Black Tea Cuts Risk of Parkinson's

Findings from a collaboration between the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) and NUS have revealed for the first time, that drinking black tea (but not green tea) reduces the risk of developing Parkinson's Disease among the Chinese population in Singapore.

The findings, which are published in the on-line issue of American Journal of Epidemiology (Dec 2007) suggest that black tea may exhibit neuroprotective effects on Parkinson's Disease. The findings, presented at the 1st Asian and Oceanian Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Congress (Oct 2007) won the second prize for Best Research Presentation Award.

Read the entire article.

Free Family Fun

Choose one tree in your yard to be your family tree. If you don't have trees, choose a tree at a park, school, library or other place that you visit often. Make a family tree scrapbook to record the things you do and learn as you get to know your tree each year. If you don't know what kind of tree it is, take a clipping of some leaves and identify your tree at this interactive website. Be sure to include those leaves in your scrapbook.

Take photos or make drawings of your tree in various seasons. Make a list of the animals and birds that need your type of tree for their own family's habitat. What parts of the tree are used for food and who eats it? Trees are very important to our earth and knowing more about why they are so valuable, makes us appreciate them more.

Each year you can choose another type of tree and learn a lot about the natural world while having fun family time together.

Another option if you have space in your yard and enjoy gardening is to add trees to your landscape for energy conservation and pure enjoyment of watching a tree grow. You could go through the same process as above keeping a scrapbook for each tree you plant.

Faith Walking

by Donna L. Watkins

Do you remember the story of the ten lepers that Jesus healed? Luke 17:11-19 tells it:

© 2008 Donna L. Watkins - Female Great Curassow
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him -- and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

How often Jesus said "YOUR faith" made you whole or well, or "only believe" and what you want will happen! It shows us that walking in faith is a key to our success, whether in healing or any other avenue of life that appears to be a challenge. Got a dream you want to fulfill? Only believe! Want a retreat in the mountains? Only believe! Will you use these things to honor and glorify God? Of course you will. When you've had enough faith to bring into your life all that God promises for having that faith ... you will glorify God with your abundance, unless you allow pride to enter in and think that it's only you that achieved it.

Back to the ten lepers ... lepers were rejected by society and isolated to fellowship only with other lepers. I'm sure that they felt rejected by God also, so when Jesus approached they probably did not have much hope, so they "stood at a distance and called out" to Jesus, not being acceptable for the crowds. But Jesus told them to go "show yourselves to the priests." That was a necessary step to returning to society.

The Bible says, "as they went, they were cleansed" and one of the ten returned to glorify and give thanks to God. It was a Samaritan, a race not well accepted by the Jews. How often do you see somebody blessed by God that isn't accepted as a Christian? Does it make you angry and envious? God's laws work for the saved and the unsaved ... the just and the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

It appears that the law of faith operates no matter whether one is a Christian or not. Jesus told this one leper that returned to "rise and go; your faith has made you well." What does that say about the other nine? Jesus healed them also and it appears they all needed to put faith into His words and believe that what He said was true. They faith walked towards the temple and were healed.

Are you focusing on faith walking? Sometimes it's a step-by-step process. Healing can come in layers. It would be much more dramatic and exciting to have God just zap you well, wealthy and happy, but it was the walking with faith added that cleansed the lepers and it will be the walking in faith that cleanses our lives of the sin that creates disease and misery in our lives. So keep walking! And don't forget to add praise and thanksgiving when you see results.

Copyright and Reprint Information
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins and may not be republished without written permission. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and an active link back to this site:
© 2000-2008 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission. Visit the author's website, TheNatureInUs.com for more articles and free email subscription.
Link URL: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Starwood Hotels Building Green Choices

In July 2008, Starwood Hotels & Resorts will open its first hotel designed to appeal to environmentally conscious travelers.

Located in Lexington, Massachusetts, the hotel is part of the new chain of Element hotels, each of which will earn LEED certification through the U.S. Green Building Council's portfolio program.

"With the launch of Element, we're creating a new way to build hotels and guest experiences through the lens of environmental responsibility," says Frits van Paasschen, Starwood's chief executive officer.

Starwood plans to open 20 Element hotels by the end of 2009. Another one already on their site is Irving, Texas.

Visit the hotel website.

Making Healthy Smoothies

How familiar does this smoothie scenario sound: One overripe banana, a few frozen strawberries, a splash of apple juice, and ice cubes? Not a bad concoction–but you can do better. By adding more exotic fruits and vegetables as well as nut butters, different proteins, and even spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, you can tailor smoothies to fit your mood and health goal.

Whether you want to lower cholesterol or boost bone health, strengthen immunity or build muscle, smoothies can meet your needs beautifully. Read the entire article with recipes

Here's another website with more healthy smoothie recipes.

Healing Awareness Of Nature

There is a healing quality to nature, which has been known for centuries be it taking time to smell the roses, meditating on a mountain, lying in a wildflower field, strolling by a meandering stream, or hiking in ancient redwood groves. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, recognized this powerful attribute in his humbling statement: Nature cures — not the physician.

Here's a wonderful set of articles on healing at the Journey Of Hearts website:
Part I: The Healing Qualities of Nature
Part II: Coping with Loss using Nature

Pet Pampering Gone Wild

Extreme gadgets, accessories for animals and their over-the-top humans. From GPS tracking to bacon-flavored bubbles, here's some of the zaniest, most extravagant gadgets out there for animals and their humans. Read the entire article.

Red Admiral Butterfly

The Red Admiral Butterfly belongs to the vanessid group of butterflies. All vanessid butterflies have special taste organs located in their feet.

It feeds mainly on flower nectar. It also feeds on nettles and clover in the Spring and Summer, as well as on common flowers such as buddleia, Michaelmas daisy (New York Aster), and ice plant.

It particularly likes daisies of the family Asteraceae because each flower contains a high concentration of nectar. The Red Admiral also feeds on ivy flowers and the juice of rotting fruit such as apples, which it shares with wasps.

The female Red Admiral Butterfly lays up to 100 eggs per day, one at a time, on a wide range of food plants, generally choosing nettle, or occasionally the hop plant, on which to lay them. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars pull the leaves around them to form a protective enclosure and then spin silken threads around themselves as protection from predators as they feed.

Many gardeners have found these types of leaves and removed them from the plant not realizing that they are destroying butterflies in progress. Inspect leaves of favorite plants from May onward for eggs.

The Red Admiral caterpillar has spiky extensions on its body that deter most birds, except the cuckoo. They are also vulnerable to attack by wasps and flies.

Once fully grown, the caterpillars move to a hidden spot on the plant where they shed their skins and spin a cocoon (chrysalis) with gold-colored markings. It only takes 4-7 days to go from egg to chrysalis and 2-3 weeks from chrysalis to pupation. During the time of pupation, the adult structures of the insect are formed. The wingspan of this butterfly is 2-3 inches.

Although this butterfly is commonly seen in temperate areas, it is actually a migrant from the Mediterranean regions of Europe, Guatemala and the Antilles.

It flies north each Spring to its breeding grounds and the offspring remain at the breeding grounds through Summer and into Winter, lacking the instinct to return south as cold weather approaches.

It attempts to hibernate in tree hollows, rocky crevices, or among plant debris, but the cold weather soon kills it. The lifespan is about 10 months. They fly at 5-9 miles per hour.

Copyright and Reprint Information
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins and may not be republished without written permission. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and an active link back to this site:
© 2000-2008 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission. Visit the author's website, TheNatureInUs.com for more articles and free email subscription.
Link URL: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Bird Leads To The Bees' Nests

From Creation Moments

"But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?"

It has long been known that an African bird known as the honeyguide leads badgers to bees' nests, where the badger tears the nest apart to eat the honey. The badger always leaves more than enough for the honeyguide.

Now it has been learned that the honeyguide has a similar relationship with the Boran people of Kenya. When the bird has found a bees' nest, it will alert the Boran, bidding them to follow it the honey site. On the other hand, if the Boran want to know where honey is, they know how to whistle and call for a honeyguide.

The honeyguide also calls to the people so that they know which way to go. When the Boran reach the honey, they always make sure that they leave some for the honeyguide. Researchers also reported that they saw honeyguides scouting out bees' nests at night so that they had good sites to lead the Boran to the next day.

While the honeyguide does get its reward of honey in return for its help, the intelligence of the honeyguide in establishing these relationships with human beings is impressive. But while the honeyguide can help teach us that the creation is the Work of an intelligent Creator, it cannot teach us how to have a relationship with Him. For that we must go to the Bible.

References: Honey Hunters Follow Bird to Reach Bees. Science News, vol. 135. P. 172.

Calling All Book Worms

Forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Eight (8) million tons of trees are used each year in the production of catalogs. You can control the catalogs you want coming to your home at CatalogChoice.org.

What about books? I've added a link to the Kindle Wireless Reading Device to this website navigation bar. It's to books what iPod is to music. Some people can't imagine giving up the touch and smell of a book (by the way, that smell is toxic since it's all about glues and inks), but if you just can't retrain your the smell area of the brain, there's now BookSwim, which is to books what Netflix is to movies.

You rent books online as you would movies. With over 30,000 titles to choose from, no late fees and no shipping costs, BookSwim might be an excellent personal solution for you.

Fall in love with a book and want to keep it? No problem! You can pay for it online and then immediately receive another book from your list. It’s that easy and BookSwim plans begin at $14.99/month.

Update: 11/14/08 - New prices start at $9.95.

Kids Get High Cholesterol Prescriptions

Some kids as young as 8 will need drugs to keep them from getting heart disease, according to new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The groundbreaking new advisory tells parents and pediatricians to screen high-risk kids for signs that they've already begun to develop heart disease. The screening test, called a fasting lipid profile, measures a child's levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, "good" HDL cholesterol, and blood fats (triglycerides).

Treatment may be needed for kids found to be at high risk. The blood test will take a number of other risk factors into account: overweight or obesity, family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Normal and too-high cholesterol and triglyceride values for children differ from values for adults. But the AAP advisory comes with charts to help doctors understand children's results.

The initial treatment for kids at risk of heart disease is weight management and improved diet. But some kids as young as 8 will need to start drug treatment. These drugs include the cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. One of these drugs, Pravachol, already is FDA approved for children born into families genetically predisposed to high cholesterol.

Source: www.WebMD.com

Another post on natural approach to cholesterol.

Pet Poop Offers Clues To Health

As much 'fun' as it is to clean the litter box or pick up the 'land mines' in the back yard, the clean up provides you with an opportunity to monitor your pet's health. The trick is to first learn what normal elimination behavior is, and then any changes in normal are an early alert to a possible problem.

Busy lifestyles often prevent dog and cat owners from knowing exactly what their pet might snack on. Finding popsicle sticks, crayons, or anything else in the 'deposit' gives you information of what needs to be removed from their access around the house. And learning what you need to keep them away from could save you an expensive vet bill and possibly their life.

Read the entire article.

Faith or Folly

by Donna L. Watkins

Have you ever seen somebody who uses their faith to excuse themselves from making decisions?

© 2008 Donna L. Watkins - Chestnut-sided Warbler
They may be out of work and say, "I'm just waiting for God to provide me work." Like it will come out of the sky like hail and drop in his lap.

Many times Christians who are afraid to make a decision use faith as their reasoning. Fear of failure can be strong enough to blind us. There must be a careful balance between faith and proper planning. If somebody is out of work, they need to be fine-tuning their resume and maybe taking the time to add to their job skills.

When you need a job, you should be looking everywhere and mentioning everywhere what you are looking for. God still does miracles, but a miracle is something that we can't do for ourselves, and many times we expect miracles rather than putting our own hand to the plow.

We must do all we can to prepare, while at the same time understanding that it's the favor of God that blesses our endeavors and produces fruit from our labor. To walk by faith doesn't mean you stop planning, thinking, asking for advice and improving our weaknesses on the topic.

We can trust God for our finances, but not if we're blowing the budget every month. We can ask for health and healing, but you can't smoke and overeat or live on junk food and expect health. Expecting God to bail us out when things get messy isn't faith, it's presumption.

Wisdom says do all you can and trust God to do what you cannot.

Copyright and Reprint Information
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins and may not be republished without written permission. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and an active link back to this site:
© 2000-2008 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission. Visit the author's website, TheNatureInUs.com for more articles and free email subscription.
Link URL: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

The Story Of Stuff

Click here to view this amazing video.

It can change your health and the health of your family and pets. It can totally change your lifestyle and has the ability long-term to add peace and true joy to your life.

Living simpler lives will bring many rewards you never thought of.

Amazon.com Goes Green

Not only does Amazon have these green product categories:

• Automotive

• Books, Movies, TV, Magazines & Downloads

• Certified Organic Grocery

• Electronics & Computers

• Health, Beauty & Personal Care

• Home & Garden

• Home Improvement

• Shoes

• Sporting Goods

• Toys & Baby Products

They also have Green Guides, which present information on various green topics, such as these:

• All About ENERGY STAR
• Recycling Electronics for Fun & Profit
• Green Tips for Your Lawn
• Composting 101
• Greening Baby's Room
• Greening Your Child's Playroom
• Tips for a Greener Bathroom
• Tips for a Greener Bedroom
• Tips for a Green Home Theater
• Tips on Green Cleaning
• Tips for a Green Kitchen
• Greening Your Laundry Room
• Greening Your Office
• Greening Your Car
• Green Wedding Guide
• Waste-Free Holidays

Fingernails - Window To Your Health

If eyes are the windows to the soul, then fingernails are the windows to your health. From simply looking at changes in the compressed keratin that sits atop our fingertips, doctors can sometimes identify the first signs of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, lung disorders, liver and kidney problems, as well as certain vitamin deficiencies. Watch for changes in previously healthy fingernails, and bring up any concerns to your health care provider. Read the entire article.

Grow An Herbal Tea Garden

A tea garden is a delightful hobby that can complement the rest of your herb garden and will provide you with the joy of fresh herbal teas, more properly known as herbal infusions or tisanes, at a moment's notice. Creating a tea garden in a container can also make a perfect gift for somebody. Get the how-to steps.

Opossum Eating At Our Feeder

We have a gourmet nut company a few hours from us and when we are near (it's a mile off of I-95), we stop in to get some critter food. They have 25 lb. boxes of mixed nuts and dried fruits that they sell for $8.00. It's a great way to provide special treats to the birds and wildlife here in our backyard.

The other night we had a opossum visiting and got a decent video of the youngster chowing down. View video on YouTube.

Save Energy By Saving Water

Though many states and localities are waking up to their water shortages and taking steps to plan for “peak water”, people generally continue to waste water and to ignore the energy-water link.

In 2004 the Natural Resources Defense Council did a study in conjunction with the Pacific Institute called “Energy Down the Drain” on how saving water saves energy. We need to do more to spread the word. Here are seven ways to save energy by saving water.

Toxic Baby Products

Environment California Research & Policy Center purchased 21 products intended for use in a baby’s nursery and hired a professional laboratory to test them for toxic chemicals. The results of the lab tests are in. There's also a link to an article on creating a healthy crib. Read the entire article.

Are You Addicted To The Internet?

Medill News Service reports that the Internet has become an out-of-control habit for more and more people. In fact, experts say that Internet addiction is a growing psychological and behavioral problem.

It's estimated that 5% to 10% of Americans may be addicted to the Internet – that could mean as many as 30 million people. And, it's an even bigger problem in other parts of the world. As many as 30% of the people living in China, Korea and Taiwan may be hooked.

There are now even special centers to treat this growing problem. Call it Internet rehab. Experts say some patients need 30 to 90 days in-patient treatment, followed by additional care. Like any other addiction, they say it requires lifelong treatment.

Source: Caffertyfile.blogs.CNN.com

What's Heaven Like?

by Donna L. Watkins

Ever wonder about where you go when you die, or where your loved ones have gone? As a Christian, we have God's Word to tell us about it.

© 2008 Donna L. Watkins - Orchid - Costa Rica
Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be troubled, Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3)

One of the devotions in "The Word For You Today" tells us about what the Bible says about Heaven:

It's an exact square of 1400 miles. It stretches from the Carolinas to California, and from Canada to Mexico. It's 40 times the size of England, 10 times the size of France, and larger than India. And that's just the ground floor; it's as tall as it is wide; 600,000 stories, more than enough space for billions of people to come and go. And come and go they will. The gates never close. Why shut them? The enemies of God will be banished, leaving only a perfect place of perfected people.

Heaven has been on my mind a lot lately since my friend, Louise, died. I'm a very visual person, so I like to picture things and, of course, Heaven is a difficult place to picture since we only have glimpses of it provided by God's Word.

As we lose more loved ones that go to Heaven, it does make our hearts glad to know that we will see them again. Paul had the privilege of visiting Heaven, and wrote, "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far." (Phil. 1:23). Life on earth can get pretty cushy at times, but we must always keep our eyes and thoughts on the fact that we are only in preparation for the real Kingdom we belong to.

Joni Eareckson Tada says, "What makes home is not a place, but who lives there."

It's been such a blessing to "meet" so many of you via email through this mailing list and I often think about how we will have one big tea party in Heaven one day. I also picture my butterfly bench there. After all who gave Charlie the ability to make it? He had never done anything that artistic before, so God probably has butterfly benches all over Heaven .... or maybe that's what Charlie will be doing in Heaven ... making butterfly benches. We will all have tasks to do and as much joy as that bench has brought to my life and others, it wouldn't be a bad "job" to have.

Copyright and Reprint Information
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins and may not be republished without written permission. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and an active link back to this site:
© 2000-2008 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission. Visit the author's website, TheNatureInUs.com for more articles and free email subscription.
Link URL: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Free Kibble To Dogs and Cats

Mimi Ausland, a 12 year old girl from Bend, Oregon, wanted to help feed the hungry dogs at her local animal shelter. "There are 10's of thousands of dogs in animal shelters across the country, all needing to be fed a good meal."

Freekibble.com's primary mission is to provide good, healthy food to dogs and cats to those shelters who are working so hard to see that none of them go hungry - they need our help. If a young girl can come up with the great idea, we should join in and lend a hand ... or a few fingers, since all you need to do is answer one trivia question a day to have food donated.

You can sign-up for the daily email reminder and feel good about at least one email coming to you Inbox. At the same time you'll be learning more about dogs and cats. Visit Free Kibble now.

Healing Weeds In Your Yard

Many of the lawn-and-garden weeds that people kill with toxic herbicides actually contain health-giving properties and vital nutrients often missing from foods grown in depleted soil.

A weedy lawn is often a goldmine of healing and health! Find out what four of the most common weeds growing in your yard may offer you in this Care2.com article.

Imperial Moth

The Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) has a wingspan of 4-6 inches with yellow wings with purple-gray marks and dark speckles.

© 2006 - Ken Bushell - Imperial Moth
Adults often fly near lights basking in the glow until dawn when not feeding. Unfortunately, many of these moths remain on walls by the lights and are eaten by birds, so they are becoming more rare in areas where a lot of artificial lighting is used.

Females lay large yellow eggs singly or in small groups on upper or lower surface of host leaves. It will hatch in two weeks. The tiny caterpillars begin life with huge heads, spikes and long fine hairs. Some common hosts in our Virginia area are oak, sycamore, elm, hickory, walnut, maple, basswood, honeylocust, and pines.

The larval (caterpillar) stage of this moth is a solitary feeder and is usually found in late Summer and in Fall. Large, colorful, and armed with horns and spines, the caterpillar may look fierce and dangerous; however, it is harmless and does not "sting" or stab man.

Full-grown, it is 3-4 inches long and may be green or brown. They consume a large amount of foilage, but are seldom present in sufficient numbers to cause any serious damage. When they are fully grown, about 42 days, they leave the foliage and pupate in the soil. The large, hard, brown pupa has a flattened forked tail. In the Spring they emerge as adults to begin the process all over again.

Copyright and Reprint Information
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins and may not be republished without written permission. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and an active link back to this site:
© 2000-2008 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission. Visit the author's website, TheNatureInUs.com for more articles and free email subscription.
Link URL: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Maybe It's Not Alzheimer's or Parkinson's

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, many Americans over the age of 55 may suffer from a condition that is often confused with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, dementia or simply old age.

"What we're really dealing with here is something called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus," said Dr. Brett Osborn, a neurologist with Aventura Hospital.

Osborn said N.P.H. can be the result of injury or infection but in many cases the cause is unclear.

"What happens is fluid begins to build up in the brain cavity causing a variety of symptoms," Osborn said.

Symptoms include changes in a person's stride and the ability to walk, memory loss, apathy, dementia, and urinary incontinence, all of which may become progressively worse.

"In other words, the earlier you get to these patients and recognize it the better they're ultimately going to do," Osborn said. Read the entire article.

Home Depot Recycles Fluorescent Bulbs

Home Depot has just announced a couple of important green initiatives. First, they will now be accepting all compact fluorescent bulbs for recycling in their stores in the U.S. and Canada. This is be offering in over 2,100 stores, so it’s a major step in the right direction.

At each Home Depot store, customers can simply bring in any expired, unbroken CFL bulbs, and give them to the store associate behind the returns desk. The bulbs will then be managed responsibly by an environmental management company who will coordinate CFL packaging, transportation and recycling to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance.

In addition to the CFL recycling program, The Home Depot has also launched an in-store energy conservation program to switch light fixture showrooms in U.S. stores from incandescent bulbs to CFLs by Fall 2008. This is another great sustainability measure and they believe it will also save the company $16 million annually in energy costs.

And another important public service message: please do not give up on CF bulbs because they contain mercury!

Lots of people seem to have been unnecessarily scared off of these energy-saving bulbs because of mercury. They contain only trace amounts and are SAFE for use in your home. Read more on this topic.

Fluorescent Bulb Cleanup

Spin Like a Spider

by Donna L. Watkins

God created the natural world not only for our enjoyment, but for many lessons of life that can be seen in His Creation. Consider this spider story from The Word For You Today:

© 2008 Donna L. Watkins - Spider
Everything a spider needs to survive and succeed in life, God put within it. Swipe it with a broom and before it hits the ground, its fall is broken. It just reaches inside, releases another protein-filled silk-like thread, slides down, finds a safe place, then comes back stronger than ever and builds a new web.

What's the message of the spider? Everything you need, God has placed within you!

The Bible says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness ... He has given us His very Great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV).

What has God given us? "Everything we need." What has God made us participants in? "His divine nature."

Wow! We've got what it takes! You do and so do I! We can make it no matter what life has thrown at us. Finance problems, divorce, death of loved ones, diseases, depression, fires and violence. Within us is the power to regenerate the cord of strength to glide on to some place else. A quiet and peaceful place. A place of peace, grace and joy. It's within our grasp - it's within ourselves!

Your future is not determined by your past or by your today. It's determined on how you choose to react to all of the past days and today's circumstances. We will shrivel up and become bitter about the rest of our lives because of the sour candy that's been handed to us while the rest of the world moves on not even recognizing your pain?

Grief and pain are necessary in life, but we can't choose to remain there. God has provided so much more and getting into His Word to absorb, memorize and apply our own faith to it is that special place He's created for us to have a place of "peace, grace and joy." It's the ONLY place! Nothing the world offers will ease the pain of your loss.

But within you .... is the power! Do what it takes to remain in faith. Spend time in the Bible, in Christian books, in biographies about people who have overcome. Go to the library and take a big bag to carry home your choices. Use the time you would spend moaning, groaning, whining and kicking at what's been dealt you. It's a great temptation to wallow. It's rather comfortable, but the mental torment will literally eat you alive.

Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

You're choice! You've got the way of escape. Spin your thread and move on -- stronger, wiser and more faith-filled than ever. And then ... help somebody else to see the value of spinning. You still have what God put within you. You CAN make it. The battle is over your future. Take it back!

Copyright and Reprint Information
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins and may not be republished without written permission. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and an active link back to this site:
© 2000-2008 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission. Visit the author's website, TheNatureInUs.com for more articles and free email subscription.
Link URL: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Pets For The Environment

Did you know that pets in America are polluted with all kinds of toxic chemicals that the government doesn't regulate? When Eddie found that out, he became a mutt on a mission. You can learn more about this furry crusader and his mission by following these links.

About Eddie and Pets For The Environment
Eddie's Healthy Pet Tips - Download Available"

Dandelion Alternative For Rubber

Discovery News is highlighting an interesting development in the field of rubber. According to new research being done in Ohio, dandelion root sap could be made into a rubber of equal quality to traditional rubber from trees, at a lower cost.

Scientists from Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) and the Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center (OBIC) recently received a $3 million grant to design and build a processing plant that would turn sticky white dandelion root sap into quality rubber for less money than current methods, say the scientists.

Read the entire article.

Plant: Elephant Ears

From Creation Moments

There are a wide variety of decorative and ornamental plants that go by the popular name "elephant ears" because of their very large leaves.

© 2008 Donna L. Watkins - Elephant Ear Leaf - Costa Rica
Compare with my size 8 shoe. This is underside of a fallen leaf.

Elephant ears are among the 2,500 known species of plants that generate heat in much the same way as warm-blooded animals. Some flowering elephant ears actually raise their temperatures close to human body temperatures while in bloom!

Even more amazing is the relationship between many elephant ears and the scarab beetle. It has only recently been learned that many elephant ears depend completely on the scarab beetle for pollination. Elephant ears produce a flower stalk, called a spadix, which has three different kinds of flowers, male, female, and sterile.

The beetles live to eat the sterile flowers and on the process of crawling around the spadix the beetles pick up the pollen from the male flowers and pollinate the female flowers. Incidentally, while the male and female flowers look exactly like the sterile flowers, they are never eaten.

This close dependency between totally unrelated creatures which have special features perfectly suited to one another bears witness to an overall plan and Planner for all the creation. And if our Creator has made such detailed provisions for these plants, which are here today and soon gone, you can rest assured that He has made many more provisions for you and all of mankind. Listen to this radio episode of Creation Moments.

Keep Kids Healthy In School

It's much easier and least expensive to do prevention than treatment. You can keep children healthy. They don't have to catch everything that goes around if their immune system is strong enough to do what it was designed to do. Cut out all the junk foods to keep more nutrition going in and supplement with immune-building supplements.

Solid Nutritional Support for Growing Kids
by Jody Taylor

As the new school year approaches, parents everywhere are gathering the supplies their kids will need when they head out the door. This fall, arm your kids not just with backpacks but with the nutrition that will help them perform their best.

Nature’s Sunshine has a variety of products designed to help kids stay healthy, happy and ready to learn. Highlighted here are a few favorites.

Set Your Child’s Sights on Success with Focus Attention
Focus Attention combines powerful nutrients that help the brain maintain a healthy, balanced level of stimulation. By supplying the brain with the vital nutrients it needs, Focus Attention may help improve your child’s concentration so he or she can thrive at school. Available in capsules and a great-tasting powder drink mix.

“My 9-year-old, Jonathan, has trouble staying on task. After receiving a bottle of Focus Attention Powder from a family member, I decided to try it. I can’t say enough how wonderful this product is. My son has gone from being almost out of control and making horrible grades, to the wonderful child I knew he was. He has made the A/B Honor Roll. Thank you.”—Diane T., San Antonio, Texas

Start their Day the Herbasaurs® Way!
Herbasaurs products are designed specifically with kids’ nutritional needs in mind. While mass-market vitamin supplements can be loaded with sugar and other extras kids don’t need, Herbasaurs products are sweetened naturally and contain no artificial colors, flavors, sucrose or starch. So you can feel confident giving them to your kids every day.

Chewable Multiple Vitamins and Minerals
Getting your kids to eat their fruits and veggies might be a struggle, but you’ll never have to beg them to take their vitamins! This great-tasting chewable, naturally sweetened with xylitol, fructose and citrus flavors, contains 12 essential vitamins plus minerals and iron.

Liquid Multiple Vitamins Plus Iron
Recommended for children who prefer a liquid, this formula has a pleasant orange flavor. Each dose equips kids with a full day’s supply of 12 essential vitamins plus iron and zinc.

Chewable Antioxidants with Grapine®
Herbasaurs Antioxidants help young, growing bodies fight the damaging effects of free radicals caused by oxidation, pollutants, the sun and even exercise. Each lemon-lime flavored tablet offers antioxidant protection with beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, Grapine and licorice flavonoid extract.

Chewable Elderberry Plus
With a host of germs out there just waiting to be shared, it’s nice to know you can strengthen your child’s defenses before sending him or her off to school each day. Chewable Elderberry Plus contains elderberry, reishi mushroom and astragalus for immune and respiratory system support—in a great-tasting lemon-lime Dinotab®.

Great Taste Makes Vitamin C an Easy Pill for Kids to Swallow
Kids and adults alike can enjoy the protective benefits of Vitamin C. Nature’s Sunshine chewable wafers are made with vitamin C and whole orange juice, along with rose hips, orange and natural lemon-lime flavor. Each tablet delivers 410 percent of the Daily Value to keep kids’ immune systems strong.

Keep Kids’ Digestive Systems in Balance with L. Reuteri
A healthy intestinal tract is home to billions of delicate microorganisms that aid in the digestion process. Stress, environmental conditions and antibiotics can destroy them, but NSP probiotics—including L. Reuteri—help repopulate these tiny friends. This strain of friendly flora is chewable, suitable for young children and requires no refrigeration—making it a great choice both for travel and daily use at home.

Safer Antibiotic Still Works

© 2008 Creation Moments.

In Genesis 1:28 God tells man to subdue the Earth. That command implies that God has placed, within the creation, many tools that man can learn to use for his benefit.

After sin entered the world and sickness and death became a reality, God’s remarkable foreknowledge then became evident. One of the first antibiotics ever discovered by man has been in use for thousands of years.

Modern researchers are just beginning to appreciate the wonder of this natural antibiotic that kills some 650 different strains of disease organisms, and is virtually non-toxic. Best of all, disease organisms don't become resistant to it.

What is this miracle antibiotic? The metal silver.

The ancient Greeks and Romans used silver containers to keep liquids fresh. American settlers often placed a silver dollar in milk to delay souring. Most of the world's airlines today use silver filters on board to prevent dysentery.

After testing 23 different methods for purifying water, NASA selected silver water filters for use on board the Space Shuttle. Japanese researchers have found that silver is even able to detoxify some poisons.

Isn't it striking that even the inanimate world is filled with things that are so carefully designed to fit into the overall picture of reality painted by Scripture? And who says the Bible isn't a book of science?!

Visit Creation Moments for more Bible science articles.

Read more about Silver Shield, one of my favorite items in my supplement program.

Be sure to read the patent information that lists all the positive reports of the diseases and types of microbes that this product worked for in research before approval.