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 SAFETY 

     Your own life is the way it is because of you, and the choices you have made - or failed to make. 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. There is nothing scary about life if you are not attached to results. 
     Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. What you believe about Life will be your experience of Life. 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. Glorify who you are today, do not condemn who you were yesterday, and dream of who you can be tomorrow.
     The day will come when you review your life and be thankful for every minute of it. Every hurt, every sorrow, every joy, every celebration, every moment of your life will be a treasure to you, for you will see the utter perfection of the design. You will stand back from the weaving and see the tapestry, and you will weep at the beauty of it. 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 is about your soul, not about your body and not about your mind. Health is an announcement of agreement between your body, mind and spirit. Honor your body, keep it in good shape. When you are not healthy, look to see which parts of you disagree. Your body will demonstrate the truth to you. Notice what it is showing you, listen to what it is saying. Most people work hard to keep the body happy. Then they seek to stimulate their mind. Then... if there is time... they look after their soul. Yet the most beneficial priority has it just the other way around... 
     When was the last time you paid attention to your soul? Your soul doesn't care what you do for a living - and when your life is over, neither will you. Your soul cares only about what you are being while you are doing whatever you are doing. Search your place of inner wisdom. See what this calls on you to do. Then do it. Go into the heart of love and come from that place in all your choices and decisions, and you will find peace. Love is not what you want, it is what you are. It is very important to not get these two confused. All human actions are motivated at their deepest level by two emotions--fear or love. 
     In truth there are only two emotions--only two words in the language of the soul.... Fear wraps our bodies in clothing, love allows us to stand naked. Fear clings to and clutches all that we have, love gives all that we have away. Fear holds close, love holds dear. Fear grasps, love lets go. Fear rankles; love soothes. Fear attacks, love amends. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. 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 doing’ great. So, relax. And love yourself today. The peace and safety for which you yearn is not a matter of food, clothing, and shelter. It is a matter of love. Love and be loved, and all else will be added unto you. The world will perform its magic when you step into yours. 

~Neale Donald Walsch~

Kenneth Davis

WEDNESDAY WELLNESS

Fasting for Just 3 Days Per Week 
Can Lead to a Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
By Meaghan Cameron, MS   
Updated on Apr. 01, 2024
https://www.thehealthy.com/

     Researchers found fasting and calorie restriction generally improved cardiovascular metrics, but following this particular schedule could yield major results—and be easy to maintain. Intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating have been studied extensively in recent years. Alternate day fasts and eating during certain windows have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including weight loss, lowered blood pressure, and even improved mood. But could these benefits extend to the cardiovascular system and help protect against heart attacks and stroke?
     A new study, published by researchers from the California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology in January 2024, conducted a meta-analysis of studies on fasting to examine its effects on cardiovascular risks. The aim was to determine if different forms of fasting could help reduce the rates of heart attack, stroke, and other heart-related diseases without medication. The researchers included all methods of reducing calorie intake, encompassing various forms of intermittent fasting, protein restriction, calorie restriction, and other forms of energy restriction. The forms of intermittent fasting included time-restricted eating, fasting on alternate days, or a combination, while being sure to maintain adequate levels of nutrition. All studies examined were recent, with published dates between 2019 and 2023.
     Overall, the studies demonstrated that any form of calorie restriction, including fasting, while maintaining adequate nutrition levels, appeared to improve cardiovascular metrics, including blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels, and body weight or BMI. “The findings suggest that fasting is beneficial in lowering the cardiovascular risk of a population,” said the researchers. “The result is pronounced when fasting regimens are combined with a regular exercise routine,” they added.
     The results were consistent across all types of fasting and calorie restriction, but the researchers acknowledged that a particular type of fasting might be easier for some people to maintain. The 12-hour fast from approximately 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on alternate days, for a total of three days per week, appeared to maintain heart-healthy benefits while also being attainable. “Compared to other types of IF (intermittent fasting), this method seems safe, successful, and feasible to incorporate into regular life without causing additional financial or physical strain,” the authors concluded.
     This alternate-day style of fasting lowered body weight and BMI more than the 16/8 fast, or a fasting period where participants refrain from eating for sixteen hours and eat during an 8-hour window every day. The alternate-day fast also lowered triglyceride levels as much as continuous calorie restriction and was superior to lowering insulin resistance in patients diagnosed with hypertriglyceridemia. The only metric that improved more with the calorie-restricted diet was the HDL cholesterol reading, but that did not concern the researchers. “Since there was no drop in the ratio of HDL compared to the total cholesterol (TC/HDL-C), it is doubtful that this decrease is harmful,” they said.
    Overall, intermittent fasting and calorie restriction plans improved many variables that affect cardiovascular health, “suggesting improvement in long-term cardiovascular risk.” The researchers concluded that lifestyle changes such as fasting should be preferred over medication for managing cardiovascular risk. “No pharmaceutical medication has such a dramatic influence on such a wide spectrum of cardiometabolic risk variables,” they concluded. They call for larger clinical studies, especially concerning any other potential health risks of fasting, to further assess when it can be recommended as a tool against cardiovascular disease.

     This is for information purposes 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 - KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

     There are two days in the year that we cannot do anything, yesterday and tomorrow. Our greatest ability as humans is not to change the world; but to change ourselves. Imperfect men have no right to judge other imperfect men. Relationships are based on four principles: respect, understanding, acceptance and appreciation. When you are right, you have no need to be angry. When you are wrong, you have no right to be angry. A small group of determined and like-minded people can change the course of history.
     Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny. We cannot be speakers who do not listen. But neither can we be listeners who do not speak.
     Every moment of your life is infinitely creative, and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you. It is better to allow our lives to speak for us than our words. Behavior is the mirror in which we can display our image. People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will always be there.
     Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. People cannot hurt you without your permission. I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.

~Mahatma Gandhi~

Kenneth Davis

 TIME FOR ANOTHER 

      JANUARY 2, 1967          SEPTEMBER 1, 1967

    SEPTEMBER 2, 1968          DECEMBER 13, 1969

MAY 30, 1970

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 - GAIN THE VICTORY

     If boyhood and youth are but vanity, must it not be our ambition to become men? As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed. It is better to be high-spirited even though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow-minded and all too prudent. Even the knowledge of my own fallibility cannot keep me from making mistakes. Only when I fall do I get up again. The way to know life is to love many things. Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.
     It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality is more important than the feeling for pictures. I experience a period of frightening clarity in those moments when nature is so beautiful. I am no longer sure of myself, and the paintings appear as in a dream. An artist needn't be a clergyman or a churchwarden, but he certainly must have a warm heart for his fellow men. I dream of painting and then I paint my dream. Painting is a faith, and it imposes the duty to disregard public opinion. Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul. Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model.
     I put my heart and my soul into my work and have lost my mind in the process. I am overwhelmed by a feeling of loneliness to such a horrible extent that I shy away from going out. But this will change all the same as time goes on. In spite of everything I shall rise again: I will take up my pencil, which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, and I will go on with my drawing. If you hear a voice within you say, 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. Only when I stand a painting before my easel do I feel somewhat alive. Never mind, this is going to change too, for now my health is so good that I suppose the physical part of me will gain the victory. Nature always begins by resisting the artist, but he who really takes it seriously does not allow that resistance to put him off his stride; on the contrary, it is that much more of a stimulus to fight for victory. The victory one would gain after a whole life of work and effort is better than one that is gained sooner. I am still far from being what I want to be, but with God's help I shall succeed.

~Vincent Van Gogh~

Kenneth Davis

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 

     The real power of Jazz is that a group of people can come together and create improvised art and negotiate their agendas... and that negotiation is the art. Jazz music is the power of now. There is no script. It's conversation. The emotion is given to you by musicians as they make split-second decisions to fulfill what they feel the moment requires. 
     As long as there is democracy, there will be people wanting to play jazz because nothing else will ever so perfectly capture the democratic process in sound. Jazz means working things out musically with other people. You have to listen to other musicians and play with them even if you don't agree with what they're playing. It teaches you the very opposite of racism and anti-Semitism. It teaches you that the world is big enough to accommodate us all.
     Jazz music is America's past and its potential, summed up and sanctified and accessible to anybody who learns to listen to, feel, and understand it. The music can connect us to our earlier selves and to our better selves-to-come. It can remind us of where we fit on the timeline of human achievement, an ultimate value of art.

~Wynton Marsalis~

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF

NICK COLIONNE

Kenneth Davis

ANOTHER EDITION OF

"Warriors On The Move"

Contributions welcome!!!

2025 Business & Industry Salute

      We are honored to present the 2025 King’s Award to Estella Mayhue-Greer, retired President and CEO of @MidSouthFoodBank, at our upcoming Business & Salute Luncheon for her extraordinary leadership and dedication to fighting food insecurity in our community.
     During her tenure, Estella spearheaded numerous initiatives, including launching childhood hunger programs, the Mobile Pantry to expand food access in rural areas, and the Feeding Seniors initiative. She also streamlined warehouse and distribution operations and led a successful $12.5 million capital campaign to open a new facility in July 2019.
     Her unwavering commitment has transformed countless lives, and we are proud to celebrate her impact at the Business & Industry Salute Luncheon on Wednesday, March 19.

#CarnivalMemphis #CarnivalMemphis2025 #KingsAward #BusinessandIndustrySalute

Kenneth Davis

FINAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR 
MR. REGGIE PIPPIN
BROTHER OF OUR BELOVED BONNIE PIPPIN MILLS

VISITATION
SUNDAY MARCH 23, 2025  5 - 7 PM
W T SHUMAKE & DAUGHTERS FUNERAL HOME
3815 NEWBURG ROAD
LOUISVILLE, KY

FUNERAL SERVICE
MONDAY MARCH 24, 2025  11 AM
CANAAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH
2840 HIKES LANE
LOUISVILLE, KY

     FLOWERS SHOULD BE SENT TO W T SHUMAKE & DAUGHTERS FUNERAL HOME. CARDS OF SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCES SHOULD BE MAILED TO Ms BONNIE PIPPIN MILLS, 1784 TAHITI LANE - MEMPHIS TN 38117. PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE PIPPIN FAMILY UPLIFTED IN PRAYER....

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 - BE GRATEFUL

     We can never be afraid to stand up for what is right, no matter what others may say. And sometimes, if that means taking a lonely road, if what we are standing for is true, then perhaps moonlight or sunshine will light our way and make it less lonely. I am not a woman on Monday, an immigrant on Tuesday, a worker on Wednesday, and a mom on Thursday, I am all of those things all of the time, and I am going to fight for all of those things all of the time. I want to remind women of color out there to stand your ground, and don't ever be afraid to speak up. We have to take our anger and rage and channel it into building, growing, loving, holding each other up. We have to remember that disagreeing with people is fine; it is dehumanizing people that is not, and when that happens, we have to be ready to speak up.
     As difficult as my story is, it's nothing compared to the people I've worked with. And so I just want to do everything I can to make sure that America continues to be a land of opportunity and hope for people and refuge for people from all over the world. If there is one thing that resonates for women, it is that regardless of where we come from or what we look like, we want to be fully recognized for the breadth of our contributions. We need to expand the idea of choice to be about all the choices we make in our lives: including which country we choose to live in so we can be whole and full women. It is always easier to have somebody to blame, but immigrants are not the cause of the country's economic woes. Immigrants contribute more than they take. It is a lie that they take public benefits, because they don't qualify for just about every benefit. I became an immigrant, civil and human rights advocate, then the first South Asian elected to the Washington State Legislature and the only woman of color in the Washington State Senate and then was elected in 2016 to the United States Congress.
     My message to women - including women of color - stand strong. Refuse to be minimized or patronized. Let all the small guys out there be intimidated by you. When women are told that sexual harassment is 'part of the job' or when assistants of both sexes enable harassing behavior, they have bought into the culture that says such behavior is not just permissible, it is a desirable expression of power. When bosses, leaders, and powerful men and women ignore or deny the accounts of harassment victims, they reinforce the idea that harassers are playing the game as they should and that the rest of us should fall in line. Civil rights icons, famous journalists, big-time movie producers may all have credits to their name that we can recognize and be grateful for, but their record of good works cannot excuse their harassment of women. I am grateful for my family, friends, and all those who send constant love and support - you are my energy and my hope. You teach me, love me even when I'm wrong, and let me ride the challenges and come out whole.
 

~Pramila Jayapal~

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

 TO

WILLIAM ARNOLD SENIOR

     You never know the plan. You never know what's going to happen. We are not even promised tomorrow. I just try to focus on one day at a time. There's a lot of things we go through and we don't even know why... At the end of the day, God has a purpose and a plan for you, and that's kind of how I take that.

     I try to focus on what I love doing and if those things, those awards, those accolades, those tickets keep selling and coming like they are doing, I'm going to relish in it and live my life the best way I know how and be grateful. 

~Morgan Wallen~

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

    March 23, 2025: You must exhibit honesty and integrity in all you say and do. When you profess the saving grace of Christ and do not live up to the Gospel, you are not a credible witness. It is not enough to be a hearer of the word of truth; you must also be a doer, says the Lord. James 1:23-25 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in all he does. 

   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 - A CREDIBLE WITNESS

     Life is a journey. When we stop, things don't go right. A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just. Wretched are those who are vindictive and spiteful. An authentic faith-which is never comfortable or completely personal-always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it. By saying "blessed are those who mourn", Jesus does not intend to declare an unfortunate and burdensome condition in life to be happy. Suffering is not a value in itself, but a reality that Jesus teaches us to live with the correct attitude.
     Just as the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say 'thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills. How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? Human life, the person is no longer perceived as a primary value to be respected and protected, especially if poor or disabled, if not yet useful - such as the unborn child - or no longer needed - such as the elderly. 
     You cannot be in a position of power and destroy the life of another person. Money has to serve, not to rule. A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel. If the Christian is a restorationist, a legalist, if he wants everything clear and safe, then he will find nothing. Tradition and memory of the past must help us to have the courage to open up new areas to God. While new rights are attributed to or indeed almost presumed by the individual, life is not always protected as the primary value and the primordial right of every human being. 
     Agape, the love of each one of us for the other, from the closest to the furthest, is in fact the only way that Jesus has given us to find the way of salvation and of the Beatitudes. Jesus teaches us another way: Go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the Word in body as well as spirit. God always has patience. Since God created the world, He also created reality. Let us encourage the generosity which is typical of the young and help them to work actively in building a better world. Youth do not solely need material things. Above all, they need to have those non-material values which are the spiritual heart of a people ... spirituality, generosity, solidarity, perseverance, fraternity, and joy. I believe in God - not in a Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being.
     There is a danger that threatens everyone in the church, all of us. The danger of worldliness. It leads us to vanity, arrogance and pride. We need to provide an education which teaches crit­ical thinking and encourages the development of mature moral values. Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus. Let us all remember this: one cannot proclaim the Gospel of Jesus without the tangible witness of one's life. A credible witness to truth and to the values of the Gospel is urgently needed. We must always walk in the presence of the Lord, in the light of the Lord, always trying to live in an irreprehensible way. If one has the answers to all the questions - that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble.

~Pope Francis~

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 WORDS - ALL DOUBT AND FEAR 

     A bad day for the ego is a good day for the soul. Stand fully in the now moment with gratitude, enthusiasm, openness, and readiness to respond to Life as it greets you. Learn to become still. And to take your attention away from what you don't want, and all the emotional charge around it, and place your attention on what you wish to experience. Problems can only exist if they have your attention. So as you are beginning your day, anchor yourself in the truth. Know that all is well. Extend this to your friends, colleagues and all that you meet. That life is for YOU! It is never against you. Today, refuse to see yourself as a recipient of negative vibrations or as a victim of subtle or gross influence around you. Practice broadcasting the high vibrations of your inner radiance remembering all the while that the place upon which you stand is holy, simply because you are standing there.
     At some point you have to own up to how great you are, how beautiful you are, to how much inner dignity and potential you have. Drop complaining about what other people didn’t give you or do for you, or how they mistreated you. Take repossession of your Self and you will rise to a level of greatness, that has been yours all along. You cannot bring anything new into your life until you are grateful for what you have now. Authentic gratitude is a way of life. When you wake up in the morning let your first thought be one of thanksgiving that you have another day to walk in the love of God. As you go through your day, see the Giver behind all of the gifts freely being given to you. We've gotten caught up in thinking we are what we look like, the physical, the exterior. We think we're the lamp shade. We've forgotten that we are the light-the electricity and the luminosity that lights up every man, woman, and child. The light is who we truly are.
     Know that you’re coming from plentitude and abundance. You lack nothing. You have star power. Too many people are living in a prison that they have themselves manufactured. Do you live in a mine field or a garden? When we live in a minefield mentality, we explode with the weeds of worry, doubt, fear, lack and limitation. Choose to cultivate your inner garden! I believe that you're great, that there's something magnificent about you. Regardless of what has happened to you in your life, regardless of how young or how old you think you might be, the moment you begin to think properly, this something that is within you, this power within you that's greater than the world, it will begin to emerge. It will take over your life. It will feed you, it will clothe you, it will guide you, protect you, direct you, sustain your very existence. If you let it! Now that is what I know, for sure.

~Michael Beckwith~

Kenneth Davis

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

Joke Book - Our Latest Jokes
The best jokes we have chosen for you.

He’s Not There For That!

     One evening an old farmer decides to go down to his pond. He hasn’t been there in months, and feels the urge to check on things. As he gets closer, he hears loud giggling coming from the pond. He is shocked to find a bunch of young women skinny-dipping.
     “Hey, what’s going on here?” he shouts, alerting the women who were standing at the water’s edge. All of the women scream in shock and swim to the deep end of the pond. One of the women shouts to the farmer, “We’re not coming out until you leave, you pervert!” The old man replies, “I didn’t come down here to watch you ladies swim or see you naked! I’m here to feed the alligator!”

Curtis by Ray Billingsley

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     March 25, 2025: When someone disrespects you, do not retaliate. Forgive! If you do not forgive them, you will not be forgiven. As hard as it might seem, you have to be the better, kinder person if you are to receive the blessing. Live your life above reproach, and you will be rewarded, says the Lord. Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

  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 - BE THE BETTER KINDER PERSON 

     It's unlikely that you were a frog in a past life. In this life you have obstacles. Nowadays, mindfulness has become a catch-all word, but the general principle of trying to be more conscious and aware in our daily life is very important. We live in a society which is heading in one direction, so it's good to have at least a few friends who share the same values and can encourage us and help us to remember that we're not alone or peculiar, but that what we're doing is a very valid way of life. Each of us has something to do in this lifetime. We all have negative emotions to be purified and positive emotions to be cultivated. All of us need to reconnect to our source and drop our personal stories, don't we? Men, women, old, young, from here, from there - it is the same. 
     All of us are playing roles, and there's nothing wrong with playing roles because we have to live in this world - the problem is only when we believe in those roles. We're normally caught up in the current of our thinking, feelings and emotions. Our thinking can create liberation, or it can create imprisonment. It depends on how we use our mind. With awareness, we can observe it all without being swept away. I think to dwell continually, on the dark side creates gloom and despair and anger and hatred, and that just adds to the darkness. The answer lies within ourselves. If we can't find peace and happiness there, it's not going to come from the outside. So rather than that, we need to think of the beauty in the world and also send out love and compassion to all beings in this world. Not just the people we like, but people who we find difficult, because they are very deeply in need of compassion. If we greet situations with a positive attitude, we will eventually create positive returns. If we respond with a negative attitude, negative things will eventually come our way.
     In the very deep darkness of this world, little pinpoints of light show up very brightly and can shine a long way. All of the external circumstances and the rude and difficult people we meet, instead of getting angry, upset, or frustrated, we see that we can take them all and use them on the path in a way that actually invigorates and strengthens us, rather than defeat us. There are wonderful beings in this world. You can still practice being a better and kinder and happier person. That's perfectly possible. Try to develop some genuine love and compassion, some real caring for others. It's very important to realize that every person that you meet, everything that you do, with the right attitude and a little awareness and skillful means - we can transform everything - all our joys and sorrows. Ultimately there is light and love and intelligence in this universe. And we are it, we carry that within us, it’s not just something out there, it is within us and this is what we are trying to re-connect with, our original light and love and intelligence, which is who we are, so do not get so distracted by all this other stuff, you know, really remember what we are here on this planet for.

~Tenzin Palmo~

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

At 92 years-old, Billy Graham was struggling with Parkinson's disease. In January, a month before his 93rd birthday, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited him to a luncheon in his honor.

Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because of his struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the podium, looked at the crowd, and said: "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train, when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets.

"It wasn't there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.

"The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.'  Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

"The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a ticket.  I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, “Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going."

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going.

"May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness, come through your door. "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."

May each of us have lived our lives so that when our ticket is punched, we don't have to worry about where we are going.

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 - YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM

     Religion, media and schools tell us to disregard animals, view them as commodities, property and resources, and convince us that animals cannot think clearly, nor act morally or altruistically, nor experience love and hatred, or kindness and terror, in the same way that we can. Have you ever known an alcoholic, a cigarette smoker, or a heroin user to be rational when it came to alcohol, cigarettes, or heroin? Of course not. And there is NO such thing as a rational - or ethical - meat, dairy, egg and honeyeater when it comes to animal issues and whether humans should be enslaving, murdering and eating animals, or using them as test subjects, clothing and entertainment.
     You know what’s more insane than slaughterhouses? Meat eaters. Walking around, acting like their lifestyle isn’t causing any harm. If people want to be real meat eaters, I'd love to see people eat raw flesh from the bone, down to the bone with nothing left but the bones, day after day after day. Vegans are the ONLY unique people on this planet who think outside of the box. They are the ONLY ones who reject society's norms and live differently than the aforesaid groups and people. Veganism gives people an actual chance to DO SOMETHING instead of adding more cement (good intentions) to pave that road to Hell. Veganism can resurrect Eden and create heaven on Earth. We can have a place where humans view animals in awe, and animals view humans with a curious aloofness. 
     How would you feel, if the day that you were born, somebody else had already planned the day of your execution? Thou shalt not kill: the four most important, and yet, most ignored words in all religious teachings. There is not an asterisk next to that commandment saying, “Unless you walk on all four and have fur, feathers, horns, beaks or gills. The worst scream I have ever heard, by far, is a mother cow on a dairy farm screaming her lungs out day, after day, after day for her stolen baby to be given back to her. And why do they steal babies from their moms? Well, the dairy industry can't have little babies sucking up all that milk that was meant for them. Every time you have a glass of cow milk; some calf is not.
     If you are not the victim, don't examine it entirely from your point of view because when YOU'RE not the victim, it becomes pretty easy to rationalize and excuse cruelty, injustice, inequality, slavery, and even murder. But when you're the victim, things look a lot differently from that angle. The vicious cycle of violence is real. But if people simply stopped listening to their ignorant parents, their biased religions, their corrupt government and the prejudicial media, change would be quite easy. All it takes is courageous, fearless, unique individuals to make substantive change in this world. Unfortunately, there are very few courageous and fearless people. 
     My stepfather used to be a clown in The Shrine Circus. He took me backstage when I was 23. I saw three elephants chained to the cement floor in the warehouse of the Michigan State Fairgrounds. Sadness, hopelessness and fear were emanating from their eyes, from their bodies. They were swaying neurotically from side to side. A monkey was screaming in his cage, grabbing the bars of his prison. Two tigers were pacing feverishly in their tiny cages. Cruelty was staring me in the face. I knew something was wrong. If you pay attention to energy, you can tell when a fellow being is in peril. No human influenced me to become vegan. The screaming, terrified, enslaved animals were the only influence needed. 

~Gary Yourofsky~

Kenneth Davis

WEDNESDAY WELLNESS

Can Fish Oil Lower Blood Pressure? 
Medical Experts Share Their Answer
Dr. Patricia Varacallo, DO
Published on Nov. 07, 2024
https://www.thehealthy.com/

     It supports heart health—but can fish oil serve as a complementary companion targeting your blood pressure, specifically? Here's the research. With nearly half of all US adults living with high blood pressure as just one example of a widespread cardiovascular trend, data via Harvard Health says Americans invest over $1 billion annually in over-the-counter fish oil supplements.

     Fish oil is sourced from oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies, fish oil. It’s abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA (eicosatetraenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These essential fats, which your body cannot make on its own, are known for reducing inflammation, lowering triglycerides, decreasing blood pressure, and reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But does fish oil lower blood pressure, specifically? The effectiveness of a fish oil supplement may not be clear-cut. Luke Laffin, MD, a preventive cardiologist with the Cleveland Clinic, says, “We know that people who consume high levels of omega-3 fatty acids by eating fish have a lower risk of cardiovascular events, but that hasn’t been borne out in studies about over-the-counter doses of fish oil.” Dr. Laffin adds that even large, reputable studies have not consistently demonstrated significant cardiovascular benefits from fish oil supplements.

The connection between omega-3s and blood pressure

     A 2022 review published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggested that about three grams of omega-3s daily—whether from food or supplements—may be ideal for lowering blood pressure. Researchers reviewed data from 71 clinical trials conducted between 1987 and 2020, finding that participants who consumed two to three grams of omega-3s daily experienced an average reduction of two mmHg in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure values. Those with existing high blood pressure saw even more significant results, with three grams daily lowering systolic pressure by an average of 4.5 mmHg. The study authors note that their research supports FDA guidance that EPA and DHA may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering high blood pressure, especially for those with hypertension. However, these findings do not fully meet the FDA’s criteria for an authorized health claim for omega-3s.

How effective are fish oil supplements?

     Currently, there is not enough evidence to confirm that fish oil supplements significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Dr. Laffin points to a 2021 study showing that high doses of fish oil had little effect on reducing major cardiac events in high-risk individuals. He notes that for those at high risk of heart disease, treatment options are mostly limited to statins. In certain cases, the benefits of pure EPA fish oil might outweigh potential risks, though he prescribes it with careful consideration. It’s also important to remember that the FDA classifies dietary supplements, including fish oil, as foods rather than drugs. As a result, manufacturers aren’t required to undergo rigorous clinical testing or production oversight, allowing them to make broad claims on their labels without substantial evidence.

     Before starting any new supplement, always consult a healthcare provider and follow their recommendations. Fish oil supplements are an approved and effective treatment for high blood triglyceride levels when prescribed by a doctor, so be sure to follow your provider’s instructions carefully. For those simply considering fish oil on its own, experts generally recommend dietary sources as the best way to obtain omega-3s. The American Heart Association advises including two servings of fish (three to four ounces each) per week as part of a heart-healthy diet, noting that approximately four to five ounces of Atlantic salmon provides about three grams of omega-3 fatty acids.

(About the author)

Dr. Patricia Varacallo, DO

⦁ Doctor of osteopathy with experience in primary healthcare.

⦁ Certified lifestyle coach for the CDC-recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program.

⦁ Co-author of peer-reviewed research published in journal of The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB).

⦁ Has presented research at national conferences including Experimental Biology, the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Florida Academy of Sciences

⦁ Outstanding medical oral presentation at the Florida Academy of Sciences

     This is for information purposes 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 - PATIENTLY WAITED

     I became wary of simple interpretations that assumed fixed and final meanings. I often wondered why I was attracted to certain landscapes and not others and why my photographs (and depictions by other artists) looked the way they did. Photography, of course, is the perfect medium for the investigation. It can reveal the truth of present-day specifics and particularities, while at the same time, by conscious choice of lighting and pictorial structure, suggest the aesthetic legacy of the past.
     People think the camera steals their soul. Places, I am convinced, are affected in the opposite direction. The more they are photographed (or drawn and painted) the more soul they seem to accumulate. I want to make photographs whose very ambiguity provokes thought, rather than cuts it off prematurely. I want to make pictures that work on a more mysterious level, that approach the truth by a more circuitous route. Serious photographers have spent most of this century trying to expunge such extravagances from their art. The tradition lives on, mostly in calendars and picture postcards. I was challenged to rework and revitalize that which had been so roundly denigrated.
     While making my picture window photographs, I came to think that every room was like a gigantic camera forever pointed at the same view. Strangers with puzzled looks were amazingly cooperative in letting me into their rooms with my photographic gear. They let me take down the curtains, wash the windows, and rearrange the furniture. Often, too, they expressed their desire to share their view with others, as if it were a non-depletable treasure. I liked the idea that my photographic vantage points were not solely determined by myself. They were predetermined by others, sometimes years earlier, and patiently waited for me to discover them.
 

~John Pfahl~

Kenneth Davis

TIME FOR ANOTHER 

  William Henry Fox Talbot's Cameras 1840-1842

VINTAGE CAMERAS

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS
TO 
JOYCELYN LACY
 SOMMERVILE

     Life ceases to be a fraction and becomes an integer. It is magnificent to grow old, if one keeps young. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined. Life asks not merely what you can do; it asks how much can you endure and not be spoiled. No virtue is more universally accepted as a test of good character than trustworthiness. Friends are necessary to a happy life.

~Harry Emerson Fosdick~

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)