verses in the Holy Bible.

Pretty cool, huh? 

My Old Friend, Worry

My middle name should have been Worry. And I was reading this:

Matthew 6:25-30

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

So, obviously I have little faith. :(   I sure wish I could give up worrying. It doesn't make me any happier, and most of the stuff I've worried about never happens.

Questions To Ask Yourself

How would you answer these if God asked them of you?
Job 26:1-4

How hast thou helped him that is without power?  how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?
How hast thou councelled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?

Monday, July 25, 2011

Deliberate Dumbing Down

Last month I posted a video of Charlotte Iserbyte talking about the deliberate dumbing down of the public schools. I have since downloaded her book off of her website (http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/) that goes into great detail about the agenda of the government regarding childrens' education. It is over 700 pages, and is not longer in print, but you can download it off of her site and read it in pdf form.

 Just the introduction will make you sick to your stomach. While the agenda is laid out, and hard to deal with, Charlotte Iserbyte's whole premise is that we need to fight it. The agenda to make kids into an easily controlled population that will follow what they are told can be seen in day to day life. It is snowballing quickly. She talks about technology and the way it is used to put ideas into our children's minds.

I can honestly say that every time I think I have seen it all, something else slaps me in the face. The lies and deceptions on this earth truly boggle my mind.

My Church

At this time, I would like to mention a church in the Virginia Beach area that the Lord has so graciously allowed me to learn about in the past 2 years and also attend at different times. At a time when I felt like there was no place to turn, no one to really help me in my time of need, the Lord helped me find this church. Mainly, by visiting my daughter Grace who lives in the Virginia Beach area due to her husband being in the Navy, I have been able at different times to participate in the Street Preaching Ministry of the Bible Believers Baptist Church that is a weekly event. They are deeply burdened for the folks that come to the beach by the thousands, so much that they literally pass out thousands of tracts to these passersby, of which I have myself been able to participate. There is no better feeling for a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ than to be able to proclaim the truth to a lost and dying world. I have also been able to listen to the preaching via the BBBChurch.com  website. I know and believe that the Lord has used the preaching to greatly edify this believer (me) and mostly everything that I have heard has seemingly ran parallel with what has been going on in my life the last couple of years. Many things that I believe and have believed to be right have been talked about and preached at this church. It has been my "saving grace" in that the preaching has literally helped me defeat the ever-present on-going pressure of being told that "yielding to the "world" is not a bad thing...it all depends on how one looks at it."  Brethren, many have swallowed that lie! I pray that I won't be one of them.  Pastor Tim MacDonald, the Lord bless you abundantly!

A Surprise from Amber

My oldest granddaughter Amber sent me a copy of a story that she wrote in her English class. It totally surprised me because it was written in my behalf. The  letter below is written to explain the story that follows:

Dear Me Me,

My English teacher Mr. Tolbert wanted the class to write about someone important in our lives. I decided to write about one of my favorite grandmas that always showed me tender loving care, and a harsh cheek, he he. I hope you like this. Some extra stuff is added, but to me it feels like the added stuff really happened. Enjoy and write me back. I would love to hear what you and Papa would have to say.

Love Amber

The following story was so thoroughly enjoyed by me that as I sat in my chair I laughed and cried. As she stated above, all of this did not really happen, but it would be fun to think that it did (at least most of it).

My Grandmother

When I was little I couldn't remember a time when my grandmother A.K.A. as Me Me wasn't there. I am the first grandchild from their oldest daughter. I was always the one that got most of the attention until my Aunt Beth had her first child. Me Me loves the English land. She loves how they talk, act, what they eat, and their humor. In fact, Me Me has a special brand of humor that could split you in half or heal your heart.

When I was eight years old Me Me got all the girls in our family together for a British tea party. We all had to dress up in pretty dresses with umbrellas that had gorgeous colors printed on them. Me Me would do Beth's hair in the most amazing style, Me Me was a beautician. Usually my mom couldn't attend because of work, so
Grace my other Aunt would braid my hair and tie a creative purple bow at the end.

Me Me had the best cooking recipes in the family. She could make the best homemade croissants with peppermint tea and little cakes with drizzles of white chocolate on top. She presented a table set in English style and filled with delicious Southern foods that were my favorite.

After we ate and enjoyed wonderful deserts, flavored drinks, and hot tea, we would break out the game croquet. Me Me loves games and she got all of us addicted to them. Once Me Me would play croquet with all the adults and older children, she would make her way to a deck of Uno cards that everyone played. She even taught my cousin that was three years old how to beat me and beat everyone else.

Five hours usually passed by fast with her because we would have so much fun. After the tea party was over, all the husbands would come and say hi and pick up their wives and children. I was always the one that was insisted on staying the night and help clean up. When everything was clean and everyone had deserted the house, it was time to put on hand-me-downs and go help her in her garden. I absolutely hated it, but she promised that she would take me to the Golden Corral and have a girl's day.

Me Me has always been fun, she has always been a health freak that was addicted to growing her own herbs. We always played Uno and Scrabble and fix a special yummie meal for Papa. Papa was never around much until he came home from work to spend time with me by taking me to the Tastee Freeze for the best ice cream.

I would always have a ball at Me Me's house. We would do-si-do to blue grass at night and listen to classical music when we read the Bible. Jesus was always the right choice for Me Me after he helped her get back on her feet when she was younger. We would always talk about the events that took place in the Old Testament. Papa was a Pastor of our church, so he always volunteered to put in extra attention to specific stories that needed for imagination. Without my grandmother I'd be nothing. I love Me Me and the memories we share.

*A note from Me Me
At first, I thought I would leave it to your imagination which parts of the story above actually did happen, but I feel that I should at least let everyone know that I am not addicted to games...I do like to play some games. And I have not fixed some of these foods mentioned above. Neither have I really done that much do-si-doing with Amber. We did have a few episodes in my living room, nothing outlandish. But, I would like for my readers to know that I wish I had done more of these types of things with my granddaughters. Time flees away and they grow up very fast. Before we know it, they're busy with their own lives and seemingly don't have much time for pasttime fun!
Since this time Amber has turned 16 years old and the last I heard she has gotten her drivers license. Now I will really start worrying.
I love you, Amber.

July 2011 Newsletter

JULY, 2011

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man: that he

may bring forth food out of the earth...

Blackberry

From The Herb Patch

Hello once again folks! This month I decided to talk about one of my favorite herbal fruits. I did say one of my favorites. And I guess you wonder why blackberries got on the list of “herbs”. Well, actually blackberries, especially the leaves, can be used for many medicinal purposes. Also, they would be seen on the list of heirloom plants.
In the U.S. blackberries typically peak during June in the South, and in July in the North. Crops are ready at various times of the month depending on which part of the state you are located. In order to produce good local blackberries, producers depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions. So far, this year in my area the weather has been good for blackberries and I have an abundance right in my far back yard! Each year I get a little antsy about whether or not these bushes which started off as a small patch will have the right kind of weather in order to have a lot of berries, and not dry up on the bush like they will when there is little rain. When the rain has been plentiful, most of the time the berries will be plumper. I have learned this by experience. Before my patch on the property got bigger, I miraculously found a few huge patches down the road from my house. I prayed for lots of berries that year, and the Lord amply provided. I usually pick them for eating in berry dumplings, put them in a smoothie, or make jam and jelly which I really like. But, I have to warn you to watch out for “chiggers”. They can truly get under your skin!! And itch like the dickens. This I know from recent experience! J That being the fact that this year after sitting and standing in and around my berry patch due to trying to be careful not to cause my back to go out, I acquired an extreme case of chigger bites. I mean probably around 200 on different parts of my body. Yes, they itch and can cause fatigue because the body is trying to deal with all the toxins going into it. But, I found a new use for Super Immune Tonic...Better than the Salve I make. The tonic when rubbed on the bites stopped most of the itching and started to dry them up very quickly. No, it did not sting like I thought it would. So, I am on the mend. Yes, I stopped picking berries for a few days. And yes, you have to deal with all the thorns on the berry bushes. Ouch!!! Or you can plant thornless, which is a smart move. But, then you can’t have a conversation with your grandchild like I did about thorns and God putting a curse on the land because of Adam and Eve’s sin. Which ended up in a discussion about the crown of “big” thorns pushed down on the Lord Jesus Christ’s head before his crucifixion.

So, now for the facts...
Blackberry Facts and Tips: Blackberry is a sprawling shrub growing up to 5 feet in height. The stems and leaves bear thorns, although some thorn free cultivars exist. The dark green compound leaves consist of 3 or 5 leaflets. The flowers resemble small roses and are white or light pink colored. During early summer and autumn depending on where you live the typical blackberries are formed, which are purplish-black colored.

Blackberry leaves are traditionally used for the treatment of burns and scald. Tea from blackberry (leaves, root and bark) is astringent and used against intestinal disorders such as diarrhea and dysentery. Chewing of fresh blackberry leaves helps to heal bleeding gums and inflammation of the mouth and throat.

Black Raspberries, also known as "black caps" are a very healthy food; packed with anthocyanins!

       The USDA says 1 cup of blackberries has about 62 calories.

       Select plump, firm, fully black berries. Unripe berries will not ripen once picked. 

       Blackberry tea was said to be a cure for dysentery during the Civil War. During outbreaks of dysentery, temporary truces were declared to allow both Union and Confederate soldiers to "go blackberry" to forage for blackberries to ward off the disease.

       Researchers have known for quite some time that berries contain antioxidants which help to fight cancer causing free radicals.  A study at the University of Ohio has found that black berries are the most potent cancer fighting berries of them all, by nearly 40 percent!

Tips on How to Pick Blackberries: There are two types of blackberries to know about: thorny and thornless! Obviously, the thornless are easier to pick, but some people claim the thorny varieties are sweeter. With the thorny plants, you want to reach into the plant in the gaps, so you don't need to touch anything but the berry you're after, avoiding the thorns.

1. A ripe blackberry is deep black with a plump, full feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug.  If the berry is red or purple, it's not ripe yet.
2. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Unlike strawberries, blackberries are usually pretty tough, I dump mine into the bucket. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
3. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.

General Picking Tips: Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Blackberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.
When you get home DON’T wash the berries until you are ready to use them or freeze them.  Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.

1.    Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries

2.    Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash off the others, drain them and freeze them up! (Unless you're going to make jam right away) Blackberries are less perishable than blueberries or strawberries, but refrigerate them as soon as possible after picking. Temperatures between 34 F and 38 F are best, but, be careful not to freeze the blackberries (while they are in the fridge)!

3.    Even under ideal conditions blackberries will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase

How to freeze blackberries: Just rinse them in cold water.  I use a large bowl filled with water, pour the berries in, and gently stir them with my fingers to dislodge any dirt or bugs.  Then using my fingers like a sieve, I scoop the blackberries out of the water, and put them in a drainer to let the water drain off (overnight is best) Then lay them out on a shallow large tray and pop in the freezer until completely frozen. Take them out of the freezer and let sit for a few minutes so that they are easier to scoop off the tray. Place them in freezer bags that have been labeled and dated.  Make sure all the air is pressed out of the bag and stick them in the freezer for keeping.

RECIPE

Fruit Cobbler (used for any fruit, especially blackberries)

         ¼ cup butter                        

         ¾ cup milk                                                             

         1 cup flour               

         ½ teaspoon salt

         ½ cup sugar                        
         3 cups sweet fruits, cut up                        
         2 teaspoons baking powder

         1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pour melted butter in bottom of 8x8 inch pan. In mixing bowl combine flour, one cup sugar, baking powder, milk and salt. Mix together and pour over butter. To fruit, add the ½ cup of sugar and cinnamon. Place fruit mixture on top of batter. Bake at 350 degrees 35 to 40 minutes. This is very good and easy to prepare. Serves 8-9.           ENJOY!!

This month I am enclosing a copy of my brochure which gives a description of my products and what they cost. If you would like to order something please let me know. This is enclosed only as a means of getting the information out and I in no way trying to make my newsletter readers feel obligated to buy my products.

UNTIL NEXT TIME...................