Come and See

"Come and see."  They came and saw.  John 1:39

Reports in the New Testament tell us that Andrew was a fisherman by trade, a follower of John the Baptist and a disciple of Jesus.  Andrew quickly recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, and invites his brother, Simon Peter, to come and see for himself. 

This invitation to “come and see” is a wonderful reminder that we, too, can offer such encouragement to others to come and see:  to see what they've been given, how they in turn can give, and how they can be a part of a powerful and caring ministry themselves.  

Andrew was a common man who simply wanted to share his excitement over the ministry of Christ with his very own brother.  Share the mission of 12.12.12 with a family member today, inviting them to “come and see” the rich rewards of helping their neighbor.

Thankful for YOU

How can we Thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that We feel before our God because of you?  Night and day we pray most Earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.  Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you.  And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in loVe for you.  And may he so strengthen your hEarts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.     I Thessalonians 3:9-13 (NRSV)

May we not lack the faith to face the trials of hunger.

Let us abound in love for one another and strengthen

the hearts and bodies of those in need.  

We thank God for your advocacy!  Amen.

Healthy and Healing - Part 2

Continuing from yesterday's post, here are the 

second SIX healthy food items found in the Bible.

7.        Legumes:  2 Samuel 17:28-29, Genesis 25:34.  As reported in the book of Samuel, beans were among the highly nutritious foods sent to feed King David's hungry army and restore their strength for the hard times ahead.  Beans have a lot of soluble fiber, which helps lower LDL and reduce blood pressure.  The fiber also helps keep blood sugar levels stable, stave off hunger, and even reduce the insulin requirements of people suffering from diabetes.

8.       Nuts, including almonds, pistachio nuts and walnuts:  Song of Solomon 6:11, Gen. 43:11.  Botanists today believe that Solomon's "garden of nuts" referred to in Scripture was a rich grove of walnut trees.  At the time, walnuts were prized for the oil they produced, which was regarded as only slightly inferior to olive oil.  Nuts contain the right mixtures of natural ingredients whose benefits include cancer prevention, a lower risk of heart disease and help for diabetics

9.       Olives:  The olive was one of the most valuable and versatile trees of biblical times.  It is mentioned frequently throughout the Bible.  Probably the most famous reference to olive oil and its healing powers is in the parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the Samaritan cares for a beaten and robbed traveler, treating his wounds with oil and wine.  Olive oil, mixed with wine, was even used to soften and soothe bruises and wounds. 

10.   Onions:  Numbers 11:5.  Like its cousin, garlic, the onion is noted as a cure-all.  And the folk healers hold it in high regard as far back as 6000 years or more.  At least 3000 years before the birth of Christ, onions were treasured both as food and for their therapeutic value --- particularly in the treatment of kidney and bladder problems

11.    Wheat:  Jeremiah 41:8, Ezekiel 4:9.  Wheat was the "staff of life."  Biblical people ate their grain boiled and parched, soaked and roasted, and even ate it green from the stalk.  It was pounded, dried or crushed to be baked into casseroles, porridges, soups, parched grain salads and desserts.  Ezekiel's bread was intended to be a survival food during the dark days of the Babylonion conquest because it contained wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt.  Wheat bran is high in insoluble fiber. 

12.   Wine:   I Timothy 5:23. John 4:46.  Making wine from grapes is one of the most ancient arts and the beverage of choice in the Bible.  According to Genesis, one of the first things Noah did after the flood was plant a vineyard so he could make wine.  Researchers are now rediscovering what the physicians of the Bible knew centuries ago.  In moderation, wine has a profound impact on our health and healing.  Just a single glass of wine a day may be enough to raise the good cholesterol by 7% and help the body put up a barrier to a variety of cancers.

Excerpts were taken from “12 Healthy and Healing Foods from the Bible” by Judy Thompson, M.A. Health & Physical Education.  Read the full article HERE.  

Have you shared the good news about healthy food with friends today?

Healthy and Healing - Part 1

Ever-conscious of providing healthy and healing food for all, the particular foods listed in this report are just some of the many healthy foods mentioned in that great Instruction Manual that's been around for thousands of year...the Holy Bible!

Here are the first SIX!  Go ahead...tell SIX friends today! 

1.        Apples:  Song of Solomon.  Apples are considered to be the "all around health food."  They are high in flavonoids, fiber and Vitamin C.  The juices in apples are highly effective virus fighters and apples suppress the appetite without robbing the body of necessary nutrients.

2.        Barley:  Deuteronomy 8:8, Ezekiel 4:9.  Barley's high fiber content can help keep us regular, relieve constipation and ward off a wide variety of digestive problems.  It also may help block cancer.  Barley is full of beta glucans, a type of fiber that can lower the risk of heart disease by reducing the levels of artery-clogging LDL.

3.       Coriander (Cilantro):  When the children of Israel wandered in the desert and received manna from the sky, they described it as looking like coriander seed.  Since then coriander has been called "the healer from heaven."  Coriander is recommended for indigestion, flatulence (excessive gas) and diarrhea.  Externally, it's used to ease muscle and joint pain. 

4.       Fish:  Luke 24:42-43.  Fish is low in cholesterol and contains healthy polyunsaturated fats.  Fish is a rich source of protein, potassium, vitamins and minerals with only a moderate amount of sodium. 

5.       Garlic:  One of the world's oldest healing foods.  By the time of Moses, garlic was already being used as an anticoagulant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agent, as well as a relief for flatulence, a diuretic, a sedative, a poultice and as a cure for internal parasites. 

6.       Fruits, Berries, Grapes:  Numbers 13:23, II Samuel 16:1-2.  Grapes were the first thing Noah planted after the flood.  Grapes were eaten fresh, dried and eaten as raisins just as we do today, and pressed into cakes.  Grapes may be helpful in preventing osteoporosis, fighting tooth decay, heading off cancer and fighting off viruses.  Other health-giving fruits include figs, melons, and pomegranates.

Excerpts were taken from “12 Healthy and Healing Foods from the Bible” by Judy Thompson, M.A. Health & Physical Education.  Read the full article HERE. 

Better Days Ahead

I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them.  

Jeremiah 23:4

When it came to hope, Judah's shelves were bare.  Jeremiah promised restoration from exile and better leaders.  Jeremiah planted hope by envisioning one who would come as "a righteous Branch" (v.5) of David.  

God did not view ancient Judah as worthless.  God does not view us as hopeless and worthless.  We are, by grace, God's children.  We are baptized, called, and gifted with hope.  Hope comes as a gift of grace.  Hope comforts.  Hope energizes.  Hope thrives on the suspense of God's next visit.  Martin Luther said that everything that is done in the world is done by hope.  Hope expects God's future with anticipation.  

God of grace, we thank you for leading us to be 

shepherds of hope for those who hunger.  

Re-energize our hearts with new anticipation 

and hope of your coming.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

(Excerpts taken from "Christ in Our Home", 7/19/12, written by Arley K. Fadness, a retired ELCA pastor living in Custer, SD.)

Twelve.12.Twelve Supporter

Linda Alvarado, 

part owner of the Rockies 

and CEO of Alvarado Construction Company, 

promotes Twelve.12.Twelve! 

12 Healthy Foods to Donate to a Food Pantry

When you donate food to Metro CareRing you make a direct impact on eradicating hunger in Denver. Whether it is a can of fruit from your pantry or vegetables from your garden, your donation is gladly accepted and distributed to people struggling to find their next meal. Your contributions help replenish our shelves after the busiest year in Metro CareRing’s 38-year history! 

Fruits and Vegetables

Choose canned or dry fruits and vegetables in an array of colors to ensure consumption of a variety of vitamins and minerals. If possible, provide fresh and frozen varieties as well. When considering these items look for “no salt added”, low-sodium, “no sugar added”, and 100% juice varieties.

• Canned fruits             
• Canned vegetables
• Tomato sauce

Grain Group

Choose non-perishable whole grains as often as you can for maximum nutritional value. Look for 100% whole grain on the label or the first ingredient on the ingredient list.

• Oatmeal
• Brown rice                 
• Whole grain pasta

Protein Group

Choose canned lean meats and beans as a good source of low-fat protein. Beans are also a good source of fiber. When providing these items look for “no salt added”, low-sodium, and canned in water varieties. 

• Canned tuna
• Canned chicken
• Peanut butter

Dairy Group

Choose shelf-stable low-fat or non-fat dairy products fortified with vitamin D.

• Low fat plain yogurt
• Low fat cheese (if possible)
• Boxed shelf-stable milk

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 If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, 

then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.  

Isaiah 58:10

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Hunger and Children in America

As we give thanks at our Thanksgiving tables today, let us remember the many little children who go hungry each day.  Here is a short and poignant video from our friends at ABC that illustrates that point. 

Hunger and Children in America: a Slow and Steady Starvation

(click on the photo to view the video)

 

Merciful Creator, your hand is wide open to satisfy the needs of every living creature.  Make us always thankful for your loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your good gifts, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.  Amen.  (ELW)

Thanksgiving Gospel

The Thanksgiving gospel, as read by Lynne Butler, Executive Director of Metro CareRing on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at the Thanksgiving Eve Service at Bethany Lutheran Church.  View the entire service HERE (Lynne begins at minute 25:55).

Matthew 6:25-33

^25-26 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

^27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

^30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson