Watercolor Portraiture

I love portraiture!  I learned this new technique and it's my first one so I know I need more practice to perfect it.  I am having fun though!  Hope you like it.

Subject is my geandfather's sister Nancy Fox.  Isn't she a beauty?

MOUNTAIN GOAT'S LESSON IN PRIDE

Mountain goats are incredible.  They are so sure-footed in the mountains they climb that they are called kings of the mountains.  They traverse even the steepest terrain that even the most experienced mountaineers dare not tackle for fear of death.  Mountain goats are loners as well.

The mountain goat's behavior can be compared to our strength as Christians.  In order to walk the path of God's will, we almost have to fly solo like the mountain goat.  We cannot be followers of other humans because in the end, we are individually accountable to God.  Our climb of that mountain should be like the mountain goat, sure-footed for Jesus Christ, not faltering and with a dogged-determination to reach the peaks of our faith in our Christian walk.

When a mountain goat is confronted with another as he comes up a steep razor's edge, his pride tells him to not give an inch to its counterpart coming down the same ridge.  But acting on pride would mean one of them would die, and even these prideful goats would give in to the other for survival.  So, one king of the mountain usually lays down to let the other walk over him.

Do you ever feel that way sometimes, when your pride overrides your life but yet you know that it means death of self?  There is much to learn from these mountain goats that shedding your pride means turning away from death.  Wouldn't we live much more peacefully if we gave way to each other sometimes?  Does it mean you are less of a person if you can let others have their way?  I think not.  I think that God blesses us when we bless others.

Until my next rant...LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!

DAY 5 - Juice Fast

I thought I was going to fall off the wagon today because of the difficulty I experienced last night.  So because I don't chew, I think that was the reason for the tongue coat.  Brushing my tongue helped but there is a grumble in my belly that is a constant reminder to feed it.

Giving in last night with the orange, I still do not feel like it's all a lost cause because I have not eaten anything unhealthy for the past 5 days.  There is however, my uncle's 70th birthday party this weekend and it will be much harder because there will be Filipino food there!  I need God's help more than anything!

DAYS 3 AND 4 JUICE FAST - LATE POST

Teaching a class today, Day 3, not quite sure how to handle it as the digestive system is very sensitive and vulnerable.  The last thing I want is to have to run to the bathroom during the class.  I prayed about it of course.  Having nothing but coffee with a little almond milk, it was surprisingly, not too hard.  The only drawback is almost at the end of the session, my stomach started to growl, very loudly!  But I gave my student a heads up that I was on a fast so I'm pretty certain she understood.

The session was a God-send.  Time moved by so quickly, we were so focused and the result of her drawing was fantastic!  Picture below

It does help that she has a passion for art already!

DAY 4

Same student has invited me to an art presentation for the Napa Valley County Historical Society at her very nice residence.  There were some life changing moments at this get together that only God could have done for us!  He is so AWESOME!!!!  Thanks to Beverly as well for inviting us to her shindig!  Lots of very nice people we met!  See pic below

I did mention to her beforehand that not to be rude, but I would not be eating any of her food.  She was so nice to say she will have water for me there.  It was pretty difficult to see food and everyone eating and my sense of smell heightened because of the cleanse and I can smell chocolate from the other room! Lol!  They had strawberries there so I did have a few.  That triggered the chewing sensation and when I got home it was so intense and I had a banana.  Then I had an orange after my dinner juice.  That staved off the craving. I was able to fall asleep.  Sometimes, being too strict on yourself is just a punishment.  I prayed to God that today, Day 5, I will be able to get back into strictly juice.  We shall see.

So far I have lost 9 pounds, not from the  beginning of the challenge but from the time I started the paradigm shift and the change of eating lifestyle.

At the moment, I am boiling chicken to make dog food and the chicken smell is making me nauseated.  It smells so horrible to me!

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

Get SAVED

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

DAY 2 JUICE FAST - LATE POST

Day 2 of juice fast, seriously, this photo represents how clear my vision is becoming.  Typing this post, I am not even wearing my glasses.

I woke up feeling as if I needed more sleep but instead, I stayed up, took my prescription pills and just talked to God, thanking Him for getting me through my first day which became very difficult around 9pm.  I wanted to eat, maybe just to chew something?  The tongue coat is very prominent throughout the day, but I brush my teeth and tongue and it seems to relieve it somewhat.

I usually have chronic muscle aches but today, they weren't present at all.  I did a little gardening which usually will tense up my muscles but none of that happened today.  Thank God, He always comes through with His miracles.  He impresses in me that how I live for Him will present His eternal blessings and grace.

Same time around 10pm-ish, I started feeling hunger pains again, not so much pains as much as they were cravings.  Again, I figured, I will just muster through them and prayed for God's assistance and again, He comes through.

During the day I forced down beet juice with honeydew melon and orange.  It was a little bit easier, it still tasted like dirt though.  

I also had coffee with almond milk and agave.  That was good.  It was the only norm that got me through the day.  For lunch I had radish, honeydew melon, apple juice.  That was good!

In the evening, I had greens again.  All throughout the day I drank water and herbal tea as well and made popsicles with orange and mango.  What a treat!

On to the next day... Can't wait to see what it brings!

Until tomorrow... Love one another!

P.S.  I lost 3 lbs total since I began the fast!

FASTING TO GET CLOSER YET TO GOD

When I first heard about juice fasting in 2003 from my daughter, I asked, "Why?"  She referred me to the website called www.freedom you.com .  There I found so much information about why and how to fast.  I successfully fasted for 5 days.  

The first three days was difficult because as humans, we are of our flesh and the flesh wants and needs food.  However, God never intended for us to put all the processed food and toxins in our bodies.  And with the fall of humanity and our current destructiveness, along with it comes the abuse of our internal bodies.

I am not immune to this.  I am addicted to sugar.  Overweight, I attributed it to my hypothyroidism.  In a way, the disease doesn't help with my metabolism but I couldn't imagine without it if I would even feel unhealthy.  Being slim doesn't mean you are healthy.  I know a lot of slim people who are unhealthy because I know what they eat.  

I thought about fasting again for Lent but I didn't want to feel like I was just doing it because it was the norm.  So I've decided yesterday that today will be the day.

Upon waking up this morning, I immediately thought about having my normal breakfast of egg and mushroom omelette.  Just typing it right now is making me crave it.  But I digress.

So instead, I decided to be happy and I pulled out my juicer from the garage and made myself an apple carrot juice.  It was divine.  I had about 4 oz of juice from 2 carrots and one granny smith.

I sat outside in the sun and prayed to God to help me through this journey.  Last night I read the book Juice Fasting and Detoxification Use the Healing Power of Fresh Juice to Feel Young and Look Great - The fastest way to restore your health by Steve Meyerowitz.  It is a great book and it explains in depth what Juice Fasting is all about.  

It is now 5pm and I feel great.  I do however feel some tongue coating.  It seems my vision is clear and I am in a state of euphoria.  I don't seem to notice the negativity and seem to focus more on nature.  The sun on my skin feels amazing.

But this is just the beginning of my journey.  I am going to try to go for longer than 5 days.  I am however, wishing it was day 3 already!

Below is what my vegetable broth looks like.  I have since strained it, so it is pure liquid.  Coffee with Almond Milk and Agave is divine! 

One thing I can say is my thoughts since this morning have been in constant conversation with God!  satan is having a fit, though.  Too bad so sad for him.

P.S.  Not a fan of beet juice but will force it down nonetheless.

Until my next rant (which will probably be tomorrow)... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

Three Ways To Freedom

Have you ever asked yourself this question?  “Am I going to heaven?” If so,  what was your answer?

Do you realize that there are only three ways that would guarantee you a ticket through the pearly gates?  Let’s analyze them.

1. The Age of Accountability - This way is only achieved by babies who were born and passed away before they have any awareness of God.  There are babies everyday that go straight to heaven when they died because they could not possibly have understood who God is.  Once a person has passed the age of accountability, then there are only two ways left.
2. Obeying the 10 commandments PERFECTLY.  You must not have sinned anytime, anyway, anyhow in thoughts, words and deed.  Theoretically, it is possible if you were perfectly sinless from the time of birth.  This method is impossible to achieve.
3. Believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior and that His agony on the cross and spilled blood was for your salvation. (Acts 16:31)

So you see, the only way we can ever be saved is the third method.  There is no escaping this truth.  When you make Jesus your Lord and Savior, He will intervene in your life.  He will lead you through a life of fullness and grace with His glory.  Glorify Jesus and Jesus will glorify you.  

You cannot have two masters but you must serve one.  In Mark 8:38, Jesus said, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

There is no escaping God.  He is very clear in His message when He said EVERY (no one is immune) knee shall bow to Jesus Christ in the final days.  Folks, don’t get caught with your pants down when that time comes.  The scariest part of it is, we don’t know when it is going to happen.  So with this knowledge, it only makes sense to do it NOW, TODAY!  In 2 Corinthians 6:2, Paul said “For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you.  On the day of salvation, I helped you.”  Indeed, the “right time” is now.  Today is the day of salvation.”

What are you waiting for?  

Until my next rant… LOVE ONE ANOTHER!