Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

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   
TODAY'S WORDS - MAKE CHANGES

     Love and intimacy are at the roots of what makes us sick and what makes us well, what causes sadness and what brings happiness, what makes us suffer and what leads to healing...I am not aware of any other factor in medicine- not diet, not smoking, not exercise, not stress, not genetics, not drugs, not surgery- that has a greater impact on our quality of life, incidence of illness and premature death from all causes.
     At a time when 20% of people in the US go to bed hungry each night and almost 50% of the world's population is malnourished, choosing to eat more plant-based foods and less red meat is better for all of us-ourselves, our loved ones, and our planet. We all have an inner teacher, an inner guide, an inner voice that speaks very clearly but usually not very loudly. That information can be drowned out by the chatter of the mind and the pressure of day-to-day events. But if we quiet down the mind, we can begin to hear what we're not paying attention to. We can find out what's right for us.
     People who are lonely and depressed are three to 10 times more likely to get sick and die prematurely than those who have a strong sense of love and community. I don’t know any other single factor that affects our health - for better and for worse - to such a strong degree. Real power is not given to us or even created; real power is realized. It comes from realizing an inner sense of peace, self-worth, and happiness. Because the biological mechanisms that affect our health and well-being are so dynamic, when people change their diet and lifestyle, they usually feel so much better, so quickly; it reframes the reason for changing from fear of dying to joy of living. Think about it: Heart disease and diabetes, which account for more deaths in the U.S. and worldwide than everything else combined, are completely preventable by making comprehensive lifestyle changes. Without drugs or surgery. People don't dislike change, they dislike being changed. Even more than feeling healthy, most people want to feel free and in control.

~Dean Ornish~

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     November 17, 2024: When you pray, do not speak to the air. Search for Me until you find Me and connect with Me, says the Lord. Come in faith without any unbelief or doubt. You have to be convinced that I will hear and answer your prayer. James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - COME IN FAITH

     Our life here on Earth has as its purpose precisely, to prepare for our eternal happiness. This world is a large womb. It is a 'test' as all opportunities are tests. The field of earth and of our human nature is now no longer barren but full of the seed of divine life. But it takes time for the seed to grow, for the Kingdom to come, and we are commanded to pray and work for that coming, that growth, even if we do not yet see the fruits, or even the blossoms, or even the leaves...We do not do good works to get into heaven; we do good works because heaven has gotten to us. God's interventions are miracles: events that cannot happen by merely natural agents but only by a supernatural agent. They no more interfere with our free will than natural events like earthquakes. We choose how to respond to them. Thus, moral theology leads us four steps deeper than law. To fulfill the moral law, we need love. To get love, we need union with God. To get union with God, we need the new birth. And to get the new birth, we need faith.
     The key to faith is love. We believe only if we love. Trust is the middle term; only if we love, do we trust; and only if we trust, do we believe. Faith and hope bring us through time but leave us at the doorstep of eternity. Only love goes with us inside. Faith is not like bottled water but like rain. Its destiny is not just to be kept and held but to make something visible grow. Faith is the root, the necessary beginning. Hope is the stem, the energy that makes the plant grow. Love is the fruit, the flower, the visible product, the bottom line. The plant of our new life in Christ is one; the life of God comes into us by faith, through us by hope, and out of us by the works of love.
     Love is faith's flower; hope is its stem. Grace comes into us by faith, like water through the roots of a tree. It rises in us by hope, like sap rising through the trunk of a tree. And it matures in us by [love] as fruit matures on a tree's branches, fruit for the neighbor's eating. Anyone, without exception, can know God if they really want to, simply by praying, by honestly telling Him that they want to know Him. He always responds to honest seekers. Jesus promised, 'All who seek, find.'

~Peter Kreeft~

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   
TODAY'S WORDS - SMOOTH TRANSITIONS

     Being a professional comedian is doing it right and good, when you don't feel like it. I don't like the fact that most black people or black comedians have to present themselves in a flamboyant way. It's good if you can do that, but I don't like to think that's the way all black comedians are. I'm not that type. An aspiring comedian must be determined to get to his or her true feelings on a subject and convey that to the audience. Figure out what you're feeling or interested in because the goal is to get the audience interested in what you're interested in. Good stand up comedy is drawing people into your head.
     Obviously the audience has veto power signified by whether they laugh or not, but you-not them-retain the ultimate power to decide what they're going to get the opportunity to laugh at. You can't wait forever for an audience to get the joke, but you should give them at least two seconds to join in before you go on to the next one. On a good night, I'm just into the flow and seeing the pictures and words in my mind clearly before I say them. On a bad night, which to be honest are nowhere near as bad as when I was starting out, I just concentrate on performing the routines correctly. I focus on my delivery.
     Ideally, you want to be in a fifty-fifty power-sharing arrangement with the audience - both of you are there for a mutually enjoyable experience. Evaluate every performance on: stage presence, concentration, delivery, material and lessons learned. A technique I developed quite naturally to help me make smooth transitions was to use a word or phrase from the next routine in the preceding one. Walking back and forth also helps by creating the illusion that you are thinking of the routines on the spot, giving your performance a more spontaneous feeling. When I've mentioned things that I thought only happened to me, or thoughts that I felt had only had crossed my mind, the audience response indicated that they seemed to have happened to, or been thought of by many people. Bombing teaches you how badly you want to become a comedian. Because unless it's a burning desire, you'll quit when the consistent bombing becomes too much to take.

~Franklyn Ajaye~

Kenneth Davis

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

⦁ What did the tooth say to the dentist before he left for vacation?

“Fill me in when you get back.”

⦁ When should a snowman make an appointment to see the dentist?

When he gets frostbite.

⦁ What did the brass player buy at the drugstore?

A tuba toothpaste.

⦁ What did the lawyer demand before the dentist worked on him?

A retainer.

⦁ What do false teeth have in common with stars?

They only come out at night.

⦁ What did the patient say when the dentist said she needed a crown?

“I know, right?”

—Submitted by Joseph Field, DDS, Mid Peninsula Implant Center, Los Altos, California

⦁ Why did the smartphone go to the dentist?

It had a Bluetooth.

—Submitted by Kevin Reilly, DDS, Michael Rothstein Dentistry

⦁ What did the Dentist of the Year get?

A little plaque.

—Submitted by Alice Boghosian, DDS, American Dental Association spokesperson

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     November 19, 2024: My beloved child, do not waste your time worrying about the future, and what might be or what you might have to do. You belong to Me, says the Lord, and I will direct your steps. Establish your faith in that truth. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Take every day as it comes and do what needs to be done right here and right now. Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N
TODAY'S WORDS - MY BELOVED CHILD

     In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that can bridge all divisions and heal all wounds. Once we deeply trust that we ourselves are precious in God's eyes, we are able to recognize the preciousness of others and their unique places in God's heart. Pay attention to the people God puts in your path if you want to discern what God is up to in your life. Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.
     Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. It is a choice based on the knowledge that we belong to God and have found in God our refuge and our safety and that nothing, not even death, can take God away from us. Hope is willing to leave unanswered questions unanswered and unknown futures unknown. Hope makes you see God's guiding hand not only in the gentle and pleasant moments but also in the shadows of disappointment and darkness. Our life is full of brokenness - broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God's faithful presence in our lives. Do not despair, thinking that you cannot change yourself after so many years. Simply enter into the presence of Jesus as you are and ask him to give you a fearless heart where he can be with you. You cannot make yourself different. Jesus came to give you a new heart, a new spirit, a new mind, and a new body. Let him transform you by his love and so enable you to receive his affection in your whole being.
     The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes, called the Beloved from all eternity and held safe in an everlasting embrace... We must dare to opt consciously for our chosenness and not allow our emotions, feelings, or passions to seduce us into self-rejection. It is in solitude that we discover that being is more important than having and that we are worth more than the results of our efforts. In solitude we discover that our life is not a possession to be defended but a gift to be shared. Why is it important that you are with God and God alone on the mountain top? It's important because it's the place in which you can listen to the voice of the One who calls you the beloved. To pray is to listen to the One who calls you 'my beloved daughter,' 'my beloved son,' 'my beloved child.' To pray is to let that voice speak to the center of your being, to your guts, and let that voice resound in your whole being. One of the tragedies of our life is that we keep forgetting who we are.

~Henri Nouwen~

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    
TODAY'S WORDS - THE WINDS OF CHANGE

     Life is a series of moments. The quality of attention and action that we bring to each moment determines the quality of our lives. There are no ordinary moments. I learned that we can do anything, but we can't do everything... at least not at the same time. So, think of your priorities not in terms of what activities you do, but when you do them. Timing is everything. Life comes at us in waves. We can't predict or control those waves, but we can learn to surf.
     Life is constantly supporting us and giving us gifts. It's a matter of opening ourselves to that. Everything you'll ever need to know is within you; the secrets of the universe are imprinted on the cells of your body. There are no mistakes, only lessons. If you don't learn the lesson the first time, they get harder. Every positive change - every jump to a higher level of energy and awareness - involves a rite of passage. Each time to ascend to a higher rung on the ladder of personal evolution, we must go through a period of discomfort, of initiation. 
     Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear. Act happy, feel happy, be happy, without a reason in the world. Then you can love and do what you will. Autumn leaves shower like gold, like rainbows, as the winds of change begin to blow, signaling the later days of autumn. Faith means living with uncertainty - feeling your way through life, letting your heart guide you like a lantern in the dark.

~Dan Millman~

Kenneth Davis

New Study: If You Notice This Digestive Symptom,

It Could Be from Covid

By Lauren Gray

Published on Oct. 11, 2024

ttps://www.thehealthy.com/

     Research by gastroenterology doctors in Mexico has uncovered an intriguing long-term effect—and more than half of Americans say it applies. The full impact of Covid-19 may not be known for generations. However, as researchers probe some of the less-discussed facets of the global health crisis, it’s becoming clear that the pandemic changed public health in some very unprecedented ways. Case in point: According to a 2018 study released before the start of the Covid pandemic, 61% of surveyed Americans said they had experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, including acid reflux, stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation, within the week prior. Now, a study published in September 2024 suggests that there’s been a marked increase in GI symptoms since the Covid era.

     Many chronic cases of gastrointestinal upset could be the result of past Covid itself, the researchers behind the study say. “During the pandemic, multiple studies demonstrated that the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms can be related to the SARS-CoV-2 infection itself. There is also a relation between symptoms, such as abdominal pain, and a more severe course of COVID-19,” explains the study, which was published in the journal of the Mexican Association of Gastroenterology. However, the researchers also hypothesize that other “factors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to and independent of SARS-CoV-2 infection, could have an impact on the prevalence of different gastrointestinal symptoms during the pandemic lockdown period.”

     Focusing on the gut-brain axis, the researchers looked at how stress related to lockdown measures, weight changes, and other lifestyle factors triggered by the pandemic may have influenced long-term digestive health. Analyzing a total of 298 subjects, the researchers noted that they saw “a significant increase in the frequency of several gastrointestinal symptoms: epigastric burning, early satiety [premature fullness], heartburn, regurgitation, constipation, and diarrhea.” To control for gastrointestinal symptoms caused by Covid sickness, they excluded potential subjects with “a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and moderate-to-severe COVID-19 disease, consequently requiring hospitalization, or that had presented with gastrointestinal symptoms during COVID-19 presentation.”

     Ultimately, they found that weight changes, supplement and multivitamin intake, dietary changes, and reduced physical activity were the most notable risk factors for long-term gastrointestinal problems in a post-Covid era. According to self-reported statistics:

⦁ 50% of the study subjects gained weight during the study period

⦁ 66% made negative changes to their diets

⦁ 58% decreased their physical activity

and stress perception was “showed a significant increase in all its items evaluated individually and in its overall score, upon comparing the perception of those surveyed before and during the pandemic lockdown.” Though many of us have embraced our “new normal,” it can be helpful to remember that some of the unfavorable changes we’ve experienced since peak Covid times—including physical symptoms—could still be reversed and remedied. Talk to your doctor about any pandemic-related changes you’ve experienced in your health, even if you don’t believe those changes are the direct result of a past Covid illness.

     This is for information purpose only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions 

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   
TODAY'S WORDS - DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

     Wise is the man who says what needs to be said, but not all that could be said. Tact is rubbing out another's mistakes, not rubbing them in. Leave people better than you found them. Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them. If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care.
     None of us need one more person bashing or pointing out where we have failed or fallen short. Most of us are already well aware of the areas in which we are weak. What each of us does need is family, friends, employers, and brothers and sisters who support us, who have the patience to teach us, who believe in us, and who believe we’re trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses. What ever happened to giving each other the benefit of the doubt? What ever happened to hoping that another person would succeed or achieve? What ever happened to rooting for each other?
     Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.
     Victories in life come through our ability to work around and over the obstacles that cross our path. We grow stronger as we climb our own mountains. Shaking off restrictive chains requires action. They cannot be wished away. A declaration will never break chains. It requires commitment, self-discipline, and work. Good cheer is a state of mind or mood that promotes happiness or joy... With God’s help, good cheer permits us to rise above the depressing present or difficult circumstances. It is a process of positive reassurance and reinforcement. It is sunshine when clouds block the light.
 

~Marvin J. Ashton~

Kenneth Davis

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   
TODAY'S WORD - STRENGTH

     The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding. Learning never exhausts the mind. All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions. While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die. It's not enough that you believe what you see. You must also understand what you see. The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions. I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.
     The natural desire of good men is knowledge. Nature is the source of all true knowledge. She has her own logic, her own laws, she has no effect without cause nor invention without necessity. In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes, so with present time. A clever man without wisdom is like a beautiful flower without fragrance. You don't get into trouble because of the things you don't know. It is the things, you don't know you don't know, that really get you into a mess. Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory. Where there is shouting, there is no true knowledge. He who truly knows has no occasion to shout.
     If you find from your own experience that something is a fact and it contradicts what some authority has written down, then you must abandon the authority and base your reasoning on your own findings. Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence. I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death. Fix your course on a star and you'll navigate any storm.

~Leonardo da Vinci~

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH   ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

 TO 

LORETTA LUSBY

 THORPE

     Our greatest ability as humans, is not to change the world; but to change ourselves. Life is but an endless series of experiments. The future depends on what we do in the present. There are two days in the year that we can not do anything, yesterday and tomorrow. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

~Mahatma Gandhi~

Kenneth Davis

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

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  
TODAYS WORD - DESPAIR

     Personal responsibility is not only recognizing the errors of our ways. Personal responsibility lies in our willingness and ability to correct those errors individually and collectively. Ego is one of the biggest weapons that is used to take us down. It's self-destructive. It's a problem on all levels - even regular people can have big ego problems. Every little action creates an effect: We are all interconnected. Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble. If we were handling a bomb which could go off at any minute as a result of our actions, we would mind ourselves and be delicate. Our words have the same power, yet we wield them around as though they were powerless and insignificant.
     We are increasingly open to understanding how we are all connected and that if we sink the ship that we are all on, we all drown. However, we have simultaneously become so focused on our own life experiences that we think we are alone. Our contribution purely depends on our consciousness and our willingness to support those in need, to show vulnerability and accept the support of others, to share without expecting the credit, to give it our all and allow our hard work to decide the outcome, to understand that control can only be achieved with a shared responsibility. If we each take responsibility in shifting our own behavior, we can trigger the type of change that is necessary to achieve sustainability for our race or this planet. We change our planet, our environment, our humanity every day, every year, every decade, and every millennia.
     The bottom line is: We must be working on arriving at the destination for which we were put on this planet. If we can remain present and deal with the moment in front of us, no matter what our battle, then if we lose, we'll know that ultimately we weren't supposed to win that battle in the first place. If falling into desperation worked to make things better, then I would say, 'Let's all jump into despair.' But it doesn't help. The only way to truly find meaning and fulfillment is to look at the disaster, the pain, the difficulty, and know with complete certainty that good can come from this.

 
~Yehuda Berg~

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     November 24, 2024: You must rise above worldly chaos in order to live in the Spirit. Only then can you serve God and enjoy His protection. Be diligent to guard your soul and reap the benefits of unity in the spirit. Ephesians 4:1-3 I, therefore, the prisoner [a]of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
    

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORDS - WORLDLY CHAOS 

     Prayer is the most sacred occupation a person could engage in. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience. If you do all the talking when you pray, how will you ever hear God's answers? Jesus Christ knows the worst about you. Nonetheless, He is the one who loves you the most. True worship, worship that is pleasing to God, radiates throughout a person's entire life. Sometimes when we get overwhelmed, we forget how big God is.
     It is dangerous to be so busy that you have no time to wait on God. The driver on the highway is safe not when He reads the signs, but when He obeys them. God's Word is true whether we believe it or not. Human unbelief cannot alter the character of God. The heart that knows God can find God anywhere. We operate by faith, which means that we have confidence in what God says, whether we fully understand it or not. We should discipline ourselves to read the Word until it comes alive...until we can almost feel the breath of God. It is astonishing, how many difficulties clear up without any effort when the inner life gets straightened out. If half the time we spend trying to fix up outward things were spent in getting our hearts right, we would be delighted with the result. Strange as it may seem, harmony within our hearts depends mostly upon our getting into harmony with God.
     When we allow God to be exalted in our difficulties, we are in the perfect place to smell the fragrance of His Presence. Whenever God begins something, we have the assurance that He will finish it. Nothing will stand in the way of Him accomplishing His purpose in this world and in our lives. What God starts, He finishes, and nobody can hinder Him. Sure, delays will happen. Just remember, God is in charge of the delays as well as the progress. The neglected heart will soon be a heart overrun with worldly thoughts; the neglected life will soon become a moral chaos. Did you ever stop to think that God is going to be as pleased to have you with Him in Heaven as you are to be there?

~Aiden Wilson Tozer~

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     November 26, 2024: Put aside your sense of dread and of being overwhelmed. You have projected out to the days ahead and have allowed fear to creep in. Settle yourself in the assurance that no matter your expectations or circumstances, you will be able to take things minute by minute, one day at a time, and you will be able to do all that is necessary. Psalm 56:3-4 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N
TODAY'S WORD - ASSURANCE

     One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. People of integrity and honesty not only practice what they preach, they are what they preach. If a person says or does something that we consider offensive, our first obligation is to refuse to take offense and then communicate privately, honestly, and directly with that individual. Such an approach invites inspiration from the Holy Ghost and permits misperceptions to be clarified and true intent to be understood. Ordinary people who faithfully, diligently, and consistently do simple things that are right before God will bring forth extraordinary results.
     Sometimes we may ask God for success, and He gives us physical and mental stamina. We might plead for prosperity, and we receive enlarged perspective and increased patience, or we petition for growth and are blessed with the gift of grace. He may bestow upon us conviction and confidence as we strive to achieve worthy goals. Prayer is a privilege and the soul's sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and 'checklist' prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept 'not my will, but Thine, be done.' The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for other blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate. Asking in faith requires honesty, effort, commitment, and persistence. The most meaningful and spiritual prayers I have experienced contained many expressions of thanks and few, if any, requests.
     The responsibility to seek learning by faith rests upon each of us individually, and this obligation will become increasingly important as the world in which we live grows more confused and troubled. Regardless of our age, experience, or station in life, we are all missionaries. The Lord knows who we really are, what we really think, what we really do, and who we really are becoming. Assurance, action, and evidence influence each other in an ongoing process. This helix is like a coil, and as it spirals upward it expands and widens. These three elements of faith - assurance, action, and evidence - are not separate and discrete; rather, they are interrelated and continuous and cycle upward. In the strength of the Lord, we can do and endure and overcome all things.

~David A. Bednar~

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  
TODAY'S WORDS - A SEASON OF NEW BEGINNINGS
 

      Gratitude in advance is the most powerful creative force in the universe. Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. What you believe about Life, will be your experience of Life. Life is conspiring in your favor. It may not always look that way, but it is, I assure you. Everything that is happening, is happening just the way it must, in order for you to have the opportunity to create the experience of your Self for which you yearn. The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation. You are not discovering yourself but creating yourself anew. Seek therefore, not to find out Who You Are, but seek to determine Who You Want to Be. Your whole life is a message. Every act is an act of self-definition. Everything you think, say and do sends a message about you.
     Obstacles are not opposing you, but merely and gently re-routing you. It is important not to view that which stands in your way as your 'enemy.' It can often be your best friend, sending you on a detour that takes you around what would have been your biggest stumbling block. Do not wonder why things are "taking so long." In fact, everything is rolling out exactly as it needs to, using not a minute more than Perfection requires. Rest easy and be at peace. Life is working its magic even as you take your very next breath. You are goodness and mercy and compassion and understanding. You are peace and joy and light. You are forgiveness and patience, strength and courage, a helper in time of need, a comforter in time of sorrow, a healer in time of injury, a teacher in times of confusion. You are the deepest wisdom and the highest truth, the greatest peace and the grandest love. You are these things. And in moments of your life, you have known yourself to be these things. Choose now to know yourself as these things always.
     Life begins now -- right now -- not tomorrow or the next day or the next. Every minute of every hour of every day, life begins anew. That means everything can change in an instant. It also means you can have a new beginning whenever you want. Your light is seen, your heart is known, your soul is cherished by more people than you might imagine. If you knew how many others have been touched in wonderful ways by you, you would be astonished. If you knew how many people feel so much for you, you would be shocked. You are far more wonderful than you think you are. Rest with that. Rest easy with that. Breathe again. You are doing fine. More than fine. Better than fine. You’re doin’ great. So, relax. And love yourself today.

~Neale Donald Walsch~

Kenneth Davis

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY
 

New Research: Exercising at This Time of Day

Is Best for Your Heart
Meaghan Cameron, MS
Updated on Sep. 11, 2024
https://www.thehealthy.com/

     New Australian research suggests your workout is a big exhale in every way, especially for a certain group of people. You know exercise is good for you—and maybe you love to do it—but if you don’t spring out of bed eager to get breathless before breakfast, new research suggests there may actually be some heart-healthy benefit to getting your movement later in the day. The study, published in the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Care journal on April 10, 2024, was led by researchers studying respiratory medicine, exercise and metabolism at The University of Sydney. Their aim was to pinpoint the best time to exercise for overweight people and those with type 2 diabetes, analyzing whether the timing of exercise affected the rates of heart disease, vascular disease, and overall chances of dying.
     The team referred to data from the UK Biobank to identify 29,836 adults with an average age of 62 years who were overweight (with body mass index of 30 or greater) or who had a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. All participants wore fitness tracking devices and were followed for an average of eight years for their longitudinal incidence of heart disease, blood vessel disorders, and death. The researchers also contrasted these same statistics between adults who exercised, and a set who didn’t. Further, the “exercise” group had shared at which point in the day they tended to exercise: Before noon, between noon and 6 p.m., or between 6 p.m. and midnight. The study focused on moderate to vigorous exercise performed for more than three minutes at a time, like brisk walking, running, or other “high-energy” activities such as playing with children.
     Overall, participants who exercised had a lower rate of heart and vascular disease and lower death rates than those who didn’t. But, among exercisers, those who tended to move in the evening experienced benefits that the morning and afternoon exercisers didn’t. For one, moderate and vigorous exercise in the evening hours led to a lower mortality rate. Rates of cardiovascular disease were also lower among those who chose to move the most in the evening. Surprisingly, researchers revealed, “5-year all-cause mortality risk was 25–32% lower for participants in the evening aerobic moderate-to-vigorous physical activity group” than the afternoon or morning exercisers.
     This is an interesting finding, considering several past studies that showed the morning is a better time to exercise. For instance, a 2023 study in the journal Obesity concluded that those who were looking to lose weight should exercise in the morning between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Other studies have shown that morning is a sweet spot for exercise because of its brain-boosting power. However, the Australian study specifically examined longevity and cardiovascular disease. Maybe evening exercise is a relief to the heart because it’s a window to blow off steam from the day. The researchers note: “Although further research is needed to uncover the precise mechanism behind this association, our findings align with previous studies indicating that moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise performed in the evening may be linked to lower mean arterial blood pressure, whereas among morning exercisers, it was increased.” They add that because the trend for type 2 diabetics is for blood sugar to be highest in the morning, this effect might be mitigated by evening exercise (though more research is warranted).
     If you enjoy morning or afternoon exercise, you shouldn’t switch your routine unless you think it could help manage morning blood sugar issues or unless you speak with your doctor. It’s also safe to say that overall, exercise is generally good for both the heart and longevity no matter when you can fit it into your day.

     This is for information purpose only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

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  
TODAY'S WORDS - PEACE AND HARMONY 

     Dwell not on the past. Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind. Nothing really matters except what you do now in this instant of time. From this moment onwards you can be an entirely different person, filled with Love and understanding, ready with an outstretched hand, uplifted and positive in every thought and deed. Never be afraid to tread the path alone. Know which is your path and follow it wherever it may lead you; do not feel you have to follow in someone else's footsteps.
     The secret of making something work in your lives is first of all, the deep desire to make it work; then the faith and belief that it can work; then to hold that clear definite vision in your consciousness and see it working out step by step, without one thought of doubt or disbelief. Be very very still and allow every new experience to take place in your life without any resistance whatsoever. You do not have to do anything, you simply have to be and let things happen. 
     Be surprised at nothing. Let peace and stillness flood through you and envelop you completely in its cloak. Put on the whole armor of love - and yet feel, feel very deeply. Let tears flow, washing away impurities until you feel clean within and clean without. Become like an empty vessel ready to be filled with life's nectar. Set your sights high, the higher the better. Expect the most wonderful things to happen, not in the future but right now. Realize that nothing is too good. Allow absolutely nothing to hamper you or hold you up in any way.
     When your desire is to bring peace and harmony to the world, then you will have to start by finding peace and harmony within your own heart. It is a waste of time talking about peace. You have to seek and find that consciousness of peace which nothing and no one can disturb and remain in it. Concentrate on the wonders and joys of this life and accept the very best which is your true heritage. It is not being an ostrich, afraid of life and not facing it. It is seeing the reality of this glorious life, which is yours, and in doing so, helping to bring it about. The more clearly you can see it, the more quickly will it come about.
 

~Eileen Caddy~

Kenneth Davis

 TIME FOR ANOTHER 
THROWBACK
 THURSDAY

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  

TODAY'S WORDS - LOVE AND VALUED

     The whole of mankind is one and only one, one race, one class and one society. We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are a part of the universe, and are connected with each other to form one whole unity. It is not in human nature for all men to tread the same path of development, as animals do of a single species. Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create. Two things are necessary, the development of individuality and the participation of the individual in a truly social life. Joy is the evidence of inner growth.

     With man, the life of the body depends on the life of the spirit. The man of character is the persistent man, the man who is faithful to his own word, his own convictions, his own affections. Character formation cannot be taught. It comes from experience and not from explanation. Only through freedom and environmental experience is it practically possible for human development to occur. A vital force is active in every individual and leads it towards its own evolution. Social grace, inner discipline and joy. These are the birthright of the human being who has been allowed to develop essential human qualities.

     The purpose of life is to obey the hidden command which ensures harmony among all and creates an ever-better world. We are not created only to enjoy the world; we are created in order to evolve the cosmos. The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth. Personal health is related to self-control and to the worship of life in all its natural beauty - self-control bringing with it happiness, renewed youth, and long life. Joy, feeling one’s own value, being appreciated and loved by others, feeling useful and capable of production are all factors of enormous value for the human soul. Love and the hope of it are not things one can learn; they are a part of life's heritage.

~Maria Montessori~