Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 

     Without the presence of the Spirit, it is impossible to comprehend our personal mission or to have the reassurance that our course is right. We are all farmers tending a little part of the Lord's vineyard. 

~Sheri L. Dew~

Kenneth Davis

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.

Have you used one to say 'thank you?' 
~William Arthur Ward~

     Good afternoon classmates. The words of William Ward were most appropriate yesterday and even more so today. As stated once by Al Jarreau, "Before I get out of bed, I am saying thank you. I know how important it is to be thankful".... Personally, I can now say, just how blessed it is to have achieved the time honored, seventy year ole milestone. I'd like to use a few of the seconds remaining from todays 86,400, to simply say "Thank You". Thank you to everyone who mailed cards, dialed my number, sent text messages or posted wellness wishes on the website. I'm grateful to you for sharing your energy with me. Names won't specifically be mentioned, because  I'm officially a year older and wouldn't want to leave anyone out, you know who you are.
     Thank you to those class members who made recommendations, which have led to the improvement of "Our Website". Without your support, nothing would be accomplished. Thank you for the prayers and words of encouragement, uttered on my behalf. Thank you for receiving this message on behalf of myself and the deceased Jazz & Pop Musician, Al Jarreau; "You pray for things and accept the blessings when they come, you know? And it is about how you talk to yourself and what you say morning, noon and night about what you want to happen in your life. Some folks call that creative visualization. Other people call it prayer. But it is about that message that you send out there to yourself." Here's another message for you all. Stay safe, be blessed and enjoy your weekend ahead. I wish you a "Brian Culbertson" type of evening, because you'll always be "On My Mind"..... 

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. If one fully understands the present moment, there will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment. 

~Yamamoto Tsunetomo~

William "Poogie" Hart, January 17, 1945 - July 14, 2022

 Lead vocalist and founding member

of American soul & R&B vocal group, "The Delfonics".

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Our Father knew exactly what He was doing when He created us. He made us enough alike to love each other, but enough different that we would need to unite our strengths and stewardships to create a whole. There is a direct relationship between how we feel about Jesus Christ and how we see ourselves. We cannot increase our devotion to the Savior without also obtaining a greater sense of purpose, identity, and conviction. 

~Sheri L. Dew~

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

The inner half of every cloud 

Is bright and shining;

I therefore turn my clouds about,

And always wear them inside out

To show the lining.

Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler

Kenneth Davis

    T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     It is the true duty of every man to promote the happiness of his fellow creatures to the utmost of his power. If you love someone who is ruining his or her life because of faulty thinking, and you don't do anything about it because you are afraid of what others might think, it would seem that rather than being loving, you are in fact being heartless.
 ~William Wilberforce~

     Every time a little boy went to a playmate’s house, he found the friend’s grandmother deeply engrossed in her Bible. Finally his curiosity got the better of him. “Why do you suppose your grandmother reads the Bible so much?” he asked. “I’m not sure,” said his friend, “but I think she’s cramming for her finals.”

~Carl T. Schuneman~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

...have a Great today !!!

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     I used to worry about what life was for - now being alive seems sufficient reason. There seemed to be endless obstacles... it seemed that the root cause of them all was fear. Sometimes I find that in my happy moments I could not believe that I had ever been miserable. 

~Marion Milner~

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Food can bring people together in a way nothing else could. The smells of slow cooking spread around the house and impart a unique warmth matched only by the flavour of the food. Just-poached vegetables show off their natural attributes and taste fresh and light in a way you never get with roasting or frying. Chipotles, which are dried jalapeno peppers, give out a terrific smoky flavour - they're warm, earthy and usually not too spicy.

~Yotam Ottolenghi~

The Order You Eat Your Food 
Could Prevent Your Blood Sugar From Spiking
  Ruth Clark   Health Digest

     It's normal for our blood sugar to fluctuate throughout the day. It goes up after a meal but is brought back down by insulin, the hormone responsible for letting sugar into the body's cells to use for fuel. However, we can experience blood sugar spikes if we consume lots of foods high in simple carbohydrates, like soda, desserts, bread, and pasta. It can also happen if we eat too much, don't exercise enough, are stressed out, or are dehydrated.

     Having high blood sugar is associated with diabetes and prediabetes, which affects 13% and 34.5% of the U.S. population, respectively (per Healthline). So keeping an eye on blood sugar levels is wise in order to help prevent these conditions. Even if you don't have diabetes, however, you can still have blood sugar spikes if you eat too many simple sugars. This can leave you feeling lethargic and hungry after meals, according to Healthline. It's not just about what we eat, though. Science now tells us that, in addition to the types of food we eat, the order we eat our food is important, too.

Eating Carbs Last Can Help Prevent Blood Sugar Spikes

     According to a study published in Diabetes Care, consuming foods in the right order can help reduce the risk of a blood sugar spike. The study included 11 participants with type 2 diabetes who ate two meals on separate days after 12-hour overnight fasts. After each meal, their blood sugar was tested at 30, 60, and 120 minutes. In the first meal, they ate carbohydrates first, followed by protein and then vegetables. In the second meal, one week later, they reversed this order.

     The researchers found that when protein and vegetables were consumed before carbohydrates, the post-meal blood glucose levels were much lower. The effects were comparable to drugs formulated to target blood sugar balance. Biochemist Jessie Inchauspe, author of "Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar," told Mind Body Green that the ideal order to eat your meal is: vegetables, followed by protein and fat, leaving starches and sugar for last. She also recommends being wary of restaurants that serve complimentary bread before the meal, as consuming bread on an empty stomach could cause a blood sugar spike. By the time you get to your meal, you could be in the midst of a blood sugar crash that could lead to cravings and actually eating more, she explains.

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 

     We do not exist for ourselves alone, and it is only when we are fully convinced of this fact that we begin to love ourselves properly and thus also love others. We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God. The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another. Perhaps I am stronger than I think.  

~Thomas Merton~

Kenneth Davis

I T ' S

Flowers  The Emotions

We hold the key (Hold the key)
To the world's (The world's)
Destiny (Destiny)
Have you the feeling to shine your light
Usin' the power, shinin' bright
Years we've been searchin'
Born to be
All the good thing discovers,
We're able to see
Your heart's a fire,
Create for you
Love and desire
Hearts of two
Think it over (Yeah)
Life ain't a four leaf clover, (Oh, no it ain't)
Think it over (Brother)
Life ain't a four leaf clover
Love is a flower, from that a bud
To spread its sunshine and make us love
Beautiful colors shinin' though
Bless you, brother
God is watching you
Think it over
Life ain't a four leaf clover
Think it over (You better)
Life ain't a four leaf clover
Love is a flower
Let it shine on through
All you know where it's comin'
From, God is watchin' you, oh, yes, he is
Oh, listen, this is the tower
Let that flower bloom all over you, you, you, you
We hold the key (Brothers)
To the world's (Come together and love)
Destiny (You see, it's like a flower sent from above)
We (Let that flower bloom)
Hold the key (All over you and me)
To the world's (All over the world)
Destiny (Do you know what I mean)

Songwriters: White Maurice, Mc Kay Albert Phillip.

Margie McRae (Reed)

Hi All!

I wanted to comment on two things.

Wellness Wednesday - This was great information, and it confirmed what my husband's diabetes counselor had just said to him the day before!  I am going to make a copy of the article for both of us.  Thanks for sharing!

Funny Story ( I know it's not Monday.) -  Today's post references the demise of the ice cream spoons. I know where they are!  My five year old grandson inherited my love of chocolate.  We tasted a sample of Oreo Cookie Bars at Sam's on Sunday and prompltly bought a carton.  When I picked him up from summer camp on Monday, he said, "Gigi, let's get home to the kitchen. " That's code for "I can't wait to get an ice cream bar out of the freezer."  He stayed over last night and noticed a wrapper in the trash this morning from our treat last night.  As we left this morning, he reminded me several times that "You shouldn't eat too much ice cream!"  That was code for don't eat them all up from me.  I didn't pick him up this evening - it's every chocolaholic for himself!  Nah.

Anyway, I told this story for a purpose other than I only have one grandchild and still need indulging.  I went back down Memory Lane when I finished the bar and saw the stick was our old ice cream spoon!  And then you bring them up in Throwback Thursday!  What a coincidence!

News Flash!! I'm in trouble! Camden threw a fit when my daughter picked him up from summer camp, He wanted to come over my house and get his oreo bar. She brought him by, but lectured me about giving him too many sweets. I can't buy anymore oreo bars. If he can't eat them, I won't either.

At least we know where the ice cream stick went.

Have a wonderful evening.

Margie

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Let every dawn be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as its close. Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. The sky is the part of creation in which nature has done for the sake of pleasing man. Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery. Nothing can be beautiful which is not true.

~John Ruskin~

     Excess of grief for the dead is madness;

for it is an injury to the living,

and the dead know it not. 

~Xenophon~

Kenneth Davis

     Gardening does so much for your brain. You're learning how a process works, and how important it is to do everything right so that you can eventually enjoy a tomato three months later. I've always been patient, but gardening really helps you with that. 

~Marc Gasol~

     A message to the backyard "Gardeners" of the class....Robert Phifer, Bonnie Pippin, Patricia Watson, Cloyd Nightingale, Jimmie Powell, John Thomas and any unknown others. It's great to know that you're among us Jimmie, and yes, growing your own food looks and tastes great. Cloyd, John, Robert and I often share information and ask each other questions about a variety of circumstances related to gardening. We don't profess to know it all, but we're willing to at least give suggestions to anyone who asks.                
     Twice this week, I was asked about garden pests eating up cucumber leaves and the de-flowering (blossom drop) of tomato plants. Whatever my suspicions from experiance, the reasons provided were given after research and validation. For the cucumber pests, beetles were the cause. A mixture of dish washing soap and water was recommended to solve the situation. Most of us attempt to be organic growers, so natural insecticides are a plus. Here's a picture of a beetle, caught in the act, sent by Patricia. This "YouTube Video"  ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTpCxlI7nu0 ) helped validate my response to Patricia. 

       Bonnie is new to our hobby and is excited to grow her own favorite veggie, tomatoes. Identification of her problem was a lot easier than Patricia's. The most common cause of tomato blossom drop is temperature. Tomato plants can get stressed if the high daytime temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, the high nighttime temperature is above 70 degrees, or if the low nighttime temperature is below 55 degrees. Tomatoes grow best if daytime temperatures range between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. While the plants can tolerate more extreme temperatures for short periods, several days or nights with temps outside the ideal range will cause the plant to abort fruit set and focus on survival.  

     According to the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, temperatures over 100 degrees sustained for four hours can cause tomato flowers to abort. The weather in Memphis over the last few weeks, exceeded the ideal range of temperatures. The same could be said of the weather here in North Carolina. Nothing will guarantee fruit set. Because factors like temperature and humidity are out of the gardener's control, sometimes you just have to be patient and wait for conditions to correct themselves. If the weather seems fine and other gardeners in your area are not having fruit set problems, consider the cultural causes of tomato blossom drop. A review of this website link will also help understand the situation.... https://www.sundaygardener.net/how-to-prevent-tomato-blossom-drop/......

     Cloyd, John, Robert and I, have been gardening for a while and honestly enjoy our experience. We are willing to share what knowledge we have gladly. We are not experts, but we enjoy what we do. Learning how to master canning my harvest, like John, will be my next adventure. Jimmie, I can remember washing the mason jars and lids as a child for my grandmother. Over the winter months, we'd open the jars of corn, okra, cucumbers (pickles) squash and beans. Succotash was made for us kids to enjoy eating at dinner. Everyone should learn to grow their own.... food prices may soon dictate it.....Thanks Bonnie and Patricia for the questions....    

Kenneth Davis

     In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future. Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children. Either you deal with what is the reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you. 

~Alex Haley~

     Thank you so much Margie, for confirming the need to share valuable information on our platform. From "Just Joking Mondays", "Wellness Wednesdays", "Throwback Thursdays" and "Mini Sermon Sundays", the daily posted content is for entertainment, enjoyment and thought provocation. It's very substantial to receive critical feedback and recommendations for improvement. Something as minor as enlarging the font size and color, was deemed essential and beneficial to all of us. It was requested and acted upon. Your post concerning how this weeks information affected you and your family, is heartfelt. 
     As a grandparent, many of us have felt the variance surrounding the choices we make for our grandkids. Sometimes, we're accused of spoiling them, but it's not the sum total of our intentions. Besides, dark chocolate has lower added sugar and fat than milk or white chocolate and it also boasts an abundance of beneficial antioxidants called flavonoids. The higher percentage of cocoa solids, the more flavonoids and the lower sugars. If you’re doing 75% or 80% dark chocolate, there’ll be less added sugar than if you were at 50% dark chocolate.

     Flavanols are related to the production of nitric oxide, which relaxes your blood vessels and improves blood flow. In turn, this also lowers blood pressure. Better blood flow is also great for our overall health. I guess you can call this "A Wellness Wednesday Addendum"....lol...Instead of the Oreo Cookie Bars at Sam's, buy some 75% or 80% dark chocolate for both of you and continue the inheritance. It'll be good for Larry too. Thanks again Margie for the declaration....stay safe my friend and be blessed....tell Larry hello for me....

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     The principle of all successful effort

is to try to do not what is absolutely the best,

but what is easily within our power,

and suited for our temperament and condition.

~ John Ruskin~

     Birthday Anniversary Greetings to The Magic Man In The Moon, Marino Hardy. Welcome to "Club 70". You're statistically guaranteed to have a happy birthday because of three separate events occurring today. By coincidence, your date of birth is July 23rd. July 23rd is also "National Vanilla Ice Cream Day" and you're the Engineering Manager at Baskin-Robbins Distribution Center of Memphis. Vanilla ice cream is consistently one of the most popular flavors and you can't go wrong with this classic. The last event for reference is the July 23rd message of Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns. July 23, 2022 states: Those who have been diligent will begin to see the fruit of your labor. In some cases it has been a long and arduous undertaking, but you have stayed the course without losing heart. Enjoy the reward, but do not presume that life and circumstances will get any easier. However, you are well able to face any challenge with the help of My Spirit. Colossians 3:23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
     "Wake Up Grateful: The Transformative Practice of Taking Nothing for Granted" is the title of a book written by Kristi Nelson. Kristi  serves as the executive director of a worldwide community, known as "A Network for Grateful Living". Dedicated to gratefulness, as the core inspiration for personal change, international cooperation, and sustainable activism in areas of universal concern, the book and the purpose of the worldwide community, serves to unlock the path to recognizing abundance in every moment, and discusses the centrality of perspective to living gratefully in their daily lives. Bob Marley once stated; "The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively".
     On this day, "The Magic Man In The Moon" was blessed with grace and favor. After taking nothing for granted, he woke up grateful, has remained diligent, and is receiving his rewards of inheritance from serving the Lord Christ. We have been blessed by the abundance of your friendship and charity over the years. Your greatness, integrity and service remains a positive influence to the "Greater Memphis Community" and "The Class of 1970". As you celebrate today, or choose not to celebrate, I wish you a Larry Carlton & Paul Brown type of day. The path ahead will consume quite a bit of "Soul Searchin". You'll have "Miles And Miles To Go" on your next long and arduous undertaking. Enjoy the reward, but do not presume that life and circumstances will get any easier. However, you are well able to face any challenge with the help of the Lord Christ. Enjoy your day and stay safe my friend.....

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever. Grace is sufficient even though we huff and puff with all our might to try and find something or someone that it cannot cover. Grace is enough. 

~Brennan Manning~

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     The greatest virtue of man is perhaps curiosity.

If the path be beautiful,

let us not ask where it leads.

Wandering re-establishes the original harmony

which once existed between man and the universe.

~Anatole France~

     In the public library, a man with his new library card questioned the pretty librarian. “Do you mean to say,” he asked, “that with this card I may take out any book I want?” “Yes,” she answered. “And may I take out record albums, too?” “Yes, you may.” “May I take you out?” he ventured. Drawing herself up to her full height, she replied, “The librarians, sir, are for reference only.”

~Justine Valenti, Coronet~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Margie McRae (Reed)

Kenneth Davis

Extending Condolences to Margie McRae Reed

2 Corinthians 4:11 Easy-to-Read Version
11 We are alive, but for Jesus we are always in danger of death, so that the life of Jesus can be seen in our bodies that die.

     Most of us consider church members as family. Likewise, some of us consider classmates as family. Therefore, we extend condolences to you, as a beloved classmate. May you find additional solace and reassurance in the days ahead.....

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Remorse sleeps during prosperity but awakes bitter consciousness during adversity. Every man has the right to risk his own life in order to preserve it. Has it ever been said that a man who throws himself out the window to escape from a fire is guilty of suicide? 

~Jean-Jacques Rousseau~

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     I don't always have the best eating habits. I like butter and ice cream. There are days when I should work out and I don't. But it's never too late to change old habits. The main reason I wanted to be successful was to get out of the ghetto. My parents helped direct my path. When anyone tells me I can't do anything... I'm just not listening any more. I like being unconventional. People want to think that staying in shape costs a lot of money. They couldn't be more wrong. It doesn't cost anything to walk. And it's probably a lot cheaper to go to the corner store and buy vegetables than take a family out for fast food.

 ~Florence Griffith Joyner~

6 Foods That Are Pretty Bad for Your Heart
Isadora Baum 
https://www.prevention.com/

1) Margarine
     “While artificial trans fats that made up classic margarines have been banned, many margarine products swapped out their hydrogenated oils for palm oil,” Jones says. Palm oil is meh for heart health, when you compare it to avocado or olive oil, both of which are awesome for your heart. Also know that some of these modern margarines are masquerading as "plant-based" alternatives. Don't buy into the the hype.
2) Fat-Free Salad Dressing
     While fat has more calories per gram than carbohydrates and protein, it is an essential nutrient that you must eat enough of each day and ideally include at nearly every meal and snack. You also need it to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. For example, vitamins D and E help support good heart health but, if you're eating a meal with them that doesn't provide adequate fat, they may just be excreted. “Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of heart attack, while vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects vascular cells,” says Jones. So, go with full or low fat.
3) Energy Drinks
     “Marketing of products such as Red Bull, Monster, and RockStar drinks may make you think you need them to feel energized, but the reality is that on top of high doses of caffeine, they contain mixtures of other stimulants that are not well regulated and have no established upper limit values,” says Jones. While the term "propriety blend" makes it sound elitist and Americans often have the thought that "more is better" when compounds in these blends are present, the reality is these drinks have been linked to cardiac events, especially when mixed with alcohol or taken before or during exercise, she says. And those with high blood pressure are at an especially high risk of adverse reactions. Ditch these and go for coffee or tea, instead. Or just eat energy boosting foods, like a high protein snack to wake that body and mind up.
4) (Too Much) Alcohol
     “While drinking on occasion shouldn't be problematic, regular daily intake of alcohol, even in moderation increases the risk of high blood pressure and hemorrhagic stroke,” Jones says. Moderate is defined as "up to one drink per day for women" and "up to two drinks per men" with a drink being equal to 12 ounces of your average beer, five ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of liquor. However, the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Scientific Committee did recommend reducing the definition of moderate for men to just one drink per day due to the associated risk for high blood pressure. So, cut back to protect your heart as best as possible. 
5) Fried Food
     The breading and oil bump up the calories—and it's not like they're good calories. Calories devoid of nutrients are often called "empty" calories. Except that that's not how they make you feel. Empty calories can actually leave you feeling bloated, and a diet that is rife with them can often lead to weight gain, which can lead to weight-related heart health issues. It's fine to partake once and while. Just don't make frying your go-to way to cook your food. 
6) Caffeinated Milkshakes
     Some people call this stuff "coffee," but as soon as you start adding sugary syrups and whipped cream and caramel sauces, you've taken what is what is an otherwise heart-healthy drink and loaded it up with those empty calories. Remember: The fewer adjectives in your coffee order, the better it is for you.